by Ryan Gilbert
Grabbing her daughter’s hands, she said, “I don’t want to lose my only child. Don’t make me go through that.”
Once she had let out the last word, Mrs. Hamond clasped her arms around her daughter, hugging her as she kept herself from crying. Julia could not think of anything to say. She had never seen her mother break down like that before. Even when Julia had returned from her ill-fated voyage to Carolina last year, her mother had not been that upset, more relieved than anything.
Returning her mother’s hug, Julia continued working on her bread. For the remainder of the process, neither woman said anything. Silently, they reflected on how the other felt. Julia knew that her mother loved her dearly and did not want anything to happen to her. She just wished that her mother could accept that she had fallen in love with a pirate. She knew that she seemed lovesick, but she did not want to hide her feelings.
Hours later, the Commodore returned home. His wife and daughter greeted him at the door, immediately noticing the stressed look on his face.
“What is it, dear?” asked Mrs. Hamond.
In a hurried voice, the Commodore said, “Tell the servants to clean my study. My superiors are on their way for a meeting, and I need to make a good impression on them.”
Shocked, but delighted, Mrs. Hamond asked, “Matthew, why didn’t you tell me about this earlier?”
“Trust me, darling. This is just as much a surprise for you as it is for me.”
Once her mother had dashed to the bedroom to change into something more suitable, Julia’s father pulled her aside to have a word with her. The stress emphasized the seriousness of his expression. Even before he said anything, Julia knew what her father was going to ask of her.
“You don’t need to ask, father. You don’t want me to say anything about the Red Sky or Riggs. Am I right?” she asked.
“Precisely. If my superior officers knew that you had engaged in piracy, then this entire family would be ruined.”
Noticing the downtrodden look on his daughter’s face, he asked, “Do you understand that?”
“Of course, father. I’ve managed to keep it secret for this long. I don’t think one day is going to change anything.”
“Good girl,” he said with a smile.
He gave his daughter a kiss and rushed upstairs to put on his best uniform. Julia sat down on the couch and rested her head in her hands. It was upsetting how she could only let people see a lie. She could not speak the truth about her feelings for fear of being thrown in jail or, even worse, walking to the gallows.
Reaching to the back of her neck, she unclipped her necklace and held it in front of her. She could see little tiny reflections of her face in the ruby, but that was all she could see… just reflections. It was much like her actual life, where people could only see her outward appearance and not what she wanted to let them see. If only she could look into the ruby heart and be able to see her true love, she would be happy.
Sighing, Julia put the necklace in her pocket. With each deception, the hours seemed to get longer, driving her farther away from the pirates. Perhaps that is what her parents wanted, but her heart would not let her forget where it truly yearned to be.
“Steal and lie;
Steal and lie;
There are no rules,
But you will not die.
Gods of power;
Tempers sour.
Pirates fighting;
We don’t cower.”
Yawning, Clint asked Riggs, “Why’re you still singing that song?”
Spinning the wheel, Riggs answered, “Because it’s my favorite.”
“Seems to be getting old for me.”
“You seem to be gettin’ old.”
“Hey… watch it, Captain.”
Flourishing his hat, Riggs bowed and said, “Apologies.”
The sarcasm was dripping from his voice.
As his navigator shook his fist at him, Riggs laughed and looked out over the ocean. It was a clear night with no clouds in the sky. The sun had just set and the moon was steadily rising to its zenith. The only sounds were the wind blowing in the sails and the ocean lapping against the bow. All was peaceful.
All except for Riggs’ heart.
Ever since the day that he and Julia had gone their separate ways, he had regretted that decision. He tried his best to mask it by telling himself that it was for the girl’s own good. A couple of times he had actually fooled himself into believing that. Whether or not he wanted to believe it, he knew that being home with her father and mother was the safest thing for her. After what they had been through last year, he wanted her to be safe most of all. Pursuing treasure and being his usual crazy self helped to distract him from her, but not totally. He always had an unconscious urge to sail straight into the bay at Yorktown and go find his lover, but he knew that he could not do that. That would give him and his crew a one-way trip to the gallows.
In an effort to try to relieve his burden, Riggs spoke very little about Julia, causing most of the crew to believe that their captain had forgotten about the girl. Only his friends knew when he was thinking about his lost love. The only other member of his crew that knew about the Captain’s true feelings was Garrett. He believed that his leader would eventually forget about the girl, living a life that he called “fit for a true pirate.” Riggs’ friends knew that would never happen.
He had thought about Julia every day for the past year. Every detail of her face was fresh in his mind. Her flowing brown hair… her shocking green eyes… her delicate skin… Riggs could picture it all in his head. Her touch was a sensation that he wanted to feel again, even if it killed him. Just thinking about her luscious lips was enough to drive the pirate crazy.
Clint looked up from his bottle of rum and said, “Yer tensing up again, Riggs.”
With a little smirk, Riggs asked, “Is it that obvious?”
The navigator nodded.
“You always tense up when yer thinking ‘bout ‘er.”
“I can’t help it, Clint. She’s the one good thing to happen to me other than bein’ the captain o’ this ship.”
Clint offered his captain the bottle, and Riggs drank it eagerly. It helped him relax for a little bit.
“Clint… ye think she still loves me?”
The navigator stood up from the ground and leaned against the pedestal of the wheel. He set his bottle down on the deck and laid his hand on Riggs’ shoulder.
“Lad, I don’t know much ‘bout love, but I do know that what you and that girl had was special.”
Pointing his finger at his captain’s chest, he asked, “What is it ye feel in there?”
“It’s still burnin’, Clint.”
Smiling, the man said, “Well then I’d bet she’s still waitin’ fer you. It’ll take more ‘n just time to separate you two.”
“Thanks, mate.”
“Can’t let ye go around being unsure ‘n all,” Clint laughed.
“Aye… that be true.”
Clint took Riggs’ place at the wheel as the Captain walked back to his cabin. The navigator’s words helped put Riggs’ mind and heart to rest. Whenever he needed reassurance, he could always turn to his friends on board the ship.
Kicking his boots off of his feet, Riggs sat down on his bed and let the coolness of the ground soothe his feet. He closed his eyes and let all of the stress flow out of his body. The light of the moon shone through the glass windows of the cabin and lit up the entire room. The light strained his eyes, forcing him to stay awake. He could not rest, even if he tried.
All that he wanted to do was stare out the window at the sea. It was so still that it almost looked like a painting… or a memory.
That night reminded him so much of when he had let Julia go. He almost expected to see the Magistrate sailing away as he looked out the window. Try as he might, he could not close his eyes to get any sleep.
It seemed like hours passed as he just lay there. Every time that he closed his eyes, he saw Julia’s beautiful face
staring back at him, only to be brought back to reality when the light of the moon shone out from behind the gathering clouds. He lay in his bed, staring into nothingness as his memories taunted him, almost begging him to pursue that for which his heart yearned. He had almost memorized every detail of the grimy ceiling above his head before he decided to take a walk. He needed fresh air. He needed to breathe. Barefoot, he walked out onto the deck again.
Once he stepped outside the cabin, he felt the cool breeze of the ocean. It calmed him as he walked to the bow of the ship. Everything was silent except for the gentle pounding of the waves and the wind blowing calmly through the sails. Looking down at the tiny waves hitting the sides of the ship, Riggs grabbed on to some ropes and pulled himself onto the bowsprit. Balancing carefully, he sat down, letting his legs hang in the empty space between him and the sea. The ropes that he leaned against felt cold as they touched his neck.
“I wish you were ‘ere, Julia.”
The ship creaked, almost as if it was giving its approval.
“Do ye want to risk it all and go to Yorktown… where ‘civilized’ people are?”
Riggs felt the vibrations of the ship as the water pounded lightly against it.
“Aye… my feelin’s exactly.”
With the wind blowing the scraggly hair out of his face, Riggs let his mind wander. There were so many things that could go wrong if he did go to Yorktown. He could get spotted by a Navy ship and get captured. He could be ambushed by Commodore Hamond. He could end up hanging from the gallows. A lot of the crew seemed like they did not want to risk their lives for that kind of voyage. He could not really blame them, but so long as they were extremely careful, they would be fine.
One other thing slipped into his mind: Poseidon’s trident. Most of the crew, especially Garrett, seemed obsessed with finding it. The Captain had been obsessed too… for a time.
Now, every time that he thought about the trident, he would think back to the fearsome battles that the pirates had with the mermaid Ororis over her magic emerald. It was almost to the point where he did not want to deal with anything magical at all. However, there was still a nagging part of him that did want to feel the raw power of the weapon.
Grabbing the rope, Riggs stood up and let his eyes sweep over the moonlit waters. He knew that he had to keep the crew happy. Finding the trident could do just that. Once the crew’s thirst for power had been satiated, he could use the trident to find Julia. Having such a powerful weapon would certainly make it easier for the Red Sky and its crew to sneak into Yorktown.
Smiling to himself, the Captain said, “That settles it. First, the trident, then… Julia.”
The Red Sky began to sail faster as the wind picked up speed. Riggs took it as the ship’s way of saying that it agreed.
The night just never seemed to end. Commodore Hamond was still having his meeting with his officers and superiors. Throughout the entire meal, Julia had remained in the kitchen, only ever speaking to Lieutenant Daniel Travers. He was the only person outside of her parents to know about her secret. Daniel had been her friend for as long as she could remember, so she could trust him with anything. He had been with Commodore Hamond when Riggs returned Julia to him, and he knew how much Julia wanted to go back. Mrs. Hamond had gone to bed after the men had politely declined any more food. The servants were taking care of the dishes. Julia had stayed awake, curious to find out what the men were discussing. She forced herself to stay as far away as possible, fearful that she would get caught.
But that fear could only hold her back for so long.
The minutes ticked away, the evening light dimming until Julia needed to light candles to see. The mumbling of the men’s voices never died down, always a constant murmur. It beckoned to her like she was an inquisitive child. Even as the servants left, she could barely contain the urge.
By the time the clock had struck midnight, her curiosity had gotten the best of her. She crept out of the kitchen and made her way to the study, where the meeting was being held. The door was shut, but light was escaping from beneath the door. She did not bother getting a candle. All that would do was alert the men to her presence.
From the hallway, she could already hear the separate voices, clear and distinct. Kneeling down, she brought her eye to the keyhole and looked into the room.
Through the tiny opening, she could see her father, Lieutenant Travers, and another man that she did not know. His head was covered with a flowing wig, and he must have held a high position in the Navy. Gold tassels fell from his shoulders, something that she had never seen before. She could tell that other officers were in the room as well, but they were not visible through the keyhole.
The unknown man spoke, saying, “Commodore, we’ve reviewed your records and accounts of your voyages.”
“I’m aware of that, sir.”
“So far, everything seems to be in order.”
Julia could see that her father was nervous, even though he was trying hard to conceal it.
“Thank you, sir.”
The mystery man continued, “… everything except one particular instance.”
Commodore Hamond’s eyes widened.
“On this voyage… the voyage where your daughter was kidnapped… you mention a ship called the Red Sky, a pirate ship if I recall correctly.”
Maintaining his composure, the Commodore responded, “Yes, sir.”
“Well, Commodore… I don’t see any account of the destruction of the ship… but I do see that you got your daughter back safe and sound.”
“Yes, sir.”
“What happened to that ship, Commodore? Did you destroy it like we do every pirate ship that we come across?”
With a gruff look to mask his nervousness, the Commodore answered, “No, sir.”
“And why was that?” the man asked, folding his hands.
The Commodore started to answer, but the man held up a hand to quiet him.
“The question is for the Lieutenant, Commodore.”
Both of the men seemed surprised. Lieutenant Travers had obvious shock on his face for a brief second before he wiped it clear. Commodore Hamond looked him straight in the face, unsure what would come out of Travers’ mouth. He did not know Daniel as well as Julia did.
The Lieutenant turned to face the unknown man and said, “The pirates had escaped. The girl had been left on an island to die, and we retrieved her.”
For a moment, the man said nothing. Commodore Hamond, Daniel, and Julia held their breath, waiting for an answer. If he did not believe his officers, then there would be trouble.
After a long couple of seconds, Julia saw the man nod his head. She could not see his face, but his body language indicated that he believed the lieutenant. Satisfied with the statement, the man swiveled to face the Commodore.
“Commodore Hamond, did you pursue the pirates?”
“No, sir. We had civilians onboard the ship that we had to bring back to the mainland.”
Even just peeking through the keyhole, Julia could sense that the man was not the usual type of Navy officer. He had a powerful and intimidating aura about him as he stood there. No one else in the room dared to open their mouth while he spoke. It was unsettling to behold.
“Matthew, I admire your dedication to the safety of the people. It is highly commendable, and I don’t see that trait in just every officer.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Next time though, keep pursuing those pirates. The less of them that we have on the seas, the better. It is our duty under the Crown to bring justice to the lawless and order to the chaotic. We cannot rest until these… villains… are resting at the bottom of the ocean or hanging from the hangman’s noose.”
“Understood, sir.”
Standing up, the man continued, “Matthew, I know you’re a stout-hearted man and that you would give your life if it meant bringing the pirates’ rule over the seas to an end. If you keep impressing me with these expeditions, then perhaps the next time I stop by, I’ll
be addressing you as… Admiral Hamond.”
The Commodore gave a salute which the unknown man returned. Julia scooted backwards and darted down the hallway as the door opened and the men filed out of the room.
“Goodness gracious, look at the time. We really should be going. Do tell your family that the food was delicious.”
“I will, sir… and thank you,” said the Commodore, showing the officers to the door.
Once they had left, Julia snuck upstairs and into her room. Whoever that man was, she could tell that he meant serious business. If the Red Sky were to ever run into him, the crew would have to fight their hardest to survive. He might even spell the end of all of the pirates with his apparent brutality and drive for their extinction.
Somehow, in her heart, she knew that the crew that had changed her would live on. Even after a year of not seeing them, imagining the world without them seemed impossible.
The girl opened her window and let the cool breeze flow through her hair. Closing her eyes, she imagined that she was back on the deck of the Red Sky, sailing the seas and pirating. Nearly every day, she expected the ship to come sailing into the harbor to whisk her away for another adventure. She could almost feel Riggs’ hands around her waist, holding her close as they sailed away from Yorktown.
That time would come. She knew it.
CHAPTER TWO
The next morning, Riggs awoke to a pounding on his cabin door. Groggily, he stuck his feet into his boots and grabbed his jacket and hat from the ground. If this was some ridiculous game, he was not in the mood for it. He had barely gotten any sleep the night before.
“I’m comin’… I’m comin’,” he said.
Opening the door, he stood face to face with Eli. The carpenter looked astonished, gasping for breath as he pointed to the main deck of the ship.
The pirate wheezed, “Garrett… he’s gone and… started a fight with Jack.”