by Ryan Gilbert
It was not often that a longboat would be found drifting out on the open sea. There were not even any ships for as far as the eye could see. It was a curious situation for the sailors, not knowing the place from which these people had come.
The Commodore took it upon himself to find the answer, saying, “Tell me, good people: how did you get this far out in the ocean? Did your ship run aground?”
One grumpy nobleman said, “No, Commodore, we were attacked… by pirates. Oh… what a dreadful bunch they were.”
“Attacked?” exclaimed a curious Commodore.
“Yes… attacked. Our ship was destroyed and is now sitting on the ocean floor. Such a pity.”
“What was your ship’s name, my good man?” asked Hamond.
“The Grandeur.”
Commodore Hamond’s eyes widened with terror. Julia had been traveling to Carolina on the Grandeur. If the ship had been attacked, that meant that Julia had been attacked. Where was she? Was she still alive?
Scanning the crowd of people, Commodore Hamond could not see his daughter anywhere. Frantically, he pushed through the thin crowd and searched for her, but he could not find her. Maybe she had slipped below deck already. Perhaps she was roaming the ship, looking for him. Sweat was filling his shoes as the stress built minute by minute. Try as he might, he could not find Julia anywhere.
Feeling a hand on his shoulder, the Commodore turned around and came face to face with one of the rescued men. He had been cleaned up a little bit, but it had not done much. His shirt was stained with blood, and his hair was matted to his head. He looked horrible.
“Are you Commodore Matthew Hamond?”
“I am he. What do you want? I need to find my daughter.”
Releasing his hand from Hamond’s shoulder, the man said, “My name is Jonathan Warner and I can tell you your daughter is not here.”
“What do you mean she’s not here?” asked a desperate Hamond.
Jonathan said, “I mean you’re not going to find her on this ship.”
“Well then where is she?”
Taking a deep breath, Jonathan said, “Commodore… your daughter is a prisoner on board the Red Sky, the pirate ship that sank the Grandeur and also the pirates that did all of this to me.”
He pointed to the blood on his shirt, causing the Commodore’s heartbeat to quicken.
“My daughter? In the clutches of pirates?”
Jonathan nodded his head.
“Yes, Commodore, I am afraid so. I tried my best to defend her, but I was beaten down for my efforts. You have to find those pirates and destroy them if you want to get your daughter back before it is too late.”
“Indeed, Mr. Warner. Do you remember which way the ship was headed?”
“I can certainly try, Commodore.”
“Do you have any experience with ships, Mr. Warner?”
“Of course.”
“Would you join me at the helm to give my navigator a heading?”
“I shall, sir.”
Hamond rushed to the helm and directed Jonathan to the navigator. His mind was racing so much that he almost could not focus. Turning to face the main deck, he rapped his sword on the railing to get the attention of his sailors.
“Men of the Crown, I am now declaring this voyage a rescue mission. My daughter is a prisoner on a ship called the Red Sky. We are going to be pursuing this ship until we find it. I don’t care if it takes us six weeks or six years, we will find those pirates and we will dispense justice. If anyone has any pertinent information regarding the ship known as the Red Sky, let him speak now.”
A lone sailor raised his hand. He was an older man, one who had seen many years on the sea.
“Sir, there were rumors at one time that a black ship with dark red sails was spreading terror on the sea. I cannot remember for certain the name of the ship, but after speaking with these survivors, I can safely say that the Red Sky fits the description.”
Several of those rescued nodded in affirmation.
“Anything else, sailor?”
“No, sir. That’s all I can recall.”
Jonathan came up behind Hamond and said, “Commodore, that is the ship, I guarantee it. You should not be wasting time with speeches. The Red Sky is as fast as you can imagine.”
The Commodore was pushed to his breaking point. His stress was at its highest level.
“All hands on deck! Prepare to pursue the enemies of the Crown!”
Pivoting to face Jonathan, Hamond said, “I certainly hope you are right about these headings.”
“I am absolutely positive about them. I just shudder to think about what those filthy pirates are doing with that poor girl.”
“Are you sure you don’t want some rum, sweets?”
“For the last time, I do not want any of that vile drink.”
“But it’s good for you.”
“Never in a thousand years has that drink ever been considered good.”
Riggs had been trying for days to get Julia to try some rum. He insisted it was a true man’s drink. She insisted that it was an evil liquid that turned men into drunkards. Neither would budge.
Sitting down on the steps to the helm, Julia pushed the hair out of her face. Riggs was starting to annoy her, but not in a bad way. She almost felt as if he was teasing her, trying to be funny and friendly.
Four days had passed since the prisoners had been set free. Julia continued to have free reign over the ship, gradually getting accustomed to the hustle and bustle of the crew. Riggs seemed slightly more pleasant now that the prisoners were gone, but the girl would not allow herself to accept him. He was a pirate. Nothing could change her feelings regarding pirates.
The sun was starting to set, and Riggs directed Julia’s attention to the horizon. The entire ship grew quiet as most of the crew went below deck. The blues, purples, and oranges in the sky blended in the most amazing scene that Julia had ever seen. She had never seen such a beautiful image in all of her life.
Leaning against the rail, Riggs saw the mesmerized look on the girl’s face. He needed to convince her that not all pirates were bad. He wanted her at his side.
“This is the life of a pirate, Julia. We can experience natural beauty every day. You land dwellers haven’t seen somethin’ like this, have ye?”
Entranced, Julia said, “No… I haven’t.”
“Impressed?”
“It is beautiful.”
“Yes… yes, it is.”
Julia could not help but stare out over the ocean and the sky, trying to burn the image into her mind.
“Are we all really so bad now?” asked Riggs.
“A sunset is not going to change how I feel about you, Captain Riggs,” said Julia, turning away from the pirate as the darkness of night started to creep over the sky.
One by one, the crew made their way below deck. Some would drink, and some would sleep. Soon, the two were left alone, the only other pirates being the night watchmen.
The ship was silent. Waves calmly lapped against the bow, a soothing sound. The night sky was shrouded with scattered clouds, slowly moving past the stars and moon. Both Riggs and Julia could hear the wind rushing through the sails. Suddenly, the wind started to sound strange. It was a familiar sound to Julia and she wanted to hear it again, but this time, the Mermaid’s Wail sounded different.
“Prey on the pure,
You, we abhor.
We are your desires,
Looked upon as liars.
Sorcery is on our side,
And also those who have died.”
Riggs pulled out his gun and pointed it into the darkness. He was horrified. His eyes darted across the deck and the surrounding waters. Terror was evident in his every move. He had heard the Mermaid’s Wail before, but never had it had such a violent message. That could not mean anything good.
Noticing Riggs’ fright, Julia sarcastically asked, “Is the pirate afraid of a little wind?”
Seriousness etched in his face, Riggs responded,
“Julia, that’s not the wind. That’s the Mermaid’s Wail, the voice of a devil.”
“It’s just the wind,” laughed Julia.
“Oh no, sweets, that’s not just the wind. That’s the voice of a mermaid.”
“Really? You expect me to believe that fish people exist?”
“They do! I’ve seen the damage they do, and you do not want to underestimate ‘em. The witches of the sea, they are. Usually, the only time ye hear their songs is when they’re tryin’ to seduce a man or when they’re tryin’ to kill you… so I’ve heard.”
“That’s utterly ridiculous,” said Julia as she looked over the rail and watched the waves smash against the hull.
Something caught her eye. Out of the corner of her vision, she saw what looked like tiny eyes peeking just above the water. Instantly, she froze in place, not knowing what to make of what she was seeing.
Before she could examine further, Riggs grabbed her and yanked her away from the rail. She thought she heard a splash as soon as she lost sight of the anomaly.
Like a child encountering an imaginary monster, Julia cried out in fear. Instinctively, she grabbed on to the nearest thing to her, which happened to be Riggs.
“Well that worked out better than I thought it would. Wouldn’t you agree, love?” asked Riggs, holding her close.
Hurriedly, Julia wriggled out of the pirate captain’s grip. She did not want to put up with his flirting right now.
“I think I just saw a pair of eyes!”
Changing his tone, Riggs said, “That, m’ lady, was a mermaid. Believe me now?”
“It’s impossible. My father told me years ago that such creatures do not exist.”
Holstering his gun, Riggs said, “Looks like your father’s wrong.”
Julia was growing angry.
“My father would not lie to me.”
“Did I say he lied? Being wrong is vastly different from lyin’.”
Julia was flustered. She had never known her father to be wrong about anything. He said that he had seen everything that the sea had to offer and then some. Surely, there was some natural explanation for what she had seen. Maybe it was some light reflecting off of the water. Perhaps it was the stars mirrored in the ocean. She could have even been hallucinating.
No matter how many ways she tried to debunk what she saw, a small part of her brain kept insisting that what she saw was a mermaid. Riggs was right, but she could not bring herself to accept that. If it was truly what she saw, what else was there that she did not know about?
Gently, Riggs put his arm around Julia and guided her below deck to her sleeping quarters. She did not even seem to notice his hand on her shoulder. The only thing she did was stare straight ahead and let Riggs guide her.
When they arrived at her quarters, Riggs let go of her and said, “Goodnight, Julia.”
“Goodnight,” she mumbled, laying down on the bed and closing her eyes.
After she had fallen asleep, Riggs made his way back to the helm. He was surprised to find Clint waiting for him.
“Captain, I don’t like havin’ this girl on the ship. It’s not gonna make life any easier for us. Nor is it gonna help us get famous. It’ll just get us killed faster.”
Grabbing the wheel, Riggs responded, “That is not gonna happen. While she is on this ship, no Navy ship’ll dare touch us. If we die, she dies with us, and what purpose would they have for comin’ after us if not to get her back?”
“I see. Good thinkin’, Captain.”
“Thank ye.”
“But…” continued the navigator.
Riggs rolled his eyes.
“… I still don’t think it’s a good idea to be getting chummy wit’ ‘er. She’s too good fer ya. I, myself, honestly don’t know where your loyalty lies no more.”
Looking Clint straight in the face, Riggs said, “Clint… my loyalty lies with the Red Sky to the end. I fought for this ship, and I am gonna stick by it forever…”
“That’s good to hear.”
“…but I can also care about the most beautiful girl that I’ve ever met. I will do almost anythin’ for her, and don’t you forget that. I would like for you and the crew to treat her with respect. Alright?”
“Aye, Captain,” sighed Clint.
Commodore Hamond was sitting in the captain’s quarters of the HMS Magistrate pouring over charts of the sea. He still could not believe that his daughter was in the hands of pirates. He could not help but feel like a failure as a father. His skin was burning with nervous heat as he loosened his collar. He was the one that allowed her to go on that trip to Carolina. He was the one who signed her up to travel on the Grandeur. He was not there to protect her when she was captured. How could he have let this happen? Pounding his fist on the table, a tear fell from his eye. If he lost his daughter, his only child, he would not be able to live with himself anymore. Surely, she was still alive. She had to be.
*knock* *knock* *knock*
“Come in,” said the Commodore, wiping his face with a handkerchief.
A soldier poked his head through the doorway and said, “A Mister Jonathan Warner requests an audience with you, sir.”
“Send him in.”
Walking into the room, Jonathan said, “Good evening, Commodore.”
“Good evening, Mr. Warner. You are just the man I wanted to see,” said Hamond.
“I am here to help with your search, Commodore. Ask anything of me and I will do it to the best of my ability,” responded the young man.
“Good. I was wondering if you could provide a description of the pirate ship. It would help make our search much easier.”
Clearing his throat, Jonathan began, “Well, sir, the ship was black… not partially black, but all black… with dark red sails, red like the blood that was seeping from my cuts and scrapes when you rescued me. It was called the Red Sky.”
“Yes, Mr. Warner. We already know that. Do you have any other information?”
As if there had been no interruption, Jonathan replied, “From what I could see, the ship had about forty guns, a small enough number for a ship of this size to blow it out of the water. I did not see much else since I was stuck in the brig for most of my captivity. However, I did notice something quite interesting.”
Intrigued, Hamond gestured for Jonathan to continue.
“I have interviewed individuals who have been captured by pirates and most of them have spoken about the captain. Usually, they are dirty, disgusting, and uncivilized monsters. The captain of the Red Sky seemed at least a little civilized, almost as if he was a Navy officer at some point. The coat he was wearing even looked like that of a Navy officer.”
The Commodore was puzzled. In all of his time as an officer in the Navy he had never heard of a black ship being commissioned, much less being lost to pirates, or a rogue captain.
“Mr. Warner, are you certain that your description is one hundred percent accurate?”
“With every fiber of my being, sir.”
Standing up from his chair, Hamond started pacing the room. He did not understand. Nothing fit the usual description of a pirate ship or crew. What did it mean?
“Could you tell me how these pirates managed to destroy the Grandeur?”
“Yes, of course, sir. As we were sailing to Carolina, the ship ambushed us. The captain saw the skull and crossbones and he and the navigator started arguing over how to get away from the pirates. Seeing as their arguing was not helping our cause, I took control and helped us outrun the pirates for a short period of time. The Red Sky was faster than any ship I had ever seen, sir. She was on us in seconds. The soldiers tried to hold them off for as long as they could, but someone had misplaced the cannonballs. Needless to say, we ran out of them. We were helpless and the pirates knew it. Everyone, including myself, knew that we were going to be taken captive. Everything else happened so fast. I just know that the captain pronounced us his prisoners, and then someone gave the signal to attack. The cannonballs started flying soon after that.
During the attack, I was knocked unconscious. I do not know how the ship sank, but I do know that your daughter survived the attack.”
“What happened next?” asked the Commodore, getting more anxious by the second.
“I woke up on board the pirates’ ship, soaking wet. One of the pirates was threatening Julia, so I intervened. But it was all for naught. As I readied myself to fight him, he knocked me down and beat me within an inch of my life. Next thing I know, I am lying in the brig, broken and bloodied.”
Worried, Commodore Hamond asked, “Did they do the same to Julia?”
“Oh, no. When I woke up, she did not look like a single hand had touched her.”
A wave of relief flowed over the Commodore. Accompanied by it was a rush of confusion. These did not seem like any pirates that he had ever encountered. Where was all the senseless violence? Where were the abusive actions? Other than Jonathan’s scuffle, no one else seemed to have been subject to violent behavior. There was only one final question that the Commodore needed to ask.
“Mr. Warner, I need you to remember something.”
“What is it, sir?”
“The captain of the Red Sky… who was he? Did he say his name?”
“Oh, yes. I remember him quite clearly.”
“The name, Mr. Warner…”
“Yes, of course. Just before the attack on the Grandeur, he introduced himself as Captain William Richardson.”
Commodore Hamond recoiled as if a knife had pierced his chest. Grabbing onto his chair to steady himself, he began to sweat. Never in a thousand years would he have imagined this misfortune.
“Commodore Hamond? Was it something I said?”
Ignoring the question, Hamond persisted, “Richardson… did he say or do anything else?”
“No, sir. There was a mutiny.”
“And what happened during that mutiny?” Hamond interrupted.
“He was killed.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I am sure. Why is that important, Commodore?”