Justified Treason (Endless Horizon Pirate Stories, Book 1)

by Taijeron, Cristi

  Standing at the helm in the pouring rain, I looked down at me compass to check our direction. Headed due west for Tortuga, I laughed as I thought the compass arrows should be spinning to represent the confused course of direction in me mind.

  Chapter 9

  Cost of the Freedom

  As told by Sterling Bentley

  After a few days of long, slow sailing and vigorous rowing, we finally set sight on the turtle shaped silhouette of Tortuga. As Wind of Glory made her pathetic appearance into the rounded harbor, James told me that he was unimpressed with the low lying hills of the island and the tattered appearance of the town. While the rest of the men paced and hooted with anticipation, James inquired, “Why are you people so excited to be here?”

  I explained the story of Tortuga the same way I told it to Charlotte, and though his reaction to the history was quite similar to hers, thar was nothing enjoyable ‘bout watching his sunburnt face light up with glee.

  “Ye’ll get yerself killed looking so jolly and ripe, Thornton. Ye better at least act like yer tough while yer here.”

  He looked down and twiddled his fingers. “I suppose you’re right.” Then he glanced towards me with an impish glare while nervously asking, “Is there…I hear there are a lot of…” Making sure that no one was listening, he whispered, “Are there many prostitutes here?”

  I couldn’t help but laugh at his whey-face expression. “Ye act like ye never been with a woman, Thornton.”

  “Well I have!” He defended so quickly, I thought he was lying. His face remained bitter as he bit, “I heard you have a woman waiting for you in Port Royal, but I figured you would know where I should go.”

  How the hell did he know I had a woman waiting for me? And his assumption regarding my loyalty to her reminded me that I had promised her I would be. Sink me! Why the hell did I commit to such an outlandish thing?

  Shaking me head loose of my nattering conscience I answered James’ question. “Years ago, the French governor of the island had more than a thousand prostitutes imported in an attempt to regulate the unruly ways of the buccaneers. So yes, thar be more loose legged whores than ye ever seen in one place before.”

  Attempting to contain the obvious excitement on his face he feigned a casual pose. “Governor? These unruly men have elected politicians? So Tortuga is like its own country? A country for pirates. I just might like it here.”

  “Something like that.” I laughed, but before I could tell him anymore ‘bout the haphazard regime, Nortty interrupted. “And here be yer meager earnings, peasants.” While handing us our portion of loot plundered from the Poseidon, James’ eyes widened with thrill, but I was hardly satisfied. Though I got paid more than everyone but Nortty and Morley, the meager amount hardly seemed worth the hell of the journey we had just endured, and certainly wouldn’t cover much beyond me food and drink while in port.

  Nonetheless, the other men waited for the captain’s orders, fidgeting as if’n the piddly loot was catching fire in their pockets.

  After docking the ship, Morley came out to make his announcement. “Ye filthy scum can see me ship be tattered to blasted ol’ bits. Thar be much work ahead of us, but a man can’t sail into Tortuga and merely stare at the shore. Ye salty dogs can run yer wilds for the eve, but be back on this ship by high noon tomorrow. Then we’ll be workin’ like slaves ‘til me Wind of Glory sails smooth again.”

  The men nearly ran into town, dispersing amongst the makeshift buildings and huts before I’d even walked me sea legs off the dock. I usually looked forward to a visit ashore, but I had far too many pesky thoughts aggravating me mind to be runnin’ off in such a way.

  James followed behind me, chattering on with joy. “My legs feel wiggly like rope. It feels good to be back on land, and what a time it should be. It’s been so long since I’ve had any money, and what I have I stole like a pirate! How ‘bout that?”

  Normally, I liked James, but fer now he was just annoying me.

  Once we reached the dirt path between the eclectic buildings, Captain Morley approached us. Surrounded by his crew of ugly loyalists he asserted, “Avast thar Bentley. I just wanted to give ye a friendly reminder ‘bout the punishment for running off.” He raised his brow with a wicked threat. “I reckon ye will be sticking with the crew ‘til the end?”

  His patronizing tone caused the blood in me veins to boil. Wanting nothing more than to bust out of the cage of his overbearing regime and throw a knife through his hairy neck, I knew I was far too close to my goal to lose my temper now. “What do ye think, Morley? Ye think I come this far just to run off? I’ll certainly be seeing things through ‘til the end, so ye can keep yer blaggard ol’ breath off me back.”

  His puppets looked surprised by my solid response, but Morley simply nodded his head with a smirk that made me want to bust his nose with me fist. Walkin’ away before another word was said, I heard them laughing at me as I turned the corner.

  Of course James followed behind me, and after getting a little taste of what was going on between me and Morley, he inquired, “Is the captain after you? I thought you were on his team and he paid you well for your work. You looked like you wanted to fight them all. I can’t believe you mouthed off in such a way. He could have shot you like he shot Quincy. What if he would have?”

  “Then I wouldn’t ‘ave to deal with the shitten bile that spews out his rancid mouth anymore.” I grumbled as I tried to walk away, but James continued without regard for my aggravation. “You aren’t afraid to die? Don’t you have anything to live for?”

  For some reason a vision of Charlotte’s face flashed through my mind. Shaking the visual out of me head, I got meself away from James and continued through the alley alone.

  Exhausted by the bash of disasters that kept me bound to Morley’s blasted command, I walked on without much mind for the world around me. Since a successful mutiny would indeed be the only way out of this wretched bind, I stressed over the unfinished details of the plans, while also cursing the lack of loot in me pocket. It was hardly enough to make it through the week, and I was too damn tired to rob anybody.

  Then, to make matters worse, I heard a woman calling me name. Hardly looking to me left, I saw a few wenches standing together, all eyeing me like they wanted to eat me, but I walked on without responding to their giggles. Aside from the fact that I had no money and wasn’t feeling up to sweet talking meself into something free; that blimey promise I had made to Charlotte was haunting my tired mind.

  With all the unsettled variables wrestling in my head, I wasn’t sure how I’d be spending me evening ashore. Rum always sounded like a good idea, so I drank from me flask, hoping it might calm me nerves as I continued to walk through the so-called town of Tortuga.

  Most of the establishments seemed to be made of canopies and lean-tos, and what would be considered stores were more of trading posts, but thar were a few haphazard inns. The solid buildings were oddly designed to represent the various cultures of the more permanent citizens’ homelands. Ye might see a French country cottage with flowerbeds in the windows next to a structure lined with Spanish tile. Then next trip, they could all be smoldering piles of ash and rubble. Nothing seemed to last here for very long.

  Walking on ‘til the sun set low, I decided to get a room at the inn for the night where no one would be bothering me.

  After washing the salty sweat from me tired body and wringing the grime out of me clothes, I drank meself drunk and lay down for sleep. Hitting the pillow with the familiar haze of rum humming in me mind, expecting to sleep as only the unthinking dead sleep, I closed me eyes.

  Thar she was. Aye, her pretty face was the only thing solid in the fog of me clouded mind. Never having a memory follow me so far from shore, I laughed at the way she laid her hook into me mind that was unfamiliar to such a strong attraction. Yet me body had no qualms with the notion of letting her weave and twist through my foggy mind.

  I liked the way she smiled, and lookin’ in her eyes was akin to ga
zing out to the horizon. The curves of her body so enticed me, like the song of a siren. The way her fancy dresses laid low on her chest made me want to rip through the fabric. So far I’d only kissed on her, but somehow, the memory seemed even more arousing than the sex I was longing for. Something ‘bout her lack of experience excited my desire with a forbidden allure, and though I knew I wanted her for more than just her body, in me drunken loneliness I couldn't help but dwell on what it would be like to be her first. Damn, I couldn’t wait to get back to that woman who was seducing my soul from across the sea.

  X

  Tortuga’s harbor faced the wild Atlantic so the waves were harsh when the storms blew over, and being that it stormed the greater part of our docking, we ended up in port much longer than planned. Other than the work on the ship, I spent most of me time in solitude, replicating me favored maps. I was able to sell a few of the pieces for a profit, making enough money to afford my hideaway at the inn. The extra portion of loot I’d earned certainly made for a much more comfortable stay, but I was looking forward to sailing out tomorrow morning.

  Finally finishing the last bits of work on the ship, the crew ran off into the night just as they had the day that we arrived. Once again, I was in no such hurry. While helping Faron carry a rotten plank off the deck, he asked me, “Where’s yer mind been lately, mate?”

  Annoyed that he was questioning me silence, I grumbled that I was fine, but he set the plank down in the dirt and fanned his hand at me. “Yer not fine. And I’d ask why if I gave a shite, but I don’t. All I’m gonna tell ye is to get yer head together. We need that sharp mind of yers intact once we set sail.”

  Knowin’ that me part in the intended mutiny was crucial, I nodded to agree.

  While waiting out the weather ashore, Faron and I found the upper hand we needed to overthrow Morley’s tyrannical lead. Faron had rounded up a steady team for the revolt, including the prisoners from the Poseidon. They were easily persuaded by the thought of being released from Morley’s servitude and agreed to join the cause with all the fury of hell backing their will to fight. I went ahead and called on ‘ol Perk, as he referred to himself, and the element of surprise he offered was much better than I had anticipated. Confident in our victory, I was ready to take on the conquest, but the stress underlining me silence was coming from another issue.

  I had been keeping true to me blimey word of honor, respecting that promise I made to Charlotte. So far I had survived the struggle, but Tortuga was the worst place I could be during me first attempt of loyalty, and the sensual resistance had exhausted me to no end.

  Amongst the heap of disasters that had struck my shitten fortune, it had also become clear that I wouldn’t be back to Charlotte by the time the moon was full. Cursin’ meself for leading her on like I had, I started thinkin’ it would be best if she just married the man her father had planned for her. Whoever he was, he’d be more likely to provide her with the type of life she’d deserve, while all I had to offer was trouble. I was off mad fer ever thinkin’ I could be with a woman of her stature. She was a proper lady, and I was a filthy pirate. Even if she did fancy me as she thought, it’d be better for us both to forget we ever met.

  I snapped back into reality lightened from the heavy thoughts and followed Faron to the tavern.

  Finally letting the rum get ahead of me, I laughed more than I had in weeks and enjoyed the warm flow of alcohol in me blood. Me head was light from the buzz, free of distress, and if’n thar was a problem in the world it was nowhere near me drunken mind.

  James was drunk as I’d ever seen him, and while he swayed to keep his balance he slurred, “Good to see ye, mate. Ye been missing out on the wild pirate life of Sir James Thornton.”

  Pete raised his mug. “Aye. We knighted him last night, Bentley. He blew through his loot and robbed himself enough to buy us all a round of wenches.”

  While wonderin’ how the hell he pulled it off Faron assured me, “Don’t let him fool ye with his glorified deviations. He pickpocketed a dead man. That’s all.”

  “Ye shall not belittle the way of thy knight.” James pointed at Faron’s chest, and Faron smacked his hand away as if he were a nattering fly.

  James rubbed the smack mark on his hand and then headed out of the tavern, grabbin’ a dowdy old wench on his way.

  Afore long, it was just me and Planky leaning against the wall, and soon enough he fell over drunk leaving me standing thar alone. While kicking at his limp body to amuse meself, I heard a woman call me name. Looking towards the salacious purr to see Nadine walking in my direction, I smiled at her like a dumbstruck monkey.

  Nadine was one of me favored wenches and I usually liked to see her first when I got to Tortuga. She was wearing a blue dress embellished with white lace, and her blonde hair was pinned back with a bundle of peacock feathers. Her simple features were finely trimmed in extravagant make up, and the way her cleavage busted from her lacy corset had me wonderin’ why I hadn’t looked for her yet.

  Instantly wrapping her arm around my shoulder and pulling herself up against me she hummed, “Hello there, handsome. It’s been a long time.”

  Flashin’ her with a sloppy half smile, I chuckled, “Yes it has.”

  She tickled down me chest with her dainty little fingers, lighting my senses on fire. I’d gone longer times without the caress of a woman but only at sea while thar were none in sight, and the vibrant buzz that followed her touch reminded me how long it had been.

  While rubbing under me collar she smiled. “I was just thinking about you, Sterling.”

  Wrapping me arms around her waist to pull her closer, I watched her breasts flatten against me chest. “Why don’t ye tell me what ye were thinkin’, sweetheart?”

  She licked her red lips, and went on to remind me of our last time together. While she rubbed up and down me thigh, I easily remembered the things she could do with those hands, and me mind joyfully followed the memory she was portraying. With vivid thoughts of her blonde hair flailing over me, and the racy reverie of her voice moaning beneath me, my blood heated like magma coursing through me veins.

  Wanting nothing more than to ‘ave her again, I grabbed her arse and lifted her up against me. “Ye know, ye don’t ‘ave to just be thinkin’ ‘bout it tonight.”

  The hilt of me cutlass wasn’t the only hard thing between us when she kissed on my neck. “You’re right. How about we go to my room and you remind me why you’re my favorite.” Her breath was hot as the fire she set in my belly, and with me sensation buzzing louder than me thoughts, thar was only one thing that mattered in the world. I inhaled through me teeth as I nodded to agree. She took me by the hand and led me towards the back door.

  The moment we stepped outside, a breeze of fresh air startled me out of me drunken daze. Tuning into the buzz of the world around me, I heard the hum of people talking, some of them were laughing, and of course a few were fighting, but the sound that rang clearest was the voice of a man reading from the Holy Bible.

  “Enter ye in at the straight gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go through it.”

  The damn verse echoed in me mind as I followed Nadine up the rickety wooden stairs, and the sense that invaded my carnal intent irritated the hell outta me. It’d be so easy to walk in her room, lay her down and do all the things I wanted to do to her, and when she opened her door, the relief awaiting me on her sheets enticed me like Lucifer’s light. I could get what I wanted and leave with no one but me and the devil knowin’ what I’d done, but like a nattering angel harping in me ear, that damn man kept reading from his Bible. “Because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth into life, and few there be that find it.”

  The words hit me like a wall of guilt and all I could see was Charlotte’s pretty face smiling at me in the moonlight. As if that wasn’t enough incentive to behave, I also saw her crying in me arms the night I gave her the spyglass. I knew I had the power to hurt her, and I
didn’t want to. Holy rotten damnation of hell! What had that woman done to me?

  My body easily told me to go with Nadine, and me mind rationalized that Charlotte had most likely married that other man, but this strange new sense of heart that I had acquired made the final decision. Stopping in my tracks I let go of Nadine’s hand and mumbled, “I can’t go with ye. I ‘ave to go.”

  I kissed her hand and walked down the stairs.

  Hardly able to comprehend the choice I had just made, me mind took on a wild fire of aggravation. I could hardly see through the flames. With no mind to contain me rage, I staggered through the crowd of people, thinkin’ how much I’d like to punch somebody. Amidst my violent strut, a shirtless man with a rag around his head backed out of the crowd and bumped into me. Though most likely an accident, I took the crash as an opportunity to unleash the foul temper I’d been containing for far too long.

  Using all me pent up rage to power the force of a solid punch, I thrashed me fist across the man’s tattooed face. His head whipped back from the blow, but he swung right back with a force just as fierce. Thrashing his fist over me jaw, pain exploded across my face leaving an infuriating ringing in me head, and I swung at him again. After knockin’ each other around for a number of mutually affective punches, I landed a heavy blow on his temple, and finally he fell over. Figuring the fight was through, I attempted to walk away, but he rolled out of his fall and came to his feet with an unpleasant surprise.

  Brandishing two swirling cutlass blades, he laughed like a madman.

  A cheering crowd surrounded the fight, blocking me way out, and amidst the roaring circle I realized the weight of what I got meself into. Laughing in sarcastic disbelief I huffed to meself, “Of course he would ‘ave two swords.”

  Evincing me own blade to defend meself against his two, I blocked his wild swings with all the sense I could muster. Parrying every blast of his threatening swords, I didn’t ‘ave a chance to feint or slice. The intensity of his fight was backed by the savage screaming he followed his throws with, and the roaring crowd was just as wild with their interest in our fight.