Sweet Trade of the Red Coral

by Coral

Chapter 4

  Several of Argus’ crew spotted the pretty red head, making her way across the Plaza.

  “That be her, all cleaned up?”

  “Aye and if it isn’t, we’ll still ha’e a bit o’ fun.” They spread out to intercept her and quickly cornered her in the street off of the Plaza right before the bridge leading to the Plaza de la Mar. It was indeed Argus’ red head and at this time of night there was no one traveling between the two plazas.

  Jones’ crew had been ordered to act as if they were just having a good time on a Friday night. Their real job was to keep an eye on Argus’ men while Captain Jones and the rest of the crew were planning an attack on the Red Coral. Porthole Bryan spotted Sophie as well and sent one of the men to tell Darius who was on the other side of the Plaza. By the time Darius and his men reached the bridge they found a circle of men around Sophie. Sophie was wild eyed and holding a dirk that she managed to take from one of the pirates. The short blade was covered in blood and several of the pirates were bleeding from small wounds and cursing loudly.

  “Barnacle Breath!” Darius yelled above the din.

  “This is none of your business, Sword Juggler. If your Captain doesn’t want her, then she’s fair game.”

  “No, she isn’t. He put her where he wanted her, so let her be! Besides, you won’t get any farther with her alive. I think she’s made that clear, even to a sprog like you Barnacle Breath.”

  Barnacle Breath Malroy spit, “Dead or alive, I be not sure it matters any more.” Both sides drew their weapons and circled each other warily. Sophie tried to cross the bridge, but one of the pirates she scratched blocked her way and pulled a short dagger out of his boot with a grin. The sound of steel being pulled from it’s resting place filled the dry, cool night air and with a cry the fighting began. Jones’ men were not as drunk as Argus’ and quickly started taking the advantage. Darius began to make his way to Sophie to try and at least get her across the bridge out of harm’s way. Rabble would not be tolerated in the Plaza de la Mar. There were more of Argus’ men afoot that night and one of their crew must have alerted them because more came pouring up the street toward the fight. The river that ran under the bridge lead past the docks so Jones’ men started to head toward the bridge.

  “Darius! Watch out!” Porthole Bryan yelled. It was too late, a dagger sunk into Darius’s side. He pulled away and stumbled backwards into Sophie. The rest of Jones’ crew closed in a tight circle around Darius. He gathered himself, wrapped his free arm around Sophie and hissed, “Back to the ship! Now!” and flung them over the bridge. The rest of the men quickly followed.

  The adrenaline rush that woke Argus’ men at first, quickly wore off with the cold water and slippery banks of the river bed. They soon lost interest in the chase and instead hurled insults after the retreating men. Barnacle Breath Malroy pulled his flintlock from his belt, took aim at the red hair fleeing in the dark, and fired.

  Chapter 5

  By the time they reached the small sloop, the men were half carrying, half dragging Darius across the dock. Porthole Bryan helped Sophie onto the sloop, her left arm covered in blood. Everyone boarded and headed for Nombre de Dios. The Spaniards abandoned this harbor many years ago in favor of Porto Bello. The pirates soon took it over as a safe place to dock their ships while scouting the other small harbors with sloops or dinghies. The men set off hoping that Captain Jones still had enough time to put his plan into action.

  The Jewel of the Damned rose up to greet them just inside the entrance of the harbor. It’s three masts covered with dark, emerald green sails gave vessels a false sense of hope that nothing that beautiful could be deadly. The sloop was spotted long before they arrived. One look at Darius and Captain Jones sent him straight away to the infirmary with Jake Sawbones, the ship’s doctor. Porthole Bryan recounted the events to the crew standing around, all eyes on Sophie. She moved towards Captain Jones, but he interrupted her, “Take her to Sawbones as well. Porthole Bryan, you’re Second in Command now. Mateys! We be going ahead as planned. Prepare the fire ships.”

  Chapter 6

  The Red Coral lived up to her name with sails colored a bright red, a sign of the violence to come to any ship she was bearing down on at sea. Captain Argus smelled the air and thought it was still, too still. He roused himself and gave his Second in Command the order to round up the crew on shore. The Second in Command, Bart Leadfoot started to ask for more time, it being a Friday and all. He was silenced with a glare from Argus, “Round them up now!”

  He made his way to the poop deck, uneasiness filling his gut. He knew Captain Jones would confront him at the first opportunity, he thought at sea. He also thought him a tad soft with an unruly crew. Something on the air told Argus he just might have underestimated Captain Jones. Caution and crew be damned, he thought, bellowing orders, “Everyone up and at the ready. We sail tonight!” Men scrambled to follow his orders. Soon there was a shout from the starboard side. Bart Leadfoot limped quickly up to the Captain, “There be movement on the water Captain. It looks like small sloops, one of which I think belongs to the Jewel of the Damned.”

  “Get us out of this harbor now, Leadfoot.”

  “Aye, aye Captain.”

  Darius was dying. Sophie mopped his brow as Sawbones did his best to make him comfortable. After the doctor saw the bruising on the front of his stomach he shook his grey head, “He’s bleeding inside.” He turned his attention to Sophie as another crew member held her down. Luckily, the lead ball passed through muscle and missed the bone. To her credit, she didn’t scream, much, as he dug it out. Sawbones pocketed the lead ball and headed top side.

  Sophie made her way painfully to Darius’ side to provide what comfort she could, “I’m so sorry, Darius.”

  “Nay, lass, don’t be worrying. To go to the Fiddlers Green in a beautiful woman’s arms ain’t such a bad thing.” Sophie helped him drink and when he closed his eyes, she grabbed the dirk and headed to the main deck as well.

  Captain Jones wanted two things tonight - the Red Coral and Captain Argus the Black dead. He heard the grim news and took the lead ball from Jake Sawbones. He loaded his own flintlock with it, intending to bury it in Argus’ belly. Sword Jugglin’ Darius was the best Second a Captain could ask for. Once he earned the crew’s respect, the Jewel ran smoothly through fair weather and foul. He spied Sophie coming towards him, bandaged up and armed, “How be you?”

  “I’m sorry!” tears finally running down her face, “I couldn’t stay at the Peg Leg. I went to the convent to wait out the weekend and send a message to my family.” He moved to touch her but he didn’t want to cause her any more pain.

  “Please, just stay out of harm’s way. There’s accounts to be settled tonight.”

  Captain Jones sent the fire ships ahead so as soon as the Red Coral made it out of the harbor she was blocked in by fire. The Red Coral was short half her crew and moving slowly because of it. Jones knew Argus must head towards Porto Bello to pick up the rest of his crew and was waiting there for the ambush.

  The fire ships were blazing and lit the Red Coral and the Jewel of the Damned as they drew up alongside one another. Crews rushed to the sides armed with daggers, cutlasses, axes, and grappling hooks. The Jewel of the Damned prepared to board the Red Coral. Crew from the Jewel began throwing crowsfeet across the main deck and howls of pain went up as unlucky jacks stepped on the sharp points. Grappling hooks went sailing overhead and struck the sides of the Red Coral with a solid thunk! Red Coral’s crew desperately hacked at the ropes and a few went below to aim a cannonball at the Jewel’s side.

  Jacks from both sides started swinging over and Argus’ crew from Porto Bello could be seen picking their way over the water through the fire strewn debris. Captain Jones swung over to the Red Coral as a cannonball went off from the Jewel barely missing him as it slammed into the side of the Red Coral sending wood splinters flying. He landed on the deck and started hacking away, bellowing, “Argus! I challenge you!”

  It took
some minutes of intense fighting before his words finally sunk in and the Red Coral’s crew looked to Captain Argus. They were sorely outnumbered with flintlock fire keeping the sloop with their remaining crew away from both ships.

  “Argus you squiffy of a Captain, I challenge you here and now!”

  “Aye, I’ll just bet you do,” Captain Argus said as he made his way down to the main deck drawing his cutlass out as he drew near. Both men circled each other as the crew marked the outline of a wide circle for them.

  Captain Argus moved in quickly to strike the first flurry of blows, testing Captain Jones’ ability. Jones parried and moved back to the edge of the circle before countering a blow, sending Argus back to the middle. Argus charged back swinging. Jones fended him off but as he moved to the side, Argus swung behind his back and slashed him across the chest. Seeing his blade strike, Argus spun around and charged again only to miss a thrust and feel steel cut across his shoulder. Jones grunted with the effort of continuing the attack, forcing Argus to retreat across the circle to the quarter deck. Argus bellowed with frustration as Jones cut him again on the arm. He lunged at him, throwing his weight into it. Jones lost his balance for a second that cost him a slash, this time to his stomach.

  Both men moved apart for breathing room. Captain Jones’ jacks cheered louder as he rushed in for another attack. They fought to the middle of the circle, crossing swords until Argus threw Jones off. Jones came back quickly, wearing Argus down until with a sidestep and lunge, Jones plunged his cutlass into Argus’ body. They remained poised for a moment before Argus slumped heavily to his knees, his cutlass clattering to the deck.

  Argus gasped, clutching his stomach rocking back on his heels, “There, there Captain Jones. You’ve won the challenge. I be making my way to the sloop with the rest of my crew that wants to follow.”

  Jones circled him slowly, “I could, but that, was for Sophie Haggerty. This,” he said as he pulled his flintlock from his waist, “is for Sword Jugglin’ Darius.” The sound of the flintlock was deafening after the noise of the sword fight. Argus fell forward in slow motion as Jones’ crew roared in triumph.

  Chapter 7

  Captain Casey Dawkins saw to Barnacle Breath Malroy and the few remaining crew of the Red Coral that continued to fight after Argus’s body was dumped overboard. The Red Coral suffered some damage but she was sea worthy and ready to set sail. Captain Jones and Captain Dawkins decided, since they had the two fastest ships at sea, to go into the buccaneer business and build a pirate fleet of their own.

  Sophie Haggerty stood on deck smelling the salt air. Captain Jones offered to take her to any port she wished so she could return to her family, but Sophie just smiled warmly at Captain Jones and said, “I thank you for the kind offer, but I’ve decided, it’s a pirate’s life for me.”

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