Romantic Girls Tell Many Tales

"Alright lads, listen up!" Screamed the man as he looked out over the ship's deck. "The captain wants us to take the ship towards New Providence, but we'll be stopping a few miles offshore as the captain wants to row herself in."

A loud groan rippled across the deck as the sailors all shook their heads and continued to work. "But we were promised time on shore!" shouted one of the sailors, only for the others to quickly move away from him.

Suddenly, the door to the captain's cabin swung open as the captain marched out, the sound of her heels echoing against the deck.

"What was that boy?" shouted the captain as her red hair danced in the wind.

"I," coughed the sailor as his eyes darted around in a vain attempt at avoiding eye contact.

"What did you say?" growled the captain.

"We were promised shore leave. Mad," started the sailor, only to quickly stop himself. "We were promised shore leave, Sir."

"Aye, you were," chuckled the captain as she pressed her nose against the sailors'. "And you are more welcome to have it because if we dock in New Providence, you'll be hanging from a gibbet arm by nightfall."

The sailor visibly shook as the captain continued to stare a hole into him. The other sailors silently looked at the scene, none of them wanting to interrupt the captain.

"So lads," laughed the woman as she drew her sword and turned to face the rest of the crew. "If anyone else wants to die by the hand of the navy then you're more than welcome to swim into New Providence! But if you want to live and stay on my ship, then you'll wait while I and Vail have our meeting with the Guvnor's son."

The sailors nodded and quickly got back to work, dashing around the ship in an attempt to look busy. Even the doubting sailor dashed away from the captain and started to fiddle with some rope, the terror on his face not fading even when he was out of the captain's line of sight.

"Very nice," chuckled Vail as he watched Eliza take the wheel.

"Got to keep them in line," replied Eliza firmly. "I don't want to have to hire a new crew because the old lot got slaughtered like lambs either."

"True," nodded Vail as he leaned against the wooden railing. "Do you think this is safe? I wouldn't trust a son who wants to overthrow his own father."

"I don't trust him," chuckled Eliza as she turned the wheel. "But we've dealt with worse. And the money is worth it."

"The money is always worth it," acknowledged Vail as he looked out over the crew, keen to make sure no one was slacking off.

Once the ship was a few miles from the coast, Eliza gave up the wheel and went back into her cabin only to emerge a few minutes later with a cape wrapped around her.

"Prepare the rowboat!" She shouted as several crewmembers scurried out of her way.

"Ready?" Asked Vail as he inspected his sword.

"Aye," nodded Eliza before turning to one of the crew. "Give us two days. If we don't return, leave without us. Double the tot while you wait."

The crewmember nodded and watched as Eliza and Vail clambered into the small rowboat and started to row towards the shore.

The trip was long and quiet. Both pirates kept focused on the horizon, keen to make sure they were not followed or spotted climbing onto land.

After several hours they reached the shore and pulled the boat onto the beach. The city of New Providence was large and bustling despite the late hour, and many large ships were docked in its port.

As Eliza lifted a wooden crate out of the boat she nodded to Vail. "We'll take the shortest route to the Guvnor's house."

The house was a large, sprawling affair that took up a large portion of the city. As Eliza and Vail walked around the walls, they spotted an open door at the back of the house.

"Seems we're expected," grinned Vail as he started to scale the wall. Once over, they both quickly headed inside only to find the Governor's son sat behind a table that was laden with food and drink.

"Wonderful!" Smirked the governor's son. "You have it?"

"We do," nodded Eliza as she threw the box onto the table, crushing several plates as she did.

"Perfect." Replied the son. He pulled the box towards his body before clapping his hands. Instantly guards poured into the room, their muskets drawn and pointed right at Eliza and Vail.

"Traitor," growled Eliza.

"What, you thought my family would deal with pirates? Really?" Cackled the son. "Being the one who brings Eliza Bennet, the mermaid, to justice will be a wonderful accolade that will make my family famous!"

Eliza just glared at the man, rage burning her eyes. "You don't think someone has tried this in the past?"

"Arrest her," laughed the man as he waved his hand dismissively. As the men advanced, Eliza dived forward and grabbed a glass from the table before throwing its contents into the eyes of the advancing guards.

The governor's son tried to jump up from his chair, however, before he could even move an inch Eliza grabbed his shirt and smashed the glass over his head, causing him to crumple to the ground.

Vail quickly grabbed a bowl off the table and threw it at the guards. The bowl bounced off a man's skull with a soft clang as Vail tipped the table over and hid behind it.

Eliza instantly realized what Vail was doing. She lunged over the table and grabbed hold of one of the legs, making sure to kick the fallen son as she did.

The pair lifted the table and ran forward, knocking the stunned guards to the floor as they crashed through a door and into the garden. Before they could think of anything, a voice shouted from a rooftop.

"They've escaped! Sound the alarm! Pirates! Close the port!" shouted the guard, aiming his musket towards the pair.

"Split up," shouted Eliza as she started to sprint towards the wall. A musket ball sent a lump of grass flying into the air as a shot missed her by mere millimeters.

She clambered over the wall as musket balls continued to throw up dust and smoke. All the while, more and more voices were joining in the shouting. It sounded like every guard in the city was attempting to hunt them down.

Eliza quickly started to run towards the busiest parts of the city, keen to lose as many of the guards as possible. However, no matter how many turns she took, the voices seemed to always be just behind her.

As she came to the market place, Eliza spotted a second group of guards in front of her. "There she is!" screamed one of them as he motioned to his friends.

Eliza dashed into another side street and continued to try and look for a way out. She couldn't go get the boat with a horde of guards following her, she would be a sitting duck and they would sink her within moments.

As another horde of guards came out of an alley, Eliza started to lose her cool. It felt as if the Governor had doubled the number of guards since the last time she was here.

She ran into the only empty street she could find and quickly tried to find a hiding place. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a small yellow and blue tent and immediately dived into it.

Inside the tent was a woman sat in front of a silk covered table with a crystal ball sitting on top. The woman started to gasp, however, Eliza covered her mouth and pulled out her pistol. "You shout or say a word and I'll shoot you," she growled. "Don't tell them I'm in here," she added as she quickly ducked under the table and pulled the silks over herself.

Eliza bit her lip and tried to quiet her breathing. She heard the guards fling open the door to the tent.

"Where is she?" shouted one of the guards. Eliza gripped her sword firmly and aimed her gun towards the voice, hoping she could get a shot off before the guards could react.

"I am but a poor woman," moaned the woman. "A coin for your future! A coin to tell the story of your fate!"

"Did someone come in here?" shouted the voice.

"The spirits are loud and wish to talk through me! A coin! A single coin!"

"She is obviously mad, let's go," said another voice as the door closed.

After a few minutes, Eliza poked her head out from under the table, trying to confirm if the guards had actually left. Once she was sure of her safety she rose from the floor and brushed herself off before turning to the woman.

"Thank you," she nodded.

"You must have annoyed someone." chuckled the woman. "The whole city seems to be after you."

"You could say that," sighed Eliza as she reached into her purse and pulled out a few coins. "The least I can do," she said as she placed the coins on the table.

"Your fortune?"

"I'm not superstitious," replied Eliza. "I just like to repay people who save my skin."

"Please, I must."Said the woman as she gestured towards the crystal ball. "The coin is on the table, the spirits must speak or they shall be angered."

Eliza stood and contemplated for a few seconds. She really didn't have time for this, but at the same time, if she didn't go along with this silly charade then the woman may scream for the guards.

"If you insist," nodded Eliza as she sat down opposite the woman.

"Wonderful, the spirits have much to say!" Grinned the woman as she started to wave her hands around the ball.

Almost instantly the crystal started to grow dim like it was full of storm clouds. Eliza had to admit, it was a pretty impressive trick and she wasn't exactly sure how the woman was doing it. Usually, she would have presumed there was a snuffed candle beneath the table, but she hadn't seen one when she was hiding.

"Yes, come to us and speak, tell us the future and the strings that bind," shouted the woman as the fog in the ball twisted and turned like a whirlpool. "Look, look, receive your message!"

Eliza focused her eyes on the swirling pattern in the ball. She tried to guess what trick the woman was going to pull to make some something appear inside the sphere.

As the pattern continued to swirl it seemed to take on various colors, almost like the ball was filling with colored smoke that twirled and twisted around the edges of the whirlpool before being dragged towards its center.

"Yes, the message is coming. Look, child, look!" exclaimed the woman as the colors grew brighter and more vivid.

Eliza's eyes opened wider, she couldn't believe what she was seeing. The show inside the ball was so impressive. The more she looked, the more interesting it became. The smoke seemed to have a life of its own, it was unlike any candle she had seen.

She started to feel strange, almost like she was floating. Her eyes couldn't help but follow the colors around and around. Something about them was so strange and yet utterly mesmerizing.

Suddenly, the colors burst from the ball, spiraling around Eliza's head. She tried to shout, but her voice was too quiet and too weak. She could feel the smoke pushing into her ears and wrapping around her brain.

Eliza felt strange and hazy like she was stuck in a fog bank. She wanted to do something, but she just couldn't. She felt oddly dizzy and dazed, it was like the fog was draining her energy.

"Yes child, you thought you could merely use me at the point of a gun? Well, now you shall suffer and be cursed," cackled the woman.

Eliza knew something was wrong about this. She wanted to raise her gun or sword, but her limbs were so heavy, it was like they had anchors tied to them.

"You shall find love in every port! Now go, and live your curse!" Laughed the woman as she threw her arms into the air. As she did, the fog cleared from Eliza's brain and she felt herself sit bolt upright.

As her thoughts returned, Eliza sighed. "Of course," she said with a smirk. "I'm sure I'll suffer under a curse of love," she said as she stood up and marched out of the tent.

Eliza quickly started to snake through the city's alleyways. It seemed that the guards had mostly dispersed or returned to their normal posts. This either meant that they were all waiting for her on the coast, or they thought that she had run into the countryside.

She silently prayed that the latter was true as she did her best make her way towards the beach where the boat was hidden. As she moved, she thought back to what the fortune teller had told her.

A curse of love was likely the stupidest curse she had ever heard. She had been cursed with death many times and she was still standing, so what did she have to fear from a curse of love? Was the fortune teller hoping she would die from joy?

After a while, Eliza reached the coast. The port seemed to be teeming with guards, obviously in an attempt to stop her and Vail leaving via ship. To her dismay, she quickly realized that her rowboat was gone.

She walked out onto the beach and hoped that the lack of a boat meant that Vail had escaped. While she knew that she would be caught one day, she couldn't deal with the idea of one of her crew being in charge of her ship. At least Vail would keep it safe and not immediately crash it into an archipelago.

"Captain!" whispered a voice. Eliza spun on her heel and saw Vail emerging from behind some rocks.

"Hell has rejected you again I see," smirked Eliza as Vail walked towards her, dragging the boat behind him.

"There are people I am willing to die at the hands of, but half-starved city guards are not among them." chuckled Vail as he moved the boat into the water.

"Aye, be quite the man who kills you," nodded Eliza as she helped get the boat on the water. She decided to not tell Vail about the strange fortune teller. He wasn't the superstitious type and it wasn't the first time a strange person had yelled at her.

In fact, as they rowed back to the boat, Eliza mostly forgot about the strange woman and her silly curse. As the crew cheered her return, Eliza climbed onto the quarter deck and smiled.

"Lads, let it be known. The Guvnor of New Providence decided to try and cross me. Let it be known that his son is currently laying on the floor of his office in a pool of his own blood with the remains of his glass lodged in his head!"

The crew cheered uproariously, obviously excited to have their captain back, despite the fact that their shore leave had obviously been cut short.

"But! We don't let anyone cross us, lads. Do we?" grinned Eliza as the crew yelled. "So, we're going to show the Guvnor just what we're capable of. We're going to sink his trade fleet!"

The crew cheered again as Eliza smirked and grabbed the wheel. Vail instantly got to work, shouting for the crew to get the sails unfurled and the boat moving.

While progress was slow, Eliza and her crew gradually made their way towards another city, hoping to intercept the Governor's fleet. However, the fleet seemed to be nowhere to be found.

After circling the island for two weeks, Eliza made the decision to dock in Tamwell. She hoped that she could find someone who could be convinced to give up the location of the fleet.

As she watched her crew head off into the city, Eliza turned to Vail. "I need to find someone in power."

"Port Master?" replied Vail.

"Risky, I would prefer to leave that until just before we leave. An angry Port Master could trap us here or ruin our ship."

"Fair," nodded Vail. "I shall see if I can find a shop that might sell to sailors."

"Good plan," replied Eliza. "I'll see if I can find someone who has taken the Guvnor's dirty money."

"Whistle if you need me," Vail nodded as he strode confidently into the port.

Eliza quickly wrapped a cape around herself and started to march through the streets. She wasn't sure exactly what she was looking for, but she knew she would know when she saw it. If there was one thing bureaucrats had in common, it was a desire to be seen.

Eventually, Eliza spotted a house with several people dashing in and out. She decided this was as good a lead as any and quickly headed inside.

It didn't take her long to realize that this was some form of goods trader. The walls were covered in maps and scraps of paper and there were several men inspecting various crates and bags.

Eliza walked up to the desk and smiled at the man behind it. "What do you buy?" she asked.

"Goods mostly. But we don't deal with pirates." said the man, causing Eliza to instinctively reach for her sword. "So don't be expecting us to not check your goods," continued the man as Eliza relaxed a little.

"My ship found some flotsam on our route," explain Eliza calmly. "We don't have room in the hold for both it and the cargo we're meant to collect so the Captain sent me here to off-load it."

"I see, I see," nodded the man. "Got caught in the storm I bet. Been very rough waters apparently."

"Aye, we lost a man the other week," nodded Eliza.

"But still, we'll need to inspect the cargo before buying it off you," replied the man.

Eliza went to speak, however, before she could get a word out a woman ran into the building.

"Sir? Sir?" She enquired in an overly upper-class accent.

"Anna, please," said the man as he turned to face the girl. Eliza looked at the woman out of the corner of her eye. Her long blonde hair and perfect skin suggested she had a very sheltered life, she certainly wasn't someone you would normally find at a trading post.

"But father wants his sugar. He wants it right now! He has a very important party!" interrupted the woman.

"Anna, I am trying to deal with this person, I will get someone to bring the sugar after. Your father can wait a few moments."

"But he demanded it! He told me to run here right now!" complained the girl as the trader rolled his eyes.

"Excuse me, please," sighed the trader as he walked into another room. Eliza continued to look around, doing her best to ignore the woman. While she was annoying, she would likely be educated and may have seen something listing wanted pirates.

After a few minutes, the man dragged a crate towards the woman. "Here's the sugar he wanted," grunted the man. The woman looked down at the crate with confusion and then back towards the man.

"It needs to be back at our house," she said firmly.

"I can't leave the store unattended," sighed the man, growing obviously annoyed. "With all the piracy recently, I could be robbed blind at any moment. Your father knows that."

The woman huffed for a few moments before grabbing Eliza's shoulder. "You! Would you like," started the woman as Eliza spun around and slapped the hand away.

However, the second Eliza and the woman made eye contact, the girl went silent. Smoke appeared out of thin air and looped around the girl's head before flowing into her ears. The girl's mouth instantly dropped open as her body stiffened.

Eliza could only watch as an unnaturally large smile formed on the woman's face. Her eyes slowly changed, the whites becoming a soft pink as her pupils morphed into small red hearts for a few seconds.

Eliza was unsure of exactly what was happening. This was unlike anything she had seen, even years at sea hadn't prepared her for this. Suddenly, the woman gasped and started to talk again.

"Would you like to come to dinner? And to meet my father and to get married?" Squealed the woman as she grabbed Eliza by the arm. "I'll call the priest! He can marry us on Sunday!" continued Anna, her voice growing faster and faster.

"I don't care about your father," growled Eliza, pulling her arm away from the madwoman.

"Anna, I'm trying to do business," coughed the man as Anna continued to bounce on the spot.

"You won't be! When we're married, I'm going to have father give her your job! She is better at it! And, I can come and watch the ships come in with her! It will be wonderful!" Giggled Anna as she continued to ramble without taking a breath.

"I don't want to get married. I don't know you," grumbled Eliza, debating how forceful she could be with this girl without getting into trouble.

"Then I shall make you!" shouted Anna as she stamped her foot on the wooden floor.