"Who...who the hell was he?" One of the five pirates speaks timidly, as it had been the first thing said after nearly an hour of stiff silence. He looks around the crowded dinghy at the other four surviving pirates.
"Maybe from the navy? Didn't see what colours he was flying." One of the pirates speaks up, as he's been mulling over the question for a while, waiting for someone to bring it up.
"You ever seen a navy fucker dressed like that?" Another pirate speaks up, his latent terror filtered as a bitter dismissal.
"And he was alone. Probably a bounty hunter." One of the more intelligent pirates proposes.
"How many of us have a bounty worth claiming? Hell, the captain was barely worth anything." The first pirate comments.
"So...have we ruled out the navy?" The pirate sitting closest to the bow looks out across the water, drawing everyone else's attention to the direction he's facing.
In the distance and approaching quickly is a large naval vessel, sails full and banners raised.
"Think it's a coincidence?"
"Shit! We gotta go!" The bitter pirate grabs the oars and thrusts them into the arms of the first pirate. "Get going!"
"What? Fuck off! I've done more than my share of rowing!" The first pirate thrusts the oars back.
"We're not getting anywhere in this wind." The intelligent pirate sits still in the dinghy, watching the naval ship approaching them. "Just stay calm."
~
A few nautical miles from the dinghy, the naval vessel sails forth through the tumultuous waves. Officers move about the boat in an orderly fashion, maintaining the boat's facilities. Overseeing the activity from the upper deck is Kinsley, standing with an upright poise as he supervises his subordinates. There is a tense impatience about him that can be felt vicariously by anyone who steps into his vicinity.
"Commodore?" An officer walks up to Kinsley, holding his breath slightly as he speaks.
"Yes?" Kinsley addresses the officer without looking at him.
"We found a small vessel-"
Kinsley springs into action immediately from the information, finally having something to apply his impatience to.
"Where?" He retrieves a telescope from nearby and lifts it to his right eye, looking out across the horizon with a keen gaze.
"A little ways off the port side." The officer points out into the distance.
Kinsley spots the small dinghy floating through the water, and the five corresponding passengers. He is visually disappointed that it is not the ship they are searching for, though he is still grateful to have some sort of lead.
"Adjust our course, prepare to bring them aboard." Kinsley keeps his sights fixed through the telescope as he gives his orders.
"Yes, sir." The officer salutes briefly, then goes to communicate the command with the appropriate individuals.
~
The five pirates are hauled out of their dinghy onto the deck of Kinsley's ship with the help of a few ropes and an abundance of manpower. Once they are all securely on board, the naval officers form a tight semicircle around them, their rifles drawn and aimed inwards as a precautionary measure.
Kinsley steps into the semicircle and looks down at the five pirates, who are all sitting against the ship's banister, not wanting to make a single provocative movement.
YOU ARE READING
The Archman
Roman d'amourWhile departing for London to meet with her fiancé, Eira Pryce finds herself taken captive by a living legend, the fabled pirate known only as the Archman. As it turns out, the fables may not have been so accurate in their portrayal of this mythic f...
