A Siren at the Helm

Chapter VII: Crossing Cutlasses

As Amina heard the gunshot go off, her first worry was for Captain White. He had disappeared in the same direction from where the sound had come and the disarray of people made it hard to identify specific faces.

From the corner of her eye Amina saw Mr. and Mrs. Evans slip away around a corner. About them she did not worry; Mr. Evans would ensure that they got home safely. And since Johnathan was taking care of Annie at home for the night, Amina was sure that everything concerning the Evanses would be just fine.

Amina knew she should probably follow their lead and return home, it was the sensible thing to do. But then again, sensible was not always her way of doing things.

Several people bumped into her as she tried to make her way to where the shot had been fired. Between the piercing yells Amina could hear something else. It was strangely familiar and... she gulped. It was the sounds of swords being clanged together in battle. Amina ran faster, pushing everyone out of the way that would not move themselves.

Amina burst through the crowd of people into a small clearing. Around her the townsmen were fighting gentlemen she had never seen before. Women were scampering around between them, trying to get clear of the violence.

In front of her Amina spotted a red mop of hair; it was Isabella cowering in a corner. Amina doubted whether the poor opera singer had ever seen such things before. She seemed terrified. Amina looked around. Felipe, who had been speaking with the soprano, was nowhere to be seen. Instead she saw another figure walking towards Isabella. Captain White.

He looked different. His face was hard and his jaw was clenched. He looked almost angry. Something was very, very wrong here. He seized Isabella's arm and hoisted her up from where she had been sitting. Roughly forcing her hands behind her back he said something to the prima Donna which Amina could not hear. Isabella's face contracted with fear. What on earth was he doing?! Nothing made sense to Amina at the moment.

She marched toward them, but neither noticed. When she was half way there two men appeared from the crowd. They seemed both familiar and strange at the same time. Tye two men took the now struggling and screaming Isabella from Captain White. The Captain sighed and dragged his hand through his hair. In doing so, he removed the ribbon that was keeping it tied and his hair fell to his shoulders. He then blinked a few times and took off his spectacles, before discarding them beside him. Amina was sure that her heart had stopped.

Suddenly she understood why those hazel eyes and dark hair had been so familiar, when she knew the she had never met a "Captain White" before. Everything that was strange made sense to her now. She had thought it quite peculiar; a Spaniard with a name like "William White". Now she knew that there was no "Captain White", only an Esteban Mendez and she was very angry with both.

He had tricked her, he had tricked the whole town. He had made a fool out of Amina and had probably been laughing at her all the while. Her blood was boiling. She wanted to hit something... preferably Esteban. She could not believe that she had liked him. She could not believe that, for the tiniest moment, she had fancied him.

Suddenly, the man turned around. His eyes found her instantly. Amina could have swore that he turned a few shades paler. Good. Bloody pirate.

Before she could do anything he and his companions (which she had realised to be Fish and Mad Mitch) disappeared into the mass of people, Isabella still in their claws. Amina promptly followed them. They were surprisingly fast for men carrying a kicking, squealing prisoner and Amina could barely keep sight of them. They dodged between people until they were at the end of the town.

Three village men appeared around the corner of the stable, must having seen what was going on. Esteban quickly took Isabella from his men. "Keep them busy while I take her to the ship. When you are done you lot can come back aboard." He then continued on his way. Amina thought it hardly fair; two against three, but upon fighting she discovered that Fish was more than a match for two. She noticed a cutlass on the ground, it must have belonged to one of the pirates. She decided that it might just come in handy during a confrontation with a certain aggravating corsair, and picked it up. Hoping that somehow the villagers could get the pirates under control, she proceeded following the captain.