PORT ROYAL, OCTOBER 1695
Moonlach had been nearby when the Royal Navy ships had gotten her mentor. In fact she'd been close enough to hear what they were saying. She hadn't known her mentor's former name was Peregrine which wasn't too surprising. Venegaza had been exceptionally tight lipped about her past.
Moonlach would have to be just as cautious when she entered Port Royal. There was no time to go and fetch reinforcements. She was on her own. The timing worked out perfectly and both tide and night were on her side as she slipped over the bar and into the direction of the fleet.
Venegaza was resting while her guard, a young sloop, stood watch. The frigate only woke when her highly tuned senses heard the sloop grunt before collapsing. She came fully awake when she felt someone cutting the ropes holding her ruder down. "Moonlach." She rasped.
"Got it." The younger ship crowed. "Now come on. We need to get out of here. Get back to Shipwreck Cove!"
"Moonlach wait." Venegaza grabbed her. "Shipwreck Cove is the last place we need to go to now."
"It's the perfect place we need to go to." Moonlach countered, starting to drag her mentor along behind her.
"Moonlach you don't understand!" Venegaza exclaimed as they cleared the breakwater. "Those rogue pirates we've been dealing with. I thought they were just in Nassau but I was wrong. There's more of them in Shipwreck Cove."
"Traitors?" Moonlach hissed.
"Unfortunately it's worse than that. One is another Pirate Queen." Venegaza explained. "Kolduyna. Lord of the Caspian Sea."
"Ancients." Moonlach winced. "What do we do?" She asked.
"We hide out and hope word gets to Troubador in time." Venegaza replied.
"Yes but where?" Moonlach begged to know.
"To a place that cannot be found except by those who already know where it is. Stick close to me."
Once Moonlach saw where they were going, she had no problems following that order. She had heard stories about the Isla de Meurta but she had never imagined she would see it up close. And the sight of that volcanic island sent shivers through her keel. She clung tight to Venegaza the whole way through the passage but the frigate didn't mind the contact.
The pair anchored outside a cave that lead deep into the island. It was more than open enough for Moonlach to wonder into it but Venegaza held her fast. "A great many things lie hidden there. Not all of them good."
"Like what?" Moonlach asked. She could never pass up a good opportunity for a pirate story.
"Supposedly the Lost Treasure of Cortez is here." Venegaza began.
"Treasure?" Moonlach turned to the cave with sudden interest.
"Do not be so hasty, little bit. Such was the greed of Cortez, the Aztec gods placed upon the gold, a terrible curse. Remove but one piece of the treasure, and you shall be punished for eternity." Venegaza whispered.
"Punished how?" Moonlach asked.
"With a fate not even death can break you from. Never aging, never dying. A half life. A cursed life. Where even all the things on earth are not enough to satisfy." Venegaza replied. "It is a fate I wouldn't wish on anyone."
"What about Koldunya?"
"Really? Do you really think I'd let Koldunya have an immortal existence." Venegaza snapped, then sighed her anger vanishing. "No. Not even her." She admitted.
"How did you two meet?" Moonlach asked.
"You're the second ship in as many days to ask me that." Venegaza chuckled humorously. "I was the lone survivor of a yellow fever outbreak that killed my entire squadron. Never even got sick. I wanted nothing more than to join them in death. Koldunya convinced me otherwise." Her smile turned sad. "She brought me to Shipwreck Cove where I found a new fleet to care for."
"I'm sorry Venegaza." Moonlach didn't know what else to say as she leaned into the frigate.
Venegaza sighed. "It was La Vipere's doing. I'm sure of it." She growled. "Koldunya has always been bloodthirsty but never savage."
"La Vipere, who's that?" Moonlach asked. She thought she knew all the Pirate Queens.
"Oh La Vipere's not a Queen. But she is crafty. Latching onto whoever is the most powerful flagship of the day and making herself that ship's personal lapdog!" Venegaza growled. "She's French and her name means Snake. An apt description if ever I heard one."
"And now she's latched onto Koldunya." Moonlach nodded.
"I won't say she's innocent but I refuse to believe Koldunya is behind this." Venegaza said.
"I have no issue saying that you are biased." Moonlach said.
"And I have no issue saying that you are right to." Venegaza nodded. "It'll be up to Troubador to determine fault."
Moonlach nodded, snuggling up to her. "Then for your sake, I hope she is fair."
"She usually is." Venegaza nodded, wrapping her rigging lines around her. "I never thanked you for getting me out of there."
"You don't have to." Moonlach protested.
"Yes, I do." Venegaza frowned, lifting her head up gently. "It takes great intestinal fortitude to slip into Port Royal with no backup."
"You're my mentor. Enough said. Besides, you would do the same for me." Moonlach said.
Venegaza said nothing, she simply pulled her closer. "Wouldn't you?" Moonlach asked, making her pause. Venegaza sighed. "Rest now, little bit."
"Pearl." Moonlach gently corrected her.
"Hmm?"
"It's what my sister used to call me. Her little Pearl." Moonlach explained.
Venegaza nuzzled her. "I like it. It suits you, little Pearl." She said.
"Does-does Koldunya know of this place?" Moonlach asked.
"No thankfully. We are safe here." Venegaza assured her.
Moonlach closed her eyes, curling up at her mentor's side. Venegaza was reminded once again of how young she was. Had Moonlach remained with the Dutch she would only just now be entering service. A part of the old frigate wondered how she could do this to a child. Piracy was no place for even most adults and Moonlach had yet to see the darker side of this life. A part of her feared once she did, the youngster would leave. Venegaza couldn't figure out why that thought frightened her so much. She would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy the younger ship's company.
Moonlach was a breath of fresh air compared to the other pirates. Even Barnacle, who was admittedly, closest in age to Moonlach, was still a good deal older than Venegaza's charge despite her childish antics. Venegaza grinned to herself, promising to get the two together as soon as possible. Moonlach would like Barnacle. She'd make a good friend and give her someone else to hang out with besides her mentor.
Venegaza rested her head over Moonlach's, feeling the younger ship curl up even closer to her as she did so. Her rigging lines wrapped around hers and Moonlach sighed in contentment. Venegaza found her warmth appealing and settled more on her side with the younger on top of her. The frigate closed her eyes, finding she couldn't fight to keep them open anymore. Her last conscious thought was wondering why it felt so nice to have Moonlach so close to her.
YOU ARE READING
The Founding Sisters #1 The Damned
General FictionRedoing my original and tying it in with the main series. We go back to the beginning, before the founding of the United States. Several ships were key players in this founding and this is their story.
