The master spy or Puss in the boot adventures

One-Eyed Jack, Part 8

"I knew I had to get rid of the necklace quickly," Mer-mer continued, his eyes shining with excitement. "But I couldn't just throw it away-it was too valuable. And if I tried to sell it, I'd get caught right away."

Sharp Moustache leaned closer, completely absorbed. 

"And what did you do?"

"I came up with a brilliant plan," Mer-mer said proudly. "I headed for a small village on the outskirts of the kingdom where I knew there was an old jeweler who owed me a favor. Under cover of night, I slipped into his shop and woke him up."

"Poor old cat nearly had a heart attack when he saw me," laughed Mer-Mer. "But after I explained the situation to him, he agreed to help me. We spent the next few days carefully removing the real diamonds and inserting the fake ones. Then, with the help of a secret courier, I sent it to the Cardinal's palace, who thought it was the real necklace and decided to return it to the Queen at the ball the King was giving.

And what happened to the real necklace?

Mer-mer's eyes took on a distant look as he continued his story:"I knew I had to get rid of those diamonds quickly. Every watchman and bounty hunter in the kingdom would be looking for them. So I disguised myself as a humble merchant and headed for the nearest port town. "There, I sought out a renowned pirat known as One-Eyed Jack. It was said that he could move the most recognizable stolen goods. I found him in a seedy tavern near the docks, surrounded by rough-looking sailors and thieves.

"What have you got for me, chap?" he growled as I approached.

 I looked around nervously before pulling out the necklace. One-Eyed Jack's eye widened at the sight of it. 

Where'd you get that? - He hissed

"Ignore that," I said, trying to get away.

100 silver coins for whoever catches him, One-Eyed Jack shouted.

And what happened? nearly jumped Sharp Moustache.

Luckily I was a good swimmer. I jumped in the river and swam to the bottom. Musket balls and crossbow arrows shot past me and one hit me in the leg.

Mer-mer rolled up his leg and showed an old wound.

There, that scar on my leg. The blood started to surface and give me away. Finally I couldn't stand it and jumped up to catch my breath when a fishnet hit me in the face. 

A net... Sharp Moustache jumped up.

The old cat grinned and continued.

I got you... growled One-Eyed Jack. They pulled me onto the pirate ship and tied me tight to the mast.

Now, One-Eyed Jack said, we just have to decide who to sell you to. The King, the Cardinal, or the Queen... or maybe the Duke...

...

The King was beside himself with rage when he discovered the Queen's prized diamond necklace had gone missing. His face turned a deep shade of purple as he paced back and forth in his opulent throne room, his royal robes swishing angrily with each step.

"How could this have happened?" he roared, slamming his fist down on the arm of his golden throne. "That necklace was a symbol of our power and wealth! Its disappearance is a stain upon our honor!"

The King's advisors cowered before his fury, each one desperately trying to come up with a plan to appease their monarch. Finally, the bravest among them stepped forward and cleared his throat.

"Your Majesty," he began tentatively, "might I suggest we launch a kingdom-wide search for the missing necklace? We could offer a substantial reward to anyone who brings it back - say, a thousand gold coins from the royal treasury. That would surely motivate every able-bodied cat in the land to join the hunt."

The King paused in his pacing, considering the idea. A slow, cunning smile spread across his face. "Yes," he purred, "a reward. A bounty large enough to tempt even the most loyal of subjects. Spread the word far and wide - the King demands the return of the Queen's necklace, and he is willing to pay handsomely for it!"

Within hours, the news had spread to every corner of the kingdom. Posters bearing a detailed sketch of the necklace and promising untold riches were nailed to every tavern door and town square. Cats of all stripes and stations dropped everything to join the search, their eyes gleaming with visions of gold and glory.

Meanwhile, far from the palace and the frenzied hunt, Mer-mer found himself in dire straits. Bound tightly to the mast of Drunken saber's pirate ship, he could only watch helplessly as the nefarious crew debated his fate.

"I say we hand him over to the King," growled a grizzled tabby with a missing ear. "He's sure to pay plenty of gold coins for the scoundrel who stole his wife's jewels."

"Bah, the King's a fool," spat a one-eyed calico. "The Cardinal's the one with the real power - and the deeper pockets. He'll reward us well for bringing him the Queen's precious bauble."

"You're both daft," sneered a sleek black cat with a golden hoop earring. "It's the Queen we should be bargaining with. She's desperate to get that necklace back before her royal hubby finds out about her little dalliance with the Duke. She'll pay anything to avoid that scandal. Plus...she will miss the sweet, little kitten!"

The crew erupted into raucous laughter, their cutlasses and pistols glinting in the moonlight. Mer-Mer struggled against his bonds, his mind racing as he tried to figure a way out of this predicament.

"I can explain," he began, but One-Eyed Jack silenced him with a wave of his hook.

"Save your breath, cat," the pirate growled. "There's only one thing I want to hear from you - who's going to pay the most for your mangy hide? The King? The Cardinal? Or maybe Her Majesty would like to deal with you herself..."

Mer-Mer's blood ran cold at the thought. He knew he had to think fast or he'd soon be facing the executioner's blade. Suddenly, an idea sparked in his mind - a desperate gamble, but the only chance he had.

"Wait!" he cried out. "Before you decide my fate, there's something you should know. Those diamonds...they're cursed!"

One-Eyed Jack paused, his single eye narrowing suspiciously. "Cursed, you say? What kind of fool do you take me for?"

Mer-Mer swallowed hard, summoning every ounce of his skill as a storyteller. "I speak the truth, captain. Legend has it that necklace once belonged to an ancient Pharaoh queen who was betrayed by her lover. With her dying breath, she placed a terrible hex on the stones - whosoever possesses them shall suffer unending misfortune and despair!"

A ripple of unease passed through the crew at his words. Pirates were a superstitious lot, and even the hardiest among them feared invoking the wrath of dark magic. One-Eyed Jack studied Mer-Mer intently, as if trying to discern the truth behind his tale.

"If what you say is true," the captain said slowly, "then why would you steal such an accursed treasure?"

Mer-Mer hung his head, feigning remorse. "Foolishness and greed, captain. I thought I could handle the curse, use it to my advantage. But the diamonds have brought me nothing but trouble - hunted by the King's guard, betrayed by my allies, now captive aboard your ship. I see now the folly of my actions."