Valiant Thieves

Chapter 2: The Rogue

I jolted awake finding myself still in the barn. The light peeked through the cracks in the boards. Morning already? I'm so tired of having the same recurring dream every night, a memory of my father telling me to abandon my dreams. "Keep my head out of the sky," he says "you're not going to be a pirate. You will be a doctor like the rest of us." I don't want that. I dream of freedom, of living out at sea. The winds carrying my ship with my crew to a new land. I didn't even steal from a rich person, I ran away from home and it probably wasn't the best thing to do at the age of eighteen. The ripe age when you think you can make it on your own. I stole some bread from the market and the guards caught me. "I'd better leave before someone catches me here." I muttered to myself. I walked outside and started to move on. On the outskirts of Port Valenthia, my next destination, I came upon a lake. Bending down to look at the water I looked at my reflection in the water. Filthy. You're covered in blood, dirt, and grime. I looked closer at myself. My shoulder length dirty blonde hair greasy, my blue eyes staring back at me. I took off my my clothes and walked into the lake and washed all of the filth off. As I was getting dressed I heard a commotion coming from the distance. I ran towards the noise, finding myself inside of Port Valenthia. Following the sound further I came upon guards man handling a woman. "Hey!" I shouted. "Stay out of this peasant, this doesn't concern you." They retorted. "Actually when it involves someone trying to abuse a woman, I make it my concern." Just then the woman kicked out and seized her chance. She took off running and the guards pursued. I knocked one of the guards back and followed her. A couple guards where ahead of me. I climbed up a market stall and jumped onto the nearest roof. Grabbing the knife out of my boot, I took off like a speeding bullet. Keeping an eye on the woman was hard, she was quick, acrobatic, and agile. More so than anyone I've ever met. She'd make a great addition to the crew! I thought to myself. I hopped from one building to another following her and the guards. Eventually she was cornered and that's when I made my move. I prepared my knife jumping from the roof planting my knife into one of the guards skulls. The other guard jumped back shocked. I pulled the knife back out and the woman snatched my knife out of my hand and stabbed the other guard in the throat. She tossed my knife back to me and we started to walk away. As she walked out another guard bum rushed her and hit her head into a building wall. I kicked him back and tackled him punching him in his face repeatedly and ended his life by jerking his neck sideways. I looked over at the woman. Her unconscious body lay in the alley we were in. I picked her up and left the city. Looking to the sky I seen it was getting darker so I found the most secluded thicket of woods and made a fire. I looked at the woman. Her light brown hair covering her face. I moved her hair out of her face and examined her head for any bumps or abrasions. I opened her eyes to check for any dilation. Her hazel eyes show no dilation. "Nnnggh.." I heard a groan escape from the woman's mouth. I sat on the other side of the fire turning the fish I caught from the lake. The woman sat up and looked around, she then looked at me. "Hello." I said to her. She just continued to look at me. "What's your name?" I asked trying to get her to talk. She still continued to stare. "Fine don't talk.." I picked up a stick with a cooked fish on it. "Here you must be hungry." She eyed the fish then looked back at me, you could see the suspicion in her eyes. "Look, why would I try to kill you now? If I wanted you dead I could have let the guards finish their business or killed you while you were unconscious. If I were gonna kill you at all it wouldn't be with poisoned fish.." I said to her. She looked at me and grabbed the fish. "My name is Tacita. Tacita Ibri." She finally said. "Warrick, nice to meet you." I said in between chews. She took a bite of the fish. We both finished our meal in peace. "Thank you.." She said. I looked at her. "For all you've done for me today." "You're welcome." I said looking at her warily. We sat in silence for awhile until she spoke. "So why exactly did you help me?" She asked. "At first I helped you because I can't stand for a man to hit a woman and the way they were handling you set me off. But then I saw your agility. How fast you ran, how you evaded the guards at each turn... You see, I dream to become a pirate.." I said. Her expression changed. She looked at me with peaked curiosity. "Well go on!" She urged. "I dream to be a pirate. My crew at sea, wind in our hair, the sea water splashing us in our faces. But I don't want to fight other pirates unnecessarily. Mostly if they have high bounties. At that point we take them in dead or alive, whatever the warrant calls for. We also draw up a map to an uncharted island they say the treasures on. We keep the treasure and each of us gets a share. The rest will be used however I see fit. But first I need a crew and I want you to be part of it. You'll be my first mate aboard the ship. Whaddya say?!" I looked at her with excitement. "Count me in."