A Pirate's Life - the Story of a Merchant

Prologue

Capitaine Jacques Baudelaire was a fine merchant and Captain, sailing the oceans and the seven seas to bring goods from one side of the world to the other. He was a gentleman and a great father, taking his son Sidney on many a trip around the globe. Sidney's mother was very sick, and remained in France. Jacques and Sidney wrote to her whenever they were on land, telling her of their travels. Sidney liked to boast about his achievements in his letters, and would draw pictures to show her what he saw on their journeys.

Sidney was only seven years old when his father died, thrown overboard by a violent storm near the edge of the Bermuda Triangle. La Peste Noire's crew could not reach him in time, for the ten-foot waves pulled him out into the sea long before Sidney could throw the life ring. But he threw it anyway.

"I will save you, Papa!" Little Sidney cried, taking the white ring that was much too big for his hands and tossing it as hard as he could. It landed in the water, too far away from Jacques to be useful. Jacques smiled up at his son through his struggle to stay afloat. "Swim to it, Papa!"

Jacques started to tread water, moving as fast as he could to get to the ring. The crew began to climb into one of the longboats to Sidney's left, lowering it into the ocean to retrieve their Captain. But it was too late. As Jacques neared the ring, a large wave began to build up.

"Watch out, Papa!" Sidney cried, pointing to the wave that was growing with each foot it travelled. Jacques turned his head as the wave reached seven feet in height. His hazel eyes widened and he began to swim faster, reaching for the ring. The wave rose another three feet and toppled over, taking Jacques and the life ring with it.

"Papa!"

The life ring resurfaced. Jacques' fingers remained grasped to its ropes, but he was nowhere in sight. Sidney watched in horror as one of the crew members dove off the longboat and swam below the surface. The seconds passed by in agony as Sidney watched, searching desperately for any sign of life. Another crew member was about to jump over the side as well, but the First Mate, Pierre stopped him.

"They may not be alive." Sidney heard him tell the sailor. "Don't risk yer life too. Not in front of teh boy." The crew that was in the longboat all looked up at Sidney, whose face was streaked with tears. His green eyes were glazed over, and he was leaning over the side of the boat. Two crew members stood behind the boy with their hands on his shoulders to keep him on board.

Bubbles began to surface five feet from the longboat, and Sidney pointed a small, chubby finger at them. "Look!" The crew aboard the longboat stared as a dark figure rose from the deep. It was the crew member. He was alive. He tugged the body of their Captain onto the longboat, and climbed aboard. They rowed back to la Peste Noire as one crew member began to pound on Jacques' chest.

The crew aboard la Peste Noire hoisted the longboat and its passengers on board. Sidney ran to his father, crying out for him. "Papa! Papa!" His chubby hands grasped the side of the longboat and he stared at his father's wet face, hopeful for any signs of life. Water dripped from his dark hair and tanned face, but he did not liven. Pierre looked solemnly at Sidney, and stood to his feet. He picked up the boy and walked towards the Captain's Quarters, Sidney's cries for his father ringing in his ears. He closed and locked the door behind him. Sidney could not see his father like that.

Sidney, his front wet from Pierre's soaked clothes, was sat on the sofa. He balled his hands into tiny fists and wiped forcefully at his crying eyes. "Papa! Papa!" The man he'd loved with all his heart was just beyond that door. All he had to do was get past it, and he could see his Papa again. Sidney burst up from the sofa and ran to the door, banging on it with all his might. But his tiny fists didn't make so much as a dent in the door. He couldn't get to his Papa. His spirits were deflated as the realization of his father's death became a reality.

Pierre called to him, and told him to sit down. That his father was no longer there. Sidney cried, wishing for nothing more than for his father to pick him up in his strong arms and hold him. He longed for the warm embrace his father gave him each night, and the proud smile he wore whenever Sidney was doing well in his education.

Sidney was just beginning to learn the violin, a red instrument his father bought in Italy in an effort to give Sidney something more entertaining to do on their journeys. Jacques told him it could help the crew work faster if they heard music while they worked.

Pierre sighed and picked Sidney up again, taking him away from the door. He sat him back on the couch and held him there. "Yeh have to stay here," he told him, looking deep into Sidney's blurry green eyes. "Yer Papa wouldn't want yeh to see 'im like this."

Sidney rubbed his tired eyes with his chubby fists, and put on a brave face. His green eyes filled with life. "For Papa!" He cheered defiantly, raising one fist in the air.

Pierre nodded with a small smile, raising a fist gently, as a way to help Sidney cope with his father's tragic death. "For Papa," he said.

They gave Capitaine Jacques Baudelaire a sailor's burial. The ship was stopped, anchors dropped. They enveloped his body in a weighted canvas with a picture Sidney drew of their family, and one of their crew rolled up in his large hands, and laid him on the bow of the ship. Pierre was dressed in a black outfit Sidney had only ever seen him wear when someone died, with an old book in his hands. Sidney was instructed to play a tune his father taught him on the red violin, as a final send off so that in his eternal life, Jacques would always hear the song of his son.

The sun was setting as they gathered round. Pierre opened the old book and read from it, "Unto Almighty God we commend the soul of our brother departed." The crew bowed their heads and clasped their hands in front of them. Sidney lowered his head, holding tightly to his violin and bow. His father's initials were carved into it, next to his own. Sidney would remember him forever.

"And we commit his body to the deep; in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection unto eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ; at whose coming in glorious majesty to judge the world, the sea shall give up her dead; and the corruptible bodies of those who sleep in him shall be changed, and made like unto his glorious body; according to the mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself."

The crew muttered their 'amen's as needed, looked up at the setting sun. Pierre looked to Sidney and nodded. Sidney began to play. The crew joined in moments later, singing a song they'd sing quite frequently during their daily work.

Yo, Ho haul together, hoist the colours high; Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die; Yo, Ho haul together, hoist the colours high; Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die.

The King and his men stole the queen from her bed; And bound her in her bones; The seas be ours and by the powers; Where we will...we'll roam.

Yo, Ho haul together, hoist the colours high; Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never say we die.

Some men have died and some are alive; And others sail on the sea; With the keys to the cage; And the devil to pay; We lay to Fiddler's Green!

Yo, Ho haul together, hoist the colours high; Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die.

The bell has been raised from its watery grave; Do you hear its sepulchral tone?; A call to all, pay heed to the squall; And turn your sail towards home!

Yo, Ho haul together, hoist the colours high; Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die.

They lowered Jacques' body into the ocean, and still Sidney played. He played long after his father's body was out of sight. Sidney played as the anchors were lifted and the ship began to sail away. Alone at the bow, Sidney played his song over and over again, this time for the sun as it set in the sky.