Temptations

ɎChapter♠TwoɎ

 The men in the tavern hooted and laughed as they drank to rum. A donation, from Captain Gaspar himself. The poker tables had every seat filled, the music had a full audience, and the bar had people standing to get the finest rum of the Royal Navy. George questioned where they'd gotten it, but all they said was that the storm blew in their favor.

It wasn't unusual for Gaspar to donate some of his winnings to the people of Pirate's Gulf. It was rumored a Royal Navy trading ship was sunk during a hurricane, but based on the donations he knew that wasn't the truth. There were no survivors, as the bodies were never found. He filled another mug sliding it down the counter just as she walked in.

She held an air of respect and danger around her. She pulled the attention of every patron in the bar, even though she wasn't dressed like any of the harlots glaring at her. She wore the clothes of barmaid, and her black hair was pulled up into a ponytail, some of the curls falling over her cheeks and over her dark blue eyes that glinted in the lantern light. "Good night, George." She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek.

"Where have you been? I haven't seen you in weeks." He scolded like a father. Though she wasn't his child, she was close to it.

"Just out and about." She hopped over the counter, her skirt flailing in the air giving the patrons just enough to stay interested. "I see we have a full house. Gaspar donate again?" She said, hiding her smile as she turned away from him.

"Aye, seems we'll keep the house for another two months or so." Her eyes widened when she turned to him.

"Only two months? But with all the patrons and sales we should have about 5 months safe and then some for fixing!" She exclaimed, dropping the mugs before the pirates with a thump before swirling to face him, outrage lingering on her face.

"The tennant raised his prices again. Seemed getting his merch over the Atlantic is becoming more dangerous. The Royal Navy is after Gaspar, you know."

"Of course I know! But they've always been after him."

"Well something changed, because now navy ships are traveling in couples, and more frequently. They're searching for him, more now than ever."

"Well the Crimson Queen can take on a hundred ships and come out unscathed." She huffed with pride, as if she, herself built the ship. "She'd done it before." She hopped over the bar, forcing the patrons to move out of the way, and taking a couple of mugs in hand. "Besides, you never know when the tenant can let up, maybe I should have a talk with him, yeah?" She grinned, sending him a wink and disappearing in the crowd.