Race to the Fountain

Chapter 1

I wake up to a some idiot banging at my door. Right away I'm on alert. I quickly look around my room for threats. You never know and someone like me with more enemies than friends can never be to careful. Every time I walk in a place I look for possible exits. I am the mother of nightmares and it is safe to say that many wish for their nightmares to be over.

I stretch my hands under my pillow and feel the cool metal of my gun still where I left it. I realize that I'm not on my ship. I'm at the trading post inn. I can never get used to staying on land for so long. I can't seem to walk right when the ocean isn't under me.

"Captain V, the manager would like to have a word now."

Hearing Rich's voice so early in the fucking morning only makes him more annoying.

I put on my dress quickly then pull my curly black hair back into a long ponytail. My hair has never been cut. The only thing my mother did for her daughters was take care of our hair. Thought her intentions were so one day we could catch the eye of some wealthy man to whore ourselves to for money. That has never been out fate. Our brown skin gives us a look of foreign nature when surrounded by pale faced people. I strap my guns and knives in place then open the door.

"Why the fuck is she up at the ass crack of dawn?!" I bark, walking with Rich.

Rich has been my right hand man for quite some time now. Even before I was captain I killed for him and he killed for me. It was that bonding through blood and horror that we established a unbreakable friendship.

"You know your sister never sleeps." He reminds rolling his eyes.

Which is an annoying fact about my twin. It serves now as just another reminder that although we are very much alike in just the physical sense, we couldn't be more different.

My sister Valarie, is a strong woman that always get things done her way as if that's the only way something could happen. You would think my reputation would strike some fear in her heart but it doesn't. I may take the name, mother of nightmares, but she doesn't seem to acknowledge that.

The downstairs inn is where the whores are busy at work all day everyday. My mom is usually down here with them whoring herself. She's not wearing anything I'd consider to be clothes. It's really a thin see through dress that make every inch of her clearly visible. Her long hair sweep past her waist. She looks at me then the man she is with grabs her breasts and kisses her neck. She turns her attention back to the man as she always does and takes him upstairs.

Rich and I walk out. The sun is the first thing I notice! It's blinding. Then the heat and humidity bake me alive. All the time on the ocean and I'm still dehydrated.

The sand from the beach is strange beneath my feet. I feel like I'll sink if I stay in a place for too long. I see the members of my crew engaging in the whores and ale that my sister has to offer.

Rich and I walk to the docks where my sister is standing with a sheets of paper and pen marking down stock. She has her hair braided back into a bun so it won't blow in her face with the wind every few seconds. We are the same brown Carmel color. She has a small mole on the upper left side of her lip and another above her right eyebrow.

"Valerie." I call walking a bit faster to get to her.

She looks at me and smiles. "Captain Mother."

I quickly kiss her in both cheeks. "Is everything coming up correct?"

"Mostly. You have given me much sugar and grain, but why is the ale containers covered in blood?"

"Well the men we took it from put up much more of a fight than we thought they would."

"You know I cannot sell with blood stains." She stresses, taking me to the bloodstained wooden barrels of wine.