Poseidon's Guide: The First Adventure // #Wattys2018

Chapter 9

"Cap'n, we got a ship on our tail!" Billy's booming, drunk voice filled the ears of the entire crew. Everyone ran to their own defensive positions, loading the cannons and dropping the sails to gain speed. Billy ran up to the wheel, where Edward held the ship steadily as he watched over his shoulder at the three small ships approaching. "Orders Cap'n?" He handed Edward a spyglass.

Edward looked through the barrel of the spyglass at the following ships, all bearing the Red Cross on their sails. Ships from the British armada. Edward scratched his stubble and began to think of a plan, a way to take out all three ships in pursuit. They were small and fast, but could easily overwhelm Poseidon's Guide easily by surrounding her, Edward knew that but he also knew that they would likely be led by someone who thinks he has a certain chance of victory. This would be Edward's best weapon. Maryanne rushed up the stairs to stand by Edward's side, a black hat pinning her hair from flowing wildly in the wind.

"Do you have a plan or something? Because we're too heavy to get away from em'! They could find a weak point and have us in Davy Jon-" Maryanne was cut off by Edward covering her mouth with his dirty hand. In retaliation, she shoved her captain back. "Excuse me! What do you think you're doing?!"

"Trying to shut you up whilst I think lass..." Edward replied honestly. "I know how the King's men work, ya' see they most likely already think they've beaten us... Hell they plan to surround and overwhelm us." Edward smirked as both Billy and Maryanne starred at him in confusion. Edward rolled his eyes at the two of them and prepared to explain. "If we take them head on, we'll lose. We don't know this fine beauty's weaknesses or strengths yet..."

"What do you propose Cap'n?"

"He 'proposes' that you attack one of the ships in direct battle, and board another." Angelina interrupted, explaining his plan better than even he could. All six eyes fell on her, shock and awe filling them. "What? Am I not allowed to understand battle tactics?"

Edward shook his head as Maryanne, Billy and Angelina discussed the plan, all attempting to alter it in some way. The following ships approached. Edward had his crew raise the sails. Billy took the wheel, Angelina watched the chasers all sail closer and closer and Edward prepared to jump over to one of the ships. Maryanne leaned on the side of the ship, contemplating the plan, nitpicking it carefully in her mind.

"These ships are going to have to come very close for us to board them..." She informed after awhile. "If my calculations are even slightly incorrect, we won't be boarding any ships Edward, we'll be sinking!"

Edward scrunched up his face and looked over into her eyes. "We won't be able to swing over to the ship from here, no." Edward reassured her. Maryanne frowned and starred at him in disbelief. "We shall make like fish and swim..."

"I dunno if you've noticed, but I ain't no fish!" She snapped.

"The seas are on our side! We can only swing so close and then we need only to swim but a few metres! Don't worry we will be fine!" Edward smiled as Maryanne's facial expression made no attempt to change. "Scared to get ya' blouse wet?"

Maryanne couldn't help but giggle. "No, but I am afraid of sharks."

Edward replied with his own devious chuckle before glaring into the blue ocean. "That's why we have swords!"

"You're a blasted idiot Edward! Swords won't be of help against a sha-" Maryanne stopped herself, biting her tongue. "I will just have to trust your judgement... Or get eaten by a shark."

The ships approached, breaking formation. Barely metres away from Poseidon's Guide, they opened fire instantly. Billy dodged a cannonball. As he watched the black ball go flying into the sky, he grabbed his chest in astonishment at the near death experience. Edward and Maryanne waited for one to come up to the side of the ship, the best position to attack if they all surrounded her. Edward grabbed Maryanne's waist and for the first time since Santa Maria, locked his lips with hers.

"For good luck..." He said as they parted, smiling at her cheekily. He picked her up and grabbed the rope, lunging off the ship and swinging into the ocean, roughly twenty metres in between both ships. As they resurfaced, not a word left their mouths as determination took over and they swam for their lives to the small opposing ship.

Edward grabbed the side of the ship with his hand, reaching out and pulling Maryanne to the ship as well. They both climbed, slipping their swords into the various slots of the ship where cannons resided, killing those manning them. A red coated soldier noticed the two pirates boarding, alerting the ship's crew. Edward climbed onto the deck of the ship, engaging in an instantaneous battle. He dodged and blocked the onslaughts of his enemies, gaining the crews full focus from attacking his ship. Maryanne pulled herself onto the deck and joined Edward, shoving her sword through an enemies chest and slicing another across the back. One soldier pulled out his pistol, aiming it at Maryanne, but the swift movement of Edward's sword removed his hand from its worthless body.

Edward grabbed the pistol, gripping it tightly. He ducked as a sword glided passed his head, close enough to cut his hair like it was nothing. Maryanne grabbed a dropped sword and used it along with her own to tear through the crew. The captain could no longer sit idly by and watch his crew get slaughtered by two pirates, drawing his own sword and attacking. Edward clashed his sword against the defending captain, holding his own. Edward carefully analysed the captains movements, making his next move predictable. Edward lunged backwards as the sword had attempted to find its way in between his ribs. He grabbed the captains wrist, dragging him across the deck over to Maryanne. Both of them switching opponents.

Maryanne used both her swords to overwhelm the captain, however wouldn't land any lethal blows. As Maryanne happily drew on the fight, Edward engaged the remaining crew. The amount of swords swinging his way left him closed to any attempts at returning the offensive, yet he was happy to continuously dodge and block. The excitement of battle left them both in a trance, before once more they forced their opponents into a chock point on the ship, killing all but the captain and three of his men. Like Santa Maria, his eyes met hers. But a kiss couldn't be shared yet. Maryanne attacked the three remaining crew members as Edward engaged the captain again.

Like clockwork, they both weaved in between opponents and picked them all off. Edward kicked the captain in the gut before stomping on his hand, forcing him to let go of the sword. Edward pulled out the pistol he'd seized before due to all his and Maryanne's being waterlogged. He aimed it at the head of the captain, smiling and meeting his eyes. For the first time in his life, he felt alive. He felt like the world was on the other side of that barrel. Like he'd accomplished a great feat of strength. He had. Edward and Maryanne single handedly defeated the entire crew of a small naval battle ship under the command of the infamous Commodore Hadly, a pirates greatest fear was the very name.

Edward took a deep breath as his defeated foe quivered. "Who sent you?" Edward interrogated, his boot pinning the man down.

"Commodore Hadly. He said to slaughter you filthy pirates..." The British accented man snickered.

"Insulting, but honest. You would let your commodore down so easily? Not even try to ward us off his case?" Maryanne asked, confused by the man's easy cooperation.

"No Maryanne, that's Hadly's thing. He wants you to know he's after you..." Dread filled Edward as he spoke. "It's his way of telling us-"

"We're as good as dead." Maryanne finished.

Edward met her eyes, the smallest glint of fear in both pairs of eyes. The realisation of over forty ships hunting them was all that kept their hostage alive in the heat of the moment. Edward carefully pieced together a plan, one that may be able to at least get them to Angelina's island before Hadly sunk them...

Billy steered Poseidon's Guide closer to the taken ship, leading the other two with it. As the ship turned, all cannons opening fire on the opposing ships, decimating them. Their next target was days away, it was time to leave.