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

Chapter 14

Maryanne etched her initials into a tall tree playfully, going over her plan in her mind like a repetitive general. She turned away from her vandalised tree and spoke directly to Benjamin. " Tell me, if you know your crew well enough, would they fall for the Guide if we feigned defeat?"

"They're idiots, sailors unfit to hold a sword. If they believed their enemy had given in without bloodshed, they'd be more than relieved. Why do you ask Miss 'Rackam'?" Benjamin ended with a hint of humour, subtlety making fun of her odd belief.

"If we hand ourselves over, get your ship close enough..."

"We could take both ships. Have our men attack the Falmouth's directly and slaughter the crew, considering their lack of skill... But that's only if you're correct lad," Edward finished her sentence. "Don't even think of betraying us..."

Benjamin rolled his eyes, annoyed. "Would I really go running back to that madman?"

Twenty ships. The daunting figures, covering the horizon carried their countless sailors across the Atlantic Ocean. The armada formally led by the warship, The Executioner, now fell behind a chill-striking black ghost... Neptune's Descent helmed by Commodore Hadly himself. The over seventeen ships turned towards Ponta Delgada, given the order to be merciless in their sacking of the peaceful and neutral island. George's nameless first hand, the man who knew more of Neptune's Descent, Poseidon's Guide and the Golden Isles secrets than he wished to tell, remained as mysterious as he was before, only now as a direct advisor for George.

Edward and Benjamin rowed the Falmouth's dingy back to the Guide, climbing out onto the deck. All eyes fell on Henley first and foremost, the stranger not welcome aboard. His cleanly shaven face and slick, still oiled black hair gave the pirates a foul feeling. He was too clean. His hair cut too short and precise. The people of Ponta Delgada were messy and unorganised. The silent and unanimous conclusion was drawn that we had some involvement with the still passive ship awaiting their enemies to flee, a reason to shoot.

"Ya' right lads, he's on our side..." Edward reassured his crew. Billy approached his captain, giving him a quick look over for any apparent injuries. The bruising from their capture caught his alarm, something Edward also noticed. "He's not a bloody red-coat Billy, these are from another incident ashore." Still unnerved, Billy backed away. "Attention men, we are not escaping that ship without a fight I'm afraid, but Maryanne and my new 'advisor' Benjamin here have a plan..."

Maryanne took her chance to speak before Benjamin similarly tried to seize the opportunity and said, "The Falmouth's men are naive and not quite that battle hardened as of yet... We're to feign defeat and deceive them into a false sense of security before ambushing them and taking both ships for ourselves."

Maryanne maintained her satisfied expression, even as half the crew starred at her, clueless beyond a measure. Angelina giggled silently as Maryanne failed to come to the realisation that half the words she'd used were beyond the crews most limited understanding.

"I'm afraid you've... Been too complicated there Maryanne..." Edward whispered in her ear to save her the humiliation.

Maryanne rolled her eyes, releasing an annoyed sigh, "We're going to pretend we're giving up and kill the red-coats!"

A roar of understanding erupted from the crew, finally grasping her plan. Doubt filled Edward like wine fills a glass, the possibility of the plan working wasn't appealing. If Benjamin's suspicions were correct and Hadly had exchanged some of the crew with his own, then there might be a few men aboard that ship who had the ability to fight. Even after Hadly's ships attack the Guide, they still managed to escape without above five casualties, mainly due to Edward and Maryanne attacking one ship directly and dealing with the men themselves.