A Few Usable Years

Chapter 1

I see Gibbs being thrown into a horse carriage. I run awkwardly towards them, but before I reach Gibbs the horses take off. "Oh c'mon mate!" I yell after them. I look left and right and see a man filling a cart with vegetables, his horse standing idle.

I smirk as I slowly walk over. "Can I help you?" The farmer says. I nod and quickly attempt to get onto the horse, I swing my leg up but continously fall back down. "What in the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" The man says in shock.

I pull my sword out and point it towards him, "just let me have the horse." I plead to him the man nods quickly and takes the cart off the horse.

I swing my leg over powerfully and was suddenly on the horse. I smile at my little victory, and I go after Gibbs. As the horse is running at full speed I look around for the carriage. I soon see the carriage over a hill, "c'mon." I say to the horse.

As I near the carriage I jump onto the roof quietly.

(Time skip *in London*)

I look around for some bloke who looks like a pirate and with my short burst of luck, I see three men going into a brothel. I walk innocently towards wooden door in the small alley way, as I open the door chaos explodes in my face. I jump over drunken bodies, dodge fists and bottles of rum.

I grab two random men by the shirts and push them against the wall. "You have a lot of nerve pulling us away from a fight!" One of the men drunkenly yell at me. "Look here. Would you two like to make some simple coins?" I say as I release my grip on them. They look at each other with a questioning expression and a big grin spread across their faces "what we gotta do?" The men say in sync, I bring them in closer. "I want you to get me into the courts. I need a driver and a guard to throw us in as if we're prisoners. Savvy?" I say with a smile.

"Us?" The skinny man says to me with confusion. "Well, yeah I need to save Gibbs!" The two men nod "we'll do it" I smile brightly "Great!" I say happily, we then discreetly arrange to meet in the morning.

(Time skip *next morning*)

We meet again at the brothel, the men dressed appropriately to hide their tattoos. Me and the more muscular man get into the carriage, I knock on the wooden wall and we are on our way towards the courthouse. The towns people held up signs that read 'Pirate hanging today' and 'hanging this evening!' I gulped nervously, I looked at the man across from me. He smiles creepily, I rise my eyebrows in suspicion and avoid his gaze. The cart slowly comes to a stop as we near the courthouse.

The driver comes to the doors and lets me out, I sneak into the building avoiding guards. I look around the halls, there's expensive sculptures and paintings on the walls and in every corner. I hear someone coming down the marble hallway.

I hide behind a statue of a man holding up a sword. I hold my breath as the person walks past, I stay quiet so I don't blow my cover. As they pass I see it's the judge, my eyes widen in shock of my luck. I sneak up behind him and quickly grab his shoulder and hold my sword up to his throat. He quietly gasps in fright and shock, "hello-"

"Judge Astor." He says proudly. "Ah judge Astor, shall we go somewhere more abstruse." The judge nods quickly and he walks me toward another room.

I smile as he opens a door to a small office I turn him to face me, "w-w-what d-do you want?" The judge stutters in fear. "The wig and robe." I say pointing to the items with my sword as I rested my left hand on my pistol. He looks at me confused he takes off his white wig exposing his short grey hair, he hands me the wig slowly. I wait as he takes off his robe, only wearing long Johns. He hands me the robe as he shivers. I point to a bowl of white powder,

"What is that?" I say observing the substance. "Corn and wheat flour." The man says to me as he sat against his desk. I walk up to the bowl and dip my fingers in the white powder I feel the flour between my index finger and thumb, making a small snapping-like motion. I brush my fingers off on my jacket, my brain slowly musters up an idea.

I begin to put the powder on my mustache and beard, I look in a small hand mirror that's on the desk to see my facial hair is completely white. I smirk and laugh lightly at myself, I face the Judge and he looks up to my sudden movement. "Do I look like a judge?" I ask him. The judge looks at me in thought "sort of, you need something." The judge brings me his tiny pair of glasses, I take them out of his hand and put them on gently. I smile at him as I tilt my head slightly, "c'mon we gotta hide ya now."

 I grab the apathetic judge and bring him down the hall "where to?" I whisper to meself. The judge points to a closet close to the court room, I open the door to see a maid's closet. I search around in attempts to find a cloth, soon finding a white rag in the corner. I put the cloth in the man's mouth and tie it in the back, I place the man on the floor. I salute to him "ta." I say and begin to walk towards the court room