Pit of Vipers

Barin-1

When he had set out on this voyage, Barin Cornett did not envision the other end of it on one of the most notorious pirate ships well... ever. His version had involved more going home to England yet again as a national hero, with satisfaction knowing that dangerous criminals were no longer plaguing those with an honest living. Maybe there would be a girl involved. Maybe. But this, this was not even close to what he had expected when he had taken the assignment of hunting down the 'Pirate Queen'. He could see, as he sat on the fifth day still tied to the main mast, that he had seriously underestimated her and in more ways than one. She kept him away from the other prisoners to avoid a rallying tied and in a secure public place so he was always watched. Clever, cunning and stunningly beautiful. She had it all.

There wasn't much to do there in the sun under the main mast all day, so he occupied himself. Counting the crew and familiarizing their faces and names, playing spot the cat and thinking. Lots of thinking. By the second day he had compiled enough information to have a vague idea of what was happening. When he was given the assignment all he had known was the fleet of the Pacific Python was on the move. Had it been a single ship it wouldn't have been at all noteworthy but this was different, all literally all of the ships connected with the female pirate were on the move. He had learned from his days on board that the flagship was heading towards a meeting at the notorious pirate port, Port Royal. The story he had picked up from crew gossip was, that after a season of conflict between their captain and a rival pirate lord had prompted her to propose a treaty meeting. Unheard of on its own, but on the way the other captain had left a trail or gifts and such for the Adventure's Promise.

A soft song reached his ears from his place in the temporary shade of the foresail. He strained his eyes for the singer. There wasn't much by way of song when it came to his company aboard the pirate vessel. Plenty of humming and whistling but not much for singing. The voice was definitively feminine and as far as he knew, the only female on board was the captain. Yet try as he might he couldn't find the elusive song bird.

"Up dere'." a highly accented voice murmured into his ear while a dark arm pointed up towards the crossbar of the foremast. "She don't dink we can hear when she go up dere'." Barin caught sight of the fearsome captain sequestered against the rough wood of the mast. Wearing only a white fitted shirt and trousers, her head was tilted back against the wood and her voice floated over the ship.

"I didn't know she sang." Barin couldn't take his eyes off the show of a feminine skill from the woman he least expected it from.

"You don't know a lotta dings." Sanka commented as he rocked back onto his haunches.

"But it's so...feminine."

"She worked hard to get where she is. Harder dan any of da boys. Now here, I brought some food." the Jamaican man set about spooning the thick stew into Barin's mouth. A question raised in his mind.

"Sanka, what's your story? How did you end up as a pirate?"

"Oh a good question dat. See, dere's a village in Jamaica you may know it. Port Royal." a snort and a nod. "Well, I was born and raised in dose streets. Bad place to live dat. I was a fool boy den, got caught stealing. Dey started to beat me in da streets, den dere she was. Like an angry spirit of da wata she came. Pulled dem off me and gave me a purpose." Barin was silent for a moment, processing this information about the cheery man he had come to think of as a friend.

"Sanka! You gossiping midwife, get back to your post!" the words of the captain were far closer than expected and accompanied with the sound of something that was thrown hitting the deck.

"Aye aye Captain!" he shouted to laughs of the crew. The queen retrieved her dagger from were it was lodged in the wood.

"Enjoying your stay Mr. Cornett?" it came out as a grunt as she successfully freed the blade.

"Quite. The food is delectable, my compliments to the chef by the way. I get to work on my tan out here under the red hot blazing sun. The company is excellent for a bunch of criminals. Shall I continue?"

"Save me the compliment." she chuckled and continued walking to the helm. Barin could hear the deep baritone of the helmsman from his seat.

"Good news Captain, the wind is in our favor and we'll be arriving late tonight or early on in the morning."

"That is excellent news Jabari! That puts us right on schedule to meet with Captain Oakridge. Any messages? I'm expecting one from at least a few of my hounds."

"Nothing yet Captain. We know for certain that the Golden Maiden has arrived by this time, we can be relatively sure that the Lady Luck is a day or two out, Bloody Satisfaction should be there as well as Mercy."

"I'm not too worried about my pack. What do we know of Oakridge?"

"Captain Markus sent in his report that he spotted the Black Swan. we haven't much else on his armada besides the Wasp has been docked at Port Royal for a week. If I had to guess, I would say that we should expect at the very least he brings the Tragic Wisdom and the Dragon."

"Those are his two strongest ships he would have to be a fool to leave them."

"He would also be a fool for leaving behind valuable resources after a raid."

"True enough."

"What are your plans for tomorrow Captain?"

"No one will disembark until I say so. Markus will sweep the city and report, Mckendrick and Ava will get a location and count on the men Oakridge brought. Then and only then will the crew be allowed to leave ship."

"So trusting Captain." he laughed.

"Aye and proud of it. It's kept me alive thus far." she shot back. "I'm going to prepare myself for tomorrow, can't look anything less than flawless." he could sense the dark skinned helmsman shaking his head.

"Can't have our captain falling into anything that you'd realistically anticipate from someone who has spent months out at sea."

"Those are some big words, I'm proud! Toodles!"

"Captain?" the voice was faint.

"Yes Sanka?"

"Do you want your hair beaded?"

"That'd be lovely Sanka, I'll meet you back here when I have my outfit picked out." with that said the captain took her leave, followed by her loyal cat.

"She likes me."

"Holy goodness Sanka! How did you get down that fast?"

"Practice." was all he said.

"What do you mean she likes you? She literally just threw a dagger at your head!" the man smiled at him.

"If she didn't like me she wouldn't have missed." Barin just stared for a moment as Sanka sat himself down on the deck near him, grabbing bags off his belt and setting them in orderly rows. "I'll tell you Barin, you'll never find better friends dan da ones that could stab you in da back but don't."

"I don't know, I'd prefer my friends to not keep me tied up." the other man looked up with a sly grin.

"Now where's da fun in dat?" and so they sat in companionable silence until the captain returned.