Hazel Ipswich and the Ghost Pirate

Playing Pirate

Hazel packed her bag full of her boys clothes and darted down the hall making her way down the mansions spiral staircase. By the front door Atticus waited. The two were off, they boarded the Haunter. "Men! Philadelphia onward!" the men cheered as they scurried about the ship and tended to their corresponding duties. They drew closer to Philadelphia and Atticus was short of foaming at the mouth. He picked up his spy glass and peered through, a smiled wrapped around his face as he spotted their target. The men cheered as Atticus directed the crew in its direction. The two ships drew closer as they readied for the next phase of their mission. The men pulled up and boarded the ship without a peep. They started raising, Atticus and Hazel looked on from the Haunter. "something isnt right Atticus." Hazel said. Atticus's face grew with concern, "You are right... This is too easy." Atticus shouted to the men. "FALL BACK!!! Ready the helm!" But it was too late. Men appeared on their ship as well as the target ship. "Captain Atticus Phillips, you are hereby charged with piracy and treason on the high seas" It was Silias Romple, Hazel would recognize that handsome face anywhere. But he had yet to see her. She darted into the captains quarters. She dug through her bag to find the dress she was wearing the day she left. She quickly put it on and let her hair down. It was shoulder length, and quickly did a quick braid. She locked the door with a key and threw it out the window of the cabin. The door knocked and rattled, and then two men busted into the room. She hid under the desk and covered her eyes. One of them yanked her from out under the desk. They pulled her so hard, she hid her head under the desk, and began to cry. She hasn't cried since she found out about Joline, but in this dire situation, she found some strength to let the pent-up emotions ooze out. The men dragged her before Romple. He looked into her eyes but did not recognize her. "What's your name wench?" Romple said in a coarse tone. She looked up at him, attempting to look as pathetic as possible. Hazel paused, thinking hard. She doesn't want him to figure out she was Crispin. "Cinders?" she said softly less than confident. "Hazel Cinders?" Romple sneers, "undoubtedly the kept wench of the Ghost Pirate captain. Ill make an example out of you yet!" "An example for what?" Hazel shrieked. "That women who lie with pirates are just as culpable as the pirate themselves." "No!" Atticus yells out, "We took her for ransom!" "Whose the party your attempting to leverage?" "Blaze Cinders" Romple laughs whole heartedly. "You must take me for some kind of fool! I know for a fact that the Widowed Miss Cinders is childless. I have attempted to woo her myself." "Im adopted." Hazel huffs. "Then let us see if she comes to your rescue." Romple jeered. Romple and his men immediately board their ship with their new captives. "Did you capture all his men?" Romple asked another officer. "Only a couple, the rest of them got away." Romple nods, "And the Haunter?" "The Haunter is under our control." The second the officer finished his sentence, there was an earth shattering explosion. Everyone was knocked off of their feet as the ship rocked. Romple and his men scrambled to their feet and take notice of the fiery wreckage sinking into the depths of the seas. Romple angrily punched Atticus. "You ass! I had men aboard that ship!" Atticus laughed manically, "So did I!" Romple punched him again, knocking Atticus out. Hazel sat there quietly as to not incite Romple's rage.

They were brought back to Philadelphia and thrown into a small claustrophobic cell. The crewmen were let go, but Atticus and Hazel were thrown in that cell. "Are they going to hold a trial?" Atticus hung his head. "They will barely hold it at that, just to sentence me to death."

"Why do you follow her?"

"Who wouldn't follow a leader with plans and a fleet already set up?"

"You're still protecting me?"

"Blaze will come for you, she won't come for me, hopefully she'll forgive me for putting you in this situation."

"How do you know she will come for me?"

"She always does. Ever since she first saw you working in the brothel."

"She rescued me from a patron." Hazel smiled.

"She followed you and sent spies on the ships to check on you. Every time she discovered you were being hurt she ordered the raid to rescue you. She grew tired of worrying about you, and she needed to sink that ship, if you didn't come by choice she planned to do it by force. It was something about you she found intriguing. She obsessed about where you were, what you were doing, were you happy... she somehow came to love you. All she wants to do is protect you, even if it means giving up everything." Atticus softly smiles at Hazel, "I will be found guilty without a trial, and as my wench you will be found guilty. But just you see..." Atticus sighed. "Blaze with ride in with a fiery glory and raze this city with all the fury of an angry hippopotamus mother."

Hazel huddled in the corner thinking about everything. In the many short meetings, she found that Blaze was always guiding her and offering help and trying to protect her. She was hoping that she really would come. She wants her to come and save her and bring her back to Charleston. A guard come in to do his prisoner checks. But this time his eye glinted with malice. He deviously smiled at Hazel, and that glint in his eye turned darker with evil intentions. He opened up the cell and grabbed Hazel by the arm ripping her out. "I have one last hurrah for your poppet." Hazel screamed, Atticus who was asleep arose from his slumber. Atticus charged the guard, "Dont you touch her!" Another guard punched him out cold from the side, he laughed heartedly. "Dont you worry, we will take great care of her." Hazel looked down at the unconscious Atticus, she screamed out and no body heard. She felt overwhelmed with fear. Where was Blaze? Blaze somehow always showed up right when she was needed. The men drug her outside the jail towards another building. She closed her eyes as she cried out, she squeezed them tighter, "Mother!"