A Pirate's Life [Book 1]

Chapter 1

"Captain Hansen." A voice rang into the night sky, shaking Captain Hansen, Annabeth, out of her thoughts. Dreams of her forgotten family, lost at sea for the rest of their lives. Dreams of finding them, but forever out of reach.

Annabeth looked at the pirate as she sat on the side of the ship with one elbow on her knee. "What's bugging you?" She looked at the pirate who moved from one foot to the other, glancing around briefly.

"Crew's worried 'bout you, Captain. You seem out of sorts lately... ever since we found that survivor."

Right.. the survivor. He had a point, she had been out of sorts since then. Memories of when she had been found a drift in a boat. She was lucky, she was picked up by the Royal Navy, lucky to not have been eaten or drowned. Yet, she was still a child who had to suffer from the memories of her parents being murdered.

They let her go..

They let HER go, never understanding why they would do such a thing. She was a child, but they only held mercy for her. Annabeth sighed, looking up with her piercing amber eyes. "Indeed," she whispered. "I am fine," she rose from her place and walked over to the wheel. "Fine enough to Captain, fine enough that I know that I need to get out of my own head."

The pirate walked to her side, "ma'am, with all due respect, yer need rest."

"Perhaps..." Annabeth smiled, looking over the water. Sleep would come, eventually, but she wanted to stay awake. Her twisted, they were closing in. "I'll sleep once this is over."

The pirate gave a small chuckle before walking away from the helm. Annabeth was not one to just lay down when there was work to be done, the entire crew knew that. Some had watched her grow, becoming the adult she was currently. Others, they had only heard stories of what Annabeth was and had been like.

Stepping aside was sometimes their only choice. Captain or not, Annabeth was something else. There was no point in arguing with her.

Annabeth stood at the helm of the ship, watching the black sky, the only hints of light come from twinkling stars and a fluorescent moon. Her heart began pounding and her chest aching, ghosts, death, her family, too many questions were unanswered.

Annabeth glanced back at her first mate, a stocky older man, hair as white as the moon itself. "What're your thoughts?"

"Whatever yours are cap'n, I think we'll find somethin' we don't want to, but we'll follow yer."

Annabeth smiled, "well, I'd hope so Milton." She laughed before breathing deeply. There was still more ocean to cover, but they had to be closing in. "We'll catch up, be ready." She gestured her head to the helm before walking away and towards the bow of the ship.

"Well, my dear, Morning Siren, are you ready?" She ran her hand along the wooden rails, feeling every crack and crevasse. The Morning Siren was her baby, as black as night, as swift as the water, but sturdy enough to take on any fight. She tapped her fingers overs reformed cracks, making her way to the bow.

Just another night trying to find those that were behind the death of her parents. Just another night, working tirelessly to hunt down the truth. The ship creaked and a smile curled onto Annabeth's face as she dodged cannons that lay ready and waiting. Stepping up to the bow, she leaned forward on the railing, looking out onto the ocean further ahead.

Tortuga.

Port Royal.

Clew Bay.

Wherever she needed to go to gain a crew, she went. It would never be in vain. Annabeth never wanted to be a real pirate, she loved seeing the world, but once the games were over and her life came to a head, things changed.

Loved ones were gone, love was lost, Annabeth came to the conclusion that she knew what she needed to do and those that she needed to find. As long as she had a wait of getting there, a crew to sail with her, and a need to go, she would go.

The need and the want was what drove her, she could almost taste it.

"Hoist the colors, batten down the hatches, prepare for a fight," Annabeth muttered, a small smirk curling from the sides of her lips. The first words that echoed to her new crew the day they left. Annabeth stood, straight, crossing her arms over her chest as her brown hair curled at the ends with the wind.

It was about time she needed to talk to the survivor they picked up.