Revenge On The Sea

Revenge On The Sea

Chapter 1: Humiliation

The whole bar was singing.

"A poor old man came riding by."

"And we say so, and we know so."

"O, a poor old man came riding by."

"O, poor old man."

"Says I 'old man your horse will die'."

"And we say so, and we know so."

"And if he dies we'll tan his hide."

"O, poor old man."

"And if he don't, I'll ride him again."

"And we say so, and we know so."

"And I'll ride him 'til the Lord knows when."

"O, poor old man."

"He's dead as a nail in the lamp room door."

"And we say so, and we know so."

"And he won't come worrying us no more."

"O, poor old man."

"We'll use the hair of his tail to sew our sails."

"And we say so, and we know so."

"And the iron of his shoes to make deck nails."

"O, poor old man."

"We'll drop him down with a long long rope."

"And we say so, and we know so."

"Where the sharks will have his body."

"And the devil take his soul!"

"O, poor old man!"

I sing as enthusiastically as the rest of the bar. Then I down my rum and get another. Most of the crews were rolling in money, and therfor didn't mind breaking tradition and singing this shanty before they set sail next. Traditionally the 'Dead Horse' shanty was sung only once when sailing at sea, after the first thirty days had passed and they'd paid the dead horse, started earning money again, then tossed the effigy into the sea. But then again, pirates didn't earn paid wages, so why would they care?

Life has been good to old Leonardo Sanfino, I thought to myself. Six months ago I was just a ship's boy aboard a shitty ship captained by a Royal Navy asshole. Six months since Captain Cold Eyes ship, the Defiance, had descended on the Sprite, my old ship. Six months since I'd managed to talk my way onto said pirate ship with a grand scheme of a rich silk haul. And actually pulled it off! The biggest haul of their entire time pirating! It made me among them. I was their money ticket. Their golden goose. Their key to wealthy hauls.

It hadn't been an easy road.

It had cost me a lot. I'd killed a pirate who'd singled me out. Rest in pieces McNally! I'd been flogged. I'd caused the death of a good friend in Havana. Rest in peace Diego! I'd been in a battle and helped take the rich haul. The Captain now trusted me. And had even told me a little about herself. A glimps into the woman she was behind the pirate.

Then I'd fucked her.

But nobody knew that. Except maybe Lawrence, her refined first mate. He seemed to know everything about the entire crew somehow. After that night in Tortuga with the Captain he'd made several remarks about not getting used to the captain's favor nor getting any funny ideas about my status. Hell even the Cap'n had said that herself! She hasn't mentioned that night in Tortuga. And I'd wisely came to the conclusion that bringing it up would not increase my chances of repeating that wonderful experience. It would in fact likely have the opposite effect.

So I've kept my head down and just worked. Since the silk haul we've taken two more prizes, both of them barely worth more than the effort it took to take them. That's why we were in Nassau tonight. To sell to the merchants here who bought stolen goods for half price and sold them back to other merchants and colonies at full price. The crew was starting to lust after my next big idea. Lawrence had asked me point blank if I had one.

I did.

Revenge on my family.

Giovanni Sanfino, my father. His wife and my wretched step siblings. The great misery of my existence. The reason I had to take to sea with Captain Brussels in the first place. I've waited a long time to get my revenge on them!

I suppose I should thank them though. Were it not for them being so disgusting and nasty to me, I wouldn't have become a pirate and be leading the true life of genuine freedom I'd dreamed of during those years under my father's thumb. I must make sure to thank them for setting me free.

Right before I ruin them forever.

Ah don't be getting to far ahead of yourself you daft idiot! You haven't even presented your plan to the captain yet! Gotta get her to sign off on it first. Mind you, I knew it wouldn't be hard. She's hearing their mutterings of the barely-worth-it prizes we've taken lately. I gave them a taste of the big haul and now like any other addict, they wanted more.

Fortunately for them I've been formulating my plan for revenge on my father for the entire time since the Spanish silk haul. This won't be a half-assed plan made under threat of death. No, this will be well thought out and impress the Cap'n.

Maybe enough to get back in her silks afterwards.

Oh I even think like a pirate now! What's happened to me? I sighed and shook my head. My hair is much longer now. And I'm as weather-beaten as the rest of the crew. I must remember sometime to ask Lawrence how he keeps himself looking so refined. I go to the bar and get my rum refilled.

"Penny for your thoughts boy?" asked the voice of Captain Cold Eyes beside me. She is as amazingly attractive as ever. Long mane of fiery red hair that often has the unknowing person mistaking her for Anne Bonny. Fit and toned. Large breasts. Pale as a sheet. I kept my gaze level as I answered.

"My thoughts are worth more than a penny I hope."

"The crew is asking when you're going dream up your next big scheme."

"They've been asking me that since our last take. I just smile and tell them 'you'll see' and all they do is wonder."

"Eventually, they'll get tired of wondering," said Lawrence appearing beside the Captain. Lawrence was a tall man, likely in his forties. Black haired, black eyed and tough despite his immaculate care of his clothing and appearance. He let no beard grow on his face. Like many, he was a privateer during the war between the British and Spanish. And like many, he had turned pirate after the war had ended and all the privateer's were cast out. How he and Captain Cold Eyes met was a mystery that neither of them was willing to tell. I'd wanted to ask after the silk haul but since I'd already pushed the captain as far as I could go with my questions (not to mentioned fucking her) I decided against asking her. Lawrence wasn't telling either. I'd asked once and he'd put me down so fast I knew he would never tell, no matter what I did to earn his trust.

"I'm aware of that. But I haven't been drifting aimlessly these months. I have a plan. For both our next haul and my revenge on my family."

"Do tell," prompted Cold Eyes.

"Not here M'lady the Captain," I said using my customary flattery. She always likes it nowadays. I don't get scolded for it. Not much. Mind you, I've learned in my time to know when she's in the mood for it and when to just be plain spoken so that probably helps. "Too many prying ears."

Nassau was a hotbed of pirates. The greedy governor was unable to resist the profits he makes off of the ill gotten gains. And despite all that brethren of the coast brotherhood garbage that everyone spoke of, the pirates were still competing for the best hauls and reputations. Lawrence had spotted the Ranger out in the harbor on our way in, so Charles Vane was on the island somewhere. Pirates were not above stealing leads out from under each other if they could.

"He makes a good point," said Lawrence.

"Fine we'll talk tomorrow." Cold Eyes signaled for another drink.

Then suddenly there were whispers and mutterings. I turned to look and saw a tall man had walked into the hall. Tall, willowy, black haired and that kind of handsome that mocks even my handsome, which is considerable! Wearing two swords and all in black. I have no idea who that is.

"By Christ, I'll be dammed!" said Cold Eyes getting up with a surprising smile. "Captain Solomon Kane!"

"Who?" I asked Lawrence in a whisper.

"Solomon Kane," Lawrence said. "Captain of the Silk Road. Well traveled pirate. He's been mostly working out of Singapore making life miserable for the East India Trading Company. But word is they've been pushing pirates out so he's likely come west for more profitable and less risky trade."

"How does the Cap'n know him?"

"That's not my story to tell boy," he says looking stern. That's his usual response to me when he thinks I'm asking questions I shouldn't be. I promptly ignore him and watch Cold Eyes go up and offer Kane a drink with a smile. He took it and when she turned to make for a table he reached out and smacked her ass!

"Oh boy," I said to myself waiting for the explosion. Last man that did that (besides me) lost his hand. But she looked over her shoulder, sent him a seductive look and made for the table. What the fuck? "He just spanked her in front of the entire bar and she didn't react. Why?"

"Likely cause she wants a tumble with him. Cap'n's a woman with womanly desires, and we're in port for three days so why not enjoy oneself?" Lawrence said shrugging into his beer. He never drank rum. He said it made people think thoughtlessly, whatever that meant.

This made sense but it flew in the face of everything I'd ever been taught about how the Captain carries herself. Granted everything Lawrence said was true, but even at the most lustful I'd never have thought she'd let herself be spanked in front of onlookers. I felt resentment burn in my gut but ignored it. Don't let that temper and tongue run away with you Leo, I scolded myself.

I noticed Solomon Kane was looking at me now. As if he could sense my hostility and thoughts, he promptly walked up to the bar. "Lawrence! Looking as much like a French fop as ever," he said in greeting. Lawrence nodded, not the least bit fazed. He gets such comments about his sense of dress all the time. "Who's the boy?"

"My name is Leo Sanfino. I'm no boy, so don't call me such," I said with deliberate hostility.

Solomon Kane laughed. "Oh boy, don't be touchy. Boy, you are still just a boy. Boy," he said deliberately.

Now I'm fuming. I don't even know why but I am. The three large tankards of rum I've had probably aren't helping. But as the Cold Eyes rejoined us, I kept myself in check. "Captain Kane you are being quite rude. I understand your time in primitive China has made you such but here in the west we do have manners."

"Primitive China? Hah! Boy, they have more elegance in their culture than any of the civilized west! That's for damn sure. Don't speak about what you don't understand. Boy."

"Solomon, please don't mind him. He's new to my crew and lets his tongue run away with him," said Captain Cold Eyes shooting me a cold eyed glare. "But he delivered on a rich haul and has plans for another, so I do need him."

"Ah the pretty boy has a use. You're lucky boy. You'd be scraping barnacles on my ship."

"I'd not set foot on your ship for all the silk in the world."

"And he says I'm rude!" Solomon laughed. "Look boy-"

I jumped up. "I said very clearly: do not call me boy. Cease doing so now please."

"Leo, damnit sit down! You're letting the rum combine with that wagging tongue of yours and it's not going to do you any good!" scolded Captain Cold Eyes.

"I'm not a boy, and no respectable pirate would let themselves be referred to as such."

"Boy! You shut up!" she snarled at me.

That should back me down. But the Dutch courage of moderate intoxication only has me glaring right back. Lawrence is shaking his head. Then Solomon laughed again. "Oh darling, now that temper of yours is flaring! Redhead and all that," he says. She turns a glare on him but he was immune to it. "You know I'm right. Forget the boy and let's go have a drink."

"Good idea," she says turning her back in a twist.

Solomon sends me a look clearly meant to make me feel like an idiot.

I throw my drink in his face in response.

Now the whole bar is watching. He blinks the rum out of his eyes and looks at me and, to my shock, he promptly laughs again. "Waste of good rum! And you call yourself a pirate? Pah! Still an angry boy," he turns and follows Captain Cold Eyes.

The whole place starts laughing. At me. "You brought that on yourself," Lawrence said from beside me.

I can't take anymore and I get up and storm out. I walk through the night streets of Nassau in a fury. Who did that fucking asshole think he was? Because he was some big time pirate in the Orient? This was the Caribbean, not the Orient!

As I found myself sitting at a tree on the beach, watching the waves flow under the moonlight, my anger dissipated. What the hell is wrong with you Leo? Why did you flip on that captain? Half the crew of the Defiance calls you boy still! So does Lawrence and Cold Eyes! So why did this guy doing it make you see red?

Because of Captain Cold Eyes. I couldn't lie to myself, not after completely embarrassing myself like that. They have some kind of relationship that I was jealous of. Time to be honest with yourself Leo. After Tortuga, you've barely been able to enjoy yourself with any of the prostitutes you've had when the Defiance has made port. You keep thinking of the Captain. And it's not just lust. After six months it was time to man up and admit it to yourself even if you don't have the balls to admit it to her.

I love her.

I love Captain Cold eyes.

And I've just made myself look like the most immature jackass in the world. A boy's reaction to when he sees a rival with eyes on his potential bride.

Okay, so now I've got to muster an apology to the Captain. Then I'll have to apologize to Solomon Kane. I knew he was going to rub it in my face. But I had to do it. Prove I'm not a boy.

I don't know how long I sat on that beach but then something knocked me into the sand. "Get up boy," said the voice of Solomon Kane.

I got up, spitting sand out of my mouth. "Captain Kane I-"

I got a right cross across my jaw that knocked me down again before I could finish speaking. "Boy, I'm not here to listen to you talk. Nobody talks to me the way you did in the bar! Ever! Draw your fucking sword or ball your fists! You're about to get a lesson in manners!"

"I don't want to fight."

"Then I'm just going to beat you! Like your father should have done!"

Solomon Kane had no idea how much that remark would set me off. All that anger returned in a flash. I drew my sword. I'm not a slouch anymore with a sword. I've been learning. Whole crew of the Defiance was eager to teach me to in an effort to befriend the guy with the money schemes. I strike out first.

Solomon whirls faster than I ever thought he could and strikes my blade aside. Then he smashes the hilt of his sword into my face. Explosions of color flash across my vision. "Is that all you've got boy?"

I strike again, low this time.

He leaps over my strike and comes down with his sword cutting my shoulder. My sword falls from my grasp as a result of the pain. His sword flashes and another agonizing cut opens on my left cheek. Then he tossed his sword aside. "Not going to let you say it wasn't a fair fight. Mind you it was never going to be fair at all, even if you had a sword and I was naked with a stone as my only weapon."

I lunge for the tall bastard intending to take out his knees. But he twisted easily, avoiding my lunge. His boot kicks me in the cut cheek. I roll through the sand and come to my feet only to see he's right on top of me. How many times he hit me I don't know. I lost count pretty quickly. But he knocks me down with another cross and then kicks me in the face. My eyes are blurry. "Boy, don't start fights you can't win!"

"Enough!" said the voice of Captain Cold Eyes. My heart leaped and I managed to roll to see her striding towards me.

Then she kicked me in the face.

"I told you I need him for his schemes. He's a money maker, albeit a young boy. You've had your fun Solomon! Now let's go! You know how much I love watching you kick someone's ass."

"As you wish Brianna," said Solomon. Through my hazy vision I watch them walk away arm-in-arm. I'm too wounded to keep my eyes from welling up. Then thankfully the pain kicks in and I blacked out.

Chapter 2: Making A Choice

"How long have you been here?" asked Lawrence.

"Days," I replied.

The sun was shining and it was lunch time. I was sitting at a table with my favorite meal in front of me. A large tankard of rum.

"You haven't been back to the ship in any of those days! Crew's complaining you're getting a special stay-ashore pass when they all have to take turns watching the ship."

"I really couldn't care less Lawrence." And it was true. Since my humiliation at the hands of Solomon Kane, I hadn't given one fuck about my duties aboard the Defiance. Especially since word spread of my ass kicking and those that had come ashore had taken turns to mock me about it.

"Well you should. Cap'n's running out of patience with you."

"Fuck her."

"Leo, I'll forget you said that."

"Fuck you too if you just came here to lecture me."

Solomon Kane's ass kicking hadn't even been close to the pain I'd felt when she'd added her own boot to my face then walked off to spend the night with the master of my humiliation.

"Cap'n's ordered me to bring you back. It's 'bout time you told us that plan of yours."

To think after the humiliation she and Kane had inflicted upon me they still expected me to make them rich! Oh piracy at it's finest! "No."

"That won't fly."

"I don't care."

"You should. You may lose your place among the crew."

"Good. I don't care."

"Look Leo," he hadn't called me boy once since the night Kane had walloped me. Perhaps this was him trying to be sensitive. "I get you're salty after that ass kicking. But don't take it out on the Cap'n! It was you that started it! Holding out on your promise because you're angry won't do you any favors."

"Don't want no favors."

"Damnit! I never knew you could be so stubborn."

"Because my life was on the line last time. I couldn't afford to be stubborn. Now I'm accepted! And it's so great!" I say grimacing bitterly. My face hurts bad although Roderick the ship doctor made sure nothing was infected.

"The Cap'n-"

"In case you didn't hear me five minutes ago, let me repeat myself: Fuck the Cap'n!"

"Oh really?" said Captain Cold Eye's voice. She walked in and sat down beside Lawrence. Her eyes glare daggers at me. She never tolerated it when any of her crew speak of her that way.

I don't care. "Fuck you." I say directly to her face.

She blinked. She was unused to such venom from me. "Lawrence said you were being difficult but I didn't think 'difficult' meant you were being stupid."

"He's salty about Solomon kicking his ass Cap'n. And you going along with it."

"He bought that on himself!"

"Cap'n, may we speak for a moment?" Lawrence says getting up. They move out of earshot to talk. Normally I'd resent being left out of the discussion. But I just can't find it in myself to care right now. He's probably trying to talk her into being less waspish so I'll deliver on my next scheme and the crew will stop muttering.

She comes back. "Leo," she began. Her use of my name all but assures me she's now trying to be nice to make me cough up. "Solomon Kane wanted to do much worse than beat you up. I talked him down. That man's a better fighter that Charles Vane and twice as sadistic as Blackbeard! He was going to kill you! I stopped him!"

"Not before joining in."

"One kick Leo. I've given you more than that before. And your attitude called for it!"

"To you perhaps."

"I'm the captain, boy," she glares at me. She's getting angry and forgetting to be nice now. Lawrence, who's now standing behind her, shakes his head. "What I say goes. And you getting all macho over me was unnecessary, unwanted, and unwelcome! I need no one to fight for me!"

"Duly noted."

"So are we done with this?"

"Nope."

"No glib tongue? No courtly manners? No Italian charm? Don't lose all that made me spare you Leo."