Son Of The Seas

15. Fight or Flight

Charlotte and Cuttleworth stood at the rail and stared at the strange ship. She watched as the ship fired cannon shot after shot. All the while, the ship was moving closer to the pier. The crew of the Path Finder stood ready to disembark at their captain's command.

"Captain?" Cuttleworth asked.

"What?" Charlotte snapped.

"We need to be sailing," Cuttleworth said, as he turned around and saw the port of Winchester burning.

Charlotte quickly walked to the other side of the deck and stared at the burning port. "Where are you?" She whispered to herself out of concern.

Horatio walked out on deck and towards Charlotte. "Any news of them yet, captain?"

"No cook. I just fear..." Charlotte started saying.

"Captain! I insist that we leave! Now?" Francis said loudly as he walked towards Charlotte.

"Aye! I second that," said another sailor.

"We will leave when all our men are on board!" Charlotte said in an angered tone.

Francis drew his cutlass and took a step closer to Charlotte, he looked her in the eyes and said, "a mutiny for my mutineers"

Tsu drew his cutlass and stood beside Charlotte. "We leave when the captain says we leave," Tsu said, staring at Francis.

"I knew you could not be trusted," Francis said to Tsu.

Cuttleworth drew his musket and pointed it at Charlotte. "We be sailing! Now!" He shouted.

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Daniel and John sat in the dining room, close to an unconscious Peter. They both jumped up at the sudden sound of cannon fire. "What is captain Harvey doing?" Daniel asked, as he walked to the window.

"No. That is not her. It is something else, someone else," John replied and joined Daniel at the window.

"What is happening?" Edmund asked as he swiftly walked into the dining room.

"We fear your port might be under attack," John said as he looked at Edmund, then at Peter.

"But, by who?" Daniel asked softly as he saw people running in the street.

Daniel watched the orange light against the houses grew ever brighter as the growing flames consumed the port. "I do not know. Pirates, I presume," John said.

"Not pirates. Not again, the same ones who took my daughter?" Edmund asked nervously.

"I can not be sure, doctor Rathbone, but what I am sure of, is we need to move. It is not safe here anymore," John said as he walked to Peter.

"Impossible! The boy simply can not be moved. It is too dangerous and he needs his rest," Edmund ordered.

"I am sorry doctor, but we have no choice here," John insisted loudly.

"Fine, but I am warning you. The boy could die," Edmund said frustrated.

A cannon ball struck a house further down the street, and it burst into an inferno. "Then come with us," Daniel suggested eagerly.

"What? That is preposterous!" Edmund said wide eyed, looking around.

"No, it is not. You keep the boy alive, and we keep you safe, do we have an accord?" John asked.

"But... but... " Edmund started stammering.

"Do we have an accord, doctor Rathbone?" John insisted.