Subtle Waves • James Kidd/Mary Read

chapter one

"Alright, lass, where should we sail to next?" My father asked.

I looked over at the man, who was feared by many, only to see him staring at me in curiosity. Pirates from all over, cowered in fear at the mere mention of my father's name, but when you get to know him he's actually a big softie. At least, to me he is.

Where do I want to go now? Maybe somewhere secluded? Maybe somewhere populated? Perhaps somewhere where we could lay low and relax for a few days. We could go to Nassau for a bit. Or maybe Havana? Take a risk and gain some valuables while we are there. Then we could travel to Nassau and lay low for a few days.

"How about Havana for a day or so and then travel to Nassau to relish in our riches?" I said.

"Aye. Sounds good." My father replied.

The quartermaster began yelling orders out to the crew, while I remained standing next to my father who was steering the wheel. I had been offered the part of quartermaster some time ago, but I declined. I wanted to be able to leave the ship whenever I pleased, whether it be for a couple days or a couple weeks. You see, I liked adventure and being independent. I'm almost like a second-in-command Captain. I share a lot of the responsibilities that my father has with the ship. I help to make decisions and I keep the crew in check. Although, most people don't even know who I am. My father, Edward Thatch, also known also Blackbeard and I do not share the same surname, so people don't often realize that we are even related. You may be asking, why we don't have the same last name and that's because I decided to take my late mother's name. Her name was Rosalie Ann Pierce. I have very few memories of her because she died when I was only five years old, but I do remember how beautiful she was. She had long, wavy blond hair and the brightest green eyes you've ever seen. Although I didn't receive her luscious blond locks, I did inherit her unique eyes. That's probably one of the first things people notice about me. She was also well-known for her kindness and compassion, which made people very shocked when they found out she had wed a hostile pirate. Eventually, they had me, so my mother decided to settle down in a home to raise me, while my father went back to sea. Even though they rarely saw each other, I never questioned their love for one another, as it always showed when they were reunited. In those moments, I truly believed that love existed. I knew that, one day, I would find someone to spend the rest of my life with, but that idea all eventually came crashing down. She became dreadfully sick, while my father was away. I remember having to help her do everything, from walking, to sitting, to eating.

I never complained though. I knew she needed my help and I was always willing to stop what I was doing to give her a hand. Whenever my father would send letters back home, she would never tell him how she truly was, for she didn't want him to worry or, even worse, leave his position as Captain. She knew he loved his job and she didn't want him to quit because of her, which he would've done in a heartbeat, if given the choice. A few month later, she passed and my father hastily returned home. It took him a few days to travel back home and, by the time he did, we had already buried her body. He decided that I would travel with him on his ship and I've been doing just that ever since. Ever since that day, we never really talked about her death. We both grieved in our own ways. It was a hard time for both of us, so we found our happiness in the sea.

My thoughts were quickly broken by my father. "What do ye suppose we'll find in grand ole Havana, Lass?" He says giving me a look from the side.

I turn to look at him and smirk. "Well the usual of course. We'll find gold and maybe a few fellows to add to our crew." I say, adding, "Who knows? Maybe we'll even find something worth even more?"

He responds with a mumbled "aye" and continues to look at me. I give him one last smirk before walking over to the centre of the ship. I quickly grab the rope and begin to climb up to the crow's nest. Once I get to the top, I sit on the edge and look out towards the sea. In the distance, I could see the great city of Havana approaching. I smirk mischievously, knowing the madness and mayhem we will soon cause.

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authors note:
So how'd I do for the first chapter? If there's any mistakes just comment on it and I'll try my best to fix it. Thank you for taking your time to look at my book!!