Just a Treasure (The Tale of a Knight, a Ninja, and a Pirate)

Just a Treasure (The Tale of a Knight, a Ninja, and a Pirate): Chapter 3

JOHN'S POV

I tightened the purple cloth turban around my head and adjusted the matching violet facemask that hung around the bottom half of my face and covered my nose, mouth, and chin. My revolver was jammed tightly into my pocket, and my cutlass hung lightly at my belt. I motioned to Alyss and Hector to follow me, and we went into the crowded street full of vendors.

I was wearing the turban to disguise myself as a Hinduan while we went into the city to restock on supplies. I (a.k.a. John Redding, the Scourge of the Western Seas) had a ten thousand pound reward on my head if I was caught and brought to the authorities, dead or alive. Mercenaries, rival pirates, and officials from dozens of countries and cities were combing the seas for me. 

All around, the merchants of Port-au-Prince were walking into the streets, haggling their wares of fruit, bread, spices, pots, parchment, and all other sorts of things. Most were standing by their stands and calling from there, but others were going out into the streets, rushing up to passerby and attempting to get them to buy their merchandise. I was confronted by a man who had birds all over his shoulders, arms, and head.

"Want to buy a bird?" the man asked.

"He doesn't speak English -" started Hector, before I interjected, saying "That one. How much is it?" I asked, pointing to a caracara.

The caracara was a tall bird with a crest and a bright orange face beside a white beak. Their normally orange faces turn red when they are angered, and they hunt vultures in order to get food. They were vicious birds, and one on the boat could help to catch fish and even in fights. We already had a dog on the ship, Gaueko, and I was sure that he and the caracara would get along just fine. 

"30 pounds. A good deal, sir, considering that he comes from America," said the dealer, smiling and baring a set of yellowed teeth.

"We'll take him," I said.

I paid the dealer what we needed, and we walked away. The caracara, which I had christened Talon had taken a liking to me, apparently, and he was walking alongside me happily. I petted his head, and fed Talon a small cracker that I had been carrying around in my pocket in case I got a little hungry. It's always good to be prepared, especially with an appetite as big as mine.

Suddenly, in front of us, I saw a very disturbing site. Seven knights armed with lances, swords, and shields were walking the street in front of us, patrolling. On their armor and shields, they bore the fleur-de-lis symbol of the French Empire. They were on the hunt for me. As we came closer to them, one of them spotted me and gave a confused look at me. A white man wearing the turban of a person from Hindustan was an odd sight indeed...

"It's Redding! John Redding!" cried the knight.

"Game's up, folks! Let's fight!" I cried.

"Look what you've got us into now John..." Alyss grumbled.

"I'll take the leader," I said with a sigh.

I drew out my revolver and fired a shot at the six charging knights. They had their shields though, and the shot pinged off of the shields. I put my revolver away and drew out my sword. The lead knight and I clashed blade for a second, and Alyss and Hector each took three of the other knights. Talon rushed off to help Alyss. I slashed at the knight's head, but he ducked under my attack and thrust at me. I leaped backwards.

The vendors and other people on the street were scattering now, and food, jugs, and broken jars lay scattered across the empty street. I rolled to the knight's side and stabed at, but he blocked the attack with his shield, and I jumped back onto a fallen crate, raining blows down upon the knight from above. The Frenchman held up his shield and proceeded to block my attacks.