Loving Sparrows (Book One)

Chapter One: Meeting a pirate

Chapter One: Meeting a pirate
Maria's POV:

Unlike those prissy arrogant women that sat in their mansions all day, I sat in the gutter. I collect their scraps and steal their food. I am Maria Santiago. I have lived in Port Royal for years. When disease came, my parents where the unlucky ones. I managed to survive, from gathering scraps to stealing bushels of fruit. I may have not had much, but I was happy with what I had.

The most arrogant in my opinion was Elizabeth Swann. She was the governor's daughter, and the highest ranking woman on the small island. It made me sick to see her roll by in her carriage. She just seemed to hold herself higher than everyone else.

On a certain day, I happened to be passing by the fort. I heard drums, and I knew exactly what was happening. James Norrington was becoming Commodore Norrington. I didn't bother to peek inside and steal something. I was in enough trouble with the guard for an incident with a merchant. I walked down to the docks and saw the Dauntless and the Interceptor. But something peculiar caught my eye. I noticed a strange looking man talking with the usual guards. From the back the man had long dreadlocks that went pasted his shoulders. Trinkets where intertwined in the dreadlocks. A red bandanna held it all together, and atop the bandanna was a tri-cornered hat. He had a faded black coat with brown linen pants tucked into leather square toed sea boots.

I knew instantly that he was a pirate. When I glanced at the sword at his hip, he was without a doubt a pirate. Suddenly the pirate began to slip past them towards the ship. The two idiot guards were too busy arguing about a ship called the Black Pearl. With ease I slipped past them and onto the deck of the ship. I kept low trying to keep out of sight. "I thought you'd be around 'ere soon," The pirate called. I stood up and saw him at the wheel of the ship. "How did you know I was here?" I asked. "Please I'm a pirate for bloodies sake. I heard you the minute you set your foot on the dock," he said.

I was about to ask his name, but then I heard the two guards realize that the pirate was on the ship. I ducked behind a barrel. "Hey! You! You don't have permission to be aboard there mate!" One of them said pointing his rifle towards the pirate. "I'm sorry it's just such a pretty boat. Ship," he said. "What's your name?" The guard asked.

"Smith or Smithy if you like," He said.

"What's your purpose in Port Royal, Mr. Smith?" One asked.

"Yeah and no lies," The other added.

"Well, then I confess. It is my intention to commandeer one of these ships, pick up a crew in Tortuga, raid pillage plunder and otherwise pilfer my weasely black guts out!" the pirate said.

"I said no lies," a guard said after processing what just happened.

"I think he's telling the truth," one whispered.

"If he were telling the truth he wouldn't have told us," he answered.

"Unless, of course he knew you wouldn't believe the truth even if he told it to you," He said mysteriously. I rolled my eyes. Cheeky bastard.