Swords

Chapter four: A celebration

Chapter four:

A celebration

We emerged from his quarters and went to the helm. Father had called the crew together. He had announced that they had discovered his long lost daughter that was supposedly dead. The crew cheered with happiness. Not for me for my father. They had known the pain and sadness my father faced. They were joyful to know that he no longer had to mourn. By the mast as usual Talon leaned and looked up at not my father, but me. His smile was quite charming. I would have by a slim chance fallen for him, but Jacoby told me that he liked to woo women of all kinds, and then dump them when he was no longer interested.

After the announcement a band was stricken up. They played two hornpipes; I had heard it once before I a tavern in New Forest. The crew danced with each other. They looked very ridiculous. Father and I stayed out of the dancing. We simply talked. He told me that I was rescued when they heard Cassia whining. They looked over the edge and saw me and Cassia. The crew said they would have left me if the boat hadn't caught on the ship and Cassia was whining up a storm. "That horse really cares for you," Father said. "He should I saved his life. He would have been killed and served to the people," I replied. "Why so?" He asked raising an eyebrow. "Well no one wanted him because he was too wild. I decided to sell something's around the house so I could buy him," I answered. He nodded. "Oh I have been meaning to give you this," He exclaimed. He rummaged in his pockets and pulled out a gold coin medallion. The coin was the size of my palm. The pendant was a sun inside a crescent moon. "Your mother would want you to have it," He put it around my neck. I looked at it and saw the golden light glistening off the metal in the torch light.

I hugged his neck. I loved to hug him. A reason is I never had someone hug me in twelve years. On the outside I showed no emotion, but on the inside I yearned for a hug or some sign of affection. I let him go. He began to chuckle. "You don't know how long I have waited for a hug from my daughter," He smiled. I looked over at the dancing crew. The music seemed to carry my thoughts away. "Father, do you remember that lullaby you use to sing me?" I asked. "Why yes I do," He exclaimed. "The king and his men stole the queen from her bed. And bound her in her bones; the seas be ours and by the power. When we will we'll roam," He sang. "That's the one. You sang that for me every night before bed. I always overheard mother saying it would give me nightmares," I laughed. He chuckled low, "Aye she thought because it was a pirate song that it would scare ye," I smiled. I looked over the party and saw Talon. He was walking towards me.

He stopped in front of me and father. He tipped his hat to father then faced me. "Care to dance?" He asked. I looked over at father who had a stern face. I nodded and followed him to the dance floor. I placed my left hand on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around my waist. He smiled at me and we began to dance. The music began to carry our feet. "Are you enjoying this?" Talon asked in a charming way. "Don't try anything Talon. Jacoby told me all about you," I snapped. I might have been too harsh, but I didn't want to be the one the crew looked to for a nice time. "No needs to be angry miss. I wouldn't dare touch the daughter of the Captain," He said.

Out of the crowd I heard two crew mates sing way off key. Talon looked over my head and chuckled. "Jacoby and Arthur are at it," He laughed. "What are you talking about Talon?" I asked. "Jacoby and Arthur sing whenever we play music; mostly because they're drunk," He replied. He smiled and laughed at his friend's. I went into a haze admiring his features. His smile was quiet charming and handsome. His brown eyes glistened in the torch light. I could see why women fell head over heels for him. I awoke from my haze when I realized that he uses his charm and good looks to lure women in. I looked around me and saw everyone enjoying themselves. I decided to relax and enjoy myself. I loosened up and danced with Talon. The beat carried our feet in a joyful manner.

I looked at the crew members. They all seemed happy and drunk. I looked over at father. He seemed full of joy. He smiled brightly looking over the crew. I looked up at Talon. He had been looking down at me smiling. On the outside I just gave him a little smile, but on the inside I was blushing. I was flattered yet angry that he was interested in me. I was flattered because no one gave me any attention. I was angry because he saw me as another battle to conquer in his damn game. I would have stopped dancing with him if I didn't love the dancing.

I started to wonder. Now that I have a father, what will happen now? I mean I had always lived without rules. Now that I have someone that gave me life, do I listen to him or just ignore him? Do I treat him with respect as a father or Captain? Questions reeled through my mind. "You seemed troubled Helena?" Talon asked. "What no I'm fine, just thinking," I said. "Well stop thinking and enjoy," He laughed. He spun me around. Then he leaned forward making me lean back in a dip. He held my right leg at the knee. He smiled devilishly. I stood up and walked away. I stood next to father who seemed to be holding down a laugh. "Did you and Talon have fun?" He chuckled. "Shut it," I scowled. "Helena I am not making fun it is just the look on Talon's face when you left. He thought that move would reel you in," He laughed.

I smiled and rolled my eyes. I noticed by the band Cassia stood. Suddenly a rum soaked Jacoby came up and kissed him on the lips. Cassia ran away as fast as he could to the bow. I giggled. My gallant friend is whipped by a drunken sailor's kiss. "Helena I want you to know that even though I haven't been there for the last few years I will always be there for you," Father whispered in my ear. "Good I was hoping you would be here for a few more years," I teased. He laughed. I stared at his smile. It was warm and comforting. I loved to watch him laugh. His laugh was so calming. I stared at his face and noticed little scratches and scars on his tan face. I looked as his chest and noticed a black chord. On the end of it was a pendant.

"What is that Father, around your neck?" I asked. He looked down and pulled the pendant out of his coat. It was a dark green jade circle. Carved into it was a Chinese ship with the waves curling at the bottom of the ship. On the edge of the circle was a dragon encircling the ship and tiny sea waves. "This I got it when I went to sea Captain Sao Feng in Singapore. He said I was welcome to return anytime it pleased me," He said. "Maybe I can take you there some time," "Sounds great, when do we leave?" I joked. "We actually might go there. We're on the run from the East India trading company at the moment. We stole several crates full of gunpowder and cannon balls," He said. I smiled at him. Then it dawned on me. This is my father. Captain Edward Teach. Captain Blackbeard, the pirate all pirates fear, the most wanted man in the entire maybe world.

I am now part of a vast civilization. Pirates have a king and Lords like they do in Britain, except that the pirate law was freer. My father was a lord in the court, which meant I am his successor to the lordship of his. The trinket wasn't just a fancy pendant; it was his piece of eight. The thing that defined him in the court was that jade pendant. "What?" He asked. "That isn't from Sao Feng. That is your piece of eight," I said. He smiled. "Yes it is. I actually stole it from Sao Feng's temple. He did forgive me though," He laughed. I was astonished that how much of a culture pirates were.

I hugged his neck. He wrapped his arms around my waist. How I loved his embrace. I could stay in his hug forever. Suddenly a gunshot echoed on deck. The music stopped and everyone stopped dancing. We looked to the starboard. I saw a skinny pirate in what looked like a stolen soldier uniform. "Teach you've taken something of mine and I am here to take it back," He said. He spoke more formal than usual. The crew seemed to have the rum and drunkenness sucked out of them. They unsheathed their swords. I followed their movements. Then at least ten or fifteen more people jumped up on deck. Father went to the front of the crew and scowled at the man.

"Gents KILL THEM ALL!" He yelled. At that moment we crashed into battle.