^Isabelle^
It was dank, and the air had the undeniable stench of rotting flesh and mold. At the cross roads they waited. Minutes ticked by, and with every second the crew grew tenser, but Carson knew they would never desert him. Their pay was too high. Finally, they heard the patter of feet down the passage to their right. They all reached for their weapons of choice, preparing for a fight. But it was just Cod, out of breath but desperately fulfilling his errand. Despite his impatience, Reed let the poor man catch his breath, and then quickly asked, "Did you find her, Cod?"
"Yes, Capn', but she's in a bad way." He replied, puffing in between his breaths.
"Then we must be swift. Lead the way, Cod."
The weathered pirate turned, and half ran, half walked into the darkness, and the men followed him without any questions. At the end of the passage, Cod held out his hand to stop them, and they hesitated. He listened intently for a few moments, and they heard the faint sound of footsteps heading on their direction. They waited, bodies tense for action, and at the last moment, Carson stepped out from behind the shelter of the wall and neatly struck the man on the head with the hilt of his sword. The man fell with a grunt to the floor, and the crew carelessly stepped over the body.
As was expected, there were guards at almost every entrance to each new passage. Most of the time it was just one man standing sentinel, and each time they were easily disposed of. At length, Carson grew impatient. They had been walking for a while, going deeper and deeper into the prison, but now he felt like they were going in circles. "Cod, are you certain you know where you found her?"
The old man was silent for a few beats before he replied. "To be truthful, Capn', I was lost for a moment, but rest assured, I know where we are now. She lies just beyond this passage." And the man was right.
They turned a corner, and there she was, chained to the wall like a common prisoner, her hair disheveled, her face dirty, her clothes torn and soiled. Her head lolled against her shoulder, and her breathing was so shallow that Carson thought her dead. But she shivered violently, and he sighed in relief. At least she was alive. Rushing up to the door, he inspected the lock. "Look for keys that have two ridges," he instructed, and then he began to test every key that he had that fit that description. Upon the clanging of metal, Isabelle immediately woke up. At first she started shrinking against the wall and whimpered in terror. "Shh, Isabelle. It is me. It is Carson. I have come here to rescue you."
She squinted into the darkness, her curiosity got the better of her, and she inched forward. He moved closer to the torchlight, and that was when she recognized him. She cried out and flung herself at the bars, grabbing onto his hands and sobbing violently. "Oh, my love, it is you. It's really you. I have dreamed of it so long, I thought it was another dream."
"No, darling, I am truly here. Here to take you from this place, and reunite you with your family. I am here to mend what I have so foolishly broken." All the while he continued to work with the keys, but none seemed to fit, and she was clueless as to what key could possibly open the door. Anthony had sent two men to guard the passage, but it was only a matter of time before they were discovered. "We don't have time for this," he complained to himself as he glanced around the room, as if trying to find another possible solution to the problem. "Victor, you know how to pick locks. Come here quickly boy and try your luck. If you succeed in opening the door, there will be a reward for you."
Obediently, the boy immediately stepped forward and began his work while Carson clutched Isabelle's hands through the bars. Some of the men muttered among themselves. How did the Captain know this woman? Was the reward he spoke of real or was it a lie to make them help him? Reed handed her some men's clothing through the bars. "I want you to change into these. With God's grace, you might pass through unnoticed."
There was no time for modesty, but he politely averted his eyes, and his glare told his men that if any of them so much as snuck a peak, he would have their head on a platter. Minutes drug by, and the Victor still continued to work on the lock. The men were becoming jittery, jumping at every sound and glancing in every direction. Finally, a satisfying click echoed throughout the room, and the door swung upon. The captain rushed in and crushed Isabelle to him and whispered in her ear. "Can you walk, my darling?"
"I will walk for as far as I am able, but I am unsure of how long that will be."
The crew dragged an unconscious guard into the cell, and locked him in. Maybe this would buy them some time. Quickly they set off from whence they came, Carson in the lead, clutching Isabelle's hand, supporting her elbow with his firm grip. Even though she was dirty and bruised and deathly ill, he thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world and that she would never be more beautiful than she was now: brave, head-strong, and determined, she was the same woman whom he loved all those years ago.
Their silent escape did not last long. Soon shouts were heard from the corridor to their left, and torch-light flickered off the walls. They had been discovered. The men drew their swords, and Isabelle was given one as well, and she was led to the back of the company where she would be somewhat protected. Carson still remained at her side, though he had dropped her hand. She had to blend in and remain unseen. They had to draw no attention to themselves whatsoever.
It was a small company of guards that they met with, and the fight was soon over with no casualties on their side. They continued onward, but their sense of urgency was heightened, and they quickened their pace as they traced their steps out of the prison.
Surprisingly, they met no more resistance, and Reed marveled at his luck. The moon shone brightly, and it was not difficult for them to find their way to the ship. They rushed through the undergrowth of the island, never slackening their pace, and finally, Isabelle collapsed. Carson never missed a beat as he scooped her up into his arms. Finally they reached the shore, and they could see the Endurance floating on the water. They began to board a row boat that would carry them the distance to the ship when out of the darkness, a sharp sound echoed through the clearing. Sir Lionel stepped from the shadows, clapping his hands, flanked by at least fifty armed men. "Bravo," he mocked. "You have done well, Captain Reed. I must admit that I, myself, am impressed. But I am afraid this is where your venture ends."
Carson set Isabelle on her feet where she wobbled precariously, gripping his shoulder as he pushed her behind him. He drew his sword, and his men followed suit. "Not without a fight. Ready yourselves, gentlemen for this will be a fight the likes of which you have never seen."
Reed led the charge with a loud cry, and his men followed, their blood pounding in their ears with the excitement of finally fighting a battle. They screamed and shouted excitedly, and the sound was eerie as it echoed through the alcove, and in spite of themselves, the soldiers shuddered and braced themselves.
Sir Lionel faltered for a moment, genuinely intimidated by the group of pirates that was rushing towards him, but then he gripped his sword and met the captain's with a loud crack!
Indeed, it was a fight unlike the soldiers had ever encountered for there were no rules, no chances of a fair fight. The pirates bit and kicked, and the soldiers were caught off guard. Across the way, Carson and Sir Lionel were locked in combat, but Carson had the higher ground. "Get Isabelle to the ship, Cod!" the captain shouted.
At his orders, all of the soldiers rushed toward Isabella, and she screamed, pulling herself to her feet, trying desperately to run away. She tripped on a piece of driftwood and fell, smacking her head on a small rock. Her body slumped, and the breath left her lungs. Carson was oblivious as he fought his opponent.
One soldier lunged towards Isabelle and grabbed for her, but one of the crew was on his tail, and he stabbed him in the back. The soldier slumped, still clutching a piece of Isabelle's skirt. Cod rushed for her, and with the help of one of the crew, he heaved her into the boat, too panicked to assure her comfort. They rowed furiously from the shore, and Carson was temporarily distracted as he watched their only hope of escape floating farther and farther away. It was do or die now.
The scuffle did not last much longer, and before long most all of the soldiers had been disposed of or bound in ropes. Carson had knocked out Sir Lionel with the hilt of his sword, and all there was left to do was wait for the row boat to return.
••
The water lapped at the side of the boat, and Amber found that it had become a comforting sound, and she was lulled to sleep by it.
She was awakened by a noise in the cabin, and the sound of lowered voices. She could not make out what was being said, only that it was urgent and that their voices were low with concern. She did not know if what was safe or not to emerge so she waited, hoping for a sign that would tell her when it was safe. Impatient, she cracked the panel in the wall and peered out across the water. The beach was quiet, but there was slight movement. There were people on the beach.
Suddenly, the ship lurched forward, and Amber sprawled backwards, landing on her hands. The panel clicked loudly, and the sound was like a gun shot in the small space. She froze as she realized the voices had subsided in the cabin. She heard footsteps approach the door, and she held her breath. The door was opened, and Captain Carson peered in at her, offering his hand. "I am so sorry, Amber, I have been so occupied with other things that I quite forgot you were still in here."
She took his hand, and he helped her out, and once inside the cabin, she saw a beautiful woman laid out on the bed. Her body looked lifeless. Catching her breath, Amber asked, "Is that her?"
He was silent for a moment as he gazed longingly at Isabelle's face. "Yes, that is Isabelle."
She moved toward the bed and checked her pulse. There was a gash across the woman's cheek. "What happened?" She asked as she poured water into a basin. She ripped a strip for her own petticoat and began to tend the woman's wound and wipe the grime off her face.
Carson was moved at her gesture, and he swallowed before answering, "She fell and hit her head on a rock, among other things. I do not know what befell her before we found her."
Carefully, she turned Isabelle on her side and lifted her shirt. Angry red lines stood out on her back that leaked blood. She heard a strangled noise come from Carson, and she turned to face him. "I think you should leave, Captain. If you would be so kind, summon Cod, and he can bring me the things that I will need to tend to Lady Isabelle. I will sleep on the floor of the cabin and wait for her to wake up. You needn't worry. She will be in good hands."
But still he stood staring at his beloved, and tears glistened in his eyes. Gently, Amber grabbed Carson by his arm and steered him to the door. "Send me Cod. Go!"
Word Count: 2094
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