Chapter Sixteen

Not all Pirates are on the Caribbean

Sara was awakened by a small jab in her right side. A little man with shoulder length curly black hair, a very long mustache, and wearing a white ruffled shirt stood over her. The small man, no taller than Jessup, was holding a walking stick which was the item used to poke her.

“Hey, why did you wake me up that way?”

“Ahoy there lassie, tis I who be askin’ all the questions. If ye don’t be a answerin’ me questions swiftly, then it’ll be you that I be stabbin’ with me ol’ trusty saber here.” The crusty pirate shook his walking stick.

“Well, Mr. Percy. I don’t mean to be rude but, are you aware that isn’t a saber?”

“Shiver me timbers lass dontcha be coy with me child. I know what it be. Since the terrible menacing ornery sea monster ate me saber and half me crew, tis all I can get me hands on. There not be a soul left that trust me with a real saber. An’ mind you lil lass, I be the one askin’ the questions ‘round here. An’ child, just who might ye be, lassie? This field be me domicile since I be not wantin’ to sleep near the water anymore. I be plannin’ a mighty ten-story condominium complex with an Olympic-sized pool shaped like a boat and an eight-person Jacuzzi tub right on this spot. An’, how ye be knowin’ me name? Arrgghhh, if we be outta sea, it would be walkin’ the plank with ya for insubordination. Now, lassie, I’d be a answerin’ me questions, if ye know what be good for ye.”

“My name is Sara, Mr. Percy, and I have come a long way to meet you. I have…”

“Arrggghhh, I be Pirate Percy, Lassie, and as for ye being from a long ways away, well taint true. I heard there were a young lass that just sprung up in Jessup’s crops yesterday, an’ if my ciphering be right, I be ciphering ye be the young lass that sprung up. Now, we be wantin’ to hear the truth Lassie, or I’ll keelhaul ye.”

“Well, if you must know, I did land in Jessup’s corn crops yesterday afternoon, but I did not just spring up from out of nowhere. I told you I have come a long distance to see you. Well, I didn’t know it was you I had to meet, but I knew I had to meet someone who would help me and Jessup told me you could give me a hand. It is true I landed in Jessup’s cornfield, but I first came from very far away.”

“Avast me matey, there taint no way a ship could get into Jessup’s field, so ye must have sprung up from the ground, Lassie.”

Sara looked exasperated, “What do I need to do to convince you I am telling the truth?” Sara debated whether or not to tell Percy the real truth. It could be very dangerous if he couldn’t be trusted. “Please excuse me, but the sun is in my eyes.” Sara reached into her backpack to get her magical sunglasses. A white mist enveloped Percy. Sara was now convinced the pirate could be told the real truth.

“Avast with ye delays, Lassie. I don’t got all day. Now, be a tellin’ the truth an’ be swift, afore I run ya through with me stick.”

“As I told you, I am Sara Roberts. I come from Earth, and I have urgent business in Tenebrae. I was told you were the person to get me there.”

“First, lassie, never say that place aloud. Arrgghhh, I be not a sailin’ thems cursed waters again. For any a person. Last time we be venturin’ outta sea, we was come upon by that demonic, blasted sea creature. And, it did eat me, crew, and most me splendid ship. I taint about to venture out again. Ye just need to be findin’ another fool to do ye biddin’” Percy turned around to leave.

“Wait, I haven’t finished. I need your help. I am Queen Hillary’s granddaughter.” Sara watched Percy, expecting a look of amazement on his face, and got her wish. “Yes, that’s right. The Queen is my grandmother.”

“Hold ye tongue, lass. I have no love for our Queen, she be pure evil through and through, and those whelps of hers be evil too. I won’t be a helpin’ no relation of the Queen. Ye be talkin’ to the wrong pirate. Ye can find another fool to help ye outta this mess ye be in. Twont be me or whats left of me crew.”

“You didn’t let me finish, Pirate Percy; I never said I liked the Queen. I don’t like her either.”

“Why did ye not say that from the start? I still can’t be helpin’ ya, what with the demonic, overactive sea monster still between us an’ Tenebrae. I do be wishin’ ye luck. Now, ye will be leavin’ so I can catch a bit of shut-eye. Twas a pleasure knowin’ ye Lassie, always good to find someone else who not be likin’ the Queen.”

“I need your help. I haven’t told you everything. My evil aunts kidnapped my mother. Pirate Percy, they plan on killing my mother.”

“That be plain terrible, lassie, but there not be a thing I can do to change that.”

“They plan on taking the throne. They will take it by force if they have to, even if it means killing my mother and me to do it. They will be worse as queens than even my grandmother. No one will be safe once they are on the throne.”

“Avast Matey, don’t matter to me which evil wench be sittin’ on the throne. Don’t make no never-mind to me. Still won’t get ye over to the big island.”

Sara thought for a moment and then smiled. “Did I mention I have Queen’s dollars to pay you? I have a lot of them.”

“Shiver me timbers, why did ye not mention that from the start, lassie? I got to persuade a few new victims, I mean crew members, to sign on for the voyage and need to get provisions. That’ll cost you handsome lassie, how much coinage do ye have?”

Sara removed her glasses. As she did so, she noticed a smudge of white haze off to the right, and another smudge of dark haze off to the left but decided it was maybe just glare. She put the sunglasses back into her backpack and pulled out one of the pouches Jessup had given her. “Will this be enough?” She handed the pouch over to the pirate.

“That’ll be enough for starters. We sail afore sunset. Be on the docks one hour earlier. Ye know where me grand ship be anchored?”

Sara nodded her head, “There is only one ship in the harbor.”

“No Lassie, there be two vessels in the harbor. I could only wish that grand, splendid ship in the harbor be mine, but no. Mine be on the starboard side, and it be not quite as magnificent. See ye before sunset.”

         

Percy sat at his usual table at the inn, having just finished hiring most of his required crew. After half of his ship was eaten by the sea monster, he had gone to the Pirate Depot and bought some two by fours. With a few nails and some duct tape, he had repaired his ship as best he could. However, it was smaller than it used to be so Percy had only needed three more crew members. With his new found wealth, he could replace his galleon upon his return from Tenebrae, if he came back. There was no guarantee of that happening.

He had been surprised when Cedric volunteered to be the ship’s navigator. Percy had not known that lizards were naturally great navigators. Cedric had assured him that the most famous navigators had been lizards even though he could not remember any of their names. The second crew member he had hired was a large, scary man with a menacing dragon tattoo. The scary man, Percy could not remember his name, had promised him he would make a perfect first-mate. He had confessed he had no idea what a first-mate did, but he was sure he would make a perfect first-mate, regardless. Percy was pleased.

Unfortunately, Percy still needed to find a cook. His last cook had been the first to be eaten by the sea monster, and everyone knew it. The minute Percy had announced that he was looking for crew members for a voyage to Tenebrae everyone had suddenly taken ill or just run away. Percy sat at the table, mumbling to himself. He had two hours before sunset and only one hour before he was to meet his new client on the pier. He still did not have a cook for the voyage. How did he get himself into these predicaments?

A booming, menacing voice bellowed from behind him. “I can’t believe you got hornswaggled into taking another voyage and over there of all places.” said the voice, pointedly.

“Aye, I did at that.”  

“Just who in the name of Hillary was able to talk you into this fool voyage?”

“Aye, ‘twas the child you be sendin’ from here last night.”

“Child, what child would that be? As I recollect, I only kicked out a wizard. I, right, I get it. You are under a spell. What did she do to you? Threaten to turn you into a frog if you didn’t do as she commanded?”

“Nay, twasn’t that mate.”

“Ok, then did she threaten to turn your liver into jelly if you didn’t do her bidding?”

“Nay twasn’t that either. She taint a wizard mate. She be much more devious and tricky.”

“Sure, sure Percy. Are you sure the child isn’t a wizard? I wouldn’t want it to get around that you were outsmarted by a snot-nosed kid. It would be better for you if she were a wizard. People would understand then.”

“Avast, twasn’t outsmarted, as I be saying the youngster be devious. Aye, she be paying me twenty times the goin’ rate. Couldn’t resist. Curse me ratty old bones.”

The ogre stifled a laugh, “Well, I’ll be. You crusty old pirate, you were outwitted by a brat.”

“Aye, that I was. Now I be in the soup. I have not enough time to fill the rest of me crew. ‘Tis just a lousy cook I be needin’. Now where be found a cook in such a short period?”

“If all you need is one lousy cook, I have been called a horrible cook more times than I can remember. It looks as if you just hired yourself a cook.” The ogre smiled as he rubbed his hands on his greasy apron. “When do we sail?”

“If that clock on the wall be correct, that’ll be now. Tis time to be a saunterin’ over to me grand ship. Told me, crew and the new client, to meet me at the pier one hour afore sunset.”

“Crew?”

“Aye, crew.”

“And just who would be fool enough to sign up as a crew, that is, besides me?”

“Besides ye, fool ogre, there be a fool of a lizard, Cedric, one fool of a scary man with a dragon tattoo, and that dern fool of a girl. That’ll be five including you. You be still game to be me cook?”

“Well, Percy, the outsmarted by a brat kid pirate, let’s go. Our fate awaits us. Let’s hope the sea monster isn’t too hungry.”