CHAPTER 1

LOST AND FOUND

The sea was not agreeing with anyone today, especially with the Revenge. Waves lashed against the Mast. Men scurried along the deck to secure the ship. The captain shouted orders to the crew. They needed to find shelter.

“Jarken!” a crewman ran towards the captain. “There’s a cavern over there on that island, along with a spot to anchor the ship.” He pointed at an island starboard to them.

Jarken didn’t take to this proposal very much, but what choice did they have. They sped along the coast until they reached the cavern. An anchor was hoisted overboard into the thrashing sea. It was great luck, however, that it was a small crew consisting of eleven men and that there was only one boat able to make it to shore. The men jumped from the boat with their daggers and ran to the cavern. The captain and a crewman grabbed their flintlock pistols and raced to the shelter.

“Close call, wasn’t it Silver?” a tall man with a peg leg and long hair that flowed down his shoulder whispered to his neighbor, whom had a dark brown goatee, with hazel eyes to match it, and long silver hair that was pulled back in a pony tail.

“Yeah, it was. We’ve had much worse though haven’t we Calico.” grunted Silver.

There was a murmur of agreement to this. The man called Calico glanced at the captain. “What now Cap’n Jarken?” The crew stared at him eagerly.

“We shall have a look around. Quark, Herp, Calico, and Calaber, go to the right. The rest of you,” he pointed to the rest of the crew. “come with me.”

They searched for nearly and hour for a place to stay. They checked damp caves and almost stayed there until they discovered that the walls were covered with bats.

Then, from out of nowhere, a cry broke the still silence. The cry continued for a minute till Silver spoke. “Jarken, that sounds like a baby’s cry.”

“So it does Silver. So it does.”

Everyone looked around silently for about five minutes for something, anything that would give them a clue as to who or where that sound might be coming from. Then…

“O’er here Cap’n! O’er here!” A voice called from afar.

“Good job Hook! This way men!” bellowed Jarken.

Everyone came running from all directions towards the captain.

“Well I’ll be damned! Look what we have here boys.” said Jarken.

There was total silence except for the small cry. A tiny baby was lying on a rock in the heart of the cavern. Everyone gaped at it. Silver however, walked up to the baby and picked it up. It immediately stopped crying.

“It’s a girl.” He said.

She stared at him, cooed then smiled. Silver grinned back.

“Shall we leave her in the storm then?” suggested Calico.

“What!” exclaimed Silver. “She’s just a baby!”

Calico swelled up. “Silver, it’s a girl! We can’t take a girl on our ship! Were pirates, let me remind you of… Cap’n?”

Jarken had just walked up to Silver.

“May I?” he asked holding out a hand to the baby.

Slowly, he gave him the baby. Jarken held out her arm and pulled away her blanket. On her shoulder front, she had a tattoo. A tattoo of a skull and crossbones with a gold coin on either side of the skull.

“She’s…a pirate!” gasped Jarken.

“What?” said Quark aghast.

Whispers spread like a wildfire amongst the group.

“Well, we can’t leave her here then. I do believe the Code of Conduct does say that ‘Anyone that strikes another crew member while these rules are in force, shall receive 39 lashes with the whip.’ Isn’t that right Jarken?” Silver said happily.

“He’s right. We’re taking her with us.” Jarken said.

Calico still was on the bursting point. Once again he swelled with fury.

“Cap’n, she is still a girl. We can not have a girl as a pirate on our ship. It’s…”

“IT IS MY SHIP, NOT YOURS!” bellowed Jarken, his face pink with fury.

He thrust his pistol at Calico’s head. Calico stared defiantly at the pistol but was shaking all the same. “SHE WILL STAY AND THAT IS FINAL! Silver,” he said calmly, tucking away his pistol. “would it be alright if she stays with you for now. Yes?”

Silver looked down at the tiny baby and nodded.

“Good! She will be in your custody for now. If anyone lays a hand on her,” he pointed at the others standing in the entrance to the cavern. “I will have your head. Let’s go.”

He handed the baby to Silver. “She deserves a proper pirate name. What do you think?”

Silver considered for a minute.

“How about Black Charity Flint? Charity was my mother’s name.”

A broad smile spread across Jarken’s scared face. “Charity it is.”

And with that, he left with the crew. Silver followed after him in mild surprise. He looked down at Charity who was now sleeping.

“Sleep well Charity. Sleep well.”