The Ghostly Vow pt 2
"Aye ya be right about that, Mic." Mic turned quick, cutlass drawn and aimed at the strangers fat belly.
"Now, that be no way to treat a fellow mate. It be only me." Mic raised the lantern light to the strangers face. The light settled on the round face of a man who looked much like a toad with his large toothy grin and bald head. His shirt was too small and too tight, allowing his over sized belly to protrude and hang over his drawers in a lazy manner.
"Griff?"
"Aye."
The dinghy swayed back and forth upon the black swirling water, as the oars slapped and sliced through the current propelling them forward toward shore. Treber grunted with each backward stroke, using his massive muscle power to quicken the pace, to save the life of the lovely Miss Kathleen Belle from a fate that would send her to the grave, and the captain from a gray cloudy day just after a hurricane. Capt'n Black Heart held the young maiden's head in his lap, and gently stroked the strawberry golden curls with his rough callused hands, beaten and weather worn from years on the sea. So beautiful, so young, to be the victim of such a horrendous disease he thought. She was only but eighteen. Though ailing, she still had life breathing against her pale skin and parted lips. A hope he most desired. He touched her cheek. It was fevered and damp with sweat.
"Not far now Capt'n. She'll soon be the wind in our sails again." Treber spoke in a deep African bass voice. He could see the worry setting in along the Captains knitted brow as he continued to examine the young maidens features grow weaker. Black Heart's head popped up startled and growled in a pirate accent only heard when he was embarrassed and frustrated, "Just ya keep yer mouth shut and the boat moving. I don't be need'n any comfort." Treber nodded as he continued to row the boat to shore. His Captain was young but hardened by years of pirating. His father was captain and brought him aboard the Kessler when he was ten. Just a wee lad with no meat on his bones, and shaggy black hair that fell across his curious deep green eyes. They called him Ryan Belle. His mother died of scarlet fever when he was eight and his father, the only living relation, brought him to sea to raise him. He grew up on the ship. Learned how to work hard, play little, and use the blade of a sword like a master. Ryan's father died at the age of twenty. He took over his father's place as captain. At first no one took him seriously. He didn't speak like a blood thirsty pirate, and his heart was too soft. But one dark night at sea, after a raging tempest nearly costing him and half the crew their lives, Mic drew his sword and threatened to kill him and take over as captain.
"Ya be a gamble'n with me life capt'n an I be a scaly wag to allow such a thing. Ye be too soft lad, ye ain't pirate enough, ye don't got the guts. So I be a taken over the ship now." Mic took two steps toward the wheel of the boat, but was stopped short by the metal blade of Captain Black Heart's sword at this waist.
"This ship was my father's and he taught me all I know! I am just as much a pirate as my old man... I won't give up, this is MY ship! If you want to be captain you'll have to kill me first."
"Very well capt'n, to the death! And to the new Captain!" He shouted at the crew. Mic drew his sword and let his blade slide along Black Heart's blade in a taunting manner. The sound of the metal on metal squealed like a high-pitched cat in pain, this was music to the crews ears. They begged for blood... for a battle, a show that would surly end in a death, a winner, and a round of drinks for the celebration.
They dueled for over an hour, trapped in an endless battle of blazing metal, and the fire of insanity burning in their hungry eyes. Mic cursed as he pursued but captain Black Heart fought strong, maneuvering each blow to his advantage. The crew stood back watching intently and cheering when their adversary was down. Mic surprised Black Heart with a quick pivot and turned his blade sideways cutting Black Heart's hand that held his blade. The sword dropped to the wet wooded planks as Black Heart cried out in agony, grabbing his bleeding hand and kneeled before his enemy defeated. Mic pointed the tip of his blade towards Ryan's throat and grinned maliciously, "ye be just like yer father... a mutinous cowardly grease wad with no sense of adventure! What a waste." He spat on the ground and sneered. Ryan looked through the cold rain into Mic's eyes. Treber knew in that moment there was such hate boiling behind them that revenge was eminent and defeat was not.
"My father breathed life into this ship and its crew. He gave you an opportunity at sea and brought you on as his first mate..."
"And I woulda bin capt'n if you hadn't shown up! Such a young whelp following yer father around like a lost puppy." Spit sprayed from his mouth as he spoke with force. "I deserve to be capt'n
"You will never be captain of the Kessler," Ryan's voice sounded deeper with more defense and dark poise. "You half drowned sea rat plundering son of a sea cook!" Mic's lips curled over his teeth in a grimace.
"I will cut yer heart out and throw it to the sharks!" Some of the crew cheered with excitement as the battle proceeded to an end and the shed of blood and celebration were to ensue. Mic brought his sword back then swung it forward prepared to pierce Ryan's heart, but as Mic came close with the steel of his blade, Ryan had grabbed his own with lightning speed and swirled around on his knees avoiding the blow. He whipped around knocking Mic down with a blow to the back with the hilt of his sword.
"Ya be a gamble'n with me life capt'n an I be a scaly wag to allow such a thing. Ye be too soft lad, ye ain't pirate enough, ye don't got the guts. So I be a taken over the ship now." Mic took two steps toward the wheel of the boat, but was stopped short by the metal blade of Captain Black Heart's sword at this waist.
"This ship was my father's and he taught me all I know! I am just as much a pirate as my old man... I won't give up, this is MY ship! If you want to be captain you'll have to kill me first."
"Very well capt'n, to the death! And to the new Captain!" He shouted at the crew. Mic drew his sword and let his blade slide along Black Heart's blade in a taunting manner. The sound of the metal on metal squealed like a high-pitched cat in pain, this was music to the crews ears. They begged for blood... for a battle, a show that would surly end in a death, a winner, and a round of drinks for the celebration.
They dueled for over an hour, trapped in an endless battle of blazing metal, and the fire of insanity burning in their hungry eyes. Mic cursed as he pursued but captain Black Heart fought strong, maneuvering each blow to his advantage. The crew stood back watching intently and cheering when their adversary was down. Mic surprised Black Heart with a quick pivot and turned his blade sideways cutting Black Heart's hand that held his blade. The sword dropped to the wet wooded planks as Black Heart cried out in agony, grabbing his bleeding hand and kneeled before his enemy defeated. Mic pointed the tip of his blade towards Ryan's throat and grinned maliciously, "ye be just like yer father... a mutinous cowardly grease wad with no sense of adventure! What a waste." He spat on the ground and sneered. Ryan looked through the cold rain into Mic's eyes. Treber knew in that moment there was such hate boiling behind them that revenge was eminent and defeat was not.
"My father breathed life into this ship and its crew. He gave you an opportunity at sea and brought you on as his first mate..."
"And I woulda bin capt'n if you hadn't shown up! Such a young whelp following yer father around like a lost puppy." Spit sprayed from his mouth as he spoke with force. "I deserve to be capt'n
"You will never be captain of the Kessler," Ryan's voice sounded deeper with more defense and dark poise. "You half drowned sea rat plundering son of a sea cook!" Mic's lips curled over his teeth in a grimace.
"I will cut yer heart out and throw it to the sharks!" Some of the crew cheered with excitement as the battle proceeded to an end and the shed of blood and celebration were to ensue. Mic brought his sword back then swung it forward prepared to pierce Ryan's heart, but as Mic came close with the steel of his blade, Ryan had grabbed his own with lightning speed and swirled around on his knees avoiding the blow. He whipped around knocking Mic down with a blow to the back with the hilt of his sword.
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