A Pirates Treasure

Rebecca watched warily on the horizon as the trailing ship gained on them. her heart sank into her stomach when she could finally make out for certain the black flag in the dusky sunlight. "Pirates!" She whispered. leaning on the ships stern to see better. her blue eyes widening. For a long moment, she watched as they moved ever closer, her heart racing frantically in her chest, but she did not know if it was from excitement or fear. "Pirates!" she finally yells to the captain, whipping her head around her eyes, seeking him out. She finds him. Their gazes meet. He looks beyond her to the horizon, his brow furrowing "Pirates!" he roared. His deep voice was a boom compared to hers, and the ship came alive with panic. She pushed off the stern and made for the stairs that led to the main deck. The captain shouted orders to his men, and they scrambled about hoisting the sails in an attempt to gain speed. "Too late." She thought as she toped the main deck, she should have warned them sooner. She turned and collided with the ships railing, her raven hair whipping free from its ribbon to dance in the current of the wind. There it was. She was face to face with the beast, her mouth hung open in astonished awe at the beauty of the ship before her and the remarkable speed at which it had closed on them. She was pulled from her trance as a loud sound suddenly ripped through the air and rattled the ship to its core. It hit with such force it knocked her backward, and she lost her footing. Another boom and her hands flew to her ears to shield them. "Canon fire," She thought, and a surge of anger rushed through her. A ship hand rushed to her aid and helped her to her feet. "Why aren't we returning fire?" She asked as she was led to the captain quarters. "No guns, my lady." he replied as if he expected her to have already known that. He ushered her inside and sat her down in a chair. He moved into the room, kicking up the damask rug, revealing a secret compartment. He bends down and lifts the door open and gestures for her to get inside. "Please, my lady," he insisted. Suddenly, there was shouting, and Rebecca knew they were now boarding the ship. She hurried to her feet and rushed over to the compartment, sinking herself down inside. It was crowded and full of cobwebs, and she had to sit with her knees to her chest. He lowered the hatch and returned the rug to its rightful place. She was bathed in shadow and inhaled the musky fumes of dust and wood. After a short while, she hears someone enter, the footsteps trotting across the cabin slowly as if someone was looking for something. They began to rummage, confirming her suspicion. Her body freezes, her breath coming in slow deliberatatrion as she puts all her focus on remaining undiscovered.. She can't see in the darkness of her confines, but she stares wide-eyed and waiting. She hears the feet of a chair pull across the floor, a brief shuffling, and the footsteps cease. She closed her eyes then. She was aware that whoever was above her had just taken a seat. She hears the drawers of the desk slide open one by one as this unknown person searches through them. "Captain, we've searched the entire ship. It's not on board." Her eyes flash open. Had they mistaken her ship for someone else's? she wondered. "It has to be, Keep looking." The sound of that voice set her hair on end. It was deep and Male. Dangerously calm. She shuddered in the darkness, suddenly afraid. "But Captain".. There was a loud bang that cut through the words, and Rebecca jumped involuntarily. "Enough!, Tear the whole thing apart and sink her to depths if you must, but find it!" his man scurries away. Rebecca hears him let out a deep sigh when he is alone again. The sound almost made her concerned for him. But he was a pirate, she reminded herself. He was looting her ship at this very moment. He didn't deserve her sympathy. But whatever it was he was looking for was clearly very important to him. An emmeasurable amount of time passes without any disturbance. She could hear distantly the sound of the ship being ransacked and the crew yelling back and forth to one another. Yet he sat in complete silence. Rebecca found her eyelids heavy, and her legs had begun to ache and longed to stretch outward. her body, though exhausted, was madingly restless. It must be well into the night by now, and she began to wonder if she could remain hidden. She puffed out her cheeks in frustration. Just when Rebecca thought she would break there came a loud crash, and a man groaned in pain. "Tell him!" There was that voice again. The same one from before. He must be the pirate captains first mate. "Please!" a breathless captain pleaded. "We have no cargo on board. We were not transporting goods, only people and their belongings." he coughed. Rebecca began to panic. "What people?" came the clipped response. "Have they all thrown themselves overboard to escape us? "Not people," the captain, wheezes, realizing he had no choice. "We were tasked with transporting a single person." There was a long pause... "Where is she hiding?" Rebecca gasped her hand, flying to cover her mouth, preying she wasn't heard. "I can't tell you!" "Tell me, or you die!" "Please! I couldn't live with myself!" "Tell me!" Rebecca's heart sank as the words rushed from her mouth. "I'm here!" she calls out. "I'm here! Please do not harm him!" There was a long silence, then heavy footsteps closed on her location, and the hatch was thrown back with such force it cracked in half. even though the candle light was dim, it assaulted her eyes. She raised a hand to shield the light as she looked up and found a set of black eyes staring down at her. His expression was unreadable. She slowly stands. Her breathing heavy and limbs shaky. He reaches down, putting one hand under each of her arms, and lifts her effortlessly from the hiding spot. He places her firmly on her feet in front of him. She sways unsteady before catching her footing. Rebecca's eyes dart to the half slumped captain on the floor bloody and bruised. He eyed her sorrowfully through half swollen lids. She gasped at the sight and ran quickly to his side, kneeling beside him. "You've injured him!" She accused angrily. shooting at heated glare at the pirate they called captain. "Surly such brutality was unnecessary, sir," His expression remained unreadable as he quietly studied her for a few moments. He then slowly turned his back to her carelessly. "Escort the captain to the lower deck and reunite him with what's left of his crew." "Aye, sir," Rebecca only then took note of the other pirate. He was tall and skinny. with golden skin that was ornatly decorated with symbols, He sported a bald head bearing similar symbols as his barren chest and arms. He leaned toward them and grasped the older man under the arm, and pulled him to his feet. "On yer feet"! The order was clipped and stern. Within moments, the captain was removed from her presence, and the door shut firmly behind them, leaving her alone with the other one. She returned to her feet, eyeing the back of a tilted head as he gazed up at something. "I know who you are, lass." He spoke at last. turning to face her, his black eyes bore into her very core. "Now, what to do with you?" A wicked smile turned up the corners of his mouth, and Rebecca's breath caught in her throat. She suddenly understood she may be in far more danger than she had realized.