She had a red scarf tied around her forehead and her wild hair poured over top of it. A few brightly coloured beads were incorporated into her mane. The Latina gazed back into Shane’s eyes looking for something, something to trust and believe in. Shane snapped out of it as she heard the pirates that had come down after her leaving the bilge with large containers of food and water. Shane pulled on the girl’s hand and without hesitation the Latina obliged following Shane to the small ladder leading up to the deck with the African woman following closely behind with dagger in hand.

They reached the main deck and Shane helped pull both girls up and out into the light of day. They were again greeted with the sounds of men shouting, giving orders and the sounds of blades clinging together.

Shane lead the girls towards a large plank that had been placed down for the men to cross over onto the brig. She went across first and pulled the Latina by the hand and helped her onto the deck of the Robin. As Shane reached her hand out for the African woman a large boom and crack sounded as a chain shot snapped it’s way through the aft mast shaking the pirate ship and sending it turning as the direction of the sails caught the wind and made their ships part ways. The plank dropped into the water as Shane stumbled back onto The Robin and the other woman back onto the slave ship’s deck. Shane’s eyes widened as the gap became bigger “Shit.” Pirates that were on board the slave ship noticed the deviating paths of the ships and quickly leapt into the water so they wouldn’t be abandoned.

Shane and the Latina watched helplessly as a slave driver pulled the African woman back and threw her to the ground. The Latina let out a stream of curse words onto the slave driver. She didn’t seem to know exactly what she was saying in her anger but she let it come all the same. Shane could only understand a few of the Spanish words that came from her mouth but she didn’t need to understand her to know what she felt.

It wasn’t long before the slave ship’s distance became to great and The Robin gave up hope. It grew quiet quickly as the men pulled themselves back up into the ship and watched the slave ship sail away.

“Looks like we’ve got ourselves another new addition…” Gomey said begrudgingly as he saw the Latina girl standing close to Shane for protection as the other men on board took notice of her.

“I haven’t signed the articles yet…” Shane said, hoping the pirate laws would work in her favour. One of the articles stated that no women were allowed on board but seeing as Shane hadn’t signed them yet she shouldn’t be held to it.

“You captained your own ship! You know women aren’t allowed on board!” Gomey yelled in Shane’s face as Shane stood dignified with an unreadable expression on her face.

“Well, you’re not the captain here…” Shane said to Gomey as Mark cut through the crowd of men to see the situation. He sighed, swearing under his breathe. It wasn’t that he believed women were bad luck… they were just a big distraction to the men and some men were often violent and he didn’t want to have to watch the girl to make sure she wasn’t going to be raped. “I’ll keep watch over her,” Shane said as the girl clung onto Shane’s jacket and hid slightly behind her shoulder.

“Shane…” Mark shook his head in disappointment.

“I say we put it to a vote!” Gomey yelled, “I say we kill ‘em!”

Mark glared at Gomey as the other men cheered along with Gomey. He definitely didn’t want anyone to die… but it couldn’t go unpunished, “No vote. I’m sorry, Shane. But you knew the consequences of your actions. ..” Mark stood tall trying to stay unattached, but in the short time Shane was there he had already become attached and felt he needed to look out for the young pirate.

“A good old fashion beat down!” Gomey smiled deviously as the men closed in on Shane.

Shane closed her eyes, face unreadable, waiting and ready for what she knew was coming as the girl gripped tighter to her shirt. “You might want to step back.” Shane said to the young horrified Latina.

TBC