Maria stepped into the Benbow with no intention of drawing attention to herself. Given the time of evening, none of the regular patrons had made their way over there yet. Good, more solitude for her.
With but a handful of sailors and other townsfolk, all of whom minding their own business, Maria took a seat at the bar without anyone giving her a second glance. The bartender looked over to her with a wide grin. She watched it disappear as he took note of who he was serving.
"Princess," he said with a bow. "I didn't expect to see you tonight."
"Don't sound so disappointed," she tried to joke, but her somber tone peeked through. "I always have time for you, Arthur."
"I figured you'd be at that fancy gathering with the prince and whatnot."
"There's never anything good to drink at a royal get-together. You know what I mean?"
"I suppose I do. One moment, then."
Arthur took to rummaging through the bottles, looking for what he knew to be her favorite drink. Waiting for him to finish, Maria placed her book on the counter and opened to the most worn story. Treasure Island. The picture was faded and dulled. Most of what the picture used to be resided in Maria's mind.
Arthur placed a mug by her. "On the house tonight, Princess."
"What's the occasion?" she asked, not lifting her eyes.
"We all need a break now and again. You seem a bit down and out."
"What else is new?" Maria grabbed the mug, chugged for several seconds, and waved the empty container in his face. "If you please."
"Of course." Arthur took the mug and proceeded to refill it.
As he did, Maria scanned through the pages of the story. Words no longer there, sentences half erased, and corners ripping apart. It was a miracle the book had not disintegrated in her palm. With a thud of the mug setting down beside her, Maria reached over to take it, but instead felt something rough.
Maria retracted her hand. Glancing over, she saw Billy sitting beside her with her mug. "On me, Princess."
"Oh, it's you," she scoffed. "What do you want?"
"Not too friendly, are you?"
"…I did walk into that, didn't I?"
"Surprised to see you so hostile. And here I thought you came back to hear some of my stories. I do owe you, after all." Billy looked down to her book and chuckled. "Ah, I see you're reading one now."
"A story? Yes," Maria exclaimed. "Yours? Not so much."
"Don't be so sure."
Billy snatched the book from her grasp and flipped through it.
"Hey."
"Let's see, let's see, let's see. Ah, here we are." Billy placed his finger on a page with a dying portrait of a raggedy man with scars all over his body and a missing leg. "You know this man?"
Maria tried to study the picture. She nodded as her memory came back. "I believe so. Captain Flint, correct?"
"I see you pay attention."
"No, I can read. Big difference." Maria chugged her drink, leaving but a thin layer of liquid at the bottom. "Though, in a couple hours, that may not be a possibility."
Billy examined the page, his expression falling as he locked onto the man named Captain Flint. His fingers brushed along the image. It wasn't a gentle touch more than an effort to soak in whatever message could have been left behind. He sighed, his breath dancing over the washed-out nightmare of a pirate.
Then, in a clear, expressive voice, he read the text. "The man, if one could call him that, was known as Captain Sebastian Flint. As ruthless as he was avaricious, Flint sailed the seas in search of all that glittered, no matter how dull."
Maria's expression perked, her eyes shimmering as she heard him read the familiar words.
"From rich passenger ships to the poor and humble merchants, he spared none and never took prisoners. Those who survived his assaults were never referred to as lucky. The terrors of what they witnessed lived with them for many years."
As he continued, Maria joined him, speaking in equal confidence and tempo.
"The fear consumed them and many left the blessing of life behind in search of some form of sufficient peace. All they spoke of when remembering his horrors were the darken voids where his eyes should have been and the flash of red in his domineering coat."
Maria's voice subsided, satisfied by her memory. But while she grew silent, Billy continued. Her confusion rose further as she watched him close the book and speak with never wavering precision.
"Yet, those who knew him upon the shores saw what was never believed otherwise. A man who drank his weight in rum and more. A loosely moralized captain whose chivalry was almost worth mention among the locals who accommodated him."
Billy turned to face her. With a smile, he finished the passage.
"Often considered another façade amongst his many infamous ones, wenches and heretics alike took unconventional pleasure in his visits in spite of the warnings."
"You know the story?" Maria stammered.
"I would sure hope so. After all, I wrote it."
Maria sprang to her feet, knocking her stool to the ground. Billy sat and grinned, snickering as the princess collected herself.
"You wrote it? I don't believe it. That book is ancient."
"As am I, Your Majesty."
"Unlikely. How did this book end up in my possession, then? Hmm? Didn't think about that now, did you?"
"Oh, the book? Might've left it here, accidentally or otherwise, in my many lowbrow visits."
"Visits? What do you mean? You've been here before?"
Billy stared at her for a moment. When the silence became too much to bear, he stood and walked out of the tavern. Without a word, he left Maria alone.
She didn't waste a second. Maria, after grabbing the book, ran after him, following him until they ended up on the beach located behind the tavern.
From their position, they could see the ports, but the ships blocked one another from view, creaking and rocking together in a harmonious chorus. Billy had brought himself to the edge of the water, letting it hit his feet with each rolling wave. As Maria walked up beside him, she saw his eyes were closed and his breaths were deep. He was absorbing the presence of the sea.
Maria opened her mouth to speak, but a finger placed on her lips prevented her from doing so. Billy hushed her, refusing to be distracted by her. He pulled his finger away and Maria found herself unsure what to do. So, she turned her attention to the ocean.
In the quiet, she could feel a nostalgic spell consume her. The darkened blue, navy in the night, mixed with shades of seaweed green. What laid beneath was a mystery and what travelled above created history. A thin rippling layer above an endless cavern of undiscovered secrets.
The smell of salt purifying her senses. The pulling waves easing her mind and bringing her back to a place of undeniable peace. The book rested in her hand, allowing her to absorb the stories within it and bring her to a place that existed in her imagination. It was the closest to a calm state, untainted by destructive habits, she had come to in far too long.
Billy released a pleasured breath, looking over to Maria. "I'm glad my stories were in the ownership of such a loving caretaker, despite the tellings of a legend no one believes in."
Maria hesitated before she asked. Curiosity overtook her. "Is what you say true? That these tattered pages are what remain of your time on the water?"
"When I was but a boy, sailing the seas was all I ever dreamed of. The dream came to pass when Captain Flint took me aboard. I learned the ways of the sea, kept close to the captain in hopes of more grand adventures. I am blessed to have witnessed what I had."
"And Treasure Island? Was it one of the adventures you lived to see?"
"Aye, it was. I wrote down every detail of my life among the sea. All came to an end when the loyalty of my shipmates shifted into a mutiny. Even now, thirteen hellish years later, they come for me, wanting to know of the whereabouts of the treasure."
"They're coming for you? As in they've hunted you down all this time to come and find you? That's a load of bull."
"If only it were, Princess. You underestimate the drive treasure can provide for a pirate, especially treasure that promises wealth beyond wild imaginings. To die wealthier than you lived is but a common dream among seafarers."
"So, what? You think hiding out here is going to stop them?"
"On the contrary, my dear princess, I think my continual evasion has made them all the more determined. Do you not see them?" Billy pointed out to the sea.
Maria tried to make out any shape she could, unable to see anything.
"There's nothing."
"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. When one fears for his life, he becomes far more vigilant than the average onlooker."
Billy reached to his holster and produced his pistol. Maria jumped back, scared by the possibility she would be harmed. Yet, his gaze never left the ocean. He was waiting, calculating, studying every detail he could before raising his firearm. With a steady hand, he shot.
The explosion of sound startled Maria, causing her to yelp. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Reminding them who I am."
Then, they heard a loud, pained groaning, followed by a splash in the water. An uproar of shouts and curses rang out and something glimmered in the darkness. Another explosion of sound and Maria watched a bullet land mere inches from her feet in the sand.
She gasped and stumbled back. "Oh, my goodness. What have you done?" she cried to Billy.
He smirked. "Caused some trouble." He shot again, another moan from the distance.
Maria's peaceful state transformed into unmatched terror. Rather than run, she found herself frozen, waiting to be shot before she had the chance to run away. Billy shot again, taking great joy in his flawless pickings.
"You should join me more often, Princess," he snickered. "The nights grow long and boring waiting to be killed on my own."
"You do this every night?" Maria whimpered. "They come for you every single night?"
"Oh, no, not every night. Once a week, if that." Another shot. "Fun, isn't it?" He handed her the pistol. "Want to try?"
"No, thank you," she shouted, shoving the gun away.
Billy laughed, his moment of distraction leading to a near fatal mistake. With his gun lowered, Billy could not defend himself against a clean, accurate, and tearing shot. He gasped as he felt a bullet pierce through his hip, forcing him to the ground.
"Billy," Maria cried, kneeling down beside him. "Are you okay?"
He nodded, but he grimaced. "Ah, it seems they brought the first mate tonight."
"The first mate? What do you mean?"
Maria glanced out to the sea one more time. In the panic of the moment, she saw the outlines of several boats making their way to shore. She could not see their faces nor did she want to stay long enough to do so. One figure among them stood tall, bulky, and proud. He was a dim silhouette with an arm raised for another shot.
She looked back to a struggling Billy. "Can you walk?"
As he tried to stand, the pain ripped through him. "Not without some assistance," he joked. "He always was an equal shot."
"Never mind that. Come on."
Maria took Billy by the arm and balanced him over her shoulder. With the book in her other hand, she dragged him through the sand. Her heart was racing, her breath short and shallow as she realized the danger she was in. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the figures grow closer, cutlets drawn and ready for attack.
Within the minute, Maria brought Billy to her mare. She lifted him over her saddle and ran into the tavern. She approached Arthur with urgency, an intensity in her eyes as she spoke.
"This is an order from your princess. Gather any person willing and able to hold a pistol. We're about to be under attack."
"Under attack? From whom?"
"Pirates, it seems. I'm returning to the palace to fetch my brother. Hold them off as long as you can."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Maria rushed back to Billy and climbed up beside him. Despite her frantic mind and demeanor, her hands were steady as they took the reins and snapped the mare forward. They took every shortcut they could find, jumped over every obstacle that posed a problem. They reached the palace as the pirates walked onto the shore and stormed the town.
With no time to waste, Maria ran her mare straight up to the palace doors and opened the entrance herself. The guards on either side of her had no time to react as she dragged her mare into the ballroom. Once there, all eyes turned to the sweaty and horrified princess with the filthy stranger.
She charged her way through the confused and judging eyes until she caught sight of her brother. Maria ran to him, slamming her body into his as if it was the most efficient way to grab his attention. For all intents and purposes, it worked.
Dominick turned and gasped at his disheveled sister. "Maria, what in---?"
"Pirates," she panted, "on our shores. Take the guards and stop them."
"Pirates?" he exclaimed. "Are you sure?"
"They shot at me and injured this man," Maria explained, pointing to Billy as he struggled to breathe.
Dominick's eyes flashed determination and focus. Vincent, feet away from him, came to attention.
"Your orders, Highness?"
"Gather as many guards as you can and send them to meet me by the stables. We're going to put an end to this tonight. Keep our guests inside and protected."
Maria grabbed Dominick's arm. "What about Billy?"
"Who?"
"The man who was shot."
"Find Annie and tend to him however you see fit. I will be back as soon as time permits."
He walked by her, causing Maria to panic and cling to him again. "I'm coming with you."
"You're staying here, where it's safe, Maria."
"But I---."
"Stay here so you don't get hurt. This is not up for negotiation," he ordered.
Surprised by the stern, harsh, tone of his voice, Maria backed off. Yet, before he left, Dominick took her face into his hands and kissed her forehead. It was a quick and light gesture, reminiscent of the peck of a passing ghost. Before she could process the action, Dominick had vanished from the room.
Maria took a breath and resumed control of her mare and Billy. She dragged them through the ballroom until they reached a corridor leading to Maria's room. Coming from her own chambers, Annie stepped out to observe the commotion. Her eyes grew and remained wide, staring at a bloodied man on the back of a horse. The disorientation increased as she saw Maria leading the strange sight.
"Annie, thank goodness. I need your help. This man is injured," Maria explained, ignoring the nonsense of the situation.
Annie nodded, pointing behind her. "There's, um, a guest room this way I can prepare. We can, uh, use that, I guess."
"Perfect. Lead on." Maria stepped up beside her and waited to be taken forward.
Annie, in her dumbfounded gaze, took Maria and Billy away. Maria glanced over her shoulder to check on Billy, relieved to see him still awake, but pained to see him suffering. Despite this, she heard him chuckling.
Under his breath, he said, "Welcome to the pirate's life."