There is a moment of clarity during the roar of cannon fire. A solitary moment that seems to drag on endlessly. I stared out from the poop deck, mouth agape at the sight of crimson sails aloft one of the most oppressive ships I had ever seen. The ocean spray and wind caressing my face as I stand there in shock unable to move. That is when I saw the colors flying aft in the wake of her greatness. As the ship came about, she was revealed to be have the black high on the stern. In the center was printed a white skull with a bloody dagger underneath. I knew my end was coming. And I hoped for it…

Earlier

…

My husband Richard Hawthorne of the Merchant's Alliance was more like my master or slave driver than the former. He would say he rescued me from certain death or the life of a brothel whore forever unable to pay her debts and gain freedom. But I know the truth. I had spoken out about how he had stolen me in the past and that only gained me the back of his hand and worse. I quickly learned if I wanted to survive that I would have to play his game until I could escape my bird cage, the trade vessel Fortune. I was traveling from Ireland when pirates attacked the ship I paid for transport. I wished I had never left home, but it was my family that made me leave because of the ongoing conflicts there.

The smugglers gave up without a fight offering up the contents of their hold in exchange for their lives. The contents being us refugee's traveling for the Americas to start anew and escape the fighting in our homeland. After being takin by the savage men I truly believed that I was doomed to an ill fate. After a week crammed into the smallest hold of their ship they decided to take on the merchant ship Fortune. That is when I met Richard and had believed at the time I may be saved. I was wrong,

Richard at first played the hero very well. He could not keep his eyes off me and I knew from that look that his intentions were ill willed. My red hair called to him with its vibrancy, my young body toted along helpless by the ocean where no law could help. He stared into my gleaming green eyes with lust and smirked at the trophy he had found for himself. I was just barely eighteen and a supple lass for a starved seaman to behold. My bonny curves had always been a curse and yet again they've caught the eye of a man thirsty for woman's comfort.

Before too long the facade of his heroism began to fade and I soon realized my new horror. Richard would claim me as his wife and force me to marriage. The remainder of the refugees were delivered safely to the Americas and I remained aboard Fortune. He was hailed as a hero and I was trapped yet again. I did not fear him at first, but, as time went on his demeanor dwindle into his true nature. He had the looks of a man that was once put together yet somewhere along the line let himself go. Dark hair, broad shouldered, and a dashing smile that was slowly being overcome by greed and obesity. He was abusive in fits of anger like a child not getting their way and demanded I follow his every order.

"Annabelle!" He called for me.

I hurried over from my seat at the stern windows of the captain's quarters. "Yes, husband?"

"I require more rum. Get it. Now!"

He never showed me kindness. Not unless it was the farce that he would put on in front of those who mattered to him. I hated him so much. I wish he would have let me drown on that slave transport with my Irish countryman. He didn't though, and he took me for his personal toy aboard the nasty hull of his trade ship diminishing from its former glory.

I kept my eyes averted from his and made my way to the liquor cabinet. I wished he didn't drink this much. I knew his tempter when he was on the drink. That was his most vile of moods. Trying to hurry back the ship rolled over a larger wave catching my balance off guard. My sea legs caught me, but I spilled the rum over Richards shirt and oak desk in the fumble.

"Look at the bloody mess you've made you blasted idiot." He said with teeth gritting. His eyes were like daggers piercing straight through me with detest.

"I- I'm sorry, Sir. Please! I'll clean it. Please." I begged him.

"Oh, you're going to clean it. But you're gonna make up for it first, WIFE!" He scolded as he took a fistful of my red wavy hair and forced me over the captain's desk. I let out a whimper as he smashed my breast against it. My knees quivered in fear. He was never gentle but luckily, he was always quick. The layers of my dress began flipping over my head and I felt the cool sea breeze from the windows on my pale skin. Tears ran down my cheeks as his fingers fumbled around in my undergarments. Preparing my self for the pain I heard his pants and belt clash to the floor and his sweaty warmth press against me.

"What do we say when we make a mistake, darling?" He whispered enjoying my suffering.

Through sobs and tears I mumbled "I'm sorry, Husband. To show forgiveness you can have me any way you want." Just as the head of his cock slid between my lips I gasped in holding my breath between cries. Before he could take me, a loud banging came to the doors.

"Captain! Sails on the horizon!" A crew member shouted between the cracks in the door.

"Argh! Dammit. I'm on my way!" he yelled picking up his trousers. "Clean up this fucking mess and I'll deal with you when I get back, Annabelle."

I finally exhale with a sigh of relief and slide down the side of the desk. Barely able to function my eyes start looking for a rag and I hope the busy work will calm my mind.

Present

…

Cannonballs splinter the railings of the Fortune around me as I'm stuck in place on the deck. Secretly I hope one strikes me down and takes me away from my prison.

"Annabelle get down!" a crew member shouts tackling me to the deck as one of the projectiles rips through the helm along with the helmsman. The fortune veers off course and upwind. We begin losing speed fast and are sure to be in irons within moments. It's over. We will be boarded.

Soon the hooks fly over our deck and the pirates begin pulling us to broad side. The guns still boom as pirates swing over on lines and bound across planks starting the deck fight with the gun crews. Our small trade ship is outnumbered, and the deck fight is over within minutes. The crew mostly lay dead and their blood runs out the scuppers as Richard surrenders his ship and remaining crew to the black flag.

I lay curled into a ball in the corner. Scared of what was about to happen. I had been here before when Richard "rescued" me. It was pirates and I had suffered at their hands before. My thoughts raced over the possibilities as we were gathered to the main deck. That's when I saw her. Her black boots rattled the plank like thunder with each confident step as she crossed over. She was tall and powerful for a woman but still carried a figure that any man would desire. Her crimson jacket covered a tattered white see through blouse. Her eyes darkened with makeup matching her jet-black hair.

"Looks like you merchant boys should have just given up to begin with." She said looking over the bound-up crew. Her voice was smooth and calm. "Unfortunately, since you did not surrender immediately, we're going to have to send a message to whoever finds you."

I can't take my eyes off her. I know I shouldn't stare but I can't believe what I'm seeing. I didn't know there was such a thing as a woman pirate. Her gaze works its way over towards me and I'm paralyzed. I shouldn't have looked. What is she going to do to me?

"What do we have here? Captains daughter?" She says slowly strutting toward me.

"That's my wife! She's mine don't you touch her!" Richard lashes out.

My nerves are going crazy like lightning trapped in my body. I look back and forth between the two and struggle to find words. "I'm not his wife! I'm a slave and he took me! Please don't do this!" I cry.

"A slave?" She glances back to Richard.

"That stupid bitch isn't a slave she is my wife and bound to me. If you're going to kill all of us, then she should die with her husband." Richard says still trying to control my fate even in the face of death.

The brunette's face goes from playful to stone cold killer by the end of his sentence. It was as if she had heard those words before and hated them with all her being. She turns and starts toward him. The pirate crew all get an anxious look about them when her mood changes. As the attention moves on to Richard, that brief moment of clarity happens again. I must do something. I can't die like this. I shouldn't be here to begin with. I begin wiggling my thin wrists in my bonds. It takes no time to slip my small hands free. With no pirates close to me I take my only chance. I must do something, or I will die with the crew. All that he put me through came flooding in. All the pain, embarrassment, rape, and abuse, it pours over me and I leap for the brunette's belt grabbing the grip of her saber. Before she can react, I've pulled the sword and pounce on him driving the blade into his heart. My teeth grit and my eyes pierce his. The look on his face of shock and horror is almost delightful to me. Wincing he starts to mutter.

"W- w- wife?" He barely manages.

"I'm not your fucking wife!" I scream between my teeth and drive the saber to the hilt. He topples over on the deck. I stood there panting, staring at what I had done. The silence lasts for just a moment as everyone realizes what has happened. I feel so relieved that I don't care if she kills me. At least I got to end him and watch the light leave his eyes. The pirates erupt into laughter and cheers around me. Turning towards them I look through the deck and my eyes meet the tall crimson coated captain. "I- I-…" but the words don't come out.

"You aren't his wife?" She smirks at me then laughs and her crew joins her. "I am Captain McKenzie Turner, but most just call me Captain Black. And to whom do I have the pleasure of meeting?"

"I'm Annabelle Hawth-" I look back at the late Richard and correct myself to my maiden name. "Annabelle Cartwright, Captain."

"That is a mouthful, Miss Cartwright." She looks over my wavy red hair which is beaming vibrantly in the sun and contrasted by my pale skin. "I think I'm going to call you Red. Much easier to say."

She walks over to me with her hand out and I give her back her sword while staring at the deck "I'm sorry I took your sword I-"

"Shhh, don't you worry about that, Red. It seems to me that something vile was going on here. Is that right?"

"Yes captain. I- he- took me for his own."

"Well it would seem you have a choice now, lovely Red. You killed this man. You can come with me or stay to be killed with your late husbands crew. Choice is yours."

"With you captain. Please." I said in a hurry. Anything to get me away from here. And she was right. I'm a murderer now. What was my life to become. What have done to myself?

Captain Black takes the saber sheathing it and wraps an arm around me, and we begin walking to the plank to her ship. As she helps me up the gunwale, I hear her give a sharp whistle like calling a dog. The sound of steel clashing with flesh and screams breaks the air and I begin to look back. Captain Black moves her hand up to the back of my head turning it back to her ship.

"Don't worry about that. That's over for good now and you are a crew member of the Crimson Death. We'll get you settled. Then we can begin."

With that we began over the plank and boarded the Crimson Death. The ship was in top shape and Captain Black never left my side. I was beginning to feel more relaxed. I was relieved to be near another woman and even more so because of the power she seemed to wield over these men. It was as if nothing could harm her and I wanted to know how to become that.