Her Beginning

[Crestshot]

There was once a young English girl who grew up in the high life. She had all she could have ever wished for; her parents provided everything, she was beautiful, and she now had a handsome, powerful new husband. She did not love him, but she did not care, for he was a Navy Officer, and with that, brought power.

One day, her husband comes into her room where she is reading quietly tales of true love and adventure. He has been ordered to the Caribbean to help deal with the ever growing troubles there with pirates. The girl gets excited, for this may be the adventure she has always secretly hoped for. This may be the adventure she reads about quietly in the night when her husband and all of the servants have gone to sleep. Even though she would have had no choice in the matter anyway, she agrees to come with her husband to the Caribbean.

The journey, however, did not go as planned. The men aboard her ship did not like her presence there with them. They feared that she would bring bad luck, just as all the stories and legends told. Unfortunately for her, they were right. Bad luck did not come to the ship specifically, but came to her, and her alone. When they were almost to the shores of Port Royal, her husband blamed her for betraying him. He believed that she had cheated on him with one of the crewmembers. Despite her begging and pleading, she was immediately thrown into the brig until they could port. Her husband called her a stupid woman, repeating the warnings of bad luck that women bring onto ships. The woman cried that night.

Sometime during the night, the ship docked at a place that was not Port Royal, and she was thrown into a jail cell with only the measly clothes on her back. Her husband abandoned her and she fell into a sleepy haze after she hit her head falling onto the floor of the cell.

She woke up to someone poking her and to some sort of ugly black hair dragging across her face. When she opened her eyes, she found a man staring at her as if she was a curious new species. He warned her that she should get herself together, for there was cannon fire close by. She figured it was her scum husband being shot at by pirates. ‘Good riddance,’ she thought to herself as she brushed herself off. At that moment, she was glad that the pirates were there to help her with her revenge. She wished she could give it herself, but knowing that man was being attacked was good enough for her.

At that moment, she realized what her mindset had become. It was that of her adventure stories, of the things she had always wanted. Well, this hadn’t exactly been the way she had been expecting to gain her dream, but it was good enough. She swore herself against the world that had abandoned her on a scrap of an island. She swore that she would never use the name of that horrible man again. She swore herself to be a pirate. Who was this young woman? The once powerful Lady of England, Katherine Randolph, then became the severe pirate, Kat Crestshot.

[Tepcat]

Excellent way to set up why your character started in the jail with Jack Sparrow. Love the realism and attention to detail.

[Crestshot]

Much thanks Tepcat! I'm going to be posting more of the story, on this thread, so if you want to read more, go ahead. However, it is a bit boring the first little bit, because we already know everything, but if you're interested....

Haha, anyway mates, if you read my blog, you've probably seen this story over there. I just went back to post my latest chapter, but it wast too long, so I've reverted back to posting here. I'll get chapters out when I can, so maybe once a week or so. However, the creativity is hitting me hard right now, so who knows? Anyway, continuing from her beginning.....

Her Exploration

The cannons went off again, and the newly formed Kat quickly followed the famed pirate Jack Sparrow out of the grimy cell. She now recognized the face from papers she had read in England. “It’s was the face of a criminal, of a dead man, of a no-good rotten pirate,” people had said. At the moment, she forgot all about those stories in light of the deed he had just done for her. This man had saved her, and she was now in his debt. Of course, being in debt to Jack Sparrow is not a good thing.

Before she could thank him, Jack ran off to fight his own battles, leaving Kat to make her way down a short, unfamiliar path to a small tavern where she found people hiding from the cannon fire. Reluctantly, they gave her a small sea chest for her personal belongings. Apparently, they owed favors to Sparrow as well, which made Kat uneasy for a moment when she heard the woman say that this was the last favor she was ever doing for him.
Kat took the small sea chest in her hands gingerly. This held the only items she had now. All it had was a small map of the seas and a yellow paged, leather bound journal. These things looked very used, not at all what Kat was used to, growing up with brand new things whenever she saw fit. However, now she couldn’t complain. She was lucky she had anything at this point. Kat put the chest in a pocket of her dress and dashed outside at the insistence of the tavern owners. They said they had done their duty to Jack, and she didn’t have to stay a moment longer.

Not sure where to go now, Kat headed further down the path with her new chest tucked safely away in her dress. The cannon fire seemed to be getting even louder, so she hopped into the nearest building. She pressed her back against the door as if it would keep the villains outside. Slowly, she became aware of her surroundings. The building she had recklessly run into was a warehouse of some sort. The building creaked and groaned on its legs as she walked cautiously into the center of the room.

Suddenly, there was a sound of metal against metal as a sword was drawn behind her back. A male voice came from behind her, warning her not to move or face death. Kat stiffened immediately, faced with her first life or death encounter. She felt the sword tip move from behind her back, and she relaxed enough to slowly turn around and face her attacker. The man looked at her in surprise and sheathed his sword. He offered his apologies and gave her the warning about an undead army led by a man called Jolly Roger.

Jolly Roger? The man on the pirate flags? The legend? It couldn’t be possible. She had overheard stories about an eerie presence in the Caribbean from Navy friends of her husband’s that had come back. However, she had always thought they were tall tales made up to scare other Navy away from the Caribbean, where all the assignments of grandeur and catching pirates were. Surely there wasn’t any truth to the stores…

She was brought out of her reverie by the man tossing a sword in her direction. Kat held the rusty piece of metal carefully, cautious of cutting herself on the sharp edge. The man noticed her hesitation. There were some straw stuffed scarecrows with targets on them that he pointed her to. He gave her a quick run through on how to hold the sword and how to move it in a way that wouldn’t cut her. After the first few swings, Kat’s arms began to feel very heavy and her head started spinning. What had happened to her life? Only a few hours ago (was it really a few hours ago?), she was sitting below deck of a marvelous sloop headed for Port Royal with her husband. She didn’t have to worry about carrying a sword or escaping cannon fire. Then, with one simple decision, everything about her life had changed.

The sword clanked to the ground as she it fell from her tired hands. The yet unnamed man rushed to her side as she fell to her knees and cradled her head in her hands. She wasn’t crying, but the shock of the situation seemed to have finally reached her. Nothing about this seemed real. He quickly picked her up off the ground and set her limp body on a box.

“I know this is a lot to take in, but you have to be strong,” he told her. “If you can’t survive handling a cutlass, you can’t defend yourself against the evils that await you in the Caribbean.” He picked the cutlass off the ground and handed it to her with a sheath. “Now take this and attack that dummy again.

Kat picked up the cutlass, weighing it in her hand, before standing up and attacking the doll with all she had. This was her life now. This was how she had to live. She hacked at the dummy, imagining her husband in its place. This doll was the object of her abandonment. She attacked it with a vengeance before finally knocking it onto the ground.

She walked back to the man, breathing heavily. He congratulated her on her skills for one that had never picked a cutlass up before. As he smiled at her, but as he did so, a green mist came up from the floor behind him. He saw her scared face and looked behind him where undead skeletons were forming. Quickly, he pushed her out of the building, telling her that she didn’t need to worry about herself, for it was him they were after. After Kat ran out of the building, she heard swords clanging and clashing with each other behind the closed doors.

Kat had a mind to go in and help the kind stranger, but she knew it would be no good. It was likely she would only get in the way with her measly skills. She had felt the raw power behind the sword when it had been held to her back, and she knew that he would be ok. Before she could give it another thought, she ran down the hillside to a waiting ship, not noticing that the cannons had stopped.



Yes, we all know this part of the story, but I'm seeing it as a necessary filler before we get to the good stuff. Next chapter will be more of the same, but I ask that you stay on. I have a whole, big story planned out that I hope you'll enjoy that is NOT all about what we know in the game. In fact, since I've never gotten past Hendry Cutts, I can't tell that story, so it's guaranteed it won't be the same. Anyway, questions, comments, concerns, things that make you nervous? Constructive criticism is welcome. Thanks for reading mates!

-Kat Crestshot

Edit: Disclaimer: I do not own the story or any rights to Pirates of the Caribbean Online. This story is merely for fun and an outlet for my imagination. Thank you.

[James Bladefury]

Awesome Story Crestshot! I really enjoyed the story!

[Crestshot]

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or any rights to Pirates of the Caribbean Online. This story is merely for fun and an outlet for my imagination. Thank you.

Next part: Her Meeting. Enjoy!



In the eerie silence, Kat ran up the dock to a small ship positioned there. A portly little man almost ran off the edge of the boat in his haste to speak to her. “Come aboard!” he called to her. The man was sweating profusely, and seemed to be in dire need of getting off the tiny scrap of an island they were on. Kat climbed aboard the small sloop.

As she got on, the man unconsciously told her his name of Bo Beck, along with another warning of Jolly Roger. Kat still didn’t fully believe that there was a skeletal man coming after them, but she listened politely as Beck ranted about Jack Sparrow. It seemed the man had people doing favors for him left and right, land and sea. The rather irritated Beck here had apparently been charged with taking Sparrow to Port Royal, but put Kat in his place on the ship. Just another reason to not believe he’s a completely bad man, Kat thought shrewdly. However, her upbringing made her want to believe that he was, in fact, a bad man. Only time would tell, she supposed.

Beck ordered her to grab cannon, and Kat walked up to the large, clunky piece of metal sitting on the deck of the ship. She touched it awkwardly and found some cannonballs and gunpowder to use for it. Thankfully, she had figured out some ways of a ship on her brief journey from England to here, so she wasn’t completely unaware of what she was doing. She still had Beck yell at her that she was doing it wrong though, as he glanced quickly away from the sea in front of them.

She finally figured it out as a broken, moss covered ship came into view. It had scraps for sails and what appeared to be no person on the deck. There was still an eerie presence to it as she noticed the flickering lights in the small, swirling cloud above it. It was an odd thing for her to see, for she had never seen a storm so condensed before. Shrugging, she shot a cannon ball at it for a bit of target practice. A gaping hole appeared in the side of the already broken hull, from which a ghostly green mist rose from. With a few more shots and an unnerving amount of green mist, Beck gave a brief compliment to her shooting skills, making Kat feel like she may actually survive this experience. However, not a moment later, Beck yelled in a high voice to hold fire.

Kat saw more of the unnatural green mist in the air in front of them, and watched as a similar ship to that she had just shot at came bursting out of it. She and Beck stood dazed, merely watching the barnacled ship come onto their bow side. An unnaturally loud voice hollered out into the darkness. “SPAAARROW!!!” Beck got some of his bearings together and pushed Kat a little further back into the ship, telling her he’d handle it. Still dazed, Kat let him push her and watched as what could be considered a man appeared on deck from more green mist.

The skeletal specter in front of her was like nothing she had ever seen or heard about. It was like something from her worst nightmares. She wasn’t sure if it qualified as a man or as a monster. Certainly it was animated, but it was completely unreal, like something from one of her adventure books. With empty eye sockets, a skeletal peg leg, and a terrifyingly large gun for a hand, he bore down on Bo Beck. The tattered, sea worn clothes he wore flapped in a nonexistent wind and the stout man stuttered his way through an explanation.

On his way through his explanation, Beck’s voice seemed to get stronger with Roger’s increasing silence. When he finally felt the need to get a bit angry, that was his last mistake. Roger’s hand rose, and with a burst of green smoke, Beck rose into the air and transformed before Kat’s very eyes. He quickly turned into the very thing that Roger was made of, and tossed to the side.

Roger made a move towards Kat next, and, startled, she slowly backed up, as if he was a savage animal that would strike if she moved too fast. Standing almost twice as tall as her, a prominent figure, Roger spoke to her in his deep, throaty voice. For a moment, Kat felt as if this was one encounter she would not escape alive. Perhaps her luck had finally run out, and she would finally meet her maker with the cold feel and rotting stench of Jolly Roger’s being.

She opened her eyes to see that Roger had backed off after relaying a warning to Jack Sparrow. Kat couldn’t believe it. She was still alive! It’s possible that she could have cheered if not for the fact that Jolly Roger was still staring at her with angry, empty eyes. However, a spark of hope lit up in her own eyes now; that she could possibly live to see another sunrise, or merely feel the sureness of land again.

Before she could really register it, she had been pushed to the tip of the plank by Roger. Apparently she wasn’t going to be getting off that easily. The hope dimmed once more.



Yup, yup, still seen this part, but don't worry, next chapter is going to be more interesting. Next chapter is the one I couldn't post on my blog because it was too long. We definitely have a break from the norm there. I'll probably post it on Monday. Constructive criticism is welcome! Thanks for reading!

-Kat Crestshot

[Crestshot]

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or any rights to Pirates of the Caribbean Online. This story is merely for fun and an outlet for my imagination. Thank you.


Ahoy mates! Kat Crestshot here again. Got a brand new chapter here, and this is the chapter I originally tried posting on my blog, but couldn't because it was too long, making me revert back to posting on here. Since it is much longer than the previous chapters, I'd like to believe it's more interesting and has more detail. But, hey, I'm biased. Haha, anyway mates, here you go, the next chapter about the story of Kat Crestshot.

Her Rescuer



Perhaps it was bad luck for her to be on a boat. At the poking and prodding of Jolly Roger at her back, Kat leapt into the cold, dark waters of the Caribbean. Roger had said something about sharks, but luckily she didn’t see any near her. However, all she had was the light of the moon, so she swam carefully yet quickly away from Bo Beck’s sinking ship. She was just glad that she knew how to swim, being as how in any other case she would be persecuted as a witch just for floating. Silently, she thanked her younger brother for insisting that she know how to swim before heading out with her husband.

She almost drifted off thinking about her family in the cold, unforgiving waters of the Caribbean. It was only the evil cackle of Jolly Roger finally sailing away that brought her back from floating to her death. With new strength, she pummeled through the water, heading for the distant land in front of a rising sun.

Too soon, her strength began to weaken. First it was that her strokes merely got slower, but as time progressed, she was left floating, trying to pull from her reserves of strength to paddle just once more, and then once more again. At long last, she tiredly grabbed onto a plank of wood that was still left from the remnants of Beck’s ship. At this point, she couldn’t push herself any more. In the sun that had risen in the time she had been swimming, Kat lay her head down and closed her eyes.

They didn’t stay closed for long. Not even a minute passed before she opened her eyes again to the sound of laughter. With squinting eyes from the salty sea, Kat raised her head wearily to see a ship approaching her. She tried to cry out for some help, but only ended up croaking. The water had come into her throat, making it scratchy and raw. The salt infected her vocal chords, making it so that when she spoke, it was nothing more than a whisper or a croak. As she tried again, the rushing sounds of the waves covered up her measly attempt of speaking. She laid her head back down on the plank of wood, about to give up.

The sound of alarmed yelling from the ship caused her to look up again. A young man was hanging off of the side of the ship, crying out in her direction. She saw him waving inside the ship and yelling something incoherent. With her ears filled with water, all she heard was some weird bubbly sloshing in place of his speech.

More men came to the side of the ship to see for themselves the woman floating in the sea. A few of them ran back into the boat and grabbed some ropes, throwing them over the side of the ship so she could reach for them, yelling at her to reach. Kat was so close to the brink of unconsciousness though, she could barely keep her head up to look at what the men were doing. As the men saw that she wasn’t reaching for the ropes, the man who originally saw her started lowering the dingy on the side of the ship. Once the rest of them saw what he was doing, the grabbed a hold of the ropes for him and began lowering it as well while he jumped into the dingy.

The small boat hit the water with a loud splash and a wave of water that hit Kat directly in the face. Her eyes reflexively closed and she spluttered a bit to get the water out of her mouth. When her eyes opened again, the man was sitting in the boat right in front of him, offering his hand. Kat gingerly took it, and he pulled her nearly dead weight into the dingy with her. She plopped into the craft and lay down, closing her eyes and somehow finding herself able to breathe easier. The stranger rowed back to the larger vessel, where the rest of the crew pulled the two up to the ship.

When the dingy reached the deck, the man picked her up and placed her in the arms of a different man. Vaguely, she heard a man yell with authority to take her to his cabin. She was carried across the shifting ship and heard a door open. Shade was brought to her aching face and she was placed on something soft. She gave a small sigh of content and shifted a bit, almost not believing the comfort she had. Her eyes opened slightly at the sound of the men silencing outside of the cabin as the man who had ordered she be put in the cabin spoke above the others.

“Now listen, crew,” he said with authority. “I know she’s a lady and all, but no barging in on her. She’s to be treated as a guest. None of you scoundrels are to be bugging her. You got me?”

“Aye captain,” murmured the rest of the men.

“Good,” said the captain. “Now back to your duties. We have to make haste for Port Royal.”

Kat smiled as she heard she wouldn’t be bothered. Company was the last thing she wanted at the moment. After all she had been through, all she wanted to do was sleep for a bit of time, and hope no nightmares came from her experiences of the past 24 hours. Her eyes closed again, and she fell asleep.

She woke a bit later to a muttered conversation happening at the door of the cabin. Her eyes opened to see a tall, fat man at the door of the cabin, conversing with someone on the outside of it. Kat moved her head a bit to see around the wide man and saw her rescuer. He seemed to be a bit annoyed at the man blocking the door.

“C’mon mate, I only want to see her for a moment,” he told the man.

“I told you, Captain said no,” the man said aggressively. “She ain’t to be having no visitors till we be reaching port.”

“Ah, come on Marcus, be a good lad,” said her rescuer good naturedly. “I am the one who rescued her, am I not? Don’t I deserve to just see her?”

The man, Marcus, seemed to battle with himself for a moment. It seemed that her rescuer was only a little bit away from getting into the cabin to see her. If Kat was telling the truth, she wouldn’t mind him coming in. She wanted to see the man that had rescued her. However, she let the men continue their little quarrel, not wanting to get in the way of a captain’s orders.

Marcus seemed to finally give in. “All right, you can go in and see her,” he muttered. “But mind you, if the captain find out, it’ll be both our heads, savvy?” he told her rescuer gruffly. He moved to the side a bit so her rescuer could get in.

“Don’t worry about it Marcus,” he responded, slapping the man on the arm on his way past good naturedly. “I wouldn’t harm a hair on her head. What would have been the point in rescuing her then?” He smiled.

Her rescuer walked into the room. He was thin, but he seemed to be strong and with muscle. Kat supposed working on a ship would do that to you. He had red hair that seemed to jut out sharply in the front and went past his ears in the back. On top of his hair perched a rather worn looking brown hat. There was also a thin mustache that just danced on the top of his lip, and a short beard that didn’t fall around his chin like some men did. His skin was well tanned, probably from working the deck of the ship, and he wore a tight fitting, light blue tank top with a pair of baggy, light blue pants and what seemed to be a pair of worn but sturdy pair of brown boots on his feet.

He walked up to her with confidence, and smiled when he saw she was awake, obviously pleased. “Hello my lady,” he said, bowing graciously. “It is good to see you awake, especially after the rough ride you went through in the ocean.” Her rescuer stared at her for a moment, seemingly captivated by her, before glancing down at the bundle in his hands. “Um, I hope you don’t mind, but I brought you some new clothes.” He set the bundle down on the table next to her head before backing away quickly. “Perhaps they aren’t exactly befitting a woman, they’re pants and such, but it will be better than that dress likely ruined by saltwater.” There was another silence where he seemed to expect her to say something. Kat said nothing, merely studying her rescuer curiously. He had the most vivid green eyes…

He seemed to feel a bit awkward, so he turned and began to walk toward the cabin door, saying, “I’ll just leave you to your rest then-”

“Who are you?” she called before he could leave. Her rescuer turned away from the door with a smile. He was silhouetted in the sun from the window behind him. Kat was enchanted.

“Lawrence,” her rescuer replied. “My name is merely Lawrence ma’am. And if I may be so bold, what is yours?”

“Kath-” She almost said Katherine before remembering that wasn’t her name any more. “My name is Kat. Kat Crestshot.”

“Well, it is very nice to meet you, Mrs. Crestshot,” he replied before exiting the cabin.

Mrs. Crestshot? Kat thought. Where had Lawrence gotten the Mrs. from? She glanced down at her left hand where it rested on the bed sheets. Her wedding band sparkled up at her. Oh. Now she knew.

She rotated her hand, admiring the ring as if she had just received it. It was such a pretty item of something that reminded her of such an ugly man. Perhaps she could sell it. The ring was very nice, well crafted with some diamonds in it, and she would need money when she reached Port Royal. Yes, she would sell it. The sooner it was off her finger, the better.

Now she viewed the clothes Lawrence had brought her. It was unfathomably kind of him to give them away, especially since he had already saved her life. Gingerly, she sat up and swung her legs out of the bed, feeling the protest from her sea-worn muscles. She reached for the clothes, the rough texture moving underneath her fingers. These definitely weren’t the types of clothes she was used to. For one, she had worn dresses her entire life, and what she had in her hands were definitely pants. Second, these were heavy clothes, made for hard work on stormy waters. These were completely different from anything she had worn before, but perhaps it was for the better. Perhaps now she had to change every aspect of her life, including her clothes.

She stepped out of her salt soiled dress and let it drop to the floor and slipped out of the dainty little shoes she had worn since England. She wasn’t worried about anyone walking in on her, what with the man named Marcus guarding the door. With little hesitation, she stepped into the light tan pants that Lawrence had brought her, finding them surprisingly snug about her legs, but not her waist. There was a baggy, dark green shirt as well that she slipped on, with a tan colored vest put over that. There was a dark brown belt that held her pants up at the waist. Her feet slipped into a pair of heavy brown boots that were a bit too big, but were strong. A long, dark mossy green coat went over the entire entourage, piecing it together quite nicely.

At the moment she slipped the jacket on, there was a knock on the door, and the voice she had identified earlier with the captain called inside, asking if it was alright if he came in. Kat slipped underneath the covers of the bed again, taking her dress with her and hiding the clothes she wore. She didn’t want Lawrence to get in trouble for seeing her and the captain would certainly inquire as to where her clothes had come from. Once she got herself situated, she called out that it was fine if he came in. The moment the captain stepped through the door, Kat feigned drowsiness, hoping the man would not bother her too much if he saw she was still resting.

The captain walked in, nearly blocking the light from the doorway with his girth. It wasn’t that the man was fat, but that he was tall, with large muscles, much like her bodyguard. He looked like a man who had worked hard to get to where he was, perhaps not entirely by reasonable means. He had a large, graying beard and small, sharp eyes. This was not a man Kat would like to mess with. She burrowed a little deeper into the sheets as he stepped into the small cabin, not wanting him to see her body with his piercing gaze.

The captain stepped toward the bed. “Hello Miss,” he said gruffly. “My name is Captain James Donaldson.” He stepped forward and bowed shortly, seemingly more of a formality than a force of habit. “You had a right fall miss, but we’re headed for Port Royal now, so we can drop you off there while we drop cargo as well.”

“Thank you very much for your kindness,” Kat said meekly. “If you’d like, I can pay you once we reach port. Surely with all the trouble you have gone through-”

“Nonsense,” said Donaldson, cutting across her speech. “It’s a pleasure to help a fine young lass like yourself out of a rough spot. All I ask is that you stay on Port Royal and not come further with us. I’m afraid I have a few superstitious men aboard my ship that don’t take kindly to the presence of a woman.”

That superstition again! From the looks of it, the captain was one of those superstitious men who didn’t want her aboard the boat. She sighed internally. Perhaps it was for the best if she just stayed on land. Surely the sea wasn’t for her.

“Very well captain.” Kat agreed. “I shall not follow you from Port Royal once we dock.” The captain looked pleased at this news.

“Excellent. Now, if you’ll excuse me miss, my crew needs attending to. We’ll be arriving at Port Royal shortly.” The captain beat a hasty retreat out of the cabin, and she heard him begin to bark at the crew.

Kat busied herself with her thoughts while the crew worked to make haste toward Port Royal. It wasn’t too long. Only about three hours passed before she heard the men yelling about land and getting ready to dock. Kat braced herself for stepping outside of the cabin and onto the dock of Port Royal. She had things to do.



Well, what do you think? A bit of a break from the norm, aye? Anyway, constructive criticism is welcome. I'll probably try to get the next chapter up Thursday or Friday. Thanks for reading!

-Kat Crestshot

[combatlizzy]

Awesome storyline, great descriptive qualities...keep the chapters coming, Kat C!

[Crestshot]

Thanks for the praise Lizzy!

Ok, it's on to chapter....5? I don't know, don't really keep chapter numbers with these things. Yah, it's five. Anyway. Here's the most recent chapter. I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own the story or any rights to Pirates of the Caribbean Online. This story is merely for fun and an outlet for my imagination. Thank you

Her New World



Before she could step out of the cabin, Lawrence walked into the small room. “Captain says I’m to-” he started before looking at her clothes. “Well Mrs. Crestshot, those clothes seem to fit you very well,” he said, staring at her body.


Kat turned away, blushing. “Thank you Lawrence.” It was truly flattering to her, for she hadn’t had anyone compliment her like that since she had been courted. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to correct you on one thing though,” she told him.

“And what would that be ma’am?” he asked her politely, not worried at all that he was about to be reprimanded. If it was from such a beautiful woman as Kat, he wouldn’t mind anything she said to him. It was too bad for him that she was already taken.

“I am not a Mrs., Lawrence,” she told him, walking up to him and getting very close. “I am merely a Miss. There is no need to go around calling me Mrs. Crestshot when it is, in fact, not true.” She smiled at him from where she was merely a few inches away from him. What was she doing? It was indecent for her to be this close to him. Yet, she didn’t mind it. She minded it a lot less than she had when her husband had courted her.

Lawrence seemed confused at her confession. “But, the ring on your finger-” he began.

“-is from my marriage, yes,” Kat admitted. “However, I no longer have any association with that man I called my husband. Now I am merely Kat Crestshot, and I shall make my own way.” She walked away from Lawrence and towards the door of the cabin, looking out at Port Royal. “To start my own way I must sell this ring. It no longer has any importance to me, and quite frankly I need money. Hopefully I can get what I need and be on my way.”

Lawrence studied the woman facing away from him. There was something different about her, something that made Lawrence want to be even closer to her, to help her, to make sure she was alright, such as when he had rescued her from the ocean. She was unlike the fine women of Port Royal, the baggage of Tortuga, or the hard ones that occupied Padres del Fuego. She was somewhere in between. It was something completely new for Lawrence to see or experience.

“Would you like some help then, Ms. Crestshot?” Lawrence asked, wanting to spend more time with her.

Kat gave a small smile. “You can just call me Kat, Lawrence. And yes, if you know where there is a good jeweler that I can go to, it would be much obliged.”
Lawrence was about to respond when someone from outside the cabin yelled at him. “Oi, Lawrence, you done in there yet mate? We need to get everything unloaded!” Lawrence rolled his eyes and walked over to the door, yelling out of it. “I’ll be right there James, just hold it!” He turned back to Kat. “My apologies. I have to go. I can show you the way to Jeweler Smitty’s later though. Captain usually lets us have a bit of time on land to do what we want before we head back out.”

“Oh, of course, you have to do your work,” Kat replied. “Don’t worry; I’ll wait for you on the dock until you can show me.” She smiled at him once more as he walked away.

Once he had begun working, Kat went out onto the deck of the boat and down the ramp that lead her to the dock. She decided that she could look around a bit, explore what she could for the time being until Lawrence was ready to meet up with her. On the dock, she saw a man with blonde hair and a searching expression. Curious, she went over to him, wondering what could be causing such a look.

“Hello,” she said pleasantly as she walked up to the man. “Ahoy,” he said in return, eyeing her critically. He seemed to see what he wanted, because he motioned for her to come closer, away from the men of the ship. “You match the description of someone a Mr. Sparrow was telling me about. Tell me, you haven’t been in contact with him lately, have you?” He looked at her as if she already knew the answer.

So, Sparrow had gone ahead of her and warned this man of her. Apparently he had connections all over the Caribbean, and wanted to keep track of her. Before she would give this man an answer though…”Who wants to know?” she said defiantly.

The blonde man smiled. “Smart. Very good. I have nothing to hide. My name is Sam Seabones, an acquaintance of Mr. Jack Sparrow. He told me to keep watch for a little piece of flotsam he freed from a jail. Apparently he wants a bit of help with something and believes you’re the right one to grant him that help.”

“What does he want help with?” Kat asked. She had seen the favors Bo Beck and the people in the tavern had owed, and how that had affected them. Jack’s thumb is not something she was looking forward to being under.

The man shrugged at her answer. “With Jack Sparrow, I can’t be sure. He just asked me to pass along a message…that is, if you are said piece of flotsam from a jail.” He grinned, knowing how he was provoking her.

Provoking her he was. Kat crossed her arms and said, “Yes, Jack Sparrow did free me from jail. Now, what is his message?”

Sam brought his mouth close to her ear in a whisper. Kat was ready to shy away from his closeness, but knew she needed to hear this message. Who knows what would happen to her otherwise. “Go visit Tia Dalma,” he whispered above the noise the seamen were making around them by unloading the boat. “Apparently, he feels you have a need for her…special services.” He backed off.

Kat got closer to him again, knowing that this conversation would have to be kept quiet. “Where exactly would I find Tia Dalma?” she asked. “You’re aware that I just got here, yes? Can’t find my way at all.”

Sam sighed, as if this was a much larger job than he had asked for. He grasped her shoulders and turned her in the direction of the town. “Go that way, past the entrance to the fort and through the graveyard, into the entrance through the tree. That’s called King’s Run. It’s where you’ll find Tia Dalma…for now at least. She’s not exactly comfortable here on Port Royal, so you best get there quick, savvy?” Kat nodded her assent. Sam continued. “Oh, and while you’re passing through the graveyard, you wouldn’t mind killing two or so skeletons for me, will you? If you do, I’ll give you a pretty penny for it. You see, they’re an infestation to this island, and every little bit counts.”

Kill a skeleton? How do you kill a skeleton? How would she do that if it was already dead and buried? Then it occurred to her. Sam probably meant one of Jolly’s skeletons. Kat gulped. This was something she wasn’t looking forward to.

As she was contemplating her fate, she heard Lawrence’s voice calling to her. “Kat!” he called over the din of the men working. Sam Seabones let go of her shoulders with a whisper of, “Remember about the skeletons, aye?” before disappearing into town.

Lawrence ran up to her with a smile on his face. “Hey Kat, I’m going to be out of here in just a few more moments. Want to head to jeweler Smitty’s then?” Kat nodded and smiled weakly, making Lawrence worried. “Is everything alright? Did that man do something to you?” he asked venomously. She saw him searching the crowd for Sam.

“No Lawrence, no.” she said, putting her hand on his arm to calm him down. “Everything is fine. We were just having a friendly chat is all; you know, I told him it was my first time in Port Royal and he welcomed me. That sort of thing.” She smiled at him, stronger this time. He seemed pleased with that, brightening up a bit himself. “Ok, just let me know if something is bothering you, ok?” he said before getting back to work.

Soon enough, Lawrence finished unloading the ship and the captain said that the crew was free to do as they liked until morning. He walked up to where Kat was sitting on a box, lost in the thoughts of what she had to do. “You ready to go?” he asked her, offering his arm. Kat smiled at his gentlemanly behavior. It was so different than what her husband had always done. He had always done it because it was expected of him, but Lawrence seemed to do it just because he felt like it was an honor to offer his arm. Kat graciously took his arm and said, "That I am Lawrence. That I am.”

The two walked down the dock and into the town. Lawrence led her past the fort and a mansion on the hill to a walkway surrounded by small businesses and houses. There were some people in the street, like a gypsy making something in a pot, and an old, bent over man flipping a coin next to a grapevine. She smiled at the life the town had as Lawrence led her to a small tavern with the name “Royal Anchor” swinging in the wind above it. Lawrence looked at her sheepishly. “I was thinking that before I took you to jeweler Smitty, we could have a drink or a meal here at the Royal Anchor. I know the owner, and she’s very nice, and has some great food. Is that ok?”

At that moment, Kat’s stomach rumbled loudly. She blushed and said, “I suppose that’s my stomach’s way of telling me yes.” Lawrence chuckled at her and led her in through the doors of the tavern.

When they walked in, Kat was assaulted by the sound of a flute and a guitar playing a cheery song, and the chatter of a few men at a small round table playing cards. Lawrence led her over to the counter where a redheaded woman was standing chatting with a man in a uniform and sweeping behind the bar. Lawrence let go of her arm with a promise to be right back, leaving her standing next to the table playing cards.

“Hello Josie,” he said with a smile, walking up to the redhead behind the bar.

“Lawrence!” she cried, reaching over the counter to give him a short hug. “How have you been?” she asked him excitedly.

“Never better, Josie, never better,” he said with a large grin at her enthusiasm. Josie glanced behind him to where Kat was standing, paying attention to the game of cards going on. She smiled knowingly. “Could it have anything to do with that pretty girl over there Lawrence?” she asked, nodding her head in Kat’s direction.

Lawrence looked behind his shoulder at Kat, who wasn’t paying any attention to their conversation, absorbed in the card game. His eyes zoned out for a moment as he said, “Perhaps.”

Josie looked at him with a playful glint in her eye. “Well Lawrence,” she said, bringing him back to the present, “what is it you need?”

Lawrence continued looking at Kat as he said, “A few drinks and a meal Josie. And, perhaps, a room for the lady here.” He turned back to her with puppy dog eyes, the eyes that always got Josie to do what he wanted. Josie rolled her eyes at him. “The drinks and meal I can do, but the room I’ll do under one condition,” she told him.

“What would that be?” Lawrence asked, confused. It wasn’t like Josie to deny a patron a room.

“I get to meet her first you silly! Honestly, the horizon be as empty as your head.” She smacked him playfully in the side of the head. Lawrence grinned back at his old friend. Then he turned and called Kat over to the bar. She turned form the card game and walked over to Lawrence, nervous about meeting Josie, for reasons unknown. Maybe it was just her day to get embarrassed over everything.

As Kat walked up, Josie offered her hand. “Josie McReedy, owner of this establishment,” she said, cutting right to the chase. “You would be?” Kat put her hand out and shook with Josie. “I’m Kat Crestshot. It’s nice to meet you.”

“You as well Kat,” Josie replied. She glanced down at Kat’s left hand and saw the ring sparkling there. “Goodness Lawrence!” she cried, her hand flying to her heart. “Have you gone to get engaged and didn’t tell me?”

Kat quickly looked down at her left ring finger to see her wedding band sparkling back up again. She covered it up with her right hand. “No, um, no, that’s- that’s not from Lawrence,” she stammered. “Um…” she blushed profusely.

“I’m just helping Kat look for a place to sell it, that’s all Josie,” Lawrence said, equally embarrassed. “I haven’t gone and gotten engaged while I was away, don’t worry,” he told her. Josie looked relieved and a bit depressed at that. Lawrence deserved a nice girl, one who knew how to take care of herself as well, and Kat seemed to hold that standard. However, she would have been surprised to see Lawrence get engaged so quickly. He’d only been away for a few months, and as far as she knew, most of that time had been at sea, with the occasional port here and there.

“Very well then, Lawrence,” she said. “Now, how’s about that meal?”

Kat and Lawrence had a very nice time chatting during their meal. Lawrence laughed at her reaction when she tried rum for the first time. Kat then proceeded to smack him in the stomach, causing him to keel over in a mockery of pain. Overall, they had a very good time just talking and laughing with each other. To them, it felt like they hadn’t just met earlier in the day, when Lawrence had rescued her. They had an easy way, like they had known each other for years, just without knowing each others story.

After they finished eating, they left the tavern with a promise to Josie to return later, after they had bartered the ring. Lawrence led her out on his arm again and led her up a flight of steps outside to a small smattering of shops. He led her into a building with a picture of a ring hanging on the outside with the title “Smitty’s Jewelry Shoppe” underneath. They walked inside and met with Sarah, the business side of the shop.

Kat offered the ring to Sarah, watching her examine it closely with a magnifying glass to determine its worth. She eyed the diamonds embedded in the metal and ran her finger along the edges, as if looking for imperfections. When she finished examining it, she placed it on the counter and turned back to Kat and Lawrence. “Why are you selling this ring?” she asked. “It’s in a very fine condition, and it seems like you need it.” She looked pointedly at Lawrence.

Kat and Lawrence glanced at each other. “Oh, no, we’re not engaged,” Kat explained hurriedly for the second time that day. “Um, look, can you please just tell me how much I can get for it?” she asked, not wanting to go into detail about the situation.

Sarah looked down at the ring again. “Well, with the condition it’s in, and it’s in a rather fine condition, I can offer you…perhaps 50 gold for it,” she said.

“50 gold?” Lawrence asked incredulously. “That’s ridiculous. A ring like that should be at least 100.” Kat put her hand on Lawrence’s arm to try to calm him down a bit and get him to back off. She didn’t want him to make Sarah lower the price.

Sarah raised her eyebrows at Lawrence coolly. “Are you suggesting that my price is unreasonable?” she asked him with a businesslike air. Kat stepped in front of Lawrence, who seemed like he was about to argue and said, “He’s not saying that at all. However, perhaps you could raise the price a bit. I could use all the help I could get.” There she was, playing the poor card. Lawrence looked at her with a bit of admiration. It took guts to do that. He turned back to Sarah, who sighed.

“Perhaps I can increase it to 75,” she said, thinking. “But that is my last offer! The ring isn’t just-crafted, so I can’t offer what I would sell for a brand new one.”

“It is done then,” Kat agreed, shaking her hand. The pair got the gold from Sarah and made their way back to the Royal Anchor in the setting sun.

“Thank you for trying to defend me back there,” Kat said softly, still holding the bag of gold Sarah had given her. “In fact, thank you for everything you’ve done for me so far, starting with rescuing me.” Kat had been humbled by Lawrence’s action the past day. It made her realize that the world was different than the people always trying to get ahead, always thinking about themselves; the world she had grown up in as a high class lady.

“It is nothing, Kat,” Lawrence replied, just as softly. Their words were spoken in such a way that they seemed almost scared of someone hearing their conversation, even though there was nobody around. “I want to help you. It makes me feel good, like I’ve done something decent for someone who deserves it.”

Kat secretly believed that she didn’t deserve it, but she decided not to tell Lawrence that. “Well, thank you for everything Lawrence. Look, here’s something for you.” She opened up the bag and took out a few pieces of gold and put it in the palm of his hand. “For all of your trouble,” she told him. Lawrence looked down at the gold in his palm with disbelief.

“No, Kat, I can’t take this, there was no trouble,” he told her, dropping the coins back into the open bag. “You’re going to need that later, trust me. The Caribbean runs off of money. The less you have, the less you are.”

“Lawrence, I’m insisting you accept this!” she told him stubbornly. Why couldn’t she just give him the gold and he accept it? That’s what her husband would have done, and done it gladly.

Then it occurred to Kat again. Lawrence and Gregory weren’t the same person. That’s why she was so drawn to him in the first place. That’s why she felt no guilt in giving him money, no shame when she was close to him. It was the reason she felt like she could tell him anything, and he would just accept it. He wouldn’t criticize her about it or anything. He would just listen and be there, with no reservations. He could be noble enough to not accept something of importance, like money, because he felt that letting her have money was more important.

“Kat, I refuse to take this now,” he said, equally stubborn. “Perhaps later, when you have gotten further along on starting your own way, you can pay me back. But you need this now, more than I do. So,” he said, closing the bag tight with the drawstring. “Keep it.”

When he reached over to put the money back in the bag, Lawrence unknowingly got closer to her. He felt himself get even closer, as if drawn to her by a magnetic force. Kat felt the same attraction, and their lips almost touched before Kat closed her eyes and backed away.

“We should get back to Josie. She’s probably worried that we’ve taken so long,” she said softly, her eyes turned to the ground.

“Very well then,” Lawrence said, disappointed. He knew that the time wasn’t right though. Perhaps another time. He would get his chance someday. For now, he was content with leading Kat back to the Royal Anchor on his arm. For now, he could take her back to Josie and make sure she was well taken care of before he went back out to sea the next day.




Haha, Sam Seabones is one of my favorite characters. Can't explain why, but I felt the need to include him. Josie McReedy as well. Royal Anchor is one of my favorite places to hang out, and Josie and Captain Job keep my basic self busy a lot of the time.

Anyway, did you enjoy it? For any guys out there reading it, don't gag at Kat and Lawrence. I'm a girl, and a hopeless romantic, so if there was no romance in this story, it wouldn't qualify as one of my stories. Besides, we'll get to the action later. Course, I'm still writing those parts, so we'll see how this works....

So, constructive criticism is invited and welcomed into this whole party. Open invitation, bring your friends, the like...should have the next chapter up sometime next week.

Ok, I am way too tired, I should not be typing things that people should see, so I'm going to stop ranting now. Thanks for reading!

-Kat Crestshot

[Amelia Burnhawk]

Amazing story. And for the record, I don't mind the romance one bit.

[seafox]

...so, Crest.......when you get published and sell your first book(and I think if you haven't , ye could)....be sure you invite us to the rum party!!

[blaster54]

Wow this is cool!

[Kat Five Knives]

Wow Kat.. just.. wow!

[Crestshot]

Wow guys, thank you so much for the response for the last chapter! I am quite honestly astounded by it! I was going to wait to post this chapter until tomorrow or Thursday, but when I saw what everyone had posted...thank you so much. So, chapter 6!

Her Dance



The pair entered the Royal Anchor in silence, quite unlike the playful chatter they’d had going on when they had left. Josie noticed the change in demeanor and walked out from behind the bar to talk to them. She figured something had gone bad at jeweler Smitty’s. She’d had experience with Sarah firsthand, and knew the woman wasn’t the most approachable, or the most yielding.

“Welcome back,” she said, greeting them where they had sat in front of the fire. “Everything go alright with Jeweler Smitty up there? You got your money’s worth, right?” She was trying to get the pair to speak up. Their melancholy air was quite unnerving.

“Yes,” Kat replied softly, staring into the fire. She didn’t feel up to talking to Josie about what had happened at the moment.

Josie seemed to sense that this wasn’t the right time to pry. It would likely only make things worse for the girl. So, instead of delving into places she shouldn’t, she went over to the men playing music in the corner. She whispered something in their ears before going back to where Lawrence and Kat were sitting.

Lawrence was merely sitting there staring at Kat. He wanted to know so much, but he too was honed onto Kat’s emotions and just sat there quietly. While he stared at her, he admired her face in the firelight. Her profile was accentuated by the flickering light, and he admired the straight shape of her nose, her full lips, and the way her chin jutted out just a bit, as if she was challenging the world. He admired her long neck, and found his eyes drifting even more when both were startled by jumpy music being played in the corner by Sean Tones and Christopher Scott.

Josie came up to where the pair was trying to recover from the sudden burst of liveliness. “Come on and dance!” she told them, pulling them up. She was honestly trying to get them to wake up from the sudden melancholy. Lawrence shrugged and took Kat’s hand. “A dance for a poor sailor miss?” he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

Kat smiled at his antics. “I suppose I can spare a dance or two good sir,” she said playfully. The two walked out to the small, open area between the tables. Lawrence began dancing in a way that was completely foreign to Kat. It was a weird sort of jig where he spun around in a circle, tapping his toes and the heels of his feet. Kat looked at him strangely. “What are you doing?”

Lawrence stopped dancing and turned to Kat. “You can’t tell me you’ve never seen that before!” he said disbelievingly. “It’s got to be the most popular dance in the Caribbean!”

Kat rolled her eyes at him. “Lawrence, I'm brand new here. I don't know these things like you do.” Lawrence shook his head at her playfully. “Well then, I suppose I’m just going to have to teach you,” he grinned at her and started dancing again.

Kat scowled at him. “Lawrence, I don’t think that’s helping,” she told him, a bit annoyed. He grinned at her. “Can’t you watch and learn? Come on now, it’s merely step and tap and kick and tap.” He danced a little slower so that she could see what he was doing. Tentatively, Kat began to imitate Lawrence’s moves.

“Haha, there, you’ve got it!” Lawrence exclaimed. She spun about a little faster and moved her feet a bit quicker at his encouragement. Lawrence stopped dancing to watch her move. Kat was really getting into the dance now, smiling and spinning at an intense rate. Suddenly, she tripped, and began to fall over with a small yelp. Quickly, Lawrence reached out and caught her in his arms just before she hit the ground.

He grinned at her from where she lay in his arms. “Will I have to get used to rescuing you Kat?” he asked her playfully. Kat couldn’t speak from where she was positioned in his arms, terribly close to him again. Before she could do anything herself, however, she felt herself being righted and put back to balance on her own feet.

Lawrence had decided that he didn’t want to act upon his feelings at the moment. He sensed there was something in Kat’s past that wouldn’t let him get through all the way, not right now at least. If he had acted, things wouldn’t go the right way later, and for some reason, he wanted the opportunity for things to go the right way later. At this point, he held himself back, knowing that waiting was better. The turtle did beat the fox after all.

Lawrence took her hand. “How about you try that dance again…only, go a bit slower this time.” He gave her a smile, but Kat felt like he was holding something back. She knew though, like Josie and Lawrence himself, that now wasn’t the time to pry. She figured she could just enjoy herself for the time being before tomorrow, where everything would perhaps fall into place for her.

After she had gotten the hang of the jig, the music changed dramatically. It turned into a small ballad, not something to be dancing a jig to at all. The pair looked at each other oddly, and from the corner of his eye, Lawrence saw Josie wink at the musicians. So that was what was going on. Josie was trying to push the two of them together, making them dance and get closer. He sighed internally. He would have to fill her in later, if he had time.

Lawrence turned to Kat and offered his hand. “A final dance? This is probably more your style anyway,” he smiled. Kat took the offered hand and Lawrence pulled her in to him, putting his hand at her waist, with Kat placing her other hand lightly on his shoulder. Then, Lawrence began leading her through a slow, almost formal dance. He kept her closer to him than would usually be practiced in the high class parties of England, but Kat didn’t mind. The only people that could see them were the musicians and the smiling Josie from behind the bar.

The pair danced in silence for a few moments. Lawrence slowed them down and leaned to speak into Kat’s ear. “Kat, you know I’m leaving first thing tomorrow, yes?” he murmured breathily into her ear. Kat almost felt her knees buckle as his breath swept past her ear. “Yes,” she said just as quietly, nodding as well to show her confirmation.

Lawrence stopped their dancing. “I want to thank you Kat. This has been the most amazing day of my entire life.” He pulled away from her ear and looked her in the eyes. “Even with saving you,” he grinned.

Kat wasn’t completely getting what Lawrence was telling her. “Lawrence…you’re thanking me for your saving me?” she asked, confused. Being rescued isn’t something that’s commonly thanked for by the rescuer. In fact, the way she had seen it, it had always been a burden for the rescuer, not a shining light. Perhaps getting recognition is what would make the rescue better, but for Lawrence, there was some other happiness lighting up his face. It was just one more new experience for Kat that day.

He smiled at her and shook his head. “It’s almost like that Kat. It’s more like I’m thanking you for being here. I’m thanking you for walking into my life at this time when I felt like there was no purpose. Just thank you.” He pulled her into an embrace. Kat stiffened, her years of training in boarding and finishing schools kicking in. Then she figured that it didn’t mattered, and wrapped her arms around him as well, resting her head on his shoulder.

Josie looked upon the pair for a moment before turning away. This was their time, not hers. There’s no need for her to be a voyeur, intruding on something that was as peaceful as that. She stepped into the back room, the place where she slept at night, and considered the couple out in her bar. They looked so perfect together, but Josie knew that nothing would happen between them- not tonight anyway. Perhaps someday in the future, they could find each other again and find a way to beat the rest of the world together. Josie smiled a bit. She could definitely see them doing that. What a pair they would be, taking on the Caribbean side by side, with only the thoughts of the other’s safety. She chuckled a bit before setting her broom down in the corner and waited a decent amount of time before she intruded on Kat and Lawrence once more.

Back in the main room of the tavern, Kat and Lawrence finally broke apart. Lawrence stared at her almost sadly, as if trying to memorize her face. “I have to go now,” he told her in the same quiet voice as before. “I need to get some sleep before setting out tomorrow.” He glanced towards the back room where Josie was situated. “I arranged for a room here for you with Josie earlier. She’ll make sure you’re taken care of. Don’t worry about paying her though. I took care of that.”

Kat gave him a small glare. “Lawrence, you didn’t have to do that. I’m perfectly fine of taking care of myself. I can pay-” She stopped when Lawrence put one of his large hands over her mouth. “I told you not to worry about it. She knows your situation and she’ll take care of you accordingly.”

Kat moved his hand from her mouth and took it in her own. “How did you manage that anyway?” she asked, thinking she wouldn’t like the answer.

Lawrence smirked at her. “Let’s just say I owe Josie a favor or two now,” he said slyly. “Now shush, or I’ll never get out of here.” He took the hand that was holding his and brought it up to his lips. Gently, he brushed his lips across the back of her hand, the way a gentleman would. “Until next time Kat Crestshot,” he murmured against her hand.

“Until next time Lawrence,” she said, just as soft. He let go of her hand and it fell to her side. She watched him go into the back room to say goodbye to Josie and watched him come back out to walk through the front door of the tavern. As he opened the door, he glanced back at her, catching her staring at him. He shot her a smile and then he was off into the night.

Kat watched him leave while unconsciously rubbing the place he had kissed her hand. Josie had come out when Lawrence had left and saw the young woman standing there, staring at the door. She had seen what was between Lawrence and Kat, but decided not to say anything.

“Kat,” she called out, pulling the young woman out of her reverie. Kat turned around sharply to see Josie standing there. “I’ve got a room for you if you were planning on sleeping tonight,” Josie told her. She turned and walked to a door next to where the musicians had recently been, expecting Kat to follow. Tentatively, she did, pursuing Josie through the door and up the stairs that lead to a few small rooms. Josie was waiting at the end of the hall next to an open door.

When Kat reached her, Josie led her into the room. “This is yours for as long as you need it,” Josie told Kat, her arm sweeping across the small quarters. There was a single cot in the corner of the room, along with a mirror and a small desk next to it. There were a few drawers for clothes and such, but other than that, the room was very sparse. It was probably only 12 by 14 feet is what Kat was guessing, with a window on the wall at the foot of the bed. She nodded to herself. It would do for now. She had to get herself situated somehow.

Josie watched Kat eye the room critically. She got the feeling that it wasn’t at all what the girl was used to. However, she noted Kat’s nod and felt content with it. She was aware of how little Kat had, so she figured she could let her slide on payment for a few days while Kat got on her feet. Besides, she must have been blind to not see how captivated Lawrence was with her, and that added with Lawrence’s request to take care of her, Josie figured it her duty to her old friend.

Kat finally turned to Josie after her assessment of the room. “Thank you very much Josie. I can pay you now if you’d like…” Kat reached for the bag of gold in her jacket pocket. Josie leaned over before Kat could pull it out, pushing her hand gently away from the jacket opening.

“There’s no need to pay me Kat,” she said kindly. “I want to help you out, to get back on your feet. If providing a room is a small part of that, I’m glad to be of help.” Josie smiled at her. “Now, go ahead and sleep. After the day you’ve had, I’m sure you need some.” She backed out of the door and closed it behind her, leaving Kat in the room alone.

Kat sighed and felt her shoulders slump. She truly was tired. The drawers were right in front of her, so she took the gold and the chest out of her jacket and set it down in the top drawer. Her rusty little cutlass was unclipped from her belt and set on top of them, and Kat finally took of her thick coat and laid it over it all, closing the drawer with a small thud.

She walked over to the bed and sat down heavily. The bed wasn’t the most comfortable of things; It was a bit hard and lumpy, and the sheets were coarse, but it was something better than a hard floor in an alley somewhere on the island. Kat slipped off her boots and slid under the thin cover that was provided for a blanket. She tossed and turned restlessly until, finally, she fell asleep.



It's not really the most fun chapter in my opinion, but I like it well enough. Next chapter we get a little more on track with the game story, but I don't think that will last long. However, I'm still writing it, soo.....

Ok, so if you were tuned into this story before the previous chapter, new chapters will be coming slower than usual. I'm no longer on spring break, so I no longer have unlimited time to write. Also, I have a theater production coming up soon, so that makes even less time while we try and make everything perfect before opening. I will try my best to post once a week though. I think I'm too invested in this story to stop now.

Again, thank you so much for the review last chapter. Please, keep tuned in to this story, because it is going to get past the initial nooby Kat stage. Constructive criticism is welcome and actually invited. Thanks for reading!

-Kat Crestshot

[Amelia Burnhawk]

I absolutely loved this chapter. But honestly, Lawrence is clueless. Why can't he see that they have to be together or they will be miserable? Grr, that's my hopelessly romantic side talking. Either way, I loved it.

[Angel Stormwalker]

love the story should be made a movie can't wait for more