Chapter 1. Old Flames and It's Competence

It was often very quiet at this time of day on this part of land of Ireland. Dusk was always a time where you could take a walk and enjoy the peace of the evening. The sky was painted a magnificent shade of orange. It was a perfect evening. Yet there was some sort of commotion going on at the local pub. It wasn't unusual for the men of the southern isles to gather at the pub to have a drink and relax for a while. But this night was different. Men were shouting, there was one man standing by the fireplace who was inciting all the ruckus. He was nearly seven feet tall, smoke black hair and had a thick Welsh accent, and acted in a wild rebellious manner.

 "How dare they! How dare they hang Bellamy. For crimes of piracy? The only crime ol' Bellamy committed was for the time he accidentally set aflame the governor's little house down by the river. A slight mishap if you ask me." The crowd started to chuckle. They were all amused by what had happened that day. "But John, if I do remember correctly, didn't you have something to do with that little incident?" A woman who was sitting at a table nearby had spoken up. She had a thick Scottish accent, short brown hair and a certain attitude that was well known in this town. "Perhaps you recall telling Bellamy to wait for you by the river as he was touting all that gunpowder he had so gracefully acquired for you from Rodger's estate?"

 John turned and gave the woman a glare. "Why yes, my dear Annie, I do remember. I remember telling him to wait for me by the river and not to try to steal his entire house." All he had to do was to stay by the river. Not sneak back in and set his estate on fire!" Annie got up and walked over to John and crossed her arms; as if to challenge him. "He had to hide for three years just to avoid prosecution. You are lucky no one saw that you too were involved. Otherwise, it might as well be you that Rodger's would've hung." Jack snorted at her remark. "Rodger has been looking for a reason to hang me for years. I'm sure he'll get around to it one of these days."

 The crowd roared with laughter. "That'll be the day, John." One man shouted. "Sure, right after Rodgers and his mate Barnett gets finished with their tea, you salty old pirate." Another man shouted. 

"Me a pirate?" exclaimed John. "I take offense to that remark,  I am nothing more than a disgruntled businessman trying to receive my fair share." Annie laughed and shook her head. "Well on account that you practically steal everything that isn't yours and have that nasty little brand on your arm that only pirates from the southern isle bare, I dare would say that you are." Chimed Annie. John rolled his eyes and went to sit down at a table by the fireplace. "I have earned my keep fairly, it's Barnett that has forgotten that." 

 "Oh, I haven't forgotten about you, John." The whole pub went silent. A small group of men walked in; Royal privateers. 

The leader, who had spoken up was Johnathan Barnett. Governor's Rogers highest ranking officer. 

He scoured the room with his piercing blue eyes. He then took off his gloves and handed them to one of his men and walked up to John. "Yes John, there will come a day when you and every last pirate in the Southern Isles are finally hung for their crimes. And unfortunately for you, just like your friend Bellamy." 

John held back a nasty retort. You could see the anger in his eyes. Barnett gave a little smirk before turning to address the entire pub. "Piracy is a crime punishable by death. No man; Nor woman.." He added as he gave a look towards Annie. "Shall be spared. That is of course if some of us in here have a change of heart tonight." Barnett then reached into his coat and pulled out a notice and waved it in the air. "This shall be your only warning. Anyone who is engaged in piracy shall be hung by the neck until they are dead." Barnett gave a small chuckle as he pinned the notice above the fireplace. "Unless you brave souls prefer to be shot on sight." Barnett looked at John and smiled. " Is that something you can understand, John?" John remained silent, yet still seething with anger.

 Barnett then turned his attention to Annie. "And what about you?" It would be a shame to see a beautiful young lady like yourself get mixed up in all of this now." Annie stood her ground and looked Barnett in the eye. "Don't worry about me, Barnett. I can take care of myself. And I don't need the protection from any man. Especially from the likes of you."

 Barnett stood there amused with himself for a moment. He finally then leaned a bit closer to Annie and whispered so no one else could hear. "That's very interesting my lady, we shall see about that." Barnett then turned towards the door and motioned his men to follow him. Before exiting, he stopped to take a drink from a bottle that was on a table by the door. He then turned to walk towards where John was sitting across from the fireplace. "You know, Rum used to be Bellemy's favorite drink."  Barnett admitted as he reached John. " He would ask for some while inside his cell every night." He inspected the bottle in his hand before taking a big swig. "Please Barnett, Please let me have a drink. " Barnett said in a mocking way. After another rather large swallow, he started to chuckle to himself as if he had just remembered a rather humorous joke. "Well, he would cry about it a lot. I've never seen a man so desperate for a drink." Barnett took another swig before continuing. "Poor b*****d." Barnett went on through his chuckling. "His son will go throughout this world lost with his father around." His chuckling stopped and he now had a more serious look on his face. "Well, these things seem to happen all the time now don't they John?" John just stared into the fire with a saddened expression. Seemingly satisfied with himself, he then threw the bottle into the fireplace and then added. "Have a pleasant evening." Barnett turned to leave. Chuckling to himself once more once he walked past Annie.

"What a pompous jerk! Said Annie. In the corner, John was still staring into the fireplace. The light glowed brilliantly across his face. Annie had walked over to join him. "It's a wonder what happened to Barnett." Annie said quietly. John continued to stare at the flames. "You two used to be so close.." John angrily knocked over his drink, spilling rum onto the floor. "He made his choice, and I made mine." John said. Annie seemed lost for words. " I still don't understand." She said. John let out a sigh and drank from his bottle. "Now's not the time for it?" she asked, annoyed that she didn't receive a response. John watched as the shadow of Annie grew smaller as she walked away. "The time will come, love." john said quietly to himself. 

Some time had past since the encounter between John and Barnett. The majority of the crowd from the pub had gone home for the night, leaving John, Annie, and a few others still lingering at the pub. 

"You know I wish we'd go sailing soon again." a man said. Around the horn, down to ole Porica and catch us a few hens." The man started laughing which quickly turned into a nasty cough. Annie gave him a nasty look and replied. " If it's hens you want Marco, why don't you take a walk down the pine street and give a shout to ones laid up in there? I'm sure they've forgiven you from your last visit." Marco's coughing turned into a loud wheeze as he tried to get a hold of himself. He shot a knowing look at Annie, locking eyes with her before they both burst out with laughter.

John was pacing the floor, flipping a coin in the air. He wore a worried look upon his face. 

"No, If we we go there, Barnett will be right behind us, waiting for us to slip up." John's reply brought a curious look upon everyone's face. "Well that's never stopped you before." replied Marco. "You're usually at the helm right about now, waiting for the crew finish readying up the ship."

Annie had gotten up and walked other to where John was standing, putting her hand on his shoulder and giving a smug smile before addressing Marco. "By the way Marco, did you ever replace that old tattered topsail that John asked you to do?" John gave a stern look towards Marco. Marco froze. His eyes darted around the room for a few seconds before he rose from his chair. "Well I believe it's getting a bit late, I'd better get some rest. I suppose we'll have ourselves a big day tomorrow." Marco rushed to the door, his heavyset coat jingling in the process. "No, I guess you didn't huh?" said Annie with a giggle.

John gave out a small chuckle. "No!" he teased Annie's thick Scottish accent. Annie gave John a hard playful shove that nearly knocked him over. Annie may look like a small woman but she was much stronger than she looked. John continued to chuckle "My stars Annie, I know better than to take on the likes of you" Annie placed her hands on her hips satisfied with his response "And ya best not forget it."

John and Annie left the pub and walked together in the chilly night.

"Perhaps it is time to ready the crew and go out and see what there is to see." John said smiling at Annie. 

"To Porica?" Annie asked? There was a slight hint of excitement in her voice. "We'll start in Porica." John decided. "I miss the old place. Besides, I know how much the whole crew simply loves it there." John added. John could see that the news had gotten her excited.  There was a bit more of a skip in her step.

John and Annie reached the end of the road where they usually depart for the night after a night of drinking with the crew. John turned to Annie and nodded her goodnight " Rest up my dear, we've got a big day ahead of us. "Night Capt'n." Annie said with a smug smile on her face and humor in her eyes. She turned and hurried off to her dwelling, now in a full skip in her walk. John leaned against a tree and watch her go. The event of what happened earlier that night rushed back into his mind. Troubling him once more. He knew he should head home himself in order to get some rest. But with so much on his mind he decided to continue his walk to clear his mind.

John walked along the docks alone, thinking back on the days of his youth. He thought about the good times he and Bellemy had. It brought a smile to his face. All those times Bellemy, Barnett, and himself used to run around the southern isles; getting into trouble, running from the authorities. He wished that things could have stayed the same. Things seemed more simple back then. 

As he walked along he heard a commotion coming from the alley across the street. Suddenly becoming curious he crossed the street in order to see what was going on. 

An older man was on the ground of the alley covering his head while two of Rodger's men were kicking him against his pleas to stop. It didn't take very long before John had seen enough. "You filth!" John exclaimed as he rushed the two men in order to come to the defense of the old man. John knocked one of them over before proceeding to fight the other. The skirmish had alerted three more officers who were nearby who then came to the aid of the others and quickly apprehended John. John felt a punch to the gut that knocked the wind from him. Struggling to catch his breath, the officers apprehended him and dragged him to a nearby shed. " You filthy dogs!" John continued to shout at them as they forced him into a chair and tied him up. "Rodgers must be proud eh? Proud of his men attacking the elderly and harmless. While you're at it why don't you pay your mums a visit? I'm sure she'd appreciate a bit of your warm hospitalit-."  John was cut off as someone struck him in the face. John heard a c**k and end of a pistol press against his cheek. John regained his bearings from the blow before looking up to meet the eyes of his assailant. It was Barnett.

"Leave us" Barnett said to his men without taking his eyes off of John.  All the men filed out of the room with the last one softly closing the door behind him. A few seconds passed before Barnett slowly lowered his pistol, his stare still fixated on John. "I often wonder about you y'know." John started. " How you can fall for everything Rodgers says like a little- Barnett struck John again. He had put a bit more force behind this one. "I do as what is instructed by my superiors." Barnett said promptly. "I have learned long ago that instruction leads a man towards obedience. Obedience is a matter of saying yes to the right men when they give you the opportunity to prove your worth towards a greater cause." "And what cause is that? John said wincing in pain, not looking up at Barnett. Barnett smiled.

"As you know, Rodgers approached me long ago to give me some guidance while I was going through my troubled youth. He shaped me into the man I am today. Ready to lead men into action, to bring forth justice to those who reign terror onto our communities. To strive to be an example for future generations. To be strict but fair. He gave me a sense of pride and accomplishment in doing so. A responsibly that I ask of all the men in the Southern lsles to follow. But I'm not sure you have any idea of what responsibility is. John continued to stare at the ground. " John, look at me"  Said Barnett as he reached out to grab John by the chin, forcing him to look up." We all have a propose in this life, but we must learn to follow in order to lead, no?" Barnett laughed as he forcibly shook John's head up and down in agreement. " Bellemy would be proud. His body is barely cold and you already come to your senses." John ripped his head away from Barnett, knocking himself over in the process. " Obedience is the key to your salvation John." Barnett said as he turn to walk out the door. "I can only hope that you learn it soon."

Two men came in and took John outside. After cutting the rope that bound him they slung him down a hill into a pool of mud that sat at the bottom. "Stay out of our way next time you knobcock." one of them shouted.

John sat up and wiped the mud from his eyes and mouth, ready to fight again. But the two men had already left. Defeated, John made his way to his home. Covered in mud, he entered and proceed to change into a cleaner attire. He fell onto his bed more tired than he allowed himself to actually realize. Within a few moments he had fallen asleep. Tomorrow he and his crew was off to Porica. For what laid ahead he was going to need all the help he could get.