Prologue 

'How had he ended up like this?!' was the first thought James Alligood had as he stood back to back with a pirate fighting off the crew of the renowned and feared Black Beared. By the king's beard he was a bloody officer for the British navy, low ranking sure but that hardly mattered in this situation. 'So how did I end up here?' he thinks as he looks back to his companion and the one who had gotten them into this mess. Her short black hair brushed against his back as he could see her scowling fiercely at the surrounding thugs. A far cry from the woman he had met all those months before…

A Washed up Sailor 

New Providence 1717

 New providence, a small settlement in the Caribbean known for one thing above all else, being a safe haven for all the worst dregs of the seven seas. ‘And somehow I ended up here.’ is all I can think. This could perhaps be considered the worst possible fate for someone like me, afterall any number of these thieving fools would relish the chance to slit clean the throat of an officer of King James Royal Navy, something which I regrettably happened to be. Now you may be asking yourself how I ended up here of all places…

Well I'm not so sure myself. One second I'm on my commander's ship enjoying a nice break with a bottle of wine, suddenly there's a crash and the next thing I know I'm standing Infront of a run down bar on an island filled with the exact type of people I am usually fighting. With a sigh I pushed open the door to the small town’s bar. As I enter I can see all the inhabitants' eyes move to me and I find myself cringing slightly before I glide over towards the bar to take a seat. The bartender himself is a fairly gruff and unsavory looking man with a scar over his left eye. “What’ll ya have?.” he asks in a voice I consider most unpleasant. I think for a second before answering. “Wine if you have.” I speak in a soft voice. The man as well as everyone else in the establishment just stare at me “ain’t no wine here lad. Only beer and rum around these parts.” he says as he grabs an arguably filthy cup and places it down in front of me filling it with rum. I stare at it for a moment in barely concealed disgust before sighing and bringing it to my lips. 

 The taste alone nearly makes me barf. But I managed to stomach it and get a few gulps down before placing it back on the wooden counter. The man stares at me with a knowing smirk. “You ain't from around these parts are you lad?” he asks, already knowing the answer. 

“I guess you could say that” I answer as I look down into my drink. I can see him chuckle as he goes to flimsily clean a mug that had been left two seats down from my own.

 “Well allow me to give you a tip lad. Remember to follow the code while you’re here and others will do the same.”. he answers with a dry chuckle the glass he was cleaning is now hanging on a rack to dry.

“The code?” I ask confused before realizing that perhaps that wasn't the best thing to say. He stops chuckling looking at me with curiosity. “You must really be new to Nassau to not know the code. Say lad where did you say you were from?” he asks as others in the bar turn, curious it seems, to hear my answer. I pause before speaking trying to think of an answer that wont get me skewered by a pirates blade. After all i couldn’t very well admit to who I truly was and expect

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to live longer than a few seconds.

"The colonies sir." I lie as I finally finish my sad excuse for a drink. "How much for the drink?" I ask hoping to change the subject. 

The man notices and, perhaps seeing my discomfort, decides to humor me. "Usually it'd be three shillings but I'll make it one for you lad" he says smirking down at me. 

"Thank you for your kindness" I quietly reply bringing out the coin to hand to the man. Hopping to change the subject I begin to speak "I was wondering. How much does it cost to gain passage on a ship to the colonies?" I inquire

He pauses for a second "if you really plan on heading there it's best you head to the other side of Nassau. No ships here will be heading to the colonies anytime soon." 

I sigh defeatedly realizing that my stay here will certainly be longer than I expected. "Thank you for the advice Mr…" I pause, realizing I had never gotten his name. 

"Rolando is the name lad." He says with a chuckle, seeming to realize the reason behind my pause.

I held my hand out to him to shake "well it was a pleasure to meet you Rolando. You may call me James." I say. After only a second pause he grabs my hand, shaking it firmly with the strength only such a large man could posses. 

As soon as we finish our shaking of hands I step away from the counter training away from Roland I say "Well it has certainly been fun speaking with you but I must be on my way. I can only hope we meet again." 

As I make my way towards the establishments exit I find myself bumping into another sending us both crashing to the ground. As I slowly get my bearing I find all noise within the bar has stopped and not only that but there is a sword at my throat! I look up and my breath catches in my throat. In Front of me stands a woman who can't be more than 5 feet and 7 inches in height. Hair as black as ink flows down her shoulders as two emerald eyes stare into my own. Her face surprisingly clear of the blemishes a pirate's life would incur stares down at me annoyance clearly etched along it.

I shake my head trying to regain my bearings ``um mam I'd much appreciate it if you could remove your blade from it's placement along my throat." I say as she stares down at me unimpressed. 

"And if I don't?" She asks her accent a strange mix of Spanish and English. She stares down at me almost as if begging me to give her a reason to run me through.

"Well then I'd much be forced to respond with well… force." I say trying not to give her the satisfaction of seeing me squirm.

All is silent for a moment as she looks at me before a smirk grows across her face and she lifts me to my feet saying "Heh you've got some balls of steel, been a long time since anybody ever stood up to me like that. What's your name mate?" She asks as I look towards her stunned for a second at this turn of events. 

"James…" I say after a short pause. "James Aligood" I answer as I pat off the dust from my clothes. 

"Well it's a pleasure to meet ya Jamesy." She says almost seeming to purposefully get my name wrong.

I look towards her annoyance clear on my face "it's James." I begin "and I'd appreciate it if you used my proper name." I say with a slight annoyed growl as she just chuckles stepping away from me and back over towards the bar. "Oh Come on now Jamesy, why not live a little. Or are you really ready to attack little old me over a nickname?" She asks with a smirk and a raised eyebrow. 

With a sigh I let it go. After all she is correct, I can't risk a confrontation when I'm this deep in enemy territory, who knows what these savages would do to me if they knew I was a soldier of the king of the English Empire. "Very well" I begin as I turn to leave though before I can get very far her voice once more rings out behind me "now hold on just a minute!". As she speaks I turn with a sigh knowing I'm unlikely to like what it is she is about to say. "Since I ended up knocking you over why not join little old me for a drink?" She asks giving me what I can only assume is either meant to be a flirtatious or annoying smirk. 

Well whichever it is supposed to be it certainly succeeds in being annoying as I release a tired breath and concede to her request. "Very well" I say not realizing just what this simple

meeting would eventually lead to…