Ian Finn

Liam had me rowin' for wot seemed like hours. We went all th' way round Fort James an' jus' passed th' North Docks when I broke out th' bottle Mister Neede gave us back at his Inn. "Bluddy 'ell Ian, your makin' too much noise, goin' t' get us seen an' all," Liam said. "Mind yerself bruddah. You got me worked up a sweat ans I need a drink." "You'll get a drink when we get ashore," Liam growled. I huffed and stuffed the cork back in the bottle and stuck it in our bag. We passed the turtle crawles and wove our way around the big fat merchantmen waiting to unload by the warehouses. "YOU THERE!" called someone down to us. We heard a click and I thought it to be a musket. I ducked low 'tween the thwarts an' tried to row to th' crawles. Liam wanted to keep goin past them. Our boat spun in a circle wit' one of us rowin' one way and the other, the other. Liam punched me and pushed me off the seat. "Stay down you whoreson." I kicked him hard and he yelped. He kicked me back and we heard a shot go off. A small spray hit near the stern of the dinghy and Liam rowed faster towards Chocaleta Hole.

Wot does 'at taste like eh? Liam got hisself a bite last time we's in Port Royal, eh bruddah?

I pushed him of o' me. He put his finger t' his lips and waved his hand toward him. "Follah me bruddah," he whispered to me an' smiled. He led 's t the docks an' a small longboat jus' tied off. "Where we goin'? I asked 'im. He said we's t' take a look at the warehouse jus' north o' Fort Walker. "At night?" I ask'd him. He told me t' stop askin so many questions and pick up an' oar to get to rowin'.

Liam 'adn't bin gone long afore I noticed someone familiar. Dunno ifin he caught me as well. I 'member me 'is black eyes. Liam grabbed me shoulder an' pulled me out o' th' inn. I tried t' tell m' bruddah o' th' man at th' 'Neede. But Liam cut me off 'fore i could tell 'im. Once on th' road he told me o' Thomas' next plans f'r us. "BLOODY 'ELL LIAM! 'Ow in th' fek we gonna do 'at? THIRTY barrels??" Liam punched me an' told me' t' keep quiet. I punched him back an' 'e fell 'n th' dirt. He grabbed me arm when I jumped on 'im an' swung it behind m' back, rolled me over an' stuck my face hard 'n th' road. "Shut ye fekkin' mouth so I's c'n tell ye you stupid fek."

Thomas and Sully left me bruddah an' I but we followed. Thomas went behind the bar, but doesn't usually. We watch'd him an' Sully talk while they watch'd a funny dressed man an' a woman like a princess try to leave. Liam pull'd out 'is knife an' stuck 't up 'is sleeve. I watched 'im an' shook my head no. He kept it there just th' same an' walked up to th' bar. I felt for me pistol in me back an' mov'd th' handle for me t' grab quickly. We wait'd an' watch'd.

We made our way through the streets o Port Royal, shared the last bottle o rum in th' rain as we approached the establishment of Thomas Neede. Me bruddah yanked open the door an in we slogged makin' our way to our table o choice near th' fire. Liam and I slung our soaked coats off and hung 'em near by ta dry, ignorin' th' looks by who else were in th' place. Checked over our pistols an' swords before settin' ta see when Thomas or Sully might come a callin' fer us. Bunch o th' regulars were there an' some new faces that looked lost an' outta place in this den of thieves.

Me brudah sent m' ah note that Port Royal may open 'gain. Tha 'ooligans are 'n. Wot say you bruddah?

Ian and Liam were handed a list of names and several coins. Ian continued to hold his hand out even after Thomas had completed the transaction. Mister Neede dropped a few more into his hand and then finally relinquished the small leather pouch. "You have a fortnight to return." Both brothers smiled and Liam slapped Ian on the back. "Aye Mister Neede, you'll see 's again."

Aye bruddah, Mister Neede have not want of us. We c'n a'ways find 's a bit o' work fer Miss Nell eh?

YAAAARRRRR!!!!! We was out celebratin so din't see this til now! Tanks muchly lass!!! Woohoo!!!, ah, er, AArrgghh!!! Keep da Guiness flowin now!!!

Weeeeeellll... Since ye be 'back' in bi'ness... mebbee me n' m'bruddah c'n gives ye some 'bi'ness'.

The two brothers sat for a few moments drinking and eating from plates that were for once, not stolen. Ian leaned in closer to Liam, "Wot y' tink? C'n we git o'er 'n 'im?" "Nay," said Liam, "'e may b' th' 'nly way yew dinnot 'nd 'p back 'n th' gaol." Liam smacked his brother across the head. Ian scowled at him, but then broke into a smile.

Aye. Free drinks. 'lways seems t' get me brudder an' I inta trouble there.

Me an' me bruddah been nearly trown outta one yarn. Dunno if'n we b' 'llowed 'n 'nother.

Darkness enveloped the outskirts of town as Liam and Ian polished off the last of the several bottles that they had graciously removed from the back of some unnamed inn. "Wot now?" Ian asked. "Since I 'ad t' spend our las' shilling on yer arse, y' need t' figger out wheer t' refill tha' coin purse o' ours," Liam shot back. They sat on the wharf for a moment longer looking for their victim. At this hour not many were about, and those that were had already spent their last. "D' we need t' slip aboard one o' them beauties," Ian asked as he pointed his hand around the bottle towards the large numbers of merchants and privateers in the harbor. "Mebbe. Too much werk ifin ye be askin' me though." "Less go fer a walk Liam. I saw a pub boarded up o'er by th' North end o' th docks. Mebbe somethin' we could sell an 'all 'n there." "Aye," Liam agreed. The rum hadn't been as potent as those found in the inns by the docks and both men agreed it must have been small beer and not the liquor of their choosing. The moonlight danced on the harbor and soon they found their way to the old ordinary that had been boarded up. "Word 's a new mate 'as taken o'er this 'ere pub. 'e won't mind 's 'elpin' t' clean out th' old stores eh Liam?" Liam laughed and helped Ian pry the lumber barring the entrance to the back door.

Ian scurried through the hole. The dust settling, he looks back and can only hear the Captain calling out to him. Ian doesn't quit running until he feels his heart about to burst through his chest. He lept over a low wall and found himself in the graveyard behind the old church. He tried to breathe silently waiting for the approaching footsteps from the guard. But there were none. He peered over a headstone and even in the dark could see the dust still surrounding the prison, but no one following him. He waited a moment more and then headed west along the water until he could see the lanterns at Fort Morgan. Ian turned north and weaved his way through the narrow alleys until he found himself back at the docks on the north side of Port Royal. He was exhausted and thirsty.

I snickered. "Well Cap'n less' jus' say should 'n occasion arise, an' tha' ifin my bruddah does 's he says he gonna do, 'n should fekkin' do, tha' arsehole, an' yerself makes way t' tha' lovely wife o' yers, less jus' say ya owe 's one." I squinted at the Captain, but with the dark light in the cells, I couldn't see him. I heard the chains rattle as it sounded like he stood.

Heh, 2 bottles of Alcohol, eh Captain P.E.W.

Erupting in laughter, I stammer between breaths, "A fekkin' pyrate eh?" The sullen Captain kept his head low. "Dinnot mean t' b' so mean t' ye, bu' yer ship innit fit fer a pyrate." The man didn't move. "An' fer killin' a man, ifin I b' caught fer all th' killin' I'da done, I' b' 'n th' hanged, tarred, an 'n th' gibbet by now." Just then, the main door to the jail swung open and the guard came through and banged hard on the cell doors. "QUIET DOWN NOW YOU," he snarled at me. I spat on the floor just in front of his boots. A slightly toothless smile emerged from my face. He scowled and drew his pistol, drawing a bead on me. "Yer not worth the lead." He withdrew the pistol from the bars and looked into the Captain's cell, and tried to rattle the cage. Slowly he inspected the rest, and closed the main door behind him. "Me? I'm no' guilty o' course," I said. A slight smile caught on the edges of the Captain's face.

Looks lyke we're back jus' 'n time, eh Cap'n?

The noise awoke me from as deep a slumber as I could get on the rat eaten excuse for straw and wool. A man in chains was tossed in a cell nearest me and he banged for some time. "Fer fek's sake man, wot 're ye 'n about?" I yelled at him. The man looked up and his face was familiar. "Well bloody fekkin' 'ell. Yer th' Cap'n tha' picked 'p me 'n me bruddah from th' storm some time back. Wot brings ye t' th' palace 'ere?"

What seemed like hours passed before a a figure appeared over the rail, "Lash yourselves to the chains," the voice yelled over the increasing wind. "We have slipped our mooring. Make way as best ye can." I leaned forward of the bow as Liam pulled as best he could to catch the ship. With a stretch, I was able to grab ahold of the chains long enough for Liam to scamper to the bow and climb to the deck. I soon followed and turned back to see the small cutter get caught by a wave and turned over. We climbed over the rail to be greeted by two men with their hands on their swords and a taller man with a black beard clutching his hat upon his head. He leaned in to us and put forth his hand, "Andrew March, First Lieutenant of The Archangel." "Gentlemen," he sweeps his hand towards the door leading away from the maindeck. Liam and I shakes his hand and follow one of the men into the large room. The leading sailor draws his cutlass and turn about. "Stop," he says bruskly. Liam and I look at each other. With rough hands we are felt down for any weapons. A loud thud happens when the hands find my dagger and then Liam's. The lieutenant stands in front of us and narrows his gaze, "Can't be too careful around here you know." "Aye" replies my brother. "What are your names gentlemen?" I put my hand out to shake the officer's hand, "Ryan, Ryan McHinney, this 'ere's my bruddah James." The lieutenant returns the shake and asks, "what finds you men out on a godforsaken night like this?" Liam and I spoke at the same time, but I continued, "We booked pass'ge 'n th' Mah-lee-na, but she made way 'fore we could g't aboard. We 'were tryin' t' get aboard 'er." The lieutenant clasped his hands behind his back as the sailor lowered his sword. Liam spoke up, "Ifin ye could get 's near 'er, we'd try t' make 'r way t' 'er then."

Huh. I thought 'twas late night. Midnight+, 'r 'm I way off? C'n we 'ave a "check-in" for char's and posts today? Liam an' I 're 'n a small cutter on th' way t' La Maligna. Th' storm forced 's t' th' Archangel jus' leaving port. So f'r us: Mid-harbour; late night, early morn.

The wind began to howl as we sighted the La Maligna. The smaller craft at the wharf had begun to bang around their moorings. The larger ships had begun to sway, but not as bad as the smaller. We ran down to the docks and persuaded a small cutter to remove itself form the docks. "We'll surely g't bl'wn o'er," Liam says to me. "Aye. Keep low an' we'll drag th' oars 's best we c'n. Take th' tiller an' get 's close to 'er." Liam hunched over closer to me as I had been yelling since the wind had drowned out what noise was possible to hear. The waves in the harbor overran our cutter repeatedly with it's white caps. More than once, we were sure to go under.