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Crestshot 05-21-2010 12:22 AM

The Scathed
 
Ok, ladies and gents, pirate lads and lasses, it is time for the continuation of the Story of Kat Crestshot. Here, get ready for adventure, excitement, and the dash of something else....

If you have not read the first part of this story, it is highly recommended that you go to that first. Here's the link:
Her Beginning

If you are returning to the story (because of how much you are drawn to the awesomeness), welcome back! It's good to have you here. I'm hoping this next part of the story meets your expectations. With that, we shall continue. I present the newest chapter in Kat's journey.

(Please note: While this is in the POTCO universe, there are some things that have been changed around or enhanced for a better story experience. For instance, Wildwoods is more wild, not just a large clearing with trees on the side. Thank you.)

An Old Friend

:Coin::Coin::Coin::Coin::Coin:

Kat Crestshot made her way into Wildwoods on the island of Tortuga in the Caribbean. She was just looking for some skeletons to kill. It was a slow day in the Caribbean. She almost wished she could go sailing for a while just to break the monotony, but her poor little sloop was being repaired. Kat would have done it herself this time, like she usually did, but, unfortunately she had annoyed the wrong enemy ship last time she was out at sea, so this time repairs had to be done by O’malley and his crew due to the extent of the damage. For now, she was staying in King’s Arm on Tortuga beach. So she wandered around for a while with her pistol out, shooting at a few skeletons that crossed her path. It was good target practice at least.

She came to a small clearing in the dense foliage upon a gathering of skeletons. With a grin, she raised her pistol, aiming for the one nearest her, when she saw a flash of red hair in the center of the group. Skeletons don’t have red hair, so there must be a person in there, she thought. She put her pistol away and drew her cutlass instead, feeling it would be better suited. With her pistol, a shot may stray, hitting whoever was trapped in the group of skeletons.

Kat snuck behind a tree close to the skeletons, close enough to hear the excited grunts and mutters of Jolly Roger’s servants. “This one will be easy,” one of them laughed evilly. “Yah,” grunted another. “Which part should we tear off first, the arm or the leg?” The skeletons hooted gleefully. Kat snuck behind them gracefully and without warning, she slashed through the first one! It fell to the ground in a green glow and its comrades turned towards her.

There was a lot more than she had originally anticipated. Oh well, all the more fun for her. She grinned and then began her carnage, cutting off this one’s head and stabbing through that one’s chest. The person who had been in the center of the mob began helping her as well, drawing an old cutlass. It was clear from his fighting style he hadn’t honed his skills the way she had. He still took down two or three of the skeletons by himself though. They finished with the group quickly.

After the glowing had stopped, Kat turned towards the man who had been in the center of the circle. When she saw who it was, she took a step backwards in shock. “Lawrence?” she asked, astounded.

“Kat,” he said wearily, smiling at her. His eyes then rolled into his head and he crumpled to the ground.

“Lawrence!” Kat cried out, diving towards him. She examined him and noticed a gaping wound on his leg that was dripping blood profusely. Her hand touched it and came away covered in the sticky substance. She gasped. There was a strip of cloth that was stuffed in her jacket that she kept for instances like this. She grabbed the band and wrapped his leg. When that was finished, she reached into another section of her coat to grab a tonic that Fabiola the gypsy kept her well stocked on, knowing well Kat’s tendency to get into trouble. Kat tipped one of the more powerful ones into Lawrence’s mouth, hoping it would go down.

Lawrence spluttered for a moment, but the liquid went into his system. He lay still again, but Kat wasn’t worried this time. It took time for the tonics to work. This one should begin working in just a few minutes, so Kat waited rather impatiently for it to take hold of Lawrence’s body.

While she waited, she studied Lawrence, having not seen him in months. There was something different about him. He seemed thinner and his hair was more scraggly than it had been. His clothes were worn and torn, which wasn’t all that odd to see in the Caribbean, but it looked like they had been exposed to more than just sea and storms. It almost- she hated to say it, but it almost looked like they had tried to be torn from his body.

Before she could study him further, Lawrence’s eyes fluttered open. They wandered for a moment before focusing on her face. His mouth quirked up slightly in a faint smile. “I must be dreaming…” he murmured.

“No, Lawrence, it’s really me,” she told him softly. His eyes began closing again. Kat smacked his face lightly, desperate for him to not fall back into unconsciousness. “Lawrence. Lawrence, wake up!” she told him. His eyes shot back open, focusing on her immediately. The tonic must be taking effect.

“Kat!” he cried, trying to get up. He hissed in pain and grabbed his leg, falling back onto the leafy ground. Kat sat with him where he lay, clutching his tied wound.

“Are you alright?” she asked him, concerned. He still gripped his leg, but he grinned stiffly up at her. “Nothing that won’t heal, Kat,” he replied. She offered her hand to him and hauled him up. He stood unsteadily on his good leg for a moment and tried to put weight on his bad one, but it shot right back up into the air.

“Do you want to try heading back to town?” she asked him. “I don’t want to be around here if more skeletons show.” It wouldn’t be hard for her to defeat them- the skeletons that roamed this area were very poor fighters- but she was worried about Lawrence. If more skeletons were to show, they would likely gang up on him, being weak as he was at the moment.

Lawrence nodded his consent, so Kat wrapped her arm around his shoulders. He did the same, and the two slowly made their way for the town of Tortuga. Kat pulled her pistol from its holster, much to the alarm of Lawrence. She noticed the expression. “Just in case,” she told him, loading the tri-barreled weapon.

Thankfully, there wasn’t too much disturbance on the way back. There was only a skeleton or two that tried approaching them, who Kat dispatched of quickly. Her aim was a little off because of supporting Lawrence, but it was still pretty dead on, and none of the skeletons escaped more than two of her shots.

They finally made it out of the Wildwoods and back to the King’s Arm. Kat sat Lawrence down at one of the tables and went to go talk to Johnny McVane, the owner of the tavern. While she was gone, Lawrence mulled over his thoughts. The trip back had taken a lot of energy out of him, more than he had expected. He was usually much stronger than that. His face reddened slightly at the thought of Kat carrying him through the forest. Last time he had seen her, she had been much more awkward, not nearly as steady on her sea legs. Now, though- now she was better than he was. She had grown a lot in the months that had been separated. He continued these thoughts in that direction while he was alone.

Meanwhile, Kat was at the counter talking with McVane.

“Come on McVane, I just need one more room,” she argued with him.

“For the amount you’re paying now, Crestshot? No way,” he told her. “I’ve got other patrons, and only a few rooms. I can’t afford it!”

Kat huffed in frustration. Johnny was usually very accommodating of her needs. He had provided her with a room immediately when her Cutthroat Wolf was put in for repairs. She had begun to think he was a nice man in his own right, despite how rough the Caribbean was.

What Kat didn’t realize is the reason Johnny always treated her so well was because of how well she paid. She was rather naïve that way. Every time she was in port, she visited King’s Arm, preferring it over the more rowdy Faithful Bride. He was always at her beck and call, listening for the jingle of coins when Kat was in town. Because of his brilliant service, Kat kept coming back and tipped well. It was a cycle they both liked.

Now, though, Johnny was putting his foot down. Kat was trying to get him to give her an extra room for free, while she still paid for her one. The King’s Arm was booked, and he wouldn’t get rid of a paying customer for Kat any day of the week.

Kat decided to try and work it from a different angle. “What if I pay for half price of the extra room while still paying in full for mine?” she tried to persuade him. McVane shook his head, his red ponytail flopping everywhere.

“I’ve got other customers, Kat!” he said angrily. “I won’t be kicking them out just because you don’t want to pay!”

“Want to pay?” Kat said incredulously. “Johnny, I can’t pay. I can’t afford the full price of two rooms!”

“Aw, you’re full of it Kat,” McVane said, waving his hands at her. “Everyone in the whole bloody Caribbean knows you’re loaded, they just don’t know where you keep it all.”

Kat had to smile internally at that. It was the truth, though she wasn’t about to admit that to him. She was very good at what she did. Her money was kept in various locations in this sea, just in case one of the others was found or used up. The Tortuga stash, though, was running low. Repairs for her Wolf cost quite a bit, not to mention paying for other expenses on the side, like her room here or ammunition for her pistol.

Kat began arguing with McVane again. “Do you remember that little sloop out there, Johnny? The one that’s completely shattered and broken? The one that’s mine?” she snapped. “It takes more than a little gold to pay for repairs that extensive. I seriously can’t afford another room!”

“Then you don’t get one,” Johnny said, crossing his arms. Kat realized that this was his final word on the subject. She sighed.

“He’ll have to stay in the room with me, then,” she said with resignation.

McVane couldn’t resist chuckling at her. “Oh really, Kat? Is that how this is going to be?”

Kat scowled at him. “No, that is not how it is going to be, McVane,” she told him darkly. “He’s just… an old friend.” She looked over at where Lawrence was sitting. Yes, old friend indeed.

McVane seemed pleased enough with this answer, but was still gruff. “Well, what you keep in your room is your business. So long as I get my room back in one piece, it doesn’t bother me.”

Kat nodded at him. “Don’t worry, Johnny. We won’t be killing each other or anything up there.” She left and walked over to Lawrence. McVane shook his head at the women’s back. Hmph, old friend his right foot. She may be good at what she did, but in some instances, she truly was stupid and naïve. The thought then fled his mind as a new patron walked in, and his demeanor changed to that of a friendly bartender.

Kat approached Lawrence, who was still immersed in his thoughts. “How is the leg feeling?” she asked him.

Lawrence looked up at the face of the beauty. “It’s feeling much better now, thank you,” he replied. Kat sat down in a seat next to him. The pair was silent for a moment.

“Well, I suppose this makes us even,” Lawrence said to break the silence. Kat looked at him in confusion. He gave a small smile.

“Remember the last time we saw each other?” he explained. “You tried to give me money you had just gotten from selling your ring as payment for saving your life.” He paused, seemingly lost in the memory. “And I wouldn’t take it. I told you later, once you had made your own way, that you could pay me back.” His mouth turned to a small frown. “I suppose you’ve paid me back quite adequately now,” he murmured.

Kat recalled all of what Lawrence had explained. How could she possibly forget? That time with him marked the beginning of her life in the Caribbean. There was also the fact that he had saved her of course. Lawrence was a man she never could forget. Even if she had never seen him again, she had made a connection with him that was unlike any she had ever experienced, or, as fate knew it, would experience again.

Kat took his hand that was resting on the table in her own. “Nothing will repay what you did for me Lawrence,” she told him. “One life does not equal another, nor does one experience make another cancel out.” She looked him straight in the eye and spoke. “Those hours you gave me a few months ago will always be special to me. Just because I’m helping you out doesn’t mean that I forget how much you’ve helped me.”

The pair held eye contact for a moment, hazel eyes locked on green. Kat felt a fluttering of something inside of her, but she pushed it back down. It scared her, that feeling. She was so used to closing herself off from everyone and everything else, so why not this as well? The feeling went under the surface and into the depths, and Kat drew her eyes away from his.

Lawrence had felt it too, but unlike her, he embraced it. He didn’t know what it was, but he knew that he had nothing to fear from it. For a brief moment, he entertained the idea of voicing it, but something in Kat’s eyes shut down, and they left his. Lawrence felt dejected at the sight. He remembered telling himself all those months ago that he would find the right time to be with her. For what, he didn’t know. The time hadn’t been right then, and it apparently wasn’t right now either.

Kat released his hand and stood up. “I talked to Johnny McVane over at the bar to inquire about a room for you, but he said it wasn’t possible. That being the case, we’ll have to room…together.” She said the last part hesitantly. Not all of her previous lifestyle had left her when she turned to pirating, and the fine lady in her cringed at the thought of having to room with a man that was not her betrothed. The Kat side of her, though, said it was for necessity and overpowered the Lady Katherine.

“It’s on the second floor,” she continued. “Would you like to go up there now to see it? Do you think your leg can handle it?” she asked, not wanting to push him.

Lawrence flexed his leg a little. There was still a sharp wince of pain from the wound, but he felt the leg as a whole would support him now. “Yes, I believe I can walk up a few stairs,” he said, standing up. He took a chance to put part of his weight on the leg. It throbbed, but it didn’t buckle. Ah, how he loved the fast working tonics the gypsies of the Caribbean made.

Kat was apparently satisfied with his state, so she motioned for him to follow her. They passed through the door at the back of the bar that led to a flight of stairs. Lawrence followed slowly, careful not to put too much strength on his bad leg. He used the wall on either side of him to brace himself as he limped upwards.

Kat waited for him at the top of the steps. She felt a twinge of guilt at not being able to help him, but the steps were so narrow that the most she would be able to do would be to haul him up while walking backwards. So she waited patiently for him as he made his way up.

When he finally made it to the top, he was huffing. “Who knew that blood loss would make everything so difficult?” he asked jokingly. Kat gave a shrug and waited for him to recover. “Come on, my room is this way,” she said after he had regained some of his breath. They walked down the hallway past two other small rooms and into her own. It was tiny, with only a small bed, chair, and a set of drawers. Kat turned towards Lawrence a little shamefaced.

“It’s not a lot, but it’s only temporary,” she explained. “My ship is in for repairs, and I usually stay on there.”

Lawrence examined the room, not critically, but just acceptingly. “Don’t worry, it’s fine,” he told her.

Awkwardness was permeating through the room. “You should lay down,” she muttered. “You know, rest your leg.” Lawrence agreed and sat down on the bed. “Thank you so much for everything, Kat,” he said gratefully.

Kat smiled at him lightly. “It is nothing,” she replied. “Now, just sleep.” She sat down in the chair and watched as he stretched himself out on the bed. Lawrence yawned and closed his eyes to the sight of Kat staring at him. He was comforted by the fact that an angel was watching over him as he slept.

:Coin::Coin::Coin::Coin::Coin:

Lawrence is back! Haha, I know some of you like him, so, ya know...just for you guys. Nah, I'm just kidding, it was in the outline all along. But you guys can pretend...you know....

Ok then, new story, new reviews, yah? How 'bout it mates? Constructive criticism is welcome always. Also, this is how posting is going to go- Every Thursday is posting day. If I'm off, don't hesitate to PM me or post on here asking, "Hey, where's the story, huh?" I am in the middle of writing the fourth chapter for this though, so that shouldn't happen for awhile, if ever (hopefully).

Ok then mates, that's it for my rambling. Thanks for reading!

-Kat Crestshot

seafox 05-21-2010 01:07 AM

OMgosh Crest...I love this one....all of them..darn it....waiting for the next one is sooooo hard...

Ropeburn 05-21-2010 01:27 AM

NICE!!!! LAWRENCE IS BACK! -waffles *--------* -

Juliana Maria 05-21-2010 03:08 AM

I love how you keep putting off the obvious romantic interest here. It definitely keeps me reading. I love how those little moments you go, 'They are sooo gonna finally say something right now!' and then they do the opposite and (as kat did) kind of shove off the feeling for now. It's torturous but effective. It will build the relationship much nicer this way. Keep up the good work Kat! I'm LOVING it!!!! :D

Crestshot 05-28-2010 03:45 AM

Lawrence Mcrage
 
Ok mates, here's the newest chapter of The Scathed. You all liked the last chapter, huh? :pirate6: Thanks for the reviews mates, they warm my little heart. Not too much commentary today, so I'll just take you to....

Lawrence Mcrage

:Coin::Coin::Coin::Coin::Coin:

“Here, take him!”
“Captain, what are you doing?!”
“You blasted little thief! I hope you rot in that cell Mcrage!”
“You...you did this to me!”
“He’s a liar, Captain. I am always loyal to you.”
“I will find you…and when I do, you’re going to wish you had never done this…”


Lawrence awoke. He sighed. Why did that have to pop into his sub consciousness? He ran a hand through his tangled hair. That was the last confrontation he wanted running through his mind. He turned his head, expecting Kat to be sitting in the chair, where she had been when he had fallen asleep.

She wasn’t there.

Lawrence shot up in the hard bed. Where had she gone? He scrambled out of the bed and grabbed his cutlass from where it lay on the ground. As he walked out the door, he clipped it around his waist. He was still limping slightly, but the pain wasn’t as excruciating as it had been before his sleep.

Downstairs, he found Kat sitting at the bar, sipping from a cup. Lawrence exhaled in relief at the sight of her. To be honest, he didn’t know why he had reacted in such a manner, but he was glad to see her. He gimped over to her and plopped down in the empty seat on her left side. “Hello,” he said.

Kat glanced at the man next to her. “Good evening,” she replied in greeting. She took a sip of her drink without looking at him. Rather, she looked straight at the wall.

“What is that you’re drinking?” he asked, trying to engage her in conversation. For some reason, she seemed very distant tonight.

She smirked at the wall. “Rum,” she told him. At this, she finally looked at him. “After you introduced me to it, I got the taste for it.” She turned back to the wall and began sipping her drink again.

After a time, Kat said, “So, did you enjoy your nap? Is your leg feeling better?” Her words were rather detached because of the rum in her system, but Lawrence could hear the warmth behind them.

“My leg is feeling much better, Kat, thank you,” he replied. “It practically feels brand new!”

Kat smiled. “Fabiola’s tonics work wonders. That woman is magic, she is.” She gave a low chuckle. The two then grew silent once more, Kat just sipping her drink and Lawrence watching her from the corner of his eye.

After a few moments, Kat broke the silence. “What happened to you Lawrence?” she asked softly, so softly that Lawrence wondered if it was actually directed towards him or just a passing thought. He knew it was the former when she continued speaking. “This is a pirate town, made for misfits and vagabonds, not someone like you. What happened?” Her voice sounded sad.

For the first time, Lawrence’s face darkened. He recalled the dream he’d just had. “It’s not exactly a short story, Kat,” he told her callously.

Kat noticed the change in his tone and felt a flicker of alarm. “Well, we’ve got some time,” she said. “C’mon, grab a bottle of rum and you can tell me.” She began calling Johnny over.

“Oi, Johnny!” she bellowed out to him. He turned from where he was on the far side of the bar. “What is it now, Kat?” he called back, not leaving his spot.

“Why don’t you come over here and find out you daft bloke!” she teased him. Johnny rushed over to her with anger in his step.

“Do you mind holding it with the insults, Kat?” he seethed. “That’s a brand new visitor, and I wanted to make something along the lines of a good impression.”

“Oh please Johnny,” she said, waving his concerns away. “This is a pirate town. He should be expecting anything and everything and a little bit of the impossible, you know?”

Johnny just hmphed. “Well, what do ya need then?” he asked as politely as he could through clenched teeth.

Kat smiled impishly at his reaction. Sometimes Johnny was far too easy and too fun to provoke. “One bottle of rum for my friend here Johnny, if you please,” she said mockingly. McVane grumbled while he grabbed a bottle from under the counter. “Here,” he muttered and held out his palm. Kat placed a few coins in his hand, and he walked away smiling, in a much better mood due to the jingling in his pocket.

Lawrence popped open his drink and took a long swig from it. Kat did the same and set the bottle down with a clunk. “So,” she said, looking him directly in the eyes. “Story time.”

Lawrence looked away from her stare and took another long drink. “Alright then,” he said. “But I’m telling you, it won’t be a fun story.” Kat stayed silent and mentally braced herself. Lawrence began.

“Well, I suppose that it starts after I left you in Port Royal. When I got back to the ship that night, I got in trouble with the captain. Marcus had let it leak that I had been in to see you and had given you new clothes.” He glanced at her. “I see they’ve held up well.” He gave a small, sad smile and continued with his story.

“Well, Marcus worded it in a way that made it seem like I had tricked him into letting me see you. He said that I had made him leave his post by telling him something of his was gone, so he supposedly left to go find it immediately, which is when I came in. When he had come back, I had been exiting the cabin, or so that’s what he told the captain.

“Marcus got in a little trouble for shirking his duties, but he’s been on that ship for a long time, so the captain trusted him. I, on the other hand, was rather new. I had only been on the ship for a few weeks, so I did not have his trust.” He paused, remembering that day, then spoke softly. “He gave me lashings for that, lashings I did not deserve. What is worse is that I received them at the hand of Marcus.” He was staring straight at the wall now, absorbed in his story. It was as if Kat wasn’t even there anymore. He was back on that ship, engaged in those same activities, trapped behind the whip.

“After that, things stayed pretty normal for a while, but the captain and the rest of the crew still resented me. The fact that I had accepted you so easily made them uneasy due to their superstitions. I did the best work I possibly did though, and never complained, hoping I could work myself back into their good graces. Nothing worked…once you get a bad reputation, you don’t lose it.

“We ported in Padres del Fuego about a month ago. Rough place, Padres. Only the insane and the desperate stay on the volcanic rock, but they pay good money for goods brought. Anyway, while we were docked there, a few crew members and I went to a tavern for some drinks and cards. I sat apart from them, playing poker with some local blokes and drinking some rum of my own. We were doing just fine, joking and having a good time, and for once, I didn’t have to worry about being ridiculed by those around me. It wasn’t long, though, before one of my crewmates sat down and bought his way into the game. So, we began playing.

“We played a few hands, and my crewmate began taunting me as I played, probably hoping to throw me off my game. He’d drank more than a few bottles of rum and I’m sure some other alcohol that night, so I tried ignoring him, knowing know good would come from engaging in his words. He was insistent though, and when I didn’t respond, he just got angry, but kept playing, trying to keep the hateful words going.

“A final hand came up and my crewmate was overjoyed with it. The bets went in, the flop, the turn, the river were drawn, and my crewmate and I were raising like crazy. All of the other players had folded long before, not wanting to get in the middle of the battle of wills that was going on. Finally the crewmate ran out of money to put in the pot, so both of our hands were shown. His eyes gleamed greedily, because he was sure he was going to win. I could see in them that he felt he had bested me, and for some reason, that made him feel victorious. Yes, I suppose bringing the lowest person on the ship a few notches lower would do that to a person,” Lawrence sighed bitterly.

“On the table was a three of hearts, six of clubs, four of hearts, two of hearts, and king of hearts, in that order. My crewmate arrogantly showed his Ace of hearts and two of spades; it was the flush with the high card. He was confident that he would clean me out without any issues.

“My hand was shown. It was the five of hearts and the six of hearts. I had gotten the straight flush, beating out my crewmate easily.

“To say he was furious would likely be an understatement. He accused me of cheating and made the dealer check the rest of the card deck for doubles of any cards, hoping he could corner me. None were found, and I took the pot, which was quite a bit of money, fair and square.

“I turned my back on him, taking all of my winnings and trying to get as much of it into my pockets as possible. When I tried to leave, he spoke to me again, insulting me. I turned back around, ready to face up to his insults, ready to tell him that I didn’t care if he was mad that he had lost. Then he began insulting everything else: My family, my heritage…you. They had seen how we had interacted last time so they belittled me for it.

“My fists clenched in anger. He saw this and his eyes darkened. I didn’t see it coming, but he took one of his own burly fists and clocked me across the face with it. We began fighting, and it wasn’t soon before he had the upper hand. He pinned me to the ground and insulted me some more, calling me…well, things you can’t really say in polite company. That made me even angrier, so I flipped him over and began pummeling every part of him I could reach. Unfortunately, that was when the captain decided to come in.

“He pulled me off of him and my…crewmate,” he spat the word, “was black and blue. My gold had fallen from my pockets all over the floor, and it sparkled up at me as glitters of rage. People were picking it up and stuffing it into their own pockets, but I didn’t care at that moment. It wasn’t until later that I realized I had lost all of my gold that night, and my pride was broken with it. Captain threw me into the brig for the rest of the night, and my crewmate got the gold I had won from him back. That night, my life was almost completely broken, but I still had something. I was still alive and I still technically had a job on the ship, even though it was mostly grunt work.

“All of that was lost about a week or two ago. I was working on the deck, fixing a cannon, when the captain stormed up to me and took me by the neck. He accused me of stealing precious items from his private quarters, such as a compass and some jewelry. My crewmate from the poker incident shared the same sleeping area as I and he had stolen the items and placed them with my things so, if it was discovered the items were stolen, I would get in trouble in place of him.

“Well, I did get in a lot of trouble for that. I was locked up in the brig of the ship until we ported. The captain said I was too much trouble and he couldn’t have me tainting the rest of his crew. We docked back in Padres a few days ago and I was tossed roughly into a cell to much jeering from the rest of the crew. However, I wasn’t there for more than a few hours before I noticed another jail mate escaping by kicking the door out. When he left, I tried it myself and found that it worked quite well. I escaped the prison and ran to the docks, hoping I could find a ride somewhere off of that mess of an island. There was a bloke there who said he would help me out and stowed me away on a Navy ship headed in the direction of Tortuga. He said he’d be willing to help me out because he’d heard of me the last time I was in Padres.

“While aboard the Navy ship, I was stuck in the hold for two days before one of the men found me. I remember a shout of surprise waking me from where I had been hiding. The one who had found me grabbed me and shoved me onto the deck into the bright sunlight.

“The captain examined me closely. His face was cold and unfeeling as he declared I would go overboard. I was lucky that Tortuga was in sight and close enough to swim to, otherwise I’d be floating at the bottom of the Caribbean right now. They grouped up on me and threw me overboard, and I was once more subjected to jeering as I swam for shore. I was almost killed when I walked onto shore by some rowdy, drunk men. It was then I realized I’d need something of my own to fight with, but I ran away from that one. I didn’t have anything and surely would have been sliced to ribbons by the rather sharp looking dagger the man held in his hand. There’s a blacksmith in town-you probably know him-who gave me a free, but crude, cutlass. I was just exploring the island earlier when those skeletons jumped me. You came then and…well, you know the story from there.”

Lawrence took a long drink in the silence that followed his story. Then he spoke softly once more. “Mcrage,” he nearly whispered. “That’s the name they gave me after the poker game. That’s what the crew called me, and that’s what that man at the dock had called me. He helped me because he knew me by my name. That’s one more thing I need to tell you, Kat.” He finally turned to look at her. Hard green eyes stared into her hazel ones. “I am no longer merely Lawrence anymore. My name is Lawrence Mcrage.”

:Coin::Coin::Coin::Coin::Coin:

Well, kind of a Lawrence-centric chapter there, but it was necessary. Constructive criticism is welcome (please)! Thank you again for the reviews that came last chapter for this new section of the story! I'm going to have a hand drawn picture of Lawrence posted on my profile sometime tomorrow, so go check it out! Next chapter is posted next week on Thursday again! Thanks for reading!

-Kat Crestshot

seafox 05-28-2010 04:08 AM

whewwww.....I was holding my breath for poor Lawrence....what's the saying....what doesn't kill you will make you stronger...goes for both of them...

hmmm....now that they both have been rock-bottom theres no where to go but up...should be an interesting journey....gj Kat...:)

Bubba Bunny x 05-28-2010 05:32 PM

To tell you the truth, I didnt really like the first chapter :O Idk what it is about it that I didnt like, guess I will have to re-read it and find out... But the second chapter was really great :D Especially the ending, its a perfect drop off... Btw, isn't that the name of one of your pirates in the game? ;)

Nate Swordwalker 05-28-2010 07:10 PM

Awesome job Kat! I love it!

Can't wait until the next chapter!

Crestshot 06-04-2010 07:37 AM

Persuasion
 
Well....it's still Thursday in California, right? :mybadki6: :ziwyvs: Sorry if you're finding this a little later than usual...I've had computer, timing, and writing issues. But this chapter is here now, so I present to you...

Persuasion

:Coin::Coin::Coin::Coin::Coin:

Lawrence finished his story in the rowdiness of the King’s Arm, but to him and Kat, there was a bubble of silence. Kat was still absorbing the story while Lawrence sat and downed his rum, still stewing over the memories that had been brought up. They both just sat, ignoring the pirate town surrounding them.

Finally, Kat spoke up. “Lawrence…” she began hesitantly. “I honestly don’t know what to say. I mean, what they did to you…it’s unforgivable.”

“Yes, Kat,” he responded softly. “Betrayal tends to be unforgivable.” He guzzled down some more rum, his eyes cold and dark as they stared at the wall. Kat almost shuddered. She was glad those looks were not directed at her. With those eyes, his face was completely different. She could see where he had gotten the name Mcrage.

Kat reached over and put her hand on his arm, trying to be comforting. “But look now, Lawrence. Now you are free to do what you want to do, not listen to some stuffy, conceited captain! Think about it Lawrence- Freedom.”

Lawrence pulled his hand away gruffly. “What freedom? I have nothing. You can’t be free if you have no way to stay that way.”

Kat grimaced, hesitant about continuing. “There’s another route, Lawrence,” she said delicately. “There’s pirating. That…that is freedom.”

Lawrence snorted. “There is no freedom in ruthless destruction, Kat. Only death,” he said harshly. He stared angrily at the wall, as if it had done these wrongs to him, as if it had given him no other choice.

“Lawrence, look at me,” Kat said softly. He continued to glare at the wall. Kat felt her own flame of annoyance. “Look at me!” she all but shouted. The people surrounding them fell silent and stared at the pair. Lawrence snapped his head towards Kat crossly. They didn’t even notice the crowd staring at them; they were so absorbed in their own world. At the look on his face, though, the crowd moved to different corners of the tavern, not wanting to get in the middle of the tension between the two scathed. They knew a rager when they saw one.

Lawrence’s eyes shot to hers and Kat saw the fire burning behind them. Rather than backing away from the heat, Kat moved closer to him, knowing that she could get burned.

“That’s only what you think you know, Lawrence. Change what you know! Change how you are! Change how people all over the world see pirates as nothing more than nuisance!” she said venomously.

Lawrence just grimaced. “Being a merchant is all I’ve ever known in these waters Kat. How do you expect me to change that?” he said mockingly.

Kat sighed. “Lawrence, just because you’ve only known one thing doesn’t mean you can’t change. I mean, look at me!” she said encouragingly. “I was a Lady before coming here, and now I’m one of the best pirates in these waters!”

Lawrence was silent, but then Kat heard a faint chuckle coming from his chest. “You were a Lady, Kat,” he said softly, with a small, sad smile of his own. Much of the fire had disappeared from his eyes, but there was still a steady burn under the surface, one that would likely stay for a long time.

“You had it all,” he murmured. “I ask you the same question then; what happened to you?”

“I ran out of options,” she replied shortly. “It seems to me that the same has happened to you.”

“Pirating isn’t all about destruction and treasure you know,” she said lightly. Lawrence looked up curiously at this. Kat noticed the interest and continued with fervor. “We’re fighting a battle, mate. Every single pirate needs to fight for their freedom. The people of the Caribbean need to stay free from the Navy, the EITC…from Jolly Roger and those bloody skeletons in Wildwoods. The gold,” she smirked, “is just a perk.”

At stared at his features. Even with all that he had been through in the past few months, he was still light. There was still innocence to him that Kat felt she was breaking with her words, and the actions that he would partake in if he did join the cause.

“I witnessed corruption and greed of a high kind while still in England. Nothing was done though, because 'that’s the way things were,'” she spat. “Well, the way things are is wrong,” she spoke with venom. “Think about it Lawrence-our actions here will affect everyone in the Caribbean, which affects England, which affects their colonies all over the world. The world, Lawrence,” she emphasized. “We can free the entire world.”

“So, Lawrence Mcrage, are you willing to be a pawn that’s easily replaced in this game of power, or are you willing to be your own person, and make sure everyone else is able to be what they want as well?” she asked him. “Are you willing to be a pirate for the freedom? Are you willing to join our ranks and make it so everyone has the right to be free?”

Lawrence thought for a moment. It was like the pirates were fighters-freedom fighters. He had never thought of the pirates as warriors with something to lose. To him, they had always been villains and knaves that haunted waters all over the world. They were evil creatures, with grimy clothes and greedy minds. He looked at Kat. She fit none of the criteria that he expected. She was beautiful, smart, resourceful, brave…he could continue his list until the end of time. To top it all off, she was fighting for freedom, not greed. He could join what she believed in, not all of his misconstrued facts.

“Aye,” he finally said in a whisper. Then stronger, “Yes, I will join the fight. I will join for my freedom and for the freedom of the world.” And yours, he thought longingly. Neither of them were ready to act on their flutters.”

Kat smiled at him, but her eyes were hard. She had thought he would join after her persuading words, but something in her was wrenched at his agreement. He was going to become so different because of this, but she knew it was necessary. Jolly Roger was growing stronger and had taken many of their pirates for his own. Many others were taken to privateering for the Navy and the EITC, killing and capturing pirates they had once plundered and drank rum with on the shores of the Caribbean.

She sighed, as if resigning herself to his fate. “Very well then,” she said. “If you’re to turn to pirating, there are a few things I’ll have to explain to you…”

She continued to explain Jolly Roger (“He’s a dangerous bloke, not one to be messed with, and he holds a grudge. He’s been after Jack Sparrow for years, but somehow the wiley git gets away time after time.”), The Code (“Don’t shoot any living person, not even a pirate that gets on your last nerve. Skeletons and animals are fine, but if you’re to go after a Navy or EITC like blundering idiot and shooting them up, someone will find out and someone will come after you.”), and all other aspects of pirating, like the profit.

Lawrence was a patient and attentive listener, wanting to do the best he could. This may not be the path he had initially chosen for himself, but he was going to make the best he could for himself from it. He would not make a foolish mistake by tangling with the wrong person or perform an action that could not be taken back. Freedom was his gift, even if he didn’t quite see it like that right now. He would keep this and make sure he was good.

Finally, Kat finished with her explanations. The party that was the King’s Arm had wound down some. Kat glanced down at her empty bottle of rum and yawned. “It’s time for bed,” she said sleepily. She tossed some coins down on the bar for Johnny and then made her way up the stairs. Lawrence followed, his limp having receded even more.

Kat threw open the door to the room, expecting to be able to just throw herself in bed like she usually did. Then Lawrence came and followed her into the room and she remembered why she couldn’t do that-there was only one bed. Suddenly, Kat was much more conscious.

“Um…I’ll just stay down in the bar for the night,” she said quickly and tried to rush out of the room. Lawrence grabbed her arm as she passed by him, pulling her back into the quarters.

“Kat, I’m not kicking you out of your own rooms,” he said. “You go lie down in that bed and get some rest. My nap earlier covered my sleep for the day.” He pushed her gently towards the bed and she moved to it uncertainly.

“You’re sure Lawrence?” she asked. She felt a little guilty. After all, it had been she that had pressed for him to share the room with her.

“I’m sure, Kat,” he responded with a smile. “I’ll just rest myself in this chair here. Don’t worry.” He plopped down into the wooden chair and rested his head back as if it were the most comfortable thing in the world. Kat took this as a sign to crawl into her own sleep space. She closed her eyes and tried to relax, and Lawrence blew out the candle lighting the room.

Not more than ten minutes later, she heard a “Woh!” and a thump come from the dark room. She sat up quickly, immediately becoming more attentive. “Lawrence?” she called into the darkness.

“Down here,” he groaned. His words came from the cold wooden floor. Kat looked over the side of the bed at Lawrence in the white moonlight shining through the tiny window. He was crumpled on the floor, rubbing the top of his head where he had hit it on the drawers.

Kat sighed. “Lawrence, get up here,” she ordered irritably.

“What? No, Kat, I’m fi-”

“You are not fine,” she interrupted. “Trust me, I know how uncomfortable that chair is. You’re not going to get any rest of any sort. So get on this bed.”

“But Kat, I-”

“Now,” Kat insisted. Lawrence resigned himself to the fact that Kat would not give up and picked himself up off the floor. If he was being honest, he didn’t mind sharing the space, but he didn’t want to make Kat uncomfortable. She seemed to have no qualms about it though, so he crawled in next to her.

Kat shifted more towards the wall, further away from him. She may have cared for his well being, but the Katherine that still resided was screaming at her.

“Goodnight Lawrence,” she murmured away from him, at the wall.

“Goodnight Kat,” Lawrence replied. Goodnight my Angel.

:Coin::Coin::Coin::Coin::Coin:

So....yah. You all can make your own little assumptions and what not. To be quite honest, I don't really like this chapter myself...but I couldn't figure out any other way to write it. Ah well, I'm happier with the upcoming chapters anyway.

To answer BBX's question- Yes, Lawrence Mcrage is the name of one of my in-game characters. I also want to thank you for being honest about not liking my first chapter of this story.

So, anyways mates, again, I'm sorry about this being out a bit late. Thank you for all of the reviews though! It warms me little mixed up pirate heart...along with the rum, haha! Next chapter is Thursday the 11th! Thanks for reading!

-Kat Crestshot

Nate Swordwalker 06-04-2010 08:27 AM

Sweetness Kat! I had been waiting! Looks great. I agree with you, there is something I don't like about this chapter, but I can't put my finger on it.

Looking forward to the next one!

Juliana Maria 06-04-2010 03:31 PM

Well, this definitely is one of the most difficult chapters to write. I personally think that writing about a character's transition from common person to pirate is one of the most difficult things to explain when writing about pirates. It's hard to explain the mind set that is necessary and the reasoning behind their decision. I think it's especially difficult to have one character convince the other.

Now I will admit this is not one of my favorite chapters. I believe a few changes to the dialogue would have made it flow better.. but considering the difficulty of the chapter to begin with, I think you did a very good job. Although the conversation was a bit awkward, you still described the emotion and the mood of the situation quite vividly. And I believe your ability to portray that with such detail definitely enhances the chapter overall.

Ropeburn 06-05-2010 08:22 PM

I have to agree with maria, it wasnt ur best i didnt feel that i was sucked in the story thouth so i give it a 3/5 :)

seafox 06-05-2010 09:37 PM

Well, of course, it would be me who has to disagree....I enjoy the tension between the two, and how you showed, once again, Kats resolve and determination...I can see her thrusting her chin out and climbing up on her soapbox....reforming the Caribbean...heh,,freedom fighters,,loved it..

I agree with Jules bout the transformation of Lawrence...very difficult to create the layers and carry em through...but I know you can.

I think when I try to put my finger on what's off to some is the lack of action,,but if ye were to read them back to back,,,its quite nice...and the drop of action is natural as action caused Lawrences condition which makes the inaction reasonable...ahhhh , i'll hesh now...GJ! :)

Bubba Bunny x 06-06-2010 01:10 AM

It didnt seem that bad, although the part that Lawerence gave in so easy didnt agree with me. You cant make someone change, thats my motto.

KeeperOfTheCode 06-06-2010 03:51 AM

Finally got around to reading them all... Very interesting what you've done here. Bit lengthy per chapter for my taste. Hope you don't mind just a little criticism, aye? You have so many critics who look only at the good parts... I think that your suspense style is ok, but maybe you could work a little foreshadowing of some kind into the next chapter?


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