Sea Captain

I am Captain Isabella Montenegro. I am the first pirate in my family’s history. As a child I was taught that women had to be well mannered, respectful, and quiet unless spoken to. I believed it was the way I was meant to live, being respectful and such. I thought all women were this way, until the day my area was invaded by pirates.

         From my bedroom window I could see the thieves snatching up what they could. I had been watching for some time and my eyes kept drifting to a female member of the group. She seemed to be ordering the others around. I had no idea why the other members of the group obeyed her until I noticed her hat. It was the hat of a captain.

         The female was the captain. She was the exact opposite of what I was taught a woman had to be. That was when I realized I had been wronged, lied to. I could be whoever and whatever I pleased. Suddenly I knew exactly what and who I wanted to be.

         When I told my family my decision to become a pirate my parents immediately disapproved. They said I was making a terrible decision and I would ruin our family’s good name. My brother Miguel was the only one that supported me in my decision. He taught me everything I know, without him I would be the worst pirate in world history. Instead, I am the best known, and most feared, female pirate in the seven seas.

         I sail the seas on my ship The Heiress. I have had my ship for many years. It is large enough to hold myself and my crew with room to spare; this is good because we need room to store all our treasures. My crew enjoys searching for treasure more than anything else which is why The Heiress is stocked with so many valuable things. Our current journey however, will only bring something of value for me.

         When this journey began we were originally on our way to a palace to make their treasures our own. My crew though, apparently forgetting that I hate stopping the ship until we reach our destination, was begging for food. Normally I would never stop but the constant grumblings and mumblings became intolerable. We docked at the next port, it could be seen by the way we were avoided that news of our work had gotten around. As we entered a store none approached us and women held their children close.

         My crew got to work filling sacks with food. I walked to a section of the store that had papers sticking to a wall. A closer look revealed that the papers had news of what was happening all over the world. One paper caught my eye or I should say the picture of the man on the paper caught my eye. The man had the same type of hair and eyes as I did this was interesting to me because my family was known for our distinct looks, so the fact that someone else in the world looked like us made me start to think that my family spread wider than I thought.

         I tore the paper off the wall and read it. The man on the paper was apparently a great thief who had traveled all over stealing things without ever being caught. Well he had apparently been captured in Amsterdam trying to steal the palace jewels; they had found him and were holding him in a prison. He was going to be given the death sentence in a week. I did not see any other information except for his name when I read it I felt like my world was coming to an end, the name of the man was Miguel Montenegro.

         This was my brother, the one who helped me achieve my dream. He was the best brother and he had always done the right thing as far as I was concerned. Now I might never get to see him again, this thought brought feelings of hatred towards Amsterdam. If those people think they can get away with killing my brother without me having something to say about it, then they have another thing coming. I stuff the paper in my coat pocket and head back to my crew.

         “Men,” the whole store froze and turned to me “there is a change of course, board the ship and prepare to depart!” my crew looked at each other for a minute most likely confused but they did as I ordered. They carried their many sacks of food and such to The Heiress. I stood at the front of the store and watched as they boarded the ship.

         “Captain,” I looked to see Jack, my first mate, standing next to me “just out of curiosity where is this change of course taking us?” I looked above me birds were gliding in the breeze. .

         “It is taking us on a rescue mission” and we are almost to the spot where this mission will take place. We have been traveling with no stops since we left that port. Every request for a stop has been denied. My main priority is not how my crew is feeling but saving my sibling. When I had told the crew the new destination and why we were going there they were not as excepting as I would have liked but as captain I have to do what I think is right.

         It is early in the afternoon and I am below deck in my quarters. I have been here all morning trying to come up with some sort of plan, I do not want to rush into this and end up along side my brother in shackles. Sighing I realize that any plan I come up with in my current state will not be completely thought out. Sadly I suppose I will have to think on the spot, I walk to the stairs leading to the deck and grab my captains’ hat from the nearby stand. I put it on my head, place my hand on the banister, place one foot on a wooden step and put all worries behind me.

         I start up the stairs to the deck. I am welcomed with glares from everyone except Jack.

         The crew docked The Heiress while Jack and I walked to a bar to get coffee. I sat in a chair savoring each sip. I was watching Jack go around the bar demanding information on where Miguel was being kept and if anyone said they would need to see a picture, we had it covered. When he finally sat with me I found that he had learned the way to the prison planning to kill my brother. I finished my coffee and we walked out of the establishment, hundreds of eyes following our steps.

         We joined the crew outside, Jack told them their orders and we were soon off to the prison. On our way to the prison I noticed that the area was lacking in population, it was like a ghost town. The only sign that this was not a town of spirits was the cheering in the distance. Those cheers were my sign that something was going to happen and it was going to happen soon. I started to run the cobblestone path I knew that if they were going to kill my brother they were going to do it after a long boastful speech on how they captured the great thief when no one else could.

Having a speech would give us some much needed extra time to figure out how to get in to the large gray prison. We had been trying to be as stealthy as possible when I realized something. “There are no guards,” I felt like an idiot for not realizing this in the beginning and I stomped my way to the large front doors. I look inside to see vacant hallways “All the guards must be out back in the prison yard” my crew nodded and we entered the building. The fact that all the guards were not inside made it a lot easier to travel and find our way to the prison yard.

We pushed open two large doors and were greeted by thunderous cheers. I quickly removed my captains hat, the last thing I wanted to do was face off with a Dutch guard before I had a chance to rescue my brother. I led my crew through the mass of people to the front of a large cubed stage. A man spoke in to a microphone “Jack, translate,” he nodded and got closer to the stage.

The man spoke into the microphone “We are here to rid ourselves of a great nuisance,” Jack said above the cheers “For too long thieves and pirates have caused many problems for us,” the crowd booed “but today we shall have our revenge!” the crowd screamed as a man was brought out in handcuffs. The man had no expression on his face as if he did not care that all these people were glad to see him die. A closer glance revealed that this was Miguel, my brother was minutes from death and I was worrying about how he was feeling.

“Jack, tell the crew to stand ready,” he nodded and turned back to them. I started to walk so I would be directly in Miguel’s view; he was looking all over as if he was expecting someone. Then his gaze stopped on me he did not seem shocked to see me he just smiled and nodded, I put my finger to my lips and he nodded. Then I placed one hand in the palm of the other and showed him three fingers he nodded, I had told him to fall back when I said three. The crew was already behind him waiting for my signal.

Jack stood next to me. “I hope this works,” he gave me one of his reassuring smiles. “On the count of three,” I nodded at my brother he nodded back showing that he was watching me. “One,” they were taking off his cuffs “Two,” they released his hands “Three!” I shouted above the noise.

Miguel fell backward and landed in the outstretched arms of the crew “Run!” I shouted over the noise, Jack, Miguel and the crew followed as I led the way to the prison doors. I stopped in mid-run when I saw guards and what looked like soldiers heading our way “Crew ready your arms!” the crew pulled out guns, knives, and swords. I was passed a sword from Jack; I stood my ground as a Dutch soldier lunged for me. Swing right, swing left, down the middle advance, I repeated these movements while heading to the doors.

The moment I had a foot in the prison I set off running. I could hear the crew running after me. I could not help but smile it had been so long since I had felt such a rush. It reminded me that I was a person seeking adventure, a pirate. We ran to The Heiress and hurried up the plank as the crew untied us from the port.

We sailed away with Dutch soldiers firing at us; we fired back until we could no longer see them. I sighed and leaned against the edge of The Heiress “It is so good to see you Miguel,”

He smiled at me “Likewise Isabella, how has your captaining been?”

“It is going very well as you can see,” he nodded. I took a deep breath and prepared to ask him the question I had when we were in the prison yard. “Miguel,” he turned to me “why did it seem you were not surprised to see me when you were on the stage?” I had to know the answer.

He smiled “My dear sister,” my eyebrow was raised at him “I knew you would come for me” I was shocked.

“But how did you know that I would find out you were in Amsterdam?” again he smiled.

“Sibling instinct,” he nudged my arm and we smiled up to the sky. But I had to wonder what if I had never found that paper, what if I had been in the middle of the ocean when he was supposed to be killed? Was it really sibling instinct as he had said or was it destiny that I saved my brother? Either way is fine really as long as I have him back.