The Pirate's Lady Part One

I love St. Augustine, Florida. There is a fort and an old settlement there by the ocean and you can see the lighthouse when looking out towards the ocean by the fort. I fell in love with the settlement which is now a series of shops across the street by the fort. I loved shopping at The Pirate's Lady Shop and the Cat Shop. There was a man dressed up like Captain Jack Sparrow but he was a little fancier and he spoke to me. He looked somewhat like Johnny Depp! Inspiration? Yes! I got an idea for a story. So, here it is. It is the 1600's in St. Augustine, Florida. Amarisa works in a bar and makes soap and candles by day. She lives in The Cat Shop{it is an apartment above The Pirate's Lady Shop} and she meets a handsome pirate named Von Pearl.Let's start the story!

Amarisa had just about had it with the drunks caressing her bottom end when she walked by. She didn't know she was beautiful. She had long black hair and porcelain skin. Her mother had been a bar maid for years but her mother wasn't the same after her father died. Amarisa loved and missed her father but she knew life had to go on but her mother Madeline wouldn't and didn't go on. Madeline drowned in the ocean and had taken her own life. Amarisa took over her mother's job plus helped Henrietta Anderson make soap and candles during the day. She needed the money for the apartment she and her parents had lived in since she was born. Amarisa was sixteen and she wasn't happy with her life but she didn't complain. She handled the drunken Spanish soldiers but Monty made them leave his girls alone who worked for him. Amarisa was off on Sundays. The soldiers lived in the fort across the street and they were there to protect the town's people.

It was a typical night and a fancy dressed pirate walked in. He wore dark black pants, red tunic and a gold vest. He wore a black hat with a gold feather and he was a handsome man. Amarisa never gave much thought about whether men were good looking or not but this man got her eye. He was a pirate. That much she knew. He had long dark hair and dark eyes and he was clean. Amarisa couldn't keep her eyes off him. He kept looking at her as well. Finally, Amarisa asked him what he would like to drink. He smiled and told her bourbon. He wasn't Spanish. Amarisa got him his drink. He asked her what her name was.

"I am Amarisa." She smiled but she was shy about it.

"Nice to meet you. I am Von Pearl. May I tell you that you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen?"

"Thank you, Sir." Amarisa was flattered.

Just then a fight broke out between old Sid and two of the Spanish soldiers. Von Pearl left his seat and pulled the men apart. The Spanish soldiers were mad but they left and old Sid said: "Hell! I could have whipped them. I could have taken them out with one punch for both!"

"Sir, you are drunk. Let me help you get home." Von Pearl put his arm around old Sid and Sid was yelling he wanted another drink. Sid could hardly stand. The pirate and Sid left and Amarisa hoped that he would return.

Amarisa never got home until midnight and she had to be up early at seven to go help Henrietta make soap and candles. She dreamed of pirates and Von Pearl was her hero saving her. She had never let a man get to her like that before but this was a good feeling.

Amarisa got through the day and was back at the bar that night. Von Pearl came in again. Her heart skipped three beats. She waited on him and smiled as he ordered bourbon again. She got his bourbon and he looked at her with a happy expression. She smiled and went to wait on the Spanish soldiers. She wished that they would stay in the fort. One of the soldiers grabbed her breast and squeezed it roughly. This had never happened before. Von Pearl grabbed the man and punched him and he landed on the floor. Von Pearl pulled out his knife and told him to apologize to the lady and then go back to the fort. He also told him if he bothered Amarisa or any other woman in his presence he would murder him. The soldier, Carlos muttered an apology to Amarisa and left.

Amarisa went over to Von Pearl. He asked her to sit with him. She was due for her break. She sat down by him.

"Thank you for defending my honor. Carlos is always looking at me in a way that frightens me. You are a hero."

Von Pearl shook his head. "I don't like those Spanish soldiers. They should stay at the fort. They are supposed to defend this village."

"Can I ask you a question?" Amarisa asked him in a low voice.

"Yes, you may."

"Are you a pirate?"

Von Pearl laughed. "Yes, I am. I am not here to hurt beautiful women and rob anyone. I am on a mission. I defended your honor. There is no need to fear me."

"I know that. You have a kind face."

"I want to be a nice guy but I don't want anyone thinking I have a kind face except you."

Von Pearl squeezed Amarisa's hand as he smiled. What she wouldn't give for him to kiss her.

Amarisa went back to work serving drinks. The Spanish soldiers left for the fort. Von Pearl stayed until Amarisa was done and he walked her home. First, they walked around the bay by the fort and walked around the settlement. He told her that he was from England and he was a pirate because he liked to visit other parts of the world. Amarisa had never been out of St. Augustine.She was born and raised in St. Augustine. She hated her jobs and losing her parents but she loved the ocean and the people who lived in the settlement. The scenery was nice except for the fort. Von Pearl walked Amarisa to her door of her upstairs apartment and he kissed her cheek. It would be wrong if she would have invited him in. She thanked him and Von Pearl left to go to his ship.

Amarisa had good dreams that night, too about Von Pearl. He was the Prince in the fairy tales she had heard about.

The next morning little Sophia stopped by. She came to St. Augustine when she was a baby with her parents. She was now eight and Amarisa was like a big sister to her. Amarisa looked at Sophia and thought of Von Pearl. She couldn't help but wonder why. She was obsessed with the handsome pirate. She hoped that she would see Von Pearl tonight.

At the bar that night, Von Pearl walked in handsome as ever. This time he had bright red pants on. Amarisa had wore her fancy blue dress. Amarisa only had four dresses plus two fancy ones. She wanted to look nice for Von Pearl. Von Pearl noticed how pretty and shapely she looked in the dress. Amarisa served him his bourbon. She was so glad when the night ended. Tomorrow was Sunday and she could sleep in and go to church late.

Amarisa and Von Pearl walked around the ocean and the moon was bright. Von Pearl told her about England and told her that he had met the Queen. The truth of the matter was that Von Pearl was from a rich family and he was a pirate because his baby sister had been kidnapped by pirates eight years ago and he got a lead that the little girl was in the south by St. Augustine. He didn't tell Amarisa this. He hadn't told anyone this secret. Von Pearl had no idea how close his little sister was. He walked Amarisa to her door and this time he kissed her passionately. Amarisa wanted to invite him in. She wanted to hang on to him forever. She felt that was her knight. Von Pearl left her and started home. Little did Amarisa know that Carlos was waiting for her in her apartment and he wanted her in the worst way!