The sea sparkled like a sheet of blue crystal beneath the bright high-noon sun. The sheet of water displaced only by a few whitecaps rolling in and breaking across the white sand shore, heated by the unusually warm spring.<br/><br/>“A storm is coming.” Bright joyful eyes lifted from the image of the sea to look up at the aging blonde woman standing barefoot just outside of the water’s reach. “The sky is clear mama,” The young child responded as she returned her beaming blue gaze back out to the sea. Just as the young girl was going to step away from her mother closer to the water a large ship broke across the horizon.<br/><br/>The massive vessel was indistinct at the distance but it loomed like a dark shadow. It’s masts pierced the bright, cloudless sky, and hull broke across the previously calm water sending waves towards the shore. “It’s a ship!” The child squealed in glee and her mother reached for the back of her white linen shirt, curling her aching fingers into the course, aged, fabric.<br/><br/>“Mama, let me go! I wanna go see it!” The child protested as she wriggled free of her mother’s feeble grip and started sprinting towards the cliff that would grant a better view. Her little feet pounded into the hot sand and up course rock as she scrambled towards the top. Her fingers found the notches in the side expertly as they had many times before.<br/><br/>“Kacey! Get back here!” She could hear her mother’s voice calling for her from below. Kacey turned her head, blonde hair flying around her face and grinned wildly down at her mother before standing up and heading for the sharp overhang and a closer view of the monstrous ship cutting a path through the previously serene ocean.<br/><br/>The young child edged closer to the abyss and grinned as she spotted the ship, just a little bit closer now, was more visible to her curious eyes. She could see the massive sails billowing in the wind, but they weren’t full like the illustrations in the books had always shown them. They appeared to be flapping at different corners and the mast, so tall and proud in the sky, seemed a little more jagged and….broken. The great ship was handicapped, floating in the ocean, limping like old man Henry back in town, and yet proud.<br/><br/>“Kacey! Come down now! It’s time to go home!” Her mother screamed from below and the young girl turned her head away from the ship and down at her mother. A frown creased her features as she took in the worried expression on her mother’s face and the fact it was directed out at the ocean instead of up at her. Another second passed before Kacey turned her attention back to the ship and finally her eyes landed on the only thing different about this ship than any of the others that had passed their small island, the black sail.<br/><br/>----------------------------------------------------------------<br/><br/>Steel blue eyes stared hard at the beaten wood table that adorned the single tavern on the small island. Her jagged fingernails picked at the longest crack on the beechwood table, splintering off tiny pieces of wood. Her brow was furrowed in frustration as she listened to the old tavern keeper continue on his umpteenth long winded lecture on what her duties were.<br/><br/>Kacey’s eyes lifted from the table to meet the old green eyes of the man her mother had left her with when she had taken ill several years ago. David and his daughter had long been like family to Kacey and she appreciated everything they had done for her but enough was enough. “I don’t want to be on this island for the rest of my life!” Kacey finally snapped, flinging her arms in the air and standing so abruptly that her chair overturned and clattered loudly against the worn wood floor.<br/><br/>“Kacey!” Immediately the blonde’s gaze jumped away from David and to her best friend, Arielle, who stood almost imposingly in the doorway. Her red hair was up in it’s usual bun, strands hanging haphazardly around her face, skirt damp with water from the dishes, and green eyes blazing accusingly.<br/><br/>The two girls had spoken on the matter many times through the years and each time Kacey had agreed telling David would have disastrous consequences. The blonde’s jaw set in frustration and silent defiance as she met the pleading green of her friend. Time ticked by in the small room before Kacey finally glanced down to the floor and her shoulders slumped in defeat. “I apologize David. You’ve taken me in and sheltered me. I should be more grateful,” the well rehearsed lines fell from her lips even as she stepped backwards, the toe of her boot scuffing the floor, and turned for the door. She needed to be out of the tavern, she needed to be far away from her prison, in all but name.<br/><br/>Kacey shoved through the tavern door, her booted feet smacking hard against the packed dirt that served as the main road through the village. She winced against the glare of the sun, setting behind the horizon and painting the streets in hues of red and orange. Without hesitation she turned and headed West, towards the nearest beach, towards her cliff. She had gotten all of ten steps away from the tavern when she heard the door smack open behind her. Arielle was coming after her as she always had.<br/><br/>Kacey’s jaw set and her teeth ground together as her hands flexed at her side. Without a thought she leaned her weight forward and started running through the nearly abandoned streets. She couldn’t take yet another lecture about the necessity of staying on this damned island. She couldn’t listen to her friend beg and plead her case one more time. Most of all Kacey knew her sanity couldn’t afford to give in to her friend once again.<br/><br/>Her lungs burned in her chest and her legs screamed in protest as she passed the last cottage on the west side of the island. She pressed through the forest, following the small path she had cut through years ago, her hands swatting low hanging tree branches and leaping across fallen trees. The last storm had laid waste to their island and they had been struggling to build it back up with so little help from the crown.<br/><br/>The dirt gave way to sand beneath her feet, her body adjusting without lapse to the sudden change. Her steel blue eyes focused in on the cliff at the end of the beach and a grin curled onto her lips. Freedom was but a few yards down the soft white sand. Kacey picked up speed, sand flying all around, and leaped onto the side of the cliff. Her hands found the familiar rocks and she leveraged her body up the side. Her muscles screaming in excitement as she heaved herself up over the edge and onto the top of the rock.<br/><br/>Kacey lay there for a moment, her eyes focused on the slowly darkening sky and gaining control of her labored breathing. She blinked once before rolling up onto her knees and pushing herself to her feet. Her gaze swept the horizon and studied the water as far as her eyes could see as she walked cautiously to the edge of the cliff. Kacey’s eyes slipped closed as a soft breeze caressed her heated skin, her arms opening wide and head tipping back. She could almost hear the steady rock of a ship beneath her feet, the harsh snap of the sails as they filled with wind, the sound of metal jingling and boots pounding against the wooden decks as sailors ran around preparing the ship.<br/><br/>“Land Ho!” The soft words floated to her ear and her brow furrowed as her steel blue gaze opened to study the water. Confusion colored her features as she inched ever closer to the edge of the cliff. Rocks slid from beneath her boot crashing down into the water several hundred feet below the overhang. Her shoulders slumped in disappointment and her hands lifted to scrub down her face. No ship would be docking on the Western side of the island. The port used by the crown and merchant vessels had long been moved to the Eastern side.<br/><br/>“Oh my god,” Arielle’s soft voice echoed in her ear causing Kacey to look to her left at her friend who was transfixed by something out on the horizon. Her brow furrowed and her head turned to look back at the water and immediately a grin curled onto her lips. “It’s back,” Kacey whispered as her eyes ran over the dark speck that was coming steadily closer to the shore. It was just like the boat she had seen all those years ago, slim but large and imposing. It was built for speed, the large white sails full of air this time, and there at the back of the ship a single black flag.<br/><br/>“It’s pirates.” Arielle whispered and Kacey nodded her head as she stepped away from the edge of the cliff. “It’s the ship I saw when I was a kid.” She stated matter-of-factly. No one had ever believed her, and her mother had refused to admit to seeing it. No ship would port on the western side of the isle, it was too rocky, too dangerous. But this one had, it had ported just out the water and long ships had come in carrying dozens of men. Now it was back.<br/><br/>------------------------------------<br/><br/>Captain Vane stood at the bow of the longship, his eyes focused intently on the white shore of the island they had chosen to stop at. They needed to take on water and restock a few items before heading back to Nassau and cashing in their prize. A half grin curled onto his lips as he curled his fingers around the edge of the vessel and leapt off the side. The warm water soaked immediately through his boots and pant legs, his hand curling tight around the rope and hauling the long boat up through the soft crashing waves onto the safety of shore.<br/><br/>The moment the boat stopped moving he dropped the rope and turned to look around the deserted beach. His gaze sweeping the tree line from north to south and back again. Finally his eyes landed on the cliff and his gaze followed it up from the base to the tip, pausing just at the outcropping of rocks and his smirk widened. Cute. They thought they could hide. “Set camp,” He growled, gaze finally leaving the cliff, as he turned to face the four men who had come with him. “Jack, head into town and procure our allotment from the Inn Keeper.”<br/><br/>The sound of rocks sliding down the cliff drew Vane’s attention back to the overhang and his startling ice blue eyes followed the fall of the rock until it came to a sudden stop in the sand. Another second passed before he trailed his gaze back to the top, following the path left by the rock’s descent, back to to the outcropping above his head. His grin turned into a predatory smirk before he turned his head away and nodded towards the forest that was guarding them from view of the small nearly forgotten village. “Be quick, we need to get back to Nassau before Flint.”<br/><br/>------------------------------------------------------<br/><br/>Kacey and Arielle stayed behind the rocks until silence had fallen on the beach and they were sure no one would be looking up at the cliff. Finally Arielle moved her hand from Kacey’s wrist and the blonde rolled off the jagged rock that had been digging painfully in her side for the past hour and peered out between the stones. She could see a single man sitting down at the water’s edge, high tide had rolled in, a fire crackling and casting his broad frame in dancing shadows. He did not appear to be looking in their direction despite the fact that he was facing the cliff.<br/><br/>“We have to be careful and get back to the town,” Arielle hissed as she slowly rolled onto her stomach and leveraged herself to her hands and knees, carefully sliding backwards and towards the opposite side of the cliff. Kacey’s head turned to stare at the redhead and the blonde frowned as she watched her friend head for the opposite side. If they made it down the steeper side then they would be blocked by the rock wall until they reached the forest. It was a smart plan and yet something twisted in Kacey’s gut as her gaze drifted back to the broad shouldered pirate sitting several yards away from her hiding spot.<br/><br/>Arielle snapped her fingers and patted the solid rock, drawing Kacey’s attention back to her as she dangled half over the edge. “Hurry up!” She hissed in a squeak even as she finally lowered herself down, foot finding purchase on another rock. Kacey snarled under her breath and bared her teeth in distaste at running away from her chance at escape from this bloody island. Another second passed before the blonde finally released a resigned sigh and slid backwards, staying behind the rocks, and to the edge of the cliff. Her hands flexed around the ledge as she lowered her body down, her legs dangling dangerously and knees banging against the side. This was an unfamiliar route and she was not sure where the holds were placed.<br/><br/>Kacey’s fingers ached as she glanced down at the soft sand below and her foot that was reaching for the next hold. Her toe was fully pointed and she could feel the rock brushing the tip of her shoe. A growl rose in her throat as she slid her fingers closer to the edge of the rock she was gripping and extended further for the next hold. Her eyes widened in panic as she felt the rock give beneath her feet and her fingers slip from the ledge she had been gripping on. A scream rose in her throat but could not escape as air rushed by her body, she plummeted to the ground and landed with a solid thud. Sand displaced all around her, covering her body as she landed square on her back, knocking the wind out of her lungs. She gasped for air and arched her back away from the solid ground she had landed upon.<br/><br/>She lay there for a moment, eyes staring up at the brilliant night sky. Arielle suddenly appeared in her line of vision, blotting out the nearly full moon with her bright red hair and sparkling eyes. “If we didn’t need to run I’d be laughing so hard right now,” She teased as she hoisted Kacey up off the ground by one limp arm and started pulling her towards the forest that would eventually place them in the safety of the village.<br/><br/>Kacey sneered at the back of her friend’s head, snatching her arm away, and swatting sand off of her clothes as she attempted to inhale slow breaths and walk at the same time. “I’m going to fucking kill you,” The blonde muttered under her breath and only received a bell like laugh in response. “Says the one who can’t climb down a cliff,” Arielle snarked in return, glancing over her shoulder as she shoved through the thicket and towards the place they called home.<br/><br/>The village was quiet, all the lights in the windows had been put out, and everyone was sleeping. Several curtains blew in the soft breeze as the duo stumbled down the side path that would lead straight to the rear of the tavern. “Where did the others go?” Arielle asked, as she crouched behind the last wooden fence before the mad dash to the safety of her father’s tavern. Kacey bounced from one foot to the other as she hunkered down behind the opposite side of the fence. Her eyes scanning the area they would have to cross and then shrugging. “I don’t know, we don’t have an Inn.” She muttered almost to herself as she edged closer and plotted the best course across the last two yards.<br/><br/>Arielle’s expectant green eyes rested on Kacey as she watched her best friend plot and plan their best and, hopefully, safest course of action. The blonde was still covered in sand that had stuck to her neck and bare arms from the sweat that had gathered but somehow she looked more herself than she had in a long time. Her green gaze followed as Kacey’s fingers laced through her long hair and shoved it haphazardly back out of her face with an angry snarl and a frown curled on Arie’s lips.<br/><br/>“Get ready,” Kacey warned as she pivoted and her hand curled around the edge of the fence as her gaze rested on the cracked rear door of the building. That was the only warning she gave the redhead before shoving her way out beyond the fence and across the yards. Her feet pounded against the packed dirt as she picked up speed, enough to launch herself over the garden, her body soared through the air until she landed. She landed, her arm catching the ground and pushing herself into a roll beneath a window, and popped up into a crouch beside the cracked door of the tavern.<br/><br/>Kacey inhaled a slow breath and pushed the door open with the tips of her fingers. Her eyes glancing down the darkened corridor and fixating on the single burning candle the illuminated the main tavern hall. “Hurry up!” Arielle huffed impatiently, shoving at Kacey to enter the door. The blonde pushed back, bracing her free hand against the frame. “Shh,” She hissed and grabbed her friend’s shoulder to pull her down to the ground with her. Something was off, there were too many shadows dancing across the tavern wall.<br/><br/>“They are here,” The blonde breathed out in realization as she inched slowly into the corridor. Her tattered shirt brushing against the aging wall as she moved slowly forward, careful to maintain a crouch. Her eyes adjusted rapidly to the dim lighting and her ears strained for any sound coming from the main room. “What?” She heard Arielle hiss in confusion and panic from somewhere behind her.