Fantasy the high seas

[david tennant]

Spoiler: Rose Johnson “The Shadow”

Name: Rose Johnson

Faceclaim: Skyler Samuels

Age: 23

Alias: The Shadow

Birthday: August 30

Zodiac: Virgo Sun, Sagittarius Moon, Leo Rising, Aquarius Mercury, Taurus Mars, Leo Venus

Height: 5’9

Build: Slim and Fit

Hair: Blonde with brown roots

Eyes: Blue

Marks: Scars littered across her body from minor wounds during her years as a pirate with one large, jagged scar from the elbow of her right arm all the way to her collarbone

Highlights: Stubborn and proud, Rose is known to be cut-throat and cunning by the countries that have a warrant for her arrest. Yet, she is able to escape every single time. Those who don’t fear her admire her for her abilities. She is skilled with both a gun and a sword. She will do whatever she needs to in order to protect herself and her crew.

Despite all of this, she does care deeply for those who she trusts. Her loyalty is unmatched and has earned the respect of many people.

Likes: Rainy weather, star-gazing, sailing, lavender, the feeling of the sea on a clear night, sketching

la maison here is the thread! i will probably add more to my character, but i wanted to get basics up

 

[la maison]

Each passing day seemed to continually crack at the patience and toleration that the man had built up over the years. Go here, do that, don't do that, go there. It was expected that Christopher would listen and do as he was told without a moment of hesitation, but that simply wasn't the case. When he was younger, he had been excited by the prospect of learning to ride a horse, to handle a rifle or pistol, or a sword, and to grow up to be just like his father. The truth of the matter, however, was far different now. Now he wanted nothing to do with all of this, because he had finally been able to realize how unjust and corrupt these men could be. Taking advantage of the poor, or those that had to result to illegal activities to ensure that their families would be able to eat, without any sense of sympathy towards them, or putting others down simply because they didn't live up to the "ideal standards" that the Navy had in place for the public. Whenever he tried to speak up on the matter, he was hushed and brushed off with a comment of "you're too young to see things the way we do yet."

At first, he had been foolish enough to believe those words, thinking that, perhaps he was too young, and he was being too quick to judge their ways of handling situations. But now, he knew that they simply abused their privilege and power to put others below themselves, and to boost themselves further up. Elders, women, children, poor, it didn't matter. The Navy took what they wanted, and Christopher didn't want to stand with them. Though, every time he did try to help others, he was reprimanded and punished. Not even his own father would listen to him, listen to his pleads to do something because he had the power to do so. The man that he had once looked up to as a hero was turning more and more into a monster with each passing day. Refusing to help those in need, abusing his power and taking advantage of anyone he possibly could, while being ruthless to anyone that dared to question his power and authority?

Eventually, it became too much for him. He needed to get away from this all, to escape and ensure he wouldn't fall down the same path as his father did, where he seemed to feel no guilt for any of the vile deeds he committed. Christopher refused to give the man the satisfaction of allowing himself to fall into that position, and to become so numb to his own emotions that his conscience and guilt became nullified after long enough. The young man had thought about running away in the middle of the night, jumping onboard a ship and holding out until he was far enough from home that no one would ever see him, or find him, ever again. It had always been a thought that he brushed off, believing he was being too rash or exaggerative about it all, but now he believed that it was for the best. If he didn't leave now, would he ever? He would miss his home, but he couldn't say the same as for his father, because that man was far from the image he used to have of him as a kid.

Leaving in the middle of the night had been his best opportunity; slipping out while everyone had already retired to bed, where there was little to no risk of being spotted by any passerby's. Running away from his duties and responsibilities was seen as treasonous, and while that meant his life would become more difficult, the outcome outweighed that risk. If he was to die, he would die as an individual doing his best by others, and not by being forced to harm innocent civilians. His life was going to change drastically, but he knew that it would be worth it in the end. Finally being free, being in charge of his own decisions, and finally being able to be his own man. No longer a puppet in the shadow of his father. What he would do, or what he would become, Christopher wasn't quite sure, if he was being perfectly honest with himself, but it would be his own decision to make.

Typically, the docks had a few ships from travelers stopping in for the night or the week, whether it be simply people exploring the seas, trading caravans, officials from other lands, or even the occasional pirates, though the Navy was usually right on top of the latter. All pirates were viewed as traitors, treasonous and vile individuals, no matter what they had done. Christopher, for one, had always been intrigued by them - though that was something he kept to himself because it was certain he would be reprimanded for any sort of positive thinking towards pirates. Not all of them could be bad, there was simply no way that every single story he had ever heard could be true. Though, pirates were the number one target of the Navy, so nothing he had ever heard was positive. Maybe once he travelled far enough, he would be able to see for himself to confirm whether all these stories and superstitions were in fact true or false.

Those thoughts weren't the most important thing to him, however, as he had finally slipped down to the docks, eyeing all the ships docked at the harbor. With only a lantern or two illuminating the outline of the ships, Christopher didn't think far too hard about which one to board. Dressed in nothing more than a tunic and a pair of trousers, with a knife and a pistol tucked away in the belt loops of his pants, he took one final glance before rushing off to the end of the pier, climbing onto the ship from the ramp leading straight onto the deck. For now, he would tuck himself away under the deck, where the supplies underboard would be able to hide him away. At least, long enough for them to be sailing before he was discovered. Hopefully whoever was in charge wouldn't mind finding a stowaway on board. While he could swim, it wasn't particularly a strong suit of his, especially when he could be several hundred miles away from land if he were to get pushed overboard. Most of all, he prayed that he wouldn't be recognized and in turn taken straight back to where he had just escaped.

 

[david tennant]

The smell of the salt was strong as the ship was eased towards the dock early that evening. The wind had been growing stronger and there had been rumors of a storm coming in. Rose knew better than to believe those rumors after living on the water for so many years. Yet, she knew that she needed to dock to get some supplies. She just found it rather unfortunate that she needed to dock at this particular port. She was aware that the navy presence here was strong due to the proximity to captain’s housing. Despite the less than ideal situation, she ordered her crew to prep for a docking. She had a routine she followed when doing so now. She removed all flags that would indicate who the ship belonged to. She made sure to have forged papers ready to show that they were a trading ship. So far she had been able to get away with it every time. She only hoped it would continue tonight.

Once the ship finally docked, she left with a few crew members to meet with one of her contacts. She thought the men she still had on board could be trusted in guarding the ship, though she would learn soon that they couldn’t. The negotiations didn’t last long and soon she was making her way back towards the pier with her crew carrying a few chests. Her eyes would glance around at her surroundings when they passed. “I want this loaded quickly so we can leave. I do not trust this place.” She stated in a rather gruff tone. The words clearly held an accent to them, an Irish one at that. While it had faded some over the years, it was still rather present whenever she spoke. She was responded to by nods and quiet ‘yes ma’am’s’. Her crew wouldn’t dare cross her after everything they had been through. They weren’t stupid enough to do something like that.

Her shoulders relaxed as the pier and her ship were showing in her line of sight. The wind was still gusting, but there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. She shook her head lightly then. She would never trust anyone other than her own instincts. She reached a hand up to adjust the collar on her jacket then. She always grew to be quite fidgety when it came to the final stretch of her freedom. It would be the first time that a navy officer recognized and her chased her down. The last time ended up in the navy’s sunken ship and damage to her own. She couldn’t risk that happening again, especially not today. She glanced around them one more time before boarding the ramp back onto the ship. She waited until the men accompanying her were on board before she began to speak. “Pull the ramp up and let’s get going. You can put those underneath when we are at sea. I don’t need the navy noticing we are here.” Her voice was loud enough for everyone to hear her. They all quickly began to move to prep for leaving dock.

She slowly made her way towards the helm. A smile creeped onto her lips as she watched the familiar flag begin to raise and fly once again in the moonlight. When all lines were released from the dock and the ramp was up, she began to move the ship back towards the seas. While she did so, one of the younger crew members began to move the chests down underneath the deck. He hummed gently as he did so, a song that Rose made sure to teach all the men. It was one her father taught her when she was younger and she wanted to continue to hear it until her death. It wasn’t as if they minded any. Most of them owed her their life multiples times over. They would do what was necessary to support their captain.

It was only when he brought down the last chest that he noticed something off. He slowly pulled his pistol from its holster before moving towards the back of the storage. He turned the corner and noticed a man around his age. He raised an eyebrow, but kept his pistol aimed at him. “Stowaway!” He yelled, glancing over his shoulder. “We’ve gotta stowaway!” He repeated. The shuffling sounds on the deck above could be heard as two more crew members came rushing down. One of them blinked in surprise as they gazed upon Christopher. “Oh, Captain is gonna have my head.” He whispered. The two moved to grab Christopher’s arms before guiding him back towards the top deck.

Rose ran a tight ship and this was something that hadn’t happened before. That is why surprise could be seen on her expression as she heard the cries from underneath the deck. “Take control. You know where to lead us towards.” She commanded the man standing closest to her. He bowed his head slightly before quickly moving to grab the helm and steer them where they needed to go. She made her way down the steps to the main deck in just enough time to watch Christopher be brought up by her crew. “That’s enough boys. Let him go. Ron, I will have a word with you about this later.” Her blue eyes were cold as she looked towards the man who complained earlier about the captain harming him. He gulped as he nodded and turned away. She made her ways towards Christopher, stopping a few feet from him. Her eyes looked him up and down a few times before she spoke. “You’ve got a name or are you just going to gawk at me?” She inquired with a raised eyebrow.

 

[la maison]

Although he was the son of the naval captain, and had been put in charge of helping detain or transport certain individuals, Christopher couldn't recall whether or not he had ever actually met pirates before in his lifetime. For the most part, he had been shielded from the "worst" criminals, even if he had been expected to take his father's place when the man was to finally retire from his duties. Why they felt the need to protect him from this, he didn't know. Was it because, by talking to those that had the taste of true freedom, maybe the man would feel the urge to abandon his home and his duties, and wish to go out into the world away from everything he had been taught? His desire for freedom seemed to come from the fact that he had been so sheltered from everything, but he had still been able to see it all from the inside. He refused to become like his father, being cruel and heartless towards those that didn't have the opportunities they should have.

No, all of that was going to change, right here and right now. This was his own decision, not anyone else's, and he wouldn't let anyone else tell him what he had to do, or what he could and couldn't accomplish. All he needed was passage away from this land, and only then would he be able to start his life over again, with a fresh, clean slate. There would be obstacles along the way, hardships he would face, but in the end it would all be worth it, because he would be his own man. Perhaps he could become one to help others, rather than being the one to essentially take everything from those less fortunate than he had been. No matter what, he knew he still wouldn't have it worse than most people, because he actually had the chance to take matters into his own hands.

When Christopher had ducked underdeck, he had tucked himself away in a dimly lit corner that was obscured with shadows behind crates and barrels, in hopes that it would mask him at least long enough that they would already be at sea before he was discovered. His heart was racing, pounding against his chest, and palms rather clammy and slightly sweaty from the nerves shooting through his body. The gentle sway of the water beneath the ship was rather calming, though the true relief came after the movement picked up slightly after the sound of footsteps echoed through the boards above his head, when the feelings of the waves became just the slightest bit more rapid, indicating that the ship had departed from the dock. Christopher could hear the voices above deck speaking, but he couldn't make out what they were actually saying, leaving him unaware of what ship he had yet boarded.

Were they traders? Raiders? Pirates? He had been careful to ensure that he hadn't boarded a naval ship, because doing so would have cost him just about everything. His title, his chance at freedom, or in the worst case scenario; his life. He had risked it all to get away, and to waste it all because of a simple yet incredibly ridiculous and stupid mistake wasn't in his agenda of things to accomplish. He wasn't about to throw away his chance, and he would fight as hard as he possibly could for as long as he possibly could. So far, this all seemed like it had been going well, a bit easy even. Possibly even too easy. It was disaster waiting to happen, which was the exact reason that, although his heart did sink at the sound of approaching footsteps, then a pistol aimed at him along with a call out to the crew above desk, Christopher couldn't say he was all too shocked.

This definitely wasn't a trading caravan, because the extent of their weaponry would be a knife or a dagger at most, not any type of firearm. "I mean no harm," he spoke in a low, quiet tone as he raised his hands up beside his head, showing that he wasn't reaching for a weapon of any sort, as if surrendering to the man in front of him. He knew there was no use in pleading to these men, because neither of them appeared to be the captain from their looks, though the quiet, almost inaudible words of the other that approached only confirmed that thought. Christopher knew better than fighting against them, so as his arms were grabbed and he was pulled along up to what he could only assume was towards the captain of the ship that he had jumped onboard of. The brunette kept his head down, keeping his face hidden just the slightest bit, in case anyone were to possibly recognize him. His face - his name, even - wasn't one that most people would have seen all around, because his father was definitely one of the big faces within the navy, and he was still living in his father's shadow.

By the time he felt his feet stop moving, he glanced up for just a moment. The sight was slightly surprising to him, the captain being a woman. While it was something he was happy to see, it wasn't far too common, which was the reason that it caught him off guard at first. His gaze turned back the moment the woman addressed him directly, not wanting to seem intrusive or rude by staring at her. Although, he was sure that she had to be used to it, by the way most men acted. "It's.. Adrian, ma'am," he offered up his middle name, wanting to be extra careful with his personal information to put in another safety measure with his identity. "I apologize for boarding your ship without your knowledge, I just want passage across the sea. I have money-" he spoke up again, clearing his through as he dug through his pocket, bringing back up a small pouch with the gold he managed to grab on his way out from his home. "I am not asking for free passage, just safe passage. If you can get me away from this area, I am sure I could get you more if this is not enough."

 

[david tennant]

Rose allowed her gaze to rest on the man standing in front of her, eyes narrowing as she did so. It was clear that she was studying him, almost as if she was waiting for him to misstep or say something he shouldn’t. She didn’t trust anyone other than her crew and even then she was still wary. There had been instances in the past that cost her a great deal due to her putting trust in the wrong people. She made a how long ago not to allow that to happen again. Since then, she had done exactly what she hoped. Now she was known and feared, just like she wanted. She wouldn’t trade what she had gained for the world, despite all that she lost. She planned on keeping it this way for as long as she could. After all, she was still rather young and the navy hadn’t come close to taking her in. She knew she would be able to continue on like this for a while.

A smirk twitched at the corner of her lips as she listened to him speak. “I am surprised you are using such formalities. I am sure you’ve put the dots together as to your company.” She spoke, glancing to the crew that was standing around them. They all muttered agreements. Her eyes landed on the man who complained down below the deck, narrowing as she did so. The man immediately avoided her gaze and looked aside. She planned on having a word with him later about better patrolling the ship when they were docked. This stowaway was an inconvenience to them. It was an extra body to feed and protect until she decided to get rid of him. At least, she didn’t know if she would be helping him to wherever he wanted to go just yet. She looked back to Christopher as he continued to speak.

She raised an eyebrow when the pouch was removed from his pocket. “That’s a lot of coin for someone to just happen to have on them.” She commented as she began to step towards him. She stopped when she was a few feet in front of him. Christopher seemed completely harmless. The smirk finally broke onto her lips then. “You’re a runaway, huh? Between the coin, your speech, and your clothing, you must be the son of someone rich.” She concluded. She slowly moved to walk around him, eyes still carefully inspecting him. She only stopped when she was by his side. “If passage is what you want, you boarded the wrong ship. I haven’t a clue when we will be docking again.” She admitted. She tried not to dock unless it was completely necessary, especially in the area they currently were.

“I will give you three options. You can jump over the side and swim back to the island. Your parents might not even know you left,” She clicked her tongue before continuing. “I could put you to work on my ship and take your coin as a deposit.” She offered. She heard someone behind her make a soft sound as she said that. She quickly turned to look at them. “Have something to say Lucas? You know I hate guessing games.” Her tone completely changed them. It was cold and harsh. The man in reference refused to look at her. “No captain. I didn’t mean nothin’ by it.” His response was quick. She shook her head, rolling her eyes while she did so. “You are already on thin ice after what happened with Elias, you, and the navy. Another peep and you can be with the fish tonight.” She stated. He was quick to nod, though still hadn’t looked to her. It was then that she returned her attention to Christopher.

“Luckily for you we are down a crew member right now. It wouldn’t take too long to get you trained. Some of these boys will tell you what happens if you dawdle.” Her tone hadn’t lightened any from the scolding that she gave Lucas. Her accent had grown thicker due to it as well. “I’ll the take coin then and you can get me more later. Think of it as full payment for allowing you to join my crew. Not a lot of people are offered the opportunity to.” She mused. She leaned in closer then, her voice growing quieter. “Or I could kill you right now. The choice is yours. Don’t take too long to decide though. I haven’t got all night.”

 

[la maison]

From the moment that the woman in front of him had opened her mouth, Christopher knew he was already in over his head. He had heard from stories that pirates were ruthless, harsh and cold to anyone they came across, and strangers were often immediately killed or thrown overboard if someone happened to be where they shouldn't have been. So far, most of the tales were proving to be rather true. Most, of course, was the key word there. The way that the captain and the crew were surrounding him, as if waiting for him to slip up so they could jump at him, able to essentially feel the tension in Christopher's body. He didn't know if it would have been too easy to pick up on his mannerisms, but he wished that none of the men on board would piece things together.

There certainly had to have been photos of him and his father somewhere out there, but pirates didn't seem to be the sentimental type that would do more than merely glance over something like that in one of their infiltrations or raids. "Yes, ma'am, I have," he gave a small nod, swallowing back a small lump in his throat before he cleared it, his free hand fidgeting slightly at his side. He wasn't intimidated by the captain, nor the men around him, but their numbers did make him nervous. No matter how skilled he was with a knife, sword or gun, his chances were little to none if they were to get into a fight. One against, what, at least ten others? There was no way he would make it out unscathed, or alive for that matter. With a small glance back over his shoulder, he took note of any routes he might need to take in the case of needing to escape. They weren't too far from land, which meant he could jump and make his way back if these men were to charge and attack him.

So far, he seemed to be okay. He at least wasn't in immediate danger, no matter how many men were staring him down. "I am not the son of anyone. I have no mother, nor father. I have not had one for a long time." Those words, while technically untrue, did hold actual truth to them. His mother had been out of his life for as long as he could remember, and his father hadn't shown any love or given him the attention that a father should, for a long time now. The man was nothing more than his commanding officer, and it had been that way for far too long. He wasn't even the man's legitimate son, either, so there was little to nothing in the way of similarities to their features, only the clothing that they might have worn. All of his uniforms and more "appropriate" attire had been left in the house that he had recently escaped from. The words spoken to him didn't necessarily bother him, regardless of what he had previously stated. All he wanted was to get away, he didn't particularly mind being stuck on a ship, without a clue of when the next time they would reach land would be.

Christopher kept his mouth shut, and his gaze observant as he watched the captain continue to observe him, seeming to be looking him up and down. In his current state, and his chances of survival against the crew, there was no doubt that not even one of them would have been worried about him. Wherever he came from, however he had been trained to fight, none of that mattered when the odds were against him. Perhaps he should have been more careful when choosing which ship he might board. Then again, the flags certainly hadn't been raised in the dock, so there was little in the way of any sign he would have been able to notice regardless. Should he jump and swim back to shore? His pride being a little damaged seemed miniscule of a consequence if it meant keeping his life for just a bit longer. Working for them could be rough, but it would also provide him shelter and food, if he worked hard enough to earn it. It had its downsides, but manning a crew and a ship couldn't have been the worst case scenario,

The words whispered close to his ear, however, did cause him to tense for just a moment. The threat caused his hand to hover over the hilt of the knife that was tucked away. It wasn't an immediate promise, as she had given options, which was the only reason his hand had dropped. He was almost certain that they would take them from him until they could trust him, though he didn't feel the desire to make them think he wasn't to be trust whatsoever. "I can work. I am more than capable and can earn my stay. You will not have to worry about any problems. As I said, I am not looking for free passage, only the guarantee that I will not be attacked or killed where I stand. If you feel you must get rid of me, I also ask for a warrior's death. Dying in a fair fight, with a sword in my hand. Although, I assure you I will not provide a reason for it to come to that."

 

[david tennant]

Rose wanted to snort as he continued to call her ‘ma’am’. She couldn’t recall a time that she had been called such in her entire life. Now here this boy was, repeatedly using this formality. “You do it need to keep calling me ma’am. You are making me feel like an old lady, which I am not.” She stated. She let out a soft breath while her shoulders relaxed some. The day had been rather long and she was itching for them to get far enough out to sea to where she could get some sleep. She was grateful for the low light of the moon that evening as it hid the dark bags underneath her eyes. She didn’t like for anyone to know just how tired she actually was. This lifestyle wasn’t easy, especially with her being a woman. She constantly had to work to prove herself. If she made one wrong step, she would have a mutiny on her hands.

A smile replaced the smirk that had been on her lips at his next comment regarding his parents. “That is good to know. I have enough on my hands with the navy constantly trying to get me. I don’t need someone’s parents sniffing down my neck too.” She noted. She turned her head to look back towards the land that they were moving away from. It didn’t seem like anyone had believed for them to cause any harm. There weren’t any other ships following them. So far, they were in the clear. She stepped away from him as he assured her about his ability to work. A pit was in the bottom of her stomach and she hadn’t a clue as to why. Maybe it was due to the fact that this random man had been able to get onto her ship. Maybe it was everything that led her to this point in her life.

A proper laugh escaped her then. “You aren’t in the position to be making demands about you die. You should be grateful enough I didn’t kill you the moment I saw you.” She scoffed. It was only the audacity of a man to say something along those lines when he could easily be murdered. “You are lucky that I am in a decent mood and down one crew member. You can stay as long as you don’t cause me any trouble.” She hesitantly agreed before finally introducing herself. “The name is Rose Johnson. You are going to call me captain though. The only time I want you to use my actual name is if the ship is on fire, someone is trying to kill me in my sleep, or if you see the navy.” She commented, chuckling after she did so. “You might have heard of me from the navy. I always see those lovely wanted posters every time we go ashore. Those bastards like to call me ‘The Shadow’. I liked it better when they called me ‘Darkhold,’ but the evolution is nice.”

She went through this little speech with every new member of the crew that she gained. She always kept a watchful eye on them until they gained her trust. “Do you have any useful skills Adrian? I wasn’t looking to gain a new member so soon, but you are in luck. This is the best boat in the seas and the best crew, all thanks to me.” It was clear she took pride in everything that she did, especially with her piracy. She turned to look at her own crew who began to get back to work. She glanced over her shoulder at Christopher then. “Place whatever weapons you brought on the deck. You will get them back when I deem it acceptable. Don’t worry though, we won’t slice your throat in the middle of the night or shoot you while you scrub the deck.” She promised with a wink.

“The boat isn’t too big, but easy enough to get lost in if you don’t know what you are doing. You will be sticking close to me until I am ready for you to have more privileges. Each other member did the same thing you are going to be doing. I run a very efficient crew.” Her tone had finally returned to the way it had been when she first spoke to him. She began to lead the way back towards the helm. “The deck you were on holds supplies and hammocks. There is one down there for you now. Meals are allotted twice a day. I have my own quarters, but you needn’t know where they are yet.” It was almost as though she was reading down a list as she spoke. It didn’t take too long until they were up the steps. “This is Johnnie, my first mate. He is the only other person you will be answering to.” The man dipped his head in greeting before focusing back on the direction the ship was going. Rose turned to face Christopher then.

“I only ask that you respect the crew and myself. No traitors, no mourners, no funerals.”

 

[la maison]

Christopher was used to being spoken down to, whether that was officers higher in the ranks to him, or elders that viewed him as lesser, simply because he was younger than them. That was also partially the reason he spoke so formally to everyone, even if he could see that they were barely older than him, or even if they appeared to be younger than he was. The moment he might step out of line, he was either to be physically reprimanded, or verbally, which often was a public sort of humiliation. The issue with him being the son of the naval captain was the fact that, if Christopher did do something wrong, everyone would hear about it before the end of the day, or by the next morning. He was told to never care about how others perceived him, yet he was always told to ensure that his image remained pure and that he would be well respected. Making small mistakes would make him seem "immature" or "childish," and that no one would fear or respect him.

It was always about upholding an image that was nearly impossible of someone to uphold. It was ridiculous, as well, something that he could never understand. Why would one want to be feared? So no one would step out of line and give them a reason to be more cruel than they already were? Or was it to show the seriousness of the matter when someone did step out of line, that the consequences would be harsh enough that they might lose their lives or their dignity? The comment about the navy did make his heart sink, if only for a few seconds before the feeling went away. The navy.. Would they try to track him down, or would they send someone else to do their dirty work? And what would happen of the captain and this crew if they were discovered to be working together? No, he wouldn't allow himself to be caught, nor would he let these people be seen with him. If he was to be discovered, he wouldn't risk the lives of others to protect his own.

If it did come down to them or himself, he would choose them. Strangers or not, hostile or not, he was not going to put others at risk simply because he chose to run and "betray" those he had left, or the responsibilities he had just left behind. That was the thing that most people either wouldn't see, or would simply assume the opposite of; his honor wasn't something he cared far too much about, and it wasn't pride that caused him to act the way he did. It was the genuine respect he held for those around him that made him act the way he did. It was the respect for those that the navy had wronged, and continued to wrong, that made him run away, so he might never be forced to do the same things that his father did on a daily basis, without second thought or even a hint of guilt in the back of his mind. The captain was right, however; he wasn't in a position to be making demands. His request was sure to have been denied or shot down the second his words were spoken, so he didn't bother to even attempt to argue at her response.

"No, ma'am, I do not know you." That was a lie. The name sounded far too familiar the moment that she spoke, but the longer she talked, the more the pieces seemed to fall together. That name had been spoken far too many times by his father, cursed under his breath every time he had heard that the pirate and her crew had once again slipped past their radar. The navy from all the lands seemed to have a common issue with pirates, yet there were some that made their mark much deeper and more pronounced that others. If his father ever found out that he was joining a crew of one of the most renowned pirates in the past few years, his head would be on a pike. Something about the thought of that almost seemed amusing, though. Not only running away, but joining a pirate crew? That was something he never could have seen for himself, but he couldn't lie, it did seem rather exciting. For once, he was doing something of his own free will.

"Most of my skills lay in my weapons and communication. I haven't much experience on a ship, though I assure you wherever I am needed, I will be of use," he spoke as he reached for his pistol and knife, setting both down by his feet. His safest bet on winning the favor and respect of the crew and its captain was to comply to whatever they said or needed. He wasn't going to kiss the floor for them, but he did want to show that he truly meant no harm, and that this was something he was willing to work for, in order to earn his keep. As he followed along with the captain, his eyes glanced around on occasion to take in the surroundings of the ship. She certainly wasn't kidding about this ship, because just from the upper view of the deck, nothing about it seemed small. It was definitely something he would need to get used to if he wanted to make it around here. The crew seemed large as well, so it only made sense for the ship to be large enough to hold all of the men aboard. "I will not give you or your men a reason to believe I am not to be trusted. I am simply looking for a fresh start, and I will work as hard as I can to show for it."

 

[david tennant]

A small smile broke onto Rose’s lips at the mention that Christopher didn’t recognize her name. She wanted to believe him, she truly did. She knew that her reputation had been smeared by the navy though and he name raked through the mud more times than she could count. Most of the people on the islands or even in the mainland knew of her and of her crew. They painted her as a bloodthirsty person, that she would do whatever was necessary to get what she wanted. While the latter of that was true, she didn’t want to kill people. She only did what was required of her when she got to that point. She had a crew to save and people to look out for. If she didn’t do what she did, she would be done in.

She counted herself lucky that she managed to evade the navy for such a long time. There had been multiple close calls as of late, but things had been improving. She blamed it on her crew being short handed. Things were easier when she had extra members. That last run-in with the navy cost her one of her most valuable members. It caused for some of the other to flee as well. The day hadn’t been pretty and blood painted the deck. She winced remembering it. She still had the healing bullet wound in her side from that day. She vowed to not allow something as terrible as that to happen again. Now she could only hope that Christopher would be worth the trouble she might get from training him.

“It is always good to have someone who knows how to use weapons Adrian. Are you any good at reading maps? That would be helpful now. Elias was one of our cartographers. He was our best actually. That spot is vacant now. If you have the skills, you are likely going to fill it.” She informed. She would still have to take a decent amount of time to learn how to trust him, but her mind was running through the possibilities of what she could use him for. She seemed pleased that he obliged and put his weapons down like she asked. She didn’t have to speak before one of the crew members hurried to pick them up. They then carried them off to the opposite side of the ship where her chambers were located.

“You seem like you are trying to charm me into liking you already. I appreciate the sentiment, but your actions will prove much louder than your words.” She remarked. She looked towards the open sea that they were heading towards then. The air was beginning to get cooler due to the wind that was leading them off. “Luckily enough for you, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to show your loyalty to your new crew. I am not going to bother introducing you to everyone here. You will learn their names quickly enough. I can assure you no one will bite your head off or shank you in the middle of the night.” Her humor was very dry and it showed the longer she talked.

“You came at a good time though. There are a few spice shops we are heading towards near the southern islands. While the journey is a few days away, you have time to prove yourself to me. Maybe I will be nice enough and give you your weapons back by the time we get there.” She commented. She noticed something from the corner of her eye. She moved to the side of the shop, eyes narrowing as she peered to their left. “Johnnie, keep an eye on that ship. I have a bad feeling they might try to follow us.” She commanded to the man still at the helm. Johnnie quickly nodded. “Yes captain. I will make sure the crew is ready just in case.” He assured. Rose slowly nodded before she moved back towards Christopher.

 

[la maison]

There was a rather large chance that there wasn't even a single soul that wouldn't recognize the name of the captain. Her name was on posters around just about every corner of every single street, posted up in pubs and diners, and just about every facility that there ever was. It would have been impossible for Christopher to not know her, but the real reason why he had heard so much of her was something that he wouldn't dare to admit. If they knew he was the son of the captain that continuously tracked them down and wanted their heads, what would they do? Kill him, take his head, hold him for ransom, or something else that would be a rather cruel fate? Maybe they would think this was a trap, that he boarded to get close to them, slip past their defenses and then allow the navy to trail them and take them out when they least expected it. It wasn't Rose or the crew that instilled nervousness and fear into him; it was the thought that his past would soon catch back up with him.

The way that the navy dealt with traitors was horrid, gruesome, and something Christopher wished he had never been forced to witness. Torture, humiliation, starvation, and if they were lucky enough, they would be killed before it got far too much worse. Even if he was the captain's son, would they do the same to him? At the end of the day, a traitor was a traitor, no matter their connections or blood. And, if he were caught, would the fate of the crew be much better? No, as he thought before, he wouldn't allow them to suffer the consequences that he himself should face. If they were to be captured, he would be the distraction that gave them the chance to escape. The young man didn't have a hero complex, but it was the desire to help others that often made him seem like he was trying to be one.

He put others before himself, though it was often difficult to keep up with, when certain tasks were near impossible for one person alone. At least he had the skills he was taught, that would hopefully prove to be useful for the near future, during his time with this crew on the ship. "I am good with maps, both reading and making them. I often studied them in my spare time, in case I was ever given the opportunity to explore on my own," the man nodded, sparing a glance over towards Rose for only a moment or two. He was always told to make eye contact when speaking, yet he still felt far too hesitant to fully look at anyone just yet. Maybe he was being far too paranoid about it all, but he truly didn't know what would happen if someone were to recognize him. It might eventually happen, but his only hope was that he would prove himself to be with them, and not seem as if he was trying to trick or take advantage of anyone here. They showed mercy by allowing him to prove his worth, but he wasn't so sure if they would do that a second time.

"I am not trying to charm or mislead you, I am simply trying to prove that I will be worth your time." He knew it did seem that way, trying to show that he was ready and willing for anything, and that he wouldn't cause them any trouble no matter what. It definitely seemed like he was trying to overcompensate for something, where he had to make them believe that he was skilled in anything they might throw at him, where he could be lacking on all fronts. It was true, though, anything they needed, he was willing to provide for them. If they needed a hand with the sails, he could do that. If they needed someone to point the correct direction, he could do that. The only thing he would fail quite horrendously at, would be cooking. Unfortunately, that was one thing he had never been shown, as it was expected for others to make the meals for them, and he wasn't to lay a hand on anything himself.

Christopher understood the need to be cautious, which was the reason he hadn't hesitated to lay his weapons down the moment he had been told to. He was a stranger, and their lives could be in danger if he wasn't who or what he said he was. In this day and age, just about every tactic could be used to win the advantage over an enemy, and he understood that. He had seen it unfold before his very own eyes, people using trickery and deceit to win their way. The navy was definitely guilty of doing that as well, from all that he had heard. From history, or seeing it right in front of his eyes, the man had seen just about everything. He had gotten better at reading others, seeing if they were lying or telling the truth. It wasn't perfect, but it was getting better the longer he was exposed to those types of things. "Is there something wrong?" he questioned as he watched the captain return by his side, looking to her, then out to the sea.

 

[david tennant]

Rose’s expression brightened as the other male assured her that he was able to read and create maps. It took one less stressor off of her shoulder. She truly hadn’t a clue as to where she might have been able to find a replacement for Elias otherwise. It wasn’t as if many people were excited to join pirate crews these days and she was normally very picky about who she allowed to join her crew. This must’ve just been a pleasant fluke. “That is good to know. You will be one of our new cartographers then. There is one other, Ashton, who will help you learn the way we handle maps here. He is much older than you, but he will be a good enough mentor for now.” She informed. She didn’t plan on this being his only job. She knew that they would need him in other places as well. He seemed versatile enough.

She raised an eyebrow as Christopher continued to speak to her, assuring her that he wasn’t just trying to charm them. The smirk twitched her lips once again. “I can see that. You have talked quite a lot and each word you say only showcases your abilities.” She remarked with a soft chuckle. It wasn’t as if she cared. It seemed like she dealt with quite a lot of people that had large egos lately. She knew his pride would diminish the moment he was exposed to everything they went through on a daily basis. Piracy was quick to break anyone of old habits or old thoughts. She was almost excited to see how Christopher would break.

She glanced back towards the ship that she had spotted not too far from their port side. She had a been feeling swirling in her stomach. She didn’t respond to Christopher immediately, moving to stand near the edge of the deck. She looked down at the men working before finally deciding to speak. “Key an eye out boys. Raise the sails. I want us to pick up some speed.” Her voice was loud, tone back to the way it had been when she first spoke with Christopher. It was cold, harsh. It didn’t take long before the crew moved to begin doing as she asked. It was only then that she turned back to Christopher. “Not yet. I do have a bad feeling about this though.” She admitted.

She learned to trust her instincts from a very early age. Her mother died during childbirth and her father had been accused of stealing from the Royal Bank. The clerks said that he matched the description of the pirates that came in to do the deed. No matter how much he pleaded, he was hung when she was only seven. The situation forced her onto the streets. She did everything that she could to survive, though it didn’t always work out the way she hoped it would. She was ten when she finally made her way down to the docks. The ocean was something that always calmed her down. The smell of the salt would ease any panic attack she might have.

The first crew took her in when she was twelve. The captain looked at her like she was his own daughter. Everything that she knew was due to him. He became a new father figure in her life. She finally felt safe. That was until the navy captured them when she was seventeen. She managed to escape with a few of the crew, but the captain suffered the same fate as her father. She managed to find the ship she currently captained and the rest was history. She avoided thinking back on it any as the memories always made her upset. It was one of the reasons why she hated the navy as much as she did.