Dawn's Dusk on the High Seas

By the time The Jackal, Vitae and Mortis were docked, the sun was casting its last rays for the day over the port town. Half the crew of each ship had been allowed off, with the two captains, before making their way to a tavern or some crewmates to a brothel.

“Hah! Jack you were savage on that last raid! How many’d you cut down? Twelve?” Colton laughed, slapping Jack’s shoulder and raising his mug of rum to the air.

“Twenty three my friend,” Jack responded, drinking some water from his own cup.

Colton chuckled before standing from his seat after spying a rather beautiful woman walk in. Garbed in a specially made outfit of lithe robes of one side black and one side white, along with thick and heavier leather armor than Jack’s with four holsters on his chest, and four on his waist, each fully loaded, and a bacic cutlass at his side, he strode over to the woman.

“Hello my beautiful mermaid. What brings you here?” he cooed, lifting her hand and placing a small kiss atop it.

The woman blushed and moved some of her brown locks over her shoulder before slightly toying with her modest green dress.

“Might I ask what your name is?” he continued.

“Laura,” she replied sheepishly.

“Ah, what a lovely name for what a beauty you are,” Colton whispered.

“Forget it cur. She belongs to me,” a large man grumbled, entering behind her.

“Why not let her choose? She is a woman that can choose. A beauteous one at that,” Colton responded.

The man glared down at Laura before she took steps towards Colton until she was at his side. Rage exploded in the man’s face before he reached for Laura. In a flash and a bang, one of Colton’s flintlocks was out and had put a bullet between the man’s eyes. The tavern was silent, and Jack was grinning in amusement. Stepping over the man’s corpse, Colton and Laura moved to the stairs that led to more private rooms above. Also, while he tossed three silver coins to the bartender for the room and mess. Everybody watched them go.

Jack was smirking as life slowly resumed in the tavern around that idiot’s body. Messing with Colton was dumb enough. But reaching for whatever woman Colton had likely undressed by now was crossing a good man’s line. Especially after she chose Colton. Leaning back and hanging an arm over the back of his chair, he gazed around and found tattered wanted posters of himself and Colton. Both were beer and blood stained from obvious bar fights before standing up. Deciding that he wouldn’t be seeing his friend without having to see him tangled up with another brunette, Jack started towards the door. Three men had entered and shoved past him before Jack smiled again. He wanted to shed a little blood tonight. Just, none of his own.

“Excuse me, but that was incredibly rude of you,” he started, stopping the nearest.

The newcomer glared before swinging for Jack’s head. Blocking it, Jack grabbed his arm and shoulder before slamming the man’s head into the bar counter and throwing him to the floor. Casually raising his hood over his short blond hair along with the cloth over the rest of his nose and mouth, the man’s two friends whirled. They both produced their swords and lunged before the blades were knocked to the floor. Bringing up his hands, Jack flew at them before burying the metal claws in their cheeks and guts. Both of the men dropped writhing.

A pistol clicked as one of the men tried to aim it at Jack once he’d turned. With a thought, a solid bolt of shadow the size of a fly knocked the flint out of the hammer and another larger bolt drove up from under the man and burst his heart. Jack flicked a gold coin over his shoulder to the bartender before walking quietly out and back to his ship to send a letter to his wife, Alice. Silence followed him until he reached the docks and the creaking of the ships. Walking up the gangplank, his crew knew immediately not to disturb him, or face a merciless wrath.

“When you leave, gather up the rest of the crew and send them back to the ship. I won’t have The Jackal unprotected for long. I’ll be in my quarters if needed. Good night,” Jack ordered to the remainder of his crew.

Many nodded or said, “Aye.” before beginning down the gangplank and howling for fun before disappearing into the cobbled streets. Thankfully, the crew had lit all the lanterns over the ship. Slipping into his cabin, quiet continued to surround him as he sat himself at his desk and pulled out some ink and paper.

Dear Alice,

The tides and fate have been kind so far. I write this to you from a small port town in Cuba. Every day I look to the sun and wish that it could gleam as bright as your smile. Are the children well? Each gathering has been as fortuitous as your love, bringing us ever closer to living comfortably. How is life going back home? I sorely miss you and the kids every second I’m away. I eagerly await your response. Let this letter travel as fast as the winds. I promise I will come to bring you to a home I have my eye on. If money can’t buy it, I have other ways. See you soon.

-Jack

After folding up the letter, Jack sealed it with simple wax and sent his most trusted first mate to deliver the message to a mail courier. As the shadows informed him, the first mate was loyal and gave it immediately to the postmaster along with a few coins. Smiling, he laid down in his bed and pulled his hood over his eyes before nodding off for the night.