Two days passed by slowly. Faint rays of light streamed into the brig through the boards overhead, feet casting shadows as they walked above. It was the only way Scarlett and William knew it was daytime. As night fell upon them, they were shrouded in its darkness and left to guess what scurried about and squeaked in the corners of their cells.

Their stomachs quickly became empty and their throats parched, as they were rarely visited by the pirates. Once, however, the cabin boy was sent down with bowls of gruel and tossed them in the brig. Scarlett lifted her nose up at the putrid smell and refused to eat but soon enough, grasped for the bowl on the floor, held her nose and swallowed its contents.

It was approaching the close of the third day and Scarlett was ready to settle down for another long night of cold, damp sleep. But there was commotion above deck, followed by the clanging of the anchor. The ship was coming to a halt. Before she knew it, the voices of pirates came through the gunroom until they stopped at the brig. One wearing a bandana around his head held up a lantern and shined it in Scarlett's face.

“Get up, you're comin’ with us,” he said in a gruff voice.

“I'm not leaving without my brother,” she said.

“Don't worry, he's comin’ too.”

The stout pirate beside him unlocked the brig and took her brother, bound his hands roughly behind his back and led him away. Scarlett rose from the ground, anxious to not let him out of her sight. The pirate holding the lantern then hung it on a hook overhead and jumbled the keys in the lock. He forced Scarlett's hands together as well, the rope cutting into her skin as he yanked it tight, and pushed her past the gunners. This time, however, the room was empty. As they climbed above deck, Scarlett saw the whole crew had gathered as they prepared for their stay on land.

She was forced beside William, standing helplessly in the middle of the deck. As they waited for their captors’ next move, she gazed into the town but it was shrouded in fog. Tears welled in her eyes as she imagined how far away from home they were. She feared if they would ever see freedom again.

Sensing her trepidation, William moved his hands to Scarlett's and held them awkwardly behind their backs. The moment of his comfort was quick, however, when suddenly, they were ripped from each other's touch.

“No funny business!” a pirate yelled in their ears.

Scarlett flinched but diverted her attention as Blackbeard approached, his boot heels tapping on the deck announcing his presence. He looked her up and down carefully before reaching forward. She kept still, resisting to show any signs of fear, as he brushed back her hair and sighed through his nose.

“It'll have to do,” he said, turning away from her to face his crew.

Immediately, they broke into action and began maneuvering the jolly boats. The pirates guarding Scarlett and William guided them to the starboard side for departure. She watched as her brother was urged into a boat and lowered down to the sea. Following suit, she climbed into the second boat, along with a few pirates who crowded around her. Scarlett clung to the wooden plank seat as they were lowered, only loosening her grip when they splashed into the water and bobbed haphazardly around. Then a pirate untied the rope and began to row.

Scarlett watched on as they drew closer to shore, the faint lantern at the bow weakening against the dense fog. It was well into the night and the waters were quiet. Slowly, however, she began to see the town was riddled with twinkling lights but they were unfamiliar and cold.

She remembered the feeling all too well--being surrounded by pirates on all sides as they pushed and shoved her into a cruel world far from home. But there was comfort in her memory. She had lived through it before--why couldn't she do it again? She knew this crew, anyway. They would simply go to a tavern and intoxicate themselves so much they wouldn't even notice her and her brother's escape. But what if it isn't that easy? she pondered.

They soon reached the docks, disembarked the boats and began the walk into town. Blackbeard led the way as the small crowd followed behind. As Scarlett expected, they approached the entrance of a public house, the wooden sign overhead creaking as it swung in the cold breeze. They entered the warm, stagnant room, where Blackbeard and his crew were greeted by the barmaids with familiarity but they didn't settle themselves down at a table or call over tankards of ale. Instead, they walked towards the back and ducked through a door, leading into a dark hallway. Scarlett could barely see her way until they opened another door at the end. This revealed another large room, hidden and tucked away from unpermitted eyes. Men sat scattered about, reclining at tables and drinking heavy spirits. They looked up at the newcomers, some shifting uncomfortably while others smirked greedily. Scarlett began to feel sick as she gazed at the fancifully-dressed men staring her down.

“Scarlett, where are we?” William whispered, a quiver in his voice.

“I don't know but I don't like it.”

“Shh!” came the pirate behind them, hissing in their ears.

“Ah, my good man,” said a voice from the shadows, shattering the room’s silence. “I am glad to see you have finally arrived. I do hope you've had safe travels.”

Blackbeard stepped forward and placed his hands on his belt, the pistols hanging from his hip glinting in the candlelight. He propped his tricorn hat up from his eyes to look at the man sitting before him. “Aye, very well,” he said. “Took longer than expected but well all the same.”

Scarlett tried to catch a glimpse of the man, as he crossed his legs and gestured expectantly. “I see you have brought some guests.”

“Yes,” Blackbeard replied. “I think you'll find it was worth the wait.”

“Yes, indeed,” the man drawled. “I quite agree.” He stood up and stepped closer into the light, displaying a tall and slender form underneath a long velvet justaucorps. A ruffled shirt peeked through at his neck and around his wrists and a feathered tricorn stood atop a bushel of curly dark hair. He sauntered up to Scarlett, scrutinizing her down his nose before taking a lock of her hair in his fingers. “Beautiful. A nice figure underneath those stays, I can imagine.” He paused, lifting her chin up with a finger, forcing her to look into his eyes as he smiled wickedly. “Yes, with a little clean-up, this one will do nicely.”

“Keep your hands off her,” William said beside her, struggling to free himself from the pirate's grip behind him.

“Well, a feisty, young fellow,” said the man, leaving Scarlett and approaching her brother. “Seems strong enough. I think he'll do rather well as a soldier.”

“A soldier?” Scarlett blurted out.

“Yes, my dear,” he said. “Don't you know there are new lands overseas in the West? New lands mean new colonies to be established but not without a good fight. A good many soldiers are needed if we are to be at war with the French. Besides, there's good money in it, too.”

“Overseas? You can't send my brother there!”

“Your brother? Oh, what a pity. It's all for a good cause, my dear, as you will be serving another. Oh, do forgive me, I'm afraid I failed to introduce myself. My name is Bastian De Leon. You'll be under my care now.” He turned to Blackbeard. “Shall we make a deal?”

Blackbeard shifted his weight to straighten his posture. “A thousand pounds--each.”

Bastian let out a hearty laugh. “My good man, do you think I'm made of money? I'll give you two hundred.”

Blackbeard shook his head. “It won't do. I have a crew to feed and a ship to keep amend. There are expenses.”

“The life of a pirate isn't as glamorous as it seems, is it? Well, I have my expenses, too. Tell you what--I'll give you five hundred for the girl.”

“Eight hundred.”

“Six hundred.”

“And the boy?”

“That offer remains the same. Soldiers are expendable.”

“I won't walk away without more, Bastian. You know my ways.”

“Come on,” said the pirate beside Scarlett, pulling her away. “You've just been sold.”

“No,” she said, trying to release herself from his grip. “William! I won't leave without my brother.”

William only watched as they were separated. She could see tears welling in his eyes for the first time but he did nothing to rebel. He only stood slouched, defeated and, Scarlett feared, ready to accept his fate.

“Better get used to it, dearie,” the pirate said. “This may be the last time you ever see ‘im.”

“No, you can't do this!” she yelled as she was forced to move to the opposite side of the room.

She resisted the pirate's grip and perhaps with a moment of mercy, he didn't fight back. She could hear Bastian remark mockingly about her feistiness before resuming his bartering with Blackbeard. Tears blurred her vision as she watched.

This was it. She had been captured by pirates before and lived to tell the tale but she was foolish to think she could do it again. This time, Blackbeard had her and his purpose for capturing her would finally be realized. But now not only would her brother be shipped off to unknown lands as well, she wouldn't even have a chance to say goodbye. Hope began to vanish and she felt her body weaken, as she realized their journey to find their sister and reunite their family was coming to an end. I should have never left home, she thought. How will Father and Mother ever forgive me? What if they never find out what happened? Commander Hughes was right--pirates were barbarians. Her anger and hatred burned as she glared at Blackbeard standing haughtily in the middle of the room putting a price on her brother's head.

“Come on, it doesn't do any good to watch,” the pirate said, escorting her through a door.

She only had a second to catch one last glimpse of her brother before she was enveloped in darkness once again. They were in a different room now but she could tell it was small and moonlight filtered through a door at the other end. It was quiet and Scarlett realized they were alone. If she was going to make an escape, her opportunity had arrived. However, there was a movement from the side.

“I've got this one,” came a strongly accented voice.

A new set of hands clasped around hers still tied behind her back. The other pirate mumbled his consent and left to return to the bartering in the other room. She couldn't see her new captor's face as he yanked back on her arms, signaling it was time to leave. Now was her chance.

She fought the pirate off, refusal to leave her brother behind fueling her thrashing more than ever. But he was stronger and she couldn't peel away from his grip. Forcefully, he picked her up and carried her out through the moonlit door into the chilled air of an abandoned and smelly alleyway.

“Get your hands off me,” she screamed. “Disgusting, filthy pirate! Let go!”

“Hey, calm down!” he said, dropping her feet onto the ground and wrestling to contain her as she wriggled in his grasp. “Stop it!” He grabbed hold of her shoulders as she faced him and quickly pulled off the hood concealing his face.

Scarlett gasped, immobilized not by the pirate's grip but by the disbelief running through her mind. Breathing heavily and standing before her was the man she thought she had lost forever.