Over the course of the next two years Captain Queen, who asked everyone on board to call her Penny, became a feared and respected pirate captain. She took on anything from East India traders to Royal ships, though she mostly left the colonists alone.

Once, late in her first year as captain, she and some of the crew of the Revenge dropped anchor near an island and rowed ashore, crossed the small jungle on foot, and blew up a Spanish fortress while the other half of her crew snuck on board the Spanish treasure galleon and sailed away with a king's ransom and then some. The galleon was moored at a small deserted island off the coast of Inagua.

Penny liked to think of it as her backup ship. It needed a little work, but if something happened to the Revenge, she could take her most loyal shipmates in the two longboats and make for her island, and the rest of them - should they survive the battle - would meet them in Tortuga.

It was a solid plan that Penny hoped she'd never need to execute.

~*DD*~*DD*~*DD*~

The corset did nothing for her internal organs, but it emphasized her outer assets in a way that made men a little stupid, so she put up with it. Whenever Penny did research and reconnaissance she wore a low cut dress with a corset and it rarely failed her. That once was a fluke because that particular sailor was more interested in her Quartermaster Zachary, and honestly she couldn't blame him.

Penny had heard rumors in Port Morant of a treasure and needed more information; once more she donned her 'disguise', hoping it would distract the drunken sailors from her nosy and specific questions.

"I sailed, once," she told the man beside her. Careful to only drink every second or third shot while she sipped her ale, she pretended to get more and more drunk. "It was the most wonderful feeling of freedom. I can only imagine what it must be like to sail all the time."

"Aye, it's gweat," her companion said. "Buwied tweasure, going whewever we want whenever we want." His speech impediment was annoying and his hands wandered, but at least he was easy on the eyes. "Pweasuwable company." Speaking of, his hand found its way to her rear for the third time that night. Penny grinned and gritted her teeth. She needed the information she heard he had, and if she could get it without sleeping with him, then all the better, but she'd do it if she had no other choice.

"Have you ever actually found buried treasure?" she asked, batting her eyelashes. "I heard tell of a so-called treasure but it isn't buried. Some sailor in the harbor was talking and I overheard, but he said it was just a strange artifact of some rarity. It didn't sound all that exciting." Penny took a sip of her ale, pretending to drink deeply. "Amulets are for the superstitious, anyway, and rarely are they of any real value."

The sailor - Barty, or Barney, maybe - looked at her with wide eyes, as though he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You heard a saiwor talking about an amuwet? When? I've heard stowies of an amuwet I'd wove to get my hands on. Supposedwy it awwows the weawer to contwow the wind."

Penny laughed. "An amulet to control the wind! While I'm sure that would be something, indeed, surely you don't truly believe it? Magic is dead. Religion stamped it out." She hoped that with her adamant disbelief he'd do as men do and attempt to correct her.

She wasn't disappointed. "Wew excuse me, ma'am," he said. She could tell he was offended and was preparing to lecture her. She'd seen it enough, but since it was exactly what she wanted from him she let him talk.

He continued, gearing up. "I wead a widdwe on a map bawey a week ago that says diffewentwy."

He pulled a small scroll out of his loose sleeve and unrolled it. Penny's heart caught in her throat. She didn't expect to actually find the riddle itself tonight. She tuned out his voice and read the scroll herself.

The mouth of the dragon speaks

The prevailing winds

And hides the key without name

The key unlocks the Anemoi

"Now," Barry - for she remembered his name was Barry, or presumed since he pronounced it 'Bawwy' - said a bit condescendingly. "This is wittle known in these parts but the Anemoi were the Gweek gods of the winds, so it stands to weason the Anemoi this key unwocks would be named for them. Therefore, the artifact may vewy well contwow the wind."

Having done her research, Penny knew this, so she grinned and said, "Well. That's just fascinating. Maybe it is real, then." Her eyes widened as she looked behind her companion. "Damn!"

"What?" he asked, turning to look. She took the opportunity to take the small scroll off the table and rose from her seat.

A man had just walked through the tavern door and zeroed in on her. "My brother, come to take me home, no doubt. I've duties that must be attended, but I simply loathe them." She turned to her companion and put on a pout. "I must go, but I so enjoyed your company. Perhaps we may meet again." She blew him a kiss and hurried to the tall man making his way over. They whispered a short exchange and left the establishment.

Outside, Penny looped her arm through her Quartermaster's and together they made the trek back to the longboat that would get them back to the ship anchored just offshore.

On the longboat, she pulled out the scrap of parchment with the riddle. She hoped it wouldn't be too hard to decipher. It was a short clue, but it was only the first of she knew not how many.

"Any ideas, Zachary?" she asked her Quartermaster. She'd yet to find anyone she trusted enough to be her first mate, so Zachary filled both roles often. He wasn't the most educated, but he knew the Revenge like the back of his hand. As well he should since he'd been part of her crew when she was the Constance under Cooper's captaincy.

"No, captain," he said, rowing them back to the ship. "I bet Cooper would know."

Which might be useful if he hadn't been captured by the Spaniards and left for dead. Even if he did manage to survive she doubted he'd help her. After all, she had his ship. She'd heard stories of the former captain and while he was smart as a whip he wasn't exactly nice.

"We'll figure it out," she said, and boarded the Revenge.


A/N: I will not finish this by the end of the month. I might not even finish this by the end of the year. BUT! I do plan on finishing it eventually. This will eventually become an original novel, but first I have to iron out plot details and...y'know...come up with original characters. XD But I figured I could use these characters as a dry run for the plot.

With that in mind, remember to review! No man is an island and feedback keeps we writers writing. Don't let me abandon this.