Sweet Kiss Of Revenge

[Tayssi]

Binding her chest tightly before she pulled on a long sleeved white shirt with a partly lace up front and the sleeves covered half her hand, but the split to just below her wrists kept her hands free to move. Pulling on a pair of long black pants and then some boots, Jessie straightened and glanced at the mirror momentarily before she gave a nod of approval and then put her black vest on over the top of her shirt. Walking over to where she kept her food, she shoved a few bits of unperishable food and shoved them in her bag and then she shrugged it onto a shoulder before she left the house, grabbing her sword along the way. Strapping it around her waist, Jessie lowered her gaze for a moment whilst she buckled it to herself. Once secured, her gaze rose to look ahead, walking through bush, following the dirt path. Her emerald green eyes were dark with anticipation of what was going to happen today. The captain of a pirate ship, Requiem, was coming to port today to recruit some new members of the crew. And it just so happened to be that Requiem was the very man from many years ago who killed her parents. Jessie planned to get on the ship, earn everyone's trust and then strike down the captain in a single blow. She had that thought about that plan for years. But she had to wait until she was old enough, at least 16 before she thought about trying to join the crew. However, when she had turned 16, the ship still hadn't come so she waited. Knowing he'd have to take port here some time. And she heard just a few days ago that he was coming, and by now, she was almost 17. Her plan was being dragged out as it was. She wanted to kill the man as fast as possible, but if she just tried to attack him, he'd easily stop her. She needed him to have his guard down around her. And that involved becoming a part of his crew and becoming one of them. Even if the thought of being on a ship for so long made her feel slightly nauseous, she knew she didn't get sea sick. She had been on a ship plenty of times since her parents were killed.



She could remember the night very clearly. It was on her 11th birthday. She had had a great day. Full of laughter and fun. She had her friends over that day and opened many presents. Her parents had smothered her with love like every other birthday, her father always taking a day off of his work to stay with her all day. And like every year, they planted a new Camellia bush in the garden bed. The gardens were made nearly entirely of Camellia's as they had always been Jessie' absolute favourite flower. The garden was made up of white, pink and red, from the different types of Camellia's. To be honest, Jessie had always wanted a yellow Camellia, but her parents could never get one. Jessie remembers, after all her friends had left and the moon had risen high in the sky, she ventured out into the garden to just watch her new plant, like she did every year. It was then that she had seen a young man followed by two other men stride up towards the house. They looked like pirates and it seemed that the youngest one was the captain. She had seen their weapons and it had paralysed her body and voice. So she was stuck there, lying on her stomach and watched as the young man entered the house. Through the open door, she saw as he struck down her parents, who had been waiting for her come inside. She didn't see what had come after that, only that the other men went inside and came back a few minutes later, the captain carrying the portrait of her parents and her standing there, her parents with no smiles, but their eyes bright and Jessie unable to wipe the grin from her face after getting their first portrait together just 8 months ago. It was at least an hour after they had disappeared that Jessie could move again and she ran to her parents' now cold bodies and cried. Rage soon took over and with a last fare well kiss to her parents' foreheads, Jessie left, the desire for revenge coursing through her.



Pushing a branch aside, Jessie looked at the town just down the hill. She ran a slightly tanned hand through her very short hair and groaned, forgetting momentarily she had cut it and kept it short for a while now, to help make her look like a boy. Continuing her walk, she made her way down the hill as she saw the pirate ship in the near distance. Within minutes, she stepped into the town, her boots thudding lightly against the ground. She gave a hesitant wave and smile to the friendly townspeople who greeted her. She knew a lot of people in the town, but she still wasn't used to how friendly a few of them were to her. Hiking her bag further up her shoulder, she saw the port just up ahead and she quickened her pace, seeing the ship pull in. It wasn't really a surprise that the ship would take port here. After all, the small town was barely ever visited by law enforcements, making it the perfect spot for pirates to recruit new crewmates. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart, she clenched her teeth before she opened her eyes once again. She saw the other men milling around the harbor to be pirates. Approximately 20 milled around near the ports. Some were older, more middle aged men with fierce glares and greying hairs. Probably on the run from someone or something. However, most of them were younger men between 19 and 25. It seemed to her that Jessie was the youngest. Maybe. She couldn't see everybody, but from what she could see, that thought seemed to be true.



Squaring her shoulders, Jessie approached the group and watched as the ship came to a stop and ramp slid down. Her emerald gaze rose higher, watching as the crew members descended the ramp. She watched, trying to find the captain. Or maybe he wasn't a captain anymore. But she had heard he was still their captain. Jessie's caramel coloured hair tickled the back of her neck and the hairs stood on end and she raised a hand to rub her neck and clenched her teeth together. Eventually, the captain showed his face and her brows furrowed slightly. He looked somewhat different. Not as thin. His hair was longer and skin slightly darker from the sun. He had a more rugged look compared to her memory of that night. But she knew, for a fact, that it was him. A calm fury danced in her eyes and her hands clenched into fists as the hair on her neck stood on end for a different reason this time. She glared at him momentarily before she looked away, trying to calm her rising emotions before she looked back at him once more, waiting to see what the man would do.

 

[Requiem]

Everything was quiet on the sea, including the ship. There weren't nearly enough bodies moving about, keeping the ship running smoothly. They needed more people and badly. That was of course, the risk one took while operating as a pirate though, the Captain supposed. They'd recently captured a merchant ship and it's crew. This pleased him quite a bit, as living prisoners usually made excellent coin. He could usually sell them into slavery without much trouble at all. It wasn't pleasant work, but it certainly was profitable. Profitable enough to hire more crew on at the very least, and he knew the best place to get a crew that lacked the morals that most had that made them avoid his line of work.

It was all set to go, and Captain Requiem of The Outsider was far beyond ready. It had been some time since he'd been ashore, and most of his crew felt the same way. Many were ready to release their pent up energies in the local brothels, others were interested in drinking, and of course, there were those who were kindred to the Captain himself, the sort who liked to play cards to wile away the hours.

When they arrived at the island, most of the crew scattered immediately. Requiem had his first mate, a young woman named Aleria, take those captured down to the prison to put to sale. Meanwhile, he headed down to the tavern. He had some recruiting to do, and it would help to set up. As he walked, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being followed. Requiem pulled his long white hair behind his shoulders as he opened the door and stepped inside.

 

[Tayssi]

Jessie watched as the man descended the ramp and then walked into the town, going past her without so much as a glance. He didn't recognise her. She wasn't sure if she was mad or relieved about that. After all, he must've seen her in the portrait he had stolen. But if he had recognised her, even would be nought. Clenching her hands into fists at the thought, she watched as he made his way into the town and she rested a hand on the hilt of her sword before she silently followed him. Her eyes narrowed when she watched him pull his long white hair behind his shoulders and then disappeared into the tavern. She stayed outside for a long moment, considering. Should she go in now or later? She'd have to come face to face with eventually and she just hoped that he wouldn't recognise her. At least until it was too late for him. Taking a deep breath and steadying her rampant thoughts, she steeled herself and pushed open the doors and stepped inside the tavern. Pausing at the entryway, she looked around for the Captain, however, there were so many people inside she couldn't see him. She growled in frustration and pushed her way through the throng of pirates and common citizens alike. They all looked the same to her, really. But she wasn't concentrating on them. She was looking out for the bold, long white hair that would give away the location of the Captain.

She gripped the hilt of her sword until her knuckles were white as she shouldered through the people who were pretty much all men and were a lot taller than her, so it was rather difficult getting large, obnoxious men to move out of her way. Huffing a silent curse, she pushed her way to a spot where not many people were so there was more room to allow her to look around. Turning in a tight circle, she tried to locate the man and soon, she saw the flash of white hair and her eyes widened and a smirk spread across her features before she pushed her way through the crowd once more, soon coming face to face with the Captain. She looked up at him, brows furrowed and resisting the urge to try and put her sword through his chest. Oh how she wanted to do that. To kill him right now. But here, she didn't have enough space to manoeuvre and the man would catch her before she could draw her sword and probably kill her on the spot.

Groaning in frustration at her own thoughts, she stared up at him before she said, "I want to join your crew," with as much enthusiasm and firmness as she could muster. Her enthusiasm was for a whole different reason to just joining the crew though, but she'd never let him know that little fact.

 

[Requiem]

The inside of the bar was dark, and smelled of vomit and alcohol. Smoke permeated the air as the Captain searched for a table to set up. It wasn't an exciting task he'd set before him, but one that was of the utmost importance. Then, he spotted a place near the corner of the bar that would do quite well. A table was set up with a chair facing outwards to the bar from the back. Nobody could slip behind him that way.

As he mused on this, a voice from behind him surprised him, reminding him exactly why he wanted a corner table. He turned to see who had spoken and he found himself amused by the image before him. A young girl trying to hide her form under a boys clothing, trying to declare her desire to join his crew. That was of course, before he saw her face. What he saw instantly shifted his mood. He'd seen that face too many times to not find it familiar. That painting still hung in his quarters, and he stared at it daily.

Finally he opened his mouth to speak "You're a bit young, aren't you?" He asked, walking over to the place where he was planning on setting up. If she followed, which she doubtlessly would do, then she would hear him as he spoke. "So what exactly is it you can offer us? You're certainly no master of disguise, and a ship life is a hard life. So what talents can such a young one as yourself have to benefit my crew?" He put on the standard face he gave most people. He didn't want her knowing that he knew what he knew.