Chapter Seven Part One

Violet stepped out from the cover of jungle, just as Redbeard and his men slid their gig up onto the sand. Sam and Pete were there to greet the visitors, being his two strongest men, that was a good thing. Violet was still a short way down the stretch of beach, making his way toward them.

Vi heard a rustling behind him, knowing it could only be Betsy, he glanced behind, to see just exactly what she thought she was doing. When he saw her, he chuckled softly to himself, saucy, little wench. You could not stay put, could you?

He turned back towards the men on the beach, but he could still see in his mind the filthy, unrecognizable urchin she had become. He adopted his flamboyant walk, to help distract the pirates from his newest 'crewman', and to keep his reputation intact.

As Violet approached and addressed the men, Betsy kept walking on past them, her head down, keeping to the edge of the jungle, she then joined the cabin boys. She picked up a long stick, and mostly turning her back to the newcomers, she began poking the sheets and clothing down into the kettle.

Violet swung his arms and put a lilt in his step. He approached the men and removed an imaginary hat, performing a flamboyant bow, as he stopped before them. "Redbeard, my friend, how very pleasing 'tis to see you. What brings you to my tiny spot of paradise?" He swept his arm to indicate the bay they occupied, then he turned his most charming smile, upon these men he did not fully trust.

"Violet Petals, 'tis been far too long," Redbeard clapped Violet on the back as Vi winced, playing false that the other man's enthusiasm injured him, as the other pirates sniggered at his apparent weakness. "When I saw 'twas ye afloatin' in the bay, I remembered yer good man Michaels an' the way he hast w' the fixin' o' ships. I has me a cracked mast step I be needing his good opinin' on."

Redbeard looked the way of the kettle, noting the two boys standing around it, one slid his toe back and forth in the sand, the other poked at the kettle with a stick. The remaining four had sticks also, and were "sword fighting", as they waited for Violet to light their bonfire. "Ain't ye goin t'light that fire, or are ye hopin' it be lightin' isself?" Redbeard chuckled, his men laughed behind him.

"Now, that would be a first for me." Violet laughed along with them, ever wary, yet this was their game, to act the best of friends, while you watched out for the knife in your back. He swung his arm out widely, making a half bow, "I have no issue with you needing my man's help, as long at it pleases you." Violet gave Redbeard a stunning smile, engaging his eyes, almost, but not quite, flirting with the man.

"Good, good," Redbeard turned, more than a bit uncomfortable, and walked to his boat. Grabbing the arm of the small boy in the gig, he dragged him out onto the sand, tossing him Violet's way.

The tiny boy spiraled and fell to his face, coming to rest at Violet's feet, as Vi tried his very best not to react to Redbeard's callous treatment of the child. Vi looked at Redbeard and quirked his brow. Later, he would be furious, for now he had to play his part. He knew the boy's life depended on it.

"I bring ye a trade, yer man Michaels services fer this here boy, I knows how ye like yer boys." Redbeard gave Violet a conspiring look, as his men snickered behind him. The pirates assumed Vi's crew were a lazy bunch, that they made the youngsters do as much of the work aboard ship as possible, so they would not have to. They also thought that Violet took the younger ones to the slave auction to be sold as child labor.

Violet did not care what they thought, as long as he could get the child away from them. He squatted in the sand, and with a finger, lifted the boy's chin to look at his face. The small child kept his eyes cast down, he was shaking as a leaf and softly sobbing. Violet wished he could tear the other pirates into ground meat with a cat. He had to take a cleansing breath before he could speak again.

"A fine trade, my friend, a fine trade." Vi turned to his own boys on the beach. "Harp! Come see to this boy, you and Jack," Vi raised his brow and looked pointedly at Betsy, "Take him aboard ship and ask Michaels if he would come to help our good friend, Redbeard, here." Violet picked the boy up under both his arms and strode to their own dinghy, setting the boy inside, he quietly told him, "Hush now, boy, all will be well."

The boys frightened eyes darted to Violet's face as Davey and Betsy climbed into the boat. Violet gave the boy a conspiratorial wink before letting Harp work his magic.

" 'Twill be fine," Davey told the boy quietly, as he leaned in forward close to him, while pushing the oar, "You will be fine now." Davey went on quietly, as they slid across the water, telling the boy his own tale, reassuring him as they went.

Betsy had sat in the bow again and she bent her head as she rowed, having no idea if she was doing it right, or not. Her full attention, if not her eyes, had been on the little boy since the exchange between Violet and the pirate.

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Violet went about lighting the fire for his boys, as Pete kept chopping away alongside Sam, turning the felled trees into firewood. Redbeard followed Vi over to the kettle, as he had a few questions for the feminine fellow.

"So Violet, have ye had any profitus raids of late?" Redbeard tried to make his inquiries as nonchalantly as possible, while trying to read the man's reactions.

Violet let a sad, dejected look come over his face, "I wish I could say we have, but 'tis sorry I am to say, nay, we have not been so lucky." He shook his head, back and forth, sadly.

"Ah, I see," Redbeard took on a nonchalant air, "'Tis too bad 'bout that," He said, as he eyed Violet closely. "I has another boy I was hopin' ta trade ye."

Violet knew better than to react, he schooled his features in a bored manner, as he waved his hand in the air dismissively. "The one ye gave me will do fine enough." Violet's mind scrambled, as he tried to figure out a way to get the boy, without giving up all their spoils at the same time. He would give it all over if he had to, however, the folks at home could use all the funds to be had from the fine cargo.

"If yer sure 'bout that, I can jes keep 'em, he be good fer entertainin' the crew." Redbeard grinned evilly, revealing his broken, blackened teeth. "Didn' really wan ta give him up, anyways."

Violet turned away from Redbeard and looked at his four boys, his heart was hurting, he had no idea what to do. He closed his eyes for a moment to gather his wits.

Pray

The word came softly, yet powerfully, rising up in his chest and entering his mind from he knew not where. He closed his eyes and it just came, Help me, God, if it pleases you, please, help me.....

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The dinghy bumped up against the side of the ship. Betsy turned to grab the rope that hung there for the purpose of tying the boat off. Davey took the rope from her hands and nodded to the little boy, who was no longer sobbing, but still in shock from his treatment at the pirate's hands.

"Take him and go, send down Michaels and Bart, and tend to the boy." Davey looked into her tortured eyes. She had never seen a child abused so, she was still stricken by the rough handing the pirate had used on such a beautiful child.

Davey gave her a stern look, "Not now, he needs you now."

Betsy closed her eyes and took a deep breath, not wanting to frighten the child, but wanting to grab him up to rock him and hold him, until he, and she, felt better. She was not even sure that she would ever feel better again.

She put out her hand and touched the boy's tiny, perfect, precious fingers. His eyes raised and met hers and he saw through her disguise.

"Miss?" The little boy looked at her with his huge blue eyes, made even more blue, by the shock of white hair that curled around his head.

"Yes, come with me, I will keep you safe." He came into her arms, she did not even want to let him go to climb the ladder, but she knew she must. "You go first, I am right behind you." She assured him, as she set him in front of her bended knees, facing the ladder.

He turned, looking at her face one more time, he put a tiny hand on her cheek.

"Please, go, let us get you safe." Betsy sobbed brokenly, as the tears poured down her face. She was glad she was behind him having to concentrate on climbing the ladder, as she was able to slow the massive flow of tears by the time Brutus and Michaels grabbed their wrists, pulling them both over the rail.

"'Tis glad we are to have you back, Miss. Take him to Violet's cabin and I will send Josh to see to your needs." Brutus told her as he rubbed her shoulder. He had seen. The anguish and pain in her face had twisted his heart, almost as much as the sight of the boy being thrown to Violet on the beach had.

"Thank you, Brutus," Her anguished eyes showing that she knew he understood, "Violet asked for Michaels and Bart, would you send them back with Davey, please?" She picked up the small boy who had been holding her hand. He laid his head on her shoulder as her tears fell into his soft blonde hair.

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Violet still had no answer, but he had peace. He watched the boys as they fed the fire, coaxing it to spread around the kettle. He sat on a log, Redbeard kept his distance, sitting on his own log a few feet away.

"Where ye be sailin' o' late, Petals?" Redbeard was not one to let empty space fly when he could ask a question instead.

"We outran the last storm, and have been making our way back since." Violet shredded a twig between his fingers. He was a bit frustrated, as he did not mind waiting for an answer as to how to save the other child, however, he did not want to make conversation while he did so.

"Have ye run across any bodies we know lately?" Redbeard asked hopefully.

Redbeard was a pirate, through and through, he raped, he pillaged, he stole and he killed. Not necessarily in that order. But he did. And he enjoyed it. He was a former naval man who had been bitten by the whip too many times, and had a great hatred for mankind. It was not his fault really, as the man was a narcoleptic. He fell asleep at odd times, then did not even remember that he had upon awakening. He had fallen asleep on one too many watches, and after having his back shredded for the fifth time, had deserted his post and made his way to Nassau. There, he killed a man for his ship and he had relished the experience. He preyed on small passenger ships, content to empty the boats of any contents that were worth anything. He killed most on board, mayhap keeping a captive or two, or three, depending on the passengers. Some men he pressed into service, but not too many, as he had his own crew. His crew did not mind someone else minding the oars if there were no wind, however. He also needed the additional men to help crew the ships they decided to steal. The men would be pressed into service, the women would be used until useless, then killed, or sold. The children, well, it depended on the children. It was best when there were not any, yet an additional cabin boy or two could always be shared amongst the other ships, and there was always the possibility of selling them at the slave auctions for labor.

Redbeard was also bored, he looked at the same faces day after day, no new happenings to speak of. As everything that did happen, happened to them all.

You could only play so many games of chance, rape a woman so many times, tell the same stories over and over, before it became somewhat monotonous.

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Michaels, Davey and Bart pulled onto the sand, the light, whooshing sound bringing Violet's head up in inspiration. "I have, I came upon a most interesting sight a sennight or so back. Not anyone you know personally, but Drake, of the Green Eyed Lady, the Earl Captain, 'twas. He had some trouble with his ship and traded me some barrels of rum for Michaels' services." Violet could see the interest in Redbeard's eyes.

The ships that Redbeard pillaged did not usually carry the libation in mass quantities. Rum would go far to relieve the boredom he felt on a daily basis.

"Hoy there! See! I knews we coul' figger somtin' out. I will trade ye sum of that fine rum fer the boy!" Redbeard was excited now, as his questioning had paid off once again. He slapped his knee as he rose to greet Michaels.

It was decided that Michaels, Sam and Pete would take their own dinghy and meet the pirates at the Widow. First, they would take Violet back to the Wench, and retrieve the rum. The boy would return with Vi's men, after Michaels had looked over the mast step.

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Violet made his way to his cabin. He felt shattered. The act on the beach had drained him. His heart was pained and throbbing as he wondered how Betsy was dealing with all this. He opened the door quietly to see Betsy on the window seat, the little boy was sleeping, his blonde, curly head in her lap.

Her eyes flew to Violet's, and he saw the pain and confusion in them. She looked down at the tiny cherub in her lap as she stroked his hair. After a moment she eased the boys head up, to slip out, and place a cushion where she had been. She placed his head carefully upon it and smoothed his curls under her hand before returning her gaze to her husband.

His tormented eyes shifted from the child, to her, as he held out his arms. Betsy flew into them and he held her tight, as she held him just as tightly, and they cried in one another's arms.

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