CHAPTER 1

From where she stood on the ship, she could see for miles out over the tranquil aqua surface of the ocean. Her mouth was set in a straight line and her eyes were narrowed, just staring out to sea, with her features set like she had been carved out of stone.

These were all warning signs that something was not right with her. The French captain took mental note of all these things as he came to stand beside her. He was watching her very closely, after a few minutes he asked, "What is wrong, what do you see out there?"

With a start the young woman leaped around and upon seeing the French captain returned to watching the sea. The woman said nothing at first. She almost acted as if she had not heard what was said to her. After a moment she took a deep breath and let it out on a sigh, before answering the captain's questions.

"Nothing, nothing at all. I think that's what is bothering me." She replied shaking her head as if in disbelief.

"Is that not a good thing that you see nothing?" The captain asked in a heavily French accent, and a bit more at ease.

"No it is not good. There are no fish jumping, no whales breaking the surface of the water for air, no dolphins or no porpoises riding the waves at the bow, no birds." Then as an afterthought, she stated, "Not that there would be any birds out this far at sea. There is no sign of life anywhere, but here on this ship. Nothing to break the surface of the water, not even a ripple of a wave, it's just flat water for as far as the eye can see. Not only is it empty, it's so very quiet, even the water against the bow of the ship has a certain kind of quiet to it. There is not even a stray cloud in the sky. Just an empty sea, like the sea is just waiting for something to happen. I just don't know what it is waiting for and I find it very disturbing. Yes something, is not right about all of this, and I don't like it, not one bit! It is just to unnerving for me, not to be a little disturbed, or uneasy." The woman informed the captain, with a slight edge to her voice. "I don't like it, not one bit!!"

The captain, who had been sailing for years, did not share Miss Anne's feelings of doom. He had worked up to captain of a ship from being his father's cabin boy. But in his own mind he breathed a sigh of relief and dismissed her worried feelings, for he had seen the sea just like this and it was good sailing weather. The captain was also no fool and didn't voice his dismissal of what Miss Anne had said. For the captain, however, knew about Anne's talents or special gifts, if one could call them that, and said nothing to her. He did, however, shake his head and looked out over the water to truly reassure himself.

The captain turned back to the lady at his side to say something insignificant, such as tell her not to worry and things would work out for the better. He noticed, just in time though, that Miss Anne's eyes were closed. To anyone who knew her at all this was a sign that she was trying to concentrate or listen for something, or trying to figure something out.

Then without warning Anne's eyes shot open, she turned around, and stared with her eyes wide at nothing. Then after a moment she yelled, as she pointed out to sea. "There it is, a mast! I knew something was not quite right with this day, I just knew it! Now I know I was right!"

Just a few moments later the look out, up in the crow's nest, found the top of a mast of a ship and yelled down to the deck. As the captain looked out over the water again, the unknown ship was heading straight towards them.

On the deck of the 'TIGRESS' no one was moving to do anything, all the people were watching the other ship. The crew couldn't see any more than the mast of the other ship and couldn't identify it as a friend or foe. The only movement that could be seen on the deck came from Anne as she turned from the railing and started to walk across the deck to go below to her cabin, to wait out what ever happened next. She did not want to be in the way of a fight or the pirates. All other eyes watched the horizon and the mast of the unknown ship. Some of the crew talked quietly among themselves voicing the question that burned on every one's mind; what is the other ship and what does its crew want? The captain was among those watching the other ship and a knot was slowly forming in his stomach, he had a feeling this was what Miss Anne had been talking about.

The captain turned from the railing and watching the other ship, to turn his attention back to Miss Anne, but she was heading across the deck. The captain was about to ask her what she thought about this other ship, but just as the captain was about to ask her and before she went below, Anne turned back to face the captain as if she had read the captain's unasked question. "The other ship you see there, is ..." she stopped and pointed at the other ship. Then she continued in a calm voice with an even calmer stance. Before she went on with what she had been saying, Anne took another deep breath and let it out in a long drawn out sigh.

"The other ship you see here is, well they are pirates. The way I understand it, you have choices, captain. One; is to try and fight the pirates and possibly have them blow this fine ship out from under us, as well as kill your crew in the process and the ones that are lucky enough to survive the fight only to be taken prisoner and there is no hope then or with that option. Two; you can just kill all of us now and be done with it, leaving you to deal with the pirates. I will tell you this captain, I won't die at your hand, so I too will deal with the pirates, in my own way of course. The third option is to ..." Anne paused again, turned back to the stairs for she could no longer stand the sight of the other ship, now clearly visible on the horizon. Again before she continued, Anne took another deep breath and let it out, then went on. "Just surrender without a fight, saving every-ones life, my ship, and a lot of hassle, the only problem is that we will all be taken prisoner." Then to herself, at least for a while any way, for I don't plan on staying long, I want to get home sometime and soon! After this thought, Anne spoke to the captain again. "The third option is what I would highly recommend you do, captain!! It is the easiest way." Anne finished with a firm tone to her voice, to a now very puzzled captain of the 'TIGRESS.'

The captain watched Anne go below decks with a lot of questions raging war on his mind that didn't have answers right now, do to the confusion he now found himself in. He also guessed that something would happen soon and sometime soon he would have the answers that he needed. He just hoped he would be happy with those answers. He then decided two things: one that he would have to be satisfied with the answers that were given, because there would be nothing else forth coming especially with or from her involved. The second thing he decided was that all his questions would not be answered, and he would have to be content with that as well.

So he just stood there and watched Anne disappear below deck. He thought about what Miss Anne had said about the pirates. It came to him just what she had said and he thought to himself, pirates don't take prisoners, or do they? I don't know for sure, but I thought that they only take dead bodies and riches. If this is truth then we are dead any way, but Miss Anne probably knows more about these kinds of things than I do, so I will take her word. Besides she has been very helpful on this journey so far. Besides I'm one to give anything a try once and maybe we'll be lucky and survive this day by doing what Miss Anne has said. We will surrender. All this the captain said to himself, to the crew he declared out loud in his French accent. The lady could speak French very well among other languages but only one or two others could so they all spoke English on her ship. In fact she had taught him English so he could talk to her other crew men, before he could come to work for her. It was this as well as the other reasons that the captain would surrender to the pirates. She was the boss and people did what would please her and what she wanted done.

"I've decided that we will surrender to the other ship and not fight them, if that is what they want and that is what the lady wants! Th at way we may live to see out this day and others, God willing! The other ship appears to be pirates, well you heard her."

The captain was readying the ship and mentally readying his mind to take his chances with the pirates when he heard the unmistakable sound of a cannon being moved on the deck. The cannon was rolled into position and then was fired at the pirates' ship. Then next thing anyone knew the pirates' ship returned the threat with a firing of cannon balls. Their fire didn't hit the 'TIGRESS', but splashed into the ocean and for this the French captain was glad. He would not have liked to be around Miss Anne if her ship was destroyed, because she would have been terrible to deal with if this ship had been destroyed. She would have been fit to kill the person or persons responsible for its destruction, or just be really mad and yelled at every one with in the area.

Down in her cabin Anne heard and felt the cannon fire from the 'TIGRESS', but thought it was one cannon, because more cannons would have rocked the ship more than it did. Then Anne heard the returned fire from the pirates' ship and waited for it to hit the 'TIGRESS', she was ready to skin who ever fired that cannon after her warning. As she listened the ball smashed into the ocean and she breathed a sigh of relief. After the returned fire there was only silence to be heard, Anne thanked God for this silence which meant the 'TIGRESS' would stay in one piece which meant that a plan could be made to leave these pirates behind and sail to freedom. Anne knew that if they got some supplies on board the pirates would never see them again. The crew could set sail on the darkest night, with no moon or stars. Anne had faith in that because she had taught them all to do it, and they could also set sail in any kind of weather.

After sometime had passed Anne wondered for a brief moment if the crew was being killed. This thought soon left her mind, for over her head on the deck, Anne heard the order to take the prisoners aboard their ship and then below deck from a booming voice. The ones not dealing with the prisoners were ordered to take and clean out the hold, place the cargo in the other ship's hold.

The next thing Anne heard was stomping, staggering, laughing and a lot of other noises from the upper deck and to her it was a sure sign that the pirates were on the 'TIGRESS'. Anne also knew that these were sure signs that soon she would be discovered by the pirates. Anne shuttered at that thought and wished for one of her weapons to protect herself, but she didn't have any of them, and she bared her teeth in a silent snarl. To focus her mind she began to pace the space of the cabin. After a few moments she decided this was not helping, so she started to pick up the few things that she had out. She then packed and repacked her few belongings that she had in the cabin with her. This did not really help her, but she did it anyway to try and keep calm.

Then Anne heard a steady noise coming out of the hold and she stopped to listen to it for a minute, then laughed to herself. So they are bringing my personal things out of the hold and taking them to their ship for me, after all they are only things in the hold. How very convenient and thoughtful of them to bring them along for me. Anne thought happily, then on a more serious note she thought to herself, I wonder if they know what's in all those boxes, barrels, crates, and other stuff that they are happily moving for me. I would guess that they don't for three reasons, one: the pirates haven't had time to get into the stuff yet; two they probably don't know how to open the boxes, there is a trick to it of course, just in case something like this ever happened. The third reason I know that the pirates don't know what's in the boxes, is because they probably would not take them if they did know.

Although even if they left it on the 'TIGRESS' I could get to it. They would be really dumb to blow up this fine ship, so I have a feeling that they will take the ship with them. I've heard that pirates take ships to enlarge their own fleet of ships, which makes sense in a way. We build them and they take and get them. Oh well, if it keeps us alive then so be it. So there! Anne thought with a huff. If they take the ship with them then there maybe a chance that I can get the 'TIGRESS' back from these pirates. And if a chance presents itself then I will willingly leap at it and take it as a hunter would leap at its prey. At this thought Anne smiled sinisterly to herself.

Whatever it takes I will not stay a prisoner of these pirates for long. Anne then decided to rethink this thought. Well almost anything, anything but let them have their way with me, without a serious fight, between the sheets or anywhere else for that matter. Nor will I surrender to them in anyway, except for the taking of the ship and that I hope to get back! I will stay a strong woman and not let my G.G.ma down, or in no way or anyway become my mother to be used and broken! Well if that makes me a bitch then so be it!! I will live my life as a bitch and no one will take my life and use it for their own pleasure!! Anne pledged to herself and with that and a very determined nod of her head she turned back to the door and waited for whatever came of this day.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the loud noise of wooden planks being broken from their frames, Anne guessed that the doors were being kicked open by the pirates, in their haste to open them and see what was behind them. Anne chuckled for she knew that there was not much behind those doors so she knew the pirates would be disappointed, after going through the cabins and finding this out for themselves. There was not much in the cabins because Anne didn't want the ship weighed down any more than it had to be and it was safer in storms if there were not a lot of things to fall over, or on to people. She made this very clear to all that sailed on her ships. The cabins were comfortable for the occupants of them, but not cluttered with things.

The idea of the pirates ruining any part of her ship, made Anne mad and she would let them know about this when they found her, for she would not show herself to them. Anne heard a pirate's voice yelling to a man to come back followed by some colorful expressions. Anne who had heard worst, but being a lady, still blushed a little at the language that was being used. She shook her head and dismissed it as the man not knowing about her, or not caring about what he said, and this too displeased Anne and pushed her temper up a notch.

After a moment or two Anne recognized the French captain's voice just outside her door and smiled at the reason for the commotion. Then she heard his voice and silently blessed him for being loyal to her. She knew his loyalty was real by what he was saying. "I can not nor will not let you into this room, Monsieur pirates! There is nothing in this room of any concern to you!"

The pirates were laughing at him as they came up to the Frenchman. Over the noise of the laughter a booming voice could be heard. "Ah, my fine French fellow, you are no longer the captain of this fine ship, here. Now are you? Of course you're not, I took over that title when I took over the ship. As captain of this ship I will go where I want, at whatever time I want to go. Right at this moment I want to go into that room behind you. So if you'll be a good French boyo and move on your own free will no one has to get hurt. I'll warn you that if you don't move I will have you moved with some help from my crew. I'll also warn you they get a little rough with things in their search for riches. Please don't take to long to decide for I'm not a very patient man, but if you like I could make a choice for you."

The next thing that Anne heard was the sound of metal being drawn out of its sheath and realized that a sword or many swords were coming out to do battle. Anne shook her head in disgust. Men, don't try to figure them out because it won't help, just a waste of her time and mind. The French captain Andrew was the next person to speak in a calm voice. That was just bravado, Anne feared for any one would be scared in this event of being out numbered so many to one.

He stated his case. "Sir, I have given my word to my employer that I would not let any harm come to what is behind this door you see to my back and as an honorable French man I must keep my word that no harm will come to this most perfect thing. I must keep my word after all, no monsieur? Therefore there is no way I can move away from this door without some fight. I'm sure with all your men you will win in the end, but I must try to protect it anyway."