Private Game, AngieG & Firegirl 210

[AngieG]

Margo grabbed Ranaan by his collar through the bars and growled. "Look you, I never intended to have you stuck here, like lice in my hair. I told you to write a letter home, and you give me this garbage! I'll send it alright, but Jesus! All we want is an ounce of gold, and you're too proud?" Margo was shouting now, and she released Ranaan quickly, beginning to pace. She felt responsible for this sorry sod. She brought him here, so she had to finish it. "Alright, look. You're a book keeper, yeah? We pirates, we aren't so good with numbers. We're always disputing who gets what fair share of the plunder. What say you put some worth to our treasures, count it, and say how much each member gets. Generally the captain gets more of a cut of the booty. But, you do this for us, we can give you a cut of the profits, and it might be enough to send you home." Margo sighed, ending her train of thought.

 

[Firegirl210]

William lunged at him and grabbed him by the collar, pulling them face-to-face through the bars. Ranaan trembled as the pirate growled, "Look you, I never intended to have you stuck here, like lice in my hair. I told you to write a letter home, and you give me this garbage! I'll send it alright, but Jesus! All we want is an ounce of gold, and you're too proud?"


He cringed further away as William's voice grew louder, and when he released him Ranaan fell to the ship floor. "I'm sor--"


"Alright, look," William cut him off, "You're a book keeper, yeah? We pirates, we aren't so good with numbers. We're always disputing who gets what fair share of the plunder." He was pacing now, his surprisingly small feet clacking on the boards as he thought aloud.


"What say you put some worth to our treasures, count it, and say how much each member gets. Generally the captain gets more of a cut of the booty. But, you do this for us, we can give you a cut of the profits, and it might be enough to send you home." He looked to Ranaan expectantly, and Ranaan couldn't swallow the incredulous laughter that bubbled from his throat.


"You...you want me to bookkeep for Blackbeard?"

 

[AngieG]

"Hey, a client is a client, yeah? Don't look at it as Blackbeard. Look at it as a wealthy investor, yeah?" Margo explained. "What, you have a better idea? Right now it seems I'm the one coming up with the ideas, and that means a bloody pirate is smarter than you are." Margo accused.

 

[Firegirl210]

Ranaan bristled at the pirate's tone. "I will have you know, I'm the finest clerk in my village!" He stood up, brushing himself off. Time to be a man, he thought. "I'll do it. But I don't have to do any killing, looting, kidnapping or partaking in general mayhem."

 

[AngieG]

"Big fish in a little pond, is more like it." Margo retorted, then smirked. "Yeah yeah, we have enough pirates. We won't make you do anything they can charge you with when you go back to the real world." Margo laughed, then grabbed the key to his brig off her belt loop and unlocked his cell. Very well, come on out then. We can find you a place to sleep where maybe the rats won't eat your fingers." She chuckled, watching his face and laughing even harder.

 

[Firegirl210]

William chuckled at Ranaan somewhat patronizingly, but unlocked the cell nonetheless. "Very well, come on out then. We can find you a place to sleep where maybe the rats won't eat your fingers." Ranaan turned a sickly shade of white with queasiness at the thought, but followed William up the stairs into the belly of the ship.


"Bunkmate? How is this-- what have I ever-- William, you can't be serious!!" Emilio whined, and Ranaan raised his voice as well. "I surely cannot be expected to room with--with men like this!"


"Oi! Tranquilo, usted!" Emilio snapped, and Ranann shrank back. "From now on you are men like this, so shut your spoiled mouth and be grateful William didn't throw you overboard with the chum!"

 

[AngieG]

"Emilio, por favor. Necisito hablar con Elijah. And anyway, I have important documents in my room, and if he sees them he could escape and rat us out. Come on Emilio, por favor?" Margo begged him, dropping to her knees dramatically and flashing him a grin. "I'll owe you a favor, yeah?" Margo murmured. "Great, thanks!" Margo shouted and ran before he could say no. She found Elijah and tousled his braids. "Hey, you. Come on. We need to chat." Margo told him, leading him to her room. "Look, Elijah. There are a few reasons I need a cabin boy. And I saved your life, yeah? So you owe me. And you can keep a secret, methinks." Margo grinned, squatting down so she was at eye level.

 

[Firegirl210]

Emilio grit his teeth. When William begged him in his native tongue...it made him uncomfortably compliant, and he didn't know how he felt about it. "I'll owe you a favor yeah?"


He stared up at the ceiling and swore under his breath before he finally caved. "Gah! Fine, dios mio! Fine, yes, fine."


"Great, thanks!" William fled, and Emilio swore vehemently. Ranaan chuckled smugly, and Emilio glared at the clerk. He knocked the fresh breeches and shirt out of Ranaan's hands.


"You had better not snore."


Elijah nodded earnestly. "Yes sir, Mr. William."

 

[AngieG]

"Elijah, I'm going to tell ya a story." Margo started. It felt like taboo, finally telling her secret. But she bet saying it out loud would feel amazing. "Once upon a time, there was a young Captain Blackbeard, before he became as infamous as he is today. One day he met a woman named Elise, and he fell madly in love. They married in secret, the crew was rather mutinous at the time, so he feared they would use his wife against him. He sent her money, enough to live on. One day, he received word that she was pregnant, and Blackbeard asked that, should the child be a boy, it be named William, a girl, Margo, which meant pearl. Naturally, the captain wished for a strong son, but instead when he went to visit her next, he was greeted by a bouncing baby girl named Margo. He loved her anyway, but again, kept the secret. The little girl lived with her mother for five years, before the mother died giving birth to a second child. When Blackbeard received word, he went to collect his daughter immediately. But, you see, women were never to be allowed on ships. Blackbeard and everyone else believed it to be bad luck. However, unable to abandon his own blood, Blackbeard dressed the girl as a boy and told her she was to respond to William and that she would be his cabin boy. He told the crew it was his long lost son, and the girl grew up on the pirate ship. Do you see what I'm getting at, Elijah? I'm that girl." Margo told him, then sighed. "I've been on this ship for 15 years and never once have we had anything other than good fortune. My father, the Captain, wants me to take over the ship when he's gone, but he wants me to remain William forever. I can think of three really great reasons I shouldn't." Margo grinned, but figured he wouldn't get the dirty joke. "Elijah, there are certain things I need to do to hide my womanhood from the crew, and I need your help." Margo told him with a sigh. "I know it's a lot."

 

[Firegirl210]

Elijah listened intently; he had always loved stories. But as Mr. William's tale continued and his voice grew softer and more girl-like, he realized that it wasn't a story at all.


"I know it's a lot."


Elijah leapt to his feet. "No, Mr William--I mean, Miss Margo. I'll do anything to help you! Gosh, ma'am, you're so brave to keep yourself hidden for so long. But you're a kind person, man or lady, and I want to be the best helper I can be for you. Just tell me what to do, ma'am."

 

[AngieG]

Margo grinned and kissed the boy on the forehead. "Thank you, m'boy. Well, what I really need is someone to guard my things. Don't let anyone pilfer in my room. I also need binding tape, for my breasts, and occasionally cotton for when... It is my time of month. I've managed to make due, but, well. It's awkward. Anyway, please, never tell a would. Of my father knew you knew, he would kill you." Margo warned him.

 

[Firegirl210]

Elijah snapped a salute, a deadly serious look on his face. "Aye aye sir! At your service!"


Ranaan settled onto the hammock cautiously, having been flipped out of it twice already. They were quite rickety things at the best of times, and on a teetering ship was not the best of times by any means. When he was fairly certain he wasn't going to be flung ungracefully out again, he leaned his head back and sighed.


"Oi, gilipollas," a foot suddenly connected to the base of his spine, tipping him out onto the floor. He fought his way free of the dislodged fabric and glared viciously at the spiteful spaniard. Emilio was chewing a hunk of tobacco, and he gestured with his thumb at the candle. "You ready for lights out?"


Ranaan picked himself up, trying not to fly into a furious rage. "Yes, thank you for being so considerate," he said tightly, and Emilio winked, blew him a kiss, and plunged them into almost total darkness. Ranaan sighed.


"You're an ass, Emilio."


"I try."

 

[AngieG]

Margo grinned at Elijah, pleased and entirely relieved. "Alright you, shut eye then. I've made you a bed on the floor. When we have time we can get you a mattress, which is more than most of the crew have themselves." Margo said with a wink and helped him get settled. "Here are some of my old clothes, they should fit you right nice." Margo said, tossing him a handful from a trunk at the foot of her bed. Once they were both settled, Margo blew out the light and undressed herself. She unbound her breasts and threw on a large shirt to sleep in, then tousled her hair, deciding she would have to cut it tomorrow.


Fast forward....


"Up and Adam, ye blithering idiots!" Blackbeard shouted just before sun rise. He was already pacing the ship. "William! What's the status on that there book keep!" He shouted.


Margo woke with a start, hair in her face and drool on her pillow. "Bloody hell, I over slept. Come on you, up!" Margo shouted to Elijah, kicking him lightly while she pulled on pants and went to change her top. "Avert your eyes, boy!" She told him, winding the binding across her breasts with what only could be years and years of skill. She threw on a shirt, pulled back her hair, and threw on her boots. She ran over to Emilio's room and burst in. "Oh no, not you too! Come on, up! Blackbeard is going to have my balls if I don't take you too him!" Margo shouted, flipping Raanan out of his hammock and on top of Emilio in the one below him. "Come on, we probably missed breakfast. Emilio! I can't believe you missed a meal!" She scolded, as if her over sleeping had been his fault.


Peter was already above decks, feeling the need to kiss ass more than usual after his behavior yesterday. He fixed the rigging, and then proceeded to steer the ship for the Captain, an esteemed job.

 

[Firegirl210]

Ranaan stumbled blindly into fresh clothes as Emilio swore at him, confused and more than a little irritated. He hadn't asked for this! He should be home having a quiet, pleasant breakfast with his family--not here with these crazy people scrambling to get dressed in order to present themselves before Captain Blackbeard.


He felt a bit faint at the thought.


"Move your culo, boy!" Emilio snapped, mostly because he had a hangover and needed an outlet for his anger. They fumbled into presentability and scrambled up the stairs. They were all sleep-rumpled, and Blackbeard was not pleased.

 

[AngieG]

"What's he doing out of the brig!?" Blackbeard shouted irritably, and Margo jumped up so he wouldn't touch Ranaan.


"Captain! He claims his family has no money, there is no way to post bail. But, he is a book keeper. I figured he could earn his worth to us by counting our treasure for us and settling the dispute over how much things are worth, and how much the crew should receive, Cap'n. That way the crew wouldn't be breaking each other's teeth and wot not every single night." Margo explained, and Blackbeard narrowed his eyes, contemplating.


"Ye want me to allow this landlubber to touch our treasure?" Blackbeard said slowly.


"Cap'n, if ye don't mind me saying, he's too chicken shit to steal from the infamous Cap'n Blackbeard. And if he does well, I figured we could give him a small cut, just enough to buy his passage home." Margo said slowly and Blackbeard again contemplated this. Of course, he wasn't going to send the idiot home. That would be idiotic, he could rat to anyone about their location or their future plans, and they'd be ruined. But, he also probably wouldn't do as well a job counting the treasure if he didn't have some incentive.


"Alright alright. But you're responsible for him, ye hear me? He does one thing wrong and you're both on the plank!" Blackbeard shouted and Margo grinned. "In the meanwhile, we'll set course for Pirate Cove. The men need some rest and some women, and we need to hide our treasure, so he better get counting." Blackbeard demanded and Margo grabbed both Ranaan and Emilio and led them down to where the treasure was being kept. "I say this calls for a drink." Margo grinned, pulling a bottle of rum from her pants pocket and taking a long swig before passing it to Emilio.

 

[Firegirl210]

The Captain caught sight of Ranaan in the crew's lineup and reddened with rage, storming across the deck like a force of nature. Ranaan flinched back as he roared, "What's he doing out of the brig!?" William suddenly stepped in between them, and he looked at the pirate's back in surprise as he argued with his father for the clerk's sake. He watched, disbelieving, as the fearsome Captain swayed under the First Mate's golden tongue. Was there anything this man couldn't convince another of?


"Alright, alright. But you're responsible for him, ye hear me? "In the meanwhile, we'll set course for Pirate Cove. The men need some rest and some women, and we need to hide our treasure, so he better get counting."


The men whooped with excitement at the destination, and Emilio grinned widely. Pirate's Cove; was there a lovelier name in all the seven seas? His reverie was interrupted by William's fist bunching in his shirt and dragging him, along with the damnable clerk (who did in fact snore) down below decks. Elijah scuttled along in their wake, small shoulders heavy with the secret he kept.


The treasure hold was kept locked at all times; only William and the Captain himself had a key to its glittering depths. That was their destination now, and William pushed the door open with a hip, pushing the skinny clerk ahead of him.


"I say this calls for a drink," William said, uncorking a bottle, and Ranaan rolled his eyes. "You think everything calls for a drink," he muttered. Then he realized why the room had a dull golden glow and stopped still. A pirate's treasure trove was truly something to behold; they held the gold in barrels, and chests overflowed with gems and plateware and fine silks from the Orient. And he was supposed to count all of this??


Emilio took the bottle from William, taking a swig. "I couldn't agree more, Will old boy, but why exactly am I here?"

 

[AngieG]

"What, am I not allowed to enjoy your company?" Margo teased. Of course, Margo had always had a bit of a crush on Emilio, not that she could ever act on it. But, she tortured herself with his friendship nonetheless. "Besides, someone has to drink with me. Ranaan here doesn't believe in the pirating ways." Margo said, elbowing Emilio in the ribs as she winked at Ranaan teasingly. "Aye, count as much as ye can Ranaan. And we'll send ya home. In fact, I'm not quite sure I believe the Cap'n on his promise. And if I know my father, and I think I do, he'll either want to keep you or kill you once you've finished. So why don't we just pocket your clerk's fee right now, eh? A little bit of insurance. I tell you Emilio, Blackbeard has been driving me absolutely mad. He can barely call himself a pirate anymore. Too old to fight, too blind to see, and too stubborn to admit it." Margo muttered, taking another swig of the rum. "Eyyy, Elijah! Ever see so much treasure in your whole life, eh? Stick with us, mate." She winked.


Peter was wandering about top deck when he saw William, Emilio, and Elijah all disappear below deck. Peter grinned mischievously. Of course, he didn't wish them ill will, but the three pirates always had never quite seen eye to eye. So, now he thought maybe he should return some of the embarrassment he experienced last night onto William. He snuck down into William's quarters, only looking for find a bit of paper with some of his writing on it. He thought the crew might get a laugh out of seeing how feminine his hand writing was. He found a few parchments and pocketed them, then began digging around underneath the bed where he found a loose floor board. He lifted it up and inside found a box, which contained a hand mirror, a hair brush, and a birth certificate. Of course, Peter couldn't read. But he snatched the items nonetheless, thinking it hilarious that William had such girly items under his bed and wondered if he was indeed a fairy, then set about to think of a proper way to black mail him.

 

[Firegirl210]

Emilio rolled his eyes at William's characteristically snarky reply, drinking deeply before the bottle was snatched from his hands. ""Besides, someone has to drink with me. Ranaan here doesn't believe in the pirating ways." Emilio retrieved the bottle with a shrug. "His loss."


Ranaan glowered at the pair of them, noting the easy way William leaned in to elbow Emilio, the casual wink of camaraderie he threw Ranaan's way. "And I'm supposed to count every piece of gold? By myself?"


"Aye, count as much as ye can Ranaan. And we'll send ya home. In fact, I'm not quite sure I believe the Cap'n on his promise. And if I know my father, and I think I do, he'll either want to keep you or kill you once you've finished. So why don't we just pocket your clerk's fee right now, eh? A little bit of insurance," William instructed dismissively, and the clerk groaned and sat down cross-legged to begin the seemingly impossible task.


"I tell you Emilio, Blackbeard has been driving me absolutely mad. He can barely call himself a pirate anymore. Too old to fight, too blind to see, and too stubborn to admit it." William said to Emilio, taking another swig of the rum. The Spaniard stiffened; such words were bordering mutinous, even--or perhaps, especially--from the First Mate.


"I'd be careful of those words, Will," he murmured below Ranaan's earshot. "You never know who is listening.

 

[AngieG]

Margo rolled her eyes and sighed, but she knew he was right.


Of course, as she came to this conclusion, Peter waltzed in to the open door a little bit too confidently. "May I have a word with the First Mate please? Alone." Peter said casually, pulling a cigar from his mouth and lighting it casually. Margo looked at Emilio, then Elijah, then back at Peter. "Alright Peter, what do ye want." She muttered, pushing him out the door and into a mop closet.


"Oh well, I was just wondering why ye had this stuff in your room." Peter said, holding the material up joyfully and painfully out of Margo's reach.


"Oh you bastard! What the hell were you doin' in my room!?" She shouted before Peter placed his spare hand over her mouth, muffling her.


"Thought I'd repay you a bit from last night. So you see, all this stuff, it is mighty suspicious you know. Mighty curious, methinks. A hairbrush with wot looks like a pearl handle and a hand mirror to match? And what's this here?" Peter said, taking the parchment out and holding it up high as if he were about to read it.


"Alright! Alright, Peter, ye caught me. Okay, yes. Not shut the hell up before someone hears you." She whispered violently.


Peter started, eyeing her curiously. Of course, he hadn't expected William to actually admit it! "You mean, you're a.. you're a..."


"Girl. Yes. I'm a bloody girl. Blackbeard's daughter, he knows, of course he knows. And if you tell anyone so help me god my father will gut you!" Margo threatened, pulling out her dagger and holding the blade to his neck.


"A girl!? Wot!? You're a girl!? I was going to say a fairy but bloody hell!" Peter all but shouted until Margo pressed the blade harder, drawing blood while Margo groaned, having realized she sold herself out.


"A girl!? Wow, no, I totally see it. You're really quite pretty you know, now that I know you don't have a cock. Wow, you must bind your breasts and all, yeah? Wow. Can I see em?" Peter asked eagerly and Margo hit him roughly upside the head with the hilt of her dagger.


"No you can't see them, you stupid pig." Margo muttered. "Now you listen to me, you tell anyone, ANYONE, and my father will have you killed. He's the one who made me be William. So you shut the hell up and maybe I won't have him kill you." Margo threatened.


"Alright, alright! I won't tell! Always hated that stupid rule, no women on board and what not. I mean, we call all of our ships girl names, so, girls can't be all bad, yeah? I think they're pretty great, meself. Ya know, if you show me your bosom, I'd probably be more likely to keep me lips shut." He persuaded, and Margo hit him again and snatched back all her belongings, stuffing them in her pockets.


"Alright, alright, Jesus! No breasts, got it." Peter muttered, rubbing his head while Margo stalked out of the mop closet. Peter followed her back into the treasure and continued to stare at her as if she were a mythical creature.


"Peter, get the hell out of here!" Margo shouted and Peter burst out laughing.


"Oh, oh I can't! I hear it now, oh man how the hell did you ever fool us!? God I feel like such a twit!" Peter laughed, falling to the ground while Margo launched herself at him again and shoved her hand over his mouth.


"Peter, shut up!" Margo growled in his ear, elbowing him in the face.


"Well, right, that might be how. You certainly hit like a man, give ye that much." Peter muttered, rubbing his jaw and pushing her off while he looked around at Elijah, Ranaan, and Emilio. "You lot musta known, right? I mean, God I feel so blind. A girl! Can you believe it? Well, I can now. Look at those cheek bones. I'm tellin' ya, I won't believe it until I see her breasts, though." Peter egged again and Margo screamed, throwing herself at him and choking him on the ground.


"Oh Peter, I could just kill you!" Margo practically hissed, shaking with rage.

 

[Firegirl210]

As Elijah knelt down (not beside Ranaan because he had yet to send a word in the boy's direction and Elijah wasn't under any duty to respect the snobbish bookkeeper anymore) and ran his fingers through a pile of gold and jewels, a bit starstruck, the door banged open and the horribly strange man with the eyepatch came sauntering in.


"May I have a word with the First Mate please? Alone."


Emilio didn't like the way Peter was smiling smugly at William. The furtive glance William cast at the assembled men made him even less comfortable. Was something going on between them?


"Alright Peter, what do ye want?" The two stepped outside, and Ranaan began gathering loose gold from the floor into a sack, counting as he went. Elijah found a crown in one of the chests and grinned widely with delight, putting it atop his wiry braids.


"I'm the king of England," he decided, admiring his reflection in the polished surface of a silver plate. Ranaan scoffed, and Emilio kicked him in the back of the knee, making him topple over and spill the collected gold.


"What is wrong with--" he began, but Emilio cut him off. "What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you?! Even when you're locked up in here, even when you're mierda, you still find time to make sure he is lower than you. You make me sick."


Ranaan rubbed his leg, refusing to look at either of them. Elijah just readjusted the crown, gazing into his own reflected eyes. "I'm the King of England," he murmured to himself again. Their uncomfortable silence was broken by the re-entrance of William, who was closely followed by a giggling Peter. The First Mate obviously didn't want to be followed.


"Peter, get the hell out of here!" He snarled, and the patched pirate succumbed to another giggle fit.


"Oh, oh I can't! I hear it now, oh man how the hell did you ever fool us!? God I feel like such a twit!"


"Peter, shut up!" The two scuffled, falling to the floor, and Emilio moved over to break them up. William had landed a good hit and Peter's nose was bleeding. He had a crazed glint of laughter in his eye, and there was a strange tone of desperation to William's voice that unsettled Emilio deeply.


"You lot musta known, right?" Peter said, and Emilio looked questioningly at William. The First mate had gone white as a sheet. "I mean, God I feel so blind. A girl! Can you believe it? Well, I can now. Look at those cheek bones. I'm tellin' ya, I won't believe it until I see her breasts, though." William suddenly threw himself at Peter, catching him in a strangle hold, and Ranaan sat bolt upright.


"Oh Peter, I could just kill you!" William snarled, but there was a color high in his cheeks--and they really were nice cheekbones, high and soft, and Emilio suddenly realized the source of years of confused feelings and suppressed, supposedly homosexual thoughts. He swallowed hard, trying to make sense of the situation.


"You're--William, what is he talking about?"

 

[AngieG]

"Nothing!" Margo shrieked, throwing Peter to the floor and kneeing him in the chest.


"Stop! Stop, I can't hit a girl! Stop!" Peter said, still laughing despite the total beating Margo was giving him.


"You've hit me plenty of times, you blithering fool!" Margo shouted, reaching the breaking point and nearly spiraling into insanity.


"Yes, but then I thought you had a cock!" Peter laughed and Margo pulled out her dagger yet again, ready to stab him in the throat before Peter rolled away and pulled himself up, leaning against the wall for support.


"I'm sorry, Willie! I'm sorry! Hell, your name isn't even William, is it? Can't be." Peter mused and Margo charged at him again. "No no, I won't, I'll get used to it! I'll shut up! Jesus, you can still beat me in a fight, cock or not." Peter muttered, rubbing his aching everything. "So, I reckon you lot didn't know." Peter said, looking at Emilio and smirking. "Captain Blackbeard's daughter, yeah? There's something sort of forbidden about that. I think I like it." Peter muttered and Margo grabbed him by his hair and smashed his head against the all, effectively knocking him unconscious.


"I think I need to kill him." Margo said stonily, ignoring the questioning gazes. "Elijah, I may need you to fetch the Captain." She sighed. "Wait for my word though."

 

[Firegirl210]

"Nothing!" William shouted, and Peter shrieked, laughing through the beating he was receiving, "Stop! Stop, I can't hit a girl! Stop!"


"You've hit me plenty of times, you blithering fool!"


"Yes, but then I thought you had a cock!"


"STOP IT!" Emilio wrenched them apart, and Peter rolled away to safety and William, panting and furious, had to be held at arm's length. "Peter, you shut your face!" he warned, but the idiot kept talking.


"I'm sorry, Willie! I'm sorry! Hell, your name isn't even William, is it? Can't be...So, I reckon you lot didn't know."


Ranaan had shrunk back against the wall in an attempt not to be hit by flying fists and hands and swears, and Elijah suddenly found something fascinating on the floor to look at. Emilio had released William, and was giving Peter and icy glare. Peter caught it, and smirked.


"Captain Blackbeard's daughter, yeah? There's something sort of forbidden about that. I think I like it." William suddenly grabbed him by his hair and with ferocity that made the other three men in the room quiver, he--or she, as it were--smashed his head against the all, effectively knocking him unconscious.


"I think I need to kill him," William said, breathing hard. Emilio made to reach for him--no, for her, how could he have been so blind--but stopped himself.


"W-What? You can't just... we can't just kill him," Ranaan stammered, and Emilio turned Peter onto his side so he wouldn't drown in the blood running down his throat from his nose. He couldn't meet William's gaze. What could he say?


"Elijah, I may need you to fetch the Captain. Wait for my word though." Elijah nodded, coming to William's side. He seemed less startled than the others, but Emilio chalked it up to the fact that he hadn't been fooled by his friend's disguise for nearly three years. Emilio took a long, burning sip of rum, not sure how to feel.


"What? Because you're a woman? You have to kill him because he told us you're a woman? What savage law is this?" Ranaan demanded, his voice spiraling up in pitch. "You people-- And your laws-- and your rules-- and your killing-- and-- and--" he seemed to have had his limit of excitement for one day because he burrowed his face in his arms and ceased to make any sounds at all besides ragged hyperventilating, and the others were left in a heavy silence.

 

[AngieG]

Margo looked at Ranaan briefly. "You're just pissed because you were kidnapped and robbed at knife point by a god damn woman, so shut it." He didn't understand the taboo of being a woman aboard a ship, never mind a pirate ship. Margo rubbed her temple with her fingertips, groaning as she paced and tried to figure out what to do.


"Not a word out of either of you, got it? Or you'll get the same treatment." Margo threatened, though at the same time she figured she didn't have to worry so much about them. Ranaan would be too afraid to say anything, and Emilio had always been loyal to her.


Margo looked around the room, searching for an idea, any idea, to help her out of this mess. Over in the corner she saw an old sail that was torn and ragged. She marched over to it and set about cutting strips of it apart with her dagger.


"Elijah, tie him up and gag him." She muttered, handing him the strips of sail. Margo then marched over to a barrel full of gold and struggled to overturn it. She sighed, realizing she wasn't strong enough. She glanced over at Emilio and motioned for him to come over and help her. Together they overturned the barrel, emptying it of all the gold. Margo then rolled the barrel over to where Peter lay unconscious and began unceremoniously stuffing him inside. She put the lid on the barrel and stepped back to admire her handiwork. "Right, that ought to keep him silent for awhile." Margo sighed, then sat atop the lid of the barrel and looked at Emilio.


"I'm sorry. I couldn't tell you. You have to know that." She muttered.

 

[Firegirl210]

"Not a word out of either of you, got it?" William ordered, and Emilio nodded silently. She was pacing, and the look in her eyes was like that of a cornered animal.


"Elijah, tie him up and gag him," she ordered, and he jumped to obey. He was handy with knots and was stronger than he looked. William cast around for something, then began worrying at a barrel of gold. She heaved, but her boots skidded on the floor. She looked up, and gestured impatiently for Emilio to help. He did so without expression, and together they folded Peter's limp form into the container. Emilio secretly hoped he died in there, and they could toss him out to sea with the bilge.


William sighed, wiping her brow. "Right, that ought to keep him silent for awhile," she said as she sat on top of the barrel for good measure. The teasing light faded from her eyes when she looked at Emilio. He felt a strange hollowness in his chest, but didn't look away.


"I'm sorry," she said after a few moments of looking silently at one another. He finally looked away. He didn't want to hear this. "I couldn't tell you. You have to know that."


"I thought I knew that we were friends, William," Emilio snapped. "Of course, that's not your real name, is it? You don't trust me enough to tell me? I would have helped you. I would have died before I breathed a word to anyone. I could have stopped Peter from ever finding out!" He fell silent, taking a calming breath before his voice rose any further. He couldn't stay angry. He could only stay hurt.


"Just tell me what you need to make this go away."

 

[AngieG]

Margo sighed and worried at a piece of loose thread on her shirt. "Emilio, I couldn't risk it. Blackbeard was very firm about no one knowing. He would have killed you if he had known you knew. I only just told Elijah because I needed help concealing it, god damn it!" Margo explained, then suddenly felt movement inside the barrel, which she then kicked rather hard with the heal of her boot. "I would have told you, eventually." She muttered, then sighed, dropping all of her learned manly mannerisms and running her hand through her hair.


"Look, I'd be completely happy being a female pirate. What, with the rumors of that woman, that Grace O'Malley, the first out and proud lady-pirate terrorizing the coast of Ireland! She's brilliant! And I could be ten times better than her." Margo insisted. "I want to be Captain, and I want to be Captain Margo. Doesn't have quite the same ring, I'll have to come up with my own clever nick name, yeah?" Margo asked him, trying to throw humor back into the conversation and failing miserably. She groaned and kicked the barrel again. "That's my name, if yer wondering. Margo. Means pearl. Dear old dad thought he was mighty clever, coming up with that one." Margo muttered.


"Look, I need to stage a mutiny. The men will follow me for as long as they think I'm William. And then once I'm Captain, any of the men that has a problem answering to me can bloody well jump ship." Margo explained. She knew it was risky, and practically a suicide mission. But she couldn't live her life like this anymore.