Brody stood staring at the Desperado the next morning after they had buried Gwen’s father. The ship was in ruins from the storm. It wasn’t as big as the Sea Mirage. Neither would it be as fast on the water even if he did manage to repair it. Why had he promised Cato he would help Gwen find her brothers? He didn’t even have a means to do it right now.
“Thank you for everything,” said Gwen walking up from the gravesite to meet him. The winds were cold since the sky had clouded over. Fall was approaching, and winter would be here soon. There was no way he’d have the repairs to the ship made before spring. “What are you thinking?” she asked, slipping her arm around his waist.
“I’m thinking how much I miss the Sea Mirage.”
“Brody, did you mean what you said about giving up being a pirate to marry me?”
He nodded, feeling the lump in his throat. His eyes remained faceted to the broken-down fishing ship. “Aye. I meant every word of it. But with this barge, we’ll be lucky not to drown at sea, let alone use it to find your brothers.”
“I miss Aaron, Tristan, and Mardon,” she told him. “With every day that passes, their faces fade a little from my mind. I have the feeling I will never see them again.”
“A lot of things can happen over time,” he told her, thinking of the many years he’d spent living at sea.
“I was upset yesterday and wasn’t thinking clearly when I accused you of always wanting to be a pirate. I want to tell you that I was wrong. I only said it because I was frightened that I’d lose you. Brody, I feel like I’m falling in love with you.”
“You do?” He pulled her around to the front of him, embracing her in a hug.
“I do. I can’t wait to be your wife.”
He kissed her, and that warm feeling between them returned. A new type of excitement for life filled his being. He felt as if he’d found a lost half of himself. Aye, he was looking forward to raising a family with Gwen and being her husband.
As he kissed the top of her head, he caught sight of something from behind a cliff. A flag was wavering from atop a pole. A black flag.
“My ship!” He released Gwen and ran down to the shore, ignoring the burning pain of the wound in his leg.
“Wait. Where are you going?” Gwen hurried after him.
“I just spotted the black flags of the Sea Mirage sailing behind the cliffs near the caves.”
“You did?”
“Yes. I’m sure it’s there.”
They rounded the cliff and stopped. Sure enough, there was the Sea Mirage out on the water. A small transport boat with a few people was headed toward the caves.
“I see them,” said Gwen, trying to catch her breath. “What are you going to do?”
“If that’s Muck, I’m going to kill him.” He pulled the dagger from his waistband, wishing for his sword. This was the only weapon he had right now.
“You’re going to kill him with just a dagger?”
“I’ll use my bare hands if I have to.”
He started forward, but Gwen grabbed his arm and held him back. “Nay, wait. Please, don’t kill anyone.”
“He turned my crew against me. He threw me into the sea to die. Give me one reason why I shouldn’t?”
“Because it’s too late,” came a deep voice from behind him. Brody turned around, not knowing they’d been followed. He was shocked as well as relieved to see Rowen approaching along with Edwin.
“Rowen!” he cried out, happy to see his good friend.
Gwen watched as Brody rushed over to give his friend a handshake and a slap on the back.
“I never thought I’d see you again,” said Rowen.
“Rowen never stopped looking for you, ever since you were dumped in the sea,” Edwin explained to Brody. “When he showed up just now asking if anyone had seen you, I knew I had to bring him to you at once.”
“You must be Brody’s friend that he’s been telling me about,” said Gwen.
“This is Gwen.” Brody came back and put his arm around her and brought her forward. “We’re going to get married.”
“You’re really doing it?” asked Edwin.
“Aye. I love her,” said Brody.
“I love Brody as well,” Gwen told them. “We fell in love when we touched the wall inside the cave.”
“Ah, you must mean the legend of the St. Agnes cave,” said Rowen.
“You believe it?” asked Brody.
“It seems to me that you two are proof enough.” Rowen smiled. “Now tell me all about Gwen.”
“She’s Cato the pirate’s daughter,” blurted out Edwin.
Brody cleared his throat. “Her father just died, may he rest in peace. He was a fisherman and got caught in a nasty storm. This is Gwen. Gwen Banks.”
Gwen looked up and smiled at Brody. She already liked being treated as his wife, and they weren’t even married yet.
“Rowen, you found him,” came a shout from behind them. Brody turned to see Lucky running up the shore. Two more men were getting out of the transport boat.
“You!” Brody reached out and punched Lucky in the jaw, knocking him to the ground. “I’m going to kill you. Mutiny is not tolerated on the Sea Mirage.”
“Brody, calm down.” Rowen grabbed his fist before he could hit the man again.
“Brody, is that you?” Two more pirates rushed up to join them.
Brody looked over to Big Garth and Odo, as they followed the path Lucky had taken up the rocky shore from the water. He felt like he wanted to punch them since they did nothing to keep him from being thrown into the sea.
“Welcome back, old friend.” Odo reached out for him, but Brody just glared.
“Now you’re calling me friend? Why didn’t you remember that when Old Man Muck was making me walk the plank? Where is that traitor anyway? I want him to look into my eyes when I kill him.”
“Brody, please, no,” begged Gwen, reminding him of his promise to stop acting like a pirate.
“Muck is dead,” Rowen told him.
“He is? Who killed him?” Brody looked over to Big Garth who had skill with the knife since he was the ship’s cook. “Was it you, Big Garth?”
“It was Lucky,” said Garth.
“Lucky?” Brody couldn’t believe his ears. Lucky was Muck’s best friend.
“I did it to keep him from killing Maggie,” said Lucky in his gravelly voice. He rubbed the scar running across his throat.
“Maggie?” asked Gwen.
“My brother, Reed’s wife,” explained Rowen. “Lucky’s turned a new leaf, and I’ve let him stay on as part of the crew. Brody, I sent them out looking for you, and told them not to come back until they found you. I left right after my brother’s wedding, searching the coast for you as well. My journey led me here, and I’m glad it did. My new first mate is aboard the Sea Mirage, but it’s yours again, now that I’ve found you.”
“I – don’t think so,” he said, looking at Gwen as he spoke. “I’ve made a promise to Gwen to stop being a pirate.”
“Then you’re in luck,” said Rowen. “The crew is all going to reform.”
“What do you mean?” Brody looked over to the pirates.
“That’s right,” said Odo. “Rowen’s going to set us up on a trade route.”
“We’ll be the crew of a trade ship from now on,” said Lucky, getting to his feet.
“It’ll give us all more time to find wives and start families of our own,” added Big Garth. “I actually wouldn’t mind the change.”
“That’s great,” said Gwen. “Then you can join them, Brody.”
“Gwen, I don’t need a ship anymore. Your father gave me his ship.”
“Where is it?” asked Big Garth.
“Is it as fast as the Sea Mirage?” asked Odo.
“It’s right there.” Brody pointed to the Desperado. The old, damaged ship creaked and groaned in the wind as it thunked against the pier.
“That’s your new ship?” Big Garth burst out laughing.
“I think we’ll be able to walk faster than that thing will sail,” added Odo.
“It’s been in a storm and hit by lightning,” Brody explained. “But I’m going to fix it up, and it’ll be as good as new soon.”
Rowen’s sea hawk swooped through the sky and landed atop the broken mast of the ship.
“We’re going to use it to find my brothers,” added Gwen.
“Where are they?” asked Odo. “In Hell?”
All three of the pirates laughed at that.
“I think it’s a noble gesture,” said Rowen. “Now that I’m living at Whitehaven Castle and have another ship, I won’t need the Sea Mirage. You’re welcome to use it to find Gwen’s brothers, Brody.”
“Thank you. I’ll think about it,” said Brody. “I have a lot of decisions to make soon.”
“You’re also welcome to stay at Whitehaven with me,” said Rowen.
“Whitehaven?” Gwen looked up in surprise. “In a castle?”
“Aye,” said Rowen. “Is there something wrong with that?”
Gwen and Brody exchanged glances. “I’m not sure we belong there,” said Brody. “We’re just . . . simple fisherman.” He smiled at Gwen when he said it.
“Then stay with me,” offered Edwin. “If you don’t want to stay at the inn, you can use our house in town. Since my brother and his wife mainly stay at the inn now, too, the house is empty most of the time.”
“Thank you. We’d like that,” Brody answered.
“When’s the wedding?” asked Rowen.
“I’m not sure,” said Brody. “Hopefully, as soon as possible.”
“I can contact the local priest from the church if you want,” offered Edwin.
“Does he marry ex-pirates?” Brody felt as if he were an outcast in his hometown.
“There’s no need to bother the priest,” said Rowen. “I’m still a captain. If we hold the wedding on a ship on the water, I can do it for you right now.”
“Gwen?” asked Brody, gazing into her bright, blue-green eyes.
“Let’s do it,” she said. “I only have one request, and I don’t want any of you to laugh when you hear it.”