3 Chapter Three

Kahlo woke to a small pain in her cheek. She grumbled and sat up, gingerly rubbing the small area, before glancing back at Finn. He grinned when he noticed she had awoken.

"Well it's about time you get off your arse. Come on, we don't have all day." He chuckled quietly, emptying his hands allowing small rocks to fall to the ground.

"So you threw rocks at me. Nice." She muttered before sliding towards the door.

"You weren't getting up" He answered with a shrug before turning to look at her.

Kahlo rolled her eyes and reached into her shirt once more, pulling out the keys. She slid her arms through the spaces of the bars. She maneuvered the key into the slot, promptly turning it, sending the door open. She pulled herself to her feet before turning her attention towards Finnigan.

"If you mess this up for me, I'll kill you myself and post your head on the mast of my ship" Kahlo spat, wrapping a hand around his shirt yanking him close to the bars.

He gave her a quick nod in response. Kahlo dropped him before unlocking his cell, muttering something about men being stupid and useless. Finnigan shrugged and quickly hurried out of his cell, his heart began to race.

Kahlo took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment or two before creeping up the stairs towards the top deck. She poked her head up out of the stairwell, quickly counting the number of watchmen.

There were only four men posted on the top deck, with two being slumped over, bottles surrounding their feet, indicating to their drunken state. Kahlo grimaced, her eyes narrowing as she slowly slid out into the light of the moon and a few lanterns. She kept close to the ship's railing.

She turned her head back, only to see Finnigan frozen in fear. She let out an internal scream before creeping closer to him.

"I'm leaving you here then. I'm not waiting for you." She spat, her voice quiet but still harsh.

Finn shook his head and crept closer to her, forcing up all the courage he could. The plan had seemed easy before, but now it was all the more horrid. Finn gave her a nervous smile, with a quick thumbs-up.

Kahlo groaned before continuing along towards one of the first limp pirates. He was slumped against one of the barrels lining the ship, from the smell, filled with coffee beans. She wrapped her hand around his shirt collar before pulling the drunken pirate to her side. Kahlo quickly unhooked his belt, sliding it around her own waist. She adjusted the scabbard so the cutlass was in easy access. She gripped the hilt of her blade before releasing the weapon.

Kahlo sent the sharp blade into the man's chest, killing him almost instantly. She yanked out the blade, the warm crimson color catching the gaze of the moon. A small smile poked at her cheek. Being a pirate felt good.

Finnigan, on the other hand, was not having quite the most glamorous experience. Well watching a woman of all people kill a man in cold blood wasn't a wonderful sight. Finn gulped as he watched her stare at the blood as it dripped to the floor, the smile pulling on her face. This was the first time Finn had seen Kahlo smile, and frankly, he hoped it was his last. Her smile was cold and heartless, but enjoyment was riddled throughout the dastardly smile. She turned her head and looked at him for a moment his heart stopped as fear overcame his body. His throat felt tight as the air seemed to leave him. His body felt frozen in fear, before releasing as she slowly sheathed the cutlass.

Kahlo continued along the side of the ship before making it towards the helm. The captains quarters rested below the darkened level. Kahlo frowned, knowing what she had to do. She inhaled sharply before lunging at the other guards. Her cutlass met their skin, blood beginning to pour down their chests.

One of the men opened their mouth to yell, but was silenced as her cutlass slid through his chest. The man dropped to the ground lifeless, a pool of blood gathering around him. A thump behind her caught her attention. She whipped around only to see Finnigan standing there with a bloodied cutlass looking horrified at a body beneath his feet.

Kahlo laughed at his expression before gently patting him on the shoulder.

"No point in gawking at a dead man. Come on," she chuckled softly.

Finnigan stared at the cutlass in his grip as Kahlo began to leave her. The deep color continued to haunt him. He gulped and slowly followed her, the cutlass resting at his side. Kahlo was walking towards the captain's quarters, a sneer of hatred resting on her face. She crept towards the door, gently grasping the handle. She slowly began to twist the doorknob to enter before freezing. She turned back to Finn.

"Please. Just stay here. I don't know what's going to happen, and...it would be better if you didn't intervene" Kahlo said quickly, gently resting a hand against his shoulder before dipping into the dark room.

Finnigan frowned, staring at the door as he listened to Kahlo pace away from him, leaving him to contemplate his silence. Whatever she was up to, he knew it wasn't a good idea. Especially when she actually seemed concerned about his survival, minutes before she had threatened to kill him herself. Maybe the fate she faced was worse than her killing him.

"Aye! Look what the cat brought in! Correct me if 'm wrong but I believe the briggs are below deck. What're you doing up here?" A voice cooed to him, amusement lingering in his voice.

Finnigan whipped around only to face a cutlass aimed at his throat and a wide-grinning pirate.

"No wench to save you now" He laughed, pressing the blade against his throat.

The cold metal felt heavy against his neck, pulling the air from his body. Finnigan gulped and stepped back only to be stopped by the door. He tried to create space between him and the blade, but it was to no avail.

"Let's see how long it takes me to carve your heart out"

~~~

Kahlo gently swung the sword in a small circle before tightening her grip. Her eyes narrowed as she stared into the darkness of the room. The stench of rum and stale tobacco made the air feel heavy. Kahlo grimaced but continued into the room. The walls were lined with shelves and drawers, most of which were filled with drinks, assuming from the sound the rolling bottles made. The ground was covered in a carpet, and exotic one by the feel. A large desk rested in the middle of the room with Captain Mad-Eye's hat resting on the top of it.

A leather chair sat at the head of the desk, the wood was smooth and felt rich. Most likely from a plunder of a French ship Kahlo thought. The French had a tendency to go all out on exotic and expensive furniture. At the far left corner of the room rested two large doors. The bedchamber. She inhaled sharply and gripped the handles.

In one quick push, she flung the doors open and raised her sword. Mad-Eye was already out of bed, his sword resting in his hand. He began to yell a vast vocabulary of curses before lunging at her. Kahlo was ready and quickly blocked the blow, the blades clashing inches from her face.

"You cursed witch!" Mad-Eye screeched before swinging at her again.

Kahlo ducked under the blade before slashing at his stomach, blood dripping from the now open wound. "Pirate. Not witch" She smirked.

Mad-Eye roared before slicing at her arm. The blade drug across her skin ripping open the sleeve of her shirt. Pain immediately exploded into her arm. Kahlo gasped, but quickly shook her head, anger blazing through her body. She lunged at him and sent her cutlass into his thigh, twisting the blade as far as she could before yanking it out.

Mad-Eye let out a cry of pain, gripping his leg before swinging at her once more with less power. The cutlass drug across her cheek, catching her shoulder as Mad-Eye fell. Kahlo bit her tongue, trying to not think of the screaming pain rattling her body. Kahlo raised her cutlass above his chest.

"May Davy Jones Locker have a place for a wretched soul like yours" She spat before thrusting the blade into his chest.

He gasped, letting out a scream before his body grew limp, blood pooling around the two of them. She spat next to his dead body, pulling free her cutlass before storming out of the chamber. She yanked the door open only to be crushed by Finnigan.

"Get off me!" Kahlo hissed kicking him off of her, only to stare up at a group of pirates.

"Oh, what did you do now?" She muttered beneath her breath before leaping to her feet, swinging her cutlass to create a distance.

"Captain Mad-Eye is dead. You may all choose to leave this ship on a smaller vessel of your choosing or you may stay and remain under my command for the remainder of my stay." Kahlo crossed her arms over her chest, straightening up to the pirates.

"And if we don't," One of the pirates sneered, the other joined in crude remarks.

"You're nothing more than shark bait." Kahlo answered, an eyebrow raising at the men.

"Well leave or stay. I've got things to do." Kahlo waved a hand moving the men out of the way as she climbed onto the top deck.

The pirates below began to converse with one another, trying to figure out if they could kill her or if it would be best to leave. After all their captain was dead, and he had been their deciding vote. Some pirates chose to stay mainly due to their poor relationship with the rest of the crew or because of their foul minds. The rest choose to leave, with a few challengers remaining believing they were to be captain, but Kahlo was simply not worried of their advances.

Finnigan had chosen to stay despite his terrifying experience with these pirates. He figured he had a greater chance of surviving with Kahlo then on his own, after all she seemed to know the seas much better than him. Finn had found his place next to the stairs to the top deck. It was a small corner hidden by a few barrels, but there he was safe. It was his sanctuary among the ship. This is the worst decision I've probably ever made. Why didn't I just work on another farm? Or get an apprenticeship? He thought to himself regarding his choice to leave his home. He truly did hate the ship and just about everyone on it.

Kahlo looked down onto the ship's deck in which the pirates had organized themselves. Threats and warnings were being exchanged between the two groups, each one trying to drown out the other. Kahlo sighed and walked down onto the deck.

"You can leave willingly or you'll be cast overboard. You may decide your fate." Her eyes narrowed as she glared towards the group of pirates who had wished to leave. "Does 10 seconds sound like enough time?"

She asked, turning towards her new crew. They snickered and laughed in agreeance. Kahlo chuckled and gave the others a cruel smile.

"Well, you heard 'em. 10!" She began as her crew began to walk closer towards the aggressors.

"9!" Kahlo crossed her arms across her chest as the men began to scurry at the sound of her voice; a feeling of power and authority coming over her.

"8!"

"7!"

"6!"

By now the men had just started to throw themselves into the water. Her crew had unsheathed their swords and had been swiping at the men, waiting for their signal to kill.

"5!"

"4!"

Only a few had remained on the ship now, with two of them trying to reason with the others, but Kahlo had a small bit of trust influenced by their fear in her crew.

"3!"

Five of the other men were now going into combat. Their cutlass' were drawn as they lunged towards her crew. Almost instantly her crew reacted and fought with a surprising amount of confidence and excitement. Kahlo wasn't going to stray from the fight, so she rushed in to join her crew.

Finnigan on the other hand, watched terrified behind the small wall of barrels. He wasn't about to risk his life for five odd men. He hugged his knees close to his chest and closed his eyes, waiting for the fighting to stop. He had never been much of a fighter, which really was no surprise. Especially considering the fact that his mother was raised by Quakers and firmly believed in the absence of violence.

With a couple of good stabs the men had fallen. Kahlo's crew husked the bodies overboard before looking to their captain for guidance.

Kahlo grinned before returning to the top deck. She wrapped her hands onto the wheel before staring down at her crew.

"Well? Are we just going to wait here?" She asked, a scowl crossing her face.

Her crew quickly took the warning, hurrying to their previous stations. Kahlo chuckled quietly to herself. Neptune's Thrall was no Casoade, but it would work for now.