Silver Spirits

Port Aris was unusual for a pirate governed town. It was a bright, sunny place full of well-off, happy, beautiful people. The people were families of these outlaws, who often lived together in hopes that they could get past the idea of their family being pirates. The town was a safe haven for all outlaws, and in return, the outlaws made sure it was safe for the people within.

Scarlett took a deep breath of the fresh air as she stepped onto the dock, followed by Ben and the rest of his crew. Percy had gotten started of re-supplying (with the "help" of Emily), and she needed the men to load it all onto the ship. Though no matter how hard she tried to get these boys to work, there was always something in Scarlett's way. They all looked up as a silky white shawl blew past in the wind. Simon was the one to snatch it out of the air.

"That's mine!"

They looked over as a young woman started running towards them, holding the skirts of a baby blue dress that matched the shawl. Scarlett did her best to hold back her scowl when she saw who it was. It was that damn Evelyn Richmond, with her big blue eyes and her perfect lips and her rosy cheeks on porcelain skin. Not to mention the ever-perfect ringlets of fiery red hair that framed her doll-like face.

"You know her?" Ben asked, looking at the way Scarlett stared with her lips pursed into a tight line.

"Yes," she said flatly, ending the conversation there.

Simon had gone completely silent, just staring at Evelyn with a vacant expression and holding her shawl. He handed it back to the young woman, struggling to find words. Evelyn gave him a little curtsy and a sweet smile, speaking for him.

"Thank you," she said. "I saw the Silver Spirit docked from my window, and I just had to come see my brother and say hello to the rest of the crew. I haven't seen you two before! Have you just recently joined the crew?"

"Yes, just recently," Simon nodded.

Scarlett turned to glare at him, and Ben lightly elbowed him in the ribs, but Simon was so focused on Evelyn that he had forgotten they were even there. Evelyn didn't seem to notice them giving Simon looks, because she just beamed at him.

"Oh how wonderful!" she exclaimed.

"Not really," Scarlett grumbled.

"What do you do aboard the ship?" Evelyn asked.

"I, uh, well... Various things..."

"That sounds important," she said, her smile not once leaving her face.

"He peels potatoes," Scarlett answered for him, giving Simon another look that probably would have shut him up had he been paying attention.

He, however, was far too lost in Evelyn's eyes to even care that maybe his life was on the line. Evelyn ignored Scarlett too, but she ignored Scarlett for other reasons.

"My name is Simon," he said quickly, wiping his sweaty palm on his trousers before taking her hand.

"Evelyn. Pleasure to meet you, Simon," she said politely. "It's nice to see the Spirit is finally gaining some good, handsome men on her crew."

Both Simon and Scarlett turned red, but for very different reasons. Simon was struggling to speak, so Evelyn did so instead, looking around at the crew.

"Well, you must know my brother then. Reginald," Evelyn said.

"Reginald? Of course I know Reginald. My friend, Reggie," Simon blatantly lied. "I'll help you find him."

Evelyn grinned and nodded, taking Simon's arm and making him stiffen slightly as he awkwardly scanned the crew. Scarlett smirked, shaking her head. He'd never find Reginald on his own. She turned to Ben, who was watching with an amused look on his face.

"Simon has always been the one who was good with the women. It's strange to see him like this," he said quietly, so they wouldn't hear.

"He's not the only one," Scarlett grumbled bitterly.

She turned to her crew and found that as Evelyn was walking by, most every man on her crew was trying to get her attention, tipping his hat and bowing as she walked past. Even Leon seemed to forget that he had a wife and four children waiting for him somewhere in France. All for one stupid little girl who "wasn't even that pretty", if you asked Scarlett.

"She's a horrible person," Scarlett told Ben.

"She seems very sweet," Ben shrugged, unphased.

"Do you think she's pretty?" Scarlett asked.

"What if I did?"

"Nothing. We'd both move on. Just tell me."

"I do," he said. "But she isn't the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

"Who is?" Scarlett asked a little too quickly.

"Not you," Ben teased.

Scarlett pursed her lips and punched him in the arm, looking back at Evelyn. She watched as the woman suddenly turned and waved to Scarlett, smiling bright.

"Oh, and Scarlett, I wanted to tell you how lovely you look," she called. "I love what you've done with your hair! It suits you!"

With that, she giggled and took Simon's arm again, pulling him along to find Reginald. Scarlett spun around to give Ben a shocked look, though he didn't seem to see the problem.

"Didn't you hear what she said to me?" Scarlett whispered angrily.

"She complimented you," Ben chuckled.

"Men like you," Scarlett scowled, shoving past him to head off towards town. "You can't see past your own noses."

Ben rolled his eyes and followed her as she strode ahead finally away from Evelyn so she was the one turning heads again. It wasn't that Scarlett was insecure next to Evelyn. Far from it, actually. She just didn't like competition in any aspect of her life. She looked over her shoulder at Ben, who followed along quietly.

"Didn't I tell you to load supplies?" she scowled.

"You did, but you see, I didn't listen," he said. "I know you're going to find things to ensure our survival the rest of the journey, and I also know that you need my input on it all."

"I want a hat, Benjamin," she announced.

"A hat?"

"A hat," she nodded. "A big, velvet hat with a fluffy feather. I want it so people can see me coming. And they'll know I'm important, from the size of my hat."

"Weren't you the one who said size didn't matter?" Ben asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It does," Scarlett said. "And I have very specific tastes."

"What are those tastes?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" she said, wrinkling her nose.

Ben nodded to a tailor's shop beside them. "There's your chance then."

"Not yet," Scarlett said, moving along. "Not until this journey is over. I'm not deserving of a hat that glorious until then."

Ben nodded slowly, eyeing the tailor's shop then catching up to walk beside Scarlett again. She looked up at him, tilting her head to the side.

"What is that face?" she asked.

"Face? It's my face."

"No it's not. Your face looks stupid most of the time. You look like you want to say something to me."

"I was just wondering what was at the end of the map that you crave so much," he shrugged.

Scarlett stopped in her tracks, staring at him in disbelief. All this time, part of her was afraid he'd try and steal it from her, and now she was being told that he didn't even know the treasure he was forced to help her look for? Or did he know, and was looking for proof?

"Keep wondering."

Scarlett started to go again, but Ben grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back. She lost her footing, but he caught her and lifted her up, and for a moment they just gazed at each other. Scarlett wasn't sure what she was seeing. It wasn't the same man she had met at the beginning of her journey, and it wasn't the same boy she knew so many years ago. How could he expect her to be the same girl?

"When are you going to start telling me these things?" he asked. "You have to tell someone, and as of now, I'm the only one who knows who you are. Where is little Madeline running away to?"

"Madeline is dead," Scarlett snapped, struggling to keep her voice from rising to a yell. "Don't you understand? She's dead. They stole her away, taught her how to use a knife. And the day they realized she was growing up, they taught her to walk around practically unclothed, solely for attention. Then they decided her name no longer fit her, so they changed it. The day Scarlett Rose was born was the day Madeline Triggs died. Why don't you understand?"

Ben's expression caught Scarlett off guard. She wasn't sure why he looked so upset until she touched her face and found that her tears had betrayed her, and were now streaming down her cheeks without her realizing it. She simply couldn't take it anymore. She crumpled right there, but Ben caught her before she fell and pulled her into a tight, comforting embrace. He must have realized how much Scarlett didn't want to be seen in such a state, because he picked her up and carried her into an empty little alley between two buildings.

It was filthy, but he stayed with her anyways as she spilled everything to him. She started from the beginning, when Phineas had his crew kidnap her when she was just twelve years old, how horribly she was treated until she learned how easily she could charm them, and how she intended on trying to run away with that charm. She continued to tell him every detail about how Phineas twisted her mind and convinced her to stay there, calling her something like a daughter until she got older and he decided he had the right to use and abuse her while she had no idea what he was doing was wrong. She told him about how the first man she ever killed was the one who taught her to feel guiltless about killing, Phineas himself. After an "accidental" dose of poison in his food, it didn't take long for Scarlett to take over his role. Last, she told Ben about the pendant, and why she so desperately wanted to be an immortal. Ben listened carefully to every word, not once looking overwhelmed, but Scarlett could feel his grip on her get a little tighter when she talked about the kinds of things Phineas did to her.

"I'm glad he's dead," he said quietly, letting Scarlett rest her head on his shoulder as he held her in his lap, letting her soak his shirt with salty tears.

"Do you understand now?" she asked him, sniffing lightly.

"I understand," he sighed. "Scarlett, I've decided that I'm going to take you to your goal. Not just for the sake of my crew anymore, but because I want to. On one condition."

"What condition?"

"You'll come with me to see your father. Just once."

Scarlett quickly shook her head, sitting up and drawing away from him a bit.

"Ben, do you know what will happen if I step foot in London?" she whispered.

"It's only for one day," he assured her. "Just one. Just to tell him what you told me. You'll look so different, no one will even recognize you."

"But I-"

"I'll make sure no one sees you but your father."

Scarlett started to tremble again. "Ben, he won't love me anymore."

"If that happens, then I will personally make sure he feels sorry about it," Ben said, squeezing her hand lightly.

Scarlett trembled and curled up into a ball in his arms, but gave a tiny nod. Never had she looked so vulnerable in front of anyone else, but she was glad she did now. She may have soaked Ben's shirt with tears, but ten years of weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

"Don't breathe a word of this to anyone," she muttered.

"I won't," he reassured her, standing up and holding his hand out for her. "Come. We'll go back. Your ship is fine, she doesn't need new parts. You just need the ship right now. Besides, you haven't yet yelled at Simon for lying. That should be fun."

"Oh, he's not getting punished," Scarlett smirked, wiping at her eyes as she took Ben's hand and stood. "When he meets Reginald and realizes exactly why no one has tried laying a finger on Evelyn, that will be punishment enough."