Chapter 1
In a dim lit tavern on the edge of town hidden by trees, a young man sat alone with his hands holding his drink tightly. Music played low while the laughter and chatter consumed everything. The smell of cigars and alcohol was mixed with the taverns subpar food choices. Not that anyone really cared how the food tasted. The patrons were typically drunk and swaying by the time their food was done being cooked. Amongst the chaos there were brothel maids, awaiting their easy target with a fat stack of cash to pay for their time.
Clothed in tattered skirts and bralette tops, they moved around the tavern, flirting and flaunting their goods. This side of town had only the best to offer when it came to women. Especially their brothel madam, Miss Lola. Her breasts were something to be behold. Ever spilling out over her corset tops, her hips not even hidden by her heavy skirts with a petticoat for style. Never would a man have the balls to approach that beautiful creature unless they had a wish for death. No, she chooses only the finest of men to occupy her attention.
The night was young and the patrons were just starting to become a mess of spilled beers and hormone driven disasters. Voices carried and sang loudly to the songs the jukebox played. People stood and danced with their partners, whilst others climbed upon table tops and danced for show. The ladies were dragging their prey by hand to the rooms above the tavern to make their coin. Rain began to pour outside, adding to the mixtures of noise.
New bodies flooded in to avoid the cold chill and icy droplets. The middle of October brought on the coldest of rains and the fireplace of the tavern was a nice way to keep your bones warm. The piano in the corner of the room began to play, drawing eyes to the person sat on the seat, their fingers dancing across the keys. A ginger haired lass with heavy freckles dressed to the boots in black with a pirate hat upon her head. As her voice rang loud not a person in the tavern dared to speak.
A beautiful sound that chilled the bone moreso than the pouring rain or the ghost that creeps the halls in the inn above this old place. Haunting and beautiful. This woman is new to the area, more than likely a traveler or trader of goods. Definitely not a shady lass, at least, not a pirate I have heard of before if she is. I know most of the seafarers that travel through the Lost Isle of Maree.
As the beauty carried out her song until it's end, the last bit of night wanderers made their trek into the tavern. A group of men loud and rowdy, clearly ready to make a mess of the place with their antics. One voice rising above the rest, carried its way to the mans ears. It was the one he was looking for. Over the passed few weeks, Marcus had came to this place seeking him out, but he had yet to show until now. The man stood amongst his group at the bar, surely ordering enough to put them all to sleep before nights end.
As they are handed their mugs, Marcus keeps his eyes trained on his target. A tall, built man with raven colored hair. He had the frame of a Knight and the swordsmanship to back it up. However, a Knight he was far from. If anything this man would be the one to lead his men in to topple the Kingdom and slay the Queens men without even a second thought. If of course, that were ever a part of his agenda.
Instead Charles "Wraith" Barlow would rather sail the seas and wreak havoc on the unsuspecting merchants or lay waste to the Christian lands. You see, Wraith loathed the ones spewing their gospels and tainting the countries with their pushy values. The world has always been a violence driven place, but now with the Christians coming along, it has become a worse place to live.
Though the preach heavily about love and kindness, behind the scenes they are slaughtering those that do not believe and worship as they do. It started with the massacres in Norway where the Pagans were brutally murdered for having their own Gods. Then that hate and violence spread across the world like a plague. Charles believes there will be no end to it unless the people stand up and stop it themselves. Marcus also believes this in his heart, but being the person that he is, he prefers to be more silent in his actions, unlike the ruthless Wraith.
Marcus moves towards the bar, eyes still trained on the raven haired like a predator watching its prey for any sign of weakness. As he approaches the bartender he asks for his drink and takes a seat, hood still up over his head to hide his face. A voice behind him seems close, too close for comfort, but he tries to remain composed. "Aye, you 'bout done there, lad?" Marcus cocks an eyebrow and turns to face the gentleman. "Am I in your way?"
The red haired man points to the lady behind the bar. "Nae in particular, but I was flirtin' with that bonnie lass there." Marcus chuckles and shifts out of the seat, playing it causal as to not draw attention to himself. The gentleman gives him a smile and takes the seat, back at his flirtatious endeavors. Marcus takes his spot back in the corner, a bit frustrated that he had to shift out of ear shot and can only hope the group of men are loud enough for him to hear. Charles booming laughter quickly catches his attention. "The worst part about it all? She didn't even come back home with me." His men burst with laughter.
The chatter continues for a bit, a joke here and there. Nothing of importance being spoken of for quite some time. Marcus begins to give up hope for tonight. As the group of men move to a more private table, Marcus breathes a sigh of relief. Maybe now he will be able to gather some intel. "That run ye went on, Charles, what happened?" Charles looks down, anger brewing in his eyes. "I'll tell you what happened. The information we were given was bull shit."
The man that asked the question looks nervous as Charles glares him down. "I-I swear I dinnae ken, Charles. I value me life. I'd never cross ya." The grin on Charles' face said he knew otherwise. As his men gathered around the man the rest of the bar looked on warily, but said nothing. Knowing it would only lead to their lives being put at risk as well.
Charles retrieved a knife from his pocket as his men held down the gingers firm against the table. His blade made quick work of slicing through the flesh, the eased through the bone on the ginger haired mans index finger. The screams and wails from the man echoed throughout the tavern, but the patrons just seemed to pretend nothing was happening as they continued to dance, laugh, drink and chat amongst one another. Marcus though, he sighed out softly to himself, as if he had already known this was coming.
As the shrieks stopped and the group dispersed, heading about their ways to find their own enjoyment, Marcus sat as still as a stone, still watching Charles. The bell to the door rings to alert the people inside of a new arrival. A smirk settles onto Marcus' face. Finally, the moment he has been patiently waiting for. A pale skinned woman with long blond hair, legs that could go on for days and corset tight enough to stave off a woman's breathing steps inside. Her long red nails match her ruby red lips and crimson dress. Her heels clack against the floor as she struts in, hips swaying, eyes locked onto Charles first mate. She lifts her hand, wiggling a finger to gesture for him to come to her. No hesitation could be seen from the first mate as he made long strides across the tavern. The other crew mates have all found their entertainment, and with the first mate gone, getting to Charles will be so easy.
Marcus leaps to his feet, the shadows seeming to come alive and follow behind him, surrounding his body like a cloak. With one swift movement, almost as if he teleported the distance between he and Charles, Marcus is behind him. A syringe is plucked from his cloak, quickly injected into Charles' throat as his other hand clamps down over the mans mouth to keep him quiet. Marcus brings his mouth to his prey ear with a soft cackle, "Goodnight Charles." Another man from the bar swiftly moves into action. He heads for the two of them and shoves his shoulder under Charles' arm, just as Marcus did with the other arm. The lady that had come in is quick to make a scene. She shrieks loudly, an ear piercing noise, "Quick! Someone kill it! Kill the rat." And sure enough, a rat races across the floor heading towards the bartender. The bartender grabs a towel, trying her damnedest to cover the rat to use as a barrier between her and the rodent, as to not get bitten. All the while the man, Marcus, the unconscious Charles and the pretty redhead with the enchanting voice slip out through the back door of the tavern. Not a soul inside took notice of the group, thanks to the frightened blonde and Amelia's rodent menace aiding Irelia's ruse.
