Robert Sims
Sea Legs
Born in the small English county of Northamptonshire, I always wanted a more exciting life, My family worked for a small trading company that dealt with the exports of woods around the Caribbean. My father and three brothers were always more active than myself, I preferred reading and drawing, always on maritime subjects. I was always interested in crimes committed at sea.
Whenever my father and brothers came back from their voyages to the Caribbean (Of which I never got involved in after my father always said that I was not old enough) I would try and talk to them about what I had read, whenever I did, my father would simply go blank, almost as if he was lost in a deep, unpleasant memory, whenever this happened, my eldest brother would mouth the words 'The Leg!'
I had never asked my father how he lost his leg, he would always simply reply 'At sea'. He was a humble man who loved his family dearly, and had served his time in the merchant navy.
Once business had picked up for my family's company, my father had decided to move our family into a British ran island named Port Royal, where he sold his woods to the navy for their fleets. We set of on my father's ship named the Sea Titan, A merchant class vessel that was loaded with all manner of wood types.
With good winds, we were making good progress, I had picked up a lot of skills during the voyage. But that would all change.
Just as I had retired to my quarters of the ship, and one of my brothers had took watch, I heard a yell on deck, my father and other brothers quickly got to the deck, there was a ship in the distance, she didn't fly a national flag of any kind, this was a black flag, just visible in the darkness.
Our ship was obviously much slower than the approaching vessel. I watched from the quarterdeck as the speedy ship closed in on our port side.
Within minutes they were at cannon range, My heart was racing, We didn't have weapons to defend ourselves with, I thought back to all the miraculous escapes of other seaman, none seemed to be possible right now.
As I continued to panic as the Pirates still didn't fire a single cannonball, A forceful hand grabbed me, I thought I was done for, but it was not a pirate, It was my father, pulling me into his cabin and shutting me in his rum pantry....
After what seemed hours of being confined into the tight storage space, I was able to kick the door down, The sun shone down on the deck. Nobody was present. No sign of blood, so sign of a struggle, the cargo was of course empty.
And on from there, I write this in the same cabin I was saved by all those years ago. Now fully converted, my ship is now noted as a 'Merchant' Class Frigate in the Caribbean seas.
I have devoted my life to tracking down my lost family, to find out what their fate was, and either set them free, or avenge them. I sail today as a Pirate, hunted for my some what obsession.
Of course, I wouldn't say no to a spot of plundering and drinking whilst I'm at it. But one day I'll find my father and brothers, and return them home to England, where they belong.
That, is a promise.
Whenever my father and brothers came back from their voyages to the Caribbean (Of which I never got involved in after my father always said that I was not old enough) I would try and talk to them about what I had read, whenever I did, my father would simply go blank, almost as if he was lost in a deep, unpleasant memory, whenever this happened, my eldest brother would mouth the words 'The Leg!'
I had never asked my father how he lost his leg, he would always simply reply 'At sea'. He was a humble man who loved his family dearly, and had served his time in the merchant navy.
Once business had picked up for my family's company, my father had decided to move our family into a British ran island named Port Royal, where he sold his woods to the navy for their fleets. We set of on my father's ship named the Sea Titan, A merchant class vessel that was loaded with all manner of wood types.
With good winds, we were making good progress, I had picked up a lot of skills during the voyage. But that would all change.
Just as I had retired to my quarters of the ship, and one of my brothers had took watch, I heard a yell on deck, my father and other brothers quickly got to the deck, there was a ship in the distance, she didn't fly a national flag of any kind, this was a black flag, just visible in the darkness.
Our ship was obviously much slower than the approaching vessel. I watched from the quarterdeck as the speedy ship closed in on our port side.
Within minutes they were at cannon range, My heart was racing, We didn't have weapons to defend ourselves with, I thought back to all the miraculous escapes of other seaman, none seemed to be possible right now.
As I continued to panic as the Pirates still didn't fire a single cannonball, A forceful hand grabbed me, I thought I was done for, but it was not a pirate, It was my father, pulling me into his cabin and shutting me in his rum pantry....
After what seemed hours of being confined into the tight storage space, I was able to kick the door down, The sun shone down on the deck. Nobody was present. No sign of blood, so sign of a struggle, the cargo was of course empty.
And on from there, I write this in the same cabin I was saved by all those years ago. Now fully converted, my ship is now noted as a 'Merchant' Class Frigate in the Caribbean seas.
I have devoted my life to tracking down my lost family, to find out what their fate was, and either set them free, or avenge them. I sail today as a Pirate, hunted for my some what obsession.
Of course, I wouldn't say no to a spot of plundering and drinking whilst I'm at it. But one day I'll find my father and brothers, and return them home to England, where they belong.
That, is a promise.
