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Autumn, 1746
"The Venables Ring"
Great Britain is in the seventh year of her bitter struggle with Imperial Spain. Carlos Clementine, hailed as the most brilliant european general since Julius Caesar, has established himself as dictator of Spain, he has the reputation of being invincible on land, but at sea it is a different matter....
Chapter I: The Dead of Night
The full moon had long set on the rolling Yorkshire moors when dense storm clouds blew in from the west, obscuring the stars. In the pitch darkness before dawn two riders walked their horses down a narrow, overgrown bridle path. The first of them carried a lantern. He was a burly countryman in a rough russet-coloured coat and battered old tricorn. The second wore a heavy cloak over the scarlett uniform of a General in the marines.
Both men where well armed. They had carbines in the holsters attached to their saddles and both wore a brace of pistols in their belts. The general's heavy sword was curved like a cavalry sabre rather then the customary straight blade. The countryman with the lantern had a double-barreled shotgun slung over his shoulder.
They stopped and listened, but all they could hear was the soft jingle from the metal bits as the horses tore grass from the ragged edge of the pathway. The general took a watch from his waistcoat and leaned forward to read the time by the soft glow of the lantern.
"Do you think he'll be there?" asked the countryman, a touch of anxiety affecting his voice.
The general nodded. "I'm sure of it, is everything prepared?"
"Just as you instructed"
"Pass me the latern and follow my orders if I give the signal"
"I will sir"
Leaving his companion in the lane, the general urged his horse forward to a gap in the hedge which led into the wide courtyard of an abandoned Inn. A dimmed lantern hanging above its entrance cast a small circle of light onto the cobbles.
Despite the darkness, the general was familiar with the layout here. A row of stables was connected to the Innhouse, and a ramshackle barn completed the third side of the open square. The general doused his lantern, slid down from his horse and looped the reigns over the shaft of a massive old farm cart with a broken wheel. Much of its load of hay had spilt onto the cobbles. Then he stood very still in the darkness. He could feel the weather had changed; a sudden stronger breeze blew from the west and he could smell the rain coming.
"Did ye bring the money?" a low voice asked from the circle of light. Remaining in the darkness the general took a heavy leather pouch from the pocket of his cloak. Holding it at arms length he shook it. The Gold inside jingled, and instinctively he stepped away from the sound he'd made. The movement saved his life.
A Musket blasted out of the darkness to the left of the lanterns pool of light, the shot thudded into the butt of the carbine on his saddle. The horse reared in terror, and tearing the reigns free, it galloped blindly out of the yard. Two more shots sounded before a voice cried out, "Stop firing you fools! give me some bloody light!" A figure carrying a musket darted forward, reaching up to turn up the wick of the lantern over the doorway. From where the general now lay. flat out on the cobbled yard. he discharged his pistol at the man and rolled away to seek the cover of the broken carts, sagging edge.
Two more musket shots rang out! Five of them, the general calculated. Time to adjust the odds. Reaching up, he fired his second pistol into the straw spilling out of the wagon, and scrambled into the nearby barn.
The muzzle flash from his last shot caught the dry straw and lick of flame showed, then a sudden explosive brilliance - gunpowder mixed in with the straw had burst into a dazzling incandescence that illuminated the entire courtyard!
"Down on him!" Shouted the hidden leader, "before he had time to reload!" Silhouetted against the flames, three men approached carrying muskets fitted with bayonets, The general thrust his hands into a full corn bin next to the doorway and withdrew two large horse pistols that had been concealed in the grain. When his attackers where within seven paces of him, he fired. Grunting two of the mercenaries sprawled at his feet, but the third came on, lunging with the bayonet that glinted wickedly at his stomach. The general dodged and tossed aside his empty pistols and drew his sabre. With an upward sweep he parried the musket and swung the blade down to strike the attackers neck.
As the man fell, the blast of a shotgun was followed by another single pistol shot. After a brief pause, his companion called out, "all clear sir" The general cleaned his blade on the coat of one of the mercenaries and returned to the courtyard, where the flames of the burning straw were already dying down. The countryman turned up the lantern over the doorway and pointed with his shotgun toward the two other dead men. "both done for sir"
"Hardly my most elegant plan" Replied the general wryly. "but affective for all that"
As the general searched the mercenary corpse's, the accomplice commented, "good thing we came prepared!"
The general seemed to have found what he was looking for in the form of a small, black book with the crest of the East India Trading Company's board of director on the elegant cover. The general then consulted his watch again. "I've got to catch the mail coach to London. I must hurry. you'd better clean up here latter"
"I caught your horse" answered the countryman, "we'll make the rendezvous with time to spare"
General Sir Richard Venables looked up at the black sky. As he wearily hauled himself into the saddle, the first drops of rain began to fall.
To be Continued
Chapter II: The Agent and the Courier
It's was a foggy morning in Nassau as Peter Plankwrecker and his slaves were handling some cabbage from his vineyard as his wife was cooking some breakfast for him and his son. "little bit of foggy huh sir?" Servant said, "Yes James it is and by the time we will take care of these cabbage and we will ship them to Port Royal so they could sell these for good!" Said Peter. His wife Sarah Plankwrecker came out of the house holding her son as she shout "Peter, Breakfast!" Then she sightly return to the house as Peter told the slaves to continue the work. As he sat down on his finest chair as he begin to eat his breakfast as his wife finish eating her breakfast til a Spanish soldier got out of the guest room and said "What's time is it?", "It's 10:00 AM now Corporal" Sarah said.
As the Corporal begin to grab his Rifle and his hat as he begin to run toward the jungle, then Peter look at the soldier running away from his farm. Sarah comes with a basket of clothes so she could begin to laundry for her family, Sarah said "Hopefully the war will end soon by Christmas", while Peter begin to teach his son to walk, "Maybe so my dear, hopefully the British will have to end it soon enough", He begin to teach his son to walk as he teaches carefully. Then hour later he begin to get on his horse and look at his wife, "My dear! Where are you going?" "I'll be back soon enough, I got to meet a old friend at the Bar".
At the bar call Venables Bar, a young lady was cleaning up some few drinks from some Spanish officers, then Peter comes in and see some officers getting drink and laugh about jokes. "Hello Peter, been a long time", "Yes it has Caternia, How is the family doing?" Peter answered back. Then Peter sat down on the wooden chair, as he fixed his hair and Caternia comes by and hand him a finest rum to drink, "The children are doing good, Ishmael been out at sea for long time, been killing many Spanish in the ocean", as he took a sip of his drink and look at the town drunken mate started yelling til Mr. Scott one of Caternia employ try to tell him to leave the tavern at once. He started to punch him til Mr. Scott accidently spill a drink on a Captain and the Captain got up and shout at Mr. Scott.
Peter came to Mr. Scott as he help the Captain to clean his uniform, as one of the Spanish lieutenant aim his flintlock toward Peter head and replies to him "Let go of the Captain now..."
Peter begin to unloose his hands as the captain order his lieutenant to hurt this civilian at once. As they shove Peter and Mr. Scott to the ground, then they begin to beat them up til the captain order them to be arrested for assaulted. As the Lieutenant arrested Mr. Scott and Peter, Caternia said" Don't worry Peter, I'll let your wife know and your father also", "Thank you Caternia". After hours later the Spanish soldiers and the lieutenant finally let Peter out but not for Mr. Scott, "Wait! Where are you taking him?" One of the Lieutenant begin to laugh at Peter and said "Don't worry mate he will be taken care of"
Peter was in shock about Mr. Scott, as he went to home to see his family. Then he enter the door before he went in, he gave himself a breath to see his wife and his son but he saw his father sitting down the chair with his son as he watch the son playing with some toys. He got up and shake Peter's hand and hug him, "thank god, you're alright son!", "Yes father I understand about this" "Now listen there's going to be a trial on you and Mr. Scott on the incident from the tavern but that won't happen with you or Mr. Scott". Peter get a drink from his wife as he pour some of the finest whiskey for him and his father to drink.
"Now give me my bloody drink son!" He chuckle as he look down at his son "Listen there grandson, you know your grandpa have a gift for you!" He get something out of his pocket, it reveal it was a toy soldier as he hand it to Peter's grandson.
"Work that a quite gift for my son father!" Answered Peter, "and which day will the trial start?"
"The trial will start on Sunday once we will meet with Major Sampson" Plankwrecker said.
Early at night, Peter was in bed with his wife while his wife lay her head on him and whisper " I am scared because I think I will lose you and our child", "Shhh, it will be ok my dear I'll be here with you and our child because I love you both". During at night,he gets up and gather some few cabbages and place them in the bag as he grab his shoes on, as he place a hat on him. As he walk down to a secret forest as he gets on the boat and row himself with the cabbage in the bags as he did it during the night.
As he arrive on shore in Bahamas, he sightly see a dock and place a rope to make sure his boat wouldn't be gone so he get up and grab a bag of cabbage. He walk down til a stranger tackle him and said "Why you are no good to be dead" Peter chuckle and gets up and replies back "Christopher Warhawk, it's bloody to see you again!"
"Bloody right Peter!, how's things with the kids and wife?" Chris replied to Peter as he takes his Buck knife away.
"oh you know Sarah is good, Jack is doing good, he getting big and bigger" Peter said.
Chris hand him a drink as he salute and said" here to the war! And maybe god save us!" He sip it as peter begin to cough for the first time to drink a different cider, he and Chris sat down at the dock talking about good old times with him and Ishmael when they were younger.
The next day few of the civilians found that the Spanish Captain was killed and his throat is slit by a murder.
Peter was on his way back to Nassau, til a British patrol ship came by and surround Peter ship. The officer said "Halt in the name of King George the II, you are hereby under arrest for trespassing his majesty sea come aboard at once!" Peter nod until he got on board as the guard knock him out with a rifle he use.
At Port Royal's Prison, Peter is sitting in one the cell when the guard started to mock him and torture him by drowning him in a bucket of water so they could get information, til a officer came down with a shiny blue uniform of his and order the guard to be away at once. "Well, well old friend" he pat his shoulder "been too long" Stranger said. Peter turn around and see his childhood friend Ishmael in a blue uniform with a British Dragoon hat, as Peter hug him and get a fresh new shirt on.
"I wish to know what was your illegal trade contract" Ishmael said. "I won't tell you about them Mel", "Why are you here?" Peter said to Ishmael. "I am here to ask you to spy on the Imperial Spanish, because I am here to recruit you to be our spy"
"I'm not sure about it Mel, I mean you're one of his majesty finest officer and your father is a history!" Peter said.
"Fight for what you believe in Peter, trust me" Ishamel said while pat his shoulder.
Back at Nassau, One of the lieutenant who aim the pistol at Peter went to Caternia's house and he knock at Caternia door, then Caternia replies the door while holding her daughter Margeant.
"May I help you Lieutenant?" Caternia said softly to the lieutenant, "Yes ma'am, have you see Mr. Plankwrecker today?".
"No I haven't why lieutenant" Caternia replies back.
"You know Mr. Scott is gone to Spain to be his Majesty's Slave and I am a Captain now after my Captain was killed by someone with a knife who slit his throat!" Captain said to her.
While heading back to Town, Peter begin to use a knife as he pushes it deeply to make his head wound, so that he could act like he was mug. As he walk to the town and see the town drunk and ask for his help. The suspected town drunk begin to run away.Peter is walking down with a fake limp and notice everyone has their eyes on him. The town drunk reappear and bring Diego and the dagos to Peter.
Chapter III: The Judge, the Jury and the Executuior
Once Diego brought Peter in, Peter's Father walk to him and unloose him and said" This is outrage, Major I must ask you this to release my son!" James said to the Major.
Major Hewlett was writing some few papers and said "Mr. Plankwrecker, where were you when the Captain was killed?", Peter couldn't spit out about the British and what Ishmael told him he once heard what he said "Fight for what you believe in".
"Ah yes, I believe I was with the rebels sir, and they captured me when I was on a trade in black market, so they took me away".
"Can you tell me their name?" Hewlett said.
"Yes sir, the name were Roger steel, Jackie Axes, and Ivan Revnoz" Peter said to the Major, "Good, we will search for them in the mean time go home and see your family". Hewlett said to Peter.
"Also Captain, please escort Mr. Plankwrecker out of the building without any harm" Hewlett said to the Captain while he was still working on the papers.
The captain saluted and said God save King Clemente, he grab Plankwrecker arm while he escort him out he said" You know you will be still the suspect of the good captain murder".
At the Venables Mansion, Peter sneak in the Barn and signal to Caternia. Caternia nod as she goes in the barn as Peter grab her til the Spanish private scout the area. Peter gives her the money a debt that he gave to her and Mr. Scott, "It's a debt for Mr. Scott and you", "Oh my, where did you get this money?" Caternia asked to Peter. "it's nothing, I saw Chris" "What? Did you!?, how is he?" "He is good, he unshaved also, been in the black market long time and I saw your husband Ishmael" Caternia gasp softly as she cover her mouth, "How's my husband doing?" She said to Peter, "He doing good, he's likes a Major of his Majesty Dragoon now", "and he ask me something" Peter said. "He recruit me to be their spy to spy the Spanish, I won't do it" he says, "Why not?" Caternia ask, disappointed. "What are you waiting for? What more do they need to take from us?" She leaves without taking his money.
That night, Peter dresses for his dinner with Hewlett. "Whatever you're doing, don't," Sarah says while holding their one-year-old son Jack. "We can't afford to lose you."
Peter dines with his father and Hewlett at Peter's childhood home. Hewlett proposes that rather than imprisoning Peter, they have him swear a public oath to the crown. Hewlett embraces the idea, then asks Peter for the names of his enemy captors which he forgot. Peter provides several names. Hewlett grows suspicious of the names but remains silent. Hewlett then mentions that Diego will be raiding a Driftwood safe house.
After dinner, Abe sneaks into Hewlett's room and finds a dispatch from André. Using a Cardan grille he finds with the letter, he deciphers a message: "Rebel safe house. Driftwood. Show no quarter."
Peter sprints over to Venables's Tavern and pulls Caternia aside in the cellar, away from prying eyes. He asks her to hang a black petticoat from her laundry line as a signal to Ben that he has intel for the rebels. Peter says his plan will get rid of Diego, who continues to harass Caternia. Peter then scrambles to hide as Diego enters the room. Caternia distracts Diego by flirting with him and they leave the room together.
The next day, Caternia hangs a black petticoat on her peg line. Peter arrives at a designated meeting spot and is surprised to discover that Chris is Ishmael's courier. Chris explains that Chrispassed their test when he refused to turn him over to Mel. Peter insists his spying is a one-time deal. "Hold on!, relax Peter nobody doesn't but Caternia does she won't tell anyone, she's a good girl trust me, and me don't worry I'm in the 95th Regiment 1st Battalion, Goldtimbers boys are gonna wait for soon enough" Chris said to Peter while hugging him. "now it's a time to tell me." Peter nod and tell him "Spanish squad will ambush at the driftwood hide out place".
On the Nassau Beaches, Peter places his hand on a bible held by his father and publicly swears his allegiance to King Carlos Clemente.
Meanwhile, Digeo leads a squad of Dagos to the driftwood safe house. They charge inside, only to find it empty. A moment later, British Redcoats ambush them. As Dragoons pour onto them, Ishmael and Richard lead the charge to slaughter the other dagos Afterwards, a wounded Diego writhes on the ground, Chris aim his Flintlock at Diego and said" Captain Diego?".
"who are you?!, and where did you come from?" He asked while wounded. "A place you might called Nassau" Chris Chuckle and kicks him unconscious.
Richard places his Ranger bonnet on a Spanish corpse as a warning message to any Spanish. Caleb expresses guilt over letting Diego live, given that Peter's sole request was for them to kill Diego. "We will, after we pull the truth out of him," Ishmael says, intent on uncovering the mole in their ranks.
After the crowd who witnessed Peter's oath breaks up, Peter's father tells Peter he knows he lied about the names of his rebel captors. "I'm done protecting you," he says. As Peter watches his father walk off to meet Hewlett, Peter's son, Jack, takes his first steps before steadying himself by grabbing Peter's leg.