Aeolus led the way across the room. The brothers attempted to calm their shaking hands.
The three Navy men were deep in conversation over three large tankards of beer. Aeolus arrived at the booth.
“… not having much luck. Maybe we should …who on earth are you?” said one of the sailors.
Aeolus pulled the crossbow from his cloak. Farren and Peter stood on either side.
“Admiral, give me the map.”
“By jove, you’ve got some cheek, coming in like that. Why, I …”
PHMP
The bolt stuck out of the sailor’s chest, who collapsed onto the table. The Lieutenant and the Admiral looked at each other. Peter and Farren stood in shock, they weren’t expecting this.
“I’ll say again, Admiral,” Aeolus stood grim faced as he reloaded the crossbow, “give me the map.”
“Look, hold on sonny. Let’s be reasonable,” the Admiral began.
“Were you reasonable when you keelhauled my friend?” Aeolus asked.
PHMP
James’ eyes crossed as if trying to see the bolt that now protruded from his forehead. He slumped on the table.
The patrons of the bar, whose view was obscured by the three cloaked figures standing around the booth, began to start to notice that something odd was going on.
“Now, for the last time, Admiral,” Aeolus pointed the reloaded crossbow at the Admiral’s head, “either give me the map or I will wrest from your lifeless corpse. You and I well know that in this Spanish city, no one will miss you or ask too many questions. Now, the map, if you don’t mind.”
The Admiral’s hand reached inside his jacket.
“And don’t try anything. We’re all nervous and likely to shoot … again.”
The Admiral reluctantly handed over the two pieces to Aeolus.
“You know you won’t get away with this,” he blustered.
“I already have, Admiral,” Aeolus raised the crossbow again.
PHMP!
CRSSH!
Chapter 14
The Race
The pub was in uproar. After the Admiral had overturned his table, knocking Aeolus’ shot askew, the boys turned and had made a run for it. The Admiral struggled to clamber over the table and the bodies of his two comrades to pursue them. Precious seconds were lost and then, like a chain reaction, smaller fights started until the whole pub was embroiled in one giant bubbling, seething fight. The Admiral calmly pushed his way through, dodging fists and debris as he steadfastly made his way to the door. He reached for the handle.
“Not so fast.” A hand grabbed his shoulder. The Admiral did not bother to turn, but simply thrust his elbow into the man’s stomach and exited the pub.
In another dark booth in the corner of the pub the man stood up. He’d seen enough. It was time to report back. He smiled. The Captain would be pleased to hear this.
...
“Slow down, I can’t keep up!” Peter gasped.
Aeolus looked back. “We have to keep going. They could be on us at any moment! C’mon!”
Farren slowed. “Here. Put your arm around my shoulder. Aeolus is right. We have to get out of here.”
They hobbled as fast as they could manage towards the wharf.
Aeolus spotted a rowing boat. “Hop in!” he yelled.
“What? You can’t just steal a boat!” Peter protested.
“Too late. Let’s go. Or do you want to explain it to the Navy when they get here?” Aeolus picked up the oars.
Reluctantly the boys clambered aboard and began to row. Soon they found their rhythm and they passed beneath the shadow of the Juggernaut. Some of the crew watched them idly as they tried desperately to remain calm. They strained their ears, listening for any sound that they had been discovered. Sweat dripped off their brows as they rowed on in silence.
Finally they left the shadow of the giant man of war and began to exit the harbour. They saw the other two man of wars in the distance, like two nightmares on the horizon. They rowed as close to the shore as they dared.
“Where are we going Aeolus?” Farren whispered.
“When I bought the crossbows, I asked the shopkeeper about the Virgin Islands. He had a map on the wall that he showed me.” Aeolus stopped rowing. “Let’s stop here for a bit.” It was approaching dusk but there was still sufficient light for Aeolus to see as he unravelled the parchment. He stared at it and then turned it around several times. Peter and Farren watched him.
“I think,” he began, “That this is one of the islands in the South East. I didn’t have enough money to buy the map from the shopkeeper but I tried to memorise it as best I could.” He looked again. “Yes, I’m pretty sure. We’ve a long row ahead of us though. Many hours at least. We should take it in shifts and rest in between.”
“What about the Juggernaut?” Peter asked.
“I’m not too worried. If the Admiral had solved the clue then he wouldn’t have been in that pub. We have some time before they realise which way we’ve headed. Besides, we’re the only ones with the map! You two get some rest, I’ll row first.” Aeolus said as he picked up the oars.
...
The Admiral moved at a brisk pace and shortly was back at the wharves. He brushed past the two sailors on guard and raced up the gangplank and back onto the deck.
“Sir. How can I help?” A young sailor saluted.
“Bill isn’t it?” The Admiral asked.
“Mark, sir.”
“Right. That’s right. Mark you are my new Lieutenant.”
“Sir, thank you sir, I…”
“Yep, yep. Time for that later. Now look. There is a map that has on it the location of the treasure of Nuestra Senora de Atocha, the Spanish ship that sank in these waters years ago. The map belonged to me and now some brigands have stolen it from me. They probably have stolen a boat as well.” The Admiral paced up and down the deck.
“Where are they headed sir?” the eager new Lieutenant asked.
“Dagnabbit, if I knew that you fool, I wouldn’t have just spent hours in that god-forsaken city trying to solve the clue!” The Admiral’s grey beard appeared to bristle in anger.
Realising that the likelihood of retaining the position of Lieutenant for longer than five minutes was looking slim, Mark thought quickly. “Do you remember the clue, sir?”
“Remember. It’s etched onto my skull, I’ve gone over it so many times! ‘Beware the treasure of Saint Ursula is well protected’ is what it says. Fat lot of good it will do you.” The Admiral folded his arms.
Mark thought furiously, “Well, there’s no Saint Ursula ship …”
“Amazing,” the Admiral interrupted, sarcasm dripping in the air, “never would have figured that out without you. I don’t know whether I really need another …”
“… but there are some islands named after her,” Mark interjected.
“…Lieutenant. What?” The Admiral grabbed the Lieutenant by the lapels. “What did you say?”
“Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Vírgenes. It was the original name Columbus gave the Virgin Islands. The treasure must be there.” Mark stared defiantly into the Admiral’s rabid eyes.
“Of course!” he yelled, “It’s so obvious! I’m so glad it finally came to me”
Mark glared.
“With some help from yourself of course. Quickly, set sail for the Virgin Islands. I want every man armed and ready. Mark, follow me. Let’s look over the maps and see if we can get any more information.” The Admiral excitedly rushed towards his cabin as the crew bustled around on the deck.
“But sir, some of the men are still ashore getting supplies!”
“Too bad,” Admiral Fairclough called out over his shoulder.
...
Having left the pub as quickly as his legs would take him, the man now stood in front of Renard and shuddered. There were not many things that a pirate feared, but Renard was one of them.
“Say again, s’il vous plait?” the words oozed out of the Frenchman’s mouth.
Figh
ting the urge to run, the man said, “I saw three youths in the pub ambush some Navy men, who were in plain clothes. One of them looked like the Admiral, I recognise him from the battle on the Juggernaut. The boys killed two of the men, not the Admiral though and then they seemed to take something from him. Then a fight broke out and the three men ran out, followed a short time later by the Admiral.”
Renard smiled. “It is time to go. Alert the rest of the crew.”
He swivelled on his heel and walked off.
Shortly he was at the outskirts of the small town, where he stopped. He could hear her rattling breaths. From behind a tree, Mara appeared.
Renard inclined his head, “Captain. Three young men appear to ‘ave the map. We need to go.”
They began to run through the forest.
...
Farren and Peter awoke with a start. The rocking of the small boat had lulled them into sleep and their exhausted bodies had soon succumbed. But when their eyes opened, they had no idea where they were.
Aeolus was staring at them.
“We are almost there, but I’m exhausted. Can you two take over? Head that way,” he pointed towards a distant island. “But both of you should row, because I think that dot back there,” he indicated behind them, “is the Juggernaut and its friends.”
The two boys grabbed the oars and rowed frantically as Aeolus curled up in the bottom of the boat. Within minutes he was asleep.
...
Admiral Fairclough put the eyeglass down.
“It’s them alright. Those are the brigands. Now, listen up men!” The crew paused and looked up at him.
“Anyone who kills one of those thieves can have one twelfth of my share of the treasure.” The crew cheered, this was unheard of!
“If we can find this blasted treasure, everyone gets ten pieces o’ eight!” Applause broke out across the deck.
“So get the cannons ready … just in case.”
...
Mara put down her spyglass.
“The fools are so intent on the treasure they don’t even look behind them,” she murmured as the Nemesis followed the large dots on the horizon.
...
“Aeolus, wake up!” Aeolus blinked and looked up to see Farren violently shaking him.
“What? What is it now?” he snapped.
“We’re almost there,” Peter said, panting with the exertion.
Aeolus looked ahead and saw a small island looming. He turned and glanced behind. “Jesus, they’re almost upon us,” he remarked as he saw the three man of wars inexorably baring down on them from the distance.
He fished the parchment out and examined it.
“It’s not this one. It’s the next island. We need to row around it. Here,” He sidled up next to Peter. “I’ll help you row.”
They heaved the small rowboat and began to move around the island, in what seemed an interminably slow fashion. They could clearly make out the sails on the Navy ships and could also see, a long way in the distance, another ship.
BOOM! They saw a flash of light from the nearest man of war.
PLLSH!
A flume of water rose in the air behind them. Too close behind them. They forced their aching limbs to give energy they didn’t have and dragged the oars through the water.
BOOM!
PLLSH!
The spray of water hit their faces. The Navy were gaining.
They rounded the island and finally they could see a forest covered island, a short distance away. They pushed and strained at the oars.
BOOM!
PLLSH!
The splash was just to their left. It was only a matter of time before the cannons were readjusted.
They were almost there.
BOOM!
PLLSH!
Just to their right. The beach was so close, they could almost touch the sand.
BOOM!
“Jump!” yelled Farren. The three young men leaped out of the rowboat.
SHHPSSH!
The cannonball smacked into the rowboat and it instantly splintered into hundreds of fragments. The boys forced their leaden arms to swim the short distance to shore. They dragged themselves up the beach.
They looked out to sea and saw the Navy ships beginning to anchor. Rowboats were being readied. There wasn’t much time.
Quickly Aeolus got the map out. It was sodden, but still barely legible. “Right. According to this we need to pass through some mountains to the east.”
They stepped into the jungle.
...
“I don’t want to battle three man of wars, Renard. So make a wide berth around the island and we’ll approach from the other side.”
“Oui, captain,” the Frenchman replied.
...
BZZZZZ!
The boys ignored the mosquitoes and the sweat that drenched their clothes as they jogged as fast as they could through the jungle. They shortly came to a steep, rocky incline.
“What now?” asked Peter.
Aeolus examined the parchment again. “It looks like there should be a pass through the mountain. Then it’s basically straight on to some kind of oasis, or lake which is marked by an ‘X’”
“Well, we’d better find this path quickly then. The Navy can’t be too far behind!”
...
Admiral Fairclough and Lieutenant Mark stepped off the rowboat onto the shore. Four other boats soon joined them. Soon the beach contained thirty armed sailors.
“Right lads. It looked like they headed this way,” the Admiral pointed off into the jungle, “Keep your eyes peeled. There’s no need to do anything stupid. There’s nowhere for them to run to now. Five of you can row the boats back and await my signal. I don’t want any mistakes on this one. The treasure’s as good as mi … ours!”
...
“Over here! I think I’ve found it!” Peter yelled.
“Shh!” whispered Farren as he ran over to join his brother. “Don’t speak too loud!”
Aeolus soon joined them and the three young men stared at a large crack that split into the mountain. It was just wide enough for a body to squeeze in.
“Well, what are you waiting for?” asked Aeolus and plunged into the darkness.
Farren and Peter looked at each other.
“After you, dear brother,” Farren said.
“No, I couldn’t. It wouldn’t be fair for me to take the thrill from you. After you,” Peter stretched his arm out.
“I think that you would be the better …”
“Oh for god sake, c’mon!” Aeolus’ voice echoed in the distance.
The boys reluctantly entered the dark, cobweb strewn crevasse. They felt their way through blindly, in the hope that this was actually the path and not some dead end, or worse, the lair of some unimaginable creature. They could hear rustling above them and their breathing seemed to echo loudly around the cavern walls. They pushed on, their fear of the known behind them, slightly outweighing that of the unknown ahead.
Gradually the darkness began to recede and they could make out light at the end of the jagged corridor. They raced as fast as their tired, injured limbs would carry them.
...
Admiral Douglas Fairclough surveyed the large mountain ahead of him.
“Right.” He scratched his grey beard. “You five go south with Lieutenant Mark. You five come north with me. You three stay here and the rest of you … start climbing.”
...
They emerged, blinking, into the light. A large desert like wasteland confronted them that appeared to be carved out of the forest that formed its border. They could see a couple of trees standing alone in the centre of the sand.
“That must be it!” cried Aeolus and dashed ahead.
...
“Admiral,” Lieutenant Mark called out, “I think I’ve found a way through the mountain!”
Admiral Fairclough smiled. They were getting closer.
Chapter 15
Treasure Found
Inside the forest
, bordered by a giant mountain, sat a large oasis of sand. A small lake lay in the middle with a few trees on its banks.
“The map shows the treasure is on this bank!” Aeolus yelled and they all scrambled around in the soft sand.
They continued to dig frantically until …
“I think I’ve found something,” cried Farren. He dragged a bulky old chest out of the small hole he had dug.
The three of them grinned at each other. Farren wiped sand from the top.
“Hey, it’s got something written on the top,” he squinted to make out the faded writing.
“If you came for treasure it lies within, if you did not, what you treasure lies beyond your grasp”
Aeolus laughed, “Well, we came for treasure, who wouldn’t?? Open the chest!”
Farren lifted the lid and his mouth fell open.
It overflowed with gold, rubies, diamonds that sparkled in their eyes and glinted in the sun.
Farren and Peter hugged each other and jumped up and down. They turned to celebrate with Aeolus and saw he was holding a crossbow … pointed at them.
“Sorry, boys. But this is where we have to part ways. Thanks for helping though.”
“But…” Farren started.
“Oh, don’t tell me. You really thought I was going to share the treasure with you. Oh, Boo hoo. Sorry.” He closed the lid and began to drag the chest away. The boys fumbled in their clothing for their crossbows.
Aeolus stopped and turned, holding up the boys’ bows in his hands.
“Looking for something? Shouldn’t have slept so well on the boat. Well, now you can go to sleep for good!” He raised the crossbow and fired at Peter.
“No!!” Farren leapt through the air.
PHHMP
The bolt hit Farren and he slumped to the ground. Peter screamed, “Farren!!” and knelt over his brother.
Laughing Aeolus continued to drag the chest away from the sobbing Peter.
The chest was not as heavy as he expected and he was soon at the entrance to the crevasse. He turned and looked over his shoulder at Peter who was lying over Farren’s body in the distance and smiled. “Family,” he thought, “It’s a strength, but also a great weakness.” He turned back and came face to face with Admiral Fairclough.
Treasure Lost Page 11
