https://www.seaofthieves.com/forum/topic/45338/legend-of-brandy-a-sot-story-chapter-one
“Where do you suppose she washed up from?” The cobble-skinned old woman asked her husband. Sand blew by briskly, seasoning the young lady embedded in the shore.
“Seems obvious to me what with all that cannon fire we heard an hour ago.” He surmised. He laid his fishing pole on the shore, spat a w*d of tobacco out, and kneeled down to inspect Brandy. He took note of her minor scrapes, the pistol tucked into her belt, and foreign jewelry draped on her ear and neck. Through his large square nose, he could smell the burnt gunpowder from her frayed and partially charred dress. Old but weathered into a strong stone, he heaved the soaking and saturated heap that was Brandy onto his shoulder without trouble. “What do you think you are doing, Herb!?” Exclaimed his wife. The wrinkles on her forehead were colored with concern.
He delivered a hard stare to her, then headed toward a small shack up the hill, toting Brandy along. He laid her inside and placed a harsh green fabric over the soaked lass. He studied her for a moment more and the smallest smile broke onto his lips. Rough and ragged as she was after her ordeal, there was still a sense of calm emitting from Brandy. He touched her cheek with the leathery hand extending from his chiseled arm. “She’s not Elsa, Herb.” His wife let out from over his shoulder.
“I know,” he considered, “but I like to think if our baby washes up to an old fisherman’s feet, he’d give her at least this much too. Every pirate has a father out there somewhere.” He rubbed his wife’s shoulder “Every pirate has a mother out there too.” His wife’s tried hands rose to meet her husband’s and after their embrace they left the shed together, leaving Brandy to recover over nite.
“Hey! Hey!” Herb whispered sharply while jostling Brandy. Slowly her eyes began to focus and they landed on the overly tanned old man. “Hey, are you in there, lass? Come now that’s it.” Her eyes rolled a bit more and she smacked her lips while tiredly landing her eyes on Herb. In a flash, Brandy was on top of the man with her hands at his throat. “Where’s my Uncle?!” she roared. She took Herb by surprise but he rolled his hips and got the upper hand on the freshly conscious girl. “Stop that! Settle down you! Keep quiet!” Herb said as Brandy, unable to move under his weight, attempted to bite him. “I scooped you off the beach and kept you out of their hands this long, doesn’t that buy me a little respect?”
Brandy relaxed flat on the floor. “What do you mean? Where am I? Whose hands?”
“I’m Herb. My wife and I found you yesterday washed up on the shore I fish at and you’ve been resting in here for two days now. I know you’re a pirate and your ship was attacked. I heard the cannon fire and put the rest together. Don’t worry I didn’t alert the Marines. My daughter Elsa is a pirate too, so I suppose I have a bit of a soft spot for little trouble makers.” He smiled. Brandy took in this strangely well preserved old man. He must have stood six and a half feet tall and had muscles to spare. His brown working clothes barely managed to contain the man’s brawn, but he didn’t come off intimidating. There was an air of kindness about him.
“There’s trouble coming.” He warned. “I was down at the market earlier this morning to sell my fish, and I found this.” He handed her a poster carrying her likeness and offering a ridiculous reward for live capture.
Brandy looked over the bounty once, then tossed it away with a scoff. “I don’t have time for this! I need to find my Uncle.”
Herb was startled by her blasé reaction to this threat, but he didn’t know Brandy’s upbringing. As a kid, she was bounced from island to island, living and learning from all manner of people from wealthy aristocrats to dastardly villains. Whoever her dad trusted to keep his true treasure safe until his next visit. This was a child who had many a bed time story interrupted by bullets and blood. A price on her head was trivial. Marines and pirates had hunted her dad ceaselessly and his visits would invariably lead to some perilous altercation, but her father always came out on top and Brandy was brought up in his image. She learned to fight from him and the other Devils, all of which were uniquely talented. They knew how important it would be for her as attempts of kidnapping were going to be a way of life. Brandy didn’t know it, but she was special which translated into valuable for foes. Ignorant as she was to this, she was no stranger to peril and how to thwart it.
Herb decided this behavior must just be the nature of pirate life, but gave further information. “I heard the marines posting the bounty say they had already caught one pirate. Do you think that could be your Uncle?”
“Could be,” Began Brandy hopefully as she stood up. “We were attacked by pirates in red coats with black tricorns. Might be one of them.” This confused Herb as it sounded like she was describing the marines he saw in the market. “Was their ship by chance red and gold?” He asked. Brandy confirmed with an inquisitive nod. “I’ll be damned, I heard a rumor sometime back that the marine unit stationed here on Ica Island was actually a pirate crew, but I figured that was a ridiculous claim.” Herb thought out loud.
“I remember my Uncle saying the name Esmeralda before we were attacked. I remember my Dad telling me a few stories about her and how she was able to hide in plain sight carrying out her piracy while the Navy turned a blind eye if she kept clear of the mainland and robbed specific competition to their trades.” Brandy recalled.
“That’s the commanding officer here!” Herb exclaimed. “I can’t believe it’s true. I guess you can never judge people for what they really are. She just seems so kind and hmm I just can’t imagine her as a pirate captain.”
“Well, for what it’s worth, my father always spoke very highly of her. Said she was incredibly loyal, but not to ever cross her or there would be hell to pay that even the Devil’s Own couldn’t afford.” Brandy said. “But why would she sink Uncle James and I. I am just going to have to ask her myself and we will see who pays hell.” Her mission in mind, Brandy headed for the door of the shack, but Herb grabbed her wrist and listened intently. There were heavy boots walking about outside. Through the cracks in the loosely boarded walls the two could see the red pirates disguised as marines searching the area by lantern. They held their breath as one came closer by. He discovered the shack emerging from the glow of his flame and began to head over. Brandy grabbed her pistol, but Herb motioned for her to remain calm. Herb opened the shack and came out, shutting the door behind him. “What’s going on here?” He questioned. The marine stopped and lowered the lantern casting red and orange shadows on his face to address Herb. “We are looking for a black female pirate. We know she’s somewhere in Ica. Have you seen anyone new recently in the last day or two?”
“Ah, I saw that wanted poster this morning in town. I haven’t seen anyone new around here in months.” Herb lied. “What did this lass do? She doesn’t look that dangerous.” The pirate posing as a marine tightened his face. “Tell that to the six men she killed while trying to arrest her.” The pirate studied Herb a little closer. “I know you, you’re that fisherman whose daughter ran off with one of our sloops a few months back. What was her name? Ellen?” Herb looked down and responded with is daughter’s real name, Elsa. Half a year ago, his daughter took off leaving only a note declaring her love for them, but her need to start a new fresh and adventurous life. She had met a man. A pirate. He convinced her to join him and live the wild life of lawless freedom. Things had not been the same for Herb and his wife since. The mention of her name disturbed him. “Yah, well, whatever her name, we caught her last week.” Herb jerked up in surprise. “We see the way your family leans. How do I know you aren’t harboring another pirate right now?” Herb dropped his head again trying to take in this startling news. “Ha! Probably not,” determined the marine pirate, thinking Herb a submissive lug. “I can see why your daughter came back viewing your soft hearted genes. She said she made a mistake and wanted to come home, but that won’t be happening after what she did. Must be right proud of your little thief, yeah? Right then, let us know if you see this new girl” He turned to search elsewhere, but offered one last thought. “Just know, your daughter Erin will pay us back what we are owed, one way or another. She’s a pretty thing so might not take her too long to make amends.” he winked back to Herb and chuckled licking his lips.
“Her name is Elsa!” Herb grabbed the marine pirate by the back of his head and rammed him into a nearby palm tree. Dizzily, the man dropped onto his back squirming and mumbling for help. He began to search for his firearm when Herb jumped on him and put his massive hands over his taunter’s mouth to muffle his voice. There other two marine pirates in the area were still looking intently for clues only a few dozen yards away. Wiggling away from Herb’s hand clasped over his mouth, the man summoned his cohorts with shouts for help. They charged toward the sound of their mate’s cry.
“Oh come on Herb, I thought you were trying to help?” Brandy quipped bursting from the shack. She ducked below the brush and intercepted the next man on the scene with the butt of her pistol, burying it deep into his forehead, knocking him cold. Brandy knelt to her knee remaining cloaked in the bush and aimed at the opening where the next marine pirate would arrive. “No!” Herb shouted hurriedly. “It will be too loud and bring more!” Brandy lifted her hands as if to ask what else can she do? Then the man appeared in the opening and drew his gun. “Hands up you!” He said with his rifle trained on Herb who was holding his crewman down. Herb raised his hands quickly. “OK, this is what I want you to do,” began the marine pirate. A pistol smashed across the man’s face and he tripped backward dropping his rifle. Brandy ran over and grabbed the lantern left by the first man. She caught the marine pirate just as he began to hazily sit up holding his broken nose. His face grabbed the lanterns glass and the flame took a liking to his tricorn. The fire started to cook the man’s glass punctured face and he took off screaming. A few yards away he slammed into a tree and crumpled to the floor, the fire quietly chewing on his head. Brandy stamped out his face and began tying him up. Herb stared at her in disbelief and caught her eye. “What?” Brandy said continuing her work. “I had to do something!”
Herb felt his adrenaline rushing and began to feel alive for the first time since his daughter disappeared. Tying up the man he had subdued, Herb spoke. “I’m coming with you, Brandy. I have to save my daughter. She is everything to my wife and I. I know I seem old, but I know this town and these muscles aren’t just for show. I’ve been in my share of scraps.”
Brandy considered this a moment. “You are definitely strong for an old man. But this is going to get crazy. Are you sure you’re ready for that?”
“Crazier than throwing your loaded gun at your enemy and then lighting him on fire?” Herb chortled. Brandy darted an incredulous face at him. “Hey you said don’t shoot it’s too loud! Adapt and overcome. That’s what my father always said. I’m always going to do what I have to. Many more guns will be thrown, Herb, and I am certain there will be at least two more fires. Still want to come?”
He turned toward her determined. “I’m not getting any younger, lass. My baby set out to find her freedom and live life. The only thing harder than losing her to some silver tongued pirate would be losing her to be wasted away in a prison, locked up for his mistakes. Let’s do this!”
https://www.seaofthieves.com/forum/topic/48026/legend-of-brandy-a-sot-story-chapter-three
