I search through some captain's logs and find some interesting information , yet nothing about The Scorching Dragon nor Giligan the Mad. I don't think the Prescott girl believes me when I tell her thid legend is true. I don't have proof, I only have this strong feeling that tells me this is real. I don't know how or more importantly why, but I know my father is connected to that cursed pirate. My father had his own logs, those were the first I looked into to find him, but there was nothing about his whereabouts. I did find out that The Scorching Dragon is not a legend or some folks tale, neither is Giligan. My father didn't believe or pursue legends, he was a man of facts and numbers, so when I read that he believed in this particular myth, that he himself encountered the immortal pirate and barely got out alive, I didn't hesitate to believe his written fear.
If I told my men that this was the treasure we are pursuing they might hang me. I'd understand their anger, honestly. If I didn't know that Giligan was real, I wouldn't have dragged them along. When I find the evidence to convince the crew, that this isn't a simple fable that you tell your kids before bed so they won't stay up, I will give them the chance to either stay or leave my ship. From everything I've read I learned that Giligan is relentless. I won't force my men to fight a cursed and angry spirit. But until I can convince them that this is real, this stays between me and the Prescott lady, who now seems to look quite familiar.
"Have we met before?"
I ask, keeping my eyes on one of the books I randomly took out of one of the shelve; only so I didn't have to look her in the eyes again.
"I am certain that I would've remembered you had we ever met.
Now that I think about it. I don't even know your name."
"It's Price."
"Just Price?"
"Maybe we'll get to a first name basis somewhere in the future, but for you it's captain Price."
I say sarcastically. She sighs out of irritation and slams her book shut, putting it back in it's glass box.
"So you're not even slightly interested in my real name?"
She speaks with a hint of disappointment in her voice.
"If I was, I would've asked."
"It's Maxine. Maxine Caulfield."
She says her eyes stuck on the book. She hangs her shoulders, it's as if she hasn't introduced herself in years, atleast not with that name.
Maxine Prescott.
I've met her before, I'm certain.

Five years ago.
Chloe is 18.

"You can't out run justice, Price."
The commander of the Prescotts royal guard whispers as he ties the knot to bind my hands together. I spit in his face. A response to his annoying words and despicable accent.
I despise him. Everyone who works for the Prescotts makes me sick to my stomach. How can you sink so low to follow orders of that rotten family.
The guard wipes away the saliva and all I can do is grin at his disgusted expression. His face turns red of anger.
"I've had enough of disrespectful young girls like you. It's as if your mother didn't teach you to respect your superiors." He moves closer, his eyes burning like fire and his smile giving away his intentions.
He takes my hair in his hands and pulls me closer to his face. I grit my teeth so I won't make a sound, I'm not giving him the satisfaction to hear me in pain. Even if I yell for help, no one will be dumb enough to risk his life for a pirate, that's basically planning your own execution.
"You are nothing more than a cheap whore. I'm going to enjoy throwing you in prison, the rats will devour you in a week."
His breath makes me want to throw up, it reeks of alcohol and meat.
I throw my head against his nose and he releases me as he falls to the ground while grabbing his nose.
The other men don't know how to react and stay frozen in place. I get up my feet and start running as fast as I can, with my hands still bound together.
"What are you gawking at?! Arrest her!"
He yells. The men shoot back into movement and start chasing me.
I'm not scared to be caught, my blood is rushing through my veins and my head seems to be clear with only one goal. Escape.

I run towards the market, I hear the guards their armor clattering behind and that only motivates me to run faster. The Market zone is filled with villagers, everyone doing their groceries. A circle of men and woman are talking peacefully at an exotic fruit stand until I barge in between them and jump through the rows of carefully organized apples and other fruits. Dropping the merchandise everywhere. The merchant yells at me to go to hell but he soon shuts his mouth when the guards thrust their shoulders through the people and the wooden stand as well.
These guys seriously have no respect for anyone.
People gasp and move out of my way when they see the guards pursuing me. My hands are still bound and it's starting to get tiring. I gaze around the plaza, trying to find a hiding spot or something to cut these ropes with. Anything. The guards are approaching but I can still keep a large distance between us. I hear a gun shot and instinctively pull my bound hands above my head to protect myself. The villagers scream and drop their baskets, running towards the narrow streets for safety. In a matter of seconds the whole market zone is empty.
I peak at the roof tops only to see a guard reloading his gun and aiming it back at me. I have to find cover.
I zig zag my way through different merchant stands and jump over obstacles to keep my distance from the guards while also trying to make it impossible for the one up the roof to shoot me.
Another gunshot clamors through the sky but the bullet misses me by far.
Suddenly two black steeds jump in front of me. I loose the momentum of my jump and twist my ankle.
"Fuck!"
I angrily whisper as I try to stand. I can feel the bone in my ankle click, but not in a good way. I can barely make a few steps before collapsing towards the ground again. The two men jump off their horses as I try to crawl further away from them. They don't even tru to chase me, they simply stroll towards me with a shit eating grin on their entitled faces.
When the two men finally stand in front of me I accept my defeat. Their eyes look at me with annoyence and they both share the same crooked smile. The family crest shinning proudly in a polished metal on their chest plates. Their hair is still in a perfect model even after riding a horse. Another reason to hate these royal fuckers. They doll up their faces while the people starve, a disgrace to our people is the only thing that I can think of them as.
"What an honor." I say. The men stare at each other with confusion.
"Our noble king sir Sean and his royal heir Nathan. To what do I owe this pleasure."
I mock but regret instantly as Sean stands on my possibly broken ankle and puts his full body weight on it.
I grind my teeth but groans of pain escape between. Fucking Prescotts, only trying to hurt you when you're already down, never actually fighting.
The guards finally arrive at the scene, all of them out of breath with red faces and sweat dripping of their chins and moustaches.
"Take this harlot to our castle, and make haste. If she escapes again I'll personally behead all your wife's and children."
Sean says as he turns, his blood red cape gracefully flowing like a waterfall behind him. Nathan stares at me with a smile that makes the hairs in my neck rise. As if I'm a bone he can soon chew one. That's exactly what these fuckers are, a bunch of rabid dogs.
"Nathan!"
Sean growls.
He winks at me and then follows his father.
The guards grab my arms without considering that they could hurt me and lift me up from the ground while Sean and Nathan pull themselves back onto their horses.
"Cut out her tongue if she dares to speak again. I no longer wish to hear any foul words escaping from that unrespectful mouth."
Sean adds before tapping his iron boots against the side of the horse, commanding it to move. The commander, that I injured before, takes out his dagger and stares at me with a psychotic look. He wants his revenge for that broken nose but honestly it looks better now, fits the rest of his ugly face.
I keep my mouth shut even though I want to scream at him to release me.
Damn my speaking manners, why did I have to grow up between pirates and privateers? Somehow I always knew that my big mouth would become the death of me, but I didn't expect it to be so soon. I'm not dead yet though. Not yet.

Authors note:

So this flashback will actually continue in the next chapter. I will make clear when the story is back in their present situation, which is Max and Chloe searching through the captains hidden logs to find clues to discover the schorching dragon islands and the immortal pirate Giligan the mad.

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BluePunkRockRebel