The sun is radiant and soothing as it floods in from the window, caressing and awakening the slumbering form with a warm wisp of crisp air. A somnolent groan escapes as the body rises from their bed, the cold of the wood meeting heated flesh of feet as they stand and prepare for the day. No more than an hour later and the boots walk out into the town of Tortuga, still silent but for the rummage of the early market trades.

A small hum comes from rosebud lips with a gentle stole through the streets carrying a crate filled with provisions as a leather bound boot kicks open the door "Finally! What took you so long?"

"The bloody baker burned the first batch" says the currier as the crate lands on the bar with a crash

The barkeep, scruffy and old, with a blonde scraggily beard and thinning hair above his head gives a small smile "I'm sure the grog is to blame dear"

"Isn't it always, Figs" says a tender voice in a playful tone as doll like hands stack away the supplies

"Oh sweetheart, I'll be needing you to wash the floors before opening" orders the old man as he leaves the room, but casts a small smile to his helper and nods to himself

A short while later the worker makes their way around the rooms of the harlots on the floor above the tavern below. One of the doors is opened to reveal three women helping each other ready for the night ahead "Oh hello darling, have you got my red corset?"

"I do Doris, all fixed up" answers the new comer by handing it over to the blonde

The prostitute beams happily while running a hand over the stitch work "oh thank you, it is my favorite it is. I thought that bugger ruined it but you can't even see the patch-up!"

A small laugh comes from its bringer "your welcome, bought you girls some broth"

As she sets the tray down, handing them a bowl each the black haired woman sat at the window shakes her head "I do wonder about you, why must you wear those things… not at all appealing for such a pretty lass"

"Loretta's got a point!" says the other blonde, who's larger in weight than the first

Doris pulls on the doll like hand and pulls the resistant child before the mirror, the three elders crowding her to view a young woman, clad in leather knee high boots, tight black slacks, a silk shirt that was once no doubt pearly white but now ashen grey, a loosely tied emerald corset and a paisley-printed vest, flame lit ringlets framing the snow white face but held back from her eyes with a worn green cloth headband, fair skin unblemished but for a single freckle against her cheek, her eyes a base caramel, tinted with a sun kissed gold, making them seem a flicker.

"Sorry ladies but I'm not playing dress up today, I have chores to do" she says while disconnecting from the girls and leaving the room

Later that night the red haired woman is busy at work, serving food and pouring ale, when a one of a group of men grab her from around the waist "aye, aye my lovely"

"Get off me now" she bites back, giving him the option

He and his friends laugh merrily "you're my whore tonight lass"

She rolls her eyes and elbows him sharply in the rips, turning on her heel to punch the drunk square in the face, the kicking his feet out from under him "I'm a whore to no one!"

These actions seem to upset the men surrounding her as they pull out their swards, others looking onwards as a fight breaks out, the girl pulling two long daggers from her belt for defense. She easily disarms three of the men, but as her first attacker comes to, he grips her arms behind her back, forcing her grip to release the blades with a tight, sharp twist of her wrists as his wretched breath glides into her ear "such fire for a wench"

Suddenly she finds herself trapped in one of the darker corners of the tavern, out of sight of Figs and the working women. A hand is thrust over her mouth as a scream calls for a savior, the low chuckles of these men surrounding her

"I believe the lady declined" a slick, slightly slurred voice says past the brutes

They turn to see a man in uniform, it's soiled with dirt and the wig on his head is in disarray on one side, but his gaze a blade are true before them all to see. The fiery girl remembers him, a new comer to Tortuga, a disgraced sailor she assumed, whom had started coming in not but a few weeks ago, sitting always alone, never seeking the company of the pirates or the harlots, only his ale and thoughts "and what are you going to do 'bout it aye?"

The man doesn't blink before attacking, the pirates releasing the girl who instinctively reaches for her knives and dives in, quickly killing two of the men, her rescuer killing one coming from behind her then their eyes lock for the first time jaded hazel meeting fiery caramel as the last man falls, he offers his hand, she examines him for a moment before slipping her fingers into his palm as she steps over the bodies and further into the light of the tavern.

Quickly she disconnects her hand from his and brushes herself down. Looking through the crowd she shouts "Figs!"

The old man leaves two of his other workers at the bar and quickly makes his way over "what be the matter dearie?"

She gestures over to the bodies and sighs, tucking her daggers away "I'm not bloody cleaning it!"

"No, no… I'll have the lads take care of it" she smiles with a reassuring hand on her shoulder, it hadn't been the first time a customer or two had gotten the wrong idea and wouldn't give in, and Fig's was sure it wouldn't be the last

The young girl smiles back at him weakly, then sighing as he goes to have the bodies taken care of. She looks to the man beside her, who had come to her aid when none other had this evening "come on, I'll buy you a drink"

She seems to glide through the crowd while the man stumbles to the bar behind her. The girl pushes a man off a stool for the ex-sailor to sit as she rounds the bar and pours two chugs of ale, placing one before him "thanks for that"

Taking his seat and swigging grimly he nods "no need for thanks, it is a man's duty to assist a lady in distress"

At his slurred words she smiles, taking a gulp of her pint "I'm no lady love, just a barmaid… I've seen you around, you don't exactly fit in"

"I was a man of honor, nobility, respect… all gone now, now I'm sitting here" he says in a salmon tone and downs his ale

The girl nods and sighs "life is cruel like that… I didn't catch your name love"

"James, James Norrington, former commodore of her majesty's royal navy, any you miss?" he says attempting to stand with a straight back and salute only to stumble and for the shapely girl to catch him

She smiles to him as he steady's himself "names Red, Red Teague"