To be or not to be

a great Lord or a great Bastard ?

Piracy / e.sport

Morgan’s dilemma in Panama.

After sweeping away the Spanish forces, led by a madman, or a coward – I don’t know – a fool for sure, Morgan managed to take Panama in two hours.

But not the greatest treasures: they were already far out to sea when he entered the city.
He thought he was going mad – there were no more ships for the high seas – but he was not stupid.
He managed to contain his anger.
The former governor of Panama blew up the city’s gunpowder stores, and for miles around, people could see the black flames of the fires rising steadily into the sky.

On the island of Taboga – located in sight of Panama, the civilians thought they were saved.
Among them was a Lady – with the beauty of Helen of Troy.

What a mistake – as if Morgan could give up the treasures gone to sea.

On the third day after the capture of Panama, he sent his men to search for these treasures.
How? He didn’t care. He needed those treasures.

So the men left, repairing as best they could the less damaged wrecks – but to take to the high seas with that? impossible.
So they arrived at Taboga Island.
They searched for the gold – that was Morgan’s order.
They tortured and questioned everyone they could find: they needed that gold.
They got every piece they could get – but it was far from being enough.

As for the women they found… they had the fate of women in wars. Except for a few, who were locked in a room – fed from afar but without comment, without words. In these few, the Lady with the beauty of Helen.
She did not understand this treatment.

It was simple enough though: she and the few others were the beautiful women – they would serve to compensate for the loss of the real treasure. Morgan would probably be less angry if these ladies arrived, just for him.

Morgan was not very pleased.
But Helen from Panama was really beautiful.
He had her taken to a room, gave her two maids – and waited. He had time to wait, as a whole collection of less impressive girls passed him by.
When he entered, all Helen managed to do was to protest her virtue – to talk about her husband – and to remind him that he had a wife (the maids had told her so). Morgan seemed to hear nothing. He advanced towards her, … and at the moment when she could do nothing more, he pushed her away abruptly and went out.
The maids found her on the floor in tears, believing she had touched Morgan’s heart by reminding him of the sacred bonds of his marriage.
The maids had seen the pirate’s practices with the other girls – but they did not disabuse the beautiful Helen.
He continued his siege of the beautiful.
Thus.. so… then.. well… he did not leave Panama during this time.
The maids begged Helen to give herself to him – because in the meantime all the women in the city were devoted to all the pleasures of the pirates, and killing them afterwards was not a moral problem.
Helen listened, cried, and kept silent.
When Morgan entered the second time, she had a knife in her hand.
“Come closer and I’ll kill myself,” she said.
He did not try to understand. He went out –

she was put in the dungeon, the story goes that she shared her dungeon with a skeleton.
Dry bread, water, when she was remembered.

Many days passed. When she was released from the dungeon, she found herself on Morgan’s camp. He demanded a ransom for her – otherwise she would become a slave in Jamaica.
In fact, he demanded ransoms for all those who thought they had families who would pay.
The beautiful Helen, like the others, sent messengers to her husband to pay the ransom. She sent two monks for this request.

Morgan put his troop and prisoners back on the march – towards Cruces – the ransom was expected there.
Many prisoners were released – the admiral was a man of his word.
Helene saw the two monks that she had sent.
She saw them discussing with the guards. She saw the gold pass from their hands into the hands of the guards.
But instead of moving her forward, the men moved away and she saw nothing more.
A long time later, she saw them all, from behind: the two monks, with Helen’s ransom, had bought the freedom of other religious.
She was lost.

Then, lost for lost, she dared to go to Morgan and asked him to ease the pain of her compatriots. He did not really understand, and told her that he kept his word and that any ransom paid would give freedom. As she cried, he asked her why and she told him about the monks’ betrayal.
Morgan had everything explained to him – he sent his men after the monks.

They were caught and confessed everything. Their fate was no longer enviable.
The next day, Morgan found Helen huddled up. She confessed that she had lost all hope, no one would ever pay another ransom for her.

Morgan had the choice: be a great lord? be a bastard?

He had gotten the money – but he had freed others.
The whole camp knew of the monks’ treachery – everyone had heard their final suffering.
What to do with this too beautiful woman?

He turned away.
A convoy of former prisoners was preparing mules for their return to Panama.
“Bring a mule for this woman – she’s going back to Panama.”

He did not look at her again – the matter was over.
But it was remembered and contributed greatly to the fame of Captain Morgan.

Only French, those jealous guys, could point out that he had had the only reasonable reaction in sending her back – among pirates, booty is shared – keeping the woman, highly valued in gold, made him lose quite a bit of gold – it was not such a good idea for a woman who had turned him down several times.

This is the end of the story – and therefore the beginning of its adaptation.
Soon, yes yes, soon, I’ll talk about it.

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