SCENE 1 - CHARLES TOWN PORT

               A pair of bright, stormy green eyes, in the shadows. A port,
               where men are working, hauling sugar and tobacco from and
               onto the ships. They seem powerful, alive, vibrant, straining
               with sweat and the hot sun, laughing, husky, brawny, see Carl
               Sandburg's Chicago. The well-dressed port officer, next to a
               sign that says WELCOME TO CHARLES TOWN seems wispy, almost a
               non-person.  

               We see the owner of the eyes, a young woman (and we do mean
               young) named ANNE. She's hiding in the alley, observing
               everything, visibly drunk on what she sees. An indistinct
               shout, her head and her eyes dart to the left.

               The OFFICER is turned from us, walking up to a small
               schooner, waving and shouting. The crew are busy unloading
               goods stamped SUGAR. One bag is tossed with a pile of other
               bags, it notably lacks a seal of approval while the others
               do. 

               The OFFICER shouts at the sailors, and they point to a
               smallish man off to one side, hunched over a journal and
               alternately writing and eyeing the bags getting thrown down
               from the ship to port. His name is JAMES.

               The OFFICER walks up to JAMES and lays a hand on JAMES'
               shoulder, perhaps more roughly than required. JAMES turns and
               looks at him.

               The OFFICER glares down at him, and points to the lack of an
               official seal on his bags. JAMES eyes the bags. ANNE watches
               everything. JAMES looks up at the OFFICER, a head higher than
               him. He closes his book, and takes a little pouch off his
               belt and jangles it, the ring seeming to hang unnaturally in
               the busy dock air. 

               The OFFICER scrunches his face, turns red...and puts out his
               hand. The purse hangs in the air, suspended in neither hand,
               before resting with a shuffle in the OFFICER's hand.

               JAMES nods, looking serious. The OFFICER turns, looks down
               the street at several WELL-DRESSED GENTLEMEN walking by and
               talking. The OFFICER turns to JAMES and shouts and makes
               angry gestures, and carries off one or two sacks of unsealed
               sugar. The WELL-DRESSED GENTLEMEN look on and nod.

               ANNE watches, and keeps staring at JAMES. He turns back to
               his crew, shakes his fist, and they resume unloading the
               schooner. He opens his book again and starts ticking off
               sacks.

               One sack...two sacks...three sacks of sugar. ANNE sets her
               shoulders, fluffs up her hair, and emerges from the alleyway,
               starts edging towards this man. The WELL-DRESSED GENTLEMEN
               see her. One of them looks at her reproachfully. She does not
               notice, continues advancing, her stride growing bolder now.
               She's stopped by the GENTLEMAN, who lays a hand on her
               shoulder. She looks up at him and her face, just now bright
               and set, falls.

               The GENTLEMAN gestures to his servants to take her left.



               SCENE 2 - THE CORMAC ESTATE

               Aspect-to-aspect. Slaves working in the fields, the sign
               "CORMAC PLANTATION", law books, a stern-looking man. ANNE is
               looking out the window as her father WILLIAM (the stern man)
               lectures. We cannot hear him, she is not listening. His hand
               slams to the table, and she turns to face his big Irish
               physique. Despite the significant size difference, she seems
               unperturbed. He looks tired and frustrated, and points left,
               out of the room.

               ANNE rises, turns to leave. Her father's palm slaps the desk
               again. She rolls her eyes, turns back, and curtseys for him.
               He nods approvingly, and she leaves the room. He slumps,
               seeming weak for the first time, his head in his palm.

               In the hallway, ANNE passes a portrait, clearly of her
               mother. She's a plump woman, well dressed, but not a
               noblewoman, not by a long shot. In the corner of the room,
               inconspicuously, is a maid. ANNE eyes the maid, and then
               winks and salutes her mother's portrait without any sense of
               respect at all.

               She makes her way to the door where a servant bars her way.
               She looks up pleadingly at him but he shakes his head, no.
               There's a knock behind him, and he turns and opens the door.
               An older yet physically adept gentleman, Anne's TUTOR, stands
               and smiles at her. She rolls her eyes, but comes with him to
               the library. She passes her father, headed the other way.

               WILLIAM passes the portrait of Anne's mother. He turns and
               stares into it, looks like he's almost about to cry. He looks
               through double doors into the dining room, at a spot on the
               floor, and it only brings him closer to tears. He looks again
               to Anne's mother, and sighs before going on.

               ANNE's tutor drones on, and she, not hearing, reads a book
               labeled "Goethe". On the page, she follows with her finger,
               "Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness
               has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now." 

               She looks up, those eyes wander and seem to grow clear when
               she sets them on the swords crossed on the wall.

               Her TUTOR, clearly a wiser sort than her father, notices her
               change of interest. His eyes flick toward the swords. She
               motions with her head. He smirks, and nods.



               SCENE 3 - THE GARDENS

               The clash of blades. In a clearing formed by high hedges,
               ANNE and her TUTOR duel. ANNE's style is quick,
               temperamental, and laced with flair (twirling the blade,
               twisting it, drumming her fingers on the grip). Her TUTOR is
               more reserved, slower, preferring to make a quick counter
               attack after one of ANNE's is too strong and not well-aimed
               enough. They both score touches, and neither really has the
               upper hand. The hedges and some other miscellaneous plants in
               the garden are cut a bit, though, symbolism. This is clearly
               a friendly, educational duel. 

               Until ANNE makes a sweep and takes off the top button of his
               coat. He looks down, and looks up at her, shocked. She grins
               and then quick as a flash takes off the second button. Her
               tutor is visibly unsure whether to laugh or to yell, and she
               take the opportunity to relieve him of a third and fourth
               button in quick succession. He decides to laugh, and even
               adds a polite clap after stowing his sword under his arm. She
               bows obnoxiously and while doing so begins taking off his
               buttons from the bottom.

               Now that really is too much, and he resumes his blade. ANNE
               pouts at him like she doesn't deserve anything for what was
               only a little joke. He lifts one eyebrow at her. She lifts
               both at him. Twice. Finally getting the picture, the TUTOR
               takes a long look at ANNE, from bottom to top. They toss
               their blades aside and step closer, almost miming two fencers
               closing. As they come together and kiss, an image of JAMES
               flashes through ANNE's mind, and she becomes more ferocious.

               Nearby, a serving maid watches the events, and titters to
               herself.



               SCENE 4 - EVENING AT THE ESTATE

               In the main hall, ANNE'S TUTOR shows off his semi-ruined coat
               to WILLIAM as both laugh heartily yet politely, as
               upperclassmen are wont to do. Nearby, ANNE waits, her entire
               demeanor emitting a "bored now" feeling. A word floats
               overhead, a single word she catches.

                                   TUTOR
                         ...Goethe...

               ANNE's face softens, she seems contemplative. She rises,
               being sure no one notices her, creeps quietly into the
               library, opens a window, and lets herself outside with a
               soft, sharp hiss as her shoes land on the grass. Anne pats
               down her petticoats, and spies a woodpile. On top of the pile
               is a hatchet, which her eyes linger on but she turns away
               from and makes her way as quietly as she can down the road.
               She slips between the bars of the fence and is off down the
               road.



               SCENE 5 - CHARLES TOWN PORT, EVENING

               Everything is different now. During the day, the port area
               felt open, wide, bright, even in the alley. Now all appears
               close, humid, crushed with odors and sounds. ANNE peeks out
               from between two buildings, and espies the local grogshop.
               Checking to be sure no respectable types are around, she sets
               her shoulders, fluffs her hair, and presses out into the
               open.

               To her, the night seems strange, wild, shapes begin
               distorting, buildings move away from her. She is alone in the
               wide square before the port, and feels it keenly. But she
               walks tall, and proud, and unconcerned.



               SCENE 6 - THE GROGSHOP

               The door of the grogshop opens and in steps ANNE. The
               grogshop is a rough and tumble place, the smoke hangs thick
               in the air (and some of it smells illegal), as do the oaths
               and whores (most of which seem illegal), hanging as thick
               around the men. They entertain themselves with stories, with
               cards, or with the women. This is clearly the kind of place
               where you could get raped and nobody'd notice. 

               ANNE is by far the best dressed in the establishment, as well
               as one of the few pretty ones ('pretty' in this case being
               without noticeable scars, replacement limbs, a pug nose and
               pig face, or missing things). She walks forward, takes a
               place at the bar. 

               The BARTENDER fills one mug, two mugs, three...and the third
               is passed to ANNE. She puts down a gold piece on the table
               and drinks up.

               A reasonably well-dressed YOUNG MAN, about ANNE's age,
               clearly drunk, wanders up to her. He's okay...blond kid,
               noble obviously, fairly good looking.
               He comes up to ANNE and whispers in her ear. She shakes her
               head, takes another drink. He leers at her. She turns away
               from him, takes another drink. He grabs her by the arm,
               swings her around. His face is darker now, his intents match.
               She takes another drink, trying not to look worried. He (and
               we) can see the worry on her, and he slides his hand along
               ANNE's arm. She sets her drink down, shakes her head. He
               grabs ANNE by the breast and gives her a wicked yank.

               ANNE almost freezes as he moves in (I leave it to your sick
               imagination to wonder with what). Her fear is palpable, a
               part of her, a kind of coldness, blueness. Her hand sweeps
               along the counter and meets her glass. The tink of her
               fingernail against the metal mug restarts her, and with a
               wordless cry she grabs the mug and bashes it against his
               head. The mug goes clattering off harmlessly, but he's out of
               it enough that ANNE slips out of his grasp and in one fluid
               motion has lifted a chair off the floor. She's gone to flame,
               now, her anger is more fearsome than her weapon by far. She
               swings the chair into the young man, and he sprawls himself
               over the bar, bleeding in several places. ANNE bashes the
               chair onto him until there's little left of it, and several
               RUFFIANS appear out of nowhere and take her by the arms.
               She's crying and angry and it all becomes indistinct and hazy
               through the tears.



               SCENE 7 - ANNE'S ROOM, AFTERNOON

               ANNE sits on the windowsill, staring out the window. Aspect
               to various parts of her room (think Elizabeth's from Pirates
               of the Caribbean), until we see the door. Silhouetted there
               are two men, WILLIAM and the YOUNG MAN, talking. We do not
               hear. ANNE ignores them forcefully, staring out her window
               towards the busy downtown and port area of Charles Town.
               People are going about their business, wandering at random,
               free, buzzing...and she is up here, silent, caged. ANNE looks
               on, and her face is a transition to...



               SCENE 8 - ANNE'S ROOM, YEARS AGO

               A younger girl, ANNE stares with eyes wide and mouth open as
               the fort booms with the report of the cannon. In the harbor,
               a fleet of ships, spanning from rock to rock, blockades the
               pass. The fort fires, but the cannonballs fall short. The air
               is thickly purple and grey with dusk, haze and battle. The
               younger ANNE's stomach rumbles, and she pouts, but she can't
               take her eyes away. A boat is rowing ashore, close, and she
               spies it, squinting and then going wide again. 

               In a differently decorated room than her elder's, she pulls
               herself from the window and searches in the trunks and
               drawers until she finds what she's looking for, a real brass
               spyglass. She takes it out, cradles it, wipes it off with her
               dress, extends it, and peers at the advancing boat.

               In the time it took her to find the spyglass, the boat has
               landed, and she focuses on one of the ant-like figures
               emerging from it.

               BLACKBEARD, tall, with his matches alight and the ribbons in
               his beard gaudy against the flat black of his clothes, his
               six pistols shining on his chest, looks around and takes a
               deep breath. He calls for something, and one of the GENTLEMEN
               run up and hands him a mug of grog. He swigs it in a gulp,
               smacks his lips, offers some comment, and then makes another
               loud request. A chest is brought before him, and he and his
               second open it and peer in. All eyes turn toward BLACKBEARD,
               and he meticulously counts the contents before nodding. ANNE
               focuses her spyglass a little more, and can clearly make out
               the word "MEDICINE" burnt into the top of the chest.
               BLACKBEARD closes the chest, calls, bows obnoxiously before
               the GENTLEMEN. His SECOND grabs the chest and hauls it in the
               boat, and BLACKBEARD waves his finger at the GENTLEMEN, pulls
               out his cutlass, and waves it around before turning back to
               the boat. He steps onto the little craft, resheathes the
               cutlass, and says the command to start rowing.

               In her room, ANNE gasps with wonder and the beginnings of
               puberty.



               SCENE 8 - ANNE'S ROOM, EVENING

               Footsteps. ANNE turns from the window and her memories to her
               father WILLIAM, entering alone. He offers a stern finger and
               a compassionate expression to ANNE, who takes both with equal
               unreadability. WILLIAM produces a ring, and gestures towards
               outside. The YOUNG MAN's shadow is gone.

               ANNE's face crunches into furious anger, and she turns
               haughtily back to the window. WILLIAM looks crushed, then
               angry. He snaps the ring's box shut with a loud SNAP!, and
               slams it on her dresser. ANNE refuses to flinch. Spinning on
               his heel, WILLIAM exits, and we hear the heavy thud and
               clickity-clack of the door being slammed shut and locked,
               which is verified when we see the door.

               ANNE turns toward the door to make sure he's really gone. She
               comes to it and tries it. Locked. Again, a vision of JAMES
               passes before her, and she takes a sheet off her bed and rips
               it.



               SCENE 9 - EVENING AT THE ESTATE

               ANNE's ripped bedsheet rope, alas, only made it halfway, and
               she lands with a soft 'shrush' in the bushes. She emerges,
               pats down her petticoats again (they look rather beat, now),
               and espies the woodpile. The hatchet is still there, but in
               the rising moon looks dangerous...exotic. In two steps she's
               next to the woodpile, and with only a moment's hesitation,
               reaches out and wraps her hand around the axe handle. With a
               sure hand she rocks it out of the wood it's been thwacked
               into, and sets it into her dress belt at a jaunty angle
               before creeping away again, seeming to melt into the shadows
               except for the bright red of her hair and the silver gleam of
               the hatchet.



               SCENE 10 - THE GROGSHOP

               ANNE enters, and briefly scans the room. Sitting in a
               secluded corner, illuminated by a sickly yellow lamp hanging
               on a nearby post, sits JAMES, hunched and suspicious looking
               over a deck of cards (bottom dealing, of course). None of the
               bullshit wandering around the bar, we focus on ANNE as she
               strides through the crowd over to JAMES' table. She pulls up
               a seat. JAMES and the other PLAYERS turn and stare. All are
               clearly impressed and in wonder of what the hell she's doing
               there. She extends a hand, and with a shrug, JAMES deals her
               into the game.

               ANNE is dealt the Queen of Diamonds, the Six of Diamonds, the
               ????, The ???? And the ????, in that order (wands clubs,
               swords spades, pentacles diamonds, cups hearts). On the wall
               behind her are five knife marks in a cross pattern (this
               should be relatively non-obvious but noticeable). One even
               has an axe in it, the center one we see as she gets the Queen
               of Diamonds.

               (MORE YET UNWRITTEN)



               SCENE 11 - THE CORMAC ESTATE

               As the night wears on, ANNE and JAMES arrive at the
               plantation. JAMES is looking about, greedily drinking with
               his eyes the riches he is about to inherit. ANNE pays no
               attention, except to glance at the woodpile whence her axe
               came. She knocks on the door, foregoing the knocker. After a
               short wait, the door creaks open to reveal the servant, who,
               upon seeing ANNE, and then seeing JAMES, understands it is
               entirely not his business and to go wake up WILLIAM. He opens
               the door and shows ANNE and JAMES the way in.
               They sit in the main hallway, and exchange Knowing Winking
               Glances before WILLIAM descends the staircase in his
               nightgown. He looks from ANNE to JAMES to ANNE again. ANNE
               flashes the ring on her finger and grins devilishly.

               WILLIAM stares. WILLIAM blinks. WILLIAM raises a fist and
               slams it against the wall, gnashing his teeth. He points to
               the portrait of ANNE's mother and makes croaking noises but
               can't quite figure words. JAMES, for his part, looks worried.
               WILLIAM points out the still-open door. ANNE flips him off
               with her wedding finger. Some servants emerge out of nowhere
               and grab ANNE and JAMES about the necks and throw them bodily
               out of the front step. ANNE yells wordlessly, and turns, and
               the last thing she sees is WILLIAM, smouldering mad, making a
               'break' motion with his hands before the door slams shut.
               ANNE jumps to her feet, mad enough to be croaking herself,
               and stares at the door twitching as JAMES rises, clearly
               crestfallen that he's not rich. He makes a mumbling and ANNE
               spins around, for a second her focused anger and hatred
               centered on him. He withers under it and ANNE's continence
               changes instantly, and she's over to him and hugging him,
               kissing his cheek. He looks at her, lost, like 'what now?'
               She sighs, and looks around a last time...but then something
               else grows in her eyes. Close up on her eyes, as a fire burns
               in them.

               In the next panel, a fire is really burning. ...down the
               plantation. From their hiding place near the fence, JAMES and
               ANNE chuckle mirthlessly as they watch the slaves and
               servants and even WILLIAM rush about, trying fruitlessly to
               put out the blaze. In the light, JAMES pulls his journal out
               from his shirt, and pages through it. He squints and
               concentrates a few pages, scans down one, and then lights up.
               He swats ANNE on the shoulder, and she turns to look, and he
               marks the spot with his finger. Right above his thick, meaty
               digit is a line that says "JUNE 5...DEPART TO NEW
               PROVIDENCE". He points specifically towards "NEW PROVIDENCE"
               and looks to ANNE, and she nods in agreement.