One morning, a month after the attack on Imaruí, while the ship was still, I lingered in José’s embrace, listening to the sound of the water slapping against the hull. An alarm sounded, startling us from our slumber, alerting us to another ship in the harbor. When we reached the deck there wasn’t just one, there were several large frigates sailing into view, their cannons drawn. Our little fleet didn’t stand a chance.

José sprang into action, giving us all orders. As I was unloading crates, preparing for battle, one of the men fired his carbine, causing me to look up. My heart raced as these massive vessels blocked out the sun, slowly moving toward us.

These frigates wouldn’t be able to cross into the shallow waters of the lagoon, but they would make an escape by sea impossible. They were commonly used by the Imperial Brazilian Navy when facing a large foreign navy, but rarely were they used on rebels. For a moment I felt some hope that we would survive this, but then in the gaps between the large ships came dozens of smaller vessels loaded with cannons and men. I watched in horror as these ships crossed the sand bar, their cannons firing as they approached. My heart raced. We weren’t prepared for a battle of such scale.

Thick gray smoke filled the air in large billowing clouds, seeping into my very being. I tried to cough and spit it out as I worked, doing my best not to let it slow me down. I was engrossed in my task when José grabbed my arm, spinning me around to face him.

“I need you to pass a message to General Canabarro for me.”

“No!” General Canabarro was on the other side of Laguna, and there was no way that I was going to leave José. “I am staying here.”

“You are my sailor and you will do exactly what I say when I say it! You made a promise to me, Anita! So help me God, I will flog you.”

We stared at each other as bullets flew past our heads. “Fine!” I relented. “What am I to tell him?”

“Tell Canabarro to send more men. Whatever he has. I want you to stay there and have a messenger bring back a response.”

“Aye, Captain!” I yelled, giving José a mock salute. He grabbed my arm, spinning me back to him as I began to walk away. He pulled me close, giving me a rough, passionate kiss before releasing me to the rowboat.

Small violent waves rocked the boat, threatening our stability. Cannon smoke oozed over the water around us as we made our way to shore. I had a job to do, whether I liked it or not. When we landed, I took a horse and rode as fast as I could through Laguna to Canabarro.

The Imperial navy was not only targeting José and his ships, they were punishing Laguna for harboring the rebels. Cannon fire bombarded the city, causing panic and mayhem among the citizens. It was only a matter of time before the Imperial forces made their way into town to avenge Imaruí. I wove my horse through the streets between people running for safety and debris from falling buildings. The town was in utter chaos; for a moment I wondered if there were any familiar faces in the crowd. However, I regained my focus as a cart rolled in front of me, making my horse swerve at the last minute.