A Pirate's Life for Three

The Adventure Begins - Chapter 2

"So...I suppose we should probably introduce ourselves properly?"

Gwen looked at her new companions expectantly. The other two Elfish girls looked at one another, shrugged, and turned back to Gwen. The latter tucked some of her 'hair' behind her ears before taking a breath.

"Okay, I suppose I'll start. My name is Gwen, my crew calls me Snook. I'm a Half-elf-...well...I suppose...not anymore...but I used to be. My father was a Sea Elf, and my mother was a Human. I've been a pirate for just under a year now, and I like it, but...there's something I have to do before I get too wrapped up in enjoying things. I'd rather not discuss it right now, though, if that's okay."

The other two listened to her keenly until the very last word.

"S'pose I'll go next. My name's not important. My crew calls me Rusty. I'm an Autumn Eladrin, I've been piratin' for about three years, and I love it. Don't wanna do nothin' else."

Gwen nodded and listened, feeling a little bashful that her introduction was so long in comparison to Rusty's.

"My turn, uh...my name is 400, and I don't have a crew. I'm mostly Arachne, but my mother was...or is, I suppose, a Drow Elf. I've been pirating for less than a day, and I have no opinion on it. I like dungeoneering, and as of right now, that's all I want to do in life...that and be with my girlfriend."

"You 'ave a girl?" Rusty asked.

"You sound so surprised."

"Well, yeah, I mean. The opinion o' Drow folk ain't exactly positive 'round these parts."

"I've heard...but she's...different. She doesn't care what I am or where I came from. Just the kind of person I choose to be, I guess."

"That's so sweet." Gwen chimed in, smiling.

"Yeah...she is."

"So, I gotta ask. What's life like over there?" Rusty piped up, leaning back against the mast with one leg stretched out on front and the other bend to the side.

"Over where?" 400 asked.

"Y'know, Mung. That's where you're from, right?"

"Oh, yeah. I don't know, it's not that different, I don't think. I don't know much, though, I mean, I was raised in the Spawn House, so."

"The what?" Gwen enquired, her eyes widening with concern.

"The Spawn House. Y'know where the kids from selective breeding are raised to be like soldiers and other stuff."

Rusty and Gwen looked at 400 in silence...looked at one another, just to make sure the other was equally horrified...then looked back at 400. The Arachne slowly realised based on their expressions.

"You guys don't have that, do you?"

Gwen and Rusty just slowly shook their heads before Gwen put two dots together, "Wait, selectively bred? So, you were...?"

"Yeah, my mother was a Drow Elf breeder. My father, I guess, was an Aracnhe. I didn't get told much, but apparently; they were happy when they captured him. They had never bred with an Arachne before. They wanted to selectively breed and make offspring that resemble Lolth as much as possible."

"That...is...psychotic."

"Is it?"

"Yes!"

"Wait, so how do you guys make soldiers?"

"We train 'em...like when they're adults."

"Really? But that's so late in life, they'll be weak. Those women should be trained right from the start."