A Pirate's Life For Me

Shipmates

"RISE AND SHINE RECRUITS!"

With those four words, mass panic ensued in the room. 

"Ow!"

"Get out of the way!"

"You're on my foot you jerk!"

"He pushed me!"

"SHUT UP!" The four froze and turned to look at the doorway to the bedroom in the inn that they had been led to the night before.

"Who are you?" Sherman asked, rubbing his forehead.

"Ask one of your friends. Right now we have somewhere to go."

There was another rush to get fully ready as the woman stood in the doorway, her bronzed arms crossed over her chest.

"Are you ready yet?"

She got a few 'yes's and 'almost's.

"You want to work but you respond like that? When I ask a question you answer in unison, understood?" The tone of her voice startled the four.

"Yes ma'am!" They chorused.

"Good. Let's go." The woman pivoted and strode down the hall to the stairs that led to the main room of the tavern.

After a moment of indecision, Gwen followed first, the boys falling into a line behind her.

Their leader tossed a heavy gold coin to the barkeeper, who must also have been the innkeeper. He nodded and tucked the coin in his pocket, then went back to cleaning the wooden mug he was holding.

The small procession wove through the streets, heading in the general direction of the docks.

Gwen sidled up to the woman leading them. "Where's the girl from last night?"

"Choppy brown hair? Kind of short?" The woman asked.

"Yes, although I can't testify to the height." Gwen herself was rather short.

"She's waiting for us where we're going."

Ethan stepped forward so he was walking between the other two boys. "Think this 'Green-Eyes' bloke'll be at where we goin'?"

"Most likely." Mitchell responded calmly.

"Not a clue. My head hurts." Sherman whined.

"Your fault for getting drunk." Mitchell reminded him.

"Shut up."

Ethan re-entered the conversation. "Any of ye know who t'is guy is?"

"Never heard of him." 

"Me'either."

"Cap'n won't appreciate busybodies, boys." The woman leading the group called.

"Yes ma'am." The boys murmured.

Unnoticed by them, a smirk twitched her features up as she took a sharp turn and continued on.

When she finally stopped, Gwen almost ran into her.

"Alright, get on." She ordered.

"Get on what?" Mitchell asked.

The woman raised an eyebrow and waved a hand to her left. The four turned to look and their eyes slowly traveled upward, jaws slowly dropping. 

"I ain't goin' on that!" Ethan exclaimed.

"And why would that be, Mr. Nakamura?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Um..." In truth, all four were having doubts. They did not know how their parents stood with the god of the sea, and none of them were getting on any ship until they were secure in that standing.

"If your parent has a problem with Poseidon, it won't matter. Get on the ship."

"How did you-"

"Daughter of Enyo. Now, board the ship!" The last part was barked out as an order.

"Yes ma'am!" They yelped.

Several ropes were tossed over the rail and each teen grabbed one. The woman stood behind them, watching.

Ethan reached the top first, flipping himself over the railing and then turning to coil it on instinct.

"Leave it." The woman called and he backed up, hands in the air in a gesture of surrender.

Sherman scrambled over the rail and flopped down, holding his head and moaning.

Mitchell came over the rail last, carrying Gwen. The girl's arms were shaking with exhaustion and she was panting.

"We're going to need to get her some proper food." They jumped as their 'leader's' voice.

"How did you get up that fast?" Ethan demanded.

"She's crazy." A new voice commented. 

"Shut up, Valdez."

"You can't tell me what to do!"

"I'm the first mate, you dolt, yes I can. Get those ropes up and store them or Cap's gonna be irritated with all of us."

The boy who had spoken, a rather skinny teen with deeply tanned skin and curly brown hair that had strangely pointy ears poking out of it, scowled teasingly and began to do what his first mate had told him.

"So what now?"

"Now you shut up while we wait for the captain."

"Already scaring the recruits, Reyna?"

The girl turned. "It's my job, Piper. And I must say, I'm rather enjoying it."

Piper laughed. "Well just hope none of them drop dead of fright." Her multi-colored eyes caught Mitchell's gaze as she flicked her choppy brown hair out of her face, the braids flying. 

"You're a daughter of Aphrodite!"

Piper turned to him. "I am?"

"Uh, yeah." Mitchell began to blush as everyone turned to stare at him. "It's the eyes, see?" He popped his wide.

"They do match." Reyna commented.

"So I'm a daughter of Aphrodite." There was clear distaste in Piper's voice.

"We're not all that bad. Her kids I mean." Mitchell tried.

"But it's Aphrodite! Ugh, I can't work on a ship full of men and women who are all stronger than me, you'll judge me based on my parentage!"

Several voices raised in protest, but a strong tone overpowered all of them. "Come on, Piper, I've known your parentage from day one and I never judged you based on it."

Heads turned to see a black haired man standing in the doorway to belowdecks. He placed his hat firmly on his head before continuing. "In fact, you give children of Aphrodite a good name. The world would be hard-pressed to find another one of her children who works as hard as you."

"Thank you, Captain." Piper smiled softly.

Ethan whispered what the four new recruits were all thinking.

"Green-Eyes."

[A/N Aye new ship! The picture of it is in the previous chapter]