The Pirate King's Daughter

Cool, salty ocean air breezed past my face and into my hair. Fingers in the soft grass behind me as I tilted my face toward the sky. Watching the sea gulls go by, sun glinting on their white wings. The spray of the ocean tickled my bare toes as my legs dangled over the edge of the cliff upon which I sat. I spread out on my back, hands beneath my head and closed my eyes to welcome the various sounds. Waves crashing, gulls calling to one another, and the wind through the grasses. Beauty. That's what this was.

My mother would have a fit if she knew where I was.

I drew the salty air into my lungs and stood, toeing the edge as my fingers moved to undo my leather vest. A soft thump behind me as I tossed it behind my legs. White blouse whipping in the wind as my leather hat joined my boots, and stretched my body long with my hands above my head. Blue depths called to me as I leaped and dived down, cooled water embracing me as I broke the surface.

Eyes opening, I took in the gem-colored waters and the life swimming all around, my black mass of hair seeming to join the sea life. Bringing a smile to my lips. A few fish came to greet me as usual, swimming in quick circles as I moved with them. Almost like a dance as we went. The ocean floor passed below me, full of color and life. After a while I came back to the surface, lungs having yet to start burning from the lack of air.

The cliffs were miles back now, where I had sat now invisible. I dived back down deep and allowed myself to get lost in the waves. Warm and cold currents caressed my skin, propelling me forward until I breached and the cliffs were only specks in the distance now. Watching the sun begin to dip past midday I began to float on my back towards the cliffs. Seeing the clouds shift and change until the shadow of the rocks loomed over me; twisting my body I turned and ascended the rocky face with ease. Once on solid land, I wrung out my clothes and donned the others before heading back to the village.

My mother hated my habits. The trips to the ocean, my refusal to wear skirts, how I strutted about like a man rather than a woman. "She'll never find a husband like that," the women would hiss as I walked by. But I ignored their hateful looks and words. I ignored them all.

Our little home rested on the opposite side of the village, farthest from the water and the docks. As far away from everyone as possible, as mother didn't like peering eyes.

As I weaved through the busy, cobblestone streets someone rammed into me without so much as an apology. Snarling viciously, I yanked them back by the arm to face me. Ready to pummel the wisp of a boy with corkscrew brown hair until I saw the beady little brown eyes, the two front teeth poking out over his bottom lip a bit holding onto a roll. Mouse. His scrawny arms were full of sweets and bread.

"Hide me!" He squeaked, ducking behind me as I turned in the direction of his pursuer.

The plump woman stormed towards us, face red as she waved a rolling pin angrily. I cast a glare over my shoulder, "You stole those didn't you, ya lil weasel!"

Mouse nodded, shaking like a leaf before a storm. Rolling my eyes I stepped to the side to leave Mouse wide open to the woman. A bit of wicked amusement filled me as his eyes bulged in terror, making me stifle a laugh. A pudgy hand snatched him up by the scruff of his neck, "Thas a weeks worth of goods ya stolen from me, I'll 'ave ya 'ands!" Her face was even redder from screaming.

Fishing into my pocket, I yanked out a gold coin and shoved it in front of the woman's nose. Making those raging eyes go cross-eyed.

Mouse fell to the ground, scrambling behind my legs as the woman released him. Idiot

"Here," I shoved the coin into her hands, "Take your bloody money an' go."

Blubbering, the woman disappeared into the crowd. The greed of people still surprised me sometimes. A tugging on my trousers drew my attention down to Mouse, who had extended a honey roll towards me.