Captain Anne

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Captain?"

"I'm a bit busy at the moment!"

"There's land ahead!'

"What?"

Captain Anne took her sword off ther prisoner's throat and placed it in her hilt and pushed away his chest. He hit the wall of the ship and fell to the floor.

"Do I--- Do I get to live?"

"Haven't decided yet. But for now--" She took out one of her many knives. "In case you try something." She flung the knife down, and it landed squarely in his thigh. The man screamed in agony and Anne let loose a chuckle before jumping to the ladder to the main deck.

"We shouldn't be approaching land for at least another two sunsets." Anne said, turning to the sailor who called her.

"Agreed Ma'am, but Riellys is hardly ever wrong."

Anne nodded. "Sarah, was it?"

The young sailer nodded. "Aye captain. I've been on the Coursing Dragon for but three weeks. I am graced to be in the presence of one of the most feared pirates in the Realms."

Anne laughed. "Then start talking like a pirate dearie. Heave ho, you'll learn smartly. Riellys is in the crow's, yes?"

"Yes Ma'am."

"Captain. You call me Captain, Sarah."

"Yes, excuse me Captain."

Anne turned to the bow of the ship and started climbing the ropes to the crow's nest. Jess Riellys, a small lass, barely fifteen years old, had her face in a telescope, her eyebrows furrowed.

"You see land, Riellys?"

Riellys jumped and looked up from the telescope. "Yes Cap, makes no sense. Perhaps it's one of those fairy lands. They never follow the maps."

"Perhaps. Let me look."

Indeed, there was land. But it was no fairy land. Captain Anne smiled. "Riellys, fetch a mate and tell her to get the bilge picaroon and bring him to me on the deck."

"Aye aye."

Anne stood up and pulled a leather belt from one of her may pockets. She wrapped one end around one hand, drapped it around a rope connecting the nest to the deck, wrapped the leather around her other hand, and jumped.

She landed squarely on her feet, just as two sailors we dragging the man from below deck. He was clutching at the knife in his thigh, wailing, too weak to pull it out.

"Do you know the day, knave?"

The man blubbered about, tears streaming down his dirty and bloody face.

"The day man, the date." Captain Anne demanded.

Still, her prisdoner didn't answer but cried in pain. Anne then knelt down by him, took the handle of the knife, and turned it sharply. A blood curdling scream erupted from the man's mouth and blood streamed out of his leg. The new girl, Sarah, gasped and turned away.

"No. Stay dearie. You'll be doing this too someday." Anne called out, still holding the knife in the man's leg, moving it slightly in every which way. The man whimpered, letting out wailing screams of agony every few moves of the knife.

"Tell me what date it is, or I'll throw you overboard. Most sane men would welcome death. But not you, you value your life. So, tell me what the day is and you'll live." Anne said, finally letting go of the knife.

The man gulped, "How many days since you took down my captain's ship? I fear I've lost count." His voice was raspy and worn thin, broken.

"Twelve."

"Then today is August the eleventh. Eve of the Queen's birthday."

"Which Queen, knave?"

"Queen Rachel, of Mrero, one of the only human lands west of Choaft and the Fire Mountains on the continent of Parathonlin."

Captain Anne smiled. "Silva, throw him overboard. Sarah and Evelin, go down to the hold and bring up the chests marked with gold arrows."

"What? No! You said you'd spare my life if I gave you the date!" The man cried out.

"Aye I did, but I think you forgot knave."

"Forgot what?"

Anne smirked and knelt down close to the man's face. "I'm a pirate."