Captain Anne

Chapter 2

"So what's the land we're approaching, Captain?" Kate, Anne's first mate, asked. The crew was bringing up several chests, all marked with painted gold arrows.

"Mrero. Tomorrow is the Queen's birthday." Anne responded.

"But how do you know that the land Riellys saw is Mrero? By my calculations, we should be three days' sailing south still and at least two days' sailing west of land of any kind."

"The storm, Kate. That storm was three days long. We were nowhere near where we thought we were at the end of it. You had no way of telling where exactly we were. Now, find someone who's not working and have them change the jacks. Tell her to choose a land from either northern Parathonlin or eastern Aphden. We need to be inconspicious."

"Aye aye. One question, if I may."

"Ay."

"Why are we bringing up the dresses? I say we all prefer to plunder in our ship wear. More comfortable. The corsets are tight, and while big skirts are nice to put things in, they get in the way. Ay, we're going to a rich country, but if we're going to be sneakin round, it's best to dress as men, aye?"

"Kate dearie, we're not sneaking around. We're going to a ball." Anne explained.

Kate was confused. " A... ball? With fancy dresses and tea? And those wretched vilons?

"Violins. Aye. We'd ought get in habit of talking like the commonwealth too."

"But why?"

Anne sighed. Kate was a fierce and deadly pirate, someone Anne herself wouldn't like to cross. She had been all over the world and learned multiple languages. But when it came to things other than killing and plundering, Kate was a bit clueless. Having grown up a miller's daughter, captured by pirates at eleven and passed from ship to ship until Anne overtook a band of pirates singlehandedly and recruited all the girls aboard willing for her own crew. Kate never knew anything but her abusive father and her life as a pirate. Her long black hair, at one time silky and smooth, was windblown and almost permanently tangled. Her dark narrow eyes were wild, with a noticable touch of craziness in them. Petite, but strong, Kate was excellent at what she did.

Anne herself was tall and elegant, for a pirate, at twenty six years old. Her skin, once porcelain, was still somewhat fair, but now rough and scarred. She held wise eyes that mirrored the sea, whatever color it happened to be. Long dark hair tied up with whatever string she found stayed tucked underneath her hat. Strong and fierce, she was beautiful.

"We're going in secretly, Kate. I'd rather not let ourselves be known. Now go down and gather the available crew. We need to start preparing."

"Aye aye cap."

Anne stared into the horizon. Mrero was a speck in the distance. It was still morning yet, so they had some time, but it'd be best if the wind picked up. Or even if they used the oars. They'd have to reach the docks by nightfall. Anne needed time to teach her ferocious killing machine pirates what petticoats were. She also needed to wash their hair, clean their fingers, and teach them manners.

Anne left the bow and met her crew at the center of the main deck. "So who's coming with me to Mrero to celebrate the Queen?"

The women were quiet at first, until Kate, in her usual way, swaggered forward, acting squiffy. "Don't know bout you swabs, but I'm not afraid to powder me face and don a corset."

"Aye Kate but can you's be a gentlewoman and talk to a man witho stabbing him right in the gut? Or stickin your finger up your nose lookin for gold?" A girl called out, laughing. The others laughed as well.

Kate chuckled and responded, "Perhaps Kara. If you can stop scratching your ass and swoonin over every handsome boy we kill."

This rose another round of laughter.

"We have plenty of time to banter later girls."Anne said, rather forcefully. "We have a serious mission. Anyone willing to clean up and don a gown is welcome to come, but if you ain't ready to be serious and shut your mouths for a second, go clean the head."

The crew immediately quieted down. Many of the pirates, including Riellys, Sarah, and Kara, the girl who bantered with Kate, came forward. There were eleven in all, including Kate.

"All you, go down below and scrub yourselves. Fingernails, ears, your whole body. And someone either chop it all off or comb Kate's hair. The rest of you, someone seriously go clean the head, it's filthy. You'd think we were men on this ship. Make sure the ship looks like a rich man's ship. Someone change the jacks and patch up the mast. We'll be in Mrero's bay for more than a day. We're going to a ball."