A Motley Sisterhood of Pirates! BOOK Three (Part Fourteen: Blog Eighty-Six)
Caedar-writing-artwork.com
By Dan Watt and Taylor Norris, co-authors of the Rita Walker series
* “Ship Protector” Umi the Ama is based on Japanese pearl divers, known as Ama “sea women”. The artwork is freehand and conceptual.
Umi glances around before she releases the tension on her short bow. Her stance is the same as if she were using a yumi. Stance perpendicular to target with feet pointed straight ahead; the bow drawn so the arrow aligns with the centre of the lips. It was the way Hangaku, a many generations great granddaughter of the famous Hangaku Gozen, taught her and the others. Hangaku was the first Master-at-arms on the Nagua but after becoming pregnant, stayed on the Pregnancy Ship.
“She looks very much like “One Eye”, I mean Captain Olanis,” Umi remarks after the sobbing Witch stands up.
“Very much so,” “Dizzying Blade” agrees. “Olanis never mentioned a sister, so maybe a first cousin.”
“It would explain why “Shipbuilder” always acts awkward around “Olanis”,” Umi observes.
She immediately draws the string of her bow and aims towards an area just beyond the edge of the forest. The voices of two men are getting closer.
“We need to check on The Witch,” one of the men says.
“You don’t want to protect that dried up crone,” the other voice says with a guffaw. “You want to meet that demonio femenino, and feed more of yourself to her.”
“That’s not true,” the other man replies with a passionate lie in his tone. “The Witch came in here to destroy the demonio femenino, remember, and I did not hinder her. But now she has been gone for hours…we must save her.”
“I still need to feed,” Thelma whispers in a salivating tone.
Umi aims her bow at the Nuevo Conquistador that Thelma has already fed on.
The Cannibal gently presses Umi’s arm down. “Not him, he’s charmed and I can only feed on the living.”
She glances at “Dizzying Blade”, who has her throwing knives ready. “Dizzying Blade” nods, and Umi lets her arrow fly.
Taylor Norris, RMT, as First Mate ‘One Eye’ Olanis: taynorris@gmail.com (Kitchener-Waterloo)
The Witch’s (cloak by Creaturre Clothing: https://www.instagram.com/creaturreclothing/?hl=en, dual blade knife by fireandsteel.ca)
With thanks to Joanne Gosling (Navigator ‘Storm Caller’ Master Jo Anne): Joanne is an Interior Decorator who specializes in closets: Jgosling@calclosets.com Calclosetsjoanne or Joannegosling22@gmail.com
Leah Weir (Helmswoman ‘Wheel Turner’ Synthia): model and cover editor (pictures by: professional family and baby photographer Kimberley Lee (kimberleyleephotography.co.uk); (El Cid Rapier by blades-uk.com)
Andraya Watt as Assistant-Master-at-Arms, Amelie
Maegan Curlyo as Master-at-Arms “Dizzying Blade” Sadie (pictures of Maegan by Ben Kraehling)
With Thanks To:
Fire & Steel for the Medieval Rapier: http://fireandsteel.ca/
Creaturre Clothing: https://www.instagram.com/creaturreclothing/?hl=en
Alex Watt for background pictures
Tags: Female Pirates, Pirates