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A Motley Sisterhood of Pirates! (Part One Blog six)

By Dan Watt and Taylor Norris

Oli nods at the Helmswoman ‘Wheel Turn’ Synthia who is standing before the helm. The spoked wheel is almost as tall as she is. Next she and Aarini climb up the steps to the fo’c’sle where the Captain is holding Oli’s mandolin and standing with the Navigator and Zala. Together they watch as the girls pour up the stairs of the hold to the deck. Making sure they line up properly is the Master-at-arms.

“We’re a sisterhood of pirates,” the Captain whispers into her ear as she passes Oli her mandolin.

“Ahoy, me hearties!” Oli sings down to the crew.

We’re a sisterhood of pirates!

The Captain says it’s time to sail

Turn the capstan to lift the anchor

Unfurl the masts it’s time to go

“Aye, aye, Captain,” the crew sings.

“We’re a sisterhood of pirates,” they continue as the Master-at-Arms grabs a hold of one of the capstan’s bars. The cook, ‘Unibrow’ Nippie joins in along with some of the teenagers.

“Round and round clockwise we go!” They sing over and over again.

The surgeons get some of the younger girls to climb the masts and help unfurl the main and mizzen sail.

Once the anchor is locked into place at the side of the forecastle Oli changes the song:

Heave the sheets to open the sails

And watch the position of the sun in day

And the stars at night

While we search for things to steal

From that Monstrous Captain Barthadrow!

A Motley Sisterhood of Pirates! (Part One Blog One)

It’s dawn after a saturnalia night. Within a cove two young women stand side by side on the forecastle of a small galleon. Nearby are other, larger galleons. The woman on the left is shorter and lithe with strength. Her unruly black hair is tied up with a red ribbon in a wild pile on top of her head. She’s wearing a black knee length studded leather jacket and a worn azure cotton shirt underneath. Her charcoal trousers are tucked under sturdy knee high boots. The other woman is wearing a black tricorn hat. She has on faded black linen trousers and a dull bourbon waistcoat that covers the egg white cotton shirt underneath. Both women have sheathed rapiers.

“Did you enjoy the party last night?” Captain Alejandra, the woman with the tricorn hat, asks Oli One Eye, the First Mate and Minstrel.

“Oh, it was fascinating,” First Mate Olanis “Oli” Morgan replies. “Master Jo Anne,” she continues nodding at the woman standing at the base of the bowsprit, “and I went to Tristan’s galleon Unbroken.”

“Did you bring your mandolin?”

“I did,” Oli replies. “Tristan and his crew of all men were nothing but gracious. Yet none showed any attraction towards us. I think it’s the first time I’ve been somewhere where the men have longer eyelashes than I do, and are much prettier.”

“Did he tell you his story?” The Captain asks.

“About Barthadrow capturing him when he was a young boy?” she asks in reply.

“Yes,” the Captain says morosely.

“Our Navigator, Master Jo Anne, and I drank fine brandy with him in his cabin until late into the night. In the whispers of a childish sounding voice he told us his story. Lucky I have good ears or I wouldn’t have gotten it all. He said when he was just a boy Barthadrow told him what a wonderful singing voice he has. And since he seems to be effeminate anyways he was going to have a special procedure done. While he was sleeping in the hull of Barthadrow’s ship Corrupta with the other children two of Barthadrow’s crewmembers covered his mouth with a cloth. The next day his groin was wrapped in bandages. They had castrated him.”

“He has a reason to want revenge on Barthadrow.”

Brought to you by Dan Watt (author of Brackish and the soon to be released epic fantasy adventure BARD) and Taylor Norris (co-author of Rita Walker and Rita Walker: Australia).

Medieval Rapier by Fire & Steel: http://fireandsteel.ca/

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