Pirate; The Seavey Pendant

1. The Night Marauder

The intimidating sight of the pirate ship looming over Cinnia caused a strange feeling of excitement to surge through her.  It had stayed anchored in the harbour of Dur'reth for nearly a week, yet Cinnia felt just as intrigued by the ship now as she had when she first laid eyes on it.  Pirate ships represented the very things she didn't have in her life: adventure and freedom.  The golden words The Night Marauder had been painted onto the aging wood of the hull.

Cinnia sucked in a breath and pulled at the belt around her waist as she threw a reluctant glance up the wooden walkway.  A pirate was perched on the ledge of the main deck, throwing solemn looks at the people walking by.  He would occasionally run a hand over the blonde stubble on his pointy chin.  Sticking her chin up, she approached him, ignoring his narrowed eyes of suspicion.  "No whores allowed on t' ship." He said coldly once she was within hearing distance.

     Cinnia bit together, such a comment hurt.  It only brought her thoughts back to her mother.  "I'm far from being a whore." She snapped back.

     The pirate snorted. "'O course ye are." His voice dripping with sarcasm, "Well then, no women on board."

     "I'd like to see your Captain." Cinnia said, ignoring his remark.

     "All 'o ye women do, don't ye? He pays well, I'm sure." He said, chuckling to himself.

     "Where is he?" Cinnia continued to press.

     The pirate stopped grinning.  "I said, no whores on board, lass. Now run off, me patience is bein' wasted."

     Cinnia's jaw clenched.  Taking a long stride, she sidestepped the pirate onto the deck and turned to him again, standing her ground.  "Now look here, that's tresspassing."  He said, drawing out a short blade.

     "You would know all about trespassing, wouldn't you?  It's how you make your living.  Don't be hypocritical." Cinnia replied tauntingly.

     "Don't confuse us with the southern scum.  And don't pretend ye know the ways of us pirates." He said hotly.

     "I know more than you think." Cinnia challenged.

     "Do ye now?  Wouldn't ye then know the most obvious rule?  Do not  step on to another Captain's ship unless ye have his permission or ye're provoking war."

     "I'm not another Captain."

     "It applies to everyone," He explained as his smile grew deeper and his eyes colder, "Especially to whores."

That had been Cinnia's last straw.  In a swift movement, she reached into her leather boot and pulled out the little gun she's stolen from her mother and pointed it towards the pirate.  Her eyes narrowed, "I said, I'm not a whore!"

The pirate looked at the gun in her hand with complete surprise.  Cinnia half expected him to attack, and half to back down, but she surely wasn't prepared for such a heartily laughter.  He laughed so hard that he had to drop his sword and hold on to the edge of the deck to steady himself.  Cinnia didn't understand, she'd meant to intimidate, not to joke.  "What's all this about, Keele?" Came a booming voice from behind her.  A large man in a red waistcoat eyed her with interest and suspicion as he stepped out of a doorway.  The black hair on his masculine chin matched the bushy eyebrows, and both were streaked with gray from age.  Beneath those sat a pair of perplexing grey eyes and a wide nose.  Cinnia guessed this man was just over fifty.

     "Are you Captain Gambara?" Cinnia asked after finding her voice.

     "That I am, and ye?" Said the Captain with narrowed eyes.