The Tale of a Pirate: the Story of Jimmina Turney

During

I watched from my spot behind the wheel, and saw the cannons being loaded. Cannonballs dropped in, and gunpowder pressed in after them.

“We protect Captain Turney at all costs.” I whirled around to see Adain, yelling those words to the crew.

“No! You do not. You protect the ship and your fellow crew at all costs. I will go down first if it means that there will be little or no battle. It is my purpose to protect those under me; that is my first line of duty as captain.”

The men mumbled, but didn’t seem to disagree with me. They knew that what I spoke was the truth, and my duty never changed.

I looked at the enemy ship through telescope, and saw that the ship had perhaps double the men that a normal crew contained. They all held sharp blades of steel, and were preparing the cannons. The red sails with six black stripes on them meant only one thing; Undul Ezarc. Captain Ezarc of the Impiety was someone who I had met when I was a mere child, and I still had horrible memories of him. He was brutal with his crew, and had been known to cut the fingers of his crew off for talking back to him. My father had considered him a friend, and I have always considered him a monster.

A hand on my shoulder caused me to lower the telescope, and I looked into the hazel eyes of Thue. He took a deep breath, and gave me a slight smile.

“Just know whatever happens today… I love you. I respect you, not just as a captain but as a human and a woman. You have wisdom beyond your years. I love you.”

My eyes glazed over, and I kissed him, gently, and softly. I had only actually felt affection in a love way towards one person, and that person was Thue.

And within ten minutes, the Hellani was boarded. Despite the efforts of my crew, and the cannons that rocked the ship, the Hellani was overrun by vermin, for they were not men.

I held my sword up, back to back with Thue, in the center of the ship, my crew surrounding me. Ezarc walked towards us, his boots clicking on the wood, and he laughed.

“Well, well, little Turney. You don’t live up to your father’s name. You are as pretty as any ship in a port city, but you make a terrible captain. It’s a shame Hals wants me to put my blade to that pretty neck, and so I’ll make it easier on myself; you can just walk the plank.”

I was taken aback, and my sword was slapped out of my hands. I stomped my boot down on Ezarc’s heel, and he snarled. He grabbed my hair and pulled me backwards towards him, and away from my crew.

“Now, order your crew to drop their weapons, or else their deaths will be more painful than yours. Order them. Now.”

“Let me go, and I will!” I yelled at him.

He pushed me forward, away from his body, and I rolled my shoulders, trying to resist the urge to turn around and punch Ezarc in the face.

“Drop your weapons men. As my last order as your captain.”

Ezarc chuckled. “Ah, that’s the right attitude, you pretty thing!” Ezarc’s crew laughed just as loudly, and whistled.

Weapons clattered to the ground.

“STOP!” Thue screamed. The entire ship was silent. “I will NOT have you speak to my captain that way. We respect her. Let her go. Let us go. What did we ever do to you?”

“Oh, nothing, of course. You have a lot to learn, if you’re going to be a proper pirate. Unfurl the gangplank, Raldo.” Ezarc pushed me to the edge, and I started shaking. This was it. This is the end of Captain Jimmina Turney of the Hellani.

I took my first steps onto the gangplank, and then turned around to face the villainous men then were aboard my ship, and then was pushed backwards with a pike.

“Goodbye.” I whispered, directing it towards Thue.

“NO!” Thue suddenly lashed out with his sword, and sliced a few men, and then staggered back as one of Ezarc’s crew slashed him across the chest, hot red blood dripping from the wound.

At the sight of Thue hurt, the tears began to fall, slowly but then rapidly.

“Oh go. Jump, you pathetic captain!”

And so I fell into the Azure Sea, tears streaming down my face. I hit the water, and I barely registered the pain. I had failed my crew. I had failed them.

I couldn’t breathe, and my eyes stung from the saltwater, and then I hit a rock. I wasn’t underwater. I didn’t care what had happened. I failed my crew. My eyes opened, and I saw a boy staring at me. He was younger than me, and his face showed concern.

“Hi, I’m Isroth. Are you okay?”