Argh! Pirates!!

The night was dark and the air was thick with rain. Thunder roared through the sky making the earth cower under its ominous boom. They had been at sea for days and Anne was feeling as restless as the turbulent sea below their vessel. A gust of wind blew through whipping wet strands of her long red hair against her cheeks making her face sting. Her face was flushed red from the cold salty air as she leaned against the stern looking into the blackness of the night. No stars were out and the moon was hidden beneath the storm clouds above. Squinting she peered into the dark waters, but nothing was to be seen except for the reflection from the ships lanterns on the water.

She could hear grumblings from the hands as they labored on the ships deck, belting out an age old chantey as they worked. Privateers and the British Army had been plaguing the seas making merchant ships scarce. There had been whispers that in Asia the trade was fresh and thriving. There would be plenty of ships carrying precious cargo that would fetch a nice coin purse. Anne knew she would need to satisfy the crew’s lust for gold soon. With out pay, she would no longer have the crew she needed to sail the “The Raven”.

She could hear the ship creak and moan as the Raven plowed through the stormy sea. They would need to anchor soon or run the risk of their ship being over taken by the thrashing waters. She could hear brisk footsteps approaching and turned to face her first mate Chadwick. She turned to meet his steely gaze.

“We stop here for the night”. Her voice cut through the night air and rang with authority. Her crew never once questioned her orders. In the beginning she had proved to be a mighty Captain and her prowess at sea had earned their respect. Her father had been a Captain on a large fishing vessel and she had grown up on these waters. She knew the ocean well and had seen their ship through many storms.

Chadwick’s gaze was cold and unwavering as he gave a slight nod. Anne looked over her first mate. His hair was dark with silver threads giving the only indication of his age. He was tall and his body thick from his years of laboring on ships. His skin was weathered from salt and sun and his eyes were dark and haunting. There was emptiness in those eyes, his face always void of expression.

Just then a flash of light streaked against the night sky as fingers of lightening clawed through the darkness. The storm was picking up, the waters would be rough until morning when the weather would grow weary and the sea would again grow quiet. It was going to be a long night for the crew. Storms like these were never easy on a ship. Many strong vessels had been consumed by the sea, sinking into the cold angry waters. The wind blew strong as the bitter rain pelted against her skin and already soaked clothing making it cling to her curvaceous figure. More than once she had caught her crew admiring her soft curves, but they knew her strength and had never crossed those boundaries. She was their Captain and she demanded respect! She may be a woman, but she would not think twice before slitting a man at the throat. They had witnessed fierce battles at sea and had watched her take on the biggest of Captains, only to take him down with out effort or remorse. She was, after all, a Pirate! And a bloody one at that!