The Mermaid Sailor

[awriternamedian]

The human world was a strange place. For one, everything was so loud. Yelling, laughing, arguing. So many vibrant


emotions. Perhaps her merpeople kin could be as loud as well. Perhaps their voices were simply masked and subdued


by the water. But no, that didn't seem quite right. Her people seemed so much calmer than these humans. It was also


very odd to be dry. She couldn't stop touching her hair, which had been cut short only this morning. It had never been


short before. Normally it hug to her waist, trailing behind her like a cloud of ink. When she'd cut it, she'd found some


water to wash it in, to rid herself of the clippings. Now it had a slight bounce to it, sticking out from her head in


different directions. Dry, it felt soft and smooth.


Everything felt odd, honestly. So much different than anything under water. She touched everything, everywhere. She'd


even touched a couple of people at first, as well as their clothing, but she'd received so many strange looks that she'd


quickly stopped. No need to draw more attention to herself. She drew enough as it was, between the uncommon


paleness of her skin and how awkwardly she seemed to move around. Human legs were unwieldy.


It was her eyes though, that shocked people the most. Set above a button nose and thin lips, that gave her a look of


mischief, they were bright gold with a glow behind them. As with all mermaids, there was a distinct magic inside her.


Even for a mermaid she had a great deal, and while being in a human form dampened almost all outward effects of


it, it did escape through her eyes. Quite a bit escaped through her eyes actually. Had she realized this it would have


caused her some concern, however she'd yet to get a good look at herself as a human.


The girl, who was just barely over eighteen by human standards, though by mermaid standards she'd been an adult


for almost two years, quickly slid into a tavern, one she'd seen many sailors come in and out of. She didn't appear


eighteen though. In fact, she didn't appear female at all. She looked closer to twelve, like a young boy. It was part of


the reason she'd cut her hair short. She'd even found a pair of trousers and a cloth tunic, though both were slightly


too big. After all, she'd never seen a girl on any of the ships she'd watched. There was a much higher chance of


getting a job on one as a boy.


She'd told one of her friends her plan, the only one she trusted not to turn her in or try and stop her. Her friend of course


had told her she was mad. Insane. Crazy. Not simply the idea of placing herself right in harms way, but because she


risked revealing the most protected secret of the merpeople.


That they could take on a human form.


It was worth the risk she thought. No one would suspect a mermaid on a pirate ship. Or on any sort of ship for that matter.


Thus, it would be the safest place to hide. Not only that, but she craved adventure. Her life below the waves was stagnant,


boring. She wasn't allowed to take risks, not that merpeople took risks in the first place. Plus, perhaps she'd even be able


to save some of her kin while walking among the humans.


With that thought firmly in her mind, she steeled herself, approaching the man who seemed to be owner of the tavern.


"Hello," she said, thankful that her voice had an alto tone. Many mermaids had high, lilting voices. It made it easier to


pass as a boy. "I'm looking for work. Do you know of any ships hiring on crew?" Human speech was odd and unwieldy


as well. Thankfully, most merpeople were well studied in the human language. Know thy enemy.

 

[Aether1]

The Tavern keeper raised an eye at the young girl, surprise blanketing his face as he examined he from head-to-toe. "So ye fancy yerself a sailor, do ya lass? You don't look the seafaring type, but who am I to judge?" The man answered jovially, happily scrubbing away at a flaggorn whilst maintaining the discussion with the stranger who entered his bar not a moment ago. Officials didn't usually enter this area, it was well-protected by the local cartel, who rivaled the authorities in power; not to mention the girl looked anything but "Official-material" so what harm could come from telling her? "Well, word 'round these parts is a local Captain be lookin for a new crew, an' he ain't the legal type, if that's somethin' you fancy." He finished with a wink, fgesturing with a nod to the corner of a tavern where a man sat idly, examining what appeared to be a flintlock pistol in great detail. With a nursed mug of rum left unattended, the Captain muttered a slight curse at the bitter taste it now held; all the flavour having dissisipated due to his fascination with the now-broken flintlock, a treasured heirloom of his family for generations--and of course--he'd gone and broke it. 'You bloody fool, Jakob.' He thought absently, cursing both his position and luck. His last job was a bust, the ship was damaged beyond repair and most of his crew left below the waves, so here he was reduced to signing up any dick-and-jerry who wanted a taste of a "Pirate's Life". Today couldn't get any worse, could it?

 

[awriternamedian]

The woman inwardly muttered a few words she'd picked up from listening to sailors. She'd never seen the draw of swearing, but for some reason, it was strangely satisfying. So much for her disguise as a boy. Not even five minutes into talking to her first human and he'd already figured it out. Maybe the captian would be less perceptive. She'd never seen a girl on a pirate ship before, so she'd figured this was her only chance. Then again, maybe he'd be okay with it.


Her worries broke suddenly, and she had to resist the urge to bounce on her toes. There was a captain hiring! She'd deal with those problems when she came to them, but this was the single most important thing. She'd been prepared to wait as long as was necessary for a chance like this, and lol and behold, it had happened not even five minutes into her very first conversation. And he was a pirate! Of all her dreams of sailing on the sea, that had been the most treasured, as she believed it would be the one to hold the most adventure. And she desperately desired adventure.


She thanked the tavern keeper before turning to very carefully make her way through the busy tavern. The commotion was making it difficult for her to move on a relatively straight line. And not for the first time she cursed the damned contraptions these humans called 'boots'. Why humans felt the need to cover every part of their bodies was a complete mystery to her. It didn't help that she didn't quite have the hang of walking yet, not to mention the old boots were at least a size too big.


As she finally approached the captain's table, she started to lose her nerve. For a moment, she considered giving up this insane plan, returning home. No! She was the bravest of the merfolk! There was no way she would give up without even trying.


Taking a shaky breath, she stopped at his table and said, "I've heard you're looking for a new crew." By the great sea goddess, please let this work.

 

[Aether1]

Snapping up to the soft voice of a young man, the Captain quickly changed his formerly brooding attitude into a charismatic front. "Ah, that I am!" He replied enigmatically, raising his flaggon with a bright smile. "I suppose you'll be wanting a place, will ye lad? Well, go on, why should I accept you over all the other village boys?" The Captain questioned curiously, his eyes never leaving the mug of ale sitting flatly before him. He'd had a few drinks by now, which was likely to attribute for his oblivious realization that the boy before him was no boy but a woman. Although the statement about their being a plethora of other village boys in-line was a big fat lie, the only people who'd been interested in joining this far were lousy drunks and untalented brutes, which was a large part of the Captain's overall foul mood, it also explained his location in the bustling tavern as opposed to the docks. The real sailors wanted no part of piracy, those that did were off on some other Captain's ship.The last crew he had were a good lot, well-trained, hardened veterans of the sea; all lost due to the bloody British navy, he was lucky to escape with his own life, let alone a crew. He wore his mood on his arm though, that much was obvious with one glance at his appearance; scruffy and unkempt, with dirty skin and an ungroomed beard, he fit the bill of a homeless urchin more than a pirate captain--he was in dire need of both a shave and a bath, two things he planned to do after he had a crew.

 

[awriternamedian]

The Captain's bright response eased some of her nerves, and she found herself returning it with a nervous one


of her own. This was going to work! He thought she was a boy! She inwardly did a little dance, and her gold eyes


glowed with her excitement. Forcing herself to calm, she took a deep, steadying breath. He may have bought her


disguise, but that didn't mean her work was over. No, she still had to convince him to give her a place on his ship.


At his question, she took another deep breath. Thankfully she'd prepared a backstory for herself ahead of time,


so she wouldn't flounder about when the time came.


"I have some experience on a ship," she lied, schooling her face into a combination of excitement and nervousness,


figuring that that would be what was expected of someone in her position. It wasn't hard to do. She simply had


more at stake than most 'boys' trying to do what she was. "Not a large ship. But my father was a fisherman, and


I grew up helping him. We only ever sailed in a small bay however, and my-" She had to pause, forcing down


a different type of emotion. "My heart lies in the sea." It was honest, in more ways than this human Captain


could probably fathom.


Once again, she questioned her ability to do this, for a different reason this time. She wasn't certain if she'd be


able to handle being on the sea without being in it. Her whole being craved the water. But no. She could handle


it. She had to. She wanted this more than anything in the world. There was no excitement for her below the


waves, no adventure. Perhaps she'd eventually return to her world, once her desire for adventure had been


sated, but until then this would be her life. And it would be a good life. She was the strongest and most daring


of the merpeople. She would make this a good life.

 

[Aether1]

The Captain's formerly feigned smile broke out into something of more genuinity, his smirk now earnest and heartfelt--filled with passion and experience on a ship?--That was blessing enough given the current state of the crew, it was more than he was expecting and not much less than what he wanted. Experience was a bonus, but passions for the seas is where real legends were made, the greatest pirates and navy admirals of history all had a crew with a passion for their Captain, a passion for their ship, and most of all; passion for the waters that they called home. It was a menial fact to hold onto, no doubt. But must of the people who'd enlisted on his battered, rundown ship were glory-seeking drunks who wanted little more than easy gold, if they had no heart, they weren't good crew. Unfortunately good crew were in verily short supply, this young lad might be the only one, best to keep an eye on him.


"Your heart lies in the sea, you say?" The man questioned with a raised eyebrow, his mind already made up but allowing the consideration to last a few moments. "Well then, that's answer enough for me, we set sail at..." The Captain paused, his face an irresolute mask--he had no idea when they were setting sail! "...Dawn, roughly." He finished nonchalantly, his indecision and disorganisation hidden to the naked eye. Well, Dawn it was, it was less time than he wanted but he yearned so much to sail the waves once more. "Now, if you have any questions lad, now be the time to ask." Even half drunk a charismatic aura oozed from the man, it was clear that he cared somewhat for his new shipmates opinion, a rare trait in most pirates given their usual lack of morals.

 

[awriternamedian]

She had, of course, lied about working on a ship. She'd never even set foot on one before. However, with her


unending curiosity with humans, she'd watched and listened to them often, she had at least a working knowledge.


And besides, he had a large ship, and she'd said she'd only ever been on a small sail boat before. So that would


be helpful explanation when he saw her inexperience. And by his answer, she knew her response about the sea


had swayed him. That made her happier than she'd ever been before. Even happier than when she'd been told


she would one day be a-


Taking a deep breath, she pushed that thought from her head. That was part of her previous life. Now she was


going to be a pirate. Perhaps one day she'd return to the sea, but she didn't image she'd be welcomed with open


arms. They were a forgiving race though. And being who she was, they wouldn't have much of a choice.


Dawn. That was when her new life would start. She'd have to find some place to sleep tonight. That would be a


new experience, sleeping in her human form. At his last statement, she bit the corner of her lip, thinking. Any


questions? She didn't think so. Not any that she could think of at the moment, except maybe one.


Meeting his eyes shyly, she asked, "What should I call you?"

 

[Aether1]

Raising an eyebrow at the odd nature of the question, the Captain looked at the new ship,ate with a look caaught between annoyance and interest, it wasn't proper for a Captain to be so formal with someone so amateur, but for the boy to be brazen enough to ask the question portrayed confidence. "You call me Captain, boy." He responded authoritively, leaving no room for questioning in his voice. "Name's Ivory, Captain Ivory, to you." He continued with a smirk, taking another swig of rum and growing more sisillusioned with the alcohol flowing through his blood. Was his name 'Ivory'? Of course not, that was his piracy alias, only a fool would use their real name--not a soul did know his real name. It was better that way. Whilst not the most feared pirate on the seven seas Captain 'Ivory' had done enough to warrant a manhunt by the British, the less anyone knew of his identity the better. Luckily for him however, he was a relatively young man; the English Crown was too busy hunting the older more experienced Captains--some who commanded whole fleets--like the fabled Blackbeard.

 

[awriternamedian]

The girl nodded firmly at his response. "Yes Captain." She'd expected something of that nature. Hearing


it made everything seem more real for some reason. She was really doing it. She was really becoming


a pirate. At dawn she would start her new life, swimming with the human equivalent of sharks. And it


would be a good life. An exciting life. It was a life she couldn't wait to begin.


She grinned excitedly, her golden eyes glowing like beacons in the dim tavern. "I'll be ready at dawn,"


she assured him, strongly resisting the urge to bounce on her toes. Bounce! She never bounced!


What a strange body this was. From what she'd seen, humans didn't bounce. Or at least the male


ones didn't. Yet another thing to put on her list of 'Do Not Do', right there along with 'Do not touch


other humans' and 'Do not touch other humans' clothing'.


Taking a deep breath and forcing herself to calm down, she said, "Thank you so much for taking


me on." With one last nervous smile, she turned to leave, her mind spinning. She was a pirate now!


A mermaid pirate!

 

[Aether1]

Raising his mug clumsily, Ivory gave a half-hearted toast to the shipmates farewell, nodding his head in acknowledgement of the boy's gratitude. It was only natural to introduce the dwindling contents of his flaggon to his lips from the toast, but the rum--oblivious as it made him--did little to dim the gut feeling that this boy was special. Whilst not the most skilled pirate, Ivory's age gave much room for growth. He had grand ambitions for the future, he wished to be both respected and feared; a legend upon the seven seas! This young man had that same opportunity to grow, if his heart truly belonged to the waves then Ivory would make a legendary pirate out of him yet.
​

 
​

Not for a moment did the Captain doubt the authenticity of the claim. He could see it in those bright, pretty eyes, that same passion he too, possessed. Perhaps come dawn, it wouldn't be so bad.Sighing deeply with an eager lip of the lips, the Pirate eyed the now-enpty flaggon. Originally the plan was to drink until he could no longer walk, but plans changed. Dawn. An early start.Standing up with a stretch, Ivory nodded to the Barkeeper, "Cheers for the drinks, mate." He planned to get a decent night's sleep, Lord knows he needed it.
​

 

[awriternamedian]

She did not sleep well at all. The ground where she had curled up was hard and unyielding, despite how soft


the patch of grass she'd found was. And it didn't move. She was used to the gentle rocking of water around


her at night, soft currents swirling around her. There was none of that here. Just dry, salty air and hard earth.


It was uncomfortable, and she wasn't entirely sure how humans managed to survive this way. Though thinking


back to the few glimpses she'd seen into people's homes, there had been some sort of flat device with lots of


cloth on them and fluffy object. Perhaps that was where humans slept. It certainly looked more comfortable


than the ground.


Despite her lack of sleep, she was practically bristling with energy by the time dawn rolled around. The sight of


the sun peeking up over the water more than made up for her lousy night. It reflected across the waters of her


beloved sea, breaking the grey fog of morning with bright rays of orange and red. She'd never seen the sunrise


quite like this, and she had to wonder just what the sunset would look like from the ship once they were in open


waters.


Dusting dirt and grass from her over large clothing, she approached reached the docks just as the sun broke the


horizon. Dawn. This was it. As long as nothing went wrong between now and getting on this ship, she would


officially be a pirate. The air around her seethed with energy as she struggled not to bounce on her toes. Damn


this human form.

 

[Aether1]

Captain Ivory
​

 
​

The Next Day...
​

Sleep came easy in the overpriced but comfy bed Ivory had loaned from the Innkeep for a night, the alcohol helped sleep further, but even with a mild hangover he found himself awake well before dawn; anticipation drowning him in a mix of anxiety and excitement. His new crew was absolutely terrible, yet he would be on the waves once more. A fact worthy of celebration. Being up so early gave the man plenty of time to prepare, he even gave himself a much needed bath--twice--since the first one became muckier than swamp water, much needed indeed...
​

 
​

of course with that done it was appropriate to dress properly, equipping a pair of well-made breeches and fine trousers, accompanied by a silk shirt, the Captain striked a figure that oozed power, only aided further by his donning of a long black trench coat adorned with fancy attatchments which mirrored the heavy dark boots. As a finishing touch, he placed a strikingly simple cap upon his head, it's material woven from velvet; likely the price of his whole ship. To this day he wondered if the pirate he stole it from was hunting him... Probably.  Dressing accomplished, the man striked a confident pose for an ego-boost, it was time to inspect the sorry state of his ship, his vessel, his home.
​

 
​

The walk to the docks proved uneventful, bird song chirped silently throughout the streets, the occasional drunk woud stumble by noisily, shady figures lurked within alleys and conflict echoed from behind closed doors, but otherwise the village was peaceful; no noisy traders bartering furiously, no hammer reverberating off an anvil, a severely undermanned village watch, and most of all the still waters of the ocean near the docks. Poseidon slept well tonight, he could only hope the God remained calm when they rested firmly upon the water. Much like his ship did right this moment, its mass gently floating upon the motionless sea.
​

 
​

Inspecting the ship was--put simply--disastrous. It was far worse than he remembered, when he brought the vessel in for repair it was severely damaged but mostly clean; discounting the blood stains. Now though? The inactivity of the ship means no maintenance, the result was large clumps of moss hugging the hull like leeches, the cannons were creaky and rust clung to the metallic-shine. Though most damage was repaired, holes and cracks still infested many portions of the ship. The mast stood strong and firm, yet the sails were dirty and slightly torn. The blood stains that formerly clung to the deck were now dry and the stench was most unpleasant. Last of all was the figurehead that loomed majestically at the front of the galleon, a bare-chested mermaid fashioned out of gold-coloured iron, even now as rust and grime spoilt the pride of the vessel her features remained clear and the figurehead--despite the sorry state--still contained an exotic, unique beauty, a glory that few ships possessed.
​

 
​

With a sigh, Ivory turned from the figurehead and left the ship; his eyes gazing at the moonlit sky, there was little to do but wait for dawn. Only time would tell the merit of his decision to set sail prematurely. He could only pray it was the right choice.
​

 
​

"Alright lads, today be the day your lives change forever. I'll say this once and only once, you set one foot on my ship, you become an outlaw, a criminal..." Ivory hissed urgently to the rowdy unattractive crowd that would be his crew with a pause. Dawn had arrived. Everyone who had signed up was surprisingly here, the false allure of a Pirate's life was strong, visions of gold and plunder infected the dreams of the crowd. Bloody fools. "A Pirate!" Finishing the sentence with a boisterous roar, he threw open his arms in a welcoming gesture, causing the gathering to burst into haughty cheers and senseless flailling. Impressing a crowd of unambitious drunks and untalented land-lubbers was nothing to be proud about, but it was something. The men before him didn't look like much, because they weren't much at all; he had a hard task ahead turning these rats into proper pirates, he didn't know if he had it in him, the best he could do was try.
​

 
​

Walking onto the ship, the Captain turned to the crowd and opened his arms wide, a devilish grin breaking across his face. "Welcome lads, to the Golden Mermaid!" It was time to start his piracy anew, taking his rightful position behind the wheel the captain waited a moment for everyone to be upon the ship. Many grumbled in disappointment at the state but others seemed giddy with excitement. "Now I know she don't look like much, but this here's a Galleon, she's not the most glamorous seafaring ship but she's powerful, and now she's your home!" Ivory proclaimed matter-of-factly, an attempy to reassure any doubt the crew would be having. He'd need to assign roles, but he needed to know who was suited for what; only time would tell given the collective inexperience of his new shipmates.
​

 

[awriternamedian]

The girl quickly found herself surrounded by a crowd of men, many of whom smelled of alcohol. If this


was to be the crew she'd be sailing with, it made her a little nervous. Almost nervous enough to turn


and leave, to find a less... well, terrifying group. Granted, pirates were supposed to be terrifying, but


not quite like this she though. Most of them sneered down at her as she squirmed through the group,


trying to make it towards the front. Thus, she was one of the first people to step onto the dock. The


moment her feet hit the wood, the water around and below it started to churn, splashing up against


and over the sides a bit, as if trying to reach for her, to drag her back into it's hold.


She didn't notice however, her entire focus on the man addressing them. He was a far cry from the


Captain she'd seen last night, who'd been scruffy and unkempt and smelled of alcohol, for all that he


seemed a charismatic and intelligent human. No, this man was different. Cleaned up and striking in


his new clothes, she found that her chest seemed to flutter slightly, a soft blush crossing her pale


cheeks. Blushing! She was blushing! What was with this damned human form and it's incessant need


to be difficult? Not to mention this strange feeling in her chest. She couldn't put a name to it, as she


certainly had never felt it before, and she couldn't decide whether or not she liked it.


The strange feeling was put from her mind as his words sank in, a brilliant grin splitting her lips. She


was almost there! She was almost a pirate! All of her dreams, her planning, it was almost finally


coming to fruition. Her eyes cast across the ship admiringly, taking in both the good and the bad. It


was certainly in rough shape, but it was beautiful to her. The name of it was highly amusing though.


The Golden Mermaid. Little did he know it was about to carry a golden eyed mermaid. It seemed


almost ironic, in the best of ways. The figurehead was almost even more amusing, though she had


to admire the details of it. They'd well captured the image of a mermaid. Except, of course, for her chest.


That aspect had certainly been, ahh... embellished.

 

[Aether1]

Captain Ivery
​

 
​

With introductions out of the way, it was time to get down to business. "Oh right boys, welcome to a Pirate's life!" Ivery shouted enigmatically, his eyes scanning the assortment of men before him, "You there!" He asked curiously, eying a large man who looked built like an ox. "What's your name and your former profession?" 
​

"Name's Wilson Cap'n, I's a lumberjack." The man responded dutifully, Ivery raised an eyebrow, a lumberack was a relatively respectable trade. Inexperienced as the man might be upon se,a he had the size and strength to be useful, and came from a trustworthy background compared to the rest. It was a good start, Ivery would have to teach him him how to work mostly everything, but it'd hopefully pay off. "Wilson, raise the anchor! You're my new Boatswain, you have the deck!" Nodding curtly, the man got to work heaving the anchor from the depths of the sea, he could use the help but it was better to push the crew to their limits. That was the best way to build talent. "You three! You look fit enough." He barked once more, pointing to three scrawny yet toned men, one of which was a teenager. They had the look of runners and climbers, more likely than not criminals who'd done plenty of climbing to break and enter and running from guards. "You man the masts, now get to work, unfurl the sails!" The ship riggers were appointed, not nearly enough but it was something.
​

 
​

It was at this point he hit a road block, four people in this lot had the look of being useful, but the rest were either overweight, too skinny, or still drunk... Except the familiar golden eyes that beamed admiringly at the ship, that face was familiar... That was right, the lad he spoke too not a few hoiurs ago, the one who had a passion for the sea. The one with potential to be something great. Something was... off though, he looked different, more delicate, fairer. An odd look for an aspiring pirate, some men just did look feminine but not like that, right? "You there!" The Captain questioned, pointing at the boy with his finger outstretched. "What's your name?" He asked incredulously, squinting his eyes at the young mans face. The ship rocked gently as it finally began moving, the sails unfurling after a brief struggle from the three appointed the job. To his credit, Wilson was able to raise the anchor without aid. Unfortunately, they were lacking in a good Carpenter, Surgeon, Master Gunner and Quartermaster... He needed money to recruit such professionals, as for a First Mate... Well, trial runs were in order. First Mate's were better earned than bought. He had a very large ship and not nearly enough crew and even less able bodies to man it... This might have been a terrible idea.
​

 
​

"Aye, I remember you, say, you have experience aboard a fishing boat, do you not? Tell me, are you capable of reading the waves, of reading the seas, do you understand the words Poseidon speaks?" He interrogated curiously, he was hoping the lad's father taught him how to read the skies for weather. It wasn't perfect, but a Sailing Master was absolutely critical. Ivery could not steer the ship and keep an accurate course simultaneously.
​

 
​

 
​

 

[awriternamedian]

Almost with jealousy did the girl watch as her potential new Captain began assigning jobs to his new crew. She


watched as his eyes scanned the rest of the people in the group, and he seemed to find them wanting. Despair


curled in her chest. Would he notice her? Would he cast her off with the rest of these men? But he'd seemed so


approving the night before! She wasn't sure what she would do if he turned her down. It was possible she'd


return to the sea if that were to happen. The devastation that would come from that may have been too much,


even for her.


She nearly jumped out of her skin when he finally called out to her, her eyes wide as they met hers. She had


a brief moment of panic as he asked for her name, lasting long enough that he was able to get out the rest


of his question. Forcing herself to calm down, she remembered that she had planned for this.


"It's Cyreus, Captain," she lied. Her true name was Nerissa, but not only was that a female name, it also


sounded like something a mermaid would be called. Both of which were bad ideas. No, she quite liked the


name Cyreus. As for his other questions, "Yes Captain, I have some experience." Yet another lie. But she'd


watched them often enough that she had at least a working knowledge of them. The last of his questions


put a wide grin on her face.


"I have intimate knowledge of the sea," she responded proudly, hoping that that didn't seem like too much


of a strange answer. "I know how to read it, to understand it. My father always told me I had a knack for


knowing it before it knew itself." She bit her lip. This was mostly truth. Her father had said no such thing,


however it was a common ability for mermaids. Though, most of them were not nearly as talented as she


was. She'd always been special when it came to such things.

 

[Aether1]

Captain Ivory
​

"That so?" Cyreus, a strong name. A proud name. "Well Mister Cyreus, plot a course East, I assume you know how to work a compass?" The Captain asked rhetorically, tossing his own golden-plated compass to the lad for use, Ivory was more than capable of performing the task but the crew needed a job, a fishing boat was hardly comparable to a galleon upon the sea, but everyone had to have a little faith. If the boy proved unworthy of the task, then it was simple enough to reassign it. "The mood of the winds, the motions of the sea, everything around this ship is now your duty, If there's a storm coming, I want to know about it. You up for the task, lad?" Just then, the Captain nodded to nobody in particularly. All things considered, it was going relatively well. "Righty-ho lads, enough idling! If you want to reap the treasures of a Pirate's life, you need to work for it! Anyone with no given task, swab the deck, double-time!" Ignoring the groans and mumbles of those assigned to the arduous cleaning duty, Ivory pointed to his appointed Boatswain, the lumberjack. "Mister Wilson, you overseer this unruly lot, any man doesn't put his back into cleaning my ship, you bring them to me!" It was a good tactic, giving Wilson--the most intimidating man of the crew--an early position of power was a good way to secure his loyalty, and hopefully the cooperation of the rest. Even now pride was evident on the lumberjack's face, Ivory expected to have secured the man's total loyalty within a month.

Several Hours Later...
​

 
​

The Golden Mermaid glided effortlessly across the sea's erratic waves, grumbles, chuckles, and folk song echoed across the Galleon in equal measure. It would be days before the ship's deck was free of rot, moss and dried up blood, but the progress so far was good. Nobody had slipped up as of yet, in-part due to the leadership from Ivory, and in-part due to the terrifying glare Wilson was capable of mustering. The crew feared him, and rightly so, he had arms the size of the same tree trunks he'd spent his life chopping with a looming size to match. Wilson and Cyreus were only two crewmen, but they were invaluable; though inexperienced they showed enlightening potential and commitment. Ever since Cyreus had been appointed Master Sailor, the ship had remained on a steady course for hours, it was eery, astonishing, even frightening, how in-tune with the sea the boy was. Ivory considered himself a master of navigation but his ability to read the skies paled in-compariosn to Cyreus. Not more than a few minutes ago did the boy warn of an increase in tidal waves with no clear sign, now the ship floated atop aggressive water spashing violently against the hull. The riggers too, proved to do their job well. Despite there only being three for a ten man job, it only took a few demonstrations from their Captain for the trio to pick up the art of handling the rigging naturally. He hardly expected them to handle the sails and mast as well in a battle or storm, but for the steady(ish) waters they sufficed.
​

 
​

The goal now was simple, they were sailing the English Channel for any sign of French, Spanish or English merchant vessels. They'd stear well clear of any ships of threat, a Galleon was more than capable of decimating a few Frigates, but not with the current state of the ship and crew. "Cyreus!" Ivory shouted, motioning to the distant sea. "Keep your eyes peeled for other ships." A good eye for the weather hardly equated to hawk-eyed vision, but it was worth mentioning nonetheless. He had already parted temporarily with his compass, Ivory had little intention of parting with his spyglass too.
​

 

[awriternamedian]

The girl had to suppress a squeal of excitement as she caught the compass. She'd done it! She was officially a


pirate now! Though, to be honest, she had absolutely no idea how to work a compass. She'd certainly handled


them before, as one always found odd human things in the sea, but they hadn't really worked under the water.


Holding it in her hands she quickly determined it's use, and smiled amusedly. While this would certainly be a


necessary tool for humans, who were not originally meant to be on the sea, Nerissa could navigate fine without


it. After all, merpeople had no such devices, and yet they still managed to get around fine. Still, she couldn't


allow him to know that.


As she attempted to find a good place on the ship to work, her eyes had at first climbed up the the crows nest.


She believed this was where she'd seen many humans before, but the thought of being so high up made her


swallow nervously. Heights were for birds, not merpeople. The thought of falling from such a place made a


shudder run down her spine. Not to mention, with how awkward she was with her human form, she doubted


she could even make the climb. Eventually she'd found a place at the front of the ship, nearly hanging over


the figurhead, the closest place she could find to the water and still be able to see clearly where they were


headed. From there she watched, thrilled with the way the ship cut through the water, the way the wind


whipped her short hair around her head. The sea had been kind to them for the most part, Cyreus only


needing to call out when they started to veer off course a bit.


They were in a bit of a rough patch right now, the sea thrashing around them angrily. It wasn't so much angry


as it was frustrated, and she whispered down to it in her language, hoping to soothe the waves back to their


prior contentedness. Her kind were able to speak the language of the ocean, and while she was unable to


use her magic in this form, that language was still very much a part of her being. Her eyes glowed as she


whispered, the magic inside her rolling in just as much frustration as the waves, demanding to be let out and


finding no other outlet than her eyes.


The sound of her assumed name made her turn, gaze landing on the captain. She smiled brightly at his order


and nodded. "Yes Captain!" She shouted back before turning back to the sea. While she would most likely be


unable to see any such ships coming, she'd most likely feel them sliding through her beloved water. She only


wished she could touch the water, could feel it wrap around her. She missed rolling in it's currents. However,


she'd found that while nothing could replace it's embrace, being on a ship came close. She'd immediately


taken to it's slow rocking, the one thing her human legs could finally find purchase on. It wasn't the same


as rolling in the currents, but it was pretty damn close, and that was enough to have her glowing with


pleasure.

 

[Aether1]

Captain Ivory
​

 
​

Nightfall
​

 
​

The glistening sun that once shone brilliantly off the ocean's furious waves was now swallowed by the hauntingly beautiful darkness of the night sky, the waves were motionless and calm in their mannerisms, so much so that the ship glided gently across the open water with little-to-no conflict with the sea. It was peaceful, relaxing, cosy. Homely, even. A unique silence swamped the crew as everyone seemed to revel in the brief wonder of the starlit sky which crystalized the shining blue waters below them. Ivory's hand rested idly on the wheel, his eyes glued to the astonishing view, his features were fixed  into a bright, pleasant smile and he didn't even realize his own gentle nodding. A slight breeze whistled by, carrying with it the unique scent of seawater; the only smell that could be both refreshing and annoying simultaneously, luckily for him, right now it proved to be the former. This was living, the short moments of amazement which decorated a lifespan in haphazard fashion. The treasure was nice, the fame, too. But just being upon the waves, that's where the real joy was. It made a man who'd spent his life upon the sea wonder, what lay beneath that thick blue layer of ocean, what secrets littered the unexplored?
​

 
​

Of course, such secrets remained hidden for good reason. How many aspiring, brave young men met their end in the pursuit of misguided glory? Hundreds, if not thousands. The seas were home to far more than Pirates, for far longer, too. Sirens, Leviathans, Cursed Ships and Poseidon himself, to name a few. Unclipping the spyglass from his waist, Ivory found his eyes analysing every star, every movement in the waves, with rapt attention. It seemed fitting to get a closer look, if you didn't star gaze as a Captain, you were no Captain. The view was nothing short of breathtaking, slowly did his rough hands guide the spyglass from right to left, all the while his mouth twisted into awe and amazement...
​

 
​

...Until the unmistaken silhouette of a small Corvette unfurled from the distant fog, lowering the spyglass with caution and excitement battling for control, the Captain turned hastily to the crew. Keeping his voice less booming, for fear of disturbing the sea's peace. "Merchant corvette, couple o' hundred feet starboard, raise the sails, all hands load cannons!" Ivory ordered with desperate urgency, his hands whitening as the grip upon the wheel tightened. A Galleon could sink a thousand corvettes without so much as a dent, but this was their first opportunity for loot since they'd set sail. "Cyreus, keep us on course to that ship, don't lose it!"
​

 

[awriternamedian]

The stars looked amazing. Even though her skin had began to burn and itch from being out in the sun all day,


It was worth it to have this view. She'd always technically been able to see the sky like this from the water, but


for some reason it was even more magnificent when seen from this ship. Perhaps it was just the love that she


had already formed for The Golden Mermaid just making everything more beautiful. It was a good possibility.


Simply being on this ship beat out almost every experience she'd had below the waves. Almost. There were


of course a few that still glowed in her mind, never to be topped.


With a sigh she stood and stretched her thin form, running her fingers through her hair and marveling at the


texture and length. She did miss her long hair something fierce, but this was quickly forming a place in her


heart. It reinforced the knowledge that she had become the very first mermaid pirate. Just thinking the words


had her bouncing on her toes, and for once she allowed it, knowing she wouldn't easily be seen all the way


up here, especially as everyone seemed focused on either the sky or their duties. She wasn't terribly worried


about her own. She'd kept them on perfect track the entire day, even when wave rocked against their ship,


attempting to toss it around. Thankfully she knew that these were natural, not caused by her kin.


Her whole body stiffened, feeling a disturbance in the water only moments before the Captain called out.


Another ship! They were coming up on another ship. As he threw his order at her, she quickly scrambled


into position, leaning so far over she was worried she might fall. She whispered urgently to the sea, calling


out and beseeching it to the aid them. It hesitated, and then she could feel it agree to her request, the water


rippling around their ship. Quietly, just loud enough to be heard by the captain, she called out to both him


and the sea, giving them directions to keep them on the right course. The current swirled around their ship


propelling them quickly and silently through the water, even as it began to churn around the other ship.


Suddenly, everything sank in. This was it. This was what a pirate did. They were going to sink that ship,


and many people would most likely die. Her hands began to tremble at the thought, and suddenly she


wasn't so sure she could go through with it. She'd been so focused on the glory and adventure of being


a pirate, she'd never stopped to think about what that could entail. Could she kill people? Could she help


to kill people? They were only humans, but they were still intelligent creatures. They had lives and family,


the same as her own kind.


And then her whole body lit up as if struck by lightning. There was something wrong. Something on the


other ship. She couldn't put her finger on it, but it was there, and she knew she needed to get to it.

 

[Aether1]

Captain Ivory
​

 
​

"Hahaa!" Ivory laughed boisterously, throwing his arms up in a victory motion. "Poseidon is with us today!" Luck was on their side, it appeared. The current seemed to flow direclty with the ship whilst fighting against the corvette, it was if the very stars he'd formerly stared at had aligned in defence of the Golden Mermaid. "Abandon the cannons, all hands on deck, prepare for boarding action!" There was no doubt about it, at this speed they'd have caught the smaller ship within the minute, the aid of the sea saw to that. "Draw yer cutlasses, draw yer swords an' pistols! Tonight you learn what it means to be a Pirate!" Ivory's voice bounced across the hard wood of the deck, a chorus of chants and jeers answering his proclamation. His crew had little to no experience in neither official seacombat nor boarding exercices, yet even being undermanned they outnumbered the merchant vessel 3 to 1. Besides, Ivory wagered his swordsmanship abilities far outweighed any mercenary on a corvette. "Wilson, you lead the charge onto the rear deck, take those six lads and storm the lower levels!" Whilst the Captain had complete faith in his new boatswain, the last thing he wanted was one of his most useful crew being skewered by some upjumped cook, sending him below the Corvette's deck meant he could not only secure the loot, but also cut the crew off from any tactical ambushes.
​

 
​

"Aye aye, Cap'n!" The man replied stoically, a hint of relief spreading across his face. He wasn't a fearful man, that much was obvious. But a former lumberjack likely never killed a man before, the less talented ship crew tended to come from criminal backgrounds, which was a boon in close quarters. Needless to say, it was the former criminals who'd be following their Captain first onto the ship. Giving orders to the bloodlusted crew synced quite nicely with the Galleon's pursuit of the merchant vessel, by the time he'd finished speaking the Golden Mermaid loomed intimidatingly above the corvette, an assortment of crewmen already throwing rope and grapple down to the lower ship. Walking down alongside the crew, Ivory quickly stretched his arm before the Master Sailor. "Cyreus! Stay on the ship." The man ordered quietly, Cyreus looked too young, and quite frankly too feminine looking to persuade the Captain of his use in combat. A passion for the sea and a masterful ability to read the weather was best not wasted on the end of some cutlass. "Now lads, charge the swines!" Ivory bellowed heroically, his hands grasping a rope tightly before he swooped down upon the corvette's deck, an echo of shouts and battle cries followed close behind as an assortment of former criminals landed heavily upon the deck, spurred on by their Captain, and the prospect of a Pirate's Bounty. It was why pirates were so feared, a man who fought for himself was for more dangerous than one who fought for King and country.
​

 
​

The time for thoughts was over, drawing cutlass and flintlock in each hand respectively, Ivory snarled in the direction of the opposing crew, their faces masked with terror and resilience. "Have at them!" A posh English voice called, within moments it was chaos of the best kind. Steel danced and clanged upon steel, the smell of burning gunpowder seeped through the air as the echoes of gunshots drowned out the screams of the injured and roars of the victors alike. The corvette crew had no chance, yet that didn't mean they couldn't cause more damage than they were worth. Matching blades with the ship Captain and another man, Ivory grinned maliciously. dodging back from a blindsided thrust before raising his flintlock and blasting gorily through the attackers face. Shock took the Captain, and before his senses returned a large elbow smashed into his nose, lowering the man to one knee. Ivory pressed the cutlass against his throat, a gloating look plastered across his face. "Yield." He growled, earning nothing more than a badly forced scowl.
​

 
​

Another punch to the nose soon broke the tough act away, "I yield!" The man yelled, clutching his bloodied nose hopelessly as his hands became stained. Shouts of victory filled the air and soon enough, the crew was put to work tying up their former enemies and relocating the merchandise and cargo the corvette carried onto the Golden Mermaid.
​

 
​

"Alright lads, good wo - "Cap'n! Below deck, we... its..." Wilson interrupted urgently, astonishment and confusion seemed to ooze from every facial expression he made. Despite his annoyance at the interruption, Ivory found himself more forgiving and curious as of now. What was below deck?
​

 

[awriternamedian]

Everything seemed to happen so fast after that. Fast enough that she couldn't even find time to be annoyed at


her work being mistaken for Poseidon's, though it was one of the biggest insults a merperson could face. No,


that was at the back of her mind. The rest of it was focused on the chaos aboard the ship, watching as men


drew their weapons, listening to the shouts of the excited crew, trembling from the intensity rolling off of the


Captain. This was what they were for. This was what they were waiting for. This was piracy, attacking a


vessel, robbing it, stealing it's possessions. She had wondered if she'd be able to do it.


But she couldn't wonder right now. Every atom of her being had become focused on that other ship. It was


wrong, something was wrong. Something bad. Something atrocious. She couldn't figure out what it was,


and so when the Captain threw out his arm and ordered her to stay she nearly cried out in frustration. And


so she waited, waited for them to cross, to begin their attack. Waited until they were paying no attention to


their smallest crew member. And once she decided they were distracted enough to not notice her, she


crossed.


Part of her realized as she did so that it looked as if the fighting had died down, that her crew had won. It


didn't matter though. She had to know. And the moment her feet hit the deck of the other ship, she could


hear the whispering from the hull.


There was a mermaid on board.


Nothing around her except that soft voice below her feet registered anymore. Her head fell back and she


screamed, and the sea began to rage around the ships. Wind whipped around them violently as waves


crashed into them, water spewing up over the sides. When she stopped, her eyes took in the humans,


barely recognizing them in the haze of her rage. Those eyes were wild and glowed so bright sparks


nearly flew from them. It took her only a moment to find her Captain, and then the man at his feet. She


wasn't sure how she knew, but she knew that that was the captain of this ship. That was the man who'd


captured one of her kind, who was holding her prisoner in his hull.


Before anyone could react, she'd swooped to pick up a discarded cutlass and took off in a flat run across


the deck, her feet sure despite the violent rocking beneath them. And she didn't stop until blade found it's


way into the man's chest. Only as he dropped dead did the storm die down around them, though she


stood frozen in place, her whole body still trembling but slowly calming as well. It was over. Now to free


her kin.

 

[Aether1]

Captain Ivery
​

 
​

Before Wilson could mutter a response, the sea's mood hastily changed. Great tidal waves whipped violently, thrashing and punching against the corvette with great force. The impact was enough to send many stumbling over, one unfortunate soul even tripped overboard. They'd need to fish him out... But that could wait, the next strange event to unfurl before his eyes was nothing short of bewildering. Cyreus--who had received direct orders to remain on the ship--charged the defeated Merchant-Captain,  all the while screaming like a demon-possessed, gasps and whispers erupted among the crew as the man--now sporting an embedded cutlass--choked slowly on his own blood, clawing at the air in an attemp to breathe. Courtesy of Cyreus.
​

 
​

Ivory's eyes turned from the dying Captain to the boy, his eyes blazing with fury. In one fluid motion his arm gripped the man's throat tightly, and for a moment their eyes locked. Up close, those soft eyes and the features were unmistakable.I nstantaneously, the former rage converted into a look of surprise, the Captain's posture relaxing. "You're a woman?" He asked rhetorically, his voice laced now with annoyance, instead of fury. "What fisherman's 'son' guts an unarmed man with such hate?" Ivery questioned harshly, his eyes boring down on her own. The revelation that the prodigal boy was a woman was surprising, no doubt. However, he was more focused on her recent murder and the disobediance that murder entailed. Although it was her gender which saved a more... intimidating approach by the Captain. Such as pirates were, never showing weakness, always portraying dominance; necessary methods for survival, mutiny was bad news for a Captain's life.
​

 

[awriternamedian]

Her eyes still glowed and snapped, and though she was beginning to calm, her body still practically vibrated


with the force of her magic trying to escape. Were she not in the damned human form, she could call the


seas to her bidding with force and sink this ship. And sink it she would. She would do anything against


those who would try to enslave her kin. And while merpeople were not prone to violence as the humans


were, this was the type of thing legends were spawned from. Mermaids attacking and sinking ships,


drowning all of the humans on board. She wanted to with a force she'd never felt before. She wanted


to drown every single human on this merchant vessel. The still sane part of her mind knew that were


she to try, she would send The Golden Mermaid to the bottom of the sea as well, killing her own crew


mates.


That was the thought that cleared the rage from her eyes, that allowed her to focus on her Captain. His


hand was around her throat, and it took a moment for his words to sink in. He knew now. He knew that


she was a woman. And he was pissed, obviously. Not only had she disobeyed his orders to stay on the


ship, but she'd also slain an unarmed man. She seethed with joy at his death.


"Below deck," she snarled, small hands wrapped around the Captain's wrist as if that could help protect


her from his anger. She never broke eye contact with him, even now, even though she was most likely


showing her hand. "She's below deck."

 

[Aether1]

Captain Ivery
​

 
​

At her words, Ivery's eyes flicked back to Wilson. Who in-turn gave an uneasy nod to confirm 'Cyreus' claim. Curiosity gripped his mind at the new twist presented, plenty of which had happened in the last several moments. Who was she? An enslaved woman, perhaps a girl, no more than a child? Men were capable of dark habits, and darker cruelty. Nerves tip-toed eerily across the Captain's spine, apprehension and suspense seemed to build at his endless speculation. With nothing more than a glance to the woman's delicate hands which wrapped around his wrist, Ivory pulled away with determination overpowering his senses. Pacing steadily towards the stairs, the man glanced back and shot the merchant crew a harsh look. Before allowing his feet to descend downwards, what lay below deck was nothing short of extraodinary. At first sight, relief washed over him at the sight of a large net with what at first appeared to be an oversized fish. One of which would fest an awful nice bounty.
​

 
​

Only, it wasn't a fish, far from it. Mermaids--mythical creatures--of great beauty and--some say--unparallelled magic. How a mere merchant ship came to capture such an elusive, highly-intelligent being was a mystery, but it was no secret that their rarity was a curse. The more elusive mermaids were, the harder humans hunted. Every business in existence accepted mermaids, whether it be for glorified pets, ingredients from the scales, scientific experimentation, or a variety of potentially darker reasons. Pity and sympathy flooded Ivery's system, crouching down upon both knees, his eyes glossed across the magnificent blue scales embedded across her tail, yet they were not clean. Moss and dirt clung to the tail like leeches, her skin was grimy and littered with cuts and mild bruising, inflicted by thrashing against the net. The mass of hair that sat atop her head was haphazardly stretched along her face; as if to shield her eyes from the ship's interior.  Her form remained unmoving, whether she was dead, broken, or merely terrified Ivery could not say. He was supposed to make a judgement call, yet none came to mind. How did one deal with a liberated, captive mermaid?
​

 

[awriternamedian]

Her breathing was rough and hard as he brushed away her hands. This was it. There was such a high


chance that this was going to end badly, that her secret would be revealed. But that didn't matter. The


only thing that mattered was the mermaid lying below her feet. She could hear her whispering in the


way all mermaids could hear each other, praying to the great sea goddess, praying to the sea. Not


for release, but for the peace it gave her.


As the Captain paced towards the stairs, she took a deep shuddering breath, taking a moment to


mentally prepare herself for what she was going to see. And then she was darting after him, boots


thudding against the wooden deck. There was a short pause at the top of the stairs, another deep


breath, and then she hurried down so fast she nearly fell.


At the sight of the mermaid, a pained cry was torn from her throat and tears filled her eyes. With a


loud sob she threw herself down next to the woman. As painful as it would have been to find any


mermaid in such a state, this was so much worse. Her name was Serain. While she didn't know


her well, their father's had been life long friends. She sobbed again, tearing at the net that had


captured her kin. Damn her weak human body. She was making no effort with this. It was too


heavy, Serain too firmly trapped in it.


"Help me," she cried, eyes turning up to the captain. She could barely see through her tears now.


"Please, she needs to be in the sea!" She tugged uselessly at the net, her body shaking. "Please,


she's dying!" To be honest, she wasn't sure if being in the sea would save her life. But no mermaid


deserved to die in a place like this.