Pirate; The Seavey Pendant

1. The Night Marauder

     "Cinnia."

     "Cinnia...?" Gambara asked, pressing for a surname.

     "Just Cinnia," She said defiantly.

     "Fatherless, I understand." He nodded with understanding.

     "I'm not fatherless, I just don't know who he is.  And I will find him someday, believe me." Cinnia snapped.

     "Lass, if he wasn't there for ye when ye were born, he isn't likely the type ye would want to know now." Gembara said wisely.

     "Don't call my father scum."

     "Don't point a gun at me." he said, nodding to the little gun Cinnia was still clutching.  Once Cinnia lowered it with a sigh, Gambara said, "There we go, much better.  Now, there must be a reason a girl like you comes storming up to my deck, what do ye want, lass?"

     This is it.  What I had actually come here for.  "I'd like to join your crew."

The pirate whom Cinnia presumed was named Keele began laughing again, possibly even harder and louder than before.  Gambara wasn't however, he was simply staring at her with even more interest than before.  "Shut it, Keele.  Now, why would a pretty girl like you want to be a pirate?"

     "I don't belong here in Dur'reth." And I want to find my father.  Cinnia kept the last part to herself.

     The Captain stared at her intently.  "There is much more to being a pirate than not belonging."

     "I can fight too."

     "Pulling a trigger isn't hard."

     "But sword fighting is.  And I can do both, just as well as any man." Cinnia argued.  When Gambara didn't answer, she continued, "I can steal too, and sneak.  I'm lighter and quicker than men."

     "Listen, girl, I don't doubt your abilities, but ye are still a girl, that much I can see.  Pirate life won't suit ye, believe me, I've sailed these waters and seen what some of these men are, and they would be more than ready to crush the spirit of someone like ye.  Now off you go, I have matters to attend to." Captain Gambara said and shooed her off the boat.  Keele smiled a taunting smile as she passed him.  She bit together and continued down the walkway.  She needed to get away from here, and Captain Gambara was her last chance.  They would soon leave, and who knew how long it would take for the next pirate ship to arrive.  Could she wait that long?

     *     *     *

Cinnia traced the details of the pendant she'd stolen from her mother's--Vivian's--drawer.  Her mother had never told her much about it, just that it had belonged to Cinnia's father, a renowned pirate.  Cinnia's logic was that she needed it more than her mother.  Or at least that's how she'd managed to reassure herself that stealing it was just, but she knew it wasn't.  She didn't think her mother was well suited for such a pendant.  All she did was whore around for money, it was the only thing she knew to do.  As a child of a whore, Cinnia knew what came with being one: A bad reputation and a lonesome life.  Who'd want to be friends with a whore's daughter?  She would be destined for whoring too, right?

The door to her little bedroom sqeaked and Cinnia quickly hid the pendant back under her shirt.  "Cinnia?" Came her mother's voice before the woman herself came into view.

     "Yes?"

     "I just--what are you wearing?  You're dressing like a boy again, please, would you change into a dress?"