Seven Seas (on hiatus)

Ch 1: The Gallows

Lorelei POV:

I sighed, leaning against the railing and breathing in the ocean air. "Father?"

My father looked to me, readjusting his hair and smiling, "yes Lorelei?"

"Why must I sail with you to china?"

He sighed, "you said you were bored at home helping your brother plan his wedding and we are meant to establish trade there. for the crown. I remembered how you used to love adventure so I thought to bring you along."

"Women are bad luck on ships."

"Nonsense, you could never be bad luck, not my little Lorelei."

I nodded, taking in the noise of the docks as my trunks were loaded upon the ship, "When do we leave?"

"tomorrow morn after the hanging"

My eyes fluttered closed, "very well."

A disadvantage of living in a port city was the hangings. nearly every weekend we witnessed the hanging of a pirate.

They were not all that pleasant. The pirates or the hanging of them, I was forced to get gussied up and watch some brute die as I suffocated in my corset.

It wasn't exactly my idea of a nice morning.

But it was my duty and whatnot.

I followed my father from the ship.

~~

"Poppy as I do so recall it is not your place to tell me what I can and cannot do."

The maid blinked, "but m'lady...not wearing your corset would be improper."

I sighed heavily, "would it make you feel better if I did poppy?"

The young woman nodded.

I gestured to her, "very well get on with it, suffocate me."

She curtsied and began her fussing, instant upon all the constraining parts of a woman's wardrobe.

~~

I watch the child run around her fathers legs begging to be let upon his shoulders as to better see the hanging. I looked to my brother as we were escorted to the very front of the crowd, we would be seated with our good friend the governor, it was our right as the wealthiest merchant family in all the kings lands. "I wonder brother, why is it we hang pirates?"

He looked at me briefly, "because they are the worst of criminals rolled into one, honor-less tyrants Lor. They are dangerous."

I frowned, fanning myself, "well why is it we make it sport?"

"It brings the people joy to know they are one less criminal."

I stared at the delicate lace of my fan, "but what of the pirates loved ones?"

"no one loves a pirate sister."

Well now that just seemed silly, pirates are men too no? "mother always told me as a child that where there is a man, there is a woman to love him."

"Pirates never have that."

"Are they not men?"

He held his hand out for me so I may ascend the stairs, "No Lor, they are dogs. Even if they met their right woman as mum used to say, they would not be willing to let go of unsavory activities and she would be tossed astride."

I hummed, "but if they didn't? If someone did love them?"

"then they too would face punishment."