Pirated Away
Sofia and Madeline were with Amber in the sitting room. Amber was looking through her telescope.
"Oh, this is so frustrating!" Amber groaned. "I've been waiting for this day all year, and now it's ruined!"
"What's so special about today?" Sofia asked.
"Tonight is the Minotaur Meteor Shower." Amber announced. "It's the biggest meteor shower of the year."
"A meteor show?" Madeline smiled. "You mean 'shooting stars'?"
"Can we watch it with you?" Sofia asked.
"Not unless these clouds go away." Amber frowned, looking at the cloudy skies.
"What if we went sailing to find clear skies?" Madeline suggested, peering through the telescope. "Look out into the distance."
Amber took a look, and saw the ocean.
"Oh, the cloudless sea!" She smiled. "Great idea, Madeline. The skies are always clear there."
"Let's go ask mom." Sofia declared.
"Do we have to?" Amber sighed.
"Of course." Madeline nodded. "I'm sure she'll say 'yes'."
However, Miranda's answer was...
"No." Miranda shook her head. "Absolutely not."
"No?" Sofia frowned, as Miranda walked down the stairs.
"Told you so." Amber sighed. "No matter what I ask, she always says 'no'."
"Amber, wait!" Madeline urged.
Sofia and Madeline slid down the bannister and caught up to Miranda.
"Mom, Amber really wants to see the Minotaur Meteor Shower." Sofia declared. "It only comes one night a year."
"I'm sorry, but can't let you go on a sailing trip all by your selves at night." Miranda told her.
"But we're older now." Madeline pointed out. "And much more experienced."
"We've been on lots of adventures." Sofia added. "I think we can handle a little sailing trip."
"You're not as grown-up as you think." Miranda chuckled.
"But mom-" Madeline started.
"I'm sorry, girls." Miranda said firmly.
"Amber's going to be so disappointed." Sofia sighed.
Shortly after, Amber was lying on her bed, Sofia and Madeline beside her.
"She does this to me all the time!" Amber pouted.
"Mom's just trying to protect us." Madeline told her.
"I don't need protecting." Amber insisted. "And I'm tired of being told what to do! She treats like... children!"
"Well, we are children." Sofia pointed out.
"We are old enough to do things without constant mothering." Amber growled. "Especially from someone who isn't even my real mother!"
"But she is your real mother." Madeline declared. "Just like dad is our dad."
There was a knock at the door, and Miranda entered the room.
"Amber?" She noticed Sofia and Madeline there. "Oh! Girls, I've been thinking. I was worried about letting you go alone. But what if I go with you? We could have a nice day on the water, and then we could watch the meteor shower when it gets dark."
"Great idea, mom." Sofia smiled. "Right, Amber?"
"...Alright." Amber sighed. "If that's what it takes."
Some time later, they were riding a boat out into the sea.
"There it is!" Madeline smiled. "The cloudless sea!"
"Meteor shower, here we come." Amber grinned.
As Miranda looked around, she saw another ship in the distance, and gasped.
"Sorry, girls, change of plans. Hold on." She turned the wheel, making the boat change course towards the ship. "Coming about!"
"Wait, wait." Amber frowned. "Where are we going?"
"That looks like a ship in trouble." Miranda declared.
"I see the ship." Amber noted. "But I'm really not seeing the 'trouble' part."
"I think they're stuck on a reef." Miranda mused. "Girls, what's the number one rule of the sea?"
"Always help a ship in need!" Sofia announced.
"Very good, Sofia." Miranda nodded.
"But we don't know they're in trouble." Amber pointed out. "They're not sending out a signal."
"It never hurts to check." Miranda insisted. "Sometimes, people are afraid to ask for help."
"Or maybe they don't need help." Amber retorted.
"Help!" A voice from the ship cried out. "Ahoy there! Heeeelllp!"
"Here, put your lifevests on." Miranda handed the girls some vests.
Moments later, they neared the ship.
"Ahoy there!" Miranda called to a man on deck. "Are you in trouble?"
"Can't ye see we've been stranded on a reef?!" The man waved a hook at the rocks below.
"Can we give you a tow?" Miranda offered.
"What?" The man frowned. "I already have ten toes! Don't need any more!"
"Mr Captain, what my mother meant was... can we pull your ship free?" Madeline asked.
"Finally, a helpful idea." The Captain nodded.
"Sofia, take the wheel." Miranda instructed. She grabbed some rope. "I'll throw you a line!" She told the Captain.
"Mother, are you sure about this?" Amber asked.
"Amber, it's our duty to help." Miranda declared. "We'll just pull them free, and be on our way."
Miranda threw one end of the rope toward the ship.
"Catch!" She called. After the Captain caught it, she added "Now take this line, and attach it to the cleat on the bow!"
"The what on the where?" The Captain frowned. "What's ye talking about?"
"The cleat!" Miranda repeated. "Up front. the bow!"
"Ye heard the lady!" The Captain declared. "Tie it up there!"
A crewmember lowered down on a rope.
"Aye-aye, Captain!" He took the rope Miranda had thrown, and swung over to the bow, tying it in place.
Miranda returned to the wheel, and moved the royal boat forward.
"Good." She nodded. "Now, as soon as you're free, cast off the line!"
Little by little, the royal boat managed to pull the ship free of the reef.
"There she goes! There she goes!" The Captain cheered.
"Yes, you've got it!" Miranda called. "Now, cast the line!"
"Crash the swine!" The Captain declared.
"Trash the grime!" One crew member yelled.
"Smash the mine!" A second called.
"Mom, I don't think they got it." Madeline frowned.
"Captain, drive to port, drive to port!" Miranda called.
"Stop talking gibberish!" The Captain shouted. "I can't understand ye!"
"Turn left!" Miranda urged.
The other ship turned too late, and rammed into the royal boat, knocking over the sails and making a hole in it.
"No look what you've done!" The Captain growled. "You wrecked our ship."
"Your ship is fine!" Amber yelled. "We're sinking!"
"Well, you should have watched where you were going!" The Captain retorted.
"Girls, up here." Miranda urged. "Be careful."
"Ye best come aboard, me hearties." The Captain threw down a rope ladder.
"Mom, what should we do?" Sofia asked.
"We have no choice." Miranda sighed. "We have to abandon ship."
"Unbelievable." Amber scowled. "This day is totally ruined!" She climbed up the ladder. "Now our boat is sinking, and I will never get to see the meteor shower. All because we had to stop and help a bunch of clumsy-"
"Yes, indeed." The Captain smirked. "Piratties."
"I think he means 'pirates'." Sofia frowned.
"Girls, get behind me!" Miranda urged. "Listen, Captain-"
"Quivers!" The Captain finished.
"Captain Quivers." Miranda nodded. "We don't want to get in the way. "If you could just sail us back to Enchancia..."
"That won't be possible." Quivers declared.
"But Mr Captain Quivers, we rescued you." Madeline pointed out.
"Nay, 'tis we who rescued you." Quivers countered. "You're part of me crew now. And pirate rule number one says: Nobody gets off me ship until we find the treasure we seeks."
"Uh-huh." Miranda frowned. "And how long will that take?"
"Hard to say." Quivers shrugged. "We've only been lookin' for fifteen years."
"Fifteen years?!" The girls all gasped.
"Off we go, boyos!" Quivers called. "Now, slice the hails! Welcome aboard the Misfortune, ladies. You be one of us now!"
"Ha-ha!" A parrot cawed. "Misfortune! Misfortune! Ha-ha!"
"Don't worry, girls." Miranda whispered. "I will find a way to get us home."
"Anchors aflame!" Quivers called.
As the ship started moving, it was pulled to the side, since it's anchor was still embedded in the reef.
"They don't seem very good at this..." Sofia mused.
"Ready the net, boyos!" Quivers called, as the anchor started to twitch. "Here she comes!"
The anchor burst out of the reef and flew toward the ship.
"Duck!" Amber yelled.
The anchor crashed onto the deck, making a hole.
"Oh, that can't be good!" Quivers chuckled.
"They are the worst sailors I've ever seen!" Amber declared.
"Maybe that's how we're going to get home." Miranda smiled. "These pirates may not know how to sail, but we do. We'll get them to their treasure, and then they'll take us home."
"That could take forever." Amber frowned, and Miranda walked away. "There's got to be a better way."
"Come on, Amber." Madeline told her. "Mom knows what she's doing."
"It was mom who made us stop and tow this ship off the reef!" Amber reminded her.
"Amber, she was just trying to help some sailors." Sofia retorted.
"These aren't sailors, Sofia." Amber growled. "They're pirates!"
"Captain Quivers." Miranda approached the wheel. "Tell us about the treasure we're hunting."
"We seek the Golden Maiden of the Seventeen Seas!" Quivers announced.
"And I think we can help you find it." Miranda smiled.
"Well, we don't be needing your help!" Captain Quivers declared.
The boat suddenly started rocking.
"Wrong way!" One crew member yelped.
"Look out!" Captain Quivers cried.
One of the crew was thrown forward and into a barrel.
"I'm in a barrel!" He groaned, as he rolled across the deck.
"I'll make you a deal." Miranda announced. "We help you find the treasure, and you take us home."
"Our mom is an excellent sailor." Madeline smiled.
"Are you saying I'm not?!" Captain Quivers growled. as he stepped forward, his foot got caught in some rope, and he got pulled upwards. "Ahhh!"
"That's what she's saying!" The parrot squawked.
"Very well then, it's a deal." Captain Quivers declared. "Now cut me down, you scallywags!"
Shortly after, Miranda was at the wheel.
"Lower the mizzen and hoist the main!" She called out.
"Wait a minute!" Captain Quivers scowled. "I be the captain, and I be givin' the orders around here!"
"Be my guest." Miranda declared.
"Err... do exactly what she said!" Captain Quivers yelled.
"So, Mr Captain Quivers, who is this Golden Maiden?" Sofia asked.
"She be not a 'who', she be a 'what'." Captain Quivers declared. "She be an enchanted figurehead."
"For the front of the ship?" Madeline inquired.
"Aye." Captain Quivers nodded. "Just say your destination in the Maiden's ear, and she'll magically guide your ship there."
"So, Captain, how do you hope to find the Maiden?" Miranda asked.
"There be an ancient shanty that tells ya where to find the Golden Maiden." Captain Quivers revealed. "It were passed down through the generations from me great-great-grandpappy."
"So where's the treasure, then?" Sofia urged.
"That, I cannae tell ya." Captain Quivers declared. "But I can sing it!"
Captain Quivers: There are many things we don't do well
Yellowbelly: Can't swab the deck
Wrong Way: Or ring a bell
Captain Quivers: Or navigate by stars at night
Pirate: And Wrong Way can't tell left from right
Wrong Way: Tis true
Captain Quivers: But all our troubles would be past
If we could find one golden lass
To guide us on our pirate quest
And lead us home at last
All: We seek a lovely maid
Golden locks and eyes of jade
Many years we've been searching in vain
Still we sail across the waves
For a treasure that we crave
Captain Quivers:When we find her
We'll be never lost again
All:When we find her
We'll be never lost again
Captain Quivers: Listen well and I'll sing for you
The very firstest treasure crew
Pass the snores of Old Argyle
Then stay on and in a little while
A bigger challenge ye shall face
The kind that sets your heart to race
Stick your courage to the boards
And sail through the Sea of Lemming Hordes
All: We seek a lovely maid
Golden locks and eyes of jade
Many years we've been searching in vain
Still we sail across the waves
For a treasure that we crave
Captain Quivers:When we find her
We'll be never lost again
All:When we find her
We'll be never lost again.
Captain Quivers: The next clue is the hardest yet
That leads you to a fearsome threat
Aim yer prow ye filthy rubes
Right through the Streams of Cloating Flubes
And closer now yer treasure be
When the full moon rises undersea
In the weaving part of the loom
Year treasure lies within a watery tomb
All: We seek a lovely maid
Golden locks and eyes of jade
Many years we've been searching in vain
Still we sail across the waves
For a treasure that we crave
Captain Quivers: When we find her
We'll be never lost again
All: When we find her
We'll be never lost again
Captain Quivers: Tough tides will turn
All: Other pirates and ships be tossed
When we find find her
We'll be never lost again
Never lost again
"The words to this song don't make any sense!" Amber frowned.
"'Cloating flubes'?" Miranda declared. "'The weaving part of the loom'? I've never heard of any of these places."
"Me neither." Madeline nodded.
"That makes four of us." Sofia sighed.
"This is hopeless." Amber groaned. "We're never going to get home. We have to find another way."
"Let's just work on figuring out the song's lyrics." Miranda stated. "They must be clues to where the treasure's hidden."
"What about that boat?" Amber pointed to a small rowboat. "We could sneak off when they're not looking."
"A rowboat?" Miranda frowned. "I don't know, Amber. That doesn't look too sturdy. Let's just stick to the plan."
"The plan is going to take forever!" Amber groaned. "The meteor shower will be over by then! Unless..."
"There is something familiar about 'the Snores of Argyle'." Madeline mused.
"Really?" Miranda asked.
"I think Maddie's got something there." Sofia nodded.
"You know how Captain Quivers always mixes up his words?" Madeline urged. "The 'Snores of Argyle' sounds like the Shores of Shark Isle. I think he mixed up the words!"
"There's Shark Isle right now!" Miranda pointed to a nearby island."
"What? Where?" Captain Quivers asked. "Well,knock me down like a feather!"
Meanwhile, Amber sneaked over to the rowboat.
"And there's my escape." She smiled.
"Don't you think we should get closer, and sail past the shores, like the song said?" Miranda suggested.
"Ye heard the lady!" Captain Quivers told his crew. "Turn this ship... erm..."
"Hard to port!" Miranda announced.
"Aye-aye!" The crew nodded... before scratching their heads in confusion.
"Port is left, starboard is right." Miranda told them.
"Oh-ho-ho, right!" Yellowbelly smiled.
"No, left!" Wrong Way countered.
"Taught 'em everything they know." Captain Quivers said proudly.
"That explains a lot!" The parrot squawked.
"Let's work on the next clue." Sofia suggested.
"Sing it for 'em again, boyos!" Captain Quivers instructed.
As they started the music, Yellowbelly saw Amber trying to lower the rowboat.
"The wee lass is getting away!" He yelled.
"The wee lass is getting away!" The others sang.
"Those be not the words!" Captain Quivers frowned, as Miranda and the girls ran over.
"Those be not the words!" The others sang.
"No, the wee lass is gettin' away!" Yellowbelly drew his sword.
"Ah, the wee lass is gettin' away." Captain Quivers noted. "Bring her in, boyos!"
"There she goes!" Yellowbelly declared, as the boat lowered into the water.
As Amber tried to row away, a leak sprung in the rowboat, and it started sinking.
"Uh-oh!" Madeline frowned.
"Oh, no, no, no!" Amber tried to row away.
"Amber, catch!" Miranda threw a life preserver into the water.
Amber grabbed onto the life preserver, and sighed.
Shortly after, Captain Quivers made Amber mop the deck.
"Swab the deck, ye lassy, or it's the brig for ya!" He ordered.
"Amber, why didn't you go with the plan like I asked?" Miranda frowned. "We were just starting to gain the pirates' trust. Now I've got to go smooth thing over."
Miranda approached the wheel.
"Captain, you have to admit, we found the first clue to the treasure: the Shores of Shark Isle." Miranda pointed out.
"And yer wee lass tried to trick us!" Captain Quivers growled.
Suddenly, there was a strange noise.
"What was that?" Miranda frowned.
"Amber, you have to listen to mom." Sofia declared.
"Mom got us into this trouble in the first place!" Amber scowled.
"She's just trying to take care of us." Madeline told her.
"I can take care of myself." Amber insisted.
"Look out!" Miranda yelled, pushing the girls out of the way, just before a swordfish landed on the deck.
"Flying fish!" Wrong Way called out, as more followed.
"Madeline, you were right!" Miranda admitted. "He's got the words all wrong. That's not the Sea of Lemming Hordes, it's the Sea of Swimming Swords!"
More swordfish leapt into the ship.
"Man yer stations!" Captain Quivers yelped.
"Look out!" Amber cried out.
Captain Quivers got his foot stuck in Amber's bucket.
"Hit the deck!" He called.
"They be ripping the sails!" One pirate called.
"I'll protect the sails." Miranda declared. "Sofia, Madeline, steer us out of here!"
"Got it, mom!" Sofia and Madeline said together.
Sofia and Madeline ran to the wheel, and starting turning it.
"Amber, fend them!" Miranda instructed.
"Me?!" Amber gaped.
Miranda climbed up the sails and batted away the swordfish. Amber did the same below.
"You are messing with the wrong princess!" She swung the broom.
"Hold that line!" Miranda told the pirates. "Keep that sail tight!"
"Aye-aye, captain lady!" The crew nodded.
Finally, they moved away from the swordfish.
"They're gone!" Amber sighed with relief. "I think we made it."
"We just completed the first verse of the treasure song!" Sofia declared.
"Yeah!" Madeline nodded. "'Sail past the Shores of Shark Isle and through the Sea of Swimming Swords! Wasn't that exciting?"
"About as exciting as a cask of sea water." Yellowbelly scowled.
"I think I got the next verse, too." Sofia announced.
"The one about 'coating flubes'?" Miranda asked.
"Let's hear it." Madeline urged.
"'Coating flubes' is really 'floating cubes'." Sofia revealed. "Icebergs!"
"Of course, the Icy Sea!" Miranda smiled. "Sail north by northwest, girls!"
"Aye-aye, captain mom." Madeline nodded.
"But what about the meteor shower?" Amber frowned.
"Amber, you and I will go up to the crow's nest to watch for icebergs." Miranda declared. "Sodfia and Madeline, stay on the wheel and follow our directions."
"Ahem." Captain Quivers growled. "This still be my ship, and I still be givin' the orders."
"My apologies, Captain Quivers." Miranda handed him his hat. "Would you rather navigate the Icy Sea yourself?"
"Uh-oh." The parrot landed on Miranda's shoulder. "Icy Sea. Certain doom!"
"Er... please, by my guest." Captain Quivers bowed. "And that's an order!"
Soon after, Miranda and Amber were in the crow's nest.
"Keep a sharp eye out for icebergs." Miranda instructed, handing Amber a telescope. "If we hit one, it could be bad."
"We wouldn't have to go through any icebergs if you'd just listen to me." Amber pouted. "We could have escaped in that rowboat!"
"Amber, it wasn't safe." Miranda reminded her.
"And we wouldn't be stuck on this ship if you hadn't made us stop and help these pirates!" Amber continued.
"Okay, that might not have been the best decision." Miranda admitted. "But I'm doing the best I can."
"Why didn't you just let us go along with the first place?" Amber frowned.
"I was just thinking of your safety, Amber." Miranda replied. "That's what moms do."
"Icebergs!" Sofia yelled suddenly.
"Dead ahead, off the bow!" Madeline added.
"head to port!" Miranda instructed.
Sofia and Madeline turned the wheel quickly. The ship turned, but came dangerously close to another iceberg.
"Not good!" Wrong Way cringed.
"You can say that again!" Another crew member nodded.
"Starboard!" Miranda called.
They dodged the second iceberg.
"Port!" Miranda ordered.
"Iceberg, dead ahead!" Yellowbelly yelled.
"Starboard!" Miranda called.
As they turned to avoid another iceberg, Amber fell out of the crow's nest, and on a ledge on the iceberg.
"Amber!" Miranda cried.
"Fancy girl overboard!" Wrong Way yelled.
"Wait!" Amber yelled, as the ship continued. "Come back! Come back!"
"Amber!" Miranda called, on a lower ledge.
"Mom? Mom!" Amber smiled. She climbed down lower. "Here, take my hand!"
Amber pulled Miranda up, and they hugged.
"I'm sorry, mom!" Amber apologized. "I didn't mean to act that way! Sometimes, I can be so... selfish. I'm sorry."
"I know." Miranda nodded. "And I'm glad you told me how you really feel. You girls are growing up so fast. I guess I need to learn how to let you."
"Sorry I got you stuck on an iceberg." Amber said sheepishly.
"Don't you worry." Miranda smiled. "Sofia and Madeline will turn that ship around and be back for us in no time."
Back on the ship, it wasn't that easy.
"Go back into the icebergs? Not a chance!" Captain Quivers growled.
"But mom and Amber are stuck there!" Madeline protested.
"We have to go get them!" Sofia added.
"No more icebergs!" Captain Quivers declared. "Set sail for... what be the next clue, little ladies?"
"The next clue is to 'head for the weaving part of the loom'." Madeline recalled.
"You must know where that is, right?" Sofia smirked.
"Hmm... nobody said anything about a pop quiz!" Captain Quivers frowned.
"I'm pretty sure it's a constellation." Madeline mused. "But nobody knows the stars better than our sister, Amber!"
"So if you want to figure out the next clue, you have to help us rescue her and our mom." Sofia added. "They'll take us straight to the Golden Maiden, just saying..."
"Oh, alrighty." Captain Quivers groaned. "Have it your way. And that's an order!"
"Bring her about!" Madeline instructed.
"Aye-aye, princess!" Yellowbelly nodded.
Back at the iceberg, Amber and Miranda were waiting for rescue.
"Mom, do parrots live on icebergs?" Amber asked.
"No." Miranda answered. "...Wait, what?"
The ship's parrot was walking on the ice above. Then the ship appeared.
"Ahoy there!" The parrot squawked. "Prepare to be rescued!"
Shortly after, Miranda was back at the wheel.
"Alright, let's find that Golden Maiden!" Amber declared. "Sing it again, boys!"
The pirates sang once more.
And closer now yer treasure be
When the full moon rises undersea
In the weaving part of the loom
Year treasure lies within a watery tomb
"'The weaving part of the loom'..." Sofia mused. "Could that be a constellation?"
"No." Amber shook her head. "There's no such thing as 'the weaving part of the loom'. ...Oh, but there is an Evening Star of Caldoon!" She pointed up at the sky. "Right there!"
"Well done, Amber." Miranda smiled. "We'll steer for the Star of Caldoon!"
"The song says to go through the 'whirly-burly'." Madeline noted. "What could that be?"
"It's an actual part of the ocean." Miranda revealed. "It's called the Whirly-Burly. You got that part of the song right, Captain Quivers."
"Hear that, maties?" Captain Quivers smiled. "We got it right!"
"First time for everything!" The parrot squawked.
"But you may wish you were wrong." Miranda declared, as they neared a group of whirlpools. "We're going to sail right between the whirlpools, and the spinning currents will shoot us out the other side."
"We're gonna what now?!" Captain Quivers gasped.
They sailed inbetween two large whirlpools.
"Are ye sure about this?" Captain Quivers asked.
"Amber, are you sure that's the Evening Star of Caldoon?" Miranda looked at her.
"Definitely." Amber nodded.
"Then I'm sure too." Miranda smiled. "Steady as she goes!"
"Tell me when it's over!" Captain Quivers cringed as they drew nearer.
As the ship sailed between the whirlpools, it struggled with the current, but Miranda was able to keep it steady until they finally passed through. As they continued on, they saw an island up ahead.
"Oh, look!" Amber pointed at the moon's reflection in the sea. "It's like the moon is underwater!"
"'When the full moon rises under the sea'..." Sofia started.
"The Golden Maiden of the Seventeen Seas!" Captain Quivers cheered, seeing a golden figurehead in the water. "At long last, she be ours!"
Some time later, the Golden Maiden was attached to the front of the ship.
"We'll never be lost again." Captain Quivers smiled.
"So, do we still have a deal?" Miranda asked.
"Indeed we do." Captain Quivers nodded. He leaned over the Golden Maiden's ear. "Take us to Enhancia."
"Enchancia." Madeline corrected him.
"Enchancia." Captain Quivers whispered.
The Golden Maiden started to glow, and the ship turned.
"Comin' about!" Captain Quivers announced.
As the ship carried them home, Miranda and her daughters sat in the crow's nest.
"Well, girls, that was quite a day." Miranda smiled.
"I'm really glad you came along, mom." Amber admitted.
"So am I." Miranda beamed.
"Amber, look!" Sofia pointed upwards.
A series of lights streaked across the sky.
"The Minotaur Meteor Shower!" Amber gasped. "I forgot all about it!"
"Wow, look at them all." Madeline declared.
"Thanks, mom." Amber smiled. "I didn't think this day could get any better."
"I couldn't agree more." Miranda declared.