Chapter Eleven: The Voyage Begins
Some weeks after Jack had died, Reanna was finally getting on her way to find the man that had killed him. He had not been seen again on the isle after that fateful morning, and Reanna burned with eagerness to find him and to make him answer for what he had done. She knew a very good place to start.
A few of the original members of the crew had left, feeling that they were unable to serve under their old captain's daughter, and Reanna said good riddance to them. They were the general trouble-makers anyway. No doubt they would join some other ill-reputed pirate ship. The only thing that had kept them aboard the Pearl this long was the fact that Jack Sparrow had either saved their lives or learned a dreadful secret about them that they wished to remain secret.
Ah well. There were some elves that were willing to join the crew, including Y'lorani. Dharketh had decided to remain behind with Arianne, and that was just as well also. Reanna knew that Arianne hadn't meant most of the things she had been saying--she was constantly drunk anymore, anyway-- and she would prefer that someone reliable stay behind to watch over her.
Haramel and Pur'a'ti had also decided to come along, much to Reanna's surprise. As far as she knew, neither of the pair had ever had anything to do with running a ship, but they were apparently willing to learn if it meant that they could stay beside Reanna. Someone, after all, had to help keep her wild magical energies under control.
Reanna was very happy that Ana Maria had chosen to stay on board as well. She was the only human female that Reanna knew--as well as the only one that Reanna cared to know--well, and Ana Maria knew nearly as much about the ship as Reanna herself did.
She felt exhilarated that she was finally going to do something. These past weeks with her mother had been exhausting as well as infuriating, especially since there was no Jack to soothe the wounds her mother's verbal arrows caused. Reanna would sleep much better at sea, and soon the sting of the cruel comments would be forgotten. What she lived through would only make her stronger, right? Well then, she should be tough as stone after the events of the past month.
And soon she would be seventeen! When the next full moon lit the sky, she would finally be seventeen. She did a quick calculation to figure out how many days were left. Nine more days. Nine more days and she would be officially considered an adult--not that she didn't look the part.
She had grown much from the skinny little girl with a black mop of hair. She was taller than a lot of women she knew--including her mother-- and no one quite knew how that had come about, as both of her parents were relatively short. She had long legs--quite good for getting a running start for a dive off of a cliff. She grinned at the horrified expression her mother had had on her face the first time she had done it. That had been five or six years ago. Even from then her figure had much improved. She had breasts--much to her dismay--which proved to be more of a hindrance to her than anything else. Her hair was long and silky, the color of a raven's wings, and when the sun shone down on it, it tended to give off a green or bluish hue. Haramel delighted in styling Reanna's hair.
She smiled wryly. Haramel wouldn't have much opportunity to play with Reanna's hair now. For the most part she would have it in a no-nonsense braid or bun to keep it off of her face. At least she wasn't going to be wearing a hat. That would have horrified Haramel more than anything.
She took a deep breath as she stood at the fore of the deck. The flurry of activity to get the ship prepared for departure had lulled for the moment, and Reanna took this opportunity to enjoy the salty breeze teasing random strands out of her braid. As she stood there, she found herself thinking of her father, and instead of feeling a well of furious mourning, she felt content. His heart would have burst with pride at seeing her captain his ship. Perhaps he did see her now, wherever he was. She smiled, happy for the first time since the day she had successfully dived from that high cliff.
Her father would be so proud.
The ship was ready. At long last, she would take the helm of this, the greatest ship in the entire world. She said her goodbyes to Dharketh and her mother, and then she stepped aboard her ship--her ship! She was about to set sail in her very own ship! She couldn't help but shiver with excitement at the prospect.
The crew was all gathered on the deck, awaiting her orders. She looked them over for a moment, judging how loyal to her and to the ship they would be, and liked what she saw--for the most part. There were a few that she feared wouldn't stick to the code and would some day betray her, but she would not treat them any different than the other members of the crew just for her suspicions.
Finally, she took a deep breath and shouted out the various orders, watching everyone scatter to do her bidding. She was finally leaving the shadows her mother and father had cast over her to begin a new life.
She laughed into the wind.
************************************************************************
Alrighty, sorry this chapter was so short, I couldn't think of any more that would really be appropriate in this specific section. I hope you all enjoyed it anyway! I sure did. Thanks to the readers and reviewers, I very much appreciate your contributions, and I could always use more reviews, so give me your thoughts!
Elkengrove: you have not been a bad reviewer, and of course I forgive you for being behind--I do realize that people have lives, lol! You've been one of my most faithful reviewers and I so very much appreciate it. *muah!*
Some weeks after Jack had died, Reanna was finally getting on her way to find the man that had killed him. He had not been seen again on the isle after that fateful morning, and Reanna burned with eagerness to find him and to make him answer for what he had done. She knew a very good place to start.
A few of the original members of the crew had left, feeling that they were unable to serve under their old captain's daughter, and Reanna said good riddance to them. They were the general trouble-makers anyway. No doubt they would join some other ill-reputed pirate ship. The only thing that had kept them aboard the Pearl this long was the fact that Jack Sparrow had either saved their lives or learned a dreadful secret about them that they wished to remain secret.
Ah well. There were some elves that were willing to join the crew, including Y'lorani. Dharketh had decided to remain behind with Arianne, and that was just as well also. Reanna knew that Arianne hadn't meant most of the things she had been saying--she was constantly drunk anymore, anyway-- and she would prefer that someone reliable stay behind to watch over her.
Haramel and Pur'a'ti had also decided to come along, much to Reanna's surprise. As far as she knew, neither of the pair had ever had anything to do with running a ship, but they were apparently willing to learn if it meant that they could stay beside Reanna. Someone, after all, had to help keep her wild magical energies under control.
Reanna was very happy that Ana Maria had chosen to stay on board as well. She was the only human female that Reanna knew--as well as the only one that Reanna cared to know--well, and Ana Maria knew nearly as much about the ship as Reanna herself did.
She felt exhilarated that she was finally going to do something. These past weeks with her mother had been exhausting as well as infuriating, especially since there was no Jack to soothe the wounds her mother's verbal arrows caused. Reanna would sleep much better at sea, and soon the sting of the cruel comments would be forgotten. What she lived through would only make her stronger, right? Well then, she should be tough as stone after the events of the past month.
And soon she would be seventeen! When the next full moon lit the sky, she would finally be seventeen. She did a quick calculation to figure out how many days were left. Nine more days. Nine more days and she would be officially considered an adult--not that she didn't look the part.
She had grown much from the skinny little girl with a black mop of hair. She was taller than a lot of women she knew--including her mother-- and no one quite knew how that had come about, as both of her parents were relatively short. She had long legs--quite good for getting a running start for a dive off of a cliff. She grinned at the horrified expression her mother had had on her face the first time she had done it. That had been five or six years ago. Even from then her figure had much improved. She had breasts--much to her dismay--which proved to be more of a hindrance to her than anything else. Her hair was long and silky, the color of a raven's wings, and when the sun shone down on it, it tended to give off a green or bluish hue. Haramel delighted in styling Reanna's hair.
She smiled wryly. Haramel wouldn't have much opportunity to play with Reanna's hair now. For the most part she would have it in a no-nonsense braid or bun to keep it off of her face. At least she wasn't going to be wearing a hat. That would have horrified Haramel more than anything.
She took a deep breath as she stood at the fore of the deck. The flurry of activity to get the ship prepared for departure had lulled for the moment, and Reanna took this opportunity to enjoy the salty breeze teasing random strands out of her braid. As she stood there, she found herself thinking of her father, and instead of feeling a well of furious mourning, she felt content. His heart would have burst with pride at seeing her captain his ship. Perhaps he did see her now, wherever he was. She smiled, happy for the first time since the day she had successfully dived from that high cliff.
Her father would be so proud.
The ship was ready. At long last, she would take the helm of this, the greatest ship in the entire world. She said her goodbyes to Dharketh and her mother, and then she stepped aboard her ship--her ship! She was about to set sail in her very own ship! She couldn't help but shiver with excitement at the prospect.
The crew was all gathered on the deck, awaiting her orders. She looked them over for a moment, judging how loyal to her and to the ship they would be, and liked what she saw--for the most part. There were a few that she feared wouldn't stick to the code and would some day betray her, but she would not treat them any different than the other members of the crew just for her suspicions.
Finally, she took a deep breath and shouted out the various orders, watching everyone scatter to do her bidding. She was finally leaving the shadows her mother and father had cast over her to begin a new life.
She laughed into the wind.
************************************************************************
Alrighty, sorry this chapter was so short, I couldn't think of any more that would really be appropriate in this specific section. I hope you all enjoyed it anyway! I sure did. Thanks to the readers and reviewers, I very much appreciate your contributions, and I could always use more reviews, so give me your thoughts!
Elkengrove: you have not been a bad reviewer, and of course I forgive you for being behind--I do realize that people have lives, lol! You've been one of my most faithful reviewers and I so very much appreciate it. *muah!*