April 27th, First Evening Bell
I have made Father very proud and he truly applauded me on my victory. I will explain. The seventeen year-old name is Demitri. He is part-Spanish with long, curly dark brown hair worn in a pony-tail. Demitri is very tall for a seventeen year old. He is as tall as father and very muscular. When he picks up anything, muscles bulge from his tanned skin. Demitri has the prettiest maroon eyes full of trouble and a mischief expression plays at the corners of his mouth when he is around his friends. He is excellent at his saber, but I am better with my sword. I also was taught how to sword fight from Father who is one of the greatest sword-fighters of the sea. It is as rare as a blue moon ye will find a man to come close to match Father's skill. I know I will never be as good as Father. Demitri only caught me off guard once when he flicked my sword from my hand. I just reached into my boot and took out my dagger. Demitri laughed as he leaned up against the mast and said woman can never beat men at any type of duel. I smiled at him as I threw my dagger, landing right above his head. I must learn to aim a little lower said I as the crew laughed .Demitri turned red with embarrassment as he came forward. I ran to where my sword lay and put it up just barely avoiding his blow to my neck. We kept avoiding each other's blows until it felt as if we were really fighting for our lives until I flicked Demitri's sword from his hand, catching it in midair and rested its tip on his throat. It seems I have won I said as I held out my hand. He took it as I helped him up and the crew exploded in cheers. Father was very pleased but I can not help feeling sorry for Demitri. He must be teased by the crew to have been beaten by a girl. I believe I will sneak into the sailor's part of the ship to apologize and to talk to Steven We have become good friends, him and I. Father says I should not spend all of my time socializing. I teased him and said that is what girls do. He laughed and told me to get back to work as I gave him a hug. I am very happy since Father is treating me like I am part of the crew. I agree with Steven and Doctor on the fact that Father did not have heart in me studying all of the time. I am glad to say that now if we so happen to get in a battle (Please God Forbid) I can treat the crew members by myself without the guidance of Doctor. I have toughened my stomach by eating with the crew so that I will not bile if I ever have to operate. They eat the most disgusting foods I have ever seen. I always eat with Steven, Doctor, and some of the other cabin boys. They are very kind and treat me with respect. I hope since I fought Demitri and the crew has seen my skill in sword fighting, they too will treat me with more respect. Some days I believe they look down upon me as a slave. That will soon change no matter the cost. I have already amputated a cabin boy's arm when it was infected with gang-green so the blood issue is not the problem. The problem is the smell of decay. It rips ye's inside apart as if I stuck a dagger in ye's stomach and ripped it out again. I know I will get over it. I am a pirate after all. I believe I will end for to night and go to see Steven. I will write later.