[Igorina]

Starglow scattered over the rippling waves as the moon silently admired herself in the dark mirror of the Amaranthine Sea. The majestic brigantine known as the Old North Star moved swiftly and peacefully across the waves like a dignified old matron walking in her sleep. Apart from the lapping of the waves against her hull all was silent and dark.
The crewman on first watch nodded at his post caught up in the dreamy atmosphere of a warm spring night. He was rudely jarred awake by an unearthly bellow from below deck:
" YOU BLASTED WENCH!!!!"
Doors banged below and the crewman heard the merry high-pitched giggle of a woman. Suddenly a petite dark-haired woman dressed in nothing but a white shift with a belt and cutlass burst onto deck. She winked at him as she ran by.
A puzzled half-smile crossed his face which quickly disappeared as the half-dressed captain barrelled into view. The crewman snapped to attention as the captain stopped and glared wildly.
" Lit the lamp...saw that damnable...ANIMAL face...grinning at me...I'll see her as gallowsfruit!!! " he screamed incomprehensibly at the crewman and looked around the darkened deck.
" Aye cap'n? " gasped the crewman, terrified beyond all reason.
" Ahoy, Cap'n Amorous!!! " trilled a sweet voice. All the racket had begun attracting other crew members who began emerging sleepily onto deck, wondering what was going on.
The furious captain looked to see the young woman balancing cheerfully on a empty keg and waving at him.
" Find me something to throw at her!!! " he screamed in the other man's face.
The crewman fumbled around until he laid hold of a belaying pin which he hastily gave to the captain. He promptly whirled around and threw it with all his might and missed by a good mile. The woman didn't even flinch, only grinned cheekily.
" Come closer, love, an' maybe thee'll have better aim!!! " she said as she dropped down beside the keg.
The captain ground his teeth and ran towards her. But the hastily hidden smiles of the crewmen dropped suddenly when the report of a gun shattered through the air. The captain froze in his tracks as the woman calmly held her flintlock up at him, smoke issuing from its mouth. He smirked.
" I believe you missed your one shot, my dear lady, " he said. She smirked back and spun the double barrel of her gun.
" I believe I jus' wanted to use ol' Janus's other barrel, " she said and in a lightning swift move brought it back up and fired.
The captain dropped to the deck as blood spurted from a hole in his gut. The young woman leaned down and kissed him playfully as he gasped and shuddered in pain.
" Fair sailin' to ye, lads! " she called merrily as she kicked the keg over the side and dove in the dark waters after it as gracefully as a swan.

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END INTRO
Driftwood