Sword (jian) and scabbard, probably made in the court workshops of the Yongle Ming Emperor. Chinese, Ming Dynasty, early 15th century.
The hilt is of gilt iron. The grip is of gibbous rectangular section, punched with small circles to imitate ray skin. Down the centre of the front is a raised spine bordered by tiny flames at either side.
The pommel is of trilobed form, bordered at the front and rear by bands of golden scrolls. The front panel of the pommel is chiselled and fretted with a dragon surrounded by interlacing flames, with triple claws on each paw. At the rear of the pommel, the central panel is decorated with a monster mask (kirtimukha), surmounted by a silvered crescent and golden disc, and with human hands, also surrounded by flames. At either side of the pommel are the Eight Buddhist Emblems of Good Augury (ba jixiang): the wheel of law (dharma), the standard, the treasure jar, the pair of fish, the endless knot, the lotus, the parasol and the conch shell of victory.
The guard is embossed in the form of a monster mask, surmounted by a silvered crescent and golden disc. The face is punched with circles, the canine teeth silvered, the eyebrows and whiskers chiselled and gilt. The horns are in the form of crab claws. At either side of the mouth is a paw in the form of a human hand. The head is surrounded by scrolling curls of mane. The rear of the guard is rendered as the underside of the jaw, with a set of silvered teeth, and a narrow beard running into a throat of alternate silvered and gilt bands.
The blade is associated but is probably a later replacement of Tibetan manufacture. It is formed of pattern-welded steel, of diamond section, straight and double edged. The pattern welding produces a mirrored pattern of addorsed crescents at either side of the medial ridge. The tang is of rectangular section, tapering towards the pommel, with a large expanded peg-hole towards the end. The edges have been ground and sharpened.
The scabbard is of wood covered in green stained leather and bound with gilt iron. At the throat is a V-shaped cut out at the front for seating the blade, and a scalloped cut-out in the leather to accommodate the guard. The throat retains traces of the scarlet silk with which it was lined. The iron binding comprises a long, facetted strip running all the way round either edge.
There are eight transverse bands at the rear, the uppermost and fourth of which are wider than the others, and extend round the front of the scabbard forming suspension loops. The edging strip has four main facets, with an additional narow facet at either side. It is decorated with scrollwork in gold running down each facet, and matching that on the pommel. At either end is a set of three golden lotus leaves.
The front panel is divided stylistically into upper and lower sections. The upper section is decorated quite plainly; a series of five beaded transverse bands divide it into six sections, and there are three vertical bands of fretted four-petalled rosettes in each section.
At the throat is a cusped section with a beaded border, below which is a band of flames. The ornate lower section has six smaller segments, divided vertically and horizontally by fretted 'vajras', each with a 'yinyang' symbol in the central knop. The half-'vajras' at either side emanate from the heads of lions, and the vertical bands of decoration at either side are formed by rows of flames.
Above and in the middle of these divisions are two square panels, each containing a cusped lozenge shaped central medallion, the corners decorated with interlacing flames. The uppermost of these two panels contains two dragons intertwined amid flames, with the heads at top right and bottom left; the lower has two similar dragons, with thicker bodies, and with their heads confronted at the left and right.
The chape section is decorated with a large panel of interlacing flames, within a beaded border. At the rear of the scabbard, the upper band is decorated with alternating gold and silver scrollwork, and terminates in a rosette at the front. The next two narrow bands are decorated with silver scrollwork only. The fourth is decorated at the rear like the top one, but is extended accross the front in a broad band; it is chiselled with four medallions decorated with gilt characters on silver grounds, and surrounded by interlacing gilt flames. The three lower bands are decorated in gold scrollwork.
The rear chape panel has a small, flat piece of rather coarse, scrolling interlace at the bottom, and narrow bands of petalled rosettes at either side.
A four character Tibetan inscription on the lower suspension loop reads 'khi'u ga ral gri' (honourific sharp sword).
The hot sun burned your skin as you pushed the mop over the deck.
You had been at sea for around about a month, and you had been working hard for your keep. The waves rocked the ship and you were always lulled to sleep by that same rocking, every night.
Sometimes it felt like a mistake to leave the city of Albion… But what choice did you have? Growing old, working as a barmaid the rest of your life? Possibly having to sell your body just to stay alive?
No. That wasn’t what your life was going to be. Your life was going to mean something. It was going to be full of purpose and adventure.
You weren’t going to be a simpleton, slaving away in a tavern for the rest of your life, hoping that one day you die a peaceful death.
If you were going to die, let it be with a sword through your heart on the great wide sea. She’d take you in her depths as you sunk to the bottom, willing to sleep for the rest of eternity with the waves.
But, for right now, mopping seemed to be the only thing that you had to worry about. It wasn’t nearly as exciting that you were planning for it to be. But it was better than that stinking tavern.
Suddenly, your bucket tipped over as a few men chuckled at the sight.
“Sorry.”
Came as the response to the mess you were now left with.
“Astor! How can you mop with your bucket overturned like that! Get more water and get back to work! I don’t want to see you lollygagging!”
The sound of Jin’s voice brought you out of your stupor. You rushed to get more water, and noticed there was none where you had left it.
You turned to see another one of your crew mates sitting on your other buckets
“Sorry, Lad, must’ve spilled.” He said with a grimy smile.
This kind of behavior had been going on for a while now. It was true when Jin said that he had all the crew he needed when he accepted you onto the ship. That meant that food was a bit smaller for everyone. And since you were the last on the be brought aboard, that means you were the last one recruited.
And that means you’re the subject to all the abuse they can produce.
However, not all your crew mates were dogs. There were a few who were kind enough, let you sleep in a few times and do your morning chores for you. They knew you weren’t used to the sea, but, they also weren’t going to protect you when it came down to their own skin.
It was a fair enough trade, though, you could only blame yourself if you got hauled off this ship. You sighed and left the mop where it was. The walk back to deck was rather short, knowing you were about to get blighted.
As you approached the helm, a thought popped into your head.
Why was Captain Min not manning the helm? Isn’t that the Captain’s job?
“What’s got your mind all fuddled lad?” A crew member, you’d learned to be Greaves, asked.
“I was just thinking; why don’t we ever see our Captain at the helm? Isn’t that where he should be?” You asked.
Greaves chuckled slightly and smacked his hand on your back. You winced in pain, but hid it well.
“You see my boy; we have never seen Captain Min since the day we set sail from Albion. However, I have been about the Grail longer than most, and I have seen Captain Min. And let me tell you something boy, if he comes out of his cabin, it’s not for a good reason. So, the less you see of our dear Captain, the better off you’ll be. Why don’t you go help with the main sails, I need to see our first mate. Off you pop, go.”
You did as you were told and went to help with the main sails, securing the ropes and helping with adjustments as others saw fit.
Your mind wandered to the mysterious Captain Min and why he was hiding from his own crew… But, the wind changed direction, and it was back to work from there.
It was almost two months into our journey, and it was time to make port again.
The ship pulled into port at Yocleptes just after sundown. The men all got off the ship in a horde, ready to take the night as their own. You, however, didn’t seem as keen on the idea.
You’d been in enough taverns for your lifetime.
So, as you watched your fellow crewmates scamper off into the night in search of debauchery and enough booze to fill their stomachs, you headed for the shore.
The warmth of the sand on your feet was pleasant and you felt as ease when you slipped your aching muscles into the water. You thought of all that you’d done since you left Albion, and how proud you were of yourself for doing it.
You were on your own, but you had done it. You’d survived.
The longer you were on the ship, the more your instinct came back to you. You remembered all of the times on the ship with your father when you were younger, and how he used to tell you stories of pirates and merchants warring over the seas.
But, no one can tame the seas, he’d tell you.
All you can do is pray that the Goddess doesn’t want you that day.
The moon was starting to rise, and you watched as it bathed the beach you were on in a glow of white. It was beautiful, really. The sight of the moon high above and the stars all bright and twinkling alongside it. It made you think of your mother and how her eyes used to twinkle very similarly to that.
A flash of pain rung through your heart as you remembered your mother and father. How much they had cared for you and how much losing them hurt you.
The darkness of the man who had taken them from you was something that you had never seen in your entire life. His eyes were empty, simply pewter grey in color as he stabbed your father right through the heart. Your mother, cowering in the corner as she tried to her very last breath to protect you, her only child.
However, when the man rose his sword, to claim your life as well. He stopped… And then he smiled.
“I will give you a pain worse than death… I will leave you to grow up without a family, just like we all have. You will grow up, not knowing love.”
With that, he left, and you’d never seen him again.
You rarely thought about your mother and father anymore. You didn’t see the point in bringing up those painful memories when there were much better things on the horizon… But sometimes, you need to feel pain to remember why you’re there in the first place.
Why are you out on a voyage with pirates? Plunderers and marauders and thieves?
Because no noble man will look twice at you, and no one has any sympathy for an orphan.
So, you join those who share in your pain. Those who have nothing and no one left. They drown themselves in booze and woman in hopes of numbing their agony, even if it is for the shortest of whiles.
They understand you.
Greaves had told you how his mother died giving birth to him, and his father left him at a port when he was eleven. He didn’t know anything but the sea, and the sea was his home at this point.
Another man on the crew, they call him Buckett was reminiscing about his wife and child who had both fallen to sickness a few years back. He was a respectable man who had been driven mad by grief. He was lured to the sea with a promise to bring them back, and he still believes that one day, someone can give him his family back…
These people that others have thrown away and left to rot, and the people you belong to. They know your pain and they know your sorrow. Possibly better than you know it yourself. They do not ask questions they don’t already know the answer to. They don’t waste your time by giving you sympathy you do not want.
You respect these men who have thrown their lives to the wind and let themselves be free. Only to be judged in God’s eyes in the end.
Was there any other way to live?
Was being brought up in a rich house surrounded by people who are paid to take care of you something that you should envy?
Are those people living? Or are they merely existing?
The material items they have, they cannot take with them to the next world, so why do people cling to them so?
There is nothing left after you're gone. Dust to dust, ashes to ashes.
Pirates.
Who would’ve thought you’d thrown your lot in with them.
It is a dangerous game to be playing. The game of luck and fortune and of the law.
You’d certainly be sent to the gallows if you were caught with Captain Min aboard the Crimson Grail…
But, at least you’d die knowing that you were understood by people who were the same as you. At least you got out of the tavern and went to see the world that many never lay eyes upon. You’d done it. You’d gone out and made something of yourself like that.
Suddenly, the wind changed and started blowing a bit harsher. You noticed that there was someone at the helm of the Grail, looking not out to the city, but towards you.
They were looking directly at you, it felt like.
You wondered who would be on the ship at this time, why weren’t they out partying and delving hands deep into a maiden’s skirt?
Then, the thought hit you.
It was Captain Min.
And he was looking over you.
---
It was a few weeks into the next stretch of your journey.
There was good wind in the sails and a pleasant breeze for you out on the deck. Greaves had been helping you with rigging the sails. The wind had been a bit shifty since the start of the day and Jin was less than pleased with this outcome.
“Come on you scurvy dogs! We’ve got to get up to at least fifteen knots! Or the quartermaster will be dealing out whippings after sundown!”
You and Greaves worked even harder, trying to rig the sails, but with the changing winds, it was proving to be harder than anticipated.
“Alright Lad, just get that last knot secured and we’ll be set to start on the spanker.”
You nodded and secured the knot, making sure that it wasn’t going anywhere. Following Greaves to the next sail you started your work.
You looked off the back of the ship for just a moment and noticed something gaining on you. And gaining on you quickly. Greaves lifted his head noticed quickly as well that there was someone who wanted to catch you. He moved around the back of the ship and found Jin rather fast.
“Sir! Sir! We’ve got a ship at the back of us, gaining quickly,” he said.
You looked over from your post and back to where Greaves and Jin were talking, listening in with a keen ear.
“How big is the ship?” He asked, without turning his head.
“Same size as the Grail sir, maybe a bit smaller, it’s hard to tell at the moment.”
Jin seemed to mull the information over before turning around and looking at the ship that was starting to become clearer and clearer as the minutes ticked by.
Suddenly, Jin was moving for the helm.
“HARD TO PORT! RAISE THE JIB! FULL SAILS OUT! I WANT THIS SHIP MOVING AT FULL SPEED!”
His tone surprised you. It was one of uncertainty and panic. Something wasn’t right. Something really wasn’t right, and you were curious as to what it was.
Greaves and you both worked on the back sails and then rushed forwards towards the mains and began to secure all the knots on the starboard side.
You dared a glance back at the ship, and noticed once black stripe running down one of the flags.
“FULL CANVAS, GET THE GRAIL TO FULL SPEED!”
“Greaves,” you started, pulling on the older man’s sleeve. He stopped his work and looked at you.
“Yes, lad, what do you want?”
“Why does that ship have a black stripe running down the front of the sail?”
Greaves seemed to pale slightly at your question as he cleared his throat and went back to working on his knot.
“Greaves, answer me, why does that ship have that marking?”
Finally, Greaves turned towards you and looked you dead in the eyes. There was something there you weren’t accustomed to from the older man. It was fear. Unadulterated dread.
That look wasn’t something you had come to expect from him.
“That is the only thing in this water that this ship needs to fear besides the Goddess herself. That is the ship Satan’s Compass and her Captain is Tobias Bridge. So, for right now, you listen to everything Jin tells you and do it to the best of your ability. We need to outrun the rabid dogs and live to tell the tale.”
And after that, Greaves was silent as he worked. Focused on nothing but getting the ship and the crew to safety. You did the same, running around and trying to help where it was needed.
Suddenly, there was a cannon shot.
“TAKE COVER!”
“READY THE CANNONS!”
There was so much going on and you weren’t sure if you knew half of any of it.
You saw that there was no one at the helm. Jin must’ve left to go tell Captain Min of the occurrences.
“Greaves! There’s no one at the helm!” You shouted, looking for you friend.
He noticed you and nodded.
“Take the helm lad! Try to get us into that bay over there!”
You nodded and took off towards the wheel. You grabbed hold of the pegs and pulled the ship hard to starboard. The men followed suit, adjusting the sails and doing what they could to keep the ship going faster than the Compass.
The wind was being particularly difficult, not allowing you to gain much speed.
You turned your head back and noticed that the other boat was almost on your back now. You could see the crew moving around and rummaging for more cannon balls and muskets were being passed out among the men.
Greaves came up and fired a few warning shots their way.
Jin came back to the helm and took over. He turned to you without warning and grabbed your shoulders.
“Astor, make sure every man on this ship has a weapon. Prepare to be boarded. Send the message out.”
You nodded quickly and took off down the stairs.
“Everyone! Get out your pistols, muskets, cutlasses and daggers, prepare to be boarded.”
You shouted all over the ship, you even went below deck and gave them Jin’s orders.
Although, the Compass caught up with you eventually. You were below deck when you heard the shuffling of numerous feet.
Men were shouting and the ringing of steel was prominent throughout the air.
Shots went off and you noticed men starting to come down below. You grabbed the nearest sword and brought it in front of you. It had been years since you’d trained with a sword. You weren’t certain you even remembered the footwork anymore.
Although, you saw that they weren’t doing anything like you thought they were going to. They weren’t stealing anything. They must be looking for more crew members.
You hid behind one of the barrels of rum that was plentiful in this ship’s cargo hold and tried to remain as silent as you could.
The men were looking around still, moving barrel and crates alike. You knew it was just a matter of time before they found you. So, why prolong the inevitable?
You stood up and held your sword out in front of you.
“Ah, looky here. We have a boy who thinks he is fit to fight us?”
The other sailor smacked him upside the head and scoffed.
“If you think this is a boy, you must’ve never bedded a woman. Look at her face, she clearly a woman. But, wonder why they brought her aboard?”
They pulled out their pistols and aimed them at you. You dropped your sword and decided to go with them quietly.
Better that then with bullet holes in you.
They hauled you up on deck and put you with the rest of your crewmates. A man stepped forward with an intimidating grin on his face and a beautiful sword drawn.
“Are we correct in saying that this is the Crimson Grail? Captained by Min Yoongi?” He asked, looking around.
Jin stepped forward.
“You are correct. But, what does that matter to you Tobias?”
Suddenly, the man hauled off and punched Jin square in the face. A few of your crew members rushed over to help pull him to his feet. You glared at the man who was called Tobias with a fury. Who was he to try and rob you of your freedom that you had so desperately worked for?
“Remember your place rat. I’m looking for your Captain. Min Yoongi?” He asked, waltzing around, looking at each member in the face.
When he got to you, he grabbed your face and looked you dead in the eye.
“You, dear, do you happen to know where Min Yoongi is?”
“You could save yourself all the trouble if your men weren’t stupid enough to ignore the mast.”
You heard a voice speaking from up above. Everyone lifted their eyes and saw a rope with a man attached to it falling down towards the deck.
The rope ran out and the man fell towards the middle of the deck with grace, landing on his feet like a lithe cat. He looked up and you could swear his eyes were like that of a cat, shifting and unreadable.
A realization hit you just then. This was the exact man who paid for a night with you in Albion a few months ago and didn’t take it! He paid 60 trinny coins for you bed and yet he didn’t share it with you.
You had encountered the famous Min Yoongi before you gained access to this ship?
“What do you want with my ship and my crew, Tobias?” He asked, stepping closer and closer to the man who had boarded his ship.
“Isn’t it obvious? I want you, Min Yoongi, dead. On the bottom of the ocean floor, rotting.”
“That seems a bit much. But, I will not be dying today, Tobias. And I do not take kindly to this kind of disrespect from someone who doesn’t even have the title of Pirate Lord. You’re not one of the six, are you? I don’t remember the council meeting anytime in the past five years.”
His words were deadly, you could tell. Anyone who disrespected him had every right to be afraid. You were on his crew, and yet you were frightened.
“I have every intention of being on the council. With you dead, there will be a spot for the taking.”
Yoongi nodded and seemed to think about this for a moment.
“That is correct, but, how will you make certain that the council will vote you in? You know, there are other pirates on these seas besides you, Tobias.”
Tobias growled and drew his sword, pointing it directly at Captain Min’s throat. Your heart was in your stomach and you didn’t know what to do. Would this really be the end of your freedom?
“I will make them fear me, so that as they will not have any choice but to choose me, unless they want to have future meetings in Davy Jones’s locker.”
Yoongi rolled his eyes and pushed the sword away from his throat. You and the crew stood firm, ready to heed your Captain’s command.
“Fear isn’t as good as trust, mate. That’s why we have the code. Something you seem to be lacking in currently,” he said, with a twang of disappointment in his tone.
“The code doesn’t hold any grounds on my ship.”
“Then you aren’t a pirate. True pirates follow the code and listen to the council. If you’d like to go rogue and have every single pirate out there after your neck, then by all means, be my guest. But, seeing as how you’re already here, I could put you out of your misery myself,” he growled, looking like he was itching to put a few rounds of lead into the man before you. Although, Yoongi held firm and didn’t fall victim to his desire to murder this insolent pup.
Tobias was silent as he stared at Yoongi in disbelief.
“We have your crew captured and your cargo can be ours as well. What say you to that? Shall I start murdering your crew one by one right before your very eyes? Perhaps I’ll start with this pretty lass right here,” he said, pulling you out of your formation and in front of your Captain, placing the cold metal of a pistol right against your head.
You quaked in fear, but didn’t plead for your life.
It was useless against these kinds of men.
Yoongi was looking at you closely. Possibly deciding whether you were worth the trouble or not. Greaves lunged forward to try to help you in any way, but he was held back by men stronger than him.
“Jin, who was the last crew member to join our crew?” He asked, looking towards his first mate who was rubbing his cheek sorely.
“It was Astor sir… The one with the gun to his head…”
“Her head, Jin, she’s a female who’s been impersonating a man to do God only knows what on this ship. But, has she caused any trouble?”
Jin shook his head adamantly, “No sir, she’s not caused any trouble, if anything, she’s more helpful than half the lot here.”
Yoongi considered this and came forward.
“Tobias, I think it’s time you took your hands off my crew members. And your ship needs to sail far away from me. Never to be seen again. Do I make myself clear?”
Yoongi grabbed his gun and threw it to the ground, pulling you free and giving you to Greaves.
Tobias gave Yoongi a deathly glare as he moved towards his cabin.
“And the lot of you, clean this mess up, would you?”
That apparently was the last straw for Tobias.
Everything seemed to go in slow motion at that point. He bent and picked up the gun and aimed at Yoongi, who’s back was to him.
You couldn’t let anything bad happen to your Captain. Where would any of you be without him? Probably still in Albion, being sold every night just for a few trinny or whatever somebody had in their pocket. He had given you freedom before you ever set foot on his ship. He was a good man. He didn’t deserve to be spoken to like that, and to be threatened. Yoongi cared for his crew and for the ship that he commanded. You were all a part of one crew. His. And you would die for the man that saved your life before. And eye for an eye.
Before you knew it, you threw yourself in front of the Yoongi, hanging onto him in an awkward embrace. Then there was a resounding
BANG.
Everyone on the ship halted.
No one breathed.
No one moved.
Everyone remained perfectly still.
Except for you.
You shakily brought your hand to your shoulder and brought it away to reveal, bright crimson blood stained your fingers.
“She’s been shot!”
“We need bandages!”
“Murderer!”
You could feel yourself tipping backwards as you got lightheaded.
“Fall back! Head back to the ship you scoundrels! Run!”
Tobias fled with his men back to his ship.
Yoongi held onto you tightly, lowering you to the deck.
He watched a crimson liquid began to stain the damp wood. There was a flicker of recognition in his eyes, before he began shouting orders.
“After them! I won’t let them harm a member of my crew like that and get away with it,” Yoongi yelled. You gave a small smile.
“We’re even now, I guess.”
Yoongi chuckled.
“I saved your maidenhood, not your life.”
Jin started barking orders and things of the like, but you were focused on Yoongi.
His dark hair and stunning eyes drew you in. He was handsome. You were okay dying for him, as long as he saved someone like you again in the future. If he could do that for someone else as well. It would mean a great deal to you.
“Hang in there, we just need to stop the bleeding,” he said, grabbing a cloth and applying pressure to your wound. Greaves came over and took your hand.
“I’ve known you were a lass the moment I met ye… I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you any better,” Greaves said, trying to keep himself from crying.
“Greaves, take her to my cabin and make sure she is taken care of, I will be there momentarily,” Yoongi said before leaving your side.
You watched as he walked away and your vision faded to black…
Don’t all good stories start with the ocean? A retelling of a tale that crossed the seven seas just to reach you, the reader?
Well, stories are all best told by the ones who lived them.
If only everyone had lived to tell this tale…
It was a beautiful day in the port city of Albion.
The sun was burning hot and the marketplace was bustling with life. Everyone was out today it seemed, however, you remained back in the shadows, where you belonged.
Your time was at night, when the moon rose high above the water and the people of the city. You cherished the time you could spend in the moonlight, away from others and in your own mind.
If time was kind, and she hardly ever is, you would wander down to the shoreline and place your feet in the water. The warmth of the salt water easing the ache in your bones.
You worked at the Knight and Gayle Pub as a barmaid, tending to sailors and ruffians of all sorts. As long as they had good coin and kept their hands to themselves, you really didn’t care what they did.
However, one evening, there was talk. Talk of pirates… You’d never met one yourself, but, you were the daughter of a sailor, so you knew your way around a ship just fine. Although, these men were talking about blood-thirsty and dangerous, pirates.
They sailed the seven seas in search of money or eternal glory and fame. If it could get them enough rum to fill their bellies and women to warm their beds, that’s really all they cared about. Your father had turned into one of those men. A man who wanted nothing more than to have a warm body to lay next to at night and some rum to drink the pain of his life away.
But the men in the bar that night were talking of one of the most notorious pirates out there, Min Yoongi. Although, most people call him Captain Min.
He is known for taking prisoners and running them dry of all their riches and wealth. No one who has encountered him has gotten away without some sort of tale to tell. They say he is as dangerous as the ocean during a storm, but will reward you well if you are part of his crew.
“Y/N! What in the name of the devil are you doing out here? We have customers in the bar that need tending to. Go, get dressed and tie your corset tight, I want your bosom up to your chin to attract lots of men tonight. A ship is docking, and there will be lots of coin to earn!” The owner yelled from the kitchen as he prepared the next round of slop for lunch time.
Disdain curled in your stomach as you walked away from the lively market and back towards your dull life of booze, men and whores.
The night brought sailors, you this knew well and as the owner predicted, another ship. These men seemed like merchant sailors who were just stopping for supplies on their route for trade. You served them well, like you always did, and tried to catch up on the latest news from the seas.
“Did ya ‘ear about the massive war that broke out between Captain Min and The Captain of the Blue Fox! It was a huge fight and there must’ve been loads a’ dead floatin’ after the dust settled.”
Your interest was piqued, so you strolled over and set another pint of beer down for them as they smiled and threw you a few more coins.
“Who won, then?”
“Captain Min a’ course! Who else did ya think would win? What I wouldn’t do to be a member a’ that crew… Imagine all the women ya’d get, just by bein’ Captain Min’s good graces, they probably come at you in crowds… What a life, huh?”
Captain Min and Blue Fox had it out?
Those two drunkards were right then, if the two of them had fought, the aftermath was probably disastrous.
Hearing that Captain Min had won, however, was no surprise to you. He was well known throughout this town, and had made an appearance every once and awhile, or so you’d been told. You’d never met him before, but you had wanted to ever since you were a teenager.
The stories of the young Captain Min taking out several ships and trading routes of the rich and famous were well known. Parents told them to their children before bed, making their dreams rich with tales of adventure and riches.
You had heard about him since you were around fourteen.
A few of your fellow barmaids had apparently seen him walking down by the shoreline. That night you had wandered down to the shore, hoping to spot a glimpse of the infamous Captain Min, but alas, it was just you and the sea that night.
Perhaps it was better that way.
Sometimes meeting legends was one of the ways to make them not seem like stories anymore, they were just like the old men who chased skirts in the tavern and disrespected you and your fellow workers.
Perhaps it was better to keep the infamous Captain Min Yoongi a story in the end.
A few days later the tavern was bustling with life. Men were here and there and the rum and beer were flowing.
There was enough booze in there to sink a ship.
However, you were not enjoying your time. There was a certain customer that has been pestering you all night. Tugging on your skirt and even trying to grab your breasts. The owner pushed it aside, thinking the man was merely drunk, and if he was paying for service, you had better provide it.
It was probably your third time passing the table and you felt a firm smack on your behind. You jumped and dropped the current liquor in your hands. You watched in terror as it all fell to the floor.
All the noise in the tavern stopped. Everyone looked at you, some with disinterest, others with sympathy, and some with hunger. You quickly tried to gather everything up, but the owner was there before you had a chance to.
“What do you think you’re doing?! That liquor is worth more than you are you wench! What do I pay you for if you’re just going to go and lose profit for me? I’m not paying you for the rest of the month, you have to work off all the liquor you just wasted!” The owner growled, gripping you by the wrist.
You yelped in pain, but stayed still, fearful of what was to happen if you tried to fight back.
“Or maybe one of these lovely gentleman would be willing to pay for your liquor if you let them in the warmth of your bed for the night?”
There was a loud hollering from some of the men.
“10 trinny coins for the ladies bed!”
“I’ll pay 30 for that woman!”
“35 for the whore!”
Your heart was beating rapidly as people stopped talking.
“60 trinny coins for the woman.”
A voice perked up from the back. The room became deadly silent.
Tears were pouring down your face at the sound of whoever was deciding to take you for the night. You weren’t particularly strong, so, the idea of breaking free was out of the question.
The owner looked at the man coming forward. He wasn’t tall, nor was he short, he was large enough to be intimidating, that was for sure.
Also, the way he carried himself gave you just enough knowledge to know that tampering with him wasn’t a good idea.
He slowly walked forward, making each step he made something purposeful.
Finally, he lifted his head, and you saw that he was gorgeous.
He had dark black hair that shone in the dim light of the tavern. Pale skin that seemed to radiate the moonlight itself. Deep eyes that were bluer than the ocean.
He was handsome, that was for sure.
You lost the ability to speak, but tears still flowed down your face as you awaited his approach. It felt like forever until he was right next to you.
The owner held out his hand, expecting his money. The man before you made good on his word and tossed a sack of money his way. You watched as the money hungry man opened the satchel and his eyes lit up, as if a child given a new toy.
“Take her, she’s yours until tomorrow night. Make sure she can at least stand.”
And with that, you were being pulled out of the tavern and into the night air. Your heart was racing as you were hauled towards an inn. The man walked in and set coins on the counter. The clerk at the front looked at the coins, then at the two of you and nodded his head and threw a room key in your direction.
The walk up the stairs was silent, mind your sniffling of course.
Finally, you reached the top and you heard the door unlocking. Panic set into your bones as you were hauled into the room with the door shutting behind you.
Your tears came harder now. It seemed as though they weren’t going to stop anytime soon either. The man who had brought you here loosened his belt and baldric and threw them onto the dresser that made you jump.
He turned back to look at you with moderate interest as he acknowledged you for the first time since you left the tavern. His footsteps were purposeful as he came towards you, his face unreadable.
You were trembling with fear. You’d never been with a man before, what was it like? Would this turn you into a common whore? Someone who slept around just to get a little more coin on the side? That’s not what you wanted from your life. You wanted to fall in love, with a good man and to make an honest living…
But the sea.
The sea called to your heart like nothing else ever had before…
However, the man before you wasn’t making any moves to remove your clothing. You stayed stock still, waiting for him to make some sort of advance, but it never came.
“Are you afraid?”
The soft words startled you, but you were too scared to speak.
“It appears you are… I won’t be taking you tonight. Fear not, little bird, I’m not about to take a woman who wasn’t eager for my company. Stay here for the night and rest.”
You were shocked by his words.
He paid 60 trinny coins to have you, and yet, he wasn’t going to take you?
“B-But you paid so much money,” you said, blushing at your words.
“That I did. But I knew a majority of the lot in that tavern, young miss, and believe me, you didn’t want to be spending the night with any of them.”
You were stunned into silence.
“I’ll be off then. Don’t forget what I’ve done for you. I may have you repay me in the future.”
He walked to the window and opened it. You watched as he looked around and then, without any words spoken, he jumped.
A gasp escaped your lips as his frame disappeared before you. You expected to hear a groan of pain or some indication that he fell into something. But the room was dead quiet. It sent a chill down your spine.
Although, you weren’t going to forget this.
You could never.
---
A few months later and there was talk of ships going missing around the world.
The Great Pirate Red Mane had gone down with his ship; The Blind Corsair only two weeks prior.
There had been no word of the notorious Captain Min and the crew of The Crimson Grail. That was until one morning.
You were working tirelessly in the tavern, getting ready for the nightly crowd. The owner had not sold you off for the night again, apparently there were better things to focus his mind on. Such as his new lady he had been courting for the past month.
The sound of the door opening caught your attention.
“Welcome to the Knight and Gayle, best tavern this side of the tide. What can I get for you?”
You watched as two men approached the bar and asked for a bottle of rum. They gave you their shillings and you took it back to the owner, who was more than happy with their purchase.
The men drank silently. You wondered what had happened to them. No men just came in here and drank rum silently. Especially not after spending that much money for an entire bottle.
But silent they were. Until one of them whistled for you to come over.
“Something else you need, gentleman?”
“We’re about the furthest ya can get from gentleman sweetheart, however, have you heard of the Crimson Grail?” One of them asked, leaning closer to the bar.
“The Crimson Grail? You mean, the one sailed by Captain Min?”
The two men nodded and continued.
“It’s here, in Albion. It’s docked on the furthest dock all the way down. It’s been beat up something awful, yet, she still made it into port.”
Your heart was racing.
The infamous Crimson Grail was here, along with Captain Min no doubt!
“Has anyone caught sight of the crew? Or it’s Captain?” You asked like an eager child.
The men shook their heads.
“The only person who’s come off the ship was being carried by a few other crew mates. The assumption is the poor bloke is dead. But, they’re recruitin, just for tonight! There’s a line that just about reaches this tavern’s doors! Me and my friend here went and asked, but apparently that first mate didn’t like us. What a cock he is… that’s why we got the rum, see?”
“Do you know where they’re heading?”
“Story is, they’re heading east, and not planning on coming back anytime soon. This’ll be the last we hear of Captain Min for a long while, missy, and I think that’s for a good reason.”
You nodded and went back to work.
The Crimson Grail was recruiting?
And after that, they were going east, not due to return for, who knows how long?
This might be your very last chance at getting away, if they would have you. It’d been awhile since you sailed a ship and, what about your appearance? Well, perhaps in the right clothes you could pull off a boy.
Once you’re aboard. You’d be free… Free to get away from this hell you’d been living for so long. Able to adventure around the map with the wind in your hair and the sun on your skin.
You’d be able to be at sea, the place that had called to you with such longing ever since you were a child. A place you felt truly at peace with yourself and the world…
Freedom…
Something you’d never had before.
Your mind was made up.
You were going to join the crew of the Crimson Grail and sail the seas in search of adventure and new people.
A new life to call your own.
---
Later on that night, you were up in your quarters that you shared with a few other bar maids. You had found some cloth that looked decent and tied it around your chest, securing your breasts.
You’d also found some men’s clothing that they’d left here after being chased out by the owner after wild nights in the tavern. You grabbed your hair and placed a bandana on your head, securing the mess up into your hat.
Gazing at yourself in the mirror you were pleased to see that you didn’t appear terribly feminine. If you kept your head down, people probably wouldn’t even question you too much.
With that, you grabbed all the money you could find, even if it wasn’t yours, and headed out the door.
You moved with ease through the crowd, something that being a barmaid had given you. People were speaking and drinking; partying as they all did.
However, you, were on a mission.
A mission for your freedom. You maneuvered your way past some guards and a few unsightly men that seemed a little too aggressive for your liking, and made your way to the docks.
The tide was almost at a peak time to leave.
You had to be quick.
With haste, you made your way to the docks. Watching as merchants, sailors and common folk all milled around.
Then, a horrifying thought struck you.
You’d never seen the Crimson Grail… How were you supposed to be sure that was the ship? What if those old geezers were lying to you, just because they could!
Your stomach sank when you heard yelling.
Some idiot had set fire to the market place.
You watched in horror as people ran screaming and others started to haul water from the sea towards the angry blaze.
This was your chance to run, board any random ship and be on your merry way!
You ran down the docks and made it to the end, where Captain Min’s ship is supposed to be.
There was a ship there with crimson red flags. Men were hauling materials and barrels aboard the ship as a man was barking orders at them.
Without much more thought, you approached them.
“Pardon,” you said, trying to keep a level tone.
“Yes, what is it?” The man said, turning to face you.
“I heard the Crimson Grail is recruiting.”
There was a sigh before he turned around again.
“I’ve got all the sailors I need for now, thanks lad, there’s no room for you aboard this ship.”
Frustration swam through your body. Did he just refuse you?
Without even asking about your experience or anything of the like? What nerve this man has, just assuming that someone isn’t worth his time before they even get a few words in!
“I think you’ll find you have room for one more.”
Anger coursed through your veins as he faced you once more.
“Listen boy, I don’t have time for young scallywags coming about my ship and making a ruckus. If you’re worth it, you’re going to have to prove it to me,” he said, looking at you with a challenging face.
“I grew up on the seas, I know of the wind and the tides, I know how Calypso breathes life into these sails. I know of medicine, and how to cure the sick and injured. I can drink any man under the table and I can most certainly pull my weight on your crew. I only want to sail under the colors of freedom. Can you promise me that?”
He gave you another once over and then smiled, holding his hand out to you.
“I’m first mate Jin, welcome aboard the Crimson Grail.”
You sighed and shook his hand, then sighed the paper with your father’s name. After that he left you to board and get settled into space for the night, they were setting sail in an hour.
After you hauled your things together inside the cramped chest you were given for the time being, you went up on deck. Everyone was running around and looking for something to do.
“Pull those ropes and get the wind in our sails! It’s time to cast off!” Jin yelled as he stood at the helm. You rushed to help and managed to help without messing up.
You’d forgotten how busy it was to be on a ship.
There was always something to do, and if you weren’t doing it, you were dead. The feeling of being a part of a crew filled you with a sense of belonging. These men were now your crew mates. You had to protect them. Fight with them. Be one of them.
You turned as noticed the shoreline had gotten very far away in a short amount of time. How had that happened?
There it went.
Your old life.
Ahead of you, there was nothing but open sea and a new adventure waiting on the horizon.
