Chapter 5

          Once on board The Stormy Lass, the pirates set to work.  Becca and Abby carried the supplies into the hold where Maggie organized everything.  Iama, Kris, and Sam set about rigging the sails.  Iama smiled to herself, remembering when their sails had been made largely out of her maidservant clothes from her time serving Lizzy, the princess.  Since then, plain muslin patched with jaunty reds, yellows, and blues had replaced petticoats and gingham skirts.

            Lizzy boarded last, inspecting every aspect of the caravel from stem to stern.  Every crack was patched, every small canon secured, everything needed on board and in its proper place.  Finally, she took her place at the helm.  The wheel had been scavenged from an older ship.  It had been her personal find and addition to the ship.  She sanded it smooth and painted her ship’s name on it with love and care.  This ship was hers: her brainchild, her sweat and blood, her hope, and her career.  When all was ready, she gave the signal.  Kris clambered into the crow’s nest and hoisted the Jolly Roger.

            Sam, Iama, and Lizzy consulted the compass and the map and decided on a bearing.  Lizzy guided the ship expertly out of the secret cove and into the deeper water off shore.  Her sails caught a fresh wind from the south and bellied out.  The Stormy Lass sailed far out from the mainland and sped north, hopefully following her prey.

            The ship sailed along the coast, though far from the eyes of curious people in the city.  A string of unpopulated islands separated the main coast from the tack of the pirate ship.  The waters through which the ship glided were crystal clear, and a deep cobalt blue.  Below the surface sparkled reefs filled with life.  Strong corals flourished next to graceful sea fans and seaweeds waving in the current.  Tropical fish of every shape, size, and color darted between the plants in and out of caves in schools or alone.  Slow, majestic sea turtles swam with swift playful dolphins who leapt in the spray.  Lizzy smiled at the sea creatures below her and at the beautiful day around them all.

            All that day the wind held strong and The Stormy Lass made good headway toward her relative destination.  As the sun set, however, the sails grew slack and the water lapped tiredly at the sides of the slowing ship.  Lizzy watched the stars wink into being one by one as the lethargic ship floated along.  The night was beautiful, too, clear and cold.  Lizzy shivered after being covered in spray all day.  Iama tossed her a blanket and offered to take the first watch.

            “No thanks, I’d rather take first.”

            “All right, then I’ll take second.”

            “We should be there soon.”

            Iama smirked.  “Not if the wind stays slack like this.”

            “It’ll pick up in the morning.  You’ll see.”