The sun had just begun to peek up over the horizon, sending flittering rays of light across the land. Some making their way to the waters surface only to be reflected in miniature refractions of light, which made it seem as though it were shimmering. All in all it was a beautiful day, not a soul there to disturb it with the exception of a few birds that seemed to hover just over the waters surface, looking for its prey for the day. With a soft splash one of the birds dunked down bellow the surface and then emerged with a small fish clasped tightly in its powerful feet. Grinning faintly at the sight of it, a simple thought of life crossed his mind. What was it really? To live only to be killed and to kill only to live, what kind of life was that? It wasn’t that simple to him though, because in order for him to continue living all he requested was for his few vices to be satiated for the time being. Death was of no concern to him, but it was not something he freely risked to toy with, mainly because life didn’t offer him all he wanted. At least, not yet.

Taking his eyes from the waters, he continued to trudge along the sand riddled beach, occasionally avoiding a few stray stones and shells that littered his pathway. Then it occurred to him that perhaps it would be time to take a break, even if for a short period. No sense in wearing himself out before he got to where he needed to be. Especially knowing the place he needed to go. Glancing around for a brief moment, he spotted a place not too far off from his current position along side of a rock that seemed quite suitable for the time being. Making his way over towards the rock, he would pause just a few feet shy of it, before slinging his bow from his back and tossing it to the sands bellow. Then doing the same with his rather large double bladed axe, only to toss it along side of the dark bow. Releasing a light sigh of relief, he would take a seat along side of his weapons and rock back to laying position, only to place his hands up behind his head to keep it elevated enough so his gaze could wander across the languid waters that lightly lapped their way up the shoreline only a foot shy of his feet. A sense of relaxation washed across him and no longer did he bother to care whether or not he was alone anymore.

Slowly his eyes would slide shut, blocking everything else from his view and a faint tune would pick itself up in his head. With a light hum, he would quickly pick up the tune of the song, only to grow louder with the further he got along into the song. It’s melodies seemed to swing from high to low, but all in all seemed to maintain an upbeat and cheery tone, which seemed to only succeed in lulling him into a further state of relaxation.

Iolanthe’s soft soled knee high boots allowed her to feel the softness of the sand beneath her feet, and she closed her eyes as a breeze whistled through her windblown hair. It had been far too long since she’d been at the Big Blue. Iolanthe couldn’t help the constant smirk creeping along her face. She was truly happy here, her senses taking in her surroundings. It was home for her. Iolanthe’s fingers twirled themselves around the black threads that graced her collarbones and looked out over the horizon. The lapping waves tempted her to jump in, but Iolanthe resisted it. She’d rather keep her clothes dry as long as possible.

The She-Pirate took a deep breath of the salty air, and walked along the beach, enjoying the squish of the sand. She hadn’t felt such a wonderful thing for many a moon; as the forest folk would say. Iolanthe’s mind wandered as the gazed out over the waves. She thought about the abandonment of her father, the first ship she sailed, and then the first ship she sailed to escape the previous. It hadn’t been the easy breezy life she’d heard about in the fishing village… But it suited her, especially after the callous captain of her youth. Softness was absent from her.

It wasn’t before long that Iolanthe stumbled upon a fellow beach bum. Her smirk widened into a grin, and she approached the man, who seemed to be lost in his own world. She leaned over him, but before she could pester him, she heard his small melody being hummed. She sat down next to the man, and listened to him for a moment, keeping silent. Which however, was an accomplishment for the inattentive pirate. She was horrible about keeping to one thing for too long, or even listening to someone blab on for too long. Sometimes it had to be quick and to the point for poor ‘ol Iolanthe.

Soon, Iolanthe grew tired of sitting and listening, and stuck her face right above the male’s. She poked his rib, and laughed. “Good mornin’ sunshine, it’s a beautiful day on the shoreline!” She looked over, her hand panning the shoreline, admiring it. “Aw look at it lad, ain’t it grand?” It was almost as good as a chest full of gold. Almost.

Releasing an irritated growl at sudden prodding at his ribs, his eyes would open and glare up at the woman hovering above him. It was probably a good thing she was good looking; otherwise he would have considered doing something much more different than simply growling. Casting a brief glance over to his axe off to his side, he grinned faintly. Oh, she would have been in so much trouble should she have lacked a visage of an angel. Never did he take kindly to interruptions or even eavesdropping, but she was among the fortunate few. Releasing another growl, his hands would part from behind his hand and bring themselves back to his sides, before sitting up slightly and using his elbows to support his half-sitting frame.

Carefully he listened to what she had to say and watched curiously as her hand fanned out across the horizon in front of them. Grand….? Hardly the case, after all it was just water. It wasn’t gold, it was alcohol, it wasn’t a woman, and it certainly hell wasn’t anything he felt as if he had wanted. Disinterested in her distracting little display, his eyes would return back upon her visage, studying it intently. She certain did have her looks about her, but the only question was…

Quickly his mind shifted its course on its questions, before returning back to a more…Appropriate one, “Water is hardly beautiful, unless it’s used to make a drink. Then it can be quite beautiful…Or even if there were women swimming in it, then of course. Oh and don’t forget about gold, you certainly can’t forget about that. But what’s so fascinating about water to you? I really don’t get it, perhaps you should explain it.” A coy grin slid across his face as he eyed the woman curiously. At least it would buy him some more time with this woman, alone time. The only question lied in whether or not she would answer him.

Iolanthe jumped back slightly at the man’s growl, but merely tapped him on the shoulder. She wasn’t afraid of an irritated growl… She’d received far worse than that from a musky pirate or two. Just because he woke up on the wrong side of the sand, wasn’t going to ruin her awe-stricken morning. Perhaps the only thing that wasn’t materialistic about Iolanthe’s ways was the love she held for the ocean.

She turned over as the man leaned in a half sitting position, and she sat with her knees bent, arms draped over them casually. She took a deep breath; she couldn’t take her eyes off of the wonders of the water. Iolanthe glanced over at the grumpy lad, and smirked. “Aye, it’s a sight. Gold ye say? Just look at the way the sun floats on the water like mere flowers needin’ a ride to shore…” She pointed out along the waves, as the sun’s rays seemed to relax on the water, preparing for a long day. Iolanthe raised an eyebrow, curious as to why this man wasn’t garbed in such ways of a pirate. Her fellow shipmates had always liked the Big Blue, sure, but that was only because it had taken them far and away from their troubles.

Iolanthe wasn’t sure if this man was genuinely interested in why the ocean was so wondrous to her; but she decided she’d tell him anyways… Though, she wasn’t even sure if she could explain it.

It just simply was.

She sat there in the sand for a long while, trying to think up a way to fully explain her love for the Big Blue. After a time, she looked over to the man and smiled. “The Big Blue carried me away from my troubles, gave the fish in my belly a place to sleep before I was ready to eat it, sailed me to riches, and will float me away to wherever it feels I should go.” Her hair whistled as she turned her head back towards the ocean. “It brought me peace when I was lonely and hurt. I guess you could say this ‘ol She-Pirate owes her life to the Big Blue.” The pirate’s voice had grown soft with compassion as she spoke of her lifelong friend. It was just a bunch of salty water, sure, but this salty water held a lot of memories in its depths.

While she spoke her story of the Big Blue, his eyes would part from her face and off to the languid waters off in the distance. The woman seriously held a reason to hold such a love of the sea, and not simply from its beauty, but from something much more than just that. She was an interesting one, as for her beliefs and reasoning’s, but the true question rested in what her goals were, and what did she want from those goals. If it were like what his had been, then she would be okay in his book, but that would have yet to be seen.

Taking a few moments to soak in her story, a few questions began to wander about the caverns of his mind. Sucking in a breath of air, he would begin in a soft subtle tone, “You speak of it like it’s some sort of God or something. Your story’s admirable, but I couldn’t see that sort of life for me. Living day by day on a ship, looking at the same group of people, eating the same thing, and wishing to land somewhere worthwhile. I don’t know about you, but I want more from life than sailing and playing each day by guesses.” Pushing up from his current position, he rolled over onto his knees, using his hands to help himself back up to his feet. Shifting a brief glance down to the woman beside him, he scoffed lightly before returning his gaze back to the sea, “The sea is just another object to me. If it stands at the point in which I need it to accomplish what I want, then I will use it, but until then it doesn’t interest me.” Lifting his gaze from her, it would turn back to the large rock not but a couple feet off from him. Carefully moving over his weapons, a single hand would reach out and lightly drag itself across the jagged features of the boulder, before coming to a halt. Turning his back to the large boulder, he would lean his lower back up against it and fold his arms over his chest.

Settling his gaze back upon her, another light breeze would kick up a few tendrils of his silverish hair sending it skittering across his visage, before falling still once more. The air held a salty scent to it, something he didn’t all too enjoy, but he would tolerate it for the time being, “I intend to have everything I want before my final hours tick away, because that will be the only time I will be ready to accept the great beyond. Anyone, anything that stands in my way of accomplishing that goal will suffer the fate I deem upon them. I am not a very nice man…In fact, the little kids say it best. I’m a big meanie head.” A sly grin slid across his visage as his eyes continued to bore down upon her, “But what do kids know anyway in their innocence? They know not the hells that claim this world, or even the darkness that lurks behind each corner. Everyone’s out for their own gains, as am I. But I have no problems accepting a little help and turning away from violence. I don’t understand it truly. Person A takes out stick, pokes at Person B. B then threatens A and A does it again, only to get stabbed by B. It makes no sense, in fact….It’s stupid. Now the point in my rambling leads to you. You and I….Rather. Now, I have an adventure coming up soon, perhaps you would like to join me? They say there’s riches and perhaps you may be interested. Besides, I could use a beautiful escort. So, how about it?” Again the grin plastered itself across his countenance at the shear thought of having her on his arm. Even if it weren’t for the reason he would have hoped for.

Iolanthe’s eyes flashed green as she became a bit irritated with this man putting down her ocean. It wasn’t God… It was her every being, her life, her everything; and that my friend was not the requirements of a deity. She did not worship it… Only admired it as it take taken her away from everything she needed to escape from.

The She-Pirate stood, kicking a bit of sand from in front of her boot, and ignored the words of the man as he babbled on about how her life was this and that, but his opinion meant nothing to her. She just let out a short staccato grunt, and turned back to him, arms crossed. He also shifted his position, and Iolanthe watched him scoot around the beach. Iolanthe chewed on the thought that if he had been in a similar situation to her own, he’d have a vast appreciation for the sea, as she did. However, this was not true, bring upon her humor as she chuckled at his next comment:

“The sea is just another object to me. If it stands at the point in which I need it to accomplish what I want, then I will use it, but until then it doesn’t interest me.”

She studied the man’s face, curious for only an instant what kind of life he had lead that would prevent him from even just appreciating the beauty of it. “Walk a mile in my boots, mate, and you’ll see…” The side of her mouth crooked upwards, “you’ll see.” She didn’t mean it intentionally, just one of those “if you would’ve been there, you would’ve understood” statements. If the ocean carried you away from unspeakably abusive beings, you’d have a little more than just simple appreciation… almost, infatuation for it; almost. Though, what Iolanthe had failed to commit to her consciousness, was that the ocean had also torn her away from her father… that her father had sold her to the sea. Perhaps that’s what it was. Her soul had been sold to the Big Blue.

The man, who still remained nameless, babbled on and on about some story, which Iolanthe couldn’t help but ignore. It was probably a fabulous story, but her attention span, and amusement with the lapping waves preoccupied her attention. That was, until the word “adventure” entered the story. Iolanthe raised an eyebrow, and figured it could perhaps be the same she’d signed up for at the Broken Strings. “Wha’s your name, lad?” She had decided to question his name before she had accepted any arm candy agreements. Though she figured he referred to the same thing, she wasn’t going to be arm candy for someone who failed to express their name.

When she asked for his name, he simply ignored it for the time being and turned his attention to a previous comment of hers. Walking a mile in someone’s shoes eh? She had no idea who she was talking to, but it really didn’t matter. There was no sense in trying to explain something that complicated to someone who probably couldn’t care less. Besides, the past was a boring subject, something that he never really dwelled far on with anyone, even those that were closest to him.

Shrugging the thought from his mind, his eyes would slowly slide shut for a moment, before speaking in a soft tone, “Aye me lassy, I walk a mile in ye shoes, but y’see…I’d doubt they’d fit.” Try as he might to mock her style of talking, it came out more like that of a drunken Irishman other than that of a pirate. Though, it would make little difference to him, one sounded almost like the other and to him that was good enough. His eyes fluttered open, only to situate their gaze back upon hers, “But I doubt mine would fit you either, you’d probably trip and fall flat on your face, because walking a mile for either of us in each others shoes would prove near impossible. We live different lives, I understand that. You have your love for the sea and I have my love for whatever I choose at the time. I’m sure the sea is a great place, but it’s just another object to me.”

Offering a slight shrug in response, he would push off from the rock and slowly turn to face the vast sea before him. Taking a couple steps forward, his feet would pause just where the waves had begun to push their way up the beach. Watching intently, his eyes studied the swirling waters as they bent and spun around his feet as they tried to reach their destination, before being swiftly retracted back into the vast blue. Again his voice would pick up, this time in a more somber tone, “If you wish to know my name, I only go by Avarice. Do not ask or question it, because you will not receive an answer for such a question, understand? I can’t tell you have many times I’ve been asked that, it gets quite sickening, really. Now, if I may, what kind of name does a beautiful woman like you possess?” Shooting her a quick glance over his shoulder, another grin would cross his slender lips.

Iolanthe tilted her head slightly as Avarice mocked her speech. She licked her lips, as if a witty little plan was brewing inside her head. No one mocked Iolanthe without the result of a friendly little banter. She knew it was all in good fun, so she couldn’t help but think up a little retort.

“But I doubt mine would fit you either, you’d probably trip and fall flat on your face, because walking a mile for either of us in each others shoes would prove near impossible. We live different lives, I understand that. You have your love for the sea and I have my love for whatever I choose at the time. I’m sure the sea is a great place, but it’s just another object to me.”

Iolanthe took a deep breath, mustering up the will to speak after his long drawn out explanation. “Well, for one thing, my good sir,” she said, with the ut-most eloquence, “I need no assistance from unfitted boots to help with my lack of grace,” A thin grin spread across her face. “As for my boots fitting the likes of your own bipedal standings… These are of the finest leather, and unfortunately for you, I probably wouldn’t have graced your feet with them in the least.” She grinned, patting her stomach, quite pleased with herself as she fell back into the pirate standings.

She was educated, sure, but why flaunt it when people could think less of you and be surprised later? Intelligence was a weapon, a hand of cards that you keep secret until the most beneficial time to reveal. “I was only sayin’ mate, that ye shouldn’t be demeanin’ something tha’ means the world ta me.” She patted him on the back, full aware of his standings and that he was a different sort, yadda yadda, but, she only asked for the least bit of respect from the lad.

Then he started fussing about his name and such and Iolanthe waved her hands to get him to stop. “First mate, we’ve got to stop this long winded explanation nonsense.” She gave a half-hearted shrug. “I don’t care what the likes of yer name is. A simple Avarice will suffice. I ain’t gonna question it.” Avarice then asked her name and she gave a bow, thinking it’d please him with her sudden refinement. “I only go by the likes of Iolanthe.” She came back to face the man. “My mother named me so, and I haven’t messed with it since.” She gave a little grin, “though at times me lazy seamates call me Io.”

Iolanthe leaned against a rather large rock and noticed her lack of ale. She licked her lips again and thought it would be lovely to have a pint with this Avarice lad. “Would ye like ta join me in a tavern of sorts?”

When she spoke her witty remark to him, he couldn’t help but grin at it. She was by no means a normal woman; a normal woman would have taken offence to his very first comment and ran away as soon as they could. Instead, she stayed and slopped the very same mush he slopped at her right back. These were the kind of women he liked, the fearless, the sharp tongued, and the witty. Ones that weren’t afraid to stand up to the biggest and baddest guy in the land and give him what for.


Unable to keep in his laughter for very long, a soft chuckle would soon part from his lips, only to be quickly stifled as he slipped back into his thoughts to mull over his own response. Finding one to his liking, he decided to let loose his tongue and allow the words to flow eloquently from his lips, “Oh, excuse me Mrs. Priss. I’d feel terrible if I were to soil your boots while trying them on for a mile. I’d feel even worse if you had to put my dirty, grubby boots on. I mean after all, with feet like that of an angelic queen, I’d hate to spoil them with my boots. Psh, don’t feel me that bull.” While it sounded as if he were made, he truly wasn’t and the grin plastered across his countenance for-told that. Though, it would fade as quickly as it had appeared with the coming of the next part of her speech.

Who did she think she was kidding? Long winded speeches, if anyone….she should be looking at herself. Heaving an exasperated sigh, he would slowly turn to face her and tilt his head off to the side, “Practice what ye preach. If you were a reverend, I would never attend your masses. But then again, if you were a reverend, then I would be a Saint.” Again a wry grin etched across his visage as his head re-righted itself in its positioning, “Iolanthe is all I need to know, I don’t care about your mother, nor do I care about your laziness. And I’m the long winded one?” Though, as soon as she asked her next question, his attention would soon shift from their disgruntled and childish argument and back to the more soothing thought of what it should be. And that was being in a bar, drinking, and talking to a beautiful woman. Offering her a brief shrug and a simple wave of the hand, his voice would pick up again in a soft tone, “Never mind this entire conversation…Now, lets go!” Quickly he moved over to his weapons and picked each one up only to sling it over his shoulder, each being supported by their own shoulder. Resettling himself once more into an erect stance, he would await her to make the first move and simply offered a hand out to her, “I know the perfect place, are you ready to go?”

Iolanthe seemed to match Avarice’s grin as he chuckled slightly at her comment. On, the fun of banters! Io loved them, especially when there wasn’t really anything else to do on a ship in the middle of the ocean. She’s always fight with her sea mates about nothing until the captain came burling into the afternoon hung over from the dinner before. Iolanthe sighed, oh how she missed her captain and the Blue…

“Oh, excuse me Mrs. Priss. I’d feel terrible if I were to soil your boots while trying them on for a mile. I’d feel even worse if you had to put my dirty, grubby boots on. I mean after all, with feet like that of an angelic queen, I’d hate to spoil them with my boots. Psh, don’t feel me that bull.”

Iolanthe listened to Avarice praising her angelic presonna and her grin just kept getting bigger and bigger. She really liked this guy; so far, he had a sense of humor. She bowed low and came up laughing. “Miss Priss at your service m’lord!” She grabbed her belly, cackling with laughter. Miss Priss? Oh, that was a good one; she’d have to write that down. Theron would get a jolly chuckle from it.

“Practice what ye preach. If you were a reverend, I would never attend your masses. But then again, if you were a reverend, then I would be a Saint.”

Iolanthe raised an eyebrow, planting a fist on her hipbone, looking quite skeptical. “Guess ye’d have to be religious b’fore ye’d go to a mass, eh?” She chuckled slightly, “let alone religious to be a preacher!” She nudged Avarice with her elbow humor fluttering in her brilliant green eyes. This morning would only get better as the sun moved across the sky, as they had made plans for the bar. Her other favorite place.

“Iolanthe is all I need to know, I don’t care about your mother, nor do I care about your laziness. And I’m the long winded one?”

The She-Pirate rolled her eyes, giving another bow, though this time in mockery. “Oi, just matchin’ the antics of you, mate.” She shook her head the right side of her mouth upturned in a smirk.

“I know the perfect place, are you ready to go?”

Nodding, Iolanthe walked a few paces, gave Avarice’s hand a friendly slap, then bumped him with her hip. “I know I’m ready to get the ‘ell outta here. Gulls ‘re startin’ ta piss me off.” She gave the seagulls a wicked glare as she headed towards the direction, going from the direction of Avarice, of where the city and pub was located.