Captivated by Blood

Burning Moon

Lucy

The night is stormy on the open sea with the wind whipping across the deck of a magnificent pirate ship. A group of spirited men feast and carouse. They are boasting and being obnoxiously annoying, getting drunk and being generally obscene, so gross. If I had known that this life would have been so trash, I might not have been so keen to take my father's place, but here I am me Lucy, Lucky Lucy, the most miserable pirate that ever had the displeasure of bobbing around the ocean. I wish for once something good would happen, something interesting, something exciting!!

When my father was Captain we were always going on adventures and fighting new battles and now we are just wasting away. UGH! I'm so bored! But defiantly not bored enough to go and boast with those imbeciles in the dining mess. Ew! Imagine being so proud of stealing a couple of chickens and a few kegs of ale. Where is their sense of adventure?! of danger?! And most of all, why is it so dark in here?

Wait, that is weird, what on the high seas is going on out there and why is it so quiet all of a sudden? I should probably go out there and make sure they haven't all drunk themselves to death. Where are my sword and trousers? I have a brush around here somewhere? Why am I so disorganized?

My father was never like this. He was always in control. People respected him, feared him, but most of all the crew loved him. Not that he cared for all that frilly nonsense, as he liked to call it. Also, how did my hair get so red? No one on this ship has red hair. I have a picture of my mother and her hair is the same colour as Dad's, literally the most basic brown imaginable. Also, I'm super tall for a girl, just as tall as most of the crew and I could rival at least half of them in a fight. Another thing I don't understand is why my eyes are so green. Neither of my parents have green eyes, so it really makes no sense to me at all. So weird, I'm basically built like some fantasy Goddess and my parents look like a couple of wholemeal buns in the bakers' shop.

Speaking of buns, I'm super hungry. A Goddess needs her energy , not that I am a Goddess, but one can only hope. If I were a Goddess, I would be a Goddess just like Haides and get to rule the underworld and have control over all the riches within the earth! Oh, and control demons! Whoa, that would be cool! I feel like I'm forgetting something? What was I doing? Oh that's right, I'm hungry......no....something else.....um oh yeah, where is my doublet? What a weird word, doublet. It makes it sound so fancy when all it is is a padded vest, like wearing a blanket shirt in a way but without sleeves and its pretty short and also nothing like a blanket. Wait, why am I getting dressed? OK, let me think.....I was complaining because it was boring and everyone was being drunk and loud, so annoying. Oh! Right! It is daylight and it is dark and scary and quiet in here.

They are probably all passed out or playing a trick or something. I might just open the window first and let in some sea air, freshen up this place a little and grab all my dirty dishes and take them down to the scullery, the perk of being a Captain.

Come on open! These windows are always getting jammed with too much salty air and not enough use, I suppose. Common girl push use your big Goddess muscles. Yes! Open....wait ...what is that!? The moon looks like it is on fire?! Where are we ? Are we near a volcano? Is there another ship about? What is going on? This is bad. I have been the Captain for less than a year and I am already messing this up, at this rate. I'm never going to live up to everyone's expectations and dad's legacy if I'm this easily distracted by my own thoughts.

Dad was a legend and his name was legendary too! 'The Fearless Protector of Blood and Morow'. That was what everyone would say, because he would protect those around him as if they were his own blood and when you were with him you knew that you would always wake up tomorrow.

Then there is me, Lucky Lucy. It doesnt even sound menacing at all. It makes me sound stupid. But most importantly, why is there a moon on fire outside the window in the middle of the day?

Dad used to talk about strange occurrences happening whilst at sea but I had never seen any of them myself. I was always stowed away and kept safe and now I have no idea what I am doing. I always thought he made up those stories, but what if they were true? Imagine if this was the start of some wild adventure. If it was, that would make me the protagonist and I am destined to meet the man of my dreams. Ha! Imagine!

Anyway, I'm pretty sure Dad has an instruction manual here somewhere that will walk me through every possible scenario that could ever occur at sea, even if Poseidon himself rose from the shadowy depths himself. Feels a bit awkward going through Dad's things, but none the less I need to figure out what that thing is outside. OK, let's see, Encountering Other Ships' Rules of Combat...no that's not it .....Ship Ettiquette, Breaking Bread and Pallay ....nope, Scurvy, Rats, Seasickness.....ugh none of these are about ominous aparations in the sky... hmmm whats this Forbidden and Dangerous Exploits? That sounds really strange. I guess we will see what this one is about, seeing as the title is about as obscure as the fire moon that is just hanging outside in broad daylight. Oh look there is a note inside the front cover....

Dear Darling Lucy,

If you are reading this, then it will be almost a year since my death and you

might have been looking out the window being your usual distracted self and, at some point, you might have noticed that there was a fire moon hanging outside your window in broad daylight.

Firstly, it is not a fire moon, it is a portal. Secondly, the crew are so quiet because they have been put in a state of paralysis by a supernatural being. Thirdly, things are about to get very interesting from here on, so you need to focus and become the fearless leader you were meant to be. This is your time, my dear Lucky Lucy. I never told you why we called you Lucky Lucy . Well, it's because anyone who dares cross your path or cast a glance in your direction will be lucky to get away with their lives. If you live up to your legacy and destiny, you, my dear, will be the greatest Pirate that ever lived, even greater than me, the protector of blood and morrow. Well, I have to admit that I had a little help with that, it wasnt all me, but you will find out about that soon enough. Well, there isn't much time, as I am guessing you wasted a bunch of time thinking and fussing about since noticing the moon portal in the sky. It is time for you to go now and meet Jack. Your destiny awaits my dear Lucy.

With Love and Luck.

Goodbye Lovely Lucy

May you forever be in Destiny's favour.

Soooooo.... I'm about to meet someone named Jack who comes through a portal that looks like a burning moon and the crew is asleep. Is that is all, any fairies, goblins, mermaids to go with it. What a joke! Honestly, what nonsense! Also, why was my Father's letter so detached? It didn't sound like my father at all. I have no idea what is going on right now, but I have a feeling I'm about to find out.