Welcome to Gaia! :: View User's Journal | Gaia Journals

The morning light lit up the sky like a fire being stoked during the dead of the night. Sleepless and desperate Melody drug herself out of bed. She had to keep going, but she felt a mantle of despair heavy on her shoulders. What did it matter if she game up? She walked out of her cabin and onto the deck of her ship. If anyone had been awake that morning they would have sworn the ship to be haunted.
A frail pale figure draped in an iridescent robe floated towards the ships railing. Melody slumped down her arms draped over the edge. She was reeling from the events of the past days. She had no one in the world. As the light of the sun peeked upon the lapping waters of the sea she remember...
'Father! Father! Do I really get to go on this voyage?' A cute button nose nine year old boy sprinted over to his father.
'Oh my dear, of course you get to come along.' The gentleman was rugged yet some how regal. As he stood in the doorway of his wench's shack his dark hair fell ragged on his ivory with skin. The light of the morning shown through the window as the boy dressed with the speed of a rabbit being pursued. He threw on his finest sailing clothes: A pair of brown sackcloth pants with only one hole and a white potato sack shirt. He grabbed his brown leather triangle hat and stuck the fresh feather of a gull right in the side. He glanced in the mirror and was shocked to see the reflection. He had changed so much in the two weeks since his first voyage.
So much change that the reflection seemed like a stranger. But that was the desired effect. He could not resemble the person he truly was. A picture caught his father's eye. A beautiful girl dressed in an amazing hand woven black gown made from the finest silk. The girl had chestnut curls which rolled down to the very crown of her behind. She was slender with ivory skin and a twinkle in those bright blue eyes. A tear welled in the father's eye as he recalled his beautiful and delicate Melody. He wiped his eye with the handkerchief which he kept in his pocket. His Melody was gone now at least gone from the for the picture depicted. He rustled the chestnut hair of the young boy as he thought of the dangers facing them on this voyage. The first challenge for his child was to fool the crew. He still saw her darling beauty despite the unwashed face and drifter clothing, he only hoped they would not.
'What's our name going to be today?' He chuckles eager to hear what his little girl's creative mind had come up with.
'Simon! Just like your first mate. He's so strong and I want to be just like him!' Melody busted with pride at the choice she had made.
'Simon, indeed that's a find name!' Her father could not be happier with her choice. He trusted his first mate with his life. He trusted him with his daughter's life. Amongst the rogues in their town Simon was one of the few gentlemen left. What could you expect from a society of scoundrels?
He had met Simon when he was a young man only twenty years old. Simon had been from another town where the pirates had gone to escape the city after the roughnecks had taken over. Simon was looking for adventure and a decent living wage. Melody's father was one of the only captains to offer such a wage. Her father took excellent care of his crew and as a result they were faithful to him. His crew respected him and very few were willing to be civil within their world.
Her father hired Simon right away. Not only because he had greeted him with a 'hello' instead of a growl but he was also a fine young man, strong and sturdy. He knew he had found a treasure. Now after nine years Simon had proven himself to be as good as he had appeared when he first met him. Always Simon had remained loyal following her father into what seemed to be hopeless situations and coming out with barely his life. Her father trusted him so willingly that he told him about Melody being on the boat crew. He knew Melody was a girl and not a boy but he would never tell anyone. He knew that her safety was dependent on his silence.
Melody's mother came out from tending the younger four boys. 'Sir, I am unable to serve you today, I must take care of my children.' She was taken a back from the sight of the amazing captain here within the door.
He walked over and kissed the beautiful woman who stood before him. 'You know I don' tcome here to see you only to be serviced. I love you.'
She cringed at those words, not because she did not feel the same way, not because she did not want to be with him but because of the possible consequences those words could bare. Their society did not allow marriage or even love. Their society was built upon the lust of men. How could a woman serve many if she as tied to one man? The brothel owners simply would not allow it. They did not want jealous clients hanging around scaring away business. If a man was caught 'loving' a woman he was killed. No trial, no questions, no chance to explain, he was simply shot right where he stood.
No funeral would be held for the man. Life would go on as if nothing had happened. No one would bury him. Late one night a group of fellows would dispose of the body right into the sea. The tale would be sealed and life would go on as it had before.
For her services, he paid her well. She knew that each of her children were his. Five children born from unmasked passion. How could she explain to anyone how she could serve only one man and be taken care of with her five children. No other kids knew who their fathers were or at least they did not know who they were for long. Any man who was thought to be a father would run ask quickly as if facing the gallows. They had no desire to see or spend time with their children but Melody's father was different. He loved having children. He would bring treasures form his exploits sometimes coins, toys or even sea shells.
Her father was truly a good man. Her mother was a beautiful second class pirate wench. She was short and quite stout the way the scoundrels liked them. She has plans for her beauty. Melody would be after all a first class lady. Her thin beautiful body would be just what her mother needed to start her own brothel. When her daughter made the choice to become a crewman she had no idea how to respond. She was angry because her daughter was going to be her ticket out of the bottom rung. Despite her curly chestnut hair and blue eyes she knew that unless her daughter would become a lady she would never make her a fortune.
Melody had made her choice and there was nothing she could do about it. Since her choice was made life had become much more difficult for the family. Although they told no one about Melody's decision people knew that something had changed. No longer did she show up for her etiquette classes at the school. The girls from her classes came to see if she had fallen ill. Of course she was not home but off on a voyage with her father. Rumors had begun to spread about what might have happened to Melody. The rumors was all it took for her mother to lost her clients.
Her mother needed the money from her only loyal customer. She needed to service him for his money. As he pressed close to her, he dropped a large bag of coins into her bosom. 'We will return soon my love and you can repay me with your services then.' He kissed her forehead grabbed up Melody and out the door they skipped.

'Good Morning, My Lady' Simon's courteous voice brought Melody back from her memory. Simon seemed as if he had a rough night as well.
'Good Morning, Simon.' Melody realized what she was wearing and excused herself almost immediately. 'I'm sorry to seem as if I am brushing you away but I really must go.' She scurried off to her cabin to prepare for the day.