Captain Bradley face turned sour with dark aura oozing out , he turned and strolled to Jonas with heavy steps , Jonas was dishing out orders to the crew when he noticed Daniel besides him and he turned and gave him his attention " Any orders captain "? he asked
" I want to know the details of the pirates we are about to face and their captains identity, " Daniel asked at a go
"you mean captain Blackthorne " he asked for Daniel to nod
"She's one of the most bloodthirsty pirates on the seas ", he said in a fearful tone , The quartermaster turned his stare to the fast approaching ship with worried bemusement , "I thought she never attacked English ships !"
Daniel broke in impatiently , "Well there's no doubt of it . Her lack of flying colours means that she can't be doing anything other than preparing for a battle ", He stopped swung his friend around
Wait a minute , I thought I heard you refer to captain Thorne as a 'she ' , Tell me that was just a mistake ," he said , hard voiced .
Jonas merely shook his head . " you mean we're about to be attacked by a Woman" ?
"Not just any woman , Captain , and it's been said , "he whispered , " that she's never been bested in battle ".
He had never heard of a woman who aspired piracy , no matter ", No Woman ", no matter what her reputation was , could possibly pose a threat to them .
"Well that's about to change ," growled Daniel ,
"Captain , don't you think it's fair we run for it ?
" No it's too late for that now , Their sloop is much faster than our frigate . We would be captured before the hour runs out , so that time is better preparing the ship for a fight ",
Captain Bradley turned to away from the railing and , faced his crew, All had heard the cry of "sail" and all knew what that means .
They were waiting for orders " prepare to defend !" he shouted
"Aye , Aye , captain ! came the response . Captain Bradley walked among his men , calling encouragement and orders alike , when at last the preparations were complete , the men gathered to hear their captain , There was fearful whispering among them , a number of them had heard of the Maiden's Revenge and her history of being undefeated .
Daniel's raised hand silenced all murmurings , his eyes searched the faces of his men , proud of their discipline " By God " he railed them in a deep , carrying tone , " I could not wish for a better force , were we set against the Spanish Armada !" the men cheered loudly .
"But we are not asked to perform a difficult task , he continued when the cheering had died down , " infact ," Daniel shouted , I hate to trouble men with the battle at hand when our enemy is merely a woman, she will surrender easily , running away with her tail in between her legs like the bitch dog she is .
More cheering as he succeeded in motivating their spirit , Daniel wondered what his mother would have said hearing such slanderous words passing easily from his mouth .
Yet his speech seemed to strike the right note with his anxious men, so he continued heartily , Captain Thorne's men are nothing but puppy's allowing a woman to lead them to the slaughter, Daniel's voice dripped derision , and the sailors laughed , roaring agreement and insulting the opinion of such men .
Daniel could almost hear his sainted grandmother rolling about in her grave , and he sent her a brief , wordless apology for his insult to her gender. Although he doubt that the pirates would be a bunch of drunken , undisciplined bunch and their female leader a harlot , oh how he dislike the opposite sex .
Many who listened to their captain exhortation kept hailing him , while few who heard firsthand account from sailors who had actually seen Captain Thorne, or whose ships had been taken by her. The captain gestured for a silence once again " Now " , he yelled, "I would not have you waste your energies in this small encounter , but it seems the pirates leave us no choice .
They are coming into position as we speak , so every man to his post , and when we must have whopped their ass their will br extra rum for all !
They cheers reached the heavens this time , they were brave words.