An occurrence at the Tortuga Tavern

"Yeah, Zira!"

"She's going to do it!"

"Woooo! Lady Zira"

The crowd was going wild as Eserelle sat in the Tortuga Tavern with a half-full mug of rum next to her while she arm-wrestled a man who was much burlier than she. She held tight, the match at a stalemate for a few seconds. Sweat collected on her brow as she bared her teeth, her red lipstick giving her a distinctly predatory look when combined with her disconcerting blue eyes. She took a moment to smile at the other man. "Surrender yet, hombre?" she asked, laughing a little. Then she focused again and slowly but surely she began to gain the advantage over him. The cheering around her intensified. The whole room smelled of alcohol and most of the men around her were drunk but they were still strong. A few ladies-of-the-night flitted around the edges of the barroom, shooting Eserelle dirty looks as she distracted their customers with her show of strength.

The man pushed her back and she grunted in a highly unladylike manner before putting all her strength against his and pushing him back. Closer and close got the back of his hand to the table and in surprise he looked at Zira. With a nearly savage grin she slammed his arm down, winning. The crowd shrieked and hooted and cheered, and the man smacked a coin down on the table as he got up to leave, humiliated. "Gracias, querido," she called after him sweetly and then laughed, raising her mug of rum to his retreat and downing it in a few swift gulps. Men fell over each other as they rushed to take the seat across from her but Eserelle stood up. "Momento, hombres," she said, taking a few deep breaths. "Zira needs a break." There were boos all around as she walked over to the bar. She leaned against it and the barkeep asked if she wanted another rum but she declined, asking this time for some water instead. As he handed her the new mug, she became aware of someone's eyes on her, on the back of her neck. True, she was in a tavern full of men who loved to look at her, but she could almost feel the difference in this gaze - it was the kind that sent shivers down her spine. She raised her glass to her lips and drank slowly, hoping the feeling would just go away.

Emmi laughed to herself when the other woman had beaten the man at the arm wrestling match. Picking her way through the crowd, she made her way to the lady's table. "Quite a display of strength there, Lady Zira, was it?" Emmi said as she came to a stop at the lady's side. "Hello, my name is Emmi, and this here is Scurvy," she said by way of an amiable introduction, her hand reaching up to gently stroke the feather's of her macaw.

Eserelle smiled, glad the approach wasn't hostile. Her breath came a little heavily as she gulped down her water. "The name's actually Eserelle but they call me Zira here and on my ship. Pleasure," she tipped her hat. "Ah, si, the circus in here, haha!" she laughed. "I grew up having to prove myself to men that I as a lady could be just as strong but now they know it - they know it well!" she shouted the last remark and a resounding "Aye!" came from her fans. "So now I just do it for fun," she chuckled, holding up the coin and biting it between her teeth to make sure it was genuine, "and for rum money, si?" She laughed again. "Well, Miss Emmi, what brings you to these parts?"

"I, Lady Zira? I am here because I find myself in need of a crew. The dratted English Sea Navy captured and hanged my crew as I watched, hidden in the crowd," Emmi's eyes darkened at the rememberance of her loss and the anger of that day returned, lighting up her eyes. "I stopped in here hoping to drink away my memories. What I found instead was something far more entertaining..." She laughed and smiled as the men in the tavern gave a hearty "Hear hear!" and she tipped her sailor's hat to them. "The men here seem to know you well enough," Emmi continued, "Do you come here often?" Her eyes skipped to the hovering ladies of the night, who watched her with a mix of scorn and jealousy. Why they were jealous of her, she had no idea, so she decided to ignore them

"Ah, si, lo siento, I am sorry for your loss, Miss Emmi," Zira said, tapping on the bar and signaling to the barkeep for another rum, which she paid for with the coin she'd just won. She drank a bit and gestured to the men surrounding them. "I think that all of these men can say that they've had at least one run-in with the Navy, some more serious than others." Zira nodded, her own eyes clouding over slightly. "When I was thirteen and pirating with my grandfather, our ship was attacked and nearly seized by those redcoats," she spat the last word. "We lost a lot of good men, including my grandfather's first mate. But La Soñadora and her men prevailed and she survived to sail on another day, to other ports and profits." She smiled, pulling herself out of the reverie and smiled. "But, yes, I come here a lot and so do most of these men - Truro's kind of a refuge for the likes of us pirates," she said, winking to Emmi, "So you may find yourself visiting here too. It's too full of scalywags for the Navy to come in and cleanse it, sabes? They'd have to burn the whole town to the ground," she laughed but added more seriously, "but there are some days we fear that they might. The whole place goes dead when a battalion rides by making its way up to Provincetown. But today we celebrate - a toast to anything! To life outside of the law, to the mother ocean and all her love and fury, to the life of a pirate!" She shouted her last few lines and jumped up onto a stool, raising her mug high.

"Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me!" she sang. The barkeep laughed and raised his own glass, and all the men in the tavern raised their glasses and joining in. "We pillage and plunder, we rifle and loot!" the whole room sang together, as Zira pranced down the bar. They all fell silent for her to sing, "Drink up me hearties, yo ho!" and then they continued on with her singing, "We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot!" and they went on through the whole song, with Zira twirling on the bar and various tabletops. The barkeep didn't mind because Zira brought crowds and business to the Tortuga Tavern. With the last refrain, Zira leapt down off the table and came back over to the bar and received another glass of water. "Apologies," she said to Emmi, laughing. "I cannot help it - I'm Spanish, the celebration is in my blood."

Emmiline smiled when the other pirate captain suddenly burst out into song. "No need to apologize Zira. I remember the day when I too could sing with the best of them. Those days are long gone for me, however. Since I saw my crew hung I haven't had much of a heart for singing," she fell silent as her memories once again took its toll, anger beginning to fester in her heart. "However, it seems to me that a light has been rekindled." Slowly but surely, Emmi's voice gained confidence and before long she was singing, just like she used to on her ship with her crew scattered around her listening. Only this time, the company were strangers, and they weren't by any means sailing...

I am a lighthouse, worn by the weather and the waves.
I keep my lamp lit, to warn the sailors on their way.

I'll tell a story, paint you a picture from my past.
I was so happy, but joy in this life seldom lasts.

I had a keeper, he helped me warn the ships at sea.
We had grown closer, 'till his joy meant everything to me.

And he was to marry, a girl who shone with beauty and light.
And they loved each other, and with me watched the sunsets into night.

And the waves crashing around me, the sand slips out to sea.
And the winds that blow remind me, of what has been, and what can never be.

She'd had to leave us, my keeper he prayed for a safe return.
But when the night came, the weather to a raging storm had turned.

He watched her ship fight, but in vain against the wild and terrible wave.
In me so helpless, as dashed against the rock she met her end.

Then on the next day, my keeper found her washed up on the SHORE.
He kissed her cold face, that they'd be together soon he'd swore.

I saw him crying, watched as he buried her in the sand.
And then he climbed my tower, and off of the edge of me he ran.

I am a lighthouse, worn by the weather and the waves.
And though I am empty, I still warn the sailors on their way.

The room when silent when Emmi sang, and Eserelle watched her with wide eyes. She'd thought that she had a somewhat good singing voice but this women blew her out of the water so to speak. Even the drunk men quieted, listening to her melodic voice. All eyes were on Emmi. As she finished, the room remained so quiet you could here a pin drop, until Eserelle hooted and shouted "Bravo! Bravissimo!" and began to clap and the rest of the bar broke out into applause and cheers. Zira clapped Emmi on the back amiably and said, "Look out now, chica, here they all come to buy you a drink!" And sure enough the men were starting to edge towards Emmi, all wanting to be the first to buy a drink for the pretty lady with the beautiful voice. Zira laughed, "Haha! Es posible que I'm not going to be the most popular girl in town anymore." The other ladies in the tavern threw her and Emmi more dirty looks and pranced out of the bar looking for other places to ply their trade. Zira laughed even more. "That's right, putas, find somewhere else - these hombres are too otherwise occupied!" Eserelle smiled at Emmi. "Well, you're a star, amiga."

Emmi had forgotten completely the effect her voice had on other people. She smiled and laughed heartily. "Oh no, please," Emmi said as all the men came over to her, offering to buy her a drink and asking where she had learned to sing like that. Finally, after a few more declines, she accepted a tankard of rum from a youngish looking man with dark and messy hair.

Zira laughed and watched the men fawn and fuss over Miss Emmi. "So," she said after the men had settled down. "Do you see any fitting men in this bar to become part of your crew? There are a few very experienced sailors here, and with you current popularity I'm sure all you'd have to do is give a shout and they'd all be falling at your feet, begging to be a part of your crew."

"Oh I see many fitting men but I don't know how many of them are willing to serve under a woman as their Captain? And whose to say they won't get tired of my singing?' Emmi teased the men around her at large, taking a swig from her tankard of rum. "What do you say, boys," Emmi asked the room, "Do you want to see old Emmi ship, The Plunderer's Lust?"

There was a resounding "Aye!" from all the men as they crowded around Emmi hopefully. Zira laughed and called, "Now Garcia, Lopez, Rodriguez, I won't have any deserters! Estupidos, the three of you already have a captain." Eserelle laughed for the three men indeed were part of her crew and had been entranced by Emmi's singing. They laughed and Zira looked them all dead in the eye. "I laugh, but I'm serious," she said, still joking slightly, "you three better not jump ship on me." There was a pause and a silence before Zira laughed again, for she knew that the three men wouldn't desert her crew but there were plenty of other men that were willing to join Emmi's crew.

Emmi's eyes took in the three men Zira named, remembering their faces should they try to join her crew. She didn't want any trouble with Lady Zira seeing as she, Emmi, had only herself to rely on. "Well then, laddybucks and my lady, of course," here she tipped her hat to Lady Zira, "it seems we are off to see the Plunderer's Lust in all of her one Captain's glory!"

Eserelle tipped her hat back. "You heard her, scalywags!" and then to Emmi, "Lead on, Miss Captain Emmi." The men all pushed toward the door but left a clear path of walking for Emmi and Eserelle. Before walking away, Zira leaned over the bar and said to the barkeep, "Don't worry, we'll be back I'm sure."

The men looked on with appreciative "oohs" and "aahs" and Zira leapt up on a dock post, staring up at the magnificent ship. "Que bella," she breathed. "What a beauty she is. Dios mio, Captain Emmi, if you can't find a crew for this lovely ship then there is no hope for any of us who fly under black flags."

"Aye, she is a thing of beauty," Emmi responded as Scurvy let out a squawk taking off from his master's shoulder and into the sky toward the ship. "So my lads, and Lady Zira, of course," Emmi said, "Who wants the grand tour and a looksee into what the rest of their life will be like should I find you fit enough to join my crew?"

There was another resounding cheer from the crowd as every man expressed his desire for a tour. "Aye, you three!" Zira shouted to her crewmen, "I've got my eyes on you hombres," she told them as they cheered enthusiastically with the rest of the men. Zira laughed again and nodded to Emmi. "Well, Captain, I of course have my own ship, but I'd love to take this grand tour as well."

"By all means, Lady Zira. The more the merrier," Emmi said graciously, tipping her hat to the other Captain. "All right then, my lads, aboard we go!" Emmiline exclaimed. With a cheerful squawk, Scurvy took off into the air and onto the ship's railing. "What do you think we are, Scurvy? Gods? We can't fly like you can. Be a gentlemen and lower the ladder, you ungrateful flea bag!" Emmi shouted up to her macaw. Another squawk sounded anf for a moment Emmi thought Scurvy would disobey her but no, a rope ladder fell to the dock at her feet.

Climbing nimbly up the ladder she turned around and waved Lady Zira up first, then allowing the other men to follow after her.

All the men rushed to climb up after Captain Emmi but Zira pranced in front of them. "Ah ah, hombres, ladies first! Just because we're a bunch of pirates doesn't mean we can forgo manners," she chided. They chuckled and grumbled and cleared a path for her, and she climbed up the ladder after Emmi and shouted down, "Alright you scalywags, what are you waiting for! Your future captain is waiting for you!" And with that they all pushed and shoved to be the first one to climb up and eventually there they all were, piled onto the deck of Emmi's lonely ship.

As the men had all crowded onto her previously empty ship, Emmi had disappeared into her captain's cabin for a change of clothes. A few minutes later she swept out, wearing loose fitting black breeches, and a gold tunic over a black blouse. Closing the door to her cabin, she nimbly climbed onto the railings of her ship, so as to not fight her way through the crowded main deck. Dropping on the floor of the quarter deck, she turned to her audience. "Come now laddybucks. Where are your manners? Let the Lady through. She already has a ship as well as a crew."

Zira stood in front of the men, down below Emmi on the main deck. She turned and gave a great bow to Emmi, sweeping her hat off. "Much obliged, Captain!" she called up and then turned to face the men. "Well hombres, who of you think you're fit to sail with the great Captain Emmi? Huh?" She paced back in forth in front of them as she spoke and then looked up at Captain Emmi. "Methinks you should arrange a test, good Captain Emmi, to see which of these men are indeed fit for your crew."

"All right then, my big brauny lads," Emmi said, sweeping her hand over her gathered and anxious audience, "The time has come to see if any gathered here has what it takes to be a part of the legendary Plunderer's Lust." Her eyes looked at and met each set of eyes until they found the eyes of the men in Lady Zira's crew. "Unfortunately, however, three of you already have a crew and therefore cannot partake in the test. Will those three please join the three of us up on the quarter deck? And don't try to deny it or Lady Zira will have your ears."

Zira nodded and shouted, "I'll have their huevos morelike, and they know I'll do it too, don't you boys?"

"Yes, Captain," they said, finding it funny but at the same time knowing Zira would not tolerate them jumping ships so they climbed solemnly to the quarter deck where they smiled at their Captain, letting her know they took no offense and she smiled back, for they knew she was just being humorous. "Well, Captain Emmi, what sort of a test have you devised for these men?"

"Now then my lads," Emmi said, "I am going to give you a series of questions and if you can do it step forward and if you can't... Don't move at all. Sound good?"

The men roared a collective "aye" as did the three on deck next to Zira just to mess with her and she gently elbowed one of Rodriguez in the gut and they all chuckled while she winked at them. The men stared up at Captain Emmi with adoration and anticipation, waiting for the first question. "And no embellishing, you sea dogs," Zira said, "Remember, I've known most of you for years and I'll be knowing if you be lying - and I won't have you pulling the wool over Captain Emmi's eyes." She winked then at Emmi and tipped her hat. "Proceed, Captain."

"If you be brave of heart, come forward," Emmi said and smiled when nearly every man stepped forward. "If you are undetered at having a woman as your captain, come forward," Emmi comtinued and sighed when, once again, every man stepped forward. "If you are willing to sail into terror and death at pain of losing your life, come forward," Emmi went on, her eyes flashing when only several men on her deck stepped forward. "If you be ready for a good time sailing the high seas from dawn until dusk, come forward," Emmi went still on, laughing heartily as every man stepped forward. "If you are willing to contribute hard labor to your ship and to your captain, come forward," she continued, shaking her head slightly when but a few men came walking forward toward the quarter deck where she and Lady Zira and her men stood raised above them all. "And finally," Emmi announced, "For the most important question of all. Step forward if, and only if, you are willing to die for the sake of the ship and for your captain!" Those closest to Emmi came forward without hesitation and she nodded at them, a glint in her violet eyes. Once again the men closest to her stepped forward without hesitation. She inclined her head slightly and said, "Welcome to the Plunderer's Lust, me laddybucks. There is, however, one final task you must pass."

Zira obnoxiously stuck her tongue out at the men who had failed the questioning. "Ay, I am ashamed at all of you," she said. "But at least you've been honest." She nodded then to the men who had passed and said, "Congratulations to you men, Captain Emmi will be lucky to have you as you are lucky to have her as your Captain - if indeed you do pass this final test."

"All right you lazy lads," Emmi announced to the men closest to the quarter deck, "For your final task you must come forward and... Cross weapons with your new captain. Then, and only then, will you be considered a part of the crew. And afterward the real fun begins."

Some of the men visibly scoffed - they, fight a woman? They'd rip her to pieces! Or so they thought. "I wouldn't underestimate this one, boys," Zira said, prancing around in a circle and clearing a space, pushing the men back so that there was room for Emmi to engage in a fight. "Who's first, lads?"

A man stepped up, brandishing a old cutlass. "Don't let me hurt you, Miss Captain," he said, a smirk on his face. "We can quit whenever you like."

Emmi smiled evilly. "We'll just see who's begging to stop in the end, my lad," drawing and cracking her bullwhip and unsheathing her well made sword. "Bring in it, big brauny lad," she said challengingly, stalking him in a taunting circle as she waited for him to make his first move, calculating his height and weight and the poor quality of his weapon and the cockiness of his stance.

The men slowly began to cheer as the fight began. Zira walked around the inside of the ring, the self-named judge of the match. The man suddenly leapt forward, thrusting his sword at Emmi - a poorly played tactic it seemed but he lashed out a kick as well, aiming for the back of her knee. The crowd gasped!

Emmi side stepped the blow to the back of her leg easily and lazily cracker her whip at the man's heels, making him yelp in pain and jump away. She made an upper cut with her sword, which was blocked and went into a complex sword dance that she herself had practiced for weeks until she had gotten it perfectly. It brought her and her opponent hilt-to-hilt, and she bore down with all her strength, might and will until the man collapsed onto the mai deck of The Plunderer's Lust. Bringing her whip arm up and her sword arm down to the base of the man's throat she said, "Yield, or I'll have my whip kiss you where it hurts."

Zira and the other men cheered as the man in the circle was beaten soundly. When it was clear he could do nothing more, he dropped his cutlass and grunted a surrender, looking up at Captain Emmi fearfully. Like a dog with his tail between his legs, he got up and stepped back into the crowd, infuriated by his loss. "Alright, gents, who's next?" Zira shouted and another man stepped forward with two long and wicked looking fighting knives.

Emmi's eyes flashed as a man stepped up to her. "Care to try your luck, sailor? Do you think you're a match for the great Captin Emmi?" Emmiline taunted the man as he fearfully looked at her bullwhip and at her sword that was shimmering in the sunlight. She began to stalk him in a circle like she did with the first one, only this time she moved in closer, each time cracking her whip in her next victim's direction.

As Emmi cracked her whip, the man brought up his knife and caught the whip - it instantly wrapped tightly around the knife all the way to the hilt and with a might tug he wrenched it from Emmi's hand and causing her to take an involuntary step forward as he brought the other knife toward her gut. Though of course he knew he wasn't to actually harm her so he slowed his speed so as to be able to stop at the last second if she couldn't get a block up in time. The crowd gasped!

Stumbling forward a step, Emmi caught herself and blocked the man's sword thrust to her abdomen. Hmm... Interesting Emmi thought to herself He was smart enough to get rid of my bullwhip. This is going to be interesting. Advancing once again on the man she feinted a high cut and moved smoothly in a lower cut, leaving a small cut in his bicep. Bearing down, she swerved when he came at her in a wide arc, catching his sword on her hilt and almost casually knocking it away. "Oh dear," Emmi said, "Whatever will you do now, sailor?"

He still had a hold of the other knife, the one with her whip wrapped around it. He quickly shook her whip off it and kicked it behind him, out of her reach, holding his knife at defense and waiting for her to make a move. The crowd went wild, impressed with this fighter as they had not been with the last who now sulked outside the circle.

Emmi had trained herself for years to be as strong as, or stronger then, the men, and now it was obviously paying off. She began stalking him in a circle once again, trying to circle around toward her prized bullwhip. Finally, she succeeded and lunged, rolling on the floor quickly and grabbing her whip, she jack-knifed back up to her feet and watched the man steadily.

The man cursed when Emmi got her whip back but as she regained her standing balance he lunged for her again, aiming his knife at her abdomen and strike for her nose, one that would break it cleanly - again he slowed himself so as to be able to stop if she couldn't get a guard up in time.

Emmi noticed the man's hesitation and smiled to herself. Going for a daring, and very stupid act, she went nearly full force into the man's sword. She winced as the sword bit into her abdomen. Grabbing the hilt, she jerked her opponent closer and hissed at him, "You can't falter. If this is the way you fight raiders then you will not make it on this ship." She backed away from him, taking the knife with her and out of his hands. She winced in pain as she pulled the blade out of her abdomen and threw it on the floor. "Enough of this," she gasped, "I refuse to fight men who falter at fighting a woman."

The whole crowd of men gasped and shrieked and Zira shouted "Emmi!" and made to rush forward, but stopped short when she saw Emmi stand up and speak her piece. The men looked at her with new eyes and the man fighting her glared. "I did not wish to kill my new Captain," he hissed, angry and being humiliated. "It has nothing to do with you being a woman."

Zira stepped forward. "Emmi, we need to bind that before you bleed too much," she said.

"Whether it was because I am a woman or not doesn't matter," Emmi said as she sat down on the stairs leading up to the quarter deck. "The fact that you faltered at all is what matters." Tearing a strip from her shirt she pressed it against the wound in her abdomen, biting back a cry of pain.

All of the men stood around mumbling to themselves and not knowing what to do. The man who'd been fighting her was fuming with the embarassment of having faltered and with a growl he picked up his knife, leapt on the step behind her and grabbed her hair, pulling it back and holding his knife to her throat. "What about a man who takes advantage of a wounded opponent?" he hissed in her ear. In a second, Zira had her rapier drawn and the point at the man's throat, over Emmi's head. "No honor among thieves of pirates," she said in a quiet voice. "This is when the wounded opponent's allies step in," she had a smirk on her face and it was audible in her voice as well.

Emmiline felt the metal of the fighting knife touch her exposed throat. She sighed, and closed her eyes. She didn't expect the Lady Zira to come to her aid with her rapier and smiled. Using some of the strength she had left she lazily flicked her whip, catching the man on both cheeks, raising painful red welts. "Get out of my sight," she said through cleched teeth. "If I ever see you again I will not be so kind to you as I have been today."

Her strength nearly gone she looked at the Lady Zira and said, "Thank you." Clenching her teeth against the pain, she tried to stand and make her way to her captain's cabin. She swayed and her knees gave out, causing her to fall heavily to the deck. Her macaw squawked in outrage at the man who had caused this and flew at him, talons extended, raking the man's head painfully before flying back to his master's side.

Zira ran over to Emmi and knelt down beside her. "Rodriguez, Lopez, get over here, ahorita!" she yelled. "The rest of you," she said, glaring at the men, "get off this ship, this party is over, get your hides back to the tavern, and Garcia, you make sure they all go." Zira's men nodded, Garcia beginning to usher the men off the boat and they grumbled, most angry that they hadn't done anything wrong, and angry at the man who had ruined it for the rest of them. He'd most likely get beaten and robbed on the way home. Rodriguez and Lopez came over to Zira, awaiting further orders. "Help me get her into the Captain's quarters," she said more quietly. "Gently now," she said and they carefully lifted Emmi and brought her into the Captain's quarters, laying her gently on the bed they found there. "Captain Emmi, we need to treat your wound," Zira said. Garcia entered then and Zira said, "You hombres will have to get out of here, but first find me some cloth, something I can bind this with. And some freshwater." They went off to do jut that and Zira pushed Emmi's hair back from her face. "Is there anything I can get for you?"

A squawk sounded from outside right before Emmi's macaw Scurvy flew into the room with a worried flutter. He flapped his way over to his master and landed on the perch next the bed, squawking shrillly with concern. "It's alright Scurvy," Emmi said through the pain, "You know full well that I've had far worse then this." She reached out and ruffled the macaw's belly feathers. "If one of your men would get some rum I would forever thankful."

Zira pulled an impressively large flask of rum from inside her sash and handed it to Emmi as her men returned with the supplies and handed them one by one to Zira. "Captain Emmi," she said quietly, "I know we've just met and you've no reason to trust me, but do you mind if I treat your wound? Not that I doubt you're capable of doing it yourself but it seems like you could use some help and I'd be glad to," she said, her tone concerned. She only asked because to many a pirate it was a thing of pride, and she wouldn't want to invade Emmi's personal space without permission.

Emmi accepted the flask with thanks and without further ado poured half of it over her abdomen wound, gasping from the harsh sting that it caused. Through clenched teeth Emmi said to Zira, "I would be in your debt if you were to bind my wound, Lady Zira, but I wouldn't know where to begin repaying it..." Emmi's voice trailed off as her vision swam and she saw dark spots dance across her eyes.

Zira shook her head. "Close your eyes, señora, rest," she said and began working with the bandages. She was as gentle as she could be - and indeed the female touch was more gentle than any man's would have been, but she was but a Spanish pirate brought up in a world of men who knew not gentleness nor medicine. She quickly as she could without causing more pain than she had to. It was a crude binding job but it was tight and would suffice for Emmi, at least until she was well enough to rebind the wound on her own. She then sat back with her rear on her heels and wiped some sweat from her bow. "I'm finished, my lady. I'm afraid it's not the best but is should do alright." She bowed her head. "I apologize for this happening," she said more quietly. "I thought I knew that crowd better than I did, I didn't think any of the men would do something like this. That is the risk we run in this business I suppose, but still, I am sorry."

Emmi smiled in response to Zira's apology, too tired to grace the other woman with a spoken word. Scurvy in the meantime let out a grateful squawk and flew over to Zira's shoulder, gently nipping her ear with his beak. Before she could retaliate he fluttered to the door and artfully open it with his beak. It was a trick Emmiline had taught him and he was frightfully good at it.