"For some unfathomable reason, many of the infamous criminals who roamed the high seas between the continents used the color red as part of their moniker. Between Redbeard, the Red Corsair, Rackham the Red, Red Shark, and the Red Brotherhood, a good half of the ten most feared pirates in history used the moniker. This despite how they were all active in different eras. It was theorized that the later pirates might have heard stories of their predecessor and had chosen to adopt the color as a homage to them." - Saucisse Reaunviel, Elven historian.

After a couple days at sea, when the novelty started to wear off from her nieces' minds, Cal began to have them spar with her. Mostly so those girls didn't just stay cooped up in their rooms and played their game with the other passenger's daughter.

Arquivaldo allowed her to use the open area of the deck for that purpose, and even offered her Aby's services. Contrary to her appearance, the imposing orcish woman was a life-affinity mage, and a very competent healer.

Naturally, Cal made full use of that offer. She did borrow a simple wooden staff from the crew though, as to use her weapon would be overkill against her nieces. Those girls were well trained and practiced diligently, true, but they also had nearly no real combat experience whatsoever, other than hunts.

At the moment she had an utterly frustrated - and bruised all over - Elaina across from her. Cal effortlessly parried her niece's cross-bladed spear with the staff in her hands when Elaina gave another thrust. She then pulled the girl off- balance with one end of the staff, while the other end swung low and rapped painfully against Elaina's shin.

"Yeowch!" Yelled the girl as she stumbled and fell on her face to the deck.

"Okay, you can take a break for now, Elaina," said Cal as she twirled the staff lazily. "Sidonie, you're up next, girl. You ready?"

"Ready, Aunt Celeysria!" Answered Sidonie cheerfully as she grabbed her two katars. She was quite amused by how badly her sister fared against their aunt, but then again they had seen their aunt spar against their mother. And they also saw her fight for real. Sidonie knew she was no match for her aunt in any way, but unlike her more laid back sister, she was always more eager for training and spars.

On her side, Cal exchanged the long staff for a pair of wooden sticks as long as her forearm. To the side Aby fixed Elaina's bruises in a flash while she hid her chuckle. Arquivaldo manned the helm himself at the moment while he whistled a ribald tune, whereas Uruza was atop the crow's nest. Orlaf, his wife, and daughter also watched interestedly, though his son and daughter-in-law were in a world of their own as usual.

Despite her younger age, Sidonie was the more patient and methodical of the two sisters. Elaina tended to fight more by feel and instinct, and was easily provoked into impatience. On the other hand, Sidonie was calm and graceful, and also far more cautious.

She still attacked first when Cal beckoned for her to come, her katars stabbed and sliced as she danced with them, but it never found purchase. Cal either pushed away or deflected Sidonie's blows, and after one move where the girl made a mistake, rapped her at the back of her hand with the stick.

"Don't get impatient like that, it's not like you," said Cal as Sidonie jumped back with a yelp and rubbed her stinging bruise. "In an actual fight mistakes like those could prove fatal, so it'll be better to work them out now while you can. Again."

The fifteen minutes that followed saw many bruises and welts join the first on Sidonie's arms. Meanwhile Cal pointed out the mistakes they made, but let the girls come with a solution themselves. Her fighting style was obviously unsuitable for the girls as neither were blood mages, but she had the experience and knowledge to point out their errors at least.

While Aby healed Sidonie, Uruza suddenly whistled shrilly, then leapt off her post atop the main mast. She caught a rope on her way down, and slid down its length smoothly before she landed on the deck. Everyone had their eyes gathered on her once she landed.

"We got a ship to the port side. I don't like it. Ain't no routes or harbors in that area," Uruza said once she straightened her clothes. "See anything, pops?"

"Still a tad too far, lass, can't tell much. Either way we ain't outrunning them with this wind, it's right from behind their arses and they're running square rigs," said Arquivaldo as he looked through a spyglass with the eye not covered by the eyepatch. "Passengers might wanna stay in your berths for the time being, unless you fancy sunny weather with a chance of bloodshed."

Orlaf and his family went back in, while the sailors looked around and seemed almost eager for trouble to find them. The captain kept his eye on the spyglass as he waited for the other ship to approach closer. Cal and her nieces stayed on the deck though.

After another half an hour, the other ship was finally close enough for Arquivaldo to be able to see more details. He saw through his spyglass, seemed to find something that drew his attention, then suddenly started to cackle and laugh like a madman.

"What's wrong, pops?" Uruza asked from beside him with some surprise.

"Ten thousand thundering typhoons! These bastard have some guts! Ahahahaha!" Said the captain as he slowly got his laughter under control. "See for yourself, look at whose flag they fly there."

Uruza picked up the spyglass, peered through it, found the flag in question, and observed.

"Bloody sniveling ballsacks!" She cursed suddenly. She then fished out a gold coin from her storage and slapped it on Arquivaldo's hand.

Cal was curious and asked to borrow the spyglass, which was promptly given to her. Through the tool she could see the other ship more clearly, and quickly found the flag in question.

The emblem she saw was that of a skull over a pair of crossed cutlasses, with two dolphins that circled it, rendered in red over black. She was not familiar with it, so she turned to Arquivaldo and asked the man instead.

"What about that symbol was so funny?" She asked.

"Why, my dear guest, that flag be the flag flown by none other than the dreaded pirate queen, the Red Corsair herself!"