“Captain.” Delzie politely bowed and returned the smile Pearly offered, “Be still my heart..” Delzie took the opportunity to pce her wine gss gracefully on another barmaid’s tray and took Pearly’s gift. “...I wouldn’t have expected to see such a finely crafted woman standing in front of these elven eyes.” Delzie raised her mug, “It’s been too long, Pearly Pieces of Eight.” Delzie wiggled her shoulders so her dress pushed her ample breasts towards the elder pirate as she sipped the potent drink. “Step closer, unless you are going to ask me to dance!” Delzie flicked her long blonde hair over her shoulder and waited with a sly look in her eyes.

  With a hearty pour, Pearly took her mug down all at once and tossed her mug into the crowd. “What kind of Captain would I be if I didn’t first dance with the best courtesan I’ve ever met.” With her own hair flip and a formal bow, Pearly offered her bck-gloved hand. “Allow a humble sailor the honor of a dance, Delzie.”

  Standing quietly on the edge of the dance circle for way too long, Delzie leapt into Pearly’s arms and leaned back to let her hair fly free. “Yes, Ocean breezes, yes.” Firmly held by her partner, Delzie happily kicked her small feet in the air as Pearly spun her in soft circles. “I have always enjoyed your light touch, Pearly.” Turning her face to her dance partner, the actress behind the visage came out and Delzie flirted shamelessly with Pearly. “Please tell me that you want to dance with me all night, Pearly.”

  “Aye, that would be a living dream you nymph.” Pearly came out of their turns and set Delzie softly on her heeled feet and wrapped her hand around her partner’s tiny waist and pulled them together tightly. Enjoying Delzie’s light footwork and matching her moves expertly, Pearly raised her arm so Delzie could spin and resume their dance frame. “Do you remember my rules, sweetheart?”

  “Absolutely.” Delzie took a moment to pull Pearly’s ornate gloves from her hands and throw them across the room. “I have a little request.” Delzie giggled and pced Pearly’s warm hand on her cheek. “Gloves were getting in the way of your elegant and attentive touch. This is better.” Delzie leaned into Pearly’s touch, “You wish for me to repeat your rules?”

  Swishing her finger across Delzie’s cheek tenderly to remind herself of her past with Delzie, Pearly shook her head. “No need. I just owe Lay her ability to steal me first.”

  Jumping from the floor, Delize locked her legs around Pearly’s hips and kept swaying to the beat of the bards pying. “Steal. Great choice of words, perhaps I will do that very thing.”

  Intent on holding off Delzie as long as possible, Pearly delved into her polite small talk she’d developed for courtesans. “What in the world are you doing in this tiny town, Delzie?”

  “I am here because…” Delzie began to say before she was unceremoniously pulled from Pearly’s hold, “...oh my!” She chuckled.

  “Aye, Pearly. She’s here with meself, wicked woman.” Ruby nuzzled Delzie tightly and purred. “Why you be amongst us this eve’in bsted woman?”

  A quick stomp and spin, Pearly reached out and yanked Delzie from Ruby’s grasp. “I think you know why, girl.” Pearly held onto Delzie a little tighter but still lost her in the next pass that Ruby did in a ballerina leap. Realizing that it was fairly pointless to try and win against Ruby in her element, Pearly skip-danced over to Lay and pulled the barmaid to her. “I’m back.”

  “Rescued?” Lay pyfully cooed and snuggled against Pearly. “My saviour.”

  Satisfied with the outcome, Pearly crified her answer to Ruby. “Oh stop with the broken speech, girl. I know you can speak intelligently.” She paused for a quick kiss from Lay and a subsequent breath, “I came for my ship, Ruby One-Eye.” Pearly took a step closer to her fellow pirate captain. “Where is ‘The Dancing Dagger’?

  No longer the center of attention on the dance floor, Ruby set Delzie down and stepped in front of the courtesan. “That is a little complicated, Pearly Pieces of Eight.” She waved her hand, “It is too loud to discuss rationally here.”

  Sensing the tension between the two pirate captains, Delzie peeked out from behind the retive safety Ruby provided and grabbed Lay’s hand. “Come along sweetheart, They have business that we do not want to hear about.” With a quick hug and kiss on Ruby’s cheek, Delzie took Lay and melted into the crowd.

  “Outside with you then, Ruby.” Pearly stepped to the side, and pced her hand on her pistol for good measure. “Don’t even think about that devil’s dagger.”

  Appearing unphased by Pearly’s aggression, Ruby grabbed a passing drink and smmed the contents before walking off the dancefloor. “I wouldn’t stab a friend.” Ruby ughed and headed for the entrance.

  A quick grab of her cap, Pearly headed outside right on Ruby’s heels. “I don’t see her in the harbor.”

  Waiting until the duo made their way to the waterside and the soft sound of waves pping against the docks, Ruby added her own comment to Pearly’s. “This is going to be hard to expin, but first…” Ruby noticed a glint in Pearly’s hazel eye and held up her hands, “...here.” Ruby produced a small fsk of rum for the pair to share. “Pearly.” Ruby paused and took the first swallow of rum, “I don’t want to lie about this, since you are a friend.” Responding to Pearly’s frantic cwing at the metal container, Ruby handed the rum over and added the punchline. “Your ship isn’t docked, it’s at the bottom of the Caribbean, two days west of Aruba.”

  Feigning anger since she didn’t have a crew in which to sail the well-armed sloop in the first pce, Pearly bounced her hand on the handle of her pistol. “You…you…” Pearly put on the best act she could, “...Lost my ship. My Ship!” Once she handed Ruby the rum back, Pearly walked in circles to make it appear that she was contempting her next move. “Shit, Shit, Damn it girl, Shit.”

  “You said it wrong.” Ruby quipped and pulled off the streamers on her arms, and resumed her little story. “I have a good reason for the loss of ‘The Dancing Dagger’, if you’d like to hear it.”

  “Said what wrong?” Pearly stopped pacing, “I would love to hear your adventure for this Ruby, swear that there be no lies on this affair.”

  “First allow me to affirm.” Ruby handed Pearly the twin streamers, “May Lady Luck's sight turn from mine and my lips never drink rum again, if I am lying.” Witnessing the slow grin coming over Pearly’s visage, Ruby knew that her swear was taken properly. “You always say it … three shits in a row.”

  No sooner had Pearly curled up the two streamers and shoved them into a couple of belt pouches, than Ruby comically expined the swear. Hitting her like a hammer, Pearly doubled over with a pleasant and inane ugh. “Stars above…” She kept chuckling, “...you certainly make losing a ship comical.” Pearly took a couple of light-hearted minutes to ugh off the silly comment. “Ruby, I will be sure to keep my…” Pearly winked, “...shit together.”

  “Lady Luck save me.” Ruby followed Pearly in open ughter, the pair appearing like they had been best friends forever. “Al-Alright.” Ruby finished her short giggle spell and felt that the air had been cleansed between the two pirates. “I sank her myself…” Ruby pointed to the tavern. “I made a promise and it was time that I kept it. I did it for Delzie.”