Ah Fantasies Ch 17

"Captain Stella-Omega! Captain Stella-Omega!"

The dread pirate damppanties burst through the cabin door. "Captain!" she gasped out, leaning on the table at which the Captain sat looking over maps.

Captain Stella-Omega rose and poured a glass of water for the breathless woman. Handing it to her, she finally asked, "What is it? What has happened?"

Dampy downed half the water as she caught her breath. "The_Fool is gone. No one has seen him in days and his room has been turned over. There is a half burned cigar in an ashtray and two inches of whiskey in a glass."

This was serious. The_Fool, the favorite poet of the Pirate Ship AH, would never walk away from a good cigar and or waste a glass of whiskey. The pirate ladies always brought him a case of the finest whiskey they had found, as well as cigars, whenever they were in port. Now, he was missing.

Captain Stella-Omega looked to her first mate, MagicaPractica. "Find out where he is being held."

*****

MagicaPractica was back within the hour. She had her sources. The pirate bluebell7 was with her.

"The_Fool has been taken prisoner by the King," Magica reported.

"Well, we've gotten people out of that jail before." Captain Stella-Omega laughed.

Magica shook her head. "He is being held in one of the bedrooms at the Castle itself instead of the jail."

"Then we shall retrieve him from the castle," the good Captain proclaimed.

"But the castle gate is guarded by thirty men!" bluebell7 burst out.

Magica raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, wait! Wrong script," bluebell7 pulled some papers out of her pocket.

"As I was saying," Magica continued, "He is being held in a bedroom on the second level of the castle. If I could have but bluebell7 and Dampy to go with me, I believe I can bring him home to us."

Captain Stella-Omega nodded grimly. "Make it so."

*****

The resources being used to guard The_Fool were woefully inadequate, Magica decided. Of course, to keep a poet from leaving it might seem like enough. Apparently they hadn't expected anyone to come break him out.

Magica, bluebell7 and Dampy had the lone guard surrounded at the door to the chamber. All four stood with swords drawn. Admittedly, he did look like a formidable opponent, Magica decided. She was confident in her sisters though.

"Drop... your... sword!" Bluebell7 commanded.

Magica glanced at her. At least it was an appropriate one this time. She looked back at the guard to see what he would do.

The guard, slyc_willie, was torn. On the one hand, he did not go down easily... usually. On the other hand, he recognized the lovely ladies as pirates of the Pirate Ship AH. They weren't known for killing their captives, far from it.

"You'll have to take me with you," Slyc said, lowering his sword but not dropping it.

The women laughed, looking incredulous.

"My life will be forfeit if I let you take him while I am still alive."

Magica pondered this. He was right, of course. The King was not known for allowing men who had failed him to live. She nodded. "Alright, sheath your sword, let us in and we'll take you with us."

In a moment the women had burst into the room and found The_Fool writing furiously with a quill pen at a table in the room, puffing on a cigar. "Thank God you've come! I was beginning to get writer's cramp. Damn quills! Haven't they heard of pens?"

Magica grinned and bowed with a flourish. "The Pirate Ship AH awaits your good company as we sail out of port. Do you need anything from your apartments?"

"Do you have whiskey and cigars on board?"

"The finest for your pleasure."

"Then I'm ready to go."

*****

Back at the Pirate Ship AH, the order was given to weigh anchor and set sail as soon as the group was safely on board. The three women reported to the Captain's quarters with their charge and the captive.

"Fool! So glad to have you with us!" Captain Stella-Omega exclaimed, shaking the poet's hand.

"I am grateful that you would risk your women to free me," The_Fool said humbly.

"A worthy use of our resources, to be sure," she replied. The Captain turned to Magica. "Now, who is this knave you have brought with you?"

"slyc_willie," Magica explained. She shrugged. "We couldn't leave him there once he'd let us in. I thought he might be useful."

The Captain leaned out her door and called for Mrs_Deathlynx, who quickly arrived, her deathlynx at her feet. The Captain nodded to the captive. "You shall have to pay a price for helping to hold The_Fool captive, but you might eventually become one of our own. Are you willing to pay that price?"

Slyc looked at the dark-haired and lovely Mrs_Deathlynx with the whip at her belt and replied unhesitatingly, "Yes, any price."