Jewell "The Maiden" Blakemore
Jewell sat across from her longtime rival Ashleigh Kendricks and smiled softly at the woman. Both women were ruthless and dangerous, neither trusted the other anymore than she had to.
Ashleigh was everything Jewell was not, she was tall dark-haired with skin the colour of sun kissed wheat. Where Jewell was small and fit, Ashleigh had a much more imposing physique. Her body was thick and muscular, yet she lost nothing of her femininity in the exchange. Her flaming red hair was as recognizable as Jewell's own silver mane. Her eyes were deep and brown, flecked with just a hint of amber in the iris. She was dressed today in a pair of black leather pants and boots, with a green and black bodice with front lacing. Her long flowing red hair was worn loose to her mid back, curling naturally and looking like fire reflected over waves in the darkest of night.
Jewell herself wore a black simple doublet of fine silk along with plain canvas petticoat pants and her trademark knee high black leather boots, Her hair was tied back in her customary ponytail, held in place by the leather binding with the silver skull she always wore in her hair.
The two women had known each other a very long time. They have been shipmates once, friends even. Both had served on board the vessel of Lady Meredith, The legendary pirate queen who had paved the way for the younger generation of women who would follow in her footsteps. Jewell and Ashleigh were first and foremost among these.
The two captains were meeting to try and work out an agreement. There had been tension between the two as of late. Ashleigh had returned from an expedition in the southern seas and the crew of her ship 'the Salty Succubus' had been at odds with that of Jewell's own 'Black Widow' ever since. Both crews hoped to claim the lucrative spoils of the northern sea passes near Clew Bay. The two corsairs might not have liked each other but they both recognized the current arrangement was bad for the bottom line, their profits.
The dry cave where they had decided to hold their meeting had been a favored hideout of thieves , cutthroats and pirates for almost a hundred years and a carefully guarded secret amongst the underworld community. Over the years it had been turned into a comfortable, if somewhat small hiding and gathering place for those who ended up on the wrong side of the law.
The two women had called a truce long enough to at least be able to discuss the matters over.ha While each would like nothing more than to pull a hidden dagger out of her boot and stab the other woman through the heart, they also recognized that such an action could just as easily result in their own demise. Neither woman had reached their position by taking dangerous risks.
They heard the cough of one of Ashleigh's men standing guard outside the door to the small room the two women shared. Two men from each crew stood outside with strict orders to let no one bother the two pirate captains. Jewell smiled and thought to herself, provided they do not kill each other first. Then again, the same could be said for Ashleigh and her.
She reached for her goblet of wine and brought it to her lips to sip lightly from it. "Listen Ashleigh, the fact of the matter is this is our territory. My crew and I have been working these waters for the better part of two years while you have been off down south. I don't see why I should just let you come in and lay claim to it just because you have returned." Jewell's tone was hostile, but deep down she was not against the idea of sharing, provided that her counterpart offered suitable compensation. Reaching a mutually acceptable compromise was always more profitable than bloodshed.
Jewell carefully looked over her rival. She had always considered Ashleigh to be a very beautiful woman. Even now in this close proximity she was very conscious of the other woman's beauty. A part of her wished to take her and make her her own. A plan of approach was needed though. Ashleigh was nothing like the other women that Jewell had broken over the years.
