Curse of the Black Rose

Curse of the Black Rose:

The Black Rose allowed only females join her crew and serve under the Ferryman's colors, for reasons kept to herself, but as she has had to prove more than once, she fears no man and often enjoys humiliating these high and mighty men by leaving them nude upon their broken and plundered vessels. She was not without mercy however and often times left them and their remaining crew with a few days of supplies. She and her crew were swiftly making names for themselves and becoming the kings errr... Queens of the sea… despite their captain's "condition".

A year and a half ago the Black Rose encountered an old woman whose son she had "killed" during a raid upon a port city. The son, as her land-based intelligence had told her, was a black-hearted businessman and corrupt city council member. In Rose's mind, this man deserved no mercy and an "accident" had simply occurred during their occupation. The woman didn't see it that way and placed a curse upon the Black Rose and her crew. At first the curse did not manifest itself, but within a week the curse's effects were starting to show.

A young woman strode across the deck of the Ferryman, barking orders to other women atop the ship's main mast and rigging. She had light blond hair, sea-blue eyes, and a healthy but slender physique. A simple blue bandanna adorned her head, keeping her short hair in order and out of her face. A short loose white top outlined the curves of her torso, a battered leather belt held up worn tan slacks and a previously nice pair of leather boots covered her feet. Hanging from her belt was a well-used cutlass and two flintlock pistols while two knives rested in their sheathes strapped to both her thighs. The final feature the Black Rose's first mate carried was currently shared by her captain and a few other of the crew. Leaving the main deck and entering the Captain's cabin, she let out a sigh of relief and gently rubbed the protruding bump of her belly. She appeared as if she were several months pregnant.

"Man, this thing really is starting to hamper my movement..." Lina complained.

"You? HA! Have you taken a good look at ME recently Lina?" Rose countered.

Slowly rising from her high-backed leather chair and desk, Rose moved to stand in the late afternoon light beaming in through the cabin's large bay windows. True to her name, the Black Rose was clothed in a black leather top, black leather slacks with a crimson sash, knee-high black leather boots, and a lengthy black captain's coat. If her outfit was stunning, her figure was even more so with coconut sized breasts and hips to die for. Her fair skin had tanned to an almost gold tone from years on the seas and her crimson eyes were matched by her shoulder length blood red hair. The last major point of her physique was the mound of flesh that burst from confines of her faded black shirt. She looked as if she were seven months pregnant... with twins.

Despite their rather unusual condition, Black Rose and her crew have not only managed to keep their infamous reputation, but to improve it. After all, everyone is hesitant to strike a "pregnant" woman. Though their curse had twisted into a blessing, everyone of the afflicted wanted to find a way to break the curse, or at least gain a better understanding of it. The women weren't even sure of what grew inside of them. Some claimed to feel movement from time to time, while others claimed that they only felt a solid mass within them. At any rate Black Rose and her crew were nowhere near ready to call it quits and decided to continue their acts of piracy, curse or not.

Waddling back to her seat and propping her legs upon her desk Rose sighed, envy clear in her expression as she looked from her belly to that of her first mate which was tiny in comparison. These large bellies were part of the curse in question and now effected a quarter of the Ferryman's crew members, Rose easily being the largest of the afflicted women. After a few moments of silence, Rose broke the tension.

"So, how fares the crew? Of what gossip do they speak of today?"

"All are well enough, but they grow restless. It's been over two weeks since we last saw another ship, and the girls fear that our normal targets have wised up and begun avoiding our territory. A few even believe it's time we moved on to another territory, like the Southern Seas or the islands in the West." Lina replied.

Lina spoke the facts in a concerned but well mannered tone, understanding such news might not be welcoming to some captains. But Rose is not one of such captains, even the Black Rose understood Lady Luck left their side. 'All good things must come to an end.' she told herself as she pored over her maps three nights back, plotting course to another territory.

While she had no fear, however, she was not stupid. The Southern Seas held calm, welcoming waters but these amenities lured inexperienced sailors into territory infested with monstrous sea-horrors that scarred men for life, those that survived anyway. The isles to the West was another good choice as the isles were home to a great number of wealthy tribal entities. Unfortunately, one of the isles housed a military base for the nearby Kingdom of Turela. While brave enough to tackle military vessels, Rose was well aware that the Ferryman and her crew could not fight a whole navy. That had left only one other option available, one that Rose wasn't too fond of.

"We will be plotting a course for the Straights of Randin." Rose stated.

Lina couldn't hide the shocked expression on her face as she heard the name. Not only were those waters notorious for shipwrecks and bad weather, but at least three other pirate ships called those waters home. Lina was sure those pirates would have no qualms over attacking 'pregnant' women should those women be trying to take a piece of territory from them. Of course those waters were going to be dangerous, but in truth the destination was the safest and most profitable considering the Ferryman's current strength and their remaining resources. Lina slowly saw the logic of her captain's decision.

"I shall inform the crew of my decision and destination tonight before curfew, so just keep them busy and out of trouble." Rose continued.

"Aye aye Captain."  

Parting from her captain's presence with a crisp salute, Lina returned to the ship's main deck with a little more spring in her step, antsy for action but nervous at the prospect of fighting three other ships for territory.

Steepling her fingers Rose sank deeper back in her chair, trying to decide if she was doing the right thing. Her thoughts were soon broken however as her belly seemed quiver and pulse as if whatever might be inside was moving. Reacting on instincts Rose swiftly grabbed the bulging sides of her belly and pushed inward as if expecting something to burst out, but her belly only rippled that once. Relaxing a bit Rose let out a sigh of relief and gingerly rubbing her swollen belly.

"Sooner or later, we're gonna figure out what you are..." she muttered.
Over the past year she'd gone through periods of these pulses that would last anywhere from one to two minutes to nearly an hour at a time, a condition that had the ship's (unaffiliated) doctor baffled. The periods of unrest were difficult to describe, the action felt like her entire belly was expanding a bit only to return to normal in the blink of an eye. Some of the other women who bore the curse had experienced something akin to these pulses. Sometimes they were soft and almost enjoyable while at other times they were fast and strenuous. A few of older crew members even compared the strange pulses to labor pain or contractions. Regardless, the pulses were annoying and their unpredictable nature made them a threat to Rose and her crew, just making another reason for Rose and her crew to find a way to break the curse.

"SHIP AHOY!" the lookout cried from atop her perch in the crow's nest.

Slowly rising to her feet, the weight of her belly once again astounding her, Rose adjusted her coat and donned her elegant black leather hat trimmed in gold. The door was casually tossed open and the Black Rose stepped forth from the Captain's cabin onto the Ferryman's main deck in all her glory.

"Captain on deck, wenches! Look lively!" Lina yelled upon seeing her.

Swiftly saluting their Captain, the crew hurriedly clustered around the ship's starboard side, all eyes seaward as they waiting for a glimpse of their next target. Without missing a beat, Lina quickly armed her captain with her favored spyglass.

Putting the spyglass to her eye, Rose quickly identifying the ship on the horizon as a trade ship named the Silver Horn. Only slightly smaller than the Ferryman, trade ships carry a variety of items depending on its employer. Panning across the main deck of the Silver Horn with her spyglass, she was surprised to see three individuals fighting small knot of crew. Outnumbered three to one, there appeared no way they could win. That thought was quickly trashed as Rose spotted the hulking half-dragon fighting alongside the rogue humans, one male and the other female.

"What are your orders captain?" Lina asked.

"Whoever they are, they've done at least half the work for us. Such a opportunity is too hard to pass up. Host the sails and ready yourselves for battle ladies!" Rose yelled.

"You heard the captain! Host the sails and ready your guns!" Lina added.

Roaring in anticipation, the crew of the Ferryman sprang into action. Marching up to the ship's quarter deck, Rose took over the wheel and aimed them towards the Silver Horn. It seemed suitable to commit one last act of piracy before moving on to deadlier waters. With the wind at their backs and their sails full, it wasn't long before the Ferryman pulled alongside the Silver Horn.

Storming the Silver Horn like a flood, the women were surprised to find most the Silver Horn's crew already dead or beaten senseless. Gracefully swinging across the distance that separated the two ships, Rose boarded the Silver Horn soon after her crew. Pillaging the dead and searching the survivors, Rose was surprised not to find the bodies of the rogue sailors among the dead, they seemed to have vanished. Only then that as she brooded on these thoughts, she heard noise coming from the Silver Horn's captain quarters. It sounded like a male and female arguing. Motioning for Lina and two other members to follow her, Rose approached the door and peered through the window to find the source of the noise. Inside were the three individuals she had seen earlier; now in more detail then her spy glass had allowed.

The human male, in his early to mid twenties, had wild unkempt brown hair, deep almost sea-green eyes, and well muscled body. He wore a sleeveless black cloth shirt and slacks, both of which were bloodied and bore the signs of heavy fighting. The odd sandals he wore appeared to be made of wood.

The girl beside him, possibly the man's younger sister, had be in her late teen years but with a slender and toned body that spoke of years of hard living (while maintaining her feminine physique). Her hair, a dark brown in color, was cut at neck length but her eyes were what caught Rose's attention. They were hazy white, commonly a sign of blindness. The clothing she wore was similar to that of the man, but white. The shirt covered her chest, yet hugged the curves of her body. Her loose pants stopped about her knees, revealing a pair of metal shin guards.

The third individual was a draconic creature, easily standing at least seven feet tall. The scales that covering its body looked stone grey and its eyes gleamed like polished gems. Rose could only assume said creature was male due to its size and bulk. Its lengthy tail ended with spikes that would put a good mace to shame. The custom-made steel armor that encased its unique form could only be dwarven, while the massive great sword slung across his back was probably looted from an ogre or large orc.

"Katsu, you sure you don't just wanna kick their asses and be done with it?" the human female asked.

The young woman spoke to the human male in a rude but strong tone. It seemed as if she was frustrated about not being allowed to fight back the pirates. Scratching the stubble of a beard on his face, the young man casually answered.

"Yes Karai. This is the best way for us to get back to land. You just be ready to get us out of here Clay."

In response to his name, the dragon broke from his daze and replied in a deep gravelly voice.

"Yeah, I got it covered."

Katsu reached out, a ball of fire slowly forming in his hand. Seeing this through the other windows, Lina and the other two quickly drew their weapons. Rose signaled her crew to hold their positions. As she did, another crew member stealthy approached her and whispered something in her ear. Upon further inspection of the disposed sailors it was clear these were not the Silver Horn's crew, but those of a rival pirate. Worse, the Silver Horn was soaked in lamp oil and her cargo, more than a year's supply of rum, was loose and spilled throughout the hold. One spark could cause the entire ship to go up like a powder keg. Ordering her crew to salvage what they could of the Silver Horn's cargo, gun powder and supplies.

Violently kicking in the door to the Captain's quarters, Rose and Lina advanced into the small room with their guns drawn and trained on the two humans, knowing the dragon creature wouldn't have room to swing his massive weapon in such close-quarters.

"So, what's your story, I doubt you three are with the fodder outside unless you decided to claim the loot for yourselves and cut them out of the deal." Rose stated advancing on the group.

"Sorry babe, but you got the situation all wrong. We were hired to beat their asses and get this ship back, or rather, to find out who had stolen it in the first place. The trade company that owns this ship lost track of it a few weeks ago and hired us to find it and the ones who stole it. We found them in the harbor of Trilken Village, desperately needing crew members for a big job. We volunteered and met the captain who wasn't ready to share his plan with any of the crew yet. Turns out his plan was to trick some of the local merchants into handing over their merchandise with a promise of fast delivery. The crew wasn't so happy with the plan though, not enough bloodshed for their taste, so they mutinied and killed the captain." the male started.

"So we stepped in, not wanting to let such a savage bunch use this ship as they pleased. Thus the pile of bodies outside and why we don't have much with us other then the clothes on our backs." the female added.

"Then we spotted your ship and set up this trap just in case. It was more to convince you to listen then anything." the male continued, and telling the pirates his tail.

Rose listened as the two explained the story not sure whether to believe them or not. It wasn't until Katsu extinguished the flame in his hand that she considered believing them.

"So let me guess, you want this ship so you can return it for the reward? Rose asked, not pausing for an answer.
"Sorry, but there are more than a few merchant companies that would pay an arm and leg for a ship like this, especially one that belongs to a competitor. Beside if you light this thing up, there is no way for any of you to survive. I won't give you the ship, but I will take you to the nearest island. Better then taking your chances out here in the open ocean isn't it?"

Katsu didn't look satisfied with Rose's answer or the cocky smile she flashed him, but accepted the fact that she was right. Even if Clay punched a hole in the side of the ship for himself and Karai to escape while Katsu took out the ship and the pirates with it, it would leave them floating in the middle of the ocean with another ship ready to attack them for their actions.

"Damn Kat, looks like she has you by the balls." Karai commented.

"Hey! You're in just as much trouble as me, so… guess we have no real alternative." Katsu returned.

"Captain, you sure about-AWW" Lina began.

Suddenly Lina grabbed her belly and doubled over as it began to pulse rapidly. Karai, recognizing something about the pirate's condition, tugged on Katsu's sleeve.

"Kat... shes the same as Naomi..."

"Yeah I figured as much from the spasm..." he replied.

Approaching slowly so not to provoke Rose, Katsu gently lifted Lina in his arms and placed her atop the captain's desk as the bed was in no condition for use. As Karai began to wave her arms in an unusual manner Rose quickly trained her gun on the girl, watching on closely for an funny business and ready to spring into action at a moment's notice should they try anything on her first mate. After a few seconds Karai grasped Lina's belly with her hands, causing the young pirate to suddenly gasp. Moments later, Lina's belly was motionless except for the movement of her breathing.

"But…how did you…I was about to have a major fit." Lina muttered in confusion.

"One of Lina's fits can last for hours, how did you stop it?" Rose finished.

"I simply changed the flow of her ki to calm down the being within her." Karai explained.

"If you know what it is then you must know where it came from..." Rose said, motioning for them to continue.

"The old woman right? The one who told you to 'Carry the burden of your sins' because you've never 'Experienced the love and loss of motherhood'." Katsu intoned.

Rose and Lina both nodded. Holstering her gun Rose breathed a sigh of relief. They'd finally found a lead that could aid them in removing the curse.

This was how the cursed Dread Pirate, Black Rose, captain of the Ferryman and its crew, first met the wandering adventurers; Katsu Tsurugi, Karai Tsurugi, and Clay Stoneshatter. With their adventure together just beginning, who knows what path awaits them!