“Dearest of Alberts,” I began, writing the words in the fat notebook I had bought just yesterday morning

Author’s Note:

Sory about the delay between chapters, but quite frankly, I was uninspired. in the next chapter, I would like to feature a pirate turned into something entirely harmless. Should it be a bunny, a rag doll, a teddy bear, or something else? I am open to ideas. Oh, and if I get any of my mythology mixed up, please don’t hesitate to tell me.

Chapter Two

The White Pirates

“Dearest of Alberts,” I began, writing the words in the fat notebook I had bought just yesterday morning.

Keeping notebook and pen steady was not an easy task. My uncle’s chariot, pulled by four white horses, was anything but smooth as it bore us to the palace of my father. The beautiful beasts were often distracted by birds, butterflies, and the greenery springing from Mother Earth’s fair bosom. She looked beautiful in the half-light of morning, all dressed in dew and snow. The blades of green poking out of the white gave her a look of youth and playfulness which I loved.

I wondered what Albert was doing now. Perhaps he lay sleeping where I left him only minutes before. Dear Albert with his infectious smile and willingness to try almost anything was my first love and, I was sure, would be my last. There was much he did not understand, but his mind was wide and deep, taking into itself through the windows of his frank blue eyes everything it could.

Oh I loved that boy, loved him with the ferocity of Aunt Persephone’s love for her little ones, with the devotion my uncle’s three-headed hound held for his master. And yet, as deep as my love ran, so deep ran my worry. What if Albert knew my secret? What if Albert knew I was a princess of Olympus, a goddess, a ruler? Would he love me then, knowing a life with me meant a life of power and leadership? Albert was always saying he was meant to follow, not lead, to help, not orchestrate, but a life with me as I was would force him beyond his limits. I knew his learning the truth was inevitable, but I tried to delay this for as long as possible. Perhaps this was wrong, but could anyone blame me? Could anyone, knowing Albert as I did, bear to lose him forever?

“You are quiet this morning,” Uncle Hades observed, breaking the silence. “Do you worry for your father?”

“More than I can say, Uncle,” I replied “and I worry for my heart.”

“Tell me of your worries.” He regarded me thoughtfully, his dark eyes searching my green ones for meaning. “Perhaps I can help or advise you.”

I, doubting my dear uncle could do either, poured out to him the story of Albert’s and my courtship from beginning to now, outlining for him my worries concerning Albert’s loathing of power.

“Hmmm,” Uncle Hades scratched his chin thoughtfully. “Now, it wasn’t too many centuries ago your Aunt Persephone suffered from the same problem.”

I knew well the story of slender, quietly radiant Aunt Persephone. Before my uncle kidnapped her, she lived with her mother, Demeter. Demeter, goddess of the harvest, always had her beautiful daughter by her side, and nothing gave her more pleasure than the gay laughter of her sweet Persephone. Uncle Hades loved the girl, loved her with a love that grew more with each passing day. When he no longer could stand it, he contrived a scheme to spirit her away to his underground kingdom. At first, she hated Uncle Hades with his frequent rages and dark moods, but as time passed, she grew to love him as much as he loved her, and they had ninety-nine children.

Of course, Demeter was devastated at her daughter’s absence, so Father, being the fair king he is, negotiated with Uncle Hades that during the winter months, Persephone could stay with him, but for eight months out of every year, she would dwell on Olympus with her mother. Father was going to give Persephone to her mother for the whole year, but my aunt ate four seeds from a pomegranate from Uncle Hades’ orchard. Everybody knows that those who eat of the fruits of the underworld can never again leave its labyrinth-like depths.

“I suppose,” Uncle Hades said at length “I was not as straight-forward with your aunt as I could have been.” He chuckled, giving an affectionate pat to the horses nearest him. “Now, be a good girl and learn from your old uncle’s mistakes, wont you?”

I nodded. I would send word to Albert as soon as ever I could find the time. I would say with my pen all the words my worried heart could not give voice to. Albert would feel disappointed, maybe even betrayed, but he would have the duration of my absence in which to consider his options. To stay and share with me my station, or to part peacefully and, like bird and fish, be forever friends but never lovers. I knew not what choice Albert would make, only that choose he must.

Raucous singing filled the air, ripping me from my reverie. “We sail between the earth and sea, away, away.

We pray on all who mortal be, by day, by day,

We rape and plunder, drink and lute,

Of Zeus’ treasure in pursuit,

Our fearless captain we salute as onward we go sailing.”

I shuddered, clutching my uncle’s arm for protection as I did when I was a child. “What are they?” I whispered.

“Evil,” Uncle Hades said gravely. “They are the white pirates, a band of emortal miscreants intent on your father’s treasure. Now, I haven’t always been the biggest fan of your father, but these fellows are nothing but trouble. If they succeed – if they find it, the emortal world is in great danger.”

“What treasure?” I asked. To be sure, my father had gold and silver in great abundance, but why oh why would these white pirates be so intent on something of my father’s when other riches would have been much easier to come by.

A horrid stench filled the air. Almost palpable, the oder of stail sweat and rancid food hung thick and heavy. “Ug!” Uncle Hades clutched at his nose convulsively. “That’s Mad Ned the Executioner. He hasn’t taken a bath in over two hundred years.”

I cringed, taking a small vile of scented water from my satchel and dabbing it generously under my nose. “Is he their captain?” I asked, passing the vile to my uncle.

“Perhaps.” He took it gratefully, dabbing and returning it before urging the horses to greater speed. “I know not who their captain is now. Their former captain was made mortal and killed by your aunt Athena.”

I smiled. Aunt Athena, goddess of wisdom, was famous for her draft of mortality, and many immortal evil-doers had been stripped of power by the swiftness of the liquid coursing through their veins.

Closer, ever closer, the singing came again. “Ye needn’t hide or try to run away, away.

A captive ye will be and soon will stay, will stay.

A shame to murder such a one,

But Captain says it must be done,

Till then, sweet wench, we’ll have such fun as onward we go sailing.”

My uncle rapped a protective arm about my shoulders, squeezing so hard I thought my bones would break. I did not care, so grateful was I for the contact. Stark terror clutched at my throat an clawed at my heart. What did they want with me? Were my brothers and sisters safe from these ruffians? I heard somewhere that death came twice as painfully to the immortal.

The terrified horses ran for all they were worth, but even they were no match for the terrible ship. I saw it now, riding just above the ground. It rocked from side to side as though on a choppy sea, and behind it, I could see the outline of another ship, barely visible in the wake of mist left by the one preceding. The wooden figurehead, inscribed with THE Lady Scorpella SEA COBRA was truly gruesome. Eyes half-closed, she sat cross-legged amid the protective coils of a hooded serpent, while around her, the broken bodies of men lay prostrate as if in agonized adoration. Her lips and teeth were stained a deep crimson, and the severed head she held between her hands bore the marks of small and even teeth. She held it out to the snake as if in offering. Her bare breasts were also painted heavily with blood, and upon each thigh rested a scorpion. The heads of the creatures pressed against her ample stomach while the long seraded tails hung down, trailing along the mutilated forms surrounding their mistress.

“Tell Father I love him,” I said, trying not to let the trembling of my heart reach my voice. “And tell Albert – tell him to be happy.”

The cold hit me suddenly, feeling as if all the warmth had been sucked from the world. And then I was falling, falling up out of the chariot.. Somewhere far below, I could hear my uncle’s faint protesting. His fingers clawed futaly at my flowing garments. Upward I fell, landing hard on the grimy wooden planks of a deck. I could see the booted feet all around me, feel the ship’s momentum as it took up speed, and send a prayer to my father to protect Albert before consciousness left me and I saw no more.