Queens of the Seven Seas [PIRATES AU]

(ooc: For reference, some pirate weapons' sites -->

Spoiler:

The winds were perfect for smooth sailing now, Stella noticed, leaning forward on the ship's wooden railing. The waves were tranquil and the ship was quiet, besides the other member or two of the night watch stepping around on the wooden decks; she could only distantly hear the snoring of the other crew members below deck, all tired out from the celebration of another successful raid on one of those pathetic British merchant ships heading back to its mother country. They had gotten plenty of things to sell on the islands: gold, jewelry, whatever else. Stella hadn't paid much attention to plundering during the raid; she'd shot down at least three of the British sailors and mowed down another two with her cutlass in the chaos. Enjoyable, truly -- they hadn't stood a chance.

She chuckled to herself and, scanning the ocean on her side of the ship, watched for any incoming vessels -- but there were none, of course. They were a feared lot: female pirates on the seven seas? They always caught their enemies by surprise; Stella enjoyed looking at the sailors' faces when they realized it was a female pirate about to shoot them in the face, as if the man's own mother were about to shoot him instead of some stranger. Sexist, sexist. Women could do just as much as men; it was only society that told them, no, you can't do that. Stay home and mind the children.

Stella had no children, although some of her more immature crew members might count.

Her favorite gun, her blunderbuss, was at her hip, loaded and ready to fire; her cutlass leaned against the ship railing, primed and ready. They had already seen battle many times; she trusted them, along with her other few guns and knives, with her life. She knew how to use them, how to maximize damage and how to react if one of them failed her. Years on the ocean had taught her how to be self-sufficient.

Nobody would get past her tonight.