Once upon a time, there was a schooner, a merchant ship that was named The Phoenix.
The little ship was not fit for the rough water and dangerous sea beasts of the ocean proper, so it
plied the local waters, trading with small coastal villages. The Phoenix was captained by a man
named James. Captain Aaron sailed his little ship well, and he and his crew always made a
profit. Captain Aaron also had two children, a boy and a girl. They had no home but their
father’s ship. The two children were called Leslie and Johnathon. They helped their father and
the crew in everything aboard the ship. Their antics brought a smile to everyone who met them.

One day, The Phoenix was set upon by pirates. Captain Aaron had a plan for this and
readied his crew. They would readily give up their cargo for their lives. However, they would
not just sit idle in the water and wait to be boarded. Captain Aaron gave the order to sail fast
and swift in the shallows, where most other ships could not follow. The pirate ship proved faster
though, because the pirate ship was not laden with cargo. As the pirate ship caught up, Captain
Aaron gathered his children and told them to hide as best they could. He cut his daughter’s long
hair and made her wear a set of her brother’s clothes. Soon Leslie looked just as much a boy as
Alexander. The disguise complete, the children were sent down to the bilge.

As the pirates leapt aboard, the captain suddenly feared for everyone aboard his boat.
The pirates were of the terrible Red Dragon Horde! The Red Dragon Horde was the most
dreaded gang of pirates in all the seas. Captain Aaron thanked the lucky stars that only one ship
out of the Red Dragon Horde fleet had come upon them. Maybe the pirate crew of only fifty
would behave more reasonably than the entire Horde. However, the captain’s hope was quickly
dashed. The most repulsive and horrible looking men poured over The Phoenix’s railings. They
were mostly humans and half-elves, though one or two Mur’kor and Shalbir were among them.
Captain Aaron stood, hiding his trembling as best as he could, in front of his crew with all of
their weapons peace-tied and laid before them.

The pirates laughed and made jokes about the spineless nature of Captain Aaron and
his crew. One of the Red Dragons even approached the captain, serrated knife barred, and
threatened to tear off his clothing to see if he was really the woman he appeared to be. Captain
Aaron bit his tongue and looked to the sky, wishing all of this to be over.

Suddenly, the Red Dragons quieted. Something was happening. A new figure oozed
over the side of The Phoenix. It was dressed head to toe in heavy black fabric, though there was
a glint of many hidden blades. It seemed to float over to Captain Aaron and stopped just inches
in front of him. Slowly, the figure reached for its hood. The captain struggled not to scream, for
the figure hidden underneath the robes was a Dark Elf! As the dark elf smiled, Captain Aaron
struggled to make his mind work again; this was the legendary leader of the Red Dragon Horde,
Admiral Firzear!

“What a bright captain, to lead all his men to their death,” Firzear whispered. His soft
speech could somehow be heard perfectly by everyone on the deck. The bosun of The Phoenix
fell to his knees and started sobbing. Firzear grinned and slowly walked over to him. “You are
afraid?” The bosun couldn’t stop sobbing and shaking. The dark elf sighed, and before anyone
could blink, there was a streak of red blood bubbling across the worn boards. “Are the rest of
you so afraid? I cannot get a good price for slaves that are so yellow…”

In the bilge, Leslie and Alexander were arguing. “I have to go see what’s happening.”
Alexander crept towards the hatch. “No! I’ll go,” said Leslie. “But you’re a girl, you can’t
handle pirates.” Alexander puffed himself up, not caring that he was covered in filth. “Yes,
well, that’s why I should go. If I get captured, you’ll have to come rescue me. But you have to
wait here, so I can parlay with them first, k?” Alexander nodded and began acting out how he
would come to the rescue. Leslie began thinking of how she would negotiate a parlay, as she
climbed the ladder to the deck.

When the bilge hatch opened, Captain Aaron swallowed his heart and struggled not to
make any movement. He must not give Leslie away. Maybe she would heed his unspoken
command to get back to safety. The horror he felt at his bosun’s sudden death was as nothing
as he considered what the Red Dragon leader might do to his daughter. He saw her pause as she
looked at the red wash upon the deck, but still she clambered onto the deck and tried her best to
swagger over to the pirates.

The Dark Elf Firzear, captain of the mightiest pirate fleet in all the Glimmering Sea,
stared at the child walking so boldly towards him. He could be no more than ten at the most and
was filthier than a drowned bilge rat. He turned to The Phoenix’s crew, “Ah, I see this old cur
has lied to us. Surely this brave young man is the captain of this vessel.” He gave a mocking
bow to Leslie, who was shocked but delighted that the pirate had mistaken her for the captain.
“I apologize. I almost turned your old cabin boy into a cabin girl. For he must he be only your
cabin boy as to be so yellow. But I see now that you are cleverer than you appear, to distract us
with these cowards and then leap upon us as our backs were turned. Truly, you are a fearsome
captain!” By the point, the Red Dragon Horde was grinning and chuckling at their leader’s
quips.

“I demand a parley!” Leslie shouted, blushing at all the jokes and laughter. “And you
will stop mocking my father and my friends.” She pulled out her short sword, a present her
father had given her at her last name day. Suddenly, the dark pirates pressed close around her,
with steel bared. The Dark Elf though merely looked at her. The deck was silent, with only the
lapping of waves and gull cries to disturb it.

Finally, Firzear slowly drew out his own blade, a long rapier chased in gold. He raised
it towards her. “You know, it’s terribly bad manners to draw your weapon after demanding a
parley. And for that…”

“No!” cried Alexander, who had managed to climb up to the deck unseen. He ran yelling
at the Dark Elf menacing his sister, with a small paring knife held straight out before him. One
of the pirates grabbed the young boy before he could get within 10 feet of his target. Alexander
kicked and struggled to get away, but the knife was taken and he soon found himself trussed up
next to the rest of the crew of The Phoenix.

Meanwhile, Leslie was desperately trying to figure out what to do next. Alex was
supposed to have waited behind and rescue her. Now it seemed like she would have to rescue
him. Somehow. Her sword wavered, too heavy to hold out for long. The Dark Elf merely
looked at her, waiting to see what she would do. She looked around, at the pirates who pressed
too close, at the crew watching her, at her father and brother, the first silent and the second still
struggling. She took in a deep breath and looked the Dark Elf straight in his storm grey eyes.

Firzear grinned, showing dazzling white teeth against his jet black skin. “Indeed, little
sea lion.” He sheathed his sword and gestured for his men to do the same. “You have given me
more sport than I have had in quite awhile. So here is your parley. I will leave this pitiful ship
intact. I will leave the cargo untouched. I will even let your father and your brother live. He is
your brother, yes? He has your cabin boy’s looks.” Leslie nodded mutely, her sword pointed
to the deck. “In return, boy… You will come with us.” He snapped his fingers and one of his
pirates had disarmed and thrown Leslie over his shoulder in an instant. She screamed and cursed
as she was carried over to the pirate’s ship.

The Captain of the Red Dragon Horde tossed Leslie’s forgotten blade to her father’s feet.
“Be glad, old man, that I do not kill you anyhow. Leprous dogs like you should be put out of
their misery. One of your sons managed to show promise. For that, you and your other pup
shall live. Do you hear that, men? These two shall not be harmed.” The Dark Elf voice echoed
across the deck.

Captain Aaron was beside himself. All that was left was a certain red rage that left his
vision hazy and his wisdom drowned. He spit square in Firzear’s face.

The Dark Elf frowned and wiped his face. “So much for mercy… Men! Do as you will.”

Leslie did not see her father’s cargo brought aboard or hear the screams of her friends as
they were put to death. She did not feel the heat of the flames that consumed her ship and home.
All she could taste was her own fear, fear that escalated as the Dark Elf walked into the small
closet she had been put in.

“Now… what shall I ever do with a girl on a pirate ship?”