© J.B. Norman — Published by Emona Literary Services™
There are few people in the world of Terrace Kat could ever experience such a profound, mystic connection with. But one of those people is, like her, the daughter of a pirate with an utter contempt for piracy.
Kat reaches down to put a reassuring hand on the shoulder of Lena Goblinbeard as the two stand together, silently bonding over the tribulations of their common upbringings. As always, Dunstana has inserted herself into the moment, standing restless nearby.
“Hey, Lena?” Dunstana asks. “Are you mad I kicked your dad into the ocean? He was fine, by the way. I saw him swim back to his ship.”
“My dad and I don’t really get along,” Lena says. “And whatever he did to get kicked, he probably deserved it.”
“Oh, he definitely did!” Dunstana says. “He called me and Jimena a —” she lowers her voice to a low, gravelly pitch and affects the Pirate Voice “— sort o’ sorry excuse for pirates.”
“I don’t like pirates,” Kat muses.
Dunstana unsubtly clears her throat and glowers up at her sister.
“I don’t like pirates,” Kat repeats.
“I don’t like them, either,” Lena agrees, causing Dunstana to through her hands up in the air in indignation. “They’re coarse and rough and irritating and they get everywhere!”
“Well, except for your seventh birthday party,” Kat adds bitterly.
Lena gives a sad nod of commiseration. “My dad missed my twelfth birthday because he was off sacking Puerto Portuaria,” she says. “And he didn’t even bring back me anything!”
“So, like, Goblinbeard,” Kat ventures. “Is that actually your actual name?”
Lena nods. “Yup. Dad went and had it officially changed and everything.” She frowns. “For all of us.”
“Couldn’t you just change it back? Or change it something else?” Dunstana interjects.
“Nope,” the Goblin answers wearily explains. “I can’t independently change my name until I turn eighteen. But, man, I cannot wait not to be a Goblinbeard anymore.”
“He didn’t even have a beard!” Dunstana notes.
“And how do you think I feel about my name being Goblinbeard?” Lena asks.
“I think we should get ice cream,” Dunstana declares. “I think it’ll make us all feel better.”
“Hey, Lena,” Dunstana says as they start walking towards the ice cream shop, aptly named if strangely spelled. The Ice Creame Shoppe. “When I kicked your dad off my ship, he did a flip. It was awesome! And I won six marks from Jenkins!”
“Well, I hope he learned his lesson,” Lena says.
“But, uh, please don’t kick my dad. I like my dad,” Dunstana adds.
Lena glances over at Dunstana. “Well, I guess there’s one pirate I like,” she says.
Kat shrugs. “Yeah. She’s alright, I guess. A solid 2.75/5.”
Dunstana narrows her eyes at her sister. “Keep that up, and you’re not invited to ice cream anymore,” she declares.
“I’m the one with the money, Dunstana,” Kat notes. “If you get rid of me, who’ll but you the ice cream.
Dunstana latches into Lena’s arm. “Lena will just buy it for me!” she declares. “We’re friends now!”
The full list of my August 2022 Realmgard Short Scenes is here.
The master list of all my Short Scenes is here.
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