caroworld

Yes, Mia's life was very much orderly and pleasant.

In the mornings she followed Rema around and watched her cook breakfast. Then she might chase Harn into Hidden Forrest, or hide in Sren's basket for chicken's eggs (if it was empty.) If Hania cut a path for herself in the tall green grass and meandered to the brown road, Mia would follow and wait patiently as Hania did her best to earn her keep from every passing traveler she encountered.

One day, on one such excursion, the traveler did not continue on as usual, but followed Hania and Mia home. Mia was not worried about this, but she was curious. Hania, however, was alarmed and quietly cursed the follower, who had not given her one single coin, and tried to will him to disappear.

At the camp, Hania went to the high cart her father had built and climbed into the back, cushioning herself among blankets and scarves. She put more blankets on top of her so she couldn't be seen. Mia jumped on to the rim of the cart and balanced herself there so she would not miss anything that might happen.

Something, of course, did happen, and perhaps it would have been better for Mia if she had heeded the doom foretold by Rema, or at least hid with Hania under the warm blankets.

The stranger had followed Hania into the camp, and although he had been a good distance away, he made his way in the direction of the cart and paused to look around. He was a strange looking man and he had a smell that Mia had never smelled before. It was not unpleasant, but it was definitely different, and very salty. The man wore a wide black hat which sat crookedly on his head, providing unequal defense against the sun, and making him appear that much more frightening.

Mia did not know the word for it, but the man wore a patch over one eye.

The man, of course, was a pirate.

The man called to a passing woman.

"Gypsy-lady, I'm here to buy off that child that begged of me. Where's her father and what's she worth?"

The woman he was talking to was Nilee, a friend of Sren and Rema's.

"What child do you mean?"

"She wears a blue skirt and has a black cat."

Nilee just laughed.

"Fancy you trying to buy off that girl. Her mother will never have it."

"Aye, but it's not the mother I'm asking about, is it madam?"

Nilee shook her head.

"Hania's father isn't around to sell her, and like I said, her mother would never do it."

The pirate nodded his head and looked down.

"And what if I were to say that child was the cause of my ship sinking and the loss of ten of the finest pirates of the sea?"

"Then I were to say it's unlucky weather and unlucky swimmers."

Hania did a very unwise thing and giggled inside the cart.

"It wasn't weather that done it, it was a curse the girl put on our ship, that if we didn't pay her half our coins it would sink in ten days with ten men on it. And that's just what happened."

Nilee raised her eyebrows at that. "A likely story. Next you'll be telling me she can float and fly too."

"I wouldn't know that -- yet," the pirate said.

Nilee turned to leave. She called over her shoulder.

"You couldn't pilage enough in ten years to match the value of that girl."

The pirate watched Nilee walk to the far side of the camp and enter a tent.

He went over to the cart where Hania was curled under blankets and petted Mia as she tip-toed on top.

The pirate began to talk to Mia.

"Hania, her name is. Well, a wicked child she is, sinking my boat and killing ten fine pirates. What has she been like to you? Does she curse your scraps and frighten off your friends? Or kill them off like she's done to me?"

Hania gasped under the blanket. The pirate stood and thought a while. Mia and the pirate regarded each other.

"I'm a pillager and I can tell fool's gold from real gold in less than a second. And I know this child-gypsy is not worth her value," said the pirate, picking up Mia. "So I'm going to take you, little kitty, to make her feel the heartburn of losing a dear friend."

Hania jumped up from under the blankets.

"I will curse you so that you will have a life worse than you ever can imagine!" Hania threw herself up and stood on top of the cart, facing the pirate and pointing one fiery finger at him with all her might.

The pirate held Mia up.

"Then curse me proper, my name's Jasonry Willit and this here is my cat now, so anything you curse of me will happen to her, too!"

The pirate laughed as walked away.

"Mia! Come back here!"

Mia struggled, but she was restrained by the tight clutches of the pirate.

"So be it, Jasonry Willit!" said Hania.