Esmerelda Zaira Yasmin Josephina Maria Alcalde Conde Sandoval de Castellano could drink not only a horse and three of his friends but also a full grown dragon under the table before she started to feel unwell which was fortunate because ensuring one's captaincy involved many promises over shots and flagons and at least three feats of boivas. Even so as night fell and a real crowd began to gather at the Pig and Bell she was feeling even more than her characteristic boldness.

Esmerelda had grown up the fourth daughter of a fourth son. Her father had made a considerable fortune in a well respected chain of brothels. She chose to keep the family trade in vice but turn from lust instead to greed. She started with a minor operation at the tender age of twelve. It was a basic protection racket around some of her father's smaller competitors to keep them from growing too large. This first venture had a degree of loyalty to family which Esmerelda liked but she soon grew board with it. She soon turned her eyes to larger things. The trade in things of power outside the circles of the guilds was lucrative. With this knowledge Esmerelda moved her small protection racket to the rich soil of the black market and it was not long before she got into it herself. In less than a year of this venture she had learned that the real money, and excitement was out there on the sea where one could find or plunder those items before they even entered the market. Thus, through cunning and charisma she joined a crew, and in a if not entirely bloodless completely democratic coup became the captain of the Hangman's Ransome and began terrorizing all up and down the waterways of the Northern Continent. The Hangman's bounty had, through even less bloodless coupes, been exchanged up to the current ship, the Bonnie Bounty. Although by various traditions if not laws of piracy it was not strictly speaking hers she could not bare to sail on it as anything other than captain, nor to see her healmed by any other. So she straightened herself up in the alley, splashed cool water from the bucket on her neck and slapped herself hard across the face. "Right then Captain, let's go make it so" she said. And strode with well earned commanding confidence back into the bar.

She saw Sejzeck immediately, he was hard to miss. At seven feet tall he stood well over everyone else and he had a commanding frame to match. His brassy scales and intimidating teeth and claws made him demand attention in any room. The dragon born had been her first mate, truest alley, and best friend for the past two decades now. She made eye contact with him and he exited the conversation he was in with other sailors and came over to her.

"Esmerelda" he said to her with a nod.

"Sejzeck," she answered "I think its time to call a vote, do you think we have it?"

"I see no reason why we shouldn't. This last voyage has gone well and I don't think there should be much if any of a challenge. There may be someone young and hungry but we've had those challenges before and the crew has yet to support any of them."

"Excellent" she said. And with two quick steps bounded up on to a nearby table.

"Gentle friends, women and men!" She boomed and attention turned to her as the tavern quieted.

"No, no, that's not us. Thieves! Cut throats, berserkers, swashbuckler, sailers, pirates! Thats whom I'm addressing" cheers came up from the crowd which she stoked and then quieted with her hands.

"You know me. I'm like you. I come from a long line of sequential children, none of who's elder siblings had the good manners to die before adulthood. Leaving us with nothing but our names and our will.”

“nothing but our names and our will!” interjected a voice from the crowd “Derek dear, we discussed this. I know the speech is rousing, its also not yours. Do shut up.” Esmerelda responded. A round of laughter followed. “sorry Esmerelda” Derek slurred and then she continued.

“My own father the fourth son of a third daughter taught me at a young age that the only way to get ahead in this world is with vice. He put his money on lust and has made himself a quite a name in his various brothels all along the southern coast of our Northern Continent . But I believe that lust is not for business but pleasure." A wolf whistle sounded from somewhere in the inn. "Indeed, and so I turned instead to greed!" A cheer erupted. "oh is there anything finer than taking something from someone who did not have the strength or wits to hang on to it?” a raucous “NO” came from the crowd. “I can't think of anything either” she laughed “ So I'm asking you. Do you want to keep sailing? Do you want to keep stealing? Do you want to keep taking the best that there is and leaving nothing behind. Do you want to get off this dirt and go to sea? Do you want me for you captain?" Each question was met with increasing cheers. Sezjeck roared above the clamor.

"Let us have a vote! Who would officiate for us?"

"Happy to oblige!" The Barty Brown boots called.

"Are there any others who would ask to be captain?" Sezjeck called.

"I would" a sturdy young pirate spoke up. Esmerelda knew him, Dimitri. The northern lad had been with the bony Bounty for two voyages. He was handsome, suave, and well liked enough but young and inexperienced. She stared at him appraisingly and offered him her hand to pull him up on to the table.

"You better stand up here then boy" she said.

He took her hand and was hauled up onto the table.

"Let us vote then! For Esmerelda?" Sezjeck rang. A large uproar issued from the assembled crew.

"And for Dimitri?" Sezjeck called out with equal conviction.

A significantly smaller cheer and applause rose up.

"Well thats decided clearly then. Your captain, Esmerelda!" Barty announced to the room and cheers erupted again.

Esmerelda bowed theatrically before her crew.

"No hard feelings I hope." Esmerelda said to Dimitri "you're still a promising pirate" she added with a grin.

“of course Captain. I would still envy a spot in your crew of course.” he said with a bow to her of his own and jumped down from the table.