Pirate Queen Ching Shih and the Raven’s Skull: Part Seven
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Pirate Show and Tell: More Mutiny Metals!
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by Kevin BaileyLimited to 100 pieces, this Special 2 oz 0.999 Fine Silver Round from Mutiny Metals has been SOLD OUT and retired. It was designed by the Band’s Tour Manager Gary Pettus. An inspiration round for the Band and crew of ‘3 Doors Down’ The music style being Post grunge Alternative Rock genre. How cool is that?
The design compass represents the band’s tours and travels.
The letters ‘MS’ at the six 0-clock position points to the Band’s roots in Mississippi.
Surround yourself with your brothers/crew and take the road less travelled.
Mutiny Metals bullion products are inspired by Pirates, made in Idaho USA.
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Each bar hand poured/stamped, made of .999 fine silver bullion. Pick Badassery! Be a Pirate ☠️☠️☠️ Or, you know, choose boring and never be invited to badass pirate parties..........Have you joined the Mutiny?
1The back has the details. 2 Troy Oz. .999 Silver Mutiny Metals. My only little critique is that he could have darkened the back stamp for better contrast.
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RPirate Queen Ching Shih and the Raven’s Skull: Part Seven
2Poa hands his flintlock pistol to Sung. "You I put in charge of the Golden Lion, I have faith in you. For I do what I must do and everyone will understand." Poa waves off his crew to make room on the main deck. He smiles to himself as he slowly draws his sword. He seemed relieved and far from malicious. Lifting his eyes to the Raven, There was an English saying, 'You live by the sword, you die by the sword.' He grinned at the Raven, "I think I lived by that long enough."
"Why do you say that?" The situation did not feel right to the Raven.
Poa seemed at peace in his mind and spirit. Many of her opponents in her past never behave in such a manner. She understood the signs of insincerity, the body language, the eyes, the hands. It is the art in reading the true intentions of any opponent. To Judge by the actions much more than by the words, echoed from her past masters and teachers like her father Giovanni to Sun Tzu's writings, Wu Chung, Sensei Mintauru, and Hattori.
Her practice as an assassin was rigidly based on the study of her intended target. Making sure to settle in her mind and upon her contract those justifiably deserving of death by their deeds alone even as a puppet to another. Assassin work is done preferably inconspicuous as possible, quiet and merciful but others demand the execution be blatant and public. Apparently, Poa chose this venue of this duel before his own crew as a demonstration but for what?
He performed a solemn half Buddhist hand sign with his open left palm as he held his sword on the right, a very odd dichotomy of the same man. “I regret having to fight a fine warrior as you I hope we shall meet in another lifetime. I am ready.”
She mirrored his gesture; “Very well,” Her heart began to demand overriding her head as she waved her crew to step back. She moved to the center of the deck with Poa. At the moment there was only silence, nothing but the sound of the waves and the creaking of the ship’s rigging and hull.
2“Forgive me my Lady of the Raven.”
A quick swing of his sword, the spear shaft jolts with a rattle as she blocked in response. The strike was hard and intentional. Another swing she turns his blade to his right and made a quick spear jab at his open right shoulder.
He turns away as the spear point strikes nothing, "You’re not trying." Poa sounded disappointed lifting his sword into a crane stance before changing into a different stance. “I see you are hesitant to kill me just aiming for a crippling point. Are you just attempting to capture me?”
Poa feigns an overhead blow drawing back to make a series of forward thrusts aimed at her heart each turned away with the spear shaft.
The Raven didn’t usually reply as she somehow felt him deserving to know the purpose of the attack, “Shih wants you dead and her Relics returned to her.”
Poa backs a step, “Ah, so that is what she wants.” His free hand pats at a small leather pouch fastened to his hip. “The Relics are in here. Just take them if you can.” He chops down then up again, the shaft holds but with another chip gouged from the shaft as it will soon become useless.
She replies with a pair of jabs of the spear aimed at one thigh then the other as he easily avoided.
He pushed back making a horizontal and diagonal slash followed by his round house kick shattering what strength that was left in the spear.
She throws the spear point at Poa.
He turns as the spear point impales into the main mast. “You’re still not trying!” His eyes glanced into the Raven’s eyes, “You won’t use your own sword unless….ah yes, you admire me, if only the heavens conspire such a fate upon me but I know you are bound by your promise to Shih."
As they circled she thought to herself, was this 'The philosophy'? “Damn.” He's managed to read her growing reluctance to keep her bargain.
"Use your sword!" demanded Poa as He came at in with a flurry of swings pressing her back as the remaining spear shaft only provided minimal defense.
3Flint shouted at the Raven, "What are you waiting for? Do it!"
Fang rang from it's sheath.
The crew of the Storm Crow cheered in relief.
The clash of steel blades now resonated throughout the ship.
Poa felt the unnatural impact of a powerful blade bought to bear upon his.
The cry of a thousand blackbirds screeched in his mind.
His soul felt the edge of her blade without touching it.
He felt a frigid chill envelop his body as the hair of his back stood on end, yet he continued to press hard forcing the Raven to remain a defensive posture for a few more moments until he could find a weakness.
Before his last swing she found a slight hesitation as her blade whistles past his face clipping the tip of his mustache.
"Uh..." He backed off checking the state of his mustache.
1A brief reprieve, her arms ached from the last barrage of heavy blows realizing the tactic diminished her ability to strike quick. Poa understood how Samurai fought in duels and he skillfully removed that option.
He pointed his sword at the Raven, “Did Shih promise you a warm soft bed and a song to lull you to sleep?" His sword tip made small circles as he spoke, "What was your bargain with her?"
She circles to his left, "Shih and her council demand your head for the crimes against her and Quon Lu." With that the Raven launches a quick attack to his left.
Poa brought his sword around enough to just to defect the tip of the Raven's blade managing only to slice open his silk robe. She was still quite fast enough.
"I think the charges are a great exaggeration," Laughed Poa. "I did not quite volunteer to be a pirate to begin with."
The duel carried on in a constant ringing of steel, trading blow for blow, Poa and the Raven, maneuvering around obstacles, both making use of the entire deck but favoring Poa's familiarity with his ship.
Both crews watched, urging on their champion to an uncertain victory.
Her swing misses Poa, cutting through the starboard main mast line, “I chose my own path!”
Poa slips to his left behind the cannon, his hands rested on the barrel as he leaned over as if taunting her to try again, "Does anyone really chooses? Pain is inevitable suffering is optional. ”He kicks up the ram rod and throws it at her.
She turns away as the ram rod flies past, “Even I choose the path of least suffering I see it in all my opponents I choose not to add to their suffering.”
"What do you think makes me so successful?"
“By merciful killing!” Replying with a grunt as she turns from his thrust.
“No, by making Shih and her minions tread lighter upon their victims. Many Captains in these and other waters know I cause the least suffering! They rather face me than other pirate ships. What say you, legendary pirate bull dog of a Tyrant?" His swing missed again as she anticipated his strike.
"You talk too much Poa!" The Raven shook her head as she made another testing jab at his heart.
"Ask Shih this..." Captain Poa parried, "How can a man be anything other than a pirate?!"
The duel moved steadily down the narrow steps into the lower deck. The hand rail received several stray sword blows along the way. However the hold was spacious and hardly obstructed providing a unobstructed view to both crews.
"A pirate is oft a free man!" She replied.
"Really? You haven't been around Quon Lu long enough! Are you not aware of her edicts concerning rogue pirates?" Poa circles again to her left delivering another blow to her left as it glances off the Raven’s blade yet again.
At times the duel settled into sparring. Sometimes akin to a dance. Thrust and parry, bait and counter, slash and block, feint then attack turning the duel into a textbook demonstration in the art of expert sword play.
The duel felt odd as Poa fought and defended at certain times and at others deliberately leaving openings in his defense as if he wanted to be slain. Meanwhile, it was like a teacher lecturing a student between the clashes of steel.
"A free man should live and die on his own terms rather than by the dictates of another."
His blade easily deflected her testing slash. He was studying her style blow by blow, parry by parry, testing steel and testing resolve. His resolve was purposeful and rang of clarity.
Each utterance began to make a mark, he was not the person Shih portrayed the 'Merciless Captain Poa." She always felt the guiding hand of her adoptive father Giovanni but also temperament of her adoptive mother Maria Da Auditore. And for the first time had clear doubts about killing this man, she was always sure of her targets until now. The heavenly Diva was quiet.
"What price did Shih pay you? Gold? Silver? Or the blood of....." Re-gripping his sword Poa came at her in another wild flurry. It seemed the same sequence of jab slash block and upper cut and parry then slash performed several times already. He was becoming predictable.
She made the same diversionary thrust through the center that he had always easily parried. And for a fraction of a moment he opened himself. He didn't block. In that moment she could not stay her hand as sent the blade plunging home into his chest. Impossible to stop, as centuries of training, practice, and philosophies in the art of killing was more like trying to stop a charging elephant. Fleeting as the wild deer, the art of mercy is what she needed to practice.
"...the blood of a martyr." There was a smile on his face as his sword dropped to the deck. His crew gasped and crowed around the duelists.
"No!" She withdrew the blade from his chest before he fell to his knees.
2His crew crowded in closer as she leaned him against the bulkhead. Quickly she fashioned an improvised compress from her underskirt and pressed directly on the wound. The wound was too deep.
Poa looked at his wound and then into her eyes ,"I see sorrow in your eyes, I have judged you right, and you do have a good conscience."
"Why did you Force me to kill you? I could have talked to Shih and settle your differences."
"She is very much set in her ways and you are bound by pirate law to complete your bargain."
"It was a bargain in bad faith; I'll fight my way past it!"
"It must be this way." He coughed, "... the seeds of rebellion are already sown in Quon Lu and the people wish to be free from her tyranny. Her many petty rules to control every law and heavy tributes. Her rule cannot stand. I thank you for helping me gain an honorable death. I have regretted becoming a Pirate Captain,...my hope was to make Shih tread lightly on the victims of her dictates. And the pain and suffering I caused in her name I can no longer bear."
Shock was settling upon his body as she tried to make Poa more comfortable, "Quickly, a blanket!"
"Buddha said, 'Remembering a wrong is like carrying a burden on the mind.'"
A soft laugh came to his lips, Buddha was never a pirate."
She shook her head, "Is there anything I can do?"
"Bargain for peace with the Chinese Emperor Qianlong and let him know for he must spare the people of Quon Lu."
"I will do what I can."
"Take the Raven's Skull relics." His voice dropped to almost a whisper, "They never had the power that Shih claimed it to be." He coughed again; a line of blood ran down from the edge of his mouth. "It only had the ability to bring you to me."
His trembling blood stained hand pulled the pouch of silver bars in his belt and put it into her hands.
For the first time in decades her eyes arched in sorrow, "Anything."
2"My eyes wish to see your beautiful face before I die."
The Raven removed her mask, held his hand and smiled for him. "You were right, I do admire you."
A satisfied grin lifted the corners of his mouth, "I knew you are beautiful, even on the inside. My Kung Fu teacher was right, 'You truly won’t know someone... until you fight them.' I hope we will meet… in another…. life…. ”
As his eyes began to close, the Raven kisses his head.
RPrevious Episodes
“Et lux in tenebris to serve laboro, sum sicarius” “I work in the shadows to serve the Light, I am an Assassin”
Awww... what a sad yet sweet ending to this chapter! I wonder if one volunteer to be a pirate, or are they hired pirates? I guess hired pirates are privateers? Don't forget, Sis!!! New Year's Eve... I want to hear your voice!!!!
With the reputation of the Golden Lion, skilled men will flock to those most profitable. But Poa is no ordinary Captain. He picks those most apt to his ways. Even his victim's prefer to be captured by Poa than by other Pirates. A wise Captain that found a much more profitable and much less risky arrangement unbeknownst to Shih.
I get this feeling your gonna a bring a crowd to our little get together night.
@kerrislravenhill another Wonderful Piece for #PirateSunday much Appreciated and Love the SILVER you are Displaying in the PIC's.......
Arrrrh, "Once a Pirate, always a Pirate." Let's keep this party going!
Congratulations @kerrislravenhill!
You raised your level and are now a Minnow!