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Biography
The Life of a Banshee
I was born in a small cottage in Larkspurshire. My father was an apprentice falconer, my mother abandoned by her well-to-do family. I grew up barefoot and wild, until my mother and I ran away. We went to the shore, and lived on the streets. My mother was gone for hours every night, and she came back with lots of cash. Soon, she “earned” enough to rent a small room, and once again we had a roof over our heads. I ran wild through the streets, and I soon met other children my age. I learned from them, and before long I was helping Mother pay bills with money I “earned” picking pockets. My mother was not happy with my chosen life, but she could not stop me, as she was not often home.
We had been at the shore for a few years, and we began to live quite comfortably. My mother started buying nicer clothes for herself, and for me. I learned what it meant to bathe, and I found out that my hair was blonde. I had never been clean before, and I found that I liked it. Mother also decided it was time to educate me. I discovered school. I learned to read, and to write, and my mother always supported me in this, as she knew what it felt like not to be allowed to learn.
While we were living near the shore, Mother had many friends. She introduced me to some of them, and I later learned that they were pirates. I was frightened when I found out, but she reminded me not to judge people based on rumor. She was right, and the pirates have become like family to me. Soon there was a falling out within the ranks of the pirates, and the Queen was overthrown. I wept, as she had always been kind to me. However, our life did not change much, and the pirates found a new leader.
During this period, I started noticing the same man visiting rather more often than anyone else. He was tall and blonde and scary, but my mother had no fear. As I saw him more and more, I realized that I did not fear him either, as he was sweet and gentle to his friends. Soon I knew that I was going to lose my mother, as she was falling in love. I yelled and screamed, off and on, to show my anger. It never helped, though, and my mother married him anyway. I continued screaming, every so often, to remind them I was still there. He nicknamed me Banshee, in token of my shrill voice, and loved me as the father I had never had.
The pirates once again “reorganized”. Later, I learned that the word was mutiny. The pirates split into several Ships, and my new father was named one of the Captains. To my delight, he took my mother on his ship with him, and brought me as well. My mother began teaching me to follow in her footsteps. Now I finally have a real job, and a place to call home, Powder Monkey on the Lady Sinister.
