Myspace Layouts - Myspace Editor
***This profile is mostly for character interaction.***
For the real me, see my main profile: Edith. It's #1 on my friends list.
Just a wee bit about me:
I was born in a small town located on the bank of the Tisza River in Hungary. I was orphaned young and have no memory of my parents. The townspeople gave me the name Lilla for my love of the colour purple ('lila' in Hungarian). I never really lived with any one family, but most of them joined in making sure I had enough to eat and they allowed me to sleep in any one of the barn or stable lofts I chose. As I got a little older, I helped out a bit with the farm animals in return for the care they gave me. It was during this time that I learned to ride horses.
I could not remember a time in my life when I could not swim. When I was old enough to handle an oar, I was often out on the river in a small boat, where the sometimes treacherous currents helped hone my skills.
My lack of family and somewhat carefree life must have been what instilled a sense of adventure and as I entered my teens, I began to grow tired of a simple village life. I took to leaving the town every summer, wandering the surrounding countryside. Each year, I would leave a little earlier in the spring, and return a little later in the fall. My first weapon of choice was the bow and arrow and as my skills in hunting gradually increased, I brought back gifts of deer or other game, to help make up for me not being there to help during the summer.
The townspeople grew accustomed to my habits, but many of them realized that the time was fast approaching when I would not return. That time came in my 17th year. I returned to the town for the last time in late August that year and, after leaving a couple of deer as gifts, I headed west then south, following the Tisza River until it joined the Duna. There, I traded some of my deerskins for a small boat in which I travelled downstream on the Duna. Along the way, sometimes using my 'womanly wiles' and sometimes disguising myself as a boy, I convinced several fighters to teach me the basics of swordplay.
I switched to a slightly larger boat, this one with a sail, when its owner made the mistake of attempting to lift my purse. Although I was still only a beginner with my sword, I turned out to be more than a match for the would-be robber, who was more than a little drunk. I agreed to spare his life and even offered him my little boat, in exchange for his larger boat. The deal was made and, now equipped with a sail, I made better time down the river. By the time I reached the Black Sea, I was quite certain that I belonged on the water.
The many kinds of ships I saw when I reached the Black Sea fuelled my sense of adventure and I immediately set about procuring a bigger one for myself. I obtained my third boat by tricking its drunken owner into thinking that his had developed a leak and that mine was really the better of the two. This ship also had a crew of two, who turned out not to mind that their drunken captain had been replaced by a better looking and most importantly, sober one. I kept herself aloof from them, but treated them fairly and soon won their respect and loyalty.
It was in obtaining my fourth ship that I committed my first real act of piracy. With the help of my two loyal crewmen, I quickly overpowered the ship. I decided not to kill any of the crew, but gave them a choice. They could either join the captain to whom I gave my previous boat, or they could become part of my crew. A few joined the captain, but most of them decided to stay on board.
Over the years, I got what I wanted through various methods. Sometimes, I fought openly, particularly if the other ship was weaker. Sometimes, I dressed in a nice gown, played the maiden-in-distress, and allowed a ship captain to "rescue" me. Then, when he put into port, I quietly robbed him and disappeared.
Once, I had the good fortune to capture the son of an eminent Turkish general. I then struck a deal with his father: His safe return in exchange for extended lessons in swordplay. I spent a number of years in the area, taught at first by the general, then as my skills increased, by several Masters. My skills, agility, and wit eventually won the respect of the general, especially since I had never actually harmed his son. I travelled with them throughout the Middle East, picking up skills and techniques from Arab swordsmen as well. I took everything I learned and eventually clicked them all together into my own unique style, which often baffled my opponents.
When it was deemed that I had learned pretty much all they could teach me, I sailed through the Strait of Bosporus, the Sea of Marmara, and into the Mediterranean. By this time, I had a sloop that I called the Seagull. I continued my wily ways throughout the Mediterranean until I reached Spain. It was here that I found my ultimate and, to me, perfect ship. Most of the Spanish ships were large and although they were heavily armed and powerful, they seemed rather ungainly. This one, a 24-gun frigate, was smaller, sleeker, and much faster, although it still had a hefty complement of guns. I followed it stealthily to a Spanish port where, to my utter surprise, Fate handed the ship to me on a silver platter. The Captain, who I'm sure is certainly no longer a captain, if he's even lucky enough to still have his head, believing himself to be safe in a home port, allowed most of his crew to go on shore leave, leaving only a handful to guard the ship.
Knowing such opportunities arise only once in a lifetime, I took my three most trusted men and easily overpowered the guards. They were bound, gagged, and set into the frigate's smallest boat, which was then tied to the dock exactly where the ship had been. I rechristened the ship the Black Orchid and sailed for a time with the Seagull until I was able to recruit enough men to have a skeleton crew on board. Of my three trusted men, two chose to stay with me to become my officers on the Black Orchid. The third received the Seagull in return for faithful service to me over the years. I continued recruiting until I had enough crew to sail across the Atlantic. Luck seemed to follow me everywhere, and it just happened that one of my men, who was now my navigator, had made repeated crossings and so the trip was easy and uneventful. On my arrival to the Caribbean, I put into Tortuga for my ship's refit.
Now, I set about making my name in the Caribbean. I have, for the most part, steered clear of other pirates, preferring to work alone. My careful selection of men has resulted in a crew completely loyal to me and ready to defend me at the drop of a hat, although, as many men have discovered to their chagrin, I am more than able to defend myself.