Ballad Of Rose Red

Rose Red was the name they gave her because of her flaming hair. She grew up in a time of turmoil where children were taken from their beds. When her only son was stolen and butchered, something snapped within her head. She turned her attention to the seas and pirates life she led. With cutlass and pistol, her wrath swathed through the Spanish Main. A price as big as her rivals was placed upon her head, but no one was fool enough to collect it fearing the wrath of Rose Red. Her mighty ship the Dragon Queen sailed without hindrance and impunity. Treasures of captured ships lined the Dragon Queen’s hold, then back to her island home was the course she chartered for where her other treasures lie buried there somewhere. This secret was only hers because she alone buried it there. Anyone who saw where never lived to tell the tale. She was savage with her wrath as she sought out the murderers of her only son. Year after year, she sought them down whether on land or at sea with her lasting vengeance. One by one, the murderers fell from those who had committed it to those from which their orders fell. Rose Red gave them their appointment with the devil they served. Fear ran among them of this woman with flaming hair who struck without warning. She rode the seas for years pillaging the greedy as her victims fell. Now only one remained, the highest of them all and the most guarded as well. He being the King of Spain, but Rose Red was not afraid of his army or him. Into port she sailed one night guns firing from fore to aft until no ship was left afloat. The guns then turned on the town crumbling each building in turn until only the palace was left standing. Then into town, they went with only one prize to seek. The palace stood untouched no holes within its walls as the pirates strode against it. First through the main gate leaving no one left alive except for the slaves. Whose freedom they gave until the king was cornered. He stood among his treasures to defend them with his might. Rose Red strode into the chamber to face his cowering body pleading for mercy to be. She looked at the coward and lifting her pistol to finish what had to be done. The shot echoed in the chamber and the body slumped down no more would anyone loose their children to this wicked crooked crown. The king was dead and the evil hordes he had sown where now facing what they gave to others a hole in the ground. The treasures were left along with the crown Rose Red’s vengeance was now complete. Back to the ship, they strode sailing out to the oceans free. No longer did they have a bounty on their heads now the king was dead. They were free to do now as they pleased. 4 September 2011