Anwen watched Asena swing her wooden practice sword. By the third swing, her daughter was already tired but Anwen saw fierce determination in her eyes. Ulric was instructing her today so she could check on her crew and divide up the spoils from their last voyage.

“You swing it like you swing hammer,” Ulric told Asena. “Sword is not hammer.”

“I know!” Asena panted. “But you not show me how to swing other way.”

Anwen shook her head at their broken, choppy speech. While Asena could speak English almost as well as Anwen herself oftentimes she spoke brokenly so her father could understand her better. Anwen knew she’d never have the relationship with Asena that Ulric did because the sea called to her. Truthfully, it had always called to her and since her daughter was born on a ship she had no doubt that she would one day be called by the sea’s siren song too.

Anwen turned from the scene and made her way to where the loot sat. Her men were gathered around it waiting rather impatiently for her. She took her time getting there just to make them wait that much longer.

“Captain,” her chief mate acknowledged.

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“Aytigin,” she replied. “Everyone accounted for?”

“Yes ma’am,” Aytigin replied.

Anwen turned to face her crew.

“Alright, lads!” she bellowed.

The crew fell silent.

“You’ll each get your share of the loot,” she told them. “But we need to get this place ready for the winter. Many of the houses still don’t have a roof. We also need to make sure supplies are evenly distributed between the families. What we lack we must either go get before the ice blocks the sea or go without. It’ll be all hands on deck to prep for winter but at least you won’t be spending this one on a ship.” She turned to her chief mate. “Aytigin, they’re all yours.”

Aytigin gave her a curt nod then turned to the crew and began calling their names. He issued each member their cut of the loot while their bookkeeper made a note of it in the ledger.

One of the reasons Anwen was so successful was because of this system. She allowed her men a small allowance whenever they stopped in a port, but never enough to fully compensate them for their efforts. She maintained control over them by making sure the loot was always divided equally and a small portion was retained to obtain supplies should they need them. Anwen knew many of her crew feared her but they also respected her. They knew she would do anything for them, including giving up her share of the loot to pay debts in order to insure there were no internal conflicts between the men. The bookkeeper always kept track of every item they plundered and where they went upon being divied up. He made sure no piece ever went missing, and was paid handsomely for it. Anwen paid him out of her own share, always.