Age: 33
Birthday: June 15
Occupation: Quartermaster
Favorite past-time: Playing cards, telling stories
About Camilla: Camilla’s family owned and operated a mill. She was an only child and this upset her father because, as a girl, he did not believe she would not be able to operate the mill on her own when the time came. This angered Camilla because she grew up within the mill and if anyone knew how to run it, it would be her. But her father still refused and fearing for the future of the mill, married Camilla off to one of the workers there and he took over the operations of the mill. Her husband did not let her work at the mill either, telling her she would only get in the way. Stuck at home with an angry heart, she had started drinking in her early twenties, disregarding her duties as a mother and wife. Camilla's husband became fed-up with his deadbeat wife and threw her out on the streets for good.
Camilla became a very angry and bitter woman. She wandered about for a few months drinking her life away in the alleys of port towns and getting into brawls daily, or being thrown out of the pubs she frequented. One day she was confronted by a blonde woman who didn't appreciate Camilla's horribly loud drunken ranting. After a heated argument, Camilla challenged the woman to a fight. The woman agreed with the condition that if she won, Camilla would work on her sloop as a lackey. Camilla spat back saying if she won, the sloop would be hers. The woman agreed and Camilla grinned. She would be able to beat this woman easily. They went out to the street and fought... and Camilla lost. Badly.
She was dragged onto a small sloop called the "Gentle Maylily" and was put to work by the ship's captain, the blonde woman whose name was Vivianne. It was torture to Camilla because the Captain wouldn't allow her anything except water until the sun had set. And after the sun went down, Camilla was allowed only one small glass of rum. The Captain said it was to sober her up. The last thing she needed was a drunken woman falling overboard.
Captain Vivianne watched Camilla like a hawk. She made sure that the deck was spotlessly clean, that the sails were patched and bright and that the kitchen was clean enough to eat off the floors. When it wasn't, or the Captain was not satisfied, Camilla had to start over. Camilla couldn't take an order from the Captain without sneering at her before she stomped off to do it. She loathed the Captain with all her might. However, no matter what Camilla did, or how much she protested, the Captain never got angry with her or lost her composure.
One day Camilla did a particularly sloppy job of cleaning the kitchen. When the Captain told her to do it again, Camilla got angry and kicked over the soup pot and threw a dining table on its side. The Captain only looked at her and said she had better clean that up before the soup spreads, then she returned to the deck. Determined to get her angry, Camilla began destroying the kitchen. When the cook came in and saw her, she immediately ran and got the Captain. Vivianne came in, walked up to Camilla and punched her so hard it knocked her to the ground. She then pulled out her sword and pushed it to Camilla's neck.
The Captain told her through her teeth that she would no longer tolerate her insubordination. If she'd do as she was asked, she wouldn't have to have the Captain breathing down her neck all of the time. She let Camilla know this was her very last warning-- either she start behaving like a normal woman or be killed. She threatened that she wouldn't bother throwing her overboard. She'd just as happily slice her open and send her back to her family in pieces then to put up with her childish attitude. And right now, nothing would please her more to do so.
Camilla looked at the Captain's thinned eyes and could see that she was not bluffing. It was the first time Camilla had seen the Captain angry and it was such a drastic and cold hearted change, it sent shivers through her. She had heard that this woman was called "Red Sword Vane" and she had heard the horrific stories that went with that name, but she could not fathom the Captain being that person until now. Although not happy with her life, Camilla was not the suicidal type. She got up off the ground and started cleaning the kitchen without arguing.
Camilla was put on probation-- She was not allowed to leave the ship when they ported, nor was she allowed to participate in raids (and therefore she received no rewards). The one glass of rum she was allowed before was also taken away from her also. She thought it was unfair but as soon as she opened her mouth to protest, she saw the Captain’s hand move toward the sword at her hip and she immediately hushed. When asked if it was understood, Camilla replied with a stout “Aye, aye Captain”.
Since the kitchen incident, Camilla’s attitude had changed. She gained a large respect for Captain Vivianne and no longer argued when she requested something of her. She also understood that the Captain never asked something that was beyond what she was capable of doing— she was just. Camilla thought that the Captain was a very admirable woman and she began to strive to be more understanding and fair like her. And set in her determination, when her probation was lifted, she continued to skip the rum, sticking with drinking just water.
About two months later, the Gentle Maylily took on a large brig during a raid. During this raid, Captain Vivianne had been injured and cornered in the fight. Without a second thought, Camilla rushed to her assistance and they fought back to back out of the fray. They succeeded in overtaking the brig and the Grand Maylily was born. However, with the movement of the crew over to the Grand Maylily, the Gentle Maylily still needed an officer to command the skeleton crew. To Camilla's surprise, the Captain gave her the First Mate title and watch over the Gentle Maylily. Captain Vivianne expressed her confidence in Camilla’s ability both as a leader and sailor and several of her officers agreed. She let Camilla know she’d be honored her fight at her back any day. Almost moved to tears, Camilla thanked the Captain and crew over and over and told them she would make sure this was a decision they would never have to regret.
Camilla took the title of Quartermaster very seriously. It was the first time in her life that anyone believed in her and entrusted her with something so important. She helps run the Grand Maylily with a fair mind and kind heart. Captain Vivianne couldn’t have asked for a better First Mate than Camilla.