Rakaiah was born on the southern shores of Ireland.  Her mother was of minor nobility, and Rakaiah was one of the sixteen bastard children of Sir Arthur Forbes. 

            To as not produce a scandal, she was taken from her mother and given under the guardianship of Captain Edward North, the commander of the sloop William and Martha.  Not wanting to deal with a female child, North dressed Rakaiah as a boy, and had planned to have her raised as a soldier, until he discovered her wonderful artistic talents.

            North had her enlisted in school to learn how to read and write, and in the off-hours of school, he helped develop her talents at something he saw could be very profitable to him: the art of forgery. 

            As Rakaiah grew older, her skills at forgery grew and grew.  North knew that the life of a captain would not be very profitable, but with the help of Rakaiah’s skilled hands, his future retirement was looking all the more profitable.

            To ensure that Rakaiah would stay by his side, he seduced her, and enlisted her as a young footman in his regiment.  Her scholarly life ceased, and her new life of a soldier and a sailor began.  She sailed with him for many months, and while she had the ‘easier’ position of scribe, that did not protect her from performing in the many other chores of the ship.  For on North’s ship, all men had to know two things above all: how to fight, and how to shoot.  Rakaiah was of no exception.

            During their months at sea, Rakaiah created many documents for North, including Letters of Marque.  With these letters, North boarded a few ships, and split the plunder among his crew, under the solemn oath that they, the crew, would tell no one.

            North soon received orders to sail towards Bermuda, and it was there that foul winds would meet him.  North’s ship was attacked by pirates off Rum Key.  The pirates boarded his vessel, violently beat North and his crew, demanding to know where his supplies and monies were hidden.  When North refused to talk, the pirates grabbed Rakaiah, dragged her to the bows, bound her hand and foot, and tied her to the bowspirit.  As she lay there helpless on her back, the pirates lit up matches, and were starting to put them to her eyes when North let out a scream.  If they would set Rakaiah free, he would tell them anything. 

            The pirates quickly demanded to have monies and papers.  When North brought them his papers, the pirates were amazed by the many Letters of Marque North had from England, Spain, France, and Scotland.  They demanded to know where he obtained these, and he confessed that his scribe made them for him.  It did not take long for the pirates to learn who the scribe was on board ship, and they quite relieved that they did not burn Rakaiah’s eyes out. 

            After the pirates rounded up the monies, they brought Rakaiah, and North’s carpenter, to their Captain. 

            Their Captain, Aramis, offered Rakaiah and the carpenter a simple choice: sign the Articles and become a member of his crew, or die.  The carpenter refused, and was quickly thrown overboard.  Rakaiah, on the other hand, having already experienced enough beating and bondage for one day, signed the Articles. 

            Unable to say goodbye to North in the way she wished, she had to contend with letting her eyes tell North goodbye. 

            Rakaiah proved to be a valuable asset to the crew, in more ways than one.  Her forgery skills allowed their ship to enter and leave many waters, and she also proved good with sword and shot during their battles.  It was not until some time later, while during a siege she received a minor wound by grapeshot, that the ship’s doctor learned that she was not a man.  The doctor immediately reported it to Aramis, who, in true diplomatic fashion, brought it up to the crew whether they should keep this ill token of luck aboard.  The vote was in her favor, and the crew has been stuck with her ever since.