Art Blastside

Artemesia Fitz-Willoghby Weatherhouse is the protagonist of The Piratica Series, by Tanith Lee.

Name
The named Art was given at birth was "Artemesia Fitz-Willoghby Weatherhouse". When she escapes from the Angels Academy for Young Maidens, she dresses in boy's clothes and changes her name to "Art Blastside". Throughout the land and seas she is known as "Piratica", the stage name of her mother, Molly Faith.

Appearance
She has steel grey eyes and dark brown hair with an orange streak (caused by the accidental cannon explosion that resulted in her amnesia).

Family
*Father: Landsir George Weatherhouse
*Mother: actress Molly Faith. She died in a cannon explosion accident.
*Spouse: Art marries Felix Phoenix after the events of Piratica
*Children: Art is pregnant at the end of Piratica II.

Personal History

Pre-Piratica
As soon as she was born, Art's mother took her from her father's house. When she was two, Molly and Ebad took her with them on a sea voyage around the world. The voyage ended when their ship was attacked by the Golden Goliath. However, Art retained memories of this time and regained them along with her other memories after the accident at the Angels Academy.

Molly became a stage actress and Art participated in her shows until the age of ten, when the cannon accident caused Molly's death and her amnesia.

Her father regained custody of her and sent her to the Angels Academy of Young Maidens.

Piratica
Art accidentally falls down a flight of stairs and hits her head on the banister, which causes her to regain her memories. She buys a set of boy's clothes from a stable boy and runs away to find her mother's former acting troupe, whom she believes to be a real pirate crew. When she finds them at a pub, they take her to the theater the troupe used to perform at and tell her the truth about the productions.

Initially, she is heartbroken at the news, but she quickly becomes determined to turn them all into a real pirate crew. She bullies the troupe into helping her steal a ship and together they set sail. Not long after, they pick up Felix Phoenix, who was running from the law due to a misunderstanding.

Art and her crew begin robbing various ships loaded with treasure, and make port in Port Republic. There they meet Little Goldie Girl and her crew, who demand a map that Art supposedly has in her possession. After escaping the enemy crew, Art discovers the map leads to a great communal treasure. She and her crew set course for the island the map leads to.

After solving numerous riddles, the crew finally uncovers the treasure, which consists of hundreds of treasure maps. Little Goldie Girl and her crew appear, and Art and Goldie begin a fierce swordfight. When Art wins, Goldie's crew surrenders.

The English Navy arrives at the island. To save the treasure from their custody, the pirate crews fold the maps into paper boats and set them adrift.

The Naval ships capture the pirates and bring them back to England for trial. Art helps her crew to escape, but is unable to help herself. Each member of her loyal crew comes up with a plan to save her, but Felix climbs onto the platform to defend her. His speech incites the crowd and they demand Art's release. The couple shares a kiss.

Piratica II
Art and Felix were married and living comfortably on land given to them by a friend of Felix' father. One evening Glad Cuthbert brings them a message asking Art to become a privateer to aid in the war against Franco-Spania.

Art wants to accept, but Felix tries to convince her not to go.

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See Also

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