Secret Lead

Ava woke up the next morning to a knock on her door. Slipping out of bed, she tried to rub the sleep out of her eyes. To her surprise, Oceane stood on the other side of the door. She had not spoken to Oceane or spent time with her outside of meals. She looked as if she had been up for a while, alert and put together.

"Good Morning," Oceane spoke, "Theo asked the crew if anyone that was free would like to help you learn to defend yourself. I have a free morning and somewhat adequate skills with a dagger."

Ava's sleepiness had magically disappeared from her body, "A dagger?"

"Aye, I swung by the armory and picked one up for you just in case you were interested," Oceane said as she held it out for Ava to see.

"I am interested. Very interested- ″ Ava suddenly felt bad, "-but I do not want to get in the way of your free time."

"There is no other way I'd prefer to spend my morning than helping someone learn something new."

"Alright," Ava smiled, "let's do it. Fair warning though, I have absolutely no experience."

Oceane laughed and began to lead the way out of Ava's hallway and onto the deck, "That does not matter to me. Sometimes, a challenge is fun."

Ava was handed the dagger and taught how to stand. Oceane wasted no time in jumping into the lesson. Ava was taught how to hold it, how to wield it against someone moving towards her, and the different fatal points on a person's body. Oceane was a good teacher, encouraging yet firm. The sun rose high in the sky and began beating down on them. They didn't stop until the shift change was announced.

"You were born for the dagger," Oceane said.

It was genuine and heartfelt. Oceane was almost proud of what Ava had accomplished in such a short while. Oceane rarely found someone so willing to learn and accept criticism. It made Ava easy to teach and very quick to grab onto certain things. She was in no way excellent or proficient in daggering yet but now Ava would at least be able to have a chance at defending herself.

"I had an incredible teacher," Ava replied with a smile.

They went their separate ways, Oceane went to work and Ava roamed around the deck. There was not much to do around the ship during their suns at sea. She had no job and had no option but to aimlessly roam most of the morning and aftermorning. Oceane was a great distraction and it made the morning go by faster but now she was left with no options. Everyone she had grown to know during her journey was busy or unable to be found. Her footsteps ended up leading her back to the library, where she predictably picked up the same book and started where she had left off.

Yestersun's conversation with Cooker had been bouncing around in her head. Revisionist? She had never heard of that. Thinking back to the books she had read and what she had been taught, there was never an ill word about Baethos or the government. When she had been taught about the first six classifications, most of what she was reading about was not mentioned.

Had she been indoctrinated with falsehoods? Or were these the falsehoods created to make Baethos look bad? She wanted to talk to someone about it, ask questions, understand what people thought of the government. But Ava was scared. Scared that she would be labeled a government apologist and thrown off the plank.

Reading was the only solution. She had to find answers to the questions she had and she would have to do it by herself for the time being. So she resumed reading. There was a thirst inside her and every page she read only meant she wanted more. It was a few hours later when there was a knock on the doorframe. Ava looked up to find Morgana in the hall.

"I heard that you were being trained this morning," Morgana commented, "and I am insulted that I have not been given the chance to train my small friend."

Ava laughed, "Careful with the names, I can wield a dagger now."

"Aye, that is what I was told. But I bet you didn't learn to do it the Morgana way."

"I did not."

"Would you care to learn?" Morgana held out her hand.

Ava put the book down and took her hand, "I would be honored to."

They went back up to the deck and Ava showed her the dagger Oceane got for her.

"I remember when we got that one. Do you know where I got it from?" Morgana said.

Ava shook her head.

"We had just finished raiding a merchant ship when we found these three men below deck that had a large bounty on their heads. Fugitives. One of them, Higal, was wanted in Dove Island for the murder of their nobleman. It is said that this is the dagger that pierced the heart of the most hated man on Dove Island."

Ava dropped the dagger onto the floor, "Lord Bardstos."

It slipped out of her hand. She was in shock.

Morgana looked at her with a raised eyebrow, "Aye. How is it you know?"

Ava cleared her throat trying to compose herself. She was certainly not going to give Morgana the truth. The truth that Lord Bardstos' death was a tragedy amongst her family. That she often played with his daughter during her long stays in The Center. Lord Bardstos spent many cycles at her house and with her father. In the chests, she left behind were dozens of gifts she had gotten from the Bardstos'. The thought of her holding the dagger that killed him made her sick.

"There are legends of him in our hometown. He was killed in Elox so he is said to roam the land in pursuit of revenge," Ava lied.

"Scared of a ghost haunting the dagger?" Morgana laughed, "You can use mine for now until we get you a new one then."

Ava wanted nothing more than to go to her room and lay down but that would arouse suspicion. She was going to go through with whatever Morgana had planned for them and deal with whatever she was feeling later.

There was a time for emotions and there is a time to handle them. This is not that time. Ava's mother's voice bounced around in her head.

"Very well then," Ava held out her hand for the dagger, "Let me show you what I know."

Morgana handed her the dagger, laughing, "You are very odd. I am sure I have said that before, but it bears repeating. Go on and show me."

And Ava did. She showed her the technique Oceane had for handling the dagger. She demonstrated that she knew all the weak points in the body. She even did a small trick with it that Oceane had shown her. Morgana nodded her approvals and gave her small pointers to improve what she was doing.

"So, you've learned the basics. Very impressive too. Oceane is good, eh? But what I am going to teach you is more how to hurt someone or weaken them with your body first, then go in with the dagger," Morgana explained.

"So, punching?"

"Kicking," Morgana grinned, "you've got long legs and we are going to use that."

Morgana spent a long while explaining to Ava how to defend herself. She was taught different kicks and how to put more strength into them. Morgana taught her how to kick in someone's knee. Ava learned dozens of different ways to weaken someone and then strike with a dagger. If Ava was being honest, she had forgotten all about the previous conversation by the time they had ended. She was having a lot of fun. She also felt powerful and, for the first in her entire journey, a little bit capable of being on her own.

"Keep training like that and you can be on the vanguard," Morgana said while bringing a strong arm to clap her on the back.

Ava coughed a little at the impact and then let out a laugh, "Thank you for flattering me."

"You're a natural. You need to work on strength, but you've got the movements down. For a beginner you've got good skill," Morgana said.

Ava felt good about the feedback. She was not bad at it. It made her feel good and safe and she was glad that there were some people so willing to help. They did not make it seem like a burden, in fact, it felt more like a race to see who would train her. They heard the call for dinner and said their goodbyes. Ava gave Morgana an excuse as to why she wasn't going to dinner and then headed to her room. The moon was bright outside and the night sky was clear. She opened her window and let only the moonlight wash into her room and brighten it.

Under the dim light, she got into bed and closed her eyes. Her thoughts were racing, and she wanted them to calm down so she could just grab onto one of them. The dagger. She held the dagger that killed a friend of her family. The way Morgana told that story as if it was some kind of accomplishment. She felt somewhat nauseous about the whole ordeal. There had been such a load of information in such a short amount of time, she felt overwhelmed.

What had the government done to make the pirates so hateful? Who was correct and who wasn't? She was amongst thieves and criminals; she was taught never to listen to them. They were flawed and corrupt. But those were lies. These women have done nothing but give her a place to sleep and keep her safe. They did bad things, but they also did good things. The world was not as black and white as she had been taught.

She got lost in her thoughts. Going through all of the things she had been taught and comparing it to what she now knew. She began to question everything. Suddenly, that thirst for knowledge from earlier tugged at her chest. She was so engrossed in her thoughts she almost missed the knock at her door. The person knocked another time.

"Everything alright in there?" The voice called out.

It was Theo.

"Yes. Uh, you may come in!" Ava called out as she sat up.

Theo opened the door, plate on her right hand, "You missed dinner, so I brought some up for you."

Ava smiled, "Thank you very much."

"You've been all the rage tonight at the table. Tall tales of your abilities with a dagger. Talks of you joining the vanguard," Theo recounted with a teasing tone in her voice.

"I was too afraid to ask everyone else... What is vanguard?" Ava asked.

Theo let out a short laugh, "For us pirates, it means the first people that go over the boat during raids to secure the ship. The ones we send on land for dangerous missions. The front line, I suppose."

Theo handed Ava the plate and Ava invited Theo to sit. Theo walked over to Ava's desk and sat down.

"Seems dangerous."

"It is. Also thrilling."

"It is thrilling to have a high probability of dying?"

"Most of us do not fear death. When you do not fear death, everything becomes a little more fun. Opens up all kinds of adventures," Theo smiled.

"I fear death so that would not be for me," Ava said before she began to eat.

"Fair enough. Have you been enjoying your lessons? The girls being good to you?"

Ava nodded 'yes'.

"Good, good. I'm glad to hear it," Theo got up from the chair, "I'm afraid I am busy tonight and cannot stay any longer. I just wanted to make sure you were doing all right and you got some food."

"Thank you," Ava said, "Have a good night."

Theo nodded goodbye and made her way out of the room.

Ava understood, Theo was the captain and had many duties. The fact that she even cared enough to bring her dinner was astonishing. But still, Ava felt a little disappointed that she would not be spending more time with Theo. She reasoned that at least this way she could get to sleep early and get rest. So that is what she tried to do. She laid down and shut her eyes, but it was a long while before she could sleep.

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Oceane knocked on Ava's door in the morning. She was going to take the morning to herself but apparently, Morgana had been teaching Ava more things. Oceane wanted to keep the momentum going. If Ava were to disembark, Oceane wanted her to be safe. Ava opened the door looking a lot less sleepy than she had the sun before.

"Another lesson?" Ava cut right to the chase.

"Aye, are you up for it?" Oceane asked.

"Yes. I do not have a dagger though," Ava admitted.

"Mor told me at dinner last night. Haunted blade and all that. I got you another one. Same weight and length as the other one so it wouldn't be any harder to handle."

Oceane handed her the blade and Ava took the lead, walking them out to the deck. Ava showed Oceane what she had learned from Morgana the same way she had shown Morgana what Oceane taught her. They spoke for a little, just small pleasantries about the sun ahead before diving into work.

Oceane thought it would be a good idea to teach her how to get out of certain positions and defend against an attacker. This training was a lot harder than the sun before and they both had to take rests. During one of their rests, Ava wanted to know about Oceane.

"Where did you learn to fight like this? On this ship?" Ava asked.

"No, I learned from a friend. Where I am from, you must learn to defend yourself or you die," Oceane said solemnly.

Ava felt a pang of guilt. Most everyone on the ship had gone through such a hard life and she had faced no adversity.

"I am sorry you had to go through that," Ava admitted, "I know- I know that apologizing doesn't change anything but, I am."

Oceane smiled a bit, "You're right. Doesn't change the loss we faced as children but thank you. Let's get back to it, yeah?"

Ava nodded and got into a stance where she was balanced and firm, indicating she was ready. The morning went much like the last, going over drills and exercises until the next shift was called. Ava then retreated into the library, she knew if she focused she would be able to finish the book that very aftermorning. She didn't put the book down until Morgana came to the door. The aftermorning went just the same as the one before but this time Ava did make it down to dinner. She sat with her usual table and had a few drinks too. With enough drink in her system to make her sway when she walked, she turned into bed. Yet another night without her nightly meeting with Theo but she was tired anyway, that is what she told herself

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The next few suns at sea went the same. Oceane and Morgana helped her train and, in between, she read. She had finished the first six classifications and moved on to the next volume. This one was larger and only covered 3 classifications. Cooker occasionally would come down to the library in her free time and read. They never spoke but the company was very welcome.

It was the last night at sea and they were due for Riem early in the morning. As she was curled up in her designated chair she heard footsteps enter the room and someone sat in the chair across from her. Ava looked up expecting to find Cooker but instead, she found Xyra.

"I need to speak with you about the time you are taking from my crew," Xyra said plainly, with a flat and serious tone.

"Excuse me?" Ava asked, affronted.

"You heard what I said. My crew works very hard and their downtime should not have to be spent wasting energy and teaching you combat."

"Everyone that has helped me has come to me and offered. I have not asked a single person. Theo made it very clear that if no one were to want to help me that I would not be trained. I have been polite and followed rules and not been in the way. I do not understand your distaste for me," Ava asked.

She knew Xyra was the first mate and Ava's position on this ship was far from guaranteed. She just couldn't stop the attitude that arose in her. Ava had promised herself that when leaving home, she would stand up for herself. It was the beginning of a new life and that started with asking hard questions and pushing back when others tried to intimidate her.

"Be that as it may, you are getting way too comfortable on this ship and with my crew. We still have not even vetted you. Please know you are very closely watched and one flaw and you are out of a place to stay," Xyra continued with a serious heavy tone.

"Understood, thank you for the reminder. You will find I am not doing anything to warrant me being removed from my place on this ship. I intend to sail to at least to Dove Island so please understand that my presence on this ship is unavoidable for the time being," Ava adopted Xyra's tone and stared at her.

"That is understood as well," Xyra got up and left without another word.

Ava felt angered at the interaction. She wanted to march right up to Theo and complain about that behavior. But that was a coward's move and if Ava could handle anything it was a little bit of intimidation from a bully. She would continue to do what she was doing and Xyra would continue to be angry. There was nothing to stop that. No need in telling Theo and making matters worse. Ava did not see Theo for the third night in a row. It was alright, she hadn't really seen Theo do anything but work the past few suns. Tomorrow was Riem. She was excited at the prospect of a new city and nothing but fun to look forward to.

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Theo was awake before the sun came up. She wanted to prepare the boat they were taking to shore before anyone woke up. Xyra was mad at her for not coddling her for once and Morgana hated being up this early, it was the least she could do. Tuni emerged first from her cabin and walked over to where Theo was. Theo greeted her with a kiss on the cheek and Tuni warned her not to expect much of a good mood from Morgana.

Morgana and Xyra appeared at almost the exact time like an internal clock had gone off and told them both it was time to leave. Morgana helped Tuni into the boat, then Xyra, and finally Theo. Theo and Morgana rowed them all to shore in tense silence. When they got to land, Tuni stopped them all before they parted.

"Please be safe," she said as she handed them each a small sack, "I've packed you some breakfast and lunch for the journey. We will be back tomorrow morning."

"Thank you. Be safe and enjoy meeting her family. Morgana, enjoy," Theo said and put the food away.

Her and Xyra made their way to the only stable in Riem and secured themselves passage to Nuki, a small village on a cliff an hour away by horse-drawn cart. Xyra and Theo made themselves comfortable in the cart as they began their journey. At first, it was silent as each of them consumed the breakfast Tuni had packed for them.

Xyra was the one that started the conversation.

"If Norhan gives us a merchant ship that has more than 30 men on it would we try and take it?"

"I would rather avoid it but if we don't have any other options I'm afraid something like that must be done. We need supplies and all these fucking ports keep closing their shops to us," Theo commented.

"We need to recruit," Xyra said.

Theo let out a chuckle, "Ironic given that we have a possible recruit on board as we speak and you keep pushing her out."

"I don't trust her."

"Yet everyone else on the ship seems to."

"We know nothing about her," Xyra tried to reason.

"That gives us less of a right to draw judgment then. Xyra, I promise the moment she does something that harms my crew or my ships, she is out. But she has not done anything to merit our suspicions," Theo countered.

"I am trying to be overly cautious. You are a growing name amongst some circles and I want to make sure you stay safe."

"Are you suggesting she is a spy?"

"I'm only saying that spying has been a growing trend lately and we need to be careful," Xyra admitted, "and any recruit we take on must be vetted."

"I agree."

"Alright, and please just tell me you will be careful with what you say around her?"

"I promise," Theo held out her hand, "If you promise to not give her a hard time or any stern lectures."

Xyra smiled a little and shook Theo's hand, "Promise, but I might have already had a stern conversation with her last night. It made me look unhinged."

Theo could not help but laugh, "Then can you please apologize for that and moving forward, can you be civil?"

Xyra nodded, "Aye, Cap. Back to what I was saying, I am still interested in recruiting. We need to put the word out. We need more women and more fighters if we want to take on bigger ships. Maybe we can think of starting the fleet expansion?"

"Let us figure out how to fill out our own crew before having dreams about a second ship," Theo said, "but go ahead and put the word out. I want to start recruiting once we hit Dove Island."

Theo and Xyra kept talking about the ship, the possibilities of what was next, what port they wanted to go, and which places were the most likely to open their shops to pirates. They often did this, imagined hypotheticals and what they would do before receiving all the information. It never helped them in the long run but they couldn't help themselves.

Once they arrived at Norhan's, the sun was beginning to rise high into the sky. Norhan's home was small and modest, and both of them made themselves comfortable at his table. They talked about local politics for a little bit, commerce had been a bit slow because the fishing season was winding down, but that was the extent of the news from Nuki. He offered them tea and some homemade pastries which they graciously accepted.

Norhan was a retired sailor who turned to the underground market once he was finished with his life at sea. He was good at providing tips and leads on merchant ships and Baethean ships. A large and tall man with tattoos lining up his arms, he seemed scarier than he was. After sailing, he discovered his passion for cooking and the women were always sure to eat well every time they saw Norhan.

Norhan had a sunny disposition and could recount tales better than anyone they knew. It was easy to get caught up in his stories and lose track of time. It was the case this time around, and before Theo knew it, they had wasted half the morning on nothing.

"Norhan, my friend," Theo said after they had just settled down from a laughing fit, "I enjoy every minute of my time with you, but I am afraid we must get down to business."

"Ah, you are correct," Norhan got up and walked over to his desk. He pulled out a pile of papers and handed them to Xyra. A whole lot of nothing but there are some good ones."

Xyra flipped through the pages and pulled out a few papers, "Tell us about these."

"Well, there are three merchant ships. One is carrying clothing and bedding from Efriti. Another has medicine and potions. Last one, they have a bunch of different food in it that is heading for The Center. All three of them are guarded by a small ship full of Baethean men," Norhan explained.

"Well then that is shit then, isn't it? We can do fuck all with that," Theo said.

"Aye, but there is one I've kept from everyone else. Just north of Dove Island, there is a place that is dedicated to training elite Eloxian military agents. They have just recently stocked it fully, but the first set of trainees is not set to arrive for another 8 cycles. It is a length's worth of supplies guarded by about 30 to 40 men," Norhan revealed.

"There will never be another window in which this is possible," Xyra said.

"Aye. It also ruins the army's plans for a little. A small fuck you," Theo said bitterly.

"So you'll take the tip?" Norhan asked

"Aye," Theo nodded and handed him a sack full of coins, "One half. The other when it proves to be true."

Norhan took it with a smile, "Always a pleasure. Next time, you must come with more time on your hands. I need to show you this amazing Aelizian dish. It would remind you of home, Theo."

"When I come back to give you payment I will be sure to leave my night free just for you," Theo smiled, "Xyra, the women await."

They took their exit and made their way back into town on the same cart they left in. Theo left an extra two gold with the driver to thank him for waiting longer than expected at Norhan's. They entered the Blue Bull, the only tavern in town, to find it packed with a large mix of different women. A large cheer erupted from the center of the room when they walked in.

"Our captain has returned!" A voice called out from somewhere in the room.

Everyone cheered at that and Theo began to make her rounds around the room, greeting her crew. She finally made it to the bar where there was already a pint of ale waiting for her.

"Thank you, Ivan," she called to the bartender and made her way over to where Cooker was, "Any updates? Damages I have to pay for? Lords, to kiss up to?"

Cooker laughed and shook her head, "I have been an excellent shepherd of my flock of pirates. They have not wandered far and they have kept very good manners. Except for this one, she bit someone and then raided all the shops."

Cooker pointed over to Ava and they all laughed.

"That is a lie. I didn't raid all the shops. Only a few," Ava said with a mischievous smile.

"Well, I'm glad to hear you are embracing the pirate life. Cooker, you are now free of your duties and can go blackout," Theo offered.

"Cap, there is no need. I am okay, you should enjoy the night," Cooker said.

"Nonsense, I've enjoyed my nights at sea. I will watch over everyone. Go enjoy yourself," Theo said as she shooed Cooker out of her seat. Theo sat where her friend had just sat and laughed, "Go on, go."

Cooker finally obliged and made her way towards the bar. Theo turned to Ava and saw that she had no drink in her hand. Theo held her pint out towards Ava but Ava waved her hand, no.

"I am not drinking tonight. A new strange city plus drinking is probably not wise," Ava admitted.

"Then I suppose you will just join me for the rest of the night observing the drunkards from a distance," Theo said.

"Is that an offer to spend the night in each other's company, oh Captain," Ava teased.

"Aye," Theo played along, "I missed the company of my favorite passenger the past few nights. I would be honored to keep your company tonight."

"I am very fortunate then," Ava said, "How was your sun?"

"Uneventful," Theo replied then took a sip of her drink, "I haven't spoken to you in a while, how are you doing?"

"I've been fine. There is not much in Riem in terms of prospects, as I suspected, so I will just be waiting it out on the ship until we reach Dove Island, if that is alright?" Ava asked.

"Aye, no need to even ask. You may stay as long as you need," Theo replied.

There was a loud crash behind Theo and when she turned around she was faced with a fight. It was one of her women, Malta, brawling with a patron. She bolted out of her seat and straight to the commotion.

"Oi!" Theo yelled.

She tried to fit herself between them to stop the fight but a loose punch found her jaw and sent her stumbling backward. Theo looked around the room to see who was near and could help and found Xyra rushing towards her. Theo knew Xyra would catch on to what was needed so Theo jumped back into the fight. She secured herself behind Malta and began to pull her back.

"Break it up, Malta!" Theo exclaimed while trying to ground a thrashing Malta.

Xyra had made it over to the man and managed to drag him away. At the sight of the man letting up, Malta stopped her protests. Theo did not let go of her grip on Malta, she leaned in close to her and whispered, "Outside, now."

Theo let go of Malta with a slight push and they made their way outside, presumably to work it out. Xyra went to follow but Theo asked her to stay and watch over the rest of the women. Ava sat stunned from her spot, the man Malta had fought looked grotesque. Both of his eyes were already swelling and there was blood spilling from his mouth and nose. Most of the women had fallen silent and those who were talking were speaking in hushed tones, gossip most likely.

Theo came back in alone and walked over to Xyra, "I'm going to need you to take all the women back to the boat. You might need help and the only one sober enough to have any sense is Ava, would you be willing to cooperate?"

Xyra nodded and looked over at Ava who was staring at them, "Aye, it's no problem. What are you going to be doing?"

"Making sure everything is in order here. Settle the tab and talk to that man into not calling the local authorities," Theo explained and then patted Xyra on the shoulder as thanks.

Theo brought her fingers up to her mouth and let out a loud whistle to call everyone's attention.

"Listen up ladies, unfortunately, actions have consequences and you will suffer these consequences as a group. You must return to the ship immediately, Xyra will escort you back. Captain's orders. Anyone found off the ship will be put on swabbing the deck and working for full suns with no time off until our next time on land."

Some people around the room groaned but the response was a lot more subdued than most would expect. Theo had the respect of her crew and they obeyed what she said. They shuffled out of the tavern as quickly as they could. Ava followed the crowd out of the tavern and began to walk to the shore with everyone else. A voice called out her name and she quickly turned around, Xyra was beckoning her over. Ava made her way back over.

"Would you be able to stay back and walk with me? We'll be taking the back of this line and I need an extra pair of eyes to make sure no one slips rank," Xyra explained.

Ava nodded and stayed silent, standing by Xyra's side as more women made their way out. Once Xyra was certain there was no one left, she began to walk and Ava followed.

"I wanted to apologize," Xyra said in her common cool tone.

Ava was taken aback, there was no hostility in her voice. The apology was as close to genuine as she believed Xyra could be. But Ava was not sure exactly what she was apologizing for.

"For what?" Ava asked.

"For being abrasive and rude for the majority of your stay. For the conversation last night, it was unwarranted. I still do not trust you but that should not affect the way I treat you. I let my biases get the best of me and I was reminded of that earlier. So, for that, I apologize."

"Oh."

"Aye."

They walked in relative silence for a while, the only sounds being the pebbles under their feet. Ava really couldn't think of anything to say. Xyra was showing a different side of herself and Ava felt the coldness she had built towards Xyra melt away a bit. It was hard for Ava to admit when she was wrong and Xyra did it with such ease.

"I forgive you," Ava said, "I appreciate the apology."

Xyra nodded and folded her hands behind her back, "I am going to need your help finding the least drunk out of them to assign them to rowing duties. Can you do that?"

Ava nodded, she wanted to laugh at how quickly the subject changed but couldn't mess up the one-time Xyra has trusted her with something.

"Alright, we have three boats that need to be rowed back, it takes two women to row a boat. It is going to take several trips and I'm going to be on one of those boats to guide them. Can you stay on land and make sure no one causes any more fuss?"

Ava was about to say no. If a pirate decided to slip away or start a commotion there would be no way for Ava to stop them but she nodded anyway, "Yes. I can do that. Find six of the least drunk people and make sure no one escapes?"

"Good math skills," Xyra said with an almost teasing tone.

Ava smiled a little and separated from Xyra as she began on her mission. Her first find of the night was Cooker. Ava knew that Cooker had only managed to drink a little bit before the fight broke out. Ava walked over to her and took her hand, leading her over to one of the boats.

"I have a mission for you, alright? I need you to help everyone row back and I also need you to stay right here," Ava said and then left Cooker there.

Soon, she had gathered up all the women needed and had them lined up by the boats. If anyone were to ask her, she had gone above and beyond in her duties. Xyra walked by and saw the women waiting and ready to go and Ava would swear there was almost a smile.

Xyra began to count the women into the boats and then entered one herself. As Xyra began the expedition to get all the punished pirates back on the boat, Ava stayed behind to keep order. She really did nothing as all the pirates preferred to moan about having to stop drinking than escape. Swabbing the deck was a pretty good deterrent.

Ava watched as the pirates came and went until eventually, it was only her and a few other pirates left. Ava was finally picked up and she rode in the boat back with Xyra. Halfway through the journey, Xyra cleared her throat and Ava looked up.

"Thank you for your help tonight," Xyra said.

"You're welcome," Ava replied.

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"Again, I am very sorry about her. She has a hard time with her temper," Theo said as she pulled out her sack of coins and handed the man ten gold coins.

"If I see her again, I will have her jailed," the man said angrily, snatching the coins out of Theo's hands.

Normally, Theo would laugh or make a rude comment but she was not going to try her luck. It was better to bite her tongue than have to see a crew member arrested. The man, who had a swollen face and a missing tooth, made his way out of the tavern with a limp in his step.

Ivan who was behind the bar set down the glass he was cleaning, "Theo..."

Theo sighed and took a seat at the bar, "I know, Ivan. I fucking know."

Ivan poured out a shot of dark liquor and handed it to Theo. She muttered a small cheer before downing it. Theo winced and then coughed a little, it was strong stuff. Ivan refilled the glass.

"She won't be allowed in here anymore," Ivan said.

"Aye."

"And you need to be careful or you won't be allowed to make port here anymore."

"Aye," Theo sighed again and took the shot in front of her, "I know all of that. But what do I do? They've never been this out of control."

"Maybe they need a reminder of what it takes to be in your crew. Assert your control and make them listen," Ivan offered and Theo laughed at him.

"What would you know about managing a pirate crew?"

"I've had to raise six boys on me own. Boys and pirates? Not much different."

Theo nodded, "Six wonderful boys might I add. Speaking of, would the eldest two of those boys be willing to row me back to my ship? I'll pay."

"They'll do it without pay. They have no need for the extra coin," Ivan said and walked away to call his sons.

Theo placed a stack of coins on the counter to settle the tab for all of the pirates using Ivan's tavern that night. There was more than enough in there to cover the alcohol, the damages from the fight, and extra for the hospitality.

The story of Ivan was quite a tragedy, he had three different wives who all gave him two children. Each of the wives died during their second childbirth. After that, Ivan could not find someone to marry and help him take care of his sons, it was thought he had a curse on him. Theo had to spend a few cycles in Riem when she was younger. She stayed with Ivan and his boys. The two oldest boys were around her age and they got along quite well. For suns on end, they would play in the attic of the tavern and go out at night for mischief. Ivan walked in followed by the two eldest, Robert and Unil and both of them lit up when they saw Theo.

"Papa said we had to row someone to their ship. He failed to tell us it was the one and only lady pirate," Robert said.

"In the flesh," Theo replied, smiling.

"It's been a long while, Theo. It's good to see your face," Unil said.

"And yours," Theo smiled, "What have you scoundrels been up to lately?"

Robert immediately hopped into a passionate speech about his new job at the blacksmith's shop. Theo hopped down from her stool and nodded a goodbye to Ivan. She followed the boys out of the tavern and down the road to the shore. She learned that Robert had already done so well with his apprenticeship, there was talk that he might get the shop. Unil had just started schooling at a small town's school a few miles away on horseback.

Theo listened intently as they made their way onto the rowboat. Robert and Unil began rowing and Theo settled in for the ride. Theo was telling them the story about Espbar and the treasure. Theo tended to inflate the stories, both for more laughs and also to inspire grander tales of pirates. The scarier the tale the more likely it was that merchant ships would surrender instead of fight, making it much easier for pirates.

"We weren't sure we'd catch you," Unil said after recovering from a hearty laugh, "Glad we did though. I love to hear your stories."

"You know I love to stay in Riem and I wouldn't leave without at least saying hello to you two," Theo said, slightly confused by the comment.

"But with a lead that insane, we figured you would be long gone," Robert said.

"My lead? How do you know about my lead?" Theo asked, leaning in towards them.

"Everyone knows about it, Theo. It's a big deal." Robert answered.

"Norhan told me he hadn't told anyone about the base," Theo said.

"Base?" Robert and Unil asked in unison.

Theo stared at them both. She had a feeling they were not talking about the same thing. Robert and Unil were harmless but she was not going to spill her lead.

"What lead are you both talking about?" Theo asked with a tilt to her head and her eyebrows furrowed.

"Vaith," Robert answered and Theo's blood went cold.

She stared at them for what felt like an eternity. She could feel her heart beating in her ears and she had a hard time swallowing.

"What about Vaith?" she asked.

Both of them hesitated and stared at Theo. They had stopped rowing, sensing the growing tension radiating from Theo.

"What about him?" she urged.

"He's sailing from The Center to the head of Dove Island. Some sort of diplomatic meeting..." Unil said in a quiet voice.

Theo grew silent.

"Your contact didn't tell you about that?" Robert asked.

"That's one possibility," Theo said and rubbed her hands over her face. Either Norhan withheld information or Xyra did. Xyra was the one that looked through the leads and picked the ones she thought would be best. Theo didn't want to believe it, but it was a possibility.

Being kept in the dark aside, Lord Vaith was crossing the ocean and Theo happened to be in the perfect spot to intercept him. Her head was foggy with a million thoughts and hypotheticals. She needed to talk to Xyra to straighten things out and talk strategy. Vaith being in a position to be ambushed was a game-changer.

"Theo?" Unil called.

"Aye."

"We are here. Are you alright?"

"Aye, I'm alright lads. Thank you for rowing me over here." Theo said and reached into her pocket. She pulled out four gold coins for each of them, "Here. Do not tell your father."

Robert laughed and took the coins, "As if we are that stupid. Thanks, lady pirate."

"Aye, anytime." Theo smiled at them and climbed off the boat and over the side of the ship.

Xyra was on the ship's deck alone, waiting for Theo. It seemed everyone was either in their cabin or below the decks. It was eerily quiet on the ship. Theo walked past Xyra and into her quarters, leaving the door open. Xyra followed and once she entered, Theo walked over and stood in front of her. Looking up at Xyra, she drew in a deep breath.

"There was a lead withheld from me. Vaith is sailing to Dove Island," Theo said plainly.

Xyra's face paled and she looked blindsided, "Vaith?"

Theo knew there was no way Xyra would withhold that from her. She didn't want to ask but she had to make sure, "Xyra did you-"

"Keep the lead from you? No. I would never, not when it comes to Vaith." Xyra answered before letting Theo finish.

Theo nodded, "I believe you. I'm sorry, I just had to ask. That means it was Norhan. But why?"

Xyra bit her lip to refrain from saying what she was thinking. When it came to Vaith, she needed to tread carefully. Xyra took a deep breath trying to think of the best way to say what she was thinking.

Theo sensed the hesitation, "Just tell me."

"He did not tell you because he cares about you."

"What?"

"He knows it's stupid to try and go after him and he was trying to stop you."

"You think it's stupid to go after him?"

"Aye," Xyra answered quickly.

Theo stood there silent. She appreciated the honesty but she did not like what was being said. They had never had an opportunity like this before. Lord Vaith's movements were kept extremely secret and the times that his plans manage to surface, Theo and her crew were never anywhere near his route. It was either take this opportunity or wait for an indefinite amount of time until the next time it occurs.

"This is a unique chance. We have never been this close before," Theo reasoned.

"39 women. Limited supplies. Cannonball stock is low." Xyra countered.

"We have well-trained pirates. One of ours is worth five of them."

"Most likely with three fully armed light-bringers escorting him. The most powerful military ships sailing the seas," Xyra reminded.

"It would be worth the try if it meant killing him"

"It would be suicide."

"Fuck!" Theo swallowed the lump in her throat and ran her fingers through her hair, "You're right. I know you're right. But he's right there, how can I let him go?"

"By understanding that you would be saving 39 lives. You can let him go this time knowing you will get him when the moment is right. When you've built up your crew and your fleet and you are ready," Xyra said calmly and brought Theo in close, wrapping her arms around the captain.

Theo returned the embrace, understanding that Xyra was stepping away from the role of first mate and being her friend. The conversation was over and they both knew it. There was something about their relationship that allowed many things to be left unsaid. They had a way of communicating without even opening their mouths. Theo knew that the issue was over, she needed to put her captain duty before her vendetta. Xyra knew that Theo was angered by having to let go and it was very unlike Theo to let go. The embrace they shared was an unspoken conversation that left Theo feeling calmer when she let go.

"Do you need me to stay or need me to go?" Xyra asked hands-on Theo's shoulder.

"Go. I'm going to be okay, I just need to... process," Theo said and put one of her hands over Xyra's reassuringly.

"Aye. I'll leave my door unlocked tonight, in case you can't sleep." Xyra said and then walked out, closing the door behind her.

Theo thought it was best to turn in for the rest of the night instead of staying up and worrying about what she would not be able to change. She undressed and changed into something more comfortable and less sweaty. She crawled into bed and stared at the wood above her, listening to the water crash against the boat. Her hopes of falling asleep were gone after the second hour passed and she was still awake.

She slipped out of bed, deciding that a walk around the ship when it was this empty and quiet, would help. The second she stepped out of her room she saw a figure lying flat on the deck, looking up. She slowly made her way over, concerned. The figure looked over and Theo saw it was Ava. She let out a laugh and put a hand over her heart.

"Thought you were dead or like a lunatic," Theo said.

Ava sat up, "None of those. Just unable to sleep."

"Ah, a dilemma we both currently face," Theo sat down next to Ava, "What are you doing out here?"

"I had noticed the stars earlier and I just wanted to be able to look at them," Ava explained.

Theo laid back and looked up at the stars. They were beautiful. Theo sometimes forgot to admire the beauty that nature presented her every night. She laid in silence for a while, observing the stars. Ava stared at Theo for a bit, enjoying the up-close view of seeing Theo relax. Eventually, she laid down next to Theo and looked back up at the stars.

After a while, Theo broke the silence, "Any reason you can't sleep?"

Ava smiled a little at the question. She and Theo hadn't had much time recently to talk but Theo always made sure to check up on her. Ava could brush Theo off and say she was fine but her heart was tugging at her chest begging to spill its contents.

"I miss home," Ava confessed.

"I see," Theo replied

"Which is odd." Ava continued.

"How so?"

"I ran away from home. I shouldn't miss it."

"Maybe you don't miss home. You miss the security of it."

Ava sat up and looked over at Theo. Theo, still laying down, turned her attention to Ava and raised a questioning eyebrow. Theo had put the words in her mouth. For the past few suns, Ava had been feeling this weight on her chest. Stress and homesickness and she could not figure out what was making her feel like that.

"It's like you reached into my mind and pulled out a cohesive thought from the mess in there," Ava laughed, incredulously.

"Honestly?" Theo laughed too, "I had no clue. I was just spitballing,"

"Well, you have hit the nail on the head," Ava said.

"I really did nothing. Is that something you want to talk about though?"

"Not really. I don't think there is anything to talk about. Just gotta figure out a way to get security and stability, I guess."

"Well, you know where I stand on helping you get on your feet. It also goes without saying that I and all the women on here are committed to making sure you're okay so let us know if you need anything," Theo said and placed a hand on Ava's arm, trying to provide some comfort.

"Thank you, I know." Ava acknowledged, "What about you? Why couldn't you sleep?"

"I was foolish to think I could get out of this conversation without a line of questioning from you. Like the fucking army interrogators," Theo joked.

"Absolutely foolish of you to assume something so ludicrous. Now, what's keeping you awake?" Ava pressed on.

Xyra's words of advice telling Theo not to share too much bounced around in her head. She wanted to keep quiet but Ava had just been so open with her. Plus, something about Ava made her easy to talk to and maybe getting Theo's feelings off her chest would help her sleep. Theo would just have to stick as close to the bare facts as possible.

"One of my most trusted contacts didn't give me information about a very important lead but either way we can't pursue it and I can't tell the crew either," Theo explained, vaguely.

"To a treasure?" Ava asked.

"No, to a person of interest."

"Who?"

"I'm afraid that is pirate only information."

"Fair enough. What were you planning on doing if you could pursue the lead?" Ava decided she would prod some more even if nothing came of it.

"Ideally? Attack them and commandeer their fleet." Theo admitted, there was no use in keeping hypothetical situations a secret.

"Why do you want to attack this person? Are they valuable" Ava asked.

"It would cost more to attack than I would benefit from it. So no, it's not a profit thing," Theo divulged, twisting one of her rings anxiously, "It's personal."

A heavy and dense cloud came over the space between them and suddenly the air went heavy.

"What do you mean by that?" Ava asked, hoping to not cross a line.

"They are the reason I am where I am now..." Theo admitted.

Ava did not know what Theo meant or who she could be referring to. She looked lost in thought and Ava stared at the captain, not knowing what to say. It was all a bit cryptic, Ava thought, but if she were a pirate captain she wouldn't trust a random person with important information either. Ava had enough of the silence.

"I'm sorry about it not working out," Ava said, unable to think of anything else.

"No need to apologize. I'm going to try and sleep again. Thank you for sharing the stars with me, also could we keep this between us?" Theo said and got up.

"Of course, my mouth is shut," Ava said.

Theo walked away and Ava was still sitting in the same spot. Theo did not want to go back to her quarters and sleep alone. She slipped inside the ship and made her way into Xyra's cabin. She found Xyra sleeping, taking up only one side of her large bed. It was a force of habit. While they were growing up, if they ever did have access to a bed Xyra and Theo would share it. Theo smiled at the memory of them as kids and climbed into bed.

Xyra had sensed Theo getting into bed and turned around, wrapping her long arm around Theo. Theo let out a sigh of relief at the warmth on her back, a familiar comfort. After a bit, Theo tapped on Xyra's arm to let her know her gesture was acknowledged and Xyra turned back over. Xyra was not fond of affection and holding, Theo was. Xyra fell back to sleep and Theo eventually heard snoring. After a while, Theo also fell asleep. Dreams of the past and her family interrupted her sleep and by the morning Theo wished she would have never slept at all.