'These books are exquisite!' The Oracle exclaimed, examining Captain Lyonal Drake's hoard of books. 'Even the Library of Simia do not have these volumes you possess,' she narrowed her eyes at Drake's smile. 'You stole it from the Library, didn't you?' Captain Drake's smile broadened.

'I am not committing to anything.'

The Library the Oracle mentioned, was located at the headquarters of the Oracle's Guild, Simia. Newly identified Oracles and aspiring healers were trained at the Guild. The Library was supposed to contain numerous volumes of books and scrolls. Magnificent pieces of papers that contained various amounts of knowledge. Back in the day, the captain of The Azule Phoenix and her crew had planned a heist to rob the Library. The Captain had met the Oracle there. Suffice to say The Azule Phoenix got her own oracle on that day, but at the cost of a well-planned heist.

'You called us here captain?' the captain of The Azule Phoenix addressed Lyonal Drake, cutting Oracle's angry retort short. 'Let us get to it!' The Captain, the First-mate and the Oracle had assembled in Lyonal Drake's cabin a short while ago. Drake had pulled a table from his cabin's walls, poured them drinks, and had invited them to look around. The Captain and the Oracle had accepted theirs, while the First-mate, being a teetotaller, had preferred to munch on an apple.

'Yes. Well,' the wooden chair groaned as Captain Drake settled comfortably on it. 'We have all heard lores of the tide jewels.' He spied the First-mate pause for a second and the swift glance she threw her captain's way. He knew he had struck gold with that remark. The Captain of The Azule Phoenix, merely stared at him intently. 'I know where the map is.' She raised an eyebrow at Drake.

'So?' The Captain asked.

'No. I -' BANG!

The wooden walls of Lyonal Drake's quarters rattled as the door was thrown wide open, admitting a tall man into the room. The Captain jumped to her feet, pulling out the throwing knives. Captain Drake, for his part, sighed. 'Cyrus! Why do you - ugh! Captain!' he addressed his peer from The Azule Phoenix, 'This is my first-mate Cyrus Drake.'

'Oh! You are such a droll, Ly!' the newcomer's black eyes crinkled as he smiled at the party. The most striking feature of his face was a scar that ran across his nose and cheek. His long blond hair was tied back in a ponytail. 'The fact that your first-mate should be present with you for this meeting never crossed your mind, eh?'

'When the first-mate blatantly ignores direct orders from the captain of the ship, he is bound to get ignored!'

Cyrus Drake scoffed at that remark. He approached the captain of The Azule Phoenix. She took a step backwards, raising her throwing knives at him. He raised both his palms in surrender and stepped away from the armed captain, who did not put down her weapons. Cyrus knew that he would get no help from his captain's side as it was his fault that he was late for the meeting. And since he knew his brother so well, he was sure that Lyonal would just sit back and enjoy the debacle if the Captain decided to gut him alive. He looked around for a way to back off, and his eyes fell on the Oracle, who standing with a smile on her face. His heart skipped a beat as he recognized her.

'I was beginning to wonder whether you will see me or not.' The Oracle voice radiated warmth.

'If you are here... Then...' Cyrus looked at the fourth person in the room that he had not noticed. His face broke into a wide smile. 'Unbelievable!'

The Captain and Lyonal Drake winced at the cacophony of screeches and screams that followed. Cyrus extended his hands and gathered the First-mate and the Oracle in a bear hug. They jumped around, hugging, crying and screaming the questions 'What? -', 'How?-', 'When? -'.

Drake and the Captain looked at each other with apprehension.

'It is crowded in here,' The Captain said.

'Yes,' Lyonal Drake agreed. He winced again at the fresh peal of screeches. 'And noisy too. What do you say about taking this discussion outside?' The screaming trio did not notice as Lyonal Drake moved out, the Captain trotting alongside.

The helmsman of The Bloody Doubloon greeted both the captains with an 'Ahoy' as they climbed onto the quarterdeck. He was introduced by Lyonal Drake as "Temptation" Brooks.

'Temptation?' the Captain asked.

'Heh! Naw Cap,' Brooks aimed a sideways grin at the Captain. 'Name's Marlowe. Marlowe Brooks. Tempy's jus th' name these good-fer-nothin' crooks call me. Somefin' te do wi' my good looks n' eye. People be jus' jealous I'supos.' His clear grey eyes reflected the sunlight as he handed a bottle of rum to Drake.

'Nice man,' the Captain observed, watching Marlowe "Temptation" Brooks strut out of quarter deck.

'Rowdy is what he is,' Drake took a swig from the bottle.

Both the captains stood side-by-side at the helm of The Bloody Doubloon, passing the bottle of rum back and forth, Lyonal Drake looking out into the horizon, the Captain looking at the red eagle that flew over them.

'Let's cut to the chase Captain,' Lyonal Drake broached the subject when they were done with the bottle. 'I know that you have the map. I want you to give it to me.'

'Why?' Lyonal Drake saw that the Captain showed no signs of intoxication.

'Because tide jewels are not to be trifled with,' Drake forced his muddling brain to think carefully. 'In the wrong hands those things will bring curse upon us all.'

'Which hands among us would be the right one to hold it, Captain Drake?' the Captain was still staring at the eagle.

'Any human hands would be wrong to hold it. I have heard stories of what those stones can do. It is not to be used. By any being. There is a reason why those jewels are hidden so well.'

'Yet, you believe that I have it?' the Captain asked, batting her innocent eyes at Drake. Drake rolled his eyes in response.

'No more games Captain,' Drake growled. 'We are lucky to have the ocean be so kind. To all of us. I will not have you ruin that for your own needs.' The Captain continued staring at the eagle.

'I will not hand over the map now,' the Captain said after a moment. 'You can rest easy-' the Captain continued, raising her hand to stop Drake from interrupting. '- I do not intend to go after the jewels.'

'Why?'

'I only need the map.'

Realization dawned on Lyonal Drake.

'You intend to bargain with it!'

'I am not committing to anything, Drake,' the Captain said with a small smile, her eyes still upwards.

'This is not a joke, Captain,' fumed Lyonal Drake. 'That is one of the most priceless artifacts that you have in your possession. You are planning to bargain with it! What could you possibly ask in return? Another ship? A fleet? - '

'A life!' the Captain took her eyes off the eagle. Those deep brown eyes burned with anger now. Drake checked himself.

'Lover?' 'Sister.'

Lyonal Drake rubbed his eyes furiously. He finally understood what was going on. 'The healer from Simia. She is your sister?'

The Captain shook a no with her head. 'She is my Oracle's sister.'

The First-mate, along with the Oracle and Cyrus Drake, stood at the head of the ship, reminiscing about their time together. The figurehead of The Bloody Doubloon - Goddess Tyva, the goddess of the sea, holding up a doubloon - loomed over them. The crew of The Bloody Doubloon scuttled around them as they talked. The First-mate noticed her wife beckoning her from the main deck.

'Done?' the First-mate asked the Captain. There is something wrong, thought the First-mate, as she considered her wife. The Captain had clenched her hands and she seemed restless as she nodded at the First-mate.

'Tell Serena my regards, Cyrus,' the First-mate said, taking Cyrus by his hand, as the Oracle prepared to conjure the portal. 'In the future, please don't barge in on meetings like that.' Cyrus laughed out loud at this.

The Captain, the First-mate and the Oracle stepped into the portal.

The Captain sprawled onto the quarterdeck of The Azule Phoenix. Alarmed, the First-mate and the Oracle rushed to their captain's side.

'BAABBBYYYY!' the Captain screeched, catching sight of First-mate's face. 'I LOVE YOU!' The Captain hugged a very confused First-mate tightly.

'Unbelievable!' sniggered the Oracle, 'She is drunk?' The Captain broke out of the hug.

'I am not drunk!' the Captain stared at the Oracle dazedly. 'I had a bottle of rum! I am rummed!', the Captain broke into a peal of giggles as the First-mate and the Oracle shared not-so-amused looks.

'What happened?' the Quartermaster asked, appearing at their side. 'Why is she like this? Wait, is she drunk?' He asked a smirking Oracle.

'She is rummed apparently,' the Oracle laughed at the Quartermaster's confused face.

'Wait! WAIT!' the Captain hollered as the First-mate proceeded to drag her to her quarters. 'I need to give the bearing! I'm th' Captain! Leggo! Martirault! We need to go there! I need to tell him! Let me go! That's an order! LEGGOOO!' Silence finally fell on the deck as the First-mate slammed the door behind a screaming Captain.

'As the Captain said,' Oracle's voice brought the Quartermaster back to the matter at hand. 'Set course for Martirault. We'll need to stock up on provisions there.'

The Quartermaster sighed. It was another day aboard The Azule Phoenix.