“Welp come along dear.” The man said as he sheathed his sword and started to walk towards me. I stumble back, crawling on my man's feet.

“ Don't worry, love just tryin to get a good look at ya.” He said before kneeling down in front of me. 

“ Well  i’m glad the beast didn’t get ya. You're far too pretty for that now ain’t ya love.” He sent a smile towards me. Trying to calm my obviously tense nerves. 

“ Wh-What had-happen-ed.” I was finally able to choke out. Memories of the events finally becoming real.

“ Well love your town happened to be in the way of that beastie. Woulda thought the witcher would be taken care of. Oh well.” He stood up and reached his hand out to me.

“ Let's go love. Gotta get you cleaned up.” He pulled me up and started walking in the direction of town. I went to turn at the scene behind me but the man kept my head forward. I got the message, don’t look back.

Soon we walked into a tavern called “ Red-Eye Raven” . We were on the complete other side of town. I didn’t even remember coming back. As me and this man took our seats I’m finally able to muster up a complete sentence.

“ What’s your name?” I say as he turns to look me in the eye. He stares and smiles before laughing as if I were a boar upside down in my backside.

“ The darling speaks!” He exclaimed as he continued to laugh, “ You went quiet for so long Outa thought u a mute. Didn’t even hear me when I asked where ya live to walk ya home!” He laughed once more. I don't remember hime ever asking me where my home was. Was I that out of it?

“ I’m sorry I must've been out of it.” I apologized. 

“ Eh? Why were you just fighting a beast? Probably shoot your britches. No need to apologize.” He said and he got up and went to what I assumed was the bar. Not many people were here at the moment, that was strange in itself. Makes me wonder how many people did this beasty kill before it met its fate at the pirates hand? Was my father ok? Did Mr. Barnes make it out ok? What has become of my home? Of course if I had meen in my right mind I would have known that by now. What of Niklaus’s family, how will I tell them that their only son is dead? Killed by a monster. Because I couldn't protect my friend, I couldn’t protect him.

“ Hey Darling snap out of it, It wasn't your fault. Thinkin like that will only make things a whole lot harder for you. There was nothing you could do.” He said to me sternly. I didn’t even notice him coming back with his mug of beer.

“H-how did yo-”  “ Because I’ve had that same look on my face before. I wish I had someone tell me what I am telling you. It would have saved me many losses.” He cut me off but not rudely, his voice was very soft yet sad. Not something you would expect from a pirate. 

“ Thank you for everything… Wait, I don't even know your name!” I thought outloud. He gave me a chuckle before answering with.

“ James love. The Names James Captain of the Black waters.” He stated proudly. I looked at him strangely,

“ What darling haven’t ya heard of me?” He asked in a fake pain.

“ Yes I have heard of the Black waters, but I am having a hard time believing you are the captain.” I started looking him up and down. I wasn't wrong either, Now don't get me wrong it wasn’t that he wasn’t strong looking or attractive, But his carefree attitude and lack of any mature persona is what set me off. 

“ Ouch love, words hurt. You definitely don’t hold your tongue though.” He smiled,
“ Please James. You haven’t seen anything yet.” I smirked up to him. And I quite literally mean up. We are sitting and this arsehole is still taller than me!

“ I should be through James, I have to check on my Father and see what the state of the town is. Long check on others close to me.” I started and I started to get up.

“ Well I'll tell you you're not gonna like the way the town is. The beast I killed wasn't the only one, Darling. The Witcher killed three others while myself killing two. Half the town is in ruins now.” He started glumly breaking his previous persona. I looked at him in complete and utter shock, one of those things was able to knock me on my arse, but six together against the town. Just who is this man?

“ I’ll take you to look for ya loved ones. You're not gonna want to be alone when ya see this.” He said standing up and outstretching his hand for me to take.I grabbed his hand and he led me out of the tavern and let me through the back alley and we reached through. I didn't know what I was expecting but nothing this horrific. Buildings of stones had been beaten into the ground, the stables burnin and blood streaming from the broken Stalls. Bodies and limbs littered the streets, We continued walking down the once happy streets, most of the residents of the homelands were working putting out the fires and clearing away the stones to find their loved ones lifeless bodies. I couldn't even recognize where I was. Nothing looked as it once did. James was right, it's all in runes. But if it were only over here, what of my home? I started running and weaving through the streets till I found what was most likely my home's dirt pathway, I dashed down only to find my home no longer standing. I dig through the rubble to try and find my father.

“FATHER! FATHER!” I screamed as I dug through the rubble, sure he was an arsehole, and drove my mother off but he’s the only family I have left. I don’t have anyone but him. 

“FATHER!” I screamed as I finally pulled the last plank off the ground only to find my fathers lifeless body. His skin cold and pale boldly lying still, and his eyes as dull as ever. A sob left my mouth as I fell to the floor. 

Everyone was gone. Niklaus, Father, I don’t know if Mr. Barnes is alive or dead. And I've never known where my mother was. I was completely alone. The pain of everything finally taking its toll. I hear footsteps running up behind me, as I turn I see James standing there in all his glory. 

“ Oh darlin.” He said as he knelt to the ground and hugged me as I cried that night. 

Months went on and James continued to stay by my side. We helped the rest of the town bury the dead. I found that Mr. Barnes and the rest of Niklaus’s family had also been killed that night. Everyone was buried in the Lavender Field a mile out of town. That was now their final resting place. 

James helped me rebuild my home and while doing so our relationship grew quite a bit, soon enough we were sharing a bed. And later on  he told be about his crew, 

“ AH, Me Crew well where to start Ahh! I Know, Cole or Ace is what we call him on Deck is my right hand man and incharge of everything when I'm off. He’s been my best pale since childhood. Basically I have my own brethren. Then There be Our Scouts. Archer sometimes Arke if we feelin happy. He’s been around since the beginning too, picking him up from a run down town off the coast. He basically jumped at the town. He’s good at what he does though, They all are, That is why they are on my crew. Ah were we Oh1 Ya Me swordsmen, Zorro he’s an odd fellow but I'm not complaining no one handles a sword like him, though he does sleep quite a lot. Half the time you think the mans gone and drunk himself to death!” He gave off a laugh before continuing, “ Then me Cook, Cael he’s a good fellow best food i ever had came from him. Me gunman Bastian can shoot a pebble out the sky if ya asked him too, got the best aim in the world as far as i’m convinced. The Anouk, now he’s a weird one, younger too, He’s our collector anyplace that you can get into he can get into, don’t matter if a crack be the way in, He’ll get in” 

“ So he’s a thief?” I asked smiling knowingly,

“ No Collector.” 

“ Thief” 

“ Collector” 

“Thief” 

“ Ya know darling you're gonna regret that!” He said while getting up I started running as he chased me. That afternoon ended in laughter and lying under the stars. As the days went on our relationship grew stronger, we grew to trust each other more and more. He told me how he and his crew did their jobs, I wasn’t very fond of the killing bit. But I understood. He loved his crew a lot, that's why whenever I remembered that he stayed with me, it made me feel warm. I wasn’t alone. But I knew it wouldn’t last forever. And it didn’t

He left. But after what he did, It's for the best. ANd i know now if I ever see that man again it won't ever be the same. Even if I did love him he knows I won't ever go back.

“ Keep that sword in good shape, love, I'll be coming back for it and you.” He said in his usual persona of laughter.

“ Don't worry there won’t be anything for you to come back for.” I slowly started my back towards him.

“ Goodbye Cornelia.” He said before leaving with the door closing behind him. 

 That was the last thing he said to me. He never calls me by my name...I walked to my chest to find my sword with the graving still on it. “ Every Moment is your own. Make it count.”

“ Your right Nik, every movement is mine, and nothing can happen till something moves.” With that I took my dagger out and cut it through my hair. It was now my move and I will make it count.