“ Let's head south, find a town and maybe a map.” Arva spoke as we started to stand up.

“ Speaking of Maps I never got mine from mum” It took me a second to remember what else I forgot. “ Oh shit my weapons FECK! NO!” I yelled at James and my swords; my two precious things are gone.

“ Quit your yelling, I got your weapons, don't worry they are at my hotel in town.” She said,

“ You slept in a hotel while I was in a beach shed?” I asked with a tick of anger.

“ It was only one room, see one person, plus it would be weird if anyone saw me dragging you along to a room.” She said pointing to me

“ If I wasn't tired I'd beat ya arse.” I said and she smiled innocently at me. As we walked into town i noticed it was quite different from where we had been previously, the air was warmer and not a cloud in sight, the shops and buildings that surrounded us where mostly made of wood no stone and people talked differently, not like what me and Arva are accustomed to, I noticed a tavern to the side that had cat eyes on the sign and read “ Snake Eye Tavern” .

“ Are we in Hemlock?” I turned and asked Arva. She looks over at me with a shocked expression on her face.

“ Ya. How’d ya know?” She questions. I look back at the tavern before answering.

“ Just remembered something someone once told me.” I said walking forward as memories of James flood my mind.

“  I’m telling you love the place is called snake eye tavern but it has cat eyes on yeh board”  James says as he laughs aloud in our newly built home.

“ Oh and how do you know? Can you tell the difference?” I say in a mocking tone.

“ As a matter of fact I can love what type of Captain I would be if I couldn't.” He looks at me with his signature smirk and twinkle of mistife in his eyes before adding, “ I wouldn’t be much of a lover either now would I” He states as I feel my cheeks warm up and turn red. I turn my head and fiddle with my dress. 

“ I suppose you're right.’ I mumbled out flustered as he took my chin and lifted it up bringing me in for a soft kiss.

“ Love, what has ya so flustered?” he asks with a lick of amusement.

“ Why you!” I yell as I go to hit him over the head, yet he catches my arm and pulls me down onto the bed with him.

“ Well that’s not nice darling.” he says with a smirk dancing across his lips.

“ You fecking arsehole, you did that on purpose!” I shout flustered, a blush evidn’t on my face.

“ Mhm maybe.” James whispers and leans in placing another loving kiss upon my lips.

“ Evera!” Arva shouts as she shakes me out of my trance, “ Gods i thought I lost ya there.” She says, chuckling a bit.

“ Sorry Arva got lost in my own world I suppose.” I apologize.

“ Eh, That's all right, we are here, let's head up to the room.” She says and I nod in agreement. Once we reach the room I nearly collapse upon the bed, it feels like forever since a proper night's sleep, I can only imagine what Arva has been through. Looking at her now I notice the bags under her eyes and the weakened state her body appears to be in, has she been sleeping at all? 

“ Here I was able to grab them at the last moment.” she says with a smile as handing me my weapons and my coin sack.

“ Thank you Arva, I don’t know what I would do if you weren't with me. But please get some rest ya look a wreck.” I say and she shakes her head and tries to object but I interrupt. “ Get some rest, I’ll just be at the tavern and when you wake up I'll be back ok?” I say soothingly. She looks up at me

“ What is something that happens to you?” She asks worriedly.

“ Arva, it's just a tavern, and I'll be taking my weapons with me as well, worst comes to worst, just look for a storm.” I say the last part jokingly and slowly a smile comes upon Arvas Angelic face.

“ Ok Evera but don’t be too long.” she says going to lay down as i leave closing the door behind me. 

When I walked into the tavern it was not exactly what I was expecting, the tavern itself was quite nice but everyone in there appeared to be a sailor or someone who frequently traveled, in the far corner it appeared there were some pirates here as well. I walk over and take my place at the barstool, a couple spaces over is where the pirates sit and I can feel their eyes burning holes into my back. 

“ What's a lady such as yourself doing in a place like this?” The bar keeps coming up to me, a wicked grin goes across his greasy face.

“ Getting a drink.” I answer sharply.

“ Oh really? Why don’t you go back to your man lady? This isn’t a place for you, unless you really want to stay.” He finishes his sentence in a whisper putting his hand on the bar in front of me whilst leaning forward, I reach for my dagger ready to stick into his hand when someone steps in. 

“ Jack, a long time to see buddy how ya doing today.” A girl who looks no older than seventeen comes up next to me and starts talking to the bar, causing him to back away from me.

“ I’m Busy as you can see Maire.” The Barkeep Jack says quite annoyed that Maire had interrupted his conversation with me, little does he know that she just saved him a hand.

“ Well what if i want to talk to the pretty lady huh?” She asked quite childishly, I didn't find it annoying though. It was… cute. The barkeep hufs and turns to face me once more. 

“ What do ya want to drink lady?” He says earning a good laugh from the pirates' seats over. 

“ Your strongest beer.” I started while pulling out two silver pieces and tossing them towards him.

“ Huh?” He says, looking at me skeptical.

“ I'm sorry you were not able to understand me.” I snapped at him and he walked away to get me my drink.

“ You planned to stab him.” The girl Marie says next to me.

“ I did, I found the man annoying.” I stated as she turned to look at me shocked and a snort was heard sitting over, it was clear by now that we had caught the pirates attention.

“ No one ever thinks that way unless they are a thief, killer or both which would normally mean you're a pirate. So what are you.” Marie asked

“ Well, I guess you could say I'm both.” I say looking down at the drink that has just been set down in front of me, Marie waits for the barkeep to leave before continuing.

“ I’ve never heard of any pirate captain letting a woman on his boat let alone his crew.” She states.

“ That would be because I don't have a captain.” I stated vaguely.

“ Is he dead?” 

“No”

“ Then why don't you and your crew have one?” She asked

“ My crew does have one. Me” I state looking up to meet her eyes that have widened in shock.

“ You're a pirate captain? Of whom?” She asked, her voice raising and excitement clear in her voice. The pirates from the seats over all now have their heads turned our way.

“ Marie, you look like you know this area quite well right?” I turned to look at the pirates as I talked.

“ Yeah of course I do.”  I make eye contact with a rather large man with darker skin. 

“ Tell me who they are and I’ll tell you who I am.” i say looking back at Marie, she looks up at the pirate men eyes still wide,

“ Miss don’t mess with them, They are the Black Waters, just got in last night. I heard the right hand man is over there today.” Marie says nervously.

“ Marie, follow me, don't ask questions.” I state sharply and she nods her head, I head over to the Black waters.

“ What do you want?” The large man I saw earlier spoke up as we reached them.

“ Which one of you is Cole or should I say Ace?” I confidently say a smirk dancing across my lips. The pirates around me looked shocked, there's no way I could know this. Little do they know.

“ That would be me.” The same man speaks up trying to hide his shock.

“ Is James here?” I questioned without thinking.

“ What do you want with our captain ya whore!” The man to my left growls out hand on his holster.

“ Just to return something.” I grab James' sword from my waist and throw it to Cole before continuing, “ Tell James don’t bother going back, and the next time we meet wont go so smoothly.” I say turning to walk away when the man with the gun grabs my arm to pull my back, I unsheath my dagger and dig it into his arm causing him to let go, I swipe my knife once more cutting him across the nose. 

“ Your Captain should have warned you better never to touch me.” I started walking out of the tavern Marie in tow.  

“ That was amazing! Where did you learn to do that? Can I learn to do that? Can I travel With you? I’m the greatest sailor in Hemlock! Please, Please,Please, Please-” 

“ Kid, would you calm down, we will talk about it when we get back to my hotel ok?” I say chuckling at her cut antics.

“ Ok” she says, running to catch up with me. We reached the hotel room. Arva was already up pacing the room.

“ God Erva there you are, Who's the kid?” She asks me and Marie to explain everything. With each sentence Arva’s face scrunches up with fear and anger.

“ You attacked a Black water pirate and basically started a war when our crew was just me and you!” Arva shouts at me.

“No, I attacked a Black Waters pirate and started a war with my crew only being me, you and Marie.” I state looking at the younger girl, her face brightening with excitement.

“ Really that's awesome, I got a ship and everything you wont regret!” Marie exclaims with a bright smile shining in her young face.

“ Do you have any skills?” Arva asks

“ Yes I'm the most skilled sailor in all of Hemlock no one can sail like me.” She says looking up at Arva then turning her head to hide her blush.

“ See Arva Skill.” though as soon as i say this Marie trips.

“ Yes it takes a lot of skill to trip over flat surfaces.”