Was he right? That's what I sat in m y quarters thinking while the night faded into day. He may be right, we have been through many things. He may be right. Could he accomplish what he says? “I’ll get you back Cornelia.”  Those words haunt me still, Because i know deep down he says the truth. Even after all he did, I knew he could cast away my hate.  No, I can’t allow myself to think like that, not after the information I obtained that night. 

“  Did you hear that the ship was wrecked?”

“What ship are you talking about?”

“ The sailing Emerald, they say the Navy finally tracked it down! But the captain's pride was too much to squander and he sank his own ship! Took him, his crew and his treasure all to the watery caves below Belladonna!”

“ No way!”

“ I’ve heard that too!”

Belladonna. I’ve heard many things about the land but mostly that the town was rich with treasures of gold and jewels. That the people of the town have plenty of food and the crops grow strong. But, it's being controlled by the Navy making it almost impossible for any pirates to get their hands on anything. Except the Sailing Emerald. Captain was a brutal man that scavenged the seas leaving nothing in the towns he went through. I’d say this man was worse than James when it came down to getting jobs done. No one knows what his name was or who anyone on his ship was because all that saw the sailing emerald would not live to tell the stories of it. And his final job was in Belladona the Shores of the Beautiful Lady.  He failed and took all the treasure with him, Leaving Belladonna and the Navy in great harm. With their riches gone the land slowly perishes. 

I am not interested in restoring the lands of Belladonna, in fact I believe we will be better off without that land looming over the rest. But the teaser the Captain of the Sailing Emerald has left will be more than enough for me.

“ What are you doing Evera?” Arva says waking up next to one and looking out at the sea. I lean against the railking before answering.

“ I’m Thinking.”

“ Ha, well it's good that you are finally thinking things through. But why?” 

“ We are going to set sail.” I state before walking over to Maire and Sparrow.

“ Marie, Sparrow, do you have everything?

“ Yes!” “what?” They answer at the same time.

“ Good, it's  time to set sail.” 

“ Ok where too?” Marie askes.

“ Wait, what do you mean set sail?” Sparrow and Arva both say. Ignoring them, I answer Marie.

“ Set sail to Belladonna across the Northern coast and away from the Naval station.” I say. Seeing Marie nod her head and run off, I turn to leave but am stopped by Sparrow.

“ What do you mean ‘set sail’ ? I'm not a part of your little crew here! This is kidnapping!” he yells the last part as seeing we are already pushed off from the docks. 

“ You will thank me for Kidnapping one day, Sparrow. Intel, then we will go to Belladonna.” I say standing by Marie as she turns to me.

“ How hard can it be!” she says happily. 

It was very hard. We ended up off course and docked in a small dock to the east. 

“ I’m sorry Evera. I thought the map was correct but I didn't read it right and it's older. I’m sorry.” Marie says through her tears hugging my feet.
“ Marie, it's quite alright. It was a simple mistake and happens eve to the very best of us.” I say as she chokes on her sobs looking up to me. 

“ Now dry your tears and put a smile back on your face, it suits you much better.” I say patting her head and prying my legs away to walk off ship. After a while I couldn't hear the yelling of Arva and Sparrow. I knew I was probably close to town. For a woman that looks so angelic she screams like a freaking banshee. I rub the temples on my head as I walk into the town's tavern. I blame my father for passing his love of alcohol down to me.  I wonder if his mother was also a heavy drinker. I never saw her drinking inside the whore house, but I do know that she only smoked in her private quarters. I wonder what else she liked to do, Not as madame Rose but my mother. I guess I'll never know now though.

“ Rum” I say to the barkeep and sit down. He tries to pull out a cup but I stop him. “ The bottle darling.” I say grabbing it out of his hand. I take a big swig out of the bottle and sigh as the nice burning sensation goes down my throat.

“ Say where can I find a Map Maker?” I say looking back at the Bar keep.

“ Head to the easturn side of the town, you see the rundown shack that the Pumkin head of a man has. That’ll be where you can find yo map maker girly.” He says 

“ Thanks old man.” I say taking the bottle and leaving three silver coins. After minutes of walking I finally see an old shed like building. The old man wasn’t joking when he said this place was run down. I throw my empty rum bottle to the ground and walk up to the shed door knocking.

“ Hey there an Ol’ Pumpkin Head livin here!'' I shout and just like that the door springs open. 

“ I would prefer you call me by my name Micheal Burks. EIther Mr. Burks or Micheal will do.” He stops for a moment before continuing. “ But please refrain from calling me by what the town calls me.” He finishes.

“ Ya mean Pumpkin head?” I say while tilting my head.

“ Yes.” He answers in a serious voice. 

“ While alright Mr. Burks can I come in, I'm afraid I'm in need of assistance.” I say smiling.

“ Yes of course.” He moves out of the way to let me in. As soon as I walk over the threshold of the door I feel some sort of prick. I turn around in a flash with my hands out pushing out energy, mine bounces off another shaking the house and sending both me and Mr. Burks flying to opposite sides of the room. Getting up and pulling out my dagger I look over to see Mr.Burks staring at me with a shocked eye.

“ You’ve gone through Kefaya.” He says in a soft voice.

“ What?” I say breathing heavily from asserting that much power. I have still yet to learn anything of what my mother did to me, yeah i knew of the basics but now how to do them.

“ Forced change, Forced awakening, your power was forced to the surface leaving you without control.” I don't respond. How was he able to know any of this?

“ How are you even alive? Almost no one ever survives Kefaya; some say they have gone through it to scare those of our kind but none really have. But you? What was the ritual like the ancient script? Did you follow the gods' code? How did yo-”

“ My runaway mother and bestfriend stuck thin little knives into me, in the cellar of the whorehpuse we worked at.” I said cutting him off. I let out a chuckle at his baffled look.

“Ok fine don’t tell me it's probably better no one knows anyways.” He finally says, causing me to let out a snort.

“ What exactly are you?” I asked, finally dropping my guard.

“ A witch just like you, except o was born with my power at the surface. You were not.” He started fixing his suit. 

“ And clearly you don't know what to control. If you threw a blast like that it would have killed anyone who wasn’t prepared and completely drained you. Just as it did now.”  He says in a soft voice shaking his head.

“ I have no clue what you are talking about.” I say defensively. I will not show my weakness. But he is not wrong. I feel as though a feather could push me over and it shows.

“ Then walk.” Micheal says, crossing his arms.

“ What?” I snapped.

“ Walk over here so we can talk about business. I assume that you are here for a map.” He puts his glasses on and his hand brushes his clean chocolate hair. 

“ Unless you can’t.” He adds on with a sarcastic smile. I glare at him while trying to take a step but my body fails me and I fall. Before i reach the ground i feel weightless and since i’m floating till i set in Micheals arms. 

“ Such a stubborn woman.” I hear him mutter. I couldn't resist my urge to fall asleep as my head rested against his shoulder.

“ Feck you.” I mumbled out as he carried me to an unknown space. I hear Mr.Burks give a light chuckle and I feel the vibrations through his chest and just like that I was lulled to sleep.

When I awoke it was dark outside and the crickets and owls sung their nightly songs. The room I was in was lit up by a dim candle. The room itself had been in very good condition, nothing to fancy but it definitely wasn’t too bad either. I got up and instantly a wave of nausea and dizziness hit me like a brick. I take my time to adjust then slowly start my walk to the door. In the hallway candles led to another room, being the person i am , I naturally followed them. 

“ I see you have finally risen from your slumber.” Mr. Burks says as I walk into the room. He sat in a comfortable looking armchair and his attire had changed from the last time I saw him. Before he looked uptight and stoic, now he looked slightly messy and relaxed.

“ Did you find your slumber refreshing? I tried to adjust my room to the best of my capabilities.” he says slowly getting up and walking towards me.

“ Yes thank you.” I mumbled out. 

“You know my name, would you be ever so kind as to tell me yours.” He says in a quiet tone as he stops mere inches away from me.

“ Evera.” I say looking up to meet his eyes.

“ Do not lie to me.” I froze.

“ I only wish to help, but I cannot if you are not truthful with me Cornelia.” 

“ How di-” 

“ You try to lie to a fellow witch, this just proves your inexperience.” He said to me,

“ I apologize for lying, I do not give my name out anymore, it has become a habit.” I say moving my eyes towards the ground. He grabs my chin forcing me to look up at him before talking.

“ That's quite alright, but please be truthful with me, I only want to help you.”
“ How?” I asked, and with that started our bonding. Minutes turned to hours and hours turned into days. All we did was talk, he helped me through many internal struggles and became my friend. But I knew that I had to return to my ship, my crew. So I was prepared to make a departcher.

“ Micheal. I need a map to Belladonna. That was why I originally came here. I need it and I need to go back to my ship and crew.” I say looking at the ground. For some reason I could not bring myself to look at him in fear I had hurt him.“ Ok. I will make the map on one condition.” He says getting up and standing right in front of me.