A creak escaped the floorboards awakening Isra. Rolling over to sit up, she rubbed her eyes realizing Yasen was already up. Shortsword raised forward, the brunette practiced slashing at the air. Isra traced her graceful movement, awing at each pose. It seemed everything stopped still in time as she watched Yasen dance with her blade. The steely blade caught all light inside the dim room, making it the brightest object. Isra curiously took note of the winged-shape crossguard that curved upwards into a wide 'U' shape. The hilt was entirely silver which blended in with the blade, giving it a unique look.

Noticing Isra had awakened in the corner of her eyes, Yasen sheathed back her weapon and turned to look at her.

"Good morning—" Yasen gaped at Isra, her deep brown eyes widening in amusement. "Isra…" Yasen tried to bury the grin poking in the corner of her mouth, but it was too noticeable to be hidden. The pirate captain's untied, shoulder-length hair, which was supposedly straight, was so wavy and tangled that it resembled a black lion's mane. It was distracting that it stood out from her white crinkled chemise.

Staring puzzlingly at Yasen, Isra asked, "What are you finding… so humorous?"

"Oh nothing," the short haired woman replied turning away. She bit her lower lip to stop a chuckle. Remembering what she had observed earlier out on the deck, Yasen grew more serious. "It's not yet morning… and dawn is red."

"Dawn is red?" Isra repeated alarmingly. She knew it was not unusual for the sky to be red before or in the morning, but that sometimes foretold that a storm was coming.

"Hopefully there won't be a storm," Yasen remarked as she neared the door. She turned around slightly and saw Isra open the wardrobe. "Should I alert someone?"

"No," Isra replied fetching a muslin shirt and the same pair of trousers she wore, "they aren't landlubbers."

Nodding understandingly, Yasen left the room. Isra changed clothes, peeling the chemise off as it landed softly on the floor. She tied her messy hair back with a crimson bandana; the color of Garnet. Remembering the strange look the brunette was giving her earlier, Isra wondered what Yasen found so funny. Smoothing out her oily hair, she felt disgusted by it. 

Perhaps it was my hair, she thought grimacing.

~~~

The blushing sky, streaked with pinks and fiery reds, was being taking over by monotone gray clouds. Yasen watched overhead as the clouds moved slowly, wondering how bad the storm was going to be. Hopefully, the storm would hit them right when they reach Brassport. Even the seagulls took flight to the west, their echoing screeches filling the sea. Lucky for them, Yasen thought. Flying away before the storm comes… She had been in serious storms that had nearly cost her life when she had navigated small ships. Such experiences were terrifying, but like all pirates, they adapted to whatever misfits the sea threw upon them.

"Yasen?"

Startled, Yasen whirled around. She was contemplating deeply that she didn't notice that Isra had come up on the deck. The brunette stared hard at Isra for a moment wondering why she was here. Realization hit her when her eyes moved toward the pewter plate of sea biscuits the pirate captain held out.

"Have a biscuit," Isra said. She smiled as Yasen hesitated to take one. "You should come eat with us in the galley before the storm comes."

"I'm fine here," Yasen politely declined. She took a biscuit from the plate even though she was not hungry. 

Biting hard into the biscuit, Isra said chewing, "They aren't like gourmet lemon cookies, but you should still eat something at least." She won a chuckle from Yasen.

Yasen clearly remembered the taste of the lemon cookies; refreshing and very lemony. Whoever was the baker of Sorrel deserved a fine reward for baking those desserts. She couldn't remember the last thing she had eaten that tasted good as them. If only Isra didn't knock them down, then she could had stolen them before they left Sorrel. 

"Don't worry about me," Yasen said. "I'll be fine."

"Aye," Isra replied dropping the topic. If that was what Yasen wanted, then she would let her be. But if she fainted on the ship, it wouldn't be her fault. Finishing her biscuit, Isra observed the gloomy sky. Her small, dark brown eyes flickered with a tint of worry but held a strong shield of determination. They were going to pass the storm safely and reach town.

Yasen watched the emotions play on the pirate captain's face. She was just as nervous as Isra, but it comforted her to have others on a ship with her. 

A change for sailing alone, Yasen thought wryly. Her thoughts moved back to the confident dark haired woman. As a female captain of twelve mates, she seemed to have everything under control. Perhaps it was having Isra on the ship that made her worry less about the storm.

A faint trickle of rain splashed on the brunette's cheek. Yasen cherished the refreshing feeling that managed to captivate her briefly. Holding Isra's gaze, Yasen knew that both of them had to depart ways now.

"I'm taking over the helm now," Isra said handing the plate of biscuits to Yasen. "You can have the rest or…" her eyes wandered to the uneaten biscuit in Yasen's hand, "…bring them back inside the galley."

"Oh," Yasen began staring down at her biscuit. She had forgotten about it. "Umm… sorry about that," she said taking the plate.

Isra smiled understandingly. "It's okay. Stay inside my quarter and don't go out until the storm is over, all right?"

"Aye," Yasen replied to the command. It felt unusual complying with an order, but she would try to listen to Isra as a return of respect. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Isra shook her head. "No, my mates and I have the ship under control." As the pirate captain turned away and headed to the front of the ship, Yasen called out to her.

"Good luck!"

Isra spun around in her heels. Yasen smiled at Isra whose eyes widened for a moment. A grin spread on pirate captain's face, making Yasen flush a little. She didn't know why she blurted those words out.

"Thanks," Isra replied, and she disappeared shortly.

Yasen stared hesitantly at the sea biscuit in her hand and plopped it on top of the rest like a hill.

Better head to the galley,  Yasen thought frowning. Although Damon and Manami were friendly to her so far, she didn't know about the rest of the crew which made her uncomfortable to go down alone. 

Sighing, Yasen dragged herself to the opened entrance that led downstairs to the galley. The strong smell of rum lingered. It was just going to be another experience at Sorrel, a cramped room filled with rowdy drinkers without the music and dancing. She drank occasionally but preferred to have control of her senses. 

The small raindrops grew larger, pelting against Yasen's clothes and dampening her curly brown hair. Right when she was about to go inside the galley, a man came out shoving her aside. A few sea biscuits flew off of the plate onto the floor. 

Yasen glared at him. 

His long blond hair was tied back into a ponytail, revealing his long shaggy face that sneered back mockingly at her. A few silver and golden earrings hooping around his ears, glistening while they matched the mischievousness that was embedded in his narrow slate blue eyes.

"Watch where ye're going," he scowled.

Clutching the plate tightly, Yasen was tempted to toss the whole thing into his face. "You're the one who should watch it," she growled under her breath. His eyes widened for a few seconds, flinching into a wince. Yasen wanted to take back what she said for a moment, but the rising need of avengement didn't stop her from backing off.

"What ye say, ye scurvy dog?" He took a threatening step closer to Yasen, making her cringe back from his alcohol reeking breath. "What ye say?"

"Shut yer mouth, long face!" a voice hollered by the bottom of the stairs. Manami poked her head out of the entrance relieving Yasen. All Yasen wanted to do was to return the sea biscuits to the galley. She had no time to deal with a drunken fool when a storm was about to start. But if the fool wanted to fight now, she would spar with him right on the deck.

The blonde spat at Yasen, but she stepped out of way in time making the saliva missed to the left of her boot. It made him scowl even more. Manami eyed at him angrily and shoved him so hard that he almost fell to the ground. Catching his balance, he glowered at the tall redhead.

"What's yer problem, Lyall?" Manami demanded. "She hasn't done anything to ye."

"Her presence makes me sick!" he shouted. "I don't like how the captain allows an outcast like her aboard. I say she should walk the plank."

"Now ye listen…" Manami growled grabbing him by the collar of his muslin shirt. "If ye don't like the ways of the captain, ye tell that to her!"

Lyall bit back his lower lip bitterly. Releasing him, Manami scowled with disgust and turned away from him. She glanced over to Yasen whose face was still flushed with anger. Disturbed by his words, Yasen continue glaring at Lyall whom was staring down embarrassingly for being scolded by the woman.

"Better sober up in the cabin before ye come out," Manami said. "Go now or the captain will hear me complaints."

Flinching, Lyall stared icily between Manami and Yasen. He clenched his fists and left silently, leaving an unsettled energy behind. While he left, he muttered a string of inaudible insults. Yasen managed to make out what was along the lines: "If ye weren't so tall… I'd fling ye off the ship too."

Sighing heavily, Manami apologized to Yasen. "Sorry, he always gets like that when an 'outcast' aboard the ship."

Yasen didn't reply. Maybe I've should never followed, she thought. Who knew if there were other pirates worse than Lyall on the ship. She, however, regretted for not bashing the pewter plate against his face. It would teach him a lesson not to mess with her again.

"Ye better bring that inside before it gets soaked…" Manami said softly.

Yasen snapped out of her thoughts and stared at the sea biscuits. She was so occupied with her anger that she didn't notice the rain was dissolving them into soggy biscuits. A muddy tan puddle formed at the bottom of the plate, growing larger at each passing second.

"Never mind. Ye better get inside the captain's quarter before—"

The plate of sea biscuits dropped out of Yasen's hands as the ship rocked back suddenly tossing the two women off their balance. Manami quickly got back up and pulled Yasen up to her feet.

"Let's go! Let's go!" a man's voice shouted in the galley. "Smartly, me mateys!" Their footsteps thudding against the stairs, the pirates from the galley hurried frantically to the front of the ship.

"Go now!" Manami exclaimed. Blinding blue lightning flashed against the sky, followed by a loud cackle of thunder that deafened their eardrums. A shiver traveled down Yasen's spine at the commencing storm, making her forget about the unpleasant incident.

"What about you?" Yasen shouted through the rumbling thunder.

"Helpin' with the cordages!" Manami called out turning around to catch up with her mates. Yasen took one more look at tall pirate before jogging to the captain's quarter, leaving the pewter plate on the deck gathering rainwater.

~~~

Isra glared against the wave of water that tumbled above from the red sails. Shaking the cool water out of her face, she concentrated through the beating rain as she navigated the ship through the violent sea. Cold wet clothes clung to her body as rivulets of raindrops streamed through her black hair. The red bandana held desperately to her wet hair, ready to be blown away by another blast of wind. Throughout the shouts of her mates and blinding rain, Isra managed to stay calm and focused.

"How long we got, captain?" Damon's voice bellowed behind her. Pulling the cordages, the quartermaster tumbled back from the jagged motion of the rocking ship. Surrounding him were other mates that had trouble keeping their balance.

"Not long!" Isra called back. Squinting through the rain, she could see the faint dock miles away. "We're almost there! Just hold on a little longer!"

Taken by surprise, Isra felt the motion of the ship rise above the sea. She held onto the helm tightly feeling her heart pound rapidly. "Hold on everyone!" she shouted.

The large wave receded causing the ship to bob back down. Waves splashed against the ship as white foam washed upon the deck. Damon and everyone clung tighter to whatever they could hold on to as the salty water engulfed them on the deck. The water soon returned back to the sea leaving everyone soaking wet.

"That's a close one!" Damon exclaimed with a laugh receiving chuckles from Isra and his mates. "Me heart still goin' wild!"

A grin pasted on Isra's face. It was a scary feeling whenever the ship rose above the water, but she couldn't deny that it was exciting at the same time.

The rain got less heavy as the ship edged closer to Brassport. Turning the helm toward the dock, Isra heard her mates cheer at their success of passing the storm. Fortunately, the storm wasn't as bad as what the pirate captain had expected. It hit right on time when they were a couple of miles away from the town.

"Lower the anchor!" Isra cried over to the boatswain as she stopped the ship at the deserted dock.

"Aye, captain!"came a lad's response.

After Garnet was parked by the dock, Isra stepped down to the deck. Everyone crowded around her cheering for her navigation's success, but the pirate captain felt too exhausted to take their approvals to heart. Shivering, Isra sneezed as she watched Damon direct her mates down to the dock. Manami was the last one to go noticing that Isra didn't look so well.

"Ye all right, captain?" she asked with concern.

Taking off the red bandana, Isra wringed the water off her black hair. Although she was all wet and cold, at least her hair got washed by the rain. "Aye," she replied. "Just a little cold. I'll be fine." Remembering Yasen, she asked Manami where she was.

"In ye quarter I suppose. I'll go fetch the lass," Manami replied. Before she headed off, she said, "Ye should change into a new set of clothes."

Isra nodded understandingly. "I'll do that soon."