Sorry for the long wait! I'll be updating a lot more now I hope!

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Dawn had finally started to lapse, and yet the top deck still seemed almost as dimly lit as the lower levels had been; Lou had been kind enough to safely escort her to the doors of Darius' cabin - despite her insistence that the crew had more chance of seducing a siren than harming her. She had started to really appreciate Lou's efforts to keep her safe.

Now she found herself staring at a solid wooden door with large black hinges, wondering whether she should knock or just walk in. Her thoughts were interrupted when the door was suddenly pulled open with a crash as it hit the wall, startling her and making her leap back in surprise. She silently cursed herself for being so wrapped up in her own thoughts when she saw the pleased smirk on the Captain's lips after he saw that he had managed to scare her.

"Well Princess," Darius started, arms folded across his chest as he leaned against the door frame, an arrogant smirk plastered on his lips as he stared at the woman before him. "I was beginning to wonder whether you'd decide to sleep out on the main deck."

"Don't be stupid," she sighed, rolling her eyes at him, "Lou was merely showing me around your ship. But believe me there are many places I would rather sleep than here so I didn't mind delaying a little."

His smirk widened as he looked her up and down carefully, "Well seeing as though you're finally here, you might as well come on in." He stepped aside, allowing her enough room in the doorway to brush past him and enter the large room.

Standing in the centre of the room, she took a moment to look around and take in her surroundings. The room smelled of a dark spice and sandalwood, a deeply masculine smell that invaded her nose as soon as she entered the room. The room was modest in size, a large bed was in the centre of the room with the headboard pressed against the farthest wall, the window above the bed was open allowing the sound of seagulls and the crashing waves to creep into the room. A huge mahogany desk was pushed up against the right wall. A top it lay a light film of dust from edge to edge, only broken by the captain's instruments thrown haphazardly across it. Sheets of parchment, ink pots, quills, a sextant and even his compass had been left in a messy pile - obviously recently used. Her gaze drifted to the other side of the room where a bed had been set up on the floor for her. It was a mere pile of blankets and a pillow but she had slept in much more uncomfortable places in the past.

She walked over to the pile of bedding and dropped her bag down at her feet, taking a moment to sigh in relief at having the weight off of her back at last.

"Make yourself comfortable, Princess," he told her as he stepped further into the room.

She rolled her eyes and sighed, "Will you stop calling me Princess?"

He grinned, "Well if you tell me your name I might consider using it."

Another sigh escaped her lips, "You don't need to know my name."

"If I don't know your name, then I'll have to keep calling you by your new nickname."

The smirk on his lips infuriated her more than she could ever imagine. She turned her back to him, kneeling down to busy herself with emptying her bag for a change of clothes as she thought of a name to give him. She never used her real name after what happened - her uncle, Grey, had taught her to go by no name at all and that's what she intended to do.

She glanced over her shoulder at him and saw him still watching her. "Evelyn."

He stared at her for a moment and smiled. "Okay, Evelyn," he said stepping closer, "It's nice to be introduced properly and as much as I love your name, I think I prefer 'Princess.'"

She wanted to slap him. Her brows furrowed as she turned to glare at the Captain. "I told you my name."

"No, you told me a fake name," he explained with a smile, walking over to his desk to retrieve his compass, slipping it into his pocket.

"No I didn't," she lied, her frown deepening.

"I'm good at reading people - always have been," he told her. "And I can tell when someone is lying to me." He looked at her carefully and his gaze softened slightly. "Don't worry Princess, I understand you don't trust me yet, just like I don't trust you. You can tell me your name in your own time - my crew can call you Evelyn if that's what you want but I like seeing the annoyance in your eyes when I call you Princess."

She couldn't help but roll her eyes again at his words but he noticed the amused smile that curled at her painted lips which made him smile.

"I'll leave you to rest for a while but I expect you up on deck in a few hours at least. We'll be setting sail within the hour," he explained as he collected his black frock coat from the back of his chair and quickly pulled it over his white shirt.

"How long until we reach Gulltown?" she asked him as he headed for the door.

"If the seas and winds are on our side then it'll be a two day journey." She nodded as he pulled the door open. "Oh and one last thing," he said, reaching up to tap the locks on his door. "I'd advise using the locks while I'm gone. My men are good men but we've recently taken on some new sailors and I can't vouch for their honourable nature. If you're planning on sleeping or bathing - please lock the door."

She looked at him for a moment as saw in his eyes that he wasn't joking around. When he saw her nod in affirmation he bid his farewell and left the room, pulling the heavy door shut behind him. Heeding his warning, she made her way to the door and turned the locks so that no one would be able to enter the room while she slept.

Knowing she now had privacy, she stripped out of her crimson dress and folded it neatly away in her bag. She dressed in her black leather breeches, pulling her belt tightly around her hips. She slipped into her thick black vest, tucking it into her trousers before fastening various leather straps over her shoulders and torso to keep the layers of leather in place over her vest which acted as a light armour. Once her matching vambraces were secured to her forearms she brushed her long ebony waves and laid down upon the pile of blankets. Her body ached and she felt her eyes grow heavy after the long events of the day. Before she knew it, her eyes had closed of their own accord and she had drifted off into a less than peaceful sleep.

"Again."

The icy grey sky grumbled relentlessly. The sound of the girls grunts and yells were drowned out by the deafening boom of thunder, the cold icy rain piercing her pale and wet skin. She moved quickly across the slippery path, her posture weakened by the weight of her soaked clothes. Her arms ached holding the weight of the sword in her left hand but she knew if she lowered her defensive stance Grey would make her regret it.

With a deep breath, she stepped forwards. Her arm swung the blade as powerfully as she could. The man in front of her easily deflected her sword with his own, his frown deepening when she stumbled to the side at the force of his swing.

"Again."

His voice cut through the sound of the rain as easily as a blade slices through flesh. The girl composed herself, moving back into her defensive stance at the sound of Grey's booming voice. She launched forward, steel singing as their blades clashed again. She felt her foot slip ever so slightly on the wet stone and Grey, seeing she wasn't stable, kicked her in the stomach. The young girl was thrown backwards landing harshly on her back in the puddles.

"Again."

Grey stared down at her. His dark eyes narrowed in disappointment as he watched her climb to her feet once again. The soaked strands of her dark hair were plastered to her face and she quickly brushed them back with her fingers so they weren't covering her eyes.

"Maybe we should cut off your hair so you can no longer blame it for getting in the way when we train," Grey's tone was almost threatening and he couldn't help but smirk when she glared up at him.

"You've already taken my name, Grey," she said, her voice almost a growl, "You will not take my hair too!"

"Well, girl, then I suggest you try again!"

With an angry snarl, the girl leapt forwards, her blade soaring towards Grey's undefended torso. Despite him deflecting her swing, she did not stop. She swung the sword again, and again, and again. Green eyes narrowing more and more as she watched him parry or dodge each of her swings. When her last attempt at slicing his neck open failed, she found herself somehow sprawled in the mud at Grey's feet. She sighed in defeat, her head slumping back to rest in the sloppy mud surrounding her as she looked up at the looming figure above her.

Grey merely stared down at her, shaking his head in disappointment as he sheathed his sword. "I expect much better work tomorrow, girl."

She nodded, trying not to show how much she hated being called "girl".

"I'll do better. I promise," she told him.

He nodded as he reached a strong hand out towards her and pulled her up out of the filth. "Go get cleaned up," he told her, "Food will be on the table when you're done."

She thanked him and began walking inside while he stayed behind to gather up their weapons. Before she could step inside the small stone house she turned back to face Grey, a question on her lips.

"Grey?" she called. "Why won't you use my real name?"

Grey turned to look at her and she saw his eyes soften slightly as he spoke next. "It's better for you if you learn to go by no name at all."

She nodded in understanding.

"I just want you to be safe," he told her.

She smiled. "I am safe," she replied, "You saved me."

She woke up slowly, taking a moment to stretch her aching limbs and smiling at the pleasant feeling. She sat for a moment and thought about the dream she had - she remembered that day well. Her Uncle Grey had made her the weapon she was today but the journey had been far from easy. It was him who insisted she never used her real name and even after all these years she still did as he had said.

Sitting up in her makeshift bed, she allowed the blankets to pool at her legs as she took a moment to piece together her surroundings. She quickly remembered the events of the night; the navy's attack, boarding the Trident, meeting Darius and his crew, and his promise to help her find Morrigan. After a moment, she climbed to her feet to look out of one of the many windows in Darius' cabin. It looked to be just after midday, which meant she had been sleeping for over six hours if she had to guess.

As soon as she smoothed out her clothes, she pulled her calf-high black boots on her feet and laced them up tightly, slipping her father's knife into her left boot securely. She ran a brush through her long dark waves and tied it up in a high ponytail on the crown of her head, happy that it wouldn't get in the way. She concealed her knives on her body with deft hands, making sure to slip her two long curved daggers into the sheath on the outside of either of her thighs.

As soon as she deemed herself ready, she made her way over to the heavy wooden door, turning the locks so she could pull it open. She stepped out into the dark corridor and made her way towards the set of rickety looking steps that led up onto the main deck. The steps looked so worn and despite expecting them to break under her weight, she was surprised to feel how sturdy they were beneath her feet.

She could already hear Darius' booming laughter and the voices of his men from above along with the distinct sound of waves crashing against the hull of the ship. A warm breeze descended the steps allowing her to breathe in the salty ocean air. She ascended the steps slowly, squinting as the sunlight reached her eyes.

As soon as her eyes adjusted to the sheer brightness of the sunlight she took a moment to take in her surroundings. She spotted Darius first, his dominating presence making her almost drawn to him. Beside him stood Dirk and Mance, the three of them by the helm laughing and talking as Dirk steered the ship. She tore her eyes away and spotted Lou talking to a young boy that couldn't have seen more than fifteen summers. She could feel the stares of the countless other men aboard the ship following her as she headed over to Lou. She didn't pay them any mind and soon enough they all carried on with their various jobs whether that be securing the sails, carrying cargo below deck or scrubbing the floors. Despite the fact they were no longer stood staring, she could still see some of them glancing her way when they thought she wasn't looking.

"Feel better after the food and rest, lass?"

She smiled at Lou and nodded as she stopped in front of him. "I do feel much better. Thank you," she told him before her gaze drifted to the young boy kneeling on the floor, a filthy scrubbing brush in his hands and a bucket of water beside him. Beads of sweat were rolling down his forehead and he was panting from the exertion that it took to scrub the floors with his skinny arms. His blonde hair hung in front of his eyes and his skin was reddening from the intense rays of the sun. "I don't believe we've met."

"No, miss, we haven't," the boy said, his gaze downcast not daring to meet her own striking one. "I'm Peter, miss, Peter Farthing."

She smiled when he introduced himself, still not looking up at her. "My name is Evelyn."

Lou's eyes widened. "Blimey lass, I've only just realised I never asked for your name yesterday."

She laughed. "Think nothing of it, Lou," she told him, eyes sparkling as she smiled.

"LOU!"

Darius' shout boomed across the deck from where he was standing at the helm waving the older man over to him. His tone of voice showed there was to be no room for argument and so Lou turned to bid the two of them farewell.

"We shall have a proper talk at dinner later," he told them before his gaze settled on Peter. "Look after Miss Evelyn while I'm gone. We don't know if she has her sea legs yet."

She smiled at Lou's words and watched him walk off before she turned to look out at the sea, her forearms resting on the railing as she leaned forward. She could feel Peter's eyes on her back as she watched the waves crash into the hull of the ship. The sensation of the ship moving over the waves made her stomach churn uncomfortably but she tried her best to ignore the feeling.

"You okay, Miss Evelyn?" Peter's shy voice spoke up from beside her as he climbed to his feet beside her, dropping the scrubbing brush into the bucket.

She nodded. "I'm okay," she told him, taking deep breaths, "I guess I just feel a little sick."

He smiled in understanding, "Is this your first time at sea?" he asked her.

"How'd you guess?" she grinned at him.

"Well you're pretty pale for a start," he jested. "I'll get you some water. It might make you feel a little better."

She smiled in thanks at the young boy and watched as he hurried away from her to the barrels of fresh water. A wave of nausea washed over her but she managed not to be sick. She held onto the railing and lowered herself down to sit on a crate as she waited for Peter to bring her some water.

Within moments, the young boy was knelt in front of her holding a tin cup that he had filled with water. She took it gratefully and took an eager sip. Despite the water being warm from the sun's heat, feeling the water trickle down her throat immediately made her feel a little better.

"Thank you, Peter," she told him as she took a few more sips, feeling her stomach beginning to settle.

"My pleasure, miss," he said. "I know what it's like to get sea-sick. I still do some days."

"How long have you been a part of Darius' crew?"

"Oh, well, the Captain picked me up a few weeks back. My parents passed away a few months ago from illness - we didn't have enough coins for medicine you see. After that I ended up stealing for food and I tried to steal the Captain's pouch of coins when he was walking through the port one day. He caught me and offered me a job aboard his ship so I wouldn't have to go hungry again."

The woman smiled despite herself, her gaze drifting to the helm of their own accord where the Captain stood laughing with his men. His gaze caught her own across the ship, and she quickly snapped her eyes back to Peter when she'd been caught staring.

"He sounds like a good man," she said to Peter, still feeling Darius' gaze on her.

"Don't let him hear you say that," Peter chuckled, "He has a reputation to uphold."

"A reputation?"

"As one of the most fearsome pirates to sail the seas."

She nodded, resisting the urge to look back at the Captain, worried that she might be caught staring a second time.

"How are you feeling now?"

"Much better," she told him, "You have my thanks."

Peter smiled shyly, ducking his head to avoid her gaze. "Can't have you passing out on us. The Captain would have my head," he joked with a smile. At least she thought he was joking.

"Do you fear him?" She asked with a frown. "You say he has a reputation as one of the most fearsome pirates to sail the seas and joke that he would have your head."

Peter smiled. "Everyone is scared of Captain Darius Flynt - you'd be a fool not to be. He has never lost in combat and is the youngest man to captain a pirate vessel, not to mention the stories of what he has done."

She leaned forwards, resting her forearms on her knees, immediately enthralled by Peter's words. "What stories?"

Peter cast a nervous glance up to the helm where the Captain was stood. "Let's just say he's feared for a reason and you shouldn't do anything to upset him, miss. He would never harm innocent folk but if you cross him..." Peter trailed off, shaking his head as he thought of all the things Darius would do to one of his enemies. "Just be thankful you're on the same side, miss. It's not smart to be his enemy."

She nodded and sat up straight again. She didn't want to push the boy into telling her the kind of things Darius had done, after all, she was willing to bet she'd been hired to do a lot worse in the past few years, not to mention what she'd done of her own volition.

Peter rose to his feet and walked back over to his brush and bucket. "I should finish my cleaning," he told her with a shy smile.

She nodded with a delicate smile of her own, "Thank you for keeping me company, Peter."

"Anytime, miss."

Peter knelt back on the floor and busied himself with his duties once more whilst she was left to entertain herself. She stood from the barrel and turned to face the bow of the ship. She leant forwards against the railing as she looked down at the waves crashing against the hull of the ship as the Trident cut seamlessly through the water at high speed. It truly was a beautiful ship.

Her gaze drifted upwards to gaze out at the horizon before her. There was only the vast ocean for as far as her eye could see. She became so lost in thought that she didn't hear the footsteps approaching her until they were right behind her.

"Enjoying the view, Princess?"

Darius' warm breath tickled the back of her neck and she quickly turned to look at him hoping that he didn't see the goosebumps appearing on her neck. The smug grin he was sporting proved to her that he had definitely noticed how he had effected her, much to her own chagrin.

She turned her attention back to the horizon line, keeping her expression as stoic as possible so he couldn't get under her skin.

"I have to say that I don't normally get to see such a view. I prefer to travel by horse or on foot across the mainlands so I don't usually travel by sea," she explained.

She could see him nod out of the corner of her eye as he moved to lean against the railing beside her. "Why don't you travel by sea? Surely it's a lot quicker and safer. And at least you wouldn't be travelling alone."

"I don't like people."

He laughed at that and at hearing his rumbling laugh she couldn't help but look at him. He was grinning widely, pearly white teeth on show and the corners of his eyes crinkled and he smiled. The corners of her lips quirked up of their own accord and before she realised she was smiling he looked her way.

"Ah! Finally a smile!" He joked and she immediately rolled her eyes at his attempt to be funny. "I honestly thought you were incapable of smiling in my company."

"Maybe that's because you're not actually as funny as you think you are," her sassy retort made him smirk.

"You wound me, Princess," he said, his hand coming up to rest on his chest above his heart. "I think you'll find that after a few weeks together you'll miss my company when we part ways."

"I highly doubt that, Captain."

"Well, we'll just have to wait and see won't we."

She turned and watched him as he backed away from the railing, a cocky grin on his lips as he turned and made his way back to the helm of the ship.

She watched him go with a small frown. She couldn't afford to be making friends on this ship. She had a big heart even though she couldn't always show it and she knew that if she opened her heart to these people she wouldn't be able to walk away after she'd finished what she came here to do. And she simply couldn't take that risk.

Turning back around to face the open waters she allowed her mind to wander once more.