Above is the official trailer for my story made by WiinterSol - I love it and its just the perfect representation of what my story holds. Please watch it and enjoy this new chapter!

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Alluringly, she would blink her eyes from time to time as she studied Darius, allowing her long thick eyelashes to flutter like the wings of a butterfly. My god, her eyes were simply spellbinding. They were a rapturous shade of emerald green, much more appealing than any others he'd seen. Each eye held a coruscate gleam that enhanced their beauty. Her raven coloured waves had been gathered in a bun on top of her head, leaving a few tendrils free to frame her angelic face. And her lips - painted a deep rouge - he couldn't help but stare at them.

If the Gods were real, he told himself, then this woman was their masterpiece.

"Why? Am I meant to be impressed by what I see?"

Her comment took him by surprise. Usually women fell at his feet, begging for his attention, and yet she didn't seem to be affected. Instead she smirked at his expression, her eyes glinting playfully as she leant back against the railing of the ship.

As much as he wanted to push her, to see if she'd taunt with him some more of her words, he realised he should be focused on his injured First Mate.

"What happened?" he asked Dirk, moving closer to get a look at his friend's wound.

"Navy soldiers attacked the town," Dirk explained, before he nodded his head at the woman beside him. "This little lady saved my life."

Darius looked up at the lady in surprise, his gaze trailing up her whole body as he tried to work out how this woman could save the life of Dirk, one of the finest swordsmen he knew.

"Apparently you pirates don't often meet women who can hold their own in a fight," the woman spoke up, the smirk still evident on her lips.

"I'll believe it when I see it, love," Darius told her, his lips curling up in a devilish smirk to match her own.

"Keep talking like that, Sir, and I'll show you how good I am with my knives," she said, taking a confident step closer to him as if she was trying to intimidate the taller, muscled man.

"Its Captain," he told her, smiling at the frown on her face, enjoying the fact he was causing it. "Whilst you're aboard my ship, you'll address me as Captain."

She rolled her eyes, remembering why she never dealt with pirates. "Well, Captain Darius," she taunted, taking another step towards him, "I hope I won't have to be aboard your ship any longer than I need to."

"And why exactly do you need to be aboard my ship, love?"

"She needs some maps translatin'," Dirk said from where he was sitting on the barrel. "I said you could help 'er." There was another man with Dirk that the woman hadn't even seen approach the trio. He was a stout man, with a balding head and full greying beard but a kind face. He was kneeling on the floor in front of Dirk, assessing the wound - he must be Lou, she thought, remembering how Dirk sent for him. Mance and Rueben were also stood by Lou.

Darius shook his head at his friend. "So you just offered up my services without even asking me first?"

Dirk nodded with a grin up at his Captain, "Yep that's pretty much it."

Darius rolled his eyes with a smile, "Sometimes I wonder how you succeeded at becoming my first mate."

"That'll be 'cause I'm the best there is!"

"Well what makes you think I'll help her?" Darius asked, turning to look at the beauty in front of him once again. "Got anything to barter with, love? My help doesn't come for free," he asked. "I guess you could entertain me for an evening," he smirked, his gaze purposely looking up and down her body, imagining the figure beneath that dress causing his friends to chuckle.

Her own smirk tugged at her lips as she stepped closer to him, so that she was almost pressed flush against him. He looked down at her in surprise, his eyes swimming with lust.

"Oh sweetheart," she cooed, running her thumb over the light stubble on his cheek as she tilted his head to look directly into his clear blue eyes, "You wouldn't be able to handle me."

Darius was dumbfounded. He stared down at her with an expression mixed with frustration, shock and awe.

Laughter erupted from beside them. The four men had been watching the scene with immense interest and upon hearing the young woman shut their Captain down in the most satisfying way they could have ever imagined, they couldn't help their fits of laughter at their Captain's expense.

"Come on, Darius," Dirk said after he finally ceased his laughter, wincing in pain as Lou poured some rum on his open wound. "Give the lady the help she needs, she just needs ya to look at some maps."

Darius sighed, his gaze drifting back to the woman who had put some distance between them now. "Do you have the maps with you?" he asked her, arms folded across his chest. She couldn't help but notice how the muscles bulged beneath the thin cotton of his shirt.

She shook the thoughts from her head as quickly as they came and distracted her mind by opening her bag. Her hands immediately began digging around in her bag until her fingertips came into contact with the papers she was looking for. She pulled them out and handed them over to Darius, almost reluctantly.

The pirate Captain took the papers curiously, unfolding them carefully as he began sifting through them, eyes skimming over the runes quickly, he recognised some of them from an old pirate dialect his father used to speak. There was one marking though that wasn't in a different language - it was a wax seal beneath a signature... a signature he knew.

"These are signed by Gregor Morrigan," he stated, a frown on his brow as he looked up at the woman. "How did a lovely lady such as yourself manage to get your hands on these?"

"A woman has her ways."

"You stole them?" he asked.

"From Walter Preston's dead corpse - yes," she stated.

Darius raised a brow questioningly, not even knowing that Preston had been killed, but before he could ask her who had killed Preston she interrupted him.

"Can you read them or not?" she asked, all jokes and smiles had disappeared from her eyes. "Because if not I'll just find myself a better pirate that can."

"Why are you so interested in Morrigan?" he asked, completely ignoring her previous statement.

"I have a score to settle with the bastard," she hissed through gritted teeth, twirling her dagger over in one hand.

Realisation dawned on Darius as he spoke next, "You want to kill him."

It wasn't a question, more like a statement. Darius could see how the harshness still lingered in her gaze from the mere mention of Morrigan's name, it was a look he knew all too well as it was the very same he had worn time and time again.

"I will kill him," she stated.

He looked into her gaze and saw the ferociousness and the determination that burned in her eyes. She wasn't lying. She truly believed she would be the one to kill the Pirate Lord - Captain Gregor Morrigan.

"And how do you plan on killing him?" Darius asked her. "He has more men that you could dream of taking on alone and even if you got to him, there's no way you could best him in a fight."

"You really underestimate me, Captain," she said. "You have no idea what I'm capable of."

"And what are you capable of, Princess?" he taunted her.

"Don't push me, Captain," she spat harshly. "I've done things that would shock even you. I've been through so much to get to where I am - I've stolen, fought and killed to get those maps and I swear if you think you're going to question me or tell me what I am or what I'm not capable of, then you'll join Wellerby, Saunders, Harrows, Preston and the countless others that have gotten in my way. These maps are going to lead me to Morrigan and when I find him -" she took a sharp intake of breath, "- he will pay for everything he has done to me!"

Darius' smile took her by surprise. It wasn't a happy smile or a taunting smile - he looked almost hopeful. "Well, Princess," he started, "If you're going to take on the most feared Pirate in all the seas then I guess you'll need some help."

"I don't need -"

"Actually you do," he cut her off. "I can't translate these maps but I know who can and you'll need passage on my ship to get there. Not to mention when you actually find Morrigan, you'll need people to stand with you against his men."

"Are you offering to work for me?" she asked him with a confused frown as she took the maps back from him.

"Oh hell no," he laughed, "I'm offering my services on the condition that when Morrigan falls, I can claim his fleet and whatever men and loot he has left. And remember love, while you're aboard my ship, I'm in charge."

She thought for a moment. "Okay, we have a deal. But that can't be the only reason you'll help me."

"I'm a pirate. Even if there was another reason, love," he said, taking a few steps away, "I wouldn't tell you." She frowned at the arrogant smirk that was on his face as he turned to Reuben. "Make sure all the crew are back aboard the ship within the hour. We set sail for Gulltown at first light - anyone not on board gets left behind."

Reuben nodded before hurrying off at his Captain's orders.

Darius looked at Mance next, "Prepare a bed in my cabin for our lovely guest here. Can't have her sleeping with the crew, she wouldn't survive the night." Mance laughed at his Captain's words before walking off to complete the task.

"I am not sharing a cabin with you!" she objected immediately.

He turned to look at her with what could almost pass for a sliver of compassion. "All the same, I'll have a bed made up and an extra plate sent to my quarters by first light - but please, if you'd rather find another place to rest that pretty head then don't let me stop you. I'm sure there are plenty of bunks below deck that just made room for a warm body such as yours," he said with a final glance at her, drinking in her appearance once more before he disappeared below deck leaving her with Dirk and Lou.

"Darius is an honourable man," Dirk told her, "You'll be better off in his cabin at night."

"I can take care of myself," she objected.

"I have no doubt about that little miss," Lou said kindly, speaking to her for the first time, his friendly smile warm and welcoming as he finished patching up Dirk. "But men can lose their minds around a beauty such as yourself. It will be better for everyone if the temptation wasn't there. The Captain is indeed a good man - he just doesn't show it all the time."

She couldn't help but smile down at the older man. His words made sense but she still didn't trust any of these people yet, just as they didn't trust her. Despite this fact, she refused to be treated as a prisoner - she would sleep in the Captain's cabin but she refused to be forced to stay in there all the time.

She remained with Dirk and Lou for a while, just sitting on a barrel beside Dirk as she listened to the two of them speak, occasionally adding her own input to the conversation. The two pirates had been a welcome distraction for her - it paid to rest between victories. After all, she did count the past few days as a victory; she had killed Preston, retrieved the maps and was on her way to decipher the cryptic messages sent by Morrigan's own hand. One step closer, she thought.

Despite this, she was drained. Dirk was halfway through another story about a busty maiden that he had taken a particular fancy to when her stomach rumbled loudly, making all three of them jump at the sudden noise. Both men had to stifle their amusement at the sound.

"When was the last time you ate something, lass?" Lou asked her.

"Probably last night - it was just some bread and cheese from the inn," she told him.

"I'd guess it wasn't that good either, was it?" he replied, sending her a knowing smile as he got to his feet.

"Haven't had a good meal in months," she said.

"Well then come with me," Lou told her, excitement sparkling in his eyes as he began walking off.

She glanced at Dirk in confusion as he gestured fondly in Lou's direction, "You best catch up to him. He might be small but he's fast," Dirk joked as he nudged her up from the barrel, forcing her to follow the other man towards the steps that led below deck.

When she descended the steps after Lou she had to pause for a moment at the bottom until her eyes adjusted to the sheer darkness of the lower levels of the ship. Despite the few lanterns that were hanging from the ceiling, the room was still cast mostly in shadows and so she had to squint to get a better look. The room was large and open, stretching almost the full length of the ship. Hammocks were hanging from the beams overhead and beds were strewn messily across the wooden flooring - this was the crew's quarters, she realised. She could see multiple figures turning to look at her in the room but due to the dim lighting she couldn't see their faces properly.

She followed Lou down another set of steps, heading even further below deck. She was thankful she didn't have to sleep down here, the men's stares were making her uncomfortable. Some men merely glanced her way, quickly averting their gazes to avoid being caught. She made sure to take note of the pirates whose gazes lingered a little too long to be friendly and carried on further down after Lou.

Lou led her into a room at the rear of the ship, two floors down. The room was hotter than the others, the heat from the stoves keeping it warmer than the rest of the ship. The floors were lined with sheets of tin to protect the wooden floorboards against the hot coals and an iron stove was hanging by thick metal chains from the wooden beams overhead. A few pots and pans, iron ladles and spoons, and a few wooden trays were piled high on the nearest counter whilst a man stood with his back to them at the far side of the room.

"Fry!" Lou shouted suddenly, startling not only the woman beside him but the man chopping carrots.

"Fuckin' hell, Lou," Fry said, slamming the knife down on the counter as he turned around to face them. "You should know better than to yell at me when I have my knives out."

Fry was a tall pudgy man, with huge logs for arms and an even bigger belly. His dark brown hair was in need of a cut and was tied back away from his face.

Lou smiled despite the furious look on the other man's face. "Relax Fry," he told him, moving to the side to reveal the woman behind him. "Our guest was getting hungry so I thought she'd like to come and meet you."

Fry gauped at the woman standing in his galley. Never before had he seen something so beautiful in his kitchen.

"You're hungry?" Fry asked her, hurriedly wiping his hands down his front as he moved over to the stove to stir the contents. He always loved when he got to cook for someone new - the rest of the crew didn't appreciate his hard work enough.

"Starving would be a better word," she joked.

Fry smiled at her over his shoulder as he put together a bowl for her of whatever he was cooking that smelled so wonderful. He tore off a chunk of bread from the loaf on the side and handed them over to the woman.

"That'll fill ya up in no time, miss, don't worry," he told her as he moved to fetch her a spoon from the mess of utensils that were piled on the side.

As soon as she was handed a spoon she brought a spoonful of the stew up to her lips and tasted it. Her eyes closed in delight. She didn't know if the reason it tasted so good was because she hadn't eaten all day or whether Fry's cooking was indeed as delicious as she thought.

"Wow," she said, once she'd had another spoonful. "This is incredible, Fry. Thank you."

Fry grinned widely at her approval, quickly busying himself with slicing more vegetables, so she didn't see the red hue that decorated his cheeks at her words.

"I'm just happy someone appreciates my cooking," he replied jokingly.

"Believe me, I won't be skipping meals whilst I'm here if it always tastes this good," she told him making his blush darken as she bit into the chunk of bread.

Lou laughed at seeing his friend's rosy cheeks. "I'd stop complimenting him lass," he said, "I don't think we could stand it if his head gets any bigger."

The woman laughed while Fry turned to glare at the older man.

"I've never had a stew this good. Where did you learn to cook?" she asked Fry.

Once again he smiled at the compliment. He was beginning to really take a liking to this woman. She was a refreshing change from the moody bastards he normally had the pleasure of feeding everyday.

"Well miss," he said, "Before I joined Captain Darius' crew here, I was a spice merchant." He grinned at the surprised look on her face at his words and carried on. "I loved discovering new flavours and cooking ever since I was young - my father taught me about spices you see but it was my grandma that taught me how to actually cook."

"Why did you become a pirate?" she asked him as she placed her empty bowl on the counter beside her.

"A few years back my ship was attacked and the men that did it plundered it and took everything - they even killed my wife, Lana. Captain Darius found me and a few of my men stranded at sea on pieces of the wreckage. He saved us all and we've fought for him ever since."

The woman smiled at the man in sympathy. "That must have been awful. I know what it's like to have someone take everything away from you."

Fry nodded, the mood suddenly very somber.

"Ever since Darius had promised us all that we'll get revenge one day. We all want those bastards dead for something," Fry told her.

She suddenly realised something - why Darius had offered to help her. "Was it Gregor Morrigan that attacked your ship?" she asked him, taking the man by surprise at hearing the name.

"How did you -" Fry began asking her but she interrupted.

"Let's just say I'm looking for revenge too," she told him and he nodded, not wanting to overstep any boundaries by asking her further questions. "I hope you gentlemen don't mind but I'm feeling rather tired so I might go and lie down for a while."

They both nodded.

"Come on lass, I'll show you to the Captain's cabin," Lou told her as he began leading her out of the room.

She quickly thanked Fry for the food and followed Lou out of the warmth of the room. For a moment she'd forgotten that she had to share a room with Darius and it made her stomach knot uncomfortably at the thought. She just prayed that the Captain wasn't in his cabin right now - but she knew she was not that lucky.