| Captain Velwyn POV |

She could have been the definition of a siren as she stood with pride and confidence, before me and my crew. Her glint was in her eyes as she took pleasure from what she was doing to us.

I would have been two, had those bloody saylors not been pinning my arms behind me. Everything about her kind hit the wrong buttons in me. All about orders and all about rules.

Where's the fun in that?

"Nice bunch of you," the woman said. "Sorta plump for some." She turned to face where Saul was forced to kneel. "Like skeletons for others."

She was marking us in her head. No doubt judging just how much trouble we would bring. It wouldn't be easy, but no one here will go down without a fight.

Everyone in my crew had something to fight for, and there wasn't a place in hell that I would allow myself to be captured. Not by any saylor that graced these waters where souls were meant to be free.

"Here's what I can do. One of you will fight against me. My choice, of course."

She would pick the weakest among us or who she deemed was the weakest. Me, if she thought I was a complete fool. I had after all gone to the middle of their ship facing more odds than anyone else. It wasn't like she could really pick anyone else.

"If I win, I'll arrest you and take you to the capitol. What will happen to you there will be a mystery."

It was no mystery. We would be sentenced to hard labor. I would never allow that.

"If you lose?" I inquired sharply.

Saylors were all the same. Seen in some sort of light that made them think they were above us. Though fun they were none-the-less, it was always someone in power, someone like her that I had the most trouble with. Never quite enjoyed the fun that I liked.

"If I lose I'll let this ship have a head start while I take care of the pirate I was original after." Lies. The words she spoke were no more the truth than honey was to make bread sour. "The captain of your ship might know him. Henry Jennings."

If she expected to meet him here, she would need more than the small fleet that surrounded her. Jennings was a man that even I had to be wary of. Could backstab me in a heartbeat if he thought it would get him some sort of treasure.

He didn't believe in having honor.

"Right. Let's do this."

As her eyes came to me, I knew who she picked. Who else would she have?

"Just like old times. Let's see if mentee can beat mentor. How about it, Rachel?"

Her eyes weren't on me? I turned to see Rachel kneeling there. When had she gotten there?

She was no more loyal to this crew than a bird in the sky. She would lose just to help her friend. I knew she wouldn't listen to the warning that she would have to fight for us.

This is becoming an even bigger pain than I could have imagined.

"Like it's a bit rigged. Why not single someone else out? Captain Velwyn seems like the best choice."

Maybe the woman wasn't as dumb as I took her as. If she was able to use her words to let me take her place, I might just have to give someone else the job of swabbing the decks from dusk to dawn.

"Because I want to see how you've come along."

The woman wouldn't give in. Neither would I. If I could pick someone I knew, it would make the match more even.

"We didn't need to end up like this," Rachel spoke with a shakiness in her voice.

I watched as they circled each other.

"We've always stood on opposing sides," the Admiral replied.

Confidence laced her body, making her stand taller and walk with ease. She was looking for the right moment to strike. A snake waiting for the mouse to make a move.

"Still, it is a lovely surprise, Scarlet. That we get to see each other after some time."

The conversation dragged on. Where was the spilling of blood? And Scarlet's pleasure of watching us lose because Rachel wouldn't be able to win?

I didn't have a plan to get us out. Nothing was coming to mind, besides us using this chance. When Rachel falls in defeat, we could move for the Admiral. The highest one in command, her underlings wouldn't want a hair on her head to be touched.

Only, as the pressure of my arms being bent at a rough angle reminded me, I wouldn't be able to be the one to do it. I was already on my knees.

I focused on their movements, waiting to see who would move first. It was Rachel's sharp and loud squeak that the words registered.

"What happened to Carlisle! George... How is George?"

The news had been correct then, about Carlisle's destruction. The city was only memorable because of how fast we had been chased from the waters. There hadn't been enough time to inquire on how the men and women were compared to other places.

"The city was hit with an after wave, more than a week after the original report was sent out."

"And survivors?" Panic laced Rachel's voice. "Did the walls do nothing? Were the citizens not safe!" Each word rose a notch.

Saul had tried to issue a warning to me a long time before, that we needed to inform her about what happened to her home. Before we had come to the moving island that stole my ship, he tried to get me to tell her. The time had never come for me and I never deemed it important enough as she never inquired or spoke about it.

Everyone else always had when they wanted to see if we heard anything. Rather it was if any attacks had been reported in the area. It didn't matter the type of news they got, as long as it was something.

"There were no survivors. There is no longer a city."

Rachel's body trembled forward, hitting the ground as the news came. If I had told her sooner, the news wouldn't have caused her to collapse now, not that I had the faith she would have helped us get out of this.

The admiral moved as if to catch her, but it was already too late. Her hands didn't make it in time. Rachel wasn't the man issue that caused this mess.

As I looked away from them, my eyes fell on who was.

Jacob and William.

Had I known that trouble would follow them, I wouldn't have let the boys into my crew. I had taken her words to be true that they were siblings. As the Captain, I expected the truth to greet me and when it wasn't, I was more than happy to use a blade.

Saul had objected to them, but he never liked when I did something that got us weapons or more crew. Even when we decided on a city to visit, he rarely agreed. The idea of fresh meat on board was what sold it. It meant more hands and that meant things would get done a lot quicker. 

Yet, the trio had given nothing but trouble since they joined. From murders to abandoning their posts and even card games that would put at least one of them in a worst position and take them from my crew, it was a wonder they had made it this long. That I hadn't had a mind to do something long before now. 

The only thing none of them had been directly involved in was the death of one of my crew. The Gods didn't know the true meaning of my fury until that moment. No one takes someone from my family and expects everything to be fine afterwards. 

I just had to first take care of the Clan that was responsible before I went after the Gods to get revenge for what had happened. 

"What are you doing with her?" Saul demanded.

Even after everything she had done, Saul still spoke out. they could have taken her and did away with her for all I cared. Trouble came with Rachel and not the good kind. 

If they didn't take care of her I would have to find a way to. And that would need to be before Saul decided to care even more for the woman who was a throne in my side. He cared about everyone in the crew the same, as if he was the protector above them.

A job I happily let him have. He was big in size and no one would doublethink about crossing him. Something that had yet been implied to me, it seems. 

I still couldn't trust anyone, even my own Quartermaster.

With a blade pressed to my back, he waited for the day he could get rid of me and take charge. I wouldn't let it happen, no matter how much he wanted to be captain because he thought he would be better at the job. But I wouldn't allow what I did to my very first captain, the only man I ever sailed under, to happen to me. 

I would never give him the chance. 

The admiral was kneeled to Rachel. 

"Well?" Saul pressed, not letting silence be his answer. 

A smile formed as I stared. Even if Rachel and the boys brought trouble, even if I wanted to kill them myself, crew was crew. I couldn't just let my prize go before I got to have a bit of fun. 

"Seeing if she's still alive," the admiral answered. 

A cold beauty. A siren who could steal a mans heart with that sharp glare of hers. She changed in a second from before. 

"Would it matter?" I questioned as I watched her. "You were going to fight her just moments before." 

A pleasures shiver passed through me as she sent the glare my way. 

"What concern is it to the fool of the ship?" 

It seems like it's time to show what a fool can do. Why don't I make a small miracle happen? 

"I might be a fool, but you continue to touch one of my crew with your filthy hands and I'll take pleasure in much more then seeing that simple glare you're sending my way." 

For the moment, I could overlook the mistrust and the lies. The trouble that followed like a bad cold with that woman out-cold on the ground and the boys off to the side. I had a number of crew turn against me because of her, and even if I wanted to take a blade to her it could wait as I regained the trust they did have in me as a captain. 

"One of your crew?" The admiral stood from Rachel, her eyes going to the woman only for a second before back to me. "Are you the Captain of this ship?" 

"Captain Velwyn at your service, love." I rose, twirling my hand in front of me as a grand gesture. "I'm not a fool to be taken lightly." 

His body hit the ground as I finished talking. Taking a glance over my shoulder, my grin only grew. He had been far to easy. 

"Well, it's already to late for him," I said as I turned my head back to the admiral. "Let's talk, shall we?" 

Fog started to seep over the edges of the ship and throw legs. 

"About how a fool could become a captain?" She had more bite in her then I thought. 

"I was thinking more about how such a simple person could become an admiral, but I don't mind talking about me." My eyes danced around the crew before back to her. "I'm the Captain that will become Pirate King and rule these seas with the heart of a seven-headed snake and fight of Davy Jones'. That's you believe, isn't it? In these waters?" 

She took me in, judging me like I was judging her. I hadn't seen her fight and the name only rang a bell because of the amount of times Saul warned me to avoid one of the admirals on the list he created. She was far from being simple, but I had been hoping to see her get riled up  at it. 

"Where did you come from? I've never head of you." 

That sort of stung. My heart was bleeding at that.

How could she not have heard of me! I was once wanted, though it seemed that my luck was far from being in favor. I had done nothing of the kind to get my bounty taken and yet it was gone. Gone! 

I had worked on hard that bounty. Got my hands in plenty of things to make sure it was there. So who in their right mind, took away what was mine? 

The worst thing, Saul got one! He didn't do crap and yet that backstabber Quartermaster had one. And his was even triple what mine had been. 

No, that was the worst thing. The worst was seeing that the woman on the ground and racked up one, while I was left drifting in the wind. A fallen star who was quickly forgotten about. 

"I use to have a bounty." 

I wasn't bitter about it. Far from it. When I learned who took what was rightfully mine away, I was just going to make him met his God much sooner then he expected. He would deserved each and everyone painful lacerate I made. I will enjoy that moment when it comes.

"I'm from the Sky Kingdom. Probably never heard of it. Many haven't down here. And those who are from it don't like to brag that we're superior. Where's the fun in that?" 

It was a place I could barely remembered. The name always on the tip of my tongue because all I had to do was look up and be reminded that that's where I had came from. Now that I was bitter about. 

"I've never heard of that. Tell me the truth," 

Oh, was that anger I hear in her voice. 

"Oh, I speak nothing but truths, Love." The fog was rising as it did its work. "You see, I'm a special one. You call it foolism. I call it, knowing that I will never truly be defeated. It's all about how I play my hand and what tricks from the other I can reveal." 

It didn't make me invisible, but my confidence never failed. In the end, I would win and when I did, I'll take what is mine. And this time, it was getting these pesky saylors off of my ship and the heart of one. 

She looked around as the fog was noticed and the saylors started wondering about it. If she could see the waters around us, she would be able to see that only our ship was covered in it. 

Covered in their downfall. 

"What is happening?"

"Where's all the fog coming from?" 

Her eyes locked onto me. Maybe I should toy with her for a bit. 

"Spooky, isn't it?" I inquired.

Her eyes narrowed. "You're the one doing it." 

I laughed. "Sharp of you to notice, but it's already two late." One by one, those with the weakest souls fell. 

Some included my own crew. I would have to work on those ones. It would be such a hinderance if they got in the way after passing out. 

"I've seen this a few times. Never with Fog and never with someone passing out."

A blade appeared in my hand as we stood on opposing sides, with Rachel being the only thing in-between us. Still unconscious and sadly, in the way. I could easily trip over her if I wasn't careful. 

"Some call it magic, others the devils work. I've even been told that it's a curse." I toyed with the knife in my hands, pressing the tip into the middle of a finger and twisting it. "You can call it whatever you would like, Love. Just know that it will be your downfall." 

She had tried to cover her mouth with cloth but the fog would still work. If her soul was weak or if it could break the soul down. 

"I've seen strange things, but magic is far from being real. The fog could be nothing more but because the water is cool with a warm air going over it. The knife could be a trick of the hands when my attention is focused on it." 

A logical one, but it wouldn't do her any good. The fog was unnatural. No science could dismiss it. 

"Then how could it knock someone out?" I waved my hands to the fallen saylors that couldn't be seen as the fog covered their bodies. "How do you describe a warship being able to move?" 

"Knock out gas," she countered, being quick on the dime. 

Her answer reminded me that it was something we needed. 

"The warship," she became more hesitant as she continued, "is designed to run off of Luoma Light.  A type of stone that makes electricity." 

"Ah, are you really able to be tricked that easily?" I took a step to the side, watching her. 

Five feet more to the left, if she didn't move, and I would have a clear line. 

"What are you talking about?" 

I clicked my tongue as I took another step. "It's not stone. Do you want to see what it is?" She took a step as well. 

My lips ticked at that. I didn't need her making it even more difficult to reach her. 

"Do you plan on showing me with a knife at my throat?" 

I chuckled. "That was the idea, yes." My foot knocked into something. 

Probably one of those saylors and if I hadn't been unsure, I would have stomped on the bone. I rather not risk maiming one of my own crew just out of pettiness. 

"Do you really think I would let a fool so close to me?" 

"A fool can hope, can't they?" 

A airy laugh escaped her.  Was she trying to mock me?

"If you can really show me, do it over there." 

With a shrug, I did as she requested. Worst case, we'll go sky up. Best case, it only hits the top of the ship. Hurting and possibly killing a few of us. 

Holding the blade in one hand, I raised my other chest level. Seconds passed before sparks appeared. Green. Yellow. Blue. It started to form while spiking out in the process. 

It was always a pain to use and was barely close to a Luoma Light, though many could mistake the small ball in my hand as one. It kicked off energy and can feel like electricity racing through your bones. 

As she was someone who clearly didn't believe, she should only be able to see the similarities and come up with a way to how I could have gotten a ball in my hand. 

Luoma Light was close to electricity in their waters. I know it was used for everything in the sky, usually powered by the sun or the energy of a person. I didn't inquire to closely at the one in the Warship I had for a short time. 

Rather they used it or not, it didn't matter to me. 

The air sparked just as she opened her mouth. The words she would have said quieted by the sigh of her eyes widening and rolling to the back of her head. Tingles racked through my own body, pain sparking up everyone once in a while, as my hair stood on end. 

If someone had never felt it before, the shock waves, the tingles, the rapidness, it always hit them the worst. Sadly, the same could be said for my crew as any who stood convulsed upon themselves. Collapsing much like the saylors to the ground, their limbs no doubt jerking. 

Bringing my fingers tightly into my palm, the ball disappeared. I never felt the need to use this much. To reach for what laid waiting dormant in me. It took away the fun I could otherwise get. 

Slowly, the fog started to go back on itself. Soon, I was faced with a ship with fallen bodies whose limbs were still jerking about. The pain they could have been feeling wasn't clear on their faces. 

It would have been the only good thing from it.

With a wave at them, I went down the stairs and to the prisoners locked up. Punishment had them locked away, but as everyone was completely useless and I want to bother doing it myself, I could let them redeem themselves this way.

Opening the trap door where the Ant bear as supposed to be, probably off getting into the honey, I landed on the bottom floor. A coolness wrapped around me, the warmth from above unable to reach the prison room. 

My eyes fell upon those there. I had more then enough time to stare at them. It would take more then half-an-hour for those above to be alright. Even longer for those who had been effected by the fog. 

"Captain!" 

I looked at Bondi, seeing that he appeared worried. "Caught ourselves in a mess, haven't we?" I looked over them each.

They didn't look all that bad. Two meals a day, but the lack of sunlight was doing wonders on them. 

"We stand by it." 

I clicked my tongue. "Stand by betraying your captain for someone who continued to lie?" 

Bondi nodded. Stubborn one he was. Why had I let him join? 

"Why?" 

Juliet answered, in a much stronger voice then I expected. "Because she became one of us the second you agreed to let her join. She didn't talk about home or what it was like all the time. Barely any. She did her work that you threw at her. Including the work that you were supposed to do."

I couldn't deny that. I had often passed my jobs off to her or one of the others. It was easier on her or the boys, as the rest of the crew had questioned me about jobs and with a half-baked answer from me they turned to Saul. The bastard told them how it was. 

Why did I have to help when it was my ship? Though I understood. But my love for the ships I hadn't weren't the same as other captains. To me, they were just things that got me from one place to another, with little attachment. 

"Because I let her join, it's okay?" I asked.

Juliet shook her head. "No, but did she lie? Had you asked her the truth? Did you poke at the holes that appeared? Did you even question what she said." 

I hated when they had some sort of point. 

"Just because I didn't ask, does that mean it should be kept on the down low?" 

They all answered at once, "yes." 

I should leave them to rot. 

"If I didn't need you lousy lot to throw those on deck off, I would leave here." 

Bondi grinned. "Promise?" 

Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out the gold key. "If you want a promise, how about I promise to skin you? That'll be pleasurable." 

"That would be painful, Captain Velwyn." 

"Don't worry, Cap, I'll fix them up if you do." 

The lock clicked, the metal bars swinging in. I stood, staring at them. If I turned my back, would they try something? 

Most likely. 

I had to expect it to happen. 

"Let's hurry and get this over with. I want those people off my ship before they curse it." 

I turned before starting up the ladder. 

Once the saylors were off, we would meet the approaching pirate vessels. Captain Jennings and I needed to have a few words about this coming pirate meeting and just where it was taking place. If I was to be the Pirate King, I would need that information. 

it wasn't like they had anyone else to vote for.

[WORD COUNT: 109,864]