It wasn't perfect by any means. The blue dye they had managed to create was too dark, and the white panels weren't quite white enough. Ara had done a good job stitching the panels together and creating the helm design with black thread, but up close, it was clearly done by an amateur.

Soren loved it anyway. Hoisted high on the Walloxa's main mast, it looked real enough. Flying West Draulin's flag probably broke some sort of law, but Soren was willing to do it anyway. The effect it had on the crew's morale was undeniable.

As was the effect of training with Elorie. Soren kept her busy, often calling her over to the Walloxa. If he wasn't sparring with her, he had her helping his crew. Either fighting against them herself or watching them and giving suggestions. The men, bolstered by their flag flickering high above and the desire for revenge, improved quickly. They were ready for a fight. They wanted a fight. All they needed to do was find their targets.

Rain storms often rolled along the coast, slowing their journey. It took over two weeks to near Xaoto on the Gold and Silver Islands. Soren told Elorie to follow the Walloxa closely, and they hugged the mainland shore. It was a busy area, but, as they had been for weeks, other ships avoided the pair.

Until one didn't.

"Captain!" It was Jerios from the helm. Nobody was really on watch, there weren't enough people on board to assign a proper watch. Jerios had been more or less been keeping watch on his own while manning the helm.

Soren tied off the rope he was hoisting and hurried to join Jerios. Ivern was a step or two behind. He had settled into the First Mate role well, not that Soren was surprised.

"We're being flagged." Jerios pointed. Further out in the water, a large Alvarian ship was moving to cut them off. Large was a relative term. The other ship was bigger than the Walloxa, but Soren could tell even at a distance that the Wanderlust would have bigger.

Soren accepted the spyglass from Jerios and trained it on the other ship. He could see a man standing near the bow, waving a pair of flags. He watched for a moment, but the signs weren't familiar. "I need Kija."

He didn't like keeping the boy on board, but that was what he and Elorie had agreed on. When she was on her own ship, Soren kept Kija in the captain's quarters.

When Ivern returned with Kija in tow, Soren handed him the spyglass. Just as he had hoped, Kija instantly understood the signals. "They want to inspect us. They're saying to pull up beside them and drop anchor."

Soren looked out towards the other ship, giving himself a moment to think without having to meet Jerios' or Ivern's questioning looks. It was moments like this where he felt the sharp pang of Tanden's absence, when a decision had to be made. Soren wanted to trust his own judgement, but he was keenly aware of the weight of every decision he made. Tanden had always managed to make decisions seem easy and obvious, the risks smoothened away by his easy confidence. Soren knew his men his would follow him. He just wished he could seem more decisive in the process.

He turned back to the men. "Kija, is she part of the Xaoto coastguard you were telling us about? She has real authority?"

Kija nodded.

"Then we'll meet them. We have nothing to hide."

Ivern cast a glance back over the stern, towards Elorie's ship trailing behind them. "Does she?"

It took Kija a heartbeat to notice that they were all looking at him, waiting for an answer. "Oh. No. Captain Elorie sold everything stolen. The ship only has normal supplies now, no cargo."

"Good. Get out our flags and acknowledge their message, then signal Elorie," Soren said. "I'll get ready for the meeting."

***

Soren stood on the deck, tattooed arms crossed and on display. He had changed into the same outfit Ara had put together when they found Elorie. Dark pants and tunic, the rip from his wound neatly sewn together. He wore his cutlass on a belt. His hair, which had grown longer than he usually liked it, was pulled back and Ara had tried to neaten it with some Morcean braids. He had a beard—Soren hadn't actually given it much thought, shaving just seemed like a waste of time, but Ara seemed to like the way it altered his appearance.

When the Walloxa dropped anchor and a board was slid across to span the distance, Soren didn't move. He was flanked by Kurias and Kija. Kija, to translate, but Kurias' addition at his side had been more thought out. Soren, with his tattoos on display, was unabashedly Crelan, the sailors from Xaoto would recognized that. Kurias was Navirian, the country that, according to Elorie, flanked the Northernmost point of the pirate's hunting ground.

Three men and a woman crossed over the plank and came to a stop in front of Soren. He judged, from the way they were standing, that the woman was their leader. Soren imagined Tanden, charming grin in place, greeting the woman in Alvarian. He spoke in Teltish.

"Welcome aboard the Walloxa." Beside him, Kija translated.

The woman answered, and after a slight delay, Kija translated. "The Walloxa is a pirate vessel. You thought you could hide with a different flag?"

Soren didn't look at Kija. He listened, but kept his gaze trained on the woman. "I am Captain Soren from Zianna, and I'm flying the flag of West Draulin. Pirates took my ship from me, so I took the Walloxa from them. I'm not trying to hide anything. You're welcome to look around."

The delay while Kija translated was excruciating. The woman's face gave nothing away. Soren held her gaze steadily, trying to ignore the nervous pounding of his heart.

When the woman spoke again, she also waved her hand. Two of her men walked away, towards the hatch that would lead them below decks. Kija translated. "We will look around. Why were you so far south?"

Soren broke eye contact with the woman to find Ivern, and nodded after the men. Ivern moved to follow them as Soren turned back to the woman. "We were on the West Draulin Navy Wanderlust. We spent a week in Xaoto, and then travelled the Danil River. Pirates attacked us in Alvan Bay. Those of us who survived—"

The woman started speaking. Soren wasn't sure how far along in the translation Kija had managed to get before having to switch who he was listening to. "Do you know who attacked you?" Kija asked in Teltish.

Soren nodded. "Captain Rico-Eko."

A puzzled look flashed across the woman's face. "Rico-Kai," she said, and Soren understood only because it was a name.

He glanced at Kija for the first time. "I don't understand what she means."

Kija's eyes darted between the two of them. He said something quickly in Alvarian, then switched to Teltish. "Those who lead. Rico's muxil is Kai, not Eko."

"Rico-Kai, then," Soren said. When he looked at the woman again, she was watching Kija.

She said something, but instead of translating, Kija replied quietly, "Kija-Owa."

The woman's expression hardened. Soren winced when she turned back to him. He uncrossed his arms but reined in the urge to touch his cutlass.

He spoke over her angry words. "Kija, what does Owa mean?"

"Those who serve."

Soren held up his left hand, an attempt to placate the woman. "You're a slave? Tell her I didn't know that."

Kija must have done just that, because the woman's body language shifted. She stepped back, less aggressive, but the look of suspicion in her eyes didn't fade. After some back and forth in Alvarian, Kija spoke again.

"There are reports of Rico-Kai sailing with a Crelan man. You match the description, and you are here on one of Rico-Kai's ships."

Anger, mixed with fear, sparked in Soren's chest. It wasn't an unreasonable assumption to make, which was the worst part. He took a deep breath, but even then, he couldn't quite hide the disdain in his voice. "His name is Toliver. He's a disgrace to all Crelans. He helped Rico destroy my ship, and they killed my Captain. I have no allegiance to either of them."

She listened to Kija solemnly, nodding.

"I am sorry you have suffered," Kija translated a moment later. "Men like Rico-Kai bring shame to all of us. I am impressed you took a ship from him. Now that you have it, where are you going?"

To get revenge didn't seem like the most sensible answer. Soren wasn't sure if there were laws against that sort of thing. "Home," he said instead. As Kija repeated the simple answer, Soren felt the need to elaborate. "My people are from all over the Northern countries. Navire." He gestured at Kurias, then Jerios, standing at the helm. "Deorun. Morcea." Ara was standing on the far side of the deck with Roan. "Zianna. We all want to get home."

As he finished speaking, the other two sailors returned to the deck with Ivern following behind. One of them made what sounded like brisk report, and the woman nodded before speaking.

"Everything seems to be in order," Kija said. "You are free to continue, but we must inspect your companion ship. I also urge you to be cautious as you sail North. Rico-Kai has been seen near Crayse."

Soren nodded. Although they had known Rico was somewhere ahead of them, the confirmation was nice to hear. He tried not to sound pleased. "Thank you. We'll be careful."

With that, the inspection was over. The woman exchanged a few more words with Kija, then she waved at her three men and they crossed the wooden plank. They were an efficient crew. Within moments of her returning to her ship, sails had been dropped and they were gliding away toward Elorie's ship.

Soren watched, relieved. The confrontation had gone more smoothly than he had hoped. Even Tanden probably couldn't have handled it better. Quicker maybe, without the need for Kija. And they could have skimmed over the whole issue of Kija's name. With a frown, Soren turned to him. "You're a slave?"

The boy shrugged. "My mother was, so my muxil is Owa."

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen. That is what I told her," he said. "That when I turn twenty, I will change my muxil and become Kija-Eko."

"It's that easy?"

"Because I escaped, and the pirates do not care what my muxil is." Kija shrugged again, his eyes dropping to the deck. "Many of us are named Owa, before we become free. We are not all here to hurt people. Do you want to put me back in the room, now?"

Soren wasn't sure what to make of the revelation. Thinking of the pirates as one cruel entity had been easy. But in her own way, Elorie had shown him that it wasn't so simple. Now this. This idea that some of Rico's crew might have just wanted a way to be free. Soren needed more time to think about it, but there was one thing he knew.

"No. You can stay on deck, see if Ivern has a job for you. Thank you for your help."

Kija smiled tentatively. "You are a kind toxo."

"I'm not a ghost."

Instead of replying, Kija strolled away, heading for Ivern. Soren watched him for a moment before climbing up the steps to stand beside Jerios at the helm. Behind them, Elorie's ship was still being inspected. Soren leaned against the bulwark to watch. The instant the Xaoto ship left, they would carry on.

"He's been seen near Crayse," he said musingly, exchanging a glance with Jerios.

Jerios smiled grimly. "Good."