Down in the gallery, Archibell prepared a simmering kettle. It boiled and bubbled as he casually tossed some starfish into a reddish brown stew, stirring it into a thick meaty broth. Elise's stomach no longer felt nauseous and she rubbed her belly hungrily. Twilight had come at last and she was ready for dinner.

Tony the Troutface had been removed from the captain's quarters and was now hooked on the wall below the deck. "So toots," he said, extending his fishy face off the wall. "I hope you didn't run into me ol' gang--"

"The Land sharks?!" Elise nodded.

The talking trout was silent. His beady fish eye observed Elise in a way that made her feel uncomfortable. "Why are you side eyeing me," she said, and Tony gave an offended gasp.

"I'm a fish, small fry," he gruffly growled. "Me eyes are on the side of me head. But erm...anyway, did they ask about me?"

Elise shook her head sadly.

"Figures," the trout said. "Ever since Whyte took over that gang, they've never been thoughtful of anyone. Ya know, when me, Tony, was in charge, we cared more about choreography and finger snapping. Ever since Whyte's taken over, they sure turned mean fast."

Elise nodded as the captain poured her five starfish stew. "You got that right. They were going to rob me and I'm a kid! If it wasn't for the admiral, I'd be mugged and in the gutter!"

The captain gagged and looked like he was about to throw up in his mouth. Elise asked him, "What's this beef you and the admiral have?"

"It ain't a beef," the captain grumbled. "It's more a big smelly fish."

("Watch yer language!" Tony the Troutface snapped.)

"Can you tell me please?" Elise asked, trying to make her eyes as large as a puppy dog fish's.

The captain poured stew into his own bowl. "It's nothing special. A sordid tryst between two blood brothers and the wee lass who came between them."

"Ooh! I love trwysts!" Elise lisped on the word. "My mommy had a whole collection of high seas romance books! I loved to read em."

The captain's dark eyes surveyed Elise. "This one is much too messy for your dainty books!"

"Please?!" Elise begged, making puppy dog fish eyes again.

Archibell sighed. "Now I see the black magic you worked on that sap of my brother."

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Archibell stood up, pacing with his food in hand. "Let me tell you this: my brother and I were always at odds. He was favored by my family with his ardent desire to become a royal navy man in service of the queen. Your dear captain on the other hand was a layabout who'd rather sail the four great oceans in search of treasure and booty--and yes, kid, there is a difference!"

Elise nodded and sipped her stew. It was the classic clash between brothers. One was pirate and the other a sea man, and their view of the ocean--whether it should be orderly or chaotic--often lead to a climactic showdown. She often read about those in her romance books. The Archibells, so it seemed, were as vibrant as literary characters.

Archibell held his hand out dramatically while he clutched his stew in the other. "Now for the X-marks-the-spot factor, thr thing that really brought this hardy stew to a boil: Lyra Blackswan from the house of Swan. Cunning, dark haired and feisty but with a soft spot for classical and jazz music, she captured both of our hearts with her lyrical lyre plucking…"

Elise's eyes brightened and she sighed. She imagined the two brothers charmed by this beautiful woman.

Archibell gazed wistfully into his stew. "My parents, desperate for a higher standing, arranged a marriage between Miss Blackswan and my brother. But on the eve of their wedding night, Lyra ran away with yours truly to have countless pirate adventures!"

"Is she the lady in the painting?" Elise said, her eyes wide with amazement.

"Why yes, freckles," Archibell said. "You are as eagle eyed as the dark lass herself."

"And the ship's name!" Elise exclaimed

"Aye…" Archibell said, starring into the contents of the stew. "She gripped me like a vessel in the eye of the hurricane"

"They were in looooove!" Tony the Troutface mocked him.

"Silence fish!" Archibell shouted. "Or I'll put you in the frier!"

"We don't have a friar," Tony said but the captain stuck a spoon in his mouth.

"What happened to her?" Elise asked precociously, but Archibell turned away.

"That is a story for another time."

Elise nodded in agreement, wishing the tale of the Archibells were in the printed page so she could read it all night.

"Anywho," Archibell said, checking the cooler. "We should probably see if there's room and board on this here island….And stock up on goodies...we're fresh outta coconuts for our pina coladas."

"Ooh yesh," Elise nodded. "And the trident. What about the trident?"

"I dunno about that," Archibell cawed. "But you never know what kind of rumors are floating in the high seas."

Elise finished her stew and together they disembarked into the dark.

Night had fallen, but Elise saw torches from a village in the far distance. A cold dry fog hovered low on the ground, giving an unnatural chill to the tropical temperature.

A figure approached the boat. Running through the fog was an average looking man with brunette hair and soft, middle-aged features. He wore a brown tunic and slacks. The only thing odd about him as he was as pale as a sheet of dry ice.

"How goes it, land lubber?" said Archibell with his fingers in his belt.

"I would turn back if I were you…" the man said, panting hard.

"Why?" Elise asked innocently.

"Folks have been disappearing around here lately…" the man said.

There was a shriek off in the distance. Elise turned her head for one second. When she turned her head back, the man was gone.