The sea was calm that night. Lynn still found herself feeling sick to her stomach, but it was better than it had been earlier. Aside from the gentle spray of the sea, the night was quiet. The moon was bright in a cloudy sky, a sky that was deep navy blue from the ocean’s reflection.
She had been fitting in with the crew after today’s events. The pot they looted from the merchant ship was used by Lynn to make a fantastic supper for the crew, which everyone enjoyed. After tasting her cooking, no one had objections to her being part of the crew. Except Lynn herself. Though, she was starting to feel more welcome.
She sat with her legs over the side of the ship, she couldn’t stop thinking about what the captain said. How could he really believe that he was any better than the rest of these pirates? He had spoken as if he were some angel among demons. She was sickened by his reluctance to put any control over his crew, how he so casually justified murder. “He’s the captain, he should have more authority over them.” Lynn muttered. Everything he said was lies. He was just as cruel as his crew. But then again, he acted so gentle towards her. She had watched him that whole day. Nothing about his actions struck her as cruel, more as a bumbling fool. Nothing about him made sense to her. And there was something else about him.
Lynn’s ears perked up, it had been there for a while, but she hadn’t heard it until now. Something had disturbed the silence of the night. Someone was singing. The voice was soft, and low. The gentle notes drifted through the wind and blended with the ambiance of the night. Whoever it was didn’t want to wake the crew.
Lynn looked around the deck, she saw the singer up by the steering board, facing away. She didn’t recognize the sailor, she listened intently.
I ride upon swift waters
I sail upon great waves
The stars will be my guide
Let the rivers take me home.
Sailing forth from my homeland
The sea awaits my cry!
Oh adventure is my calling
With cloth sails I will fly!
Oh I ride upon swift waters
I sail upon great waves
The stars will be my guide
Let the rivers take me home.
His voice was beautiful, but he sounded almost sad. Lynn began to approach the sailor, as she got closer, she saw his tricorn hat off to the side. Now she began to recognize the sailor. It was the captain. Without his hat, he looked different. She went to his side, leaning on the rail next to him.
“I know that song.” Lynn said simply.
“It’s a song from my home. The sailor boys would sing when they came into port.” The captain answered, he had stopped singing, though he didn’t even seem startled by Lynn.
“And where is your home?” Lynn had been wondering this question all day.
The captain actually smiled. “Is it important? Lynn, you worry too much about where you’ve been, the past. What’s important is what is now. My home is the sea, right here on this ship.”
Lynn nodded, looking out across the water. “What’s the song about?”
“Sailors would leave for their voyages through a river passage, and though they had great adventures, they always sang that the same river would take them back home.”
“It’s about wanting to go home…” Lynn muttered.
“The sea’s not meant for everyone. Not everyone can give up the land, their loved ones.” Lynn felt the captain’s eyes appraising her. “Like you. There’s someone back home, isn’t there?”
Lynn physically stepped back, stammering, “Wh-what? What are you talking about?”
“It’s written all over you, butterfly. You’ve got the hots for a certain gentleman.”
Lynn pursed her lip. She couldn’t help her mind from flashing images of Somwang. She could have laughed. A gentleman. Somwang was anything but. This stupid pirate would never understand that. “I...wouldn’t exactly say that.”
“Ah, so it’s a lady then.” It was as if he read her thoughts, Lynn was in shock. “It’s alright, butterfly, I don’t judge.”
“You don’t?” That was perplexing, Lynn had always assumed only Kumandrans were so open minded about that sort of thing.
“Of course not, pirates are all about freedom, butterfly. Freedom to be anything. No pirate would judge another for something land dwellers would see as odd. Out here on the sea? No one cares.”
“Freedom…” Lynn echoed.
“A word of advice, butterfly. If there’s something keeping you from what you want to have, let it go. As I said, you worry too much about what’s been. Worry more about what’s going to be. What you want it to be. And make it so.”
Lynn chuckled, she wondered if The Captain realized the irony in that statement.
“I’ll tell you what. If we get caught, I’ll spring you free, and you go get your girl. Savvy?” he held out his hand for Lynn to shake.
Lynn was reluctant for a moment, but saw no harm in taking the pirate’s hand, for maybe there was more to him than just a pirate. She shook his hand. “I’ll hold you to it.” As she turned to face him, she looked over his shoulder and in the distance, saw a ship bearing for them. “Captain, there’s a ship.”
Tai Hoa whipped around, squinting into the distance. Lynn watched him visibly pale. “Oh shit.”
“You know that ship?” Lynn asked.
Tai Hoa whipped back to face her, “We have to be quick. Rouse the crew, we need to hide the Dragon Gem, and prepare the deck.” He had a look of fear on his face that was incredibly contagious.
“Who is it?” She asked again, but Tai Hoa was already on the move, hurrying across the deck to where the Dragon Gem rested on its pedestal. She caught up to him, grabbing his shoulder. “Captain, who is on that ship?” She demanded.
Tai whipped to face her, holding up his hands to enunciate, “Stop asking questions and get to work. I may be a dreaded pirate, but the woman on that ship makes me look like a child with a big stick.” He snapped, which Lynn found very out of character.
“What do I tell the crew? It’s the middle of the night!” Lynn sputtered.
“Tell them we’re to expect a visit from Her.”
“Who?”
“Kapitan.” With that he kept on his way, refusing to say more. Lynn gave a huff and hurried below deck where all the crew was sleeping. She looked around and spotted a bell on the wall. Quickly she began to ring it.
“Get up you filthy mga hayop! Captain says get up!” She shouted. It wasn’t long before thirty tired and angry pirates were staring her down.
“What the hell are you raving about?” Demanded Wangi.
Lynn stopped ringing the bell, she steeled her courage and answered, “We’re getting a visit from Kapitan.” Immediately every crew member paled, suddenly awake and alert. Everyone sprang from their bunks and began to get dressed, the below deck was a flurry of activity. Lynn struggled to get back topside.
Above, Tai Hoa was frantically scurrying about the deck, making sure everything was in order and ship-shape. Lynn looked to the pedestal, the Gem was gone. “Captain, where’s the Gem?” She asked.
“I told you, I hid it away.” Tai Hoa answered frantically.
“Why?”
“She doesn’t take kindly to thieves. So, you can gather she doesn’t like us very much. And she especially wouldn’t like to learn we’d stolen the prized treasure from her homeland.”
“She’s Kumandran?” Lynn asked, slightly excited, but also nervous, since she was the one being framed for stealing it in the first place.
“Yes, but don’t let that make you think she’ll be any kinder to you.” Now it was Wangi that answered, fully dressed and getting to work. “Get your lousy asses up here! The Felipina’s almost upon us!” Wangi shouted below.
Indeed, Lynn looked past Wangi and saw the mysterious ship bearing on them. It was smaller than the Crimson Songbird, but it still had an intimidating presence. The sails on the ship were raised by seemingly no one and the ship drifted to a stop only a few meters away from the Crimson Songbird. A single sailor threw the anchor over the side of the ship, then stepped into a small boat tethered to the ship. There wasn’t much distance between the two ships, but it was enough that anyone traveling between the two would get their feet wet.
Lynn turned around and saw the full crew lined up along the deck, each one rigid with fear. Including Wangi. Enoch slid to the side and gestured Lynn over with a nod of his head. Quickly Lynn filled the gap. By the time she turned around, the boarding party was climbing over the side of the ship, and Lynn was struck with the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. She was clad in beautiful silks of red and pale yellow, her long brown hair looked almost as delicate as the silks she wore, tossed over her shoulder it blew lightly in the night breeze, her face was practically flawless, with strong bones and no blemishes on the soft skin. Resting on her shoulder was a massive eagle.
Where Tai Hoa was scrappy and ratty, she was elegant and pulled together; where Tai Hoa was unclean and poorly kept, she was well washed and tidy; where Tai Hoa was vile as he was dashing, she was beautiful as well as dashing. Though despite the differences, it was clear she was just as much of a pirate as Tai Hoa.
Tai Hoa made his way over to her from the steering board. “You have an awful lot of nerve showing-”
“Don’t start with me Tai Hoa.” The woman quickly cut him off, eliciting a small yelp from Tai. “You know well why I’m here, you owe me.”
Tai Hoa seemed exasperated, “Of course, and I assure you, I have what I owe... Most of it... Some of it.” His neck seemed to shrink into itself as he practically cowered before this woman.
“No doubt you’ve stolen the whole sum.” The woman said with a roll of her eyes. Lynn was enchanted.
Tai Hoa put an offended hand to his bare chest, “Preposterous, such things are beneath me. You know that.”
“The only thing beneath you is the dirt under your boots.” Lynn hadn’t noticed until now, but Tai Hoa wasn’t barefoot anymore. He was wearing a very fine pair of boots. He held up his hands to put distance between himself and the woman. “You bet more than you could pay in Sic Bo, and now you owe me. I know you’re not an honorable man, but I had hoped you at least had enough sense to keep deals.”
“You know it’s funny you should come by right now, we were actually on our way to collect a payment that would more than settle our debt. Perhaps you could wait just a tad longer?” He tried to put on a cocky smile. Lynn could see him quickly improvising a way out. The woman eyed the captain skeptically.
“Well then, perhaps I should accompany you? Make sure the deal goes off without a hitch.” She smiled, knowing she had Tai Hoa cornered. He mentally scrambled for an escape.
“Why trouble yourself, Ashvi? My crew is more than capable of handling themselves.” He was the picture of dashing, oozing charisma, and panicking internally.
“Ohh, come on Tai. Who knows? Could be fun. Two old friends, sailing together again.” The woman, who Lynn understood to be called Ashvi, casually put her arm around Tai Hoa, Lynn was enchanted by her confidence. This eccentric woman had the full deck of cards, and she knew it.
Tai Hoa nervously attempted to weasel out of her grasp. “Yes...So much fun.”
Ashvi scanned the ship casually, her eyes fell on Lynn. “Well well well, what do we have here?” She approached Lynn, each step she took was calculated and graceful. Her voice was angelic and yet, as enchanted as she was by this woman, Lynn was also intimidated. As Ashvi approached Lynn, Tai Hoa sprung into movement, cutting between the two.
“She’s nobody. No one at all. Just a new crew member we picked up. Bartered her way aboard. Clever girl.” He was improvising again, Lynn found herself a little impressed by how quick he was on his tongue.
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“Really? And what were you doing in Kumandra?” She said, her arms crossed against her chest.
Tai Hoa’s face dropped, the cogs were turning in his mind. “Who said anything about Kumandra? That’s your territory, I’d never go near it.”
“And yet this...beautiful woman you have picked up is Kumandran herself.” Ashvi countered, she carefully used the word beautiful, she seemed to be weighing if she should admit that description.
“No she isn’t.”
“No I’m not.” Lynn thought it might be the right choice, just this once, to go along with Tai Hoa’s lead.
“Oh?” Ashvi stepped around Tai Hoa, she took Lynn’s hand delicately into her own, her skin was rough and calloused, but her touch was gentle. She flipped Lynn’s arm and exposed her dragon tattoo. “So this is just a passing fascination then?” Lynn turned her face away. “I’m not a fool, Tai Hoa, please don’t treat me like one. You won’t tell me your business in my turf, fine, but I am now assuredly going to come with you to collect your debt.”
Tai Hoa wasn’t at all happy with this decision, he showed it in his awkward smile, once again he tried to weasel his way out of the predicament, “Surely you would be remiss to leave your precious Felipina alone in the waters. For I can’t help but notice you have no crew.” Tai frowned, “What happened? Last time I saw you I distinctly remember you having a crew.”
Ashvi scowled, her pleasant smile turned to a look of disgust and anger, “And what business is that to you, Tai Hoa?”
Lynn watched Tai visibly gulp, “None at all. Just...making conversation.” He stepped back so he was adjacent to Saharjo. “What say you we weigh anchor, savvy?” He gave a stern look, which Saharjo quickly picked up and took to action.
“WEIGH ANCHOR ANJING! LOWER SAILS! SET CHARTS! GO GO!” It wasn’t long before the ship was ready and sailing, manned by a tired crew that had had their sleep interrupted. Lynn spied Wangi, Saharjo and Tai Hoa slipping into the captain’s quarters and quickly moved to follow.
“And what exactly is your great plan this time, Captain?” Wangi accosted once they were out of Ashvi’s earshot. “You don’t just find eight thousand jade lying around.” Her snake twisted around her shoulders, sliding down and onto the table.
“Kapitan won’t take kindly if we can’t produce that jade.” Saharjo said, a clear worry across his face.
“Do you really have a payment you can collect?” Lynn put in, not really certain if she had a place to.
“Please, one at a time, my friends. I have a plan, I’m not worried about Ashvi, and no I don’t have a payment to collect.” He answered with a smile, no one else smiled, no one was satisfied with this answer.
“So what are we going to do?” Wangi demanded.
“We’re going to take a gamble.” He answered, still with that grin on his face.
“Isn’t that what got you into this mess?” Lynn asked.
“Yes, but this is a safe gamble. Because we have this.” He produced the Dragon Gem.
“And what exactly are we supposed to do with that? We don’t even know how it works. Unless koki has some advice.” Saharjo spat.
Lynn held up her hands defensively, “I’m just a cook, I’ve only met the dragons a few times.”
“Ah, but I’ll wager Haliya knows. She’s proven to be familiar with Kumandran stories and artifacts.” Tai Hoa grinned.
“So you intend to tell the pirates of Kumandra, that we stole the treasure of Kumandra.” Wangi crossed her arms in annoyance, “Your genius astounds me, captain.”
“But that’s the brilliance of it, you see. We don’t have to tell them, until they want us to tell them.” He seemed especially proud of this statement.
“That doesn’t make any sense.” Lynn pointed out.
Tai Hoa sighed, “Since you are so clearly blind to my machinations, I’ll break it down. There is an island, east of Temasek, populated only by statues of stone. Statues that long ago, were flesh and blood the same as you or I.”
“That’s ridiculous.” Saharjo scoffed.
“It’s the Druun…” Lynn breathed.
“Precisely, butterfly. The very same Druun that until not long ago ravaged Kumandra.” He said with a point to Lynn.
“What does this have to do with us?” Wangi huffed impatiently.
“I was getting to that bit. Not long ago I received a messenger bird sent from the island, pleading for help. Obviously, I ignored it, but recent events have made me more open to such pleas. We have the Gem, we have Haliya. I believe we may be able to offer some help to this island in exchange for the jade we need.”
“Wait wait. I don’t understand, what’s so important about Haliya? Who is Haliya?” Whoever it was they were talking about, she seemed very important, but Lynn had never heard of such a person.
“Haliya is the… interest of Ashvi. They’ve traveled together since I believe the beginning.” Saharjo answered, struggling to find exactly how to describe Haliya.
“I’m shocked to see Haliya wasn’t with her now.” Admitted Wangi.
“So...she’s just another pirate? What’s so special about that?” Lynn asked incredulously.
“Butterfly, Haliya is not your ordinary pirate. She’s...special.” Tai answered carefully.
“It’s rumored she’s...blessed.” Wangi seemed hesitant as she explained. As if she felt silly saying this.
“Blessed?” Said Lynn.
“By the dragons.” Tai explained.
Saharjo sighed, “Legends say that on special occasions, the dragons can bestow a human with their blessing…and power. But it’s nonsense, no such “blessing” exist.”
“Regardless, blessed or not, she knows about Kumandran magic, and she’ll know how to reverse the curse of the Druun. Savvy?” Tai looked to the three crewmates.
In unison they all agreed, “Savvy.”
“All due respect captain, Haliya’s not here. We may have Ashvi, but we all saw her boat was empty.”
“Well then, we’ll just have to find out where she is. Butterfly, I believe I can trust you with that? Ashvi seems to like you.” Tai instructed.
Lynn folded her arms, “I suppose I don’t get a choice in this?”
Tai grinned, “Not at all. Saharjo, set course for Pulau Batu. Wangi, please take Kipper off of my map table.” Wangi held out her hand and the snake slithered back up her arm. “Butterfly, even if you can’t get her to tell you where Haliya is, it is most important to keep her away from this.” He gestured to the Gem. “If she finds out we have this before we’re ready to show her, we’ll all be dead before the next day.” Lynn nodded and followed Saharjo back to the deck, as she left, she faintly heard Wangi speak to Tai.
“What if we can’t get Haliya to accompany us?”
“Well then I have...”
He trailed off as Lynn got out of earshot. She approached Ashvi.
“Hey good lookin’.” Ashvi flashed a smile. She was in the middle of staring off into the horizon. “I don’t think I ever got your name.”
“Oh, it’s...Lynn.” She still found herself intimidated by this woman, and yet at the same time, she couldn’t get over her beauty. She wasn’t at all like the other pirates, who could only manage beauty if the wind tousled their hair in just the right way. Ashvi looked as if she was telling the wind how to blow her hair. The spray of the sea created a majestic backlight for her. She had a mature air around herself,
“Lynn? Bit short for a Kumandran, but I like it. Suits you.” She shook her head and flipped her hair, adjusting to a change in the wind. “So, how do you like it out on the sea? You’re awfully far from home.”
Lynn carefully eyed Ashvi. She wasn’t yet sure why she made all the other crew members so scared, but she felt she had to be careful. “It’s scary. We’re in the middle of a vast emptiness of nothing but water for miles, and my only company is bloodthirsty pirates. It makes me...regret leaving home. Not to mention, there’s a venomous snake aboard, which makes it difficult to fall asleep.”
Ashvi laughed, “Ah, Wangi’s little pet. Tell me, Lynn. Why’d you leave Kumandra? You don’t seem very enthusiastic for a stowaway.”
Lynn gulped. Shit. Letting other people lie for her was one thing, but herself lying? She was a terrible liar. “I...was tired of being just a cook.” A lie.
“Oh, you’re a cook? Well, I’ll have to try some of your cooking.”
Lynn felt a tension in that she wasn’t sure she liked, so she quickly flipped the question. “What about you?”
She gave a smile, “I wanted freedom. To control my own destiny. You won’t catch me marrying some sleaze with no class.”
Lynn smiled too, “And piracy is freedom?” She parroted Tai’s line.
Ashvi laughed, a warm laugh that made Lynn feel safe. “You’ve been spending too much time with Tai Hoa. But yes, Piracy is freedom. I freed myself from that binturi they were going to have me marry, and now I answer to no one but myself.”
“You’re not wrong that I’ve been spending too much time with the captain. More time than I ever would’ve liked to.” She said with a chuckle.
“Well, you could join my crew, I don’t consort as much with what you call “bloodthirsty pirates”, not to mention,” Ashvi walked her fingers across the gunwale, then began sliding her hand up Lynn’s arm, “I’d be happy to have you.” She said warmly, with a touch of something else.
Lynn smiled back, her spine shivered at Ashvi’s touch. Her offer was enticing, if she couldn’t go back to Kumandra, why not go with this woman? She was much more pleasant to be around than anyone aboard The Crimson Songbird. Lynn found herself greatly enjoying her company. She couldn’t, though. If Ashvi’s territory was Kumandra like Tai had said, there was a strong likelihood someone would recognize Lynn. As much as she hated the idea of staying with the Songbird’s crew, they would keep her away from Kumandra.
“Oh believe me,” She said with a fake smile, “I wish I could. I made a deal with the captain though, besides, some of these bloodthirsty pirates are starting to grow on me.” As much as she wanted that to be a lie, she wasn’t entirely sure it was.
“Well that’s simply a shame,” She traced Lynn’s chin with her finger, before letting it drop. “You’ve got quite the lust for adventure if you’d willingly stay with Tai Hoa’s crew.” She gave a laugh. Lynn didn’t like the way she said lust. She quickly changed the subject.
“He’s...an awfully odd man, isn’t he? He’s not like the others.”
Ashvi nodded in amused agreement. “I assure you my old friend is one of a kind. He sails under his own code, one of freedom. He answers to no one, he kills no one, and he makes bed with no one.” She explained.
Lynn raised an eyebrow, “Really? He’s abstinent?”
Ashvi smirked, “Neither of his swords have ever touched human flesh.”
Lynn laughed, "Gross!" She playfully slugged Ashvi in the shoulder.
Her eyes widened as soon as she did, she hadn't meant to. Well, she had, but she hadn't realized what she was doing. For a second she had felt...she was with Somwang again.
As she stared in horror, awaiting Ashvi's retaliation, Ashvi burst out laughing. Lynn stared for a moment, then burst out laughing too, both of the women holding onto each other for support. Lynn wasn't sure what was so funny, perhaps it was just the release of her nervous tension.
Ashvi's full laugh was adorable, one of those laughs where she snorts on occasion. Ashvi kept trying to cover her mouth, clearly not proud of it. Lynn couldn't judge of course, her laugh wasn't any more dignified. The two were getting looks from the crew, doubled over in laughter. Finally they pulled themselves together and looked up to each other. Somehow they had gotten closer together, and now were inches from each other's face. Ashvi's eyes were at level with Lynn's, Ashvi's nose was practically touching Lynn's, and her lips were only a small slip away from pressing against Lynn's. The two stared for a moment, breathing steadily, before Lynn jumped back.
"I'm so sorry!" She cried.
Ashvi blushed, "No no, it's alright. My fault entirely."
Quickly Lynn tried to change the subject. “So...umm…the captain mentioned a...traveling companion of yours...Haliya?”
It was like flipping a coin, Ashvi changed from bashful and flirty, to dark and broody. Something about that name seemed to instantly darken her mood. “Did he? Doesn’t seem like his business to be telling you.”
Immediately Lynn realized this wasn’t something she should be touching with a ten-meter pole, but whatever wild plan Tai had was relying on whoever Haliya was. “Well then...perhaps you could tell me about her?” Lynn nervously ventured.
Ashvi folded her arms over the side of the ship. “She was the one who saved me from my marriage. Without her, I’d be living in misery now. A dull life with a horrid excuse for a man. Haliya brought me away from that.”
Lynn desperately wanted to stop prying, none of this was her business. Tai had insisted Haliya was important though, they needed to find her. “Where is she now?”
Ashvi closed her eyes. “She’s gone. And she won’t be coming back. Not this time.” That was all she had to say. Lynn understood.
Lynn turned away to return to Tai Hoa and tell him what she had learned, but then paused, one more question on her mind. “Where does he come from?” The question had been on her mind for a while now, she had asked Tai, but he hadn’t given anything concrete.
Ashvi carefully pondered the question, “Everywhere.” Lynn raised an eyebrow. “Tai Hoa is a man of the world as much as he is of the sea. He’s traveled the entire world, and they say he takes a little bit of every place he goes. The question of where he’s from is silly, because that place is nothing more than a memory to him.”
Lynn thought about that. She thought about what the captain had told her, about his home not being important, about how she worried too much about the past.
Ashvi continued, “If you really want to know, Tai Hoa was born in the same place as you and I.” She pointed to a flag hanging from one of the sails. One of the flags with two claws on it.
Like a shot from a cannon, the realization dawned on Lynn. They weren’t claws. They were Talons. “Tai...is Kumandran?” She asked, suddenly she felt like she didn’t have enough oxygen.
“Oh yes. I recognized it as soon as I met him. It’s the nose.” Ashvi said with a laugh.
Lynn wasn’t laughing. She couldn’t believe this. How could Tai Hoa be Kumandran? She straightened her posture and turned away without a word to Ashvi. “Lynn? Did I say something wrong?” Lynn wasn’t listening.
With a powerful kick she stormed into the Captain’s quarters. “Tai Hoa!” She practically roared. Tai Hoa looked up from his conversation with Wangi. “You’re Kumandran!?”
Tai Hoa held up his hands, “Well, not exac-” He couldn’t finish, Lynn grabbed him by the collar and pinned him against the wall. He was taller than her, and muscular in his own right, but Lynn easily outclassed him. He was buff, Lynn was chiseled.
“How could you? How could you steal from your own homeland? Their most important treasure, no less! You know what that means to Kumandra!” She was furious. She was putting an end to this right now. She would take the Dragon Gem back from Tai Hoa and she herself would carry it back to Kumandra. Be damned if they arrested her, this man wouldn’t win. She reeled back her arm to hit him in the face.
“Wait wait, wait a moment. You’re missing the point, butterfly. I didn’t steal that Gem for me.” He protested, talking quickly. “Let’s not forget that little island of stone. Do they not need this Gem?”
Lynn clenched her fist, “You’re only helping them for jade.”
“Or potentially I’m doing it out of the kindness of my blackened heart. I only need the jade to pay Ashvi.” His words oozed with charm, and Lynn hated it. “Perhaps this is just my way of justifying helping these poor people.”
“Kumandra needs the Dragon Gem.” Lynn fought back.
“Not correct, Kumandra has the draa.” Lynn let him go. Shit. He was right. Every power the Dragon Gem had was the same as the draa. Kumandra could easily operate without the Gem. For a while anyway. She wasn’t sure how long the alliances would hold without the Gem.
"If that were the case you could have negotiated with the chiefs. Explained the situation with the island."
"Would your chiefs have negotiated with a pirate?" She scowled, "And if they listened to said pirate, do you truly believe they would part with their precious rock for even a day?" He said with a smile, knowing he was correct. Lynn frowned, she honestly wasn't sure if the chiefs would. With a scowl, she stormed back to the deck.
Lynn gave one final backwards glare before leaving. “She doesn’t know where Haliya is.” She spat. Then left without another word.