I decided to try my luck again.

Slowly and gently, giving Abigail the chance to pull away, I climbed over her, bracing a hand on either side of her head.

Abigail squeaked nervously.

“I’ve never been with a human before.”

Abigail was bright red. She tugged her collar and turned her head to the side where she didn’t have to make eye contact. She chuckled nervously. “I..uh…me neither?…You know that building you pointed out? The Scarlet Cordia? Rose tried to get me a room there the first time I came here.”

Abigail imitated Rose’s rough voice as she continued “‘Come on. Try to relax and have a little fun.’ She even picked out someone for me to…’have fun’ with and bought me a room, can you believe that?”

By the time Abigail finished her story, she was a few shades redder still. “Nothing really happened, though we still talk sometimes…I owe her a lot.” She cleared her throat.

“Oh!” I said, finally piecing it together “I know what a brothel is, Abigail. Goodness, you all need to speak more plainly.” She leaned in close.

“My memory may be more than a little foggy and I may be a bit naive about your culture, but I’m far from innocent.”

I leaned in. Abigail squeaked and again pulled away.

I looked back at her in devastation.

Abigail backtracked frantically. “It’s not that I don’t want to!” she said hastily. “It’s just… the only times I’ve ever been kissed are that time at the Cordia and my wedding night...”

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At that, my eyes went wide and I felt my heart drop into my stomach.

Abigail only became more frantic. “No! I-I mean…it wasn’t like that!” she said “It wasn’t something I…chose to do.”

Eyes still wide, I climbed off of her to sit beside her.

With a deep breath, Abigail began to tell her story. The bankruptcy, the arranged marriage, the abuse…

“And then a cannonball crashed through my window.”

“Directly into his head, I hope.” said I with venom.

All I wanted right now was to gather Abigail up in my arms and hold her forever, keeping her safe and warm.

She laughed. “You’re not the first to say as such, but unfortunately no…I ended up running all the way to the docks. I stowed away on Rose’s ship and she found me. I’ve been working for her ever since.”

“And there wasn’t anyone before or after…him?” I asked, spitting the last word.

Abigail glanced to the side. “I didn’t exactly…relationships between those of the same gender aren’t exactly uncommon or shunned for pirates but for the rest of society…I never really had the chance.”

Ah, that would explain the people at the docks, then.

“Oh, you poor thing.” I said. I could hardly imagine. Going one’s whole adult life without love or the touch of another.

“Pearl?” Abigail said, snapping me out of her thoughts “I think…I think you may be moving a little bit too fast for me.”

Finally I understood it, the reluctance to be with me the way I wanted to be with her.

“I see… “ I said. I looked back up at Abigail earnestly. “Is there anything you’d be comfortable with to start with?”

Abigail took my hand in hers, rubbing her thumb over my knuckles shakily, but gently.

Hesitantly, she leaned in, nuzzling her face in the crook of my neck.

I smiled. This was good. This I could work with.