John Silver watched as the men departed, walking around the maroon camp and talking. They would have six hours of free time before boarding the Walrus, the Man of War and Blackbeard's ship set sail for Nassau.

Looking up John spotted Madi from her tower apartment standing in a cream linen dress with green embroidered wrap, her hair unbound for the first time. She had been watching him give a speech to the men he knew. Before he could life his had to wave she turned and entered her room.

Madi as always heard John Silver walking the stairs to her apartment well before she saw him.

"You told your man to enjoy the time they have here for a long fight is to come" Madi said as John rounded the corner. John body was tense and would be until after the fight he was sure to be bloody on Nassau. Her regal voice always had a way of calming him, easing his tension.

"Yes" Silvers replied while watching her which he enjoyed doing, her movements always poised and graceful.

"Your men... they smoke opium, they drink rum and they have liaisons with women" Madi continued as she placed books back on the bookshelves in an order only she understood. "What do you do John Silver?"

"Well..." John started "we have discussed the opium and the last time I had rum I woke with one last leg. That is a memory I don't care to relive"

Madi concentrated so much on the words John spoke that she failed to hear him walking towards her.

She didn't have to reach for the next book, John was standing right next to her with the book in hand.

"And?" she asked softly

"And... as for the liaisons as you call them..." looking into her eyes as intensely as he always did John spoke clearly "Let me know when you are ready." never blinking, not looking away.

Madi felt completed to break eye contact first. Breathing so deeply her chest rose and fell, almost touching him. Her mouth open, and closed and opened again before she could find the right words...