"Land 'hoy!"

Ariel looked up from her swabbing duties, wiping the sweat from the brow. She desperately wanted to take the cap off, but she didn't dare. Eric was prowling the deck, and she just kept her head down and tried to not draw attention to herself. Dressed as she was, she looked like any other teenage boy. Even the other Mer, who had come aboard wearing their skin-tight combat clothes, had already changed into the looser, light clothing that she wore. However, that didn't mean that they didn't do their duties without at least two blade strapped to their waist…and others surely hidden in their clothes.

She didn't know why the lookout called 'land 'hoy' when all she saw was a speck in the distance. He had gotten her hopes up, thinking that they had finally found dry land! Jim had told her about the prisoner and his promise of land. All she saw was another city like Montressor!

…wait.

There were other cities? Montressor and Atlantis weren't the last human civilisations?

She shot up and sought out Jim, her duties forgotten. Thankfully for her, everyone else had done the same, all of them leaning over the edge of the ship to see the approaching city.

She stood next to Jim, who had also been swabbing the deck. Tired of doing nothing, he had joined her in all of her chores. She had thought he would tire of it by the end of the first week, but it was already the third week and he still came with her. She admired him; for a soft Montressor boy, he was tough. But then again, he always had the ability to surprise her.

"You never told me that there were other human cities!" She accused, her voice low.

He gave her a scornful look. "Seriously? You couldn't have really thought that we were the only humans." He grimaced. "Well, in your case, fish-person."

She rolled her eyes. He would sometimes jab at her fishy side, and she was so used to it now, that she didn't even bother respond. She just let it slide.

"What are they like?"

Jim frowned, trying to place them. "If I'm correct, these should be the Tex people. I think they're what remains of the people of some country called Texas."

She looked at the city, the sun glinting off her large, blue orbs. Jim could see her anticipation, and he couldn't help but grin. He nudged her with his shoulder. "Excited?"

She nodded and she flashed him a smile. His breaths topped in his lungs, and he was only able to breathe again when she looked at the city again. What was that?

-x-

Silver heard the call of "land 'hoy", but instead of running topside, he decided to instead to check out the rig. As the cook, he had explicit knowledge of how much food he prepared and for how many. And he knew that he was preparing for two more than he had to originally.

The first, was easy. It was the cabin boy who was not a boy; maybe the Prince's girlfriend who he couldn't leave. They certainly had the chemistry for it.

The other, on the other hand, was a mystery. He had seen everyone else on deck, except this elusive one. Which meant he was separate, and therefore in the rig. So he crept along the length of the ship, knowing that everyone else was up on top, eagerly looking at the new city.

The rig was as nice as a rig could get. As with his kitchen, it had undergone certain improvements since the fifteenth century….but not much. It was a solitary room, completely sealed off except for the glass door. The prisoner had all he could want in there; a potty, sink, and even a little porthole to look out at the water that they streamed past.

And the prisoner was an old friend.

Silver grinned, his smile like that of a shark's. "Hey there, Bones. Long time no see."

Bone's voice was resigned. "Hey there, Silver. See you're still Flint's lapdog."

Silver laughed. "Don't judge me by my cover, buddy boy. I've turned over a new leaf, can't ya tell?"

Bones gave him a level gaze. "Silver, you can tell meh."

Silver's face morphed into something savage. "So you can sell mih out to dem?" Silver shook his head. "Nat in a million years, my buddy."

Bones sighed, and looked at his hands. Silver wanted to gloat more, but he knew time was a-running out. As he walked away from the small prison, his face crinkled into a frown. Bones was an unexpected hurdle.

And Silver knew what to do with unexpected guests.

-x-

The docked at the port, Amelia's warning that they had to be back by tomorrow at dawn, or she'll leave them ringing in their ears.

The crew of the RLS Legacy piled out of the ship, all eager to be on solid ground again. Ariel and Jim were some of the first. She wanted to get to the highest point, so she could see the world differently, but Jim grasped her arm and dragged her to the nearest restaurant.

The place was bustling, and Ariel scowled at him across the table. He gave her a smirk. "You have to try the food. I hear the Texans had the most…interesting food."

Ariel rolled her eyes. "I ate before I left the ship, Jim. I'm not hungry. C'mon, we could eat later!" Her voice was starting to sound like a whine, and she stood up. The ground swayed under her, and she fell back in her chair.

Jim rolled his eyes are her, and turned to the blonde, busty waitress and placed his order. Ariel stared at the whole process with large eyes. When she needed food, she would normally just go to the market and take what she needed. Or, her father's cooks would prepare her something. Ordering and waiting for her food was a novelty.

"So what did you get?"

He shrugged. "Something called a fajita, and mashed potatoes."

She wrinkled her nose in disgust. "It sounds horrible."

As she said it, the same waitress placed two steaming plates of food in front of them, and gave Ariel a dirty look.

Jim stared at the food, and shrugged. "Don't say anything unless you try it," he said as he dug into his potatoes.

Ariel stared at him, then at her plate. Sizzling pieces of meat sat on the side, next to something that looked like grilled bell peppers and onions. There was also a blob of something white and something green next to each other. Then there were these thins pieces of…something…and a pile of yellow, mushy stuff. She looked around her. She saw some people putting all of the stuff – but the yellow stuff – in the flat pieces and rolling it. Looking at them, and copying them, she made something that resembled a wrap. She looked at Jim, who was shoving everything into his flat, round thing. Her eyes widened and he grinned at her, food in his mouth. She made a disgusted look and he laughed. She scowled at him and put her thing back on her plate. No way was she going to eat it, after seeing it partly chewed in Jim's mouth.

He swallowed and pointed at her food. "C'mon, try it. It's good."

She sighed, but abided. She gingerly placed it in her mouth, bit down cautiously, and chewed. Slowly, her face changed from bracing to surprise. Jim grinned at her. "Good, huh?"

She nodded, taking another bite. When she was finished, she wiped her hands on her napkin and looked at him. "So, what next?"

They spent the rest of the day sightseeing, and laughing at the Tex's twang when they spoke. Mostly, they couldn't understand them.

They never made their way to the highest point in the city, but Jim did take her to the port and she swung her legs over the water. They eventually made their way to the tavern where the rest of the crew were at sunset.

The place was rowdy, and Ariel saw that most of the men she worked alongside had women on their laps. She blushed, knowing what it meant, and stared at Jim. Did he want to have a tavern whore on his lap too? By the grins and high-fives he was giving some of the men, she could only assume he did. Then, she got angry at herself for caring. Why should she care? So, she began to make her way upstairs. She didn't want to see Jim with one of those blondes on his lap.

A grip on her wrist stopped her, and she swung around, ready to punch whoever had grabbed her so rudely. Jim looked at her, an inquisitive look on his face. "Aren't you going to join me? Just for one drink?" There was something in his blue eyes that she couldn't say no to.

So, she didn't.

She followed him to one of the corner tables, and ordered something they called a beer. Where they got all this food and drink, she didn't know. As the tavern girl placed the mug in front of her, with a wink to Jim, she stared at the yellowish liquid. Bile began to rise in her throat as she smelled it. People actually liked to drink this stuff?

She raised her mug and stared at Jim, uncertain. He smirked at her, and tapped her mug with his. "Bottoms up."

She shrugged. "Bottoms up."

The drink burned down her throat, and she sputtered. Not only did it burn, but it had this horrible, sour-sweet taste to it. She spat it back out into the mug, and Jim's laughter echoed in her ears. She glared at him. "That was disgusting!"

"Not really." He chuckled. "I've had worse."

She gave him an incredulous look. "Where?"

He shrugged, taking another swig. "Montressor. I was invited to all the parties," he said with a wink. "Didn't you have alcohol in Atlantis?"

She shook her head. "The strongest thing we had to drink was water," she said acidly. Jim wondered if she was being sarcastic, but before he could ask someone sat at their table.

Jim turned to him to let the guy know that this was a private table, no one else allowed, but froze when he saw the man's face. Eric stared at both of them, an infuriated look in his light blue eyes. Jim gulped and, too late, Ariel pulled her cap over her eyes.

He glowered at her. "Don't even try that, Ariel," he snapped. She sighed and met his eyes, and knew enough to look bashful. "Do you know how angry your father would be when he finds out?"

She bent her head, unable to argue with him. When she heard him this angry – which was rarely – she always felt as if she was five again.

"Very, but she can't go back now." Jim's voice was sure, if a bit cold. Ariel stared at him in surprise. She thought he would be the first to force her off and send her home when Eric found out!

Eric seemed to be equally surprised, and became angry. "And what about you? Harbouring a stowaway?"

Jim gave him a cocky grin. "She wasn't a stowaway. Amelia is fully aware of her presence on the Legacy."

Eric seemed floored by the information, and leaned back in his chair. Before he could say anything else, Jim grabbed Ariel's hand and dragged her upstairs. The last thing she saw was Eric's face. And he looked, strangely enough, heartbroken.

Jim led her to one of the room, not caring which one, and shut the door firmly behind him. Certain Eric want following, he sat on the bed and gave Ariel a worried look. Then he began to laugh.

She looked at him, puzzled, but then a smile spread across her face. For some reason, being busted by Eric but actually standing up to him was an exhilarating feeling. Ever since she was young, she always saw Eric as having the same authority as her father. He could order her around, play with her, but was always too worried about her to actually have fun with her. She had even had a small crush on him, years ago.

She felt as if all ties he had on her were severed. He was no longer accountable for her. He couldn't order her around, couldn't fuss over her too much…she laughed. She didn't have to worry about him finding out, anymore!

She felt free, a feeling she had never had before.

-x-

Even though Atlantis didn't have alcohol, Montressor had plenty. So Eric knew the benefits of alcohol, and knew his limits. Tonight, he passed it.

When had he stopped seeing Ariel as a little girl, and as a woman? How long had he admired her lithe form, her beauty when she swam? It felt like years. He had hoped when Jim became king, and when he was either promoted or relieved of duty, he would propose to Ariel. And he was so sure she would accept.

He guessed it was because he didn't want to see it, but the new cabin boy – a cabin boy he was sure he didn't account for – had looked a lot like Ariel. He didn't want to think of her on this trip. Sure, she had equal claim to it as Jim had, because of Ursula, but he had hoped, for once, that Ariel would just stay home.

But she hadn't.

And she was with Jim.

James Hawkins, the Crown Prince of Montressor, the man he was bound to protect. And, apparently, the man who had helped her pull this off. She was his cabin boy, wasn't she? The thought of them sharing a room sickened him, and he took another swig of the beer. How long has he been down here, anyways? An hour? Two? And through all of that, Jim and Ariel were together.

There was a crash and a shout from the front of the bar, and Eric tried to focus his blurry eyes. Many people streamed through the front door, screaming and waving…what?

Eric squinted his eyes again.

Things came in focus slowly. The lighted torch. The glint of steel in the firelight. The various scars and deformities on the men's faces.

The blood lust in their eyes.

And finally, the chanting of, "Flint! Flint! Flint!"