Am I updating fast enough for you? I'm trying, but I've got one week left until my due date! :D

I haven't gotten many follows lately, so some feedback would help me write faster. I got a nice review from a Kate, so thank you! I'm sorry about the she/he mishap...ugh, I hate when that happens...

Enjoy the chapter! It's not nearly as short as the last one but there's not too much plot furthering either. A lot more dialogue than usual and some fun action. Review please!


I was standing by the railing on the quarterdeck, sipping tea from one of my favorite china cups. The wind was ruffling the pieces of hair that had fallen from my ponytail. The sun had just begun to rise. I loved this time of morning, especially today.

Last night, Akefia had stood at my desk, charting out a route that would give them enough leagues for today, should the wind hold fair. He'd not plotted the entire course, but it was enough to get us going in the right direction.

"Drinking tea on the quarterdeck?" a deep voice asked from behind me.

I turned to look at him. Akefia seemed to appear less ragged. The freedom of the ship agreed with him.

"It makes me feel civilized," I answered.

"I heard once that Black Bart sips tea on the deck of his ship."

"Black Bart is a ruthless pirate," I scoffed. "Do not compare me to him. I'm a privateer and he's a pirate. There's a distinction." He looked at me with that hint of mischief in his eyes and I knew he was trying to get a rise out of me. It was a game for him.

"A subtle distinction. Some would argue there isn't a difference at all."

"I'm not doing anything dishonorable. I'm merely trying to reclaim what was stolen from us." Akefia leaned forward, his forearms resting on the rail and his hands clasped in front of him. He had his hair pulled back as well, although he used a strip of leather to hold it in place.

"Perhaps whether one is seen as pirate or privateer depends on where the one looking stands," he said quietly, as if he was talking to himself now. "For example, you kidnapped me."

"You're not innocent," I replied. "You have a bounty on your head and any action I take against you is justified." With those words, I suddenly felt a spark of guilt. Not everything I was doing was sanctioned by the crown.

"Does Black Bart sail these waters?" I asked quickly.

"From time to time," the pirate in front of me replied, seemingly taking no notice in my trying to change the subject. "His ship is Royal Fortune. His jolly roger is black and has him and death holding an hourglass. If you should see it, you'll want to head in the other direction."

"I'd rather face him," I said, with extreme confidence. Akefia looked at me as if I was crazy.

"Trust me, he's worse than Kelly. He takes no prisoners, ever."

"Have you ever fought him?" I asked, wondering if I would get to hear any stories of epic battles. But Akefia shook his head.

"No, and I have no desire to. It's a sure path to death." As was the path he was currently walking, but I decided against reminding him of this.

"You're up early," I said, changing the subject yet again to lighten the mood. He chuckled at this and looked at me with a smirk.

"Your quartermaster snores."

"You could always return to the brig."

"I think not. I'll adjust," he laughed.

"You don't speak in the manner I would expect of a pirate," I said, taking another sip of my tea and glancing at him over the rim. "You speak almost like a gentleman who would fancy tea in a garden." He kept one arm on the rail and turned the rest of his body to face me.

"That's Kelly's doing."

"The barbaric pirate?" I exclaimed. "He taught you to speak like a gentlemen?"

He shrugged, a corner of his mouth lifting.

"That's not an answer. Did he or didn't he?"

"What will you trade me for the tale?" he asked, a smirk back on his face. Does he ever stop smirking?

"Give it to me with no bartering," I replied, defiantly.

"That's not the pirate way."

"You're serving aboard my ship, so you're not a pirate right now."

"Oh, I'm always a pirate," he said, leaning toward me, eyes twinkling. He loved our arguing and I found myself enjoying it too. Ugh! Why did he have to be so constantly difficult? And why do I still find him so intriguing?

"I order you to tell me or spend a night in the brig!" I demanded, giving him the rise he wanted.

"You're a hard captain," he grinned. I found myself blushing at that, trying to push the perverse meaning out of my head. Is he flirting with me?!

"Y-your tale?" I prodded.

"I suppose there's no harm in telling you," he chuckled, clearly happy that he got such a reaction from me. "Kelly was educated at Oxford."

"A gentleman pirate?" I almost laughed, but I didn't want to offend him and keep from hearing the rest of the story. "I don't believe you. I heard him calling out to you and he sounded rather...uncouth."

"Playacting," Akefia shrugged. I waited, but he said nothing else.

"You're not going to leave it at that, are you?" I asked, giving him a pointed look.

"When we're at sea, he dresses as a gentlemen," he said, chuckling lightly at my curiosity. He nodded his head to my tea cup. "He drinks tea, too, you know. But as soon as a ship is spotted on the horizon, he goes down below. And when he reappears, he is a changed man. His clothes are the colorful garb of a pirate and he sounds as though he'd never read a book in his life. His language is coarse, if you noticed."

"I did. Do you realize he is a madman?" I asked, a small smile on my face. I was glad to have Akefia talking so much. I regretted to find that I enjoyed his stories.

"Depends on where you're standing," he said, holding my gaze. "Are you aware that pirates are a democratic lot? We elect our captains. Who elected you?"

"It's my ship and my quest. Therefore, I issue the orders." I angled my chin and raised my head in disdain of his comment. "I daresay I can't say much for the intelligence of a crew who elects a man such as Thief King Kelly to oversee them." He raised an eyebrow at me.

"He's clever, brave-"

"Brutal," I interjected. Suddenly, I had a thought. If I had thought about it, I wouldn't have asked. But since when could I hold my tongue? "Is it true he drinks the blood of his victims?"

"He once told me that having a reputation for doing something is just as effect as doing it."

"Have you ever seen him do it?" I asked, my eyes widening. I'd almost forgotten who I was talking to as I pressed for more information. He shook his head, no.

"But don't tell a soul, else he might decide to he does have to do it."

"Do what?"

We both turned, startled by the unexpected question. Malik stood there, a tri-cornered hat perched on his long, blond hair.

"We were just discussing Thief King Kelly and whether the rumors of his disgusting habits are true," I told him. He ignored me and glared at Akefia.

"I don't think you should have free reign of the ship," he said sternly.

"I'm not interested in escape," Akefia replied, appearing to take no offense. "At least not yet."

"It's not so much escaping that I am worried about," Malik growled out. "It's the sabotage you're capable of. I don't trust him, Ry."

"Assign someone to watch him then. But no shackles!" I nodded. I wasn't stupid. Akefia may be...fun to talk to, but I knew he was still a pirate at heart. He said it himself. Malik called out over his shoulder.

"Keith! Put Akefia to work swabbing the deck."

I should've seen that coming. Keith was the burly crewman who had whipped Akefia before. It would be nearly impossible for the two to get along now. And of course, Malik decided to give Akefia the lowest job on a ship. I frowned, knowing what was coming next.

"Hey! We didn't agree to this!" Akefia yelled, standing to his full height. He was a few inches taller than Malik, but the quartermaster didn't seem intimidated.

"Everybody pulls their own weight here," Malik said, calmly.

"I'm charting the course."

"And I don't trust it."

I had to step in here. These two were never, ever going to stop if I didn't. For intelligent men, they both acted like children around each other, always bickering.

"Malik, we all agreed to this yesterday," I said, standing to my own full height. Of course, that wasn't very tall compared to the other two, but I stood with an air of confidence about me anyways.

"And I still don't like it," my friend sighed.

"Yes, well that's the way it is going to be. Is there something else you needed?" I was getting fed up of him for the moment, but I knew he wouldn't have come over here just to argue with Akefia. Or would he?

"It's time for you lesson."

"Ah, yes. I'd almost forgotten." I called a young crew member over to take my tea cup before I drew my cutlass. Suddenly, I felt uneasy with Akefia watching carefully.

"You should go below, Akefia. To avoid getting nicked," Malik said, as if reading my anxiety. I wasn't surprised when Akefia merely crossed his arms and leaned against the railing.

"I'd rather stay and watch."

"Fine," I sighed, but turned back to Malik, taking my starting stance. I did my best to ignore the watching pirate as Malik took his own stance.

"Ready?" he asked. I nodded.

He swung his sword around and I matched it, my arm shaking with the force of the swords. I struck out and he jumped back and we circled around each other, me watching his sword carefully. Then, I became aware of something.

Akefia was laughing, a low rumble but it grew louder. I glared at him.

"Do you find something amusing?" I asked, frowning.

"You fight as though you're standing in a parlor," he replied, his eyes narrowed in clear amusement. "Although I must say, it isn't your fault. It's your tutors."

"And you think you could do better, I'm guessing!" Malik exclaimed, clearly offended. Everything Akefia said offended him though.

"Have you ever fought a pirate?"

"I fought several the day your lot attacked us," he growled in response. Akefia chuckled.

"That explains your dislike of me." He walked up and held his hand out towards me. "Let me have your sword and I'll show you what to expect when you come against a pirate."

"You'll never carry a weapon on this ship," Malik said, before I could say anything. But suddenly, Akefia swept towards me, taking my sword before I even knew what was happening. Then, he arced it down, straight for Malik. My quartermaster fell to his knees, defecting the blow. The clash of steel echoed across the deck.

"A pirate will never ask if you're ready," Akefia said, smirking widely.

Malik shoved him, sending him back, but his balance didn't seem very affected. Akefia struck again and again, but Malik skillfully met each rapid-fire thrust and parry, backing up until he was pressed against the railing with nowhere to go.

"A pirate will attack quickly."

Then, he leaped away, grabbed me, and snaked his arms around me, holding me close to his chest. The sword he had stolen from me was pressed up under my chin. My heart was pounding so loudly, it was all I could hear. I was sure that everyone else could hear it as well.

"A pirate will not fight fairly," he said, near my ear so that his breath skimmed over my cheek. "Do you really want to be taught how to fight a pirate by a man with so little experience fighting against them?"

Finally, I decided it was time to react. I lifted my foot and slammed it down on his toe, hard. He yelped (it was very amusing!) and loosened his hold. It was enough for me to slip beyond his reach.

"Keith!" I called out, holding out my hand to the man who was supposed to be guarding Akefia. He tossed me his cutlass. I caught it by the hilt and swung it around, but Akefia met my blow with his. The force nearly stunned me. It was so much stronger than Malik's usual attacks.

He struck out, but I struck back. We continued like this, dancing across the deck, our feet moving quickly. Each blow came faster than the last. All the while, I was vaguely aware of Malik calling for men and the sound of rushing footsteps.

While I concentrated on each move, trying to anticipate where he would strike next, Akefia did little more than smile.

"That's right, captain-"

Clash!

"As fast and hard as you can-"

Clang!

"Attack. With no thought to wound. Only to kill. The first blow makes a man your enemy."

Clash!

"The final blow must ensure he never comes after you."

Clang! Clank!

Over and over he swung his sword and over and over I met each thrust.

But then, I stumbled and found myself pressed against the mast, the sword again pressed to my throat.

"And never, ever let a pirate corner you," Akefia said, in a low and dangerous voice.

"Step away from him!" Malik ordered from behind us.

"It seems our lesson has come to an end." I nodded, breathless from the exertion and the excitement of battle. From his nearness.

"Until tomorrow, at least," I said. I recognized the mischief as it danced in his eyes. A challenge and a bit of pleasure. He was enjoying this too much. But then again, so was I.

"Akefia-"

"It's alright, Malik!" I called out. Akefia eased the pressure against me and I easily stepped aside. In seconds, the men descended upon him, like vultures. The sword was taken from him and he was sent to his knees, his hands behind his back.

"I warned you," Malik said, clearly beyond angry. "He can't be trusted." I huffed, rubbing my swore wrists.

"If he couldn't be trusted, I'd be dead. Unhand him now," I ordered. Akefia lifted his head, his gaze shifting to me as though he couldn't quite believe the command. "It was merely a lesson."

"Ry-"

"He was right, Malik! You've taught me a good deal about swordplay, but your heart has never been in it. I have a sneaking suspicion that you expect me to hide below deck when the time comes. But I won't. I'll stand and fight, and I need someone with experience fighting ruthlessly to teach me. Perhaps we all do."

I turned back towards Akefia, who was standing now, his hands unbound.

"A little warning next time, that it is practice."

"As I said, a pirate will give you no warning," he smirked. I merely nodded.

"Go see the doctor and have him check your back. Make sure that all of this activity didn't reopen the wounds." He turned to leave, but I stopped him with a cough. "Keith will accompany you."

Akefia chuckled and left, Keith following close behind. After they left, the deck started clearing of on lookers until it was just me and Malik left. And my heart was still racing.

"I don't like the attention you give him," Malik huffed, a bit like a child. "You must know that you're the only reason I'm on this ship."

I had known. He'd shown a shy interest in me while on my father's ship, so I used that to my advantage. The men followed him because they respect him, but he follows me because...well, you know. And I hate to use him like this, but I need him to get my father back.

"Surely there's something else you're looking for," I said, feigning innocence. "Retribution."

"Of course, I'd like to see Kelly hung," Malik said with a nod. "But I'd also like to see Akefia hung."

"We promised him his freedom," I scoffed, trying to hide my frustrations.

"Yes, but a tiger can not change his stripes. He will go back to pirating and he will be caught and hung for it."

That thought saddened me more than I thought possible.

"Let's talk about something else," I sighed, crossing my arms.

"Of course." But silence eased around us. It seemed that there was nothing else to talk about.

OoOoO Nobody's POV OoOoO

Ryuji walked through the narrow passageways, his limp hand hanging at his side. He wondered what kind of disadvantage he would have in battle with such a useless limb, but then again, he was able to squeeze through small spaces. Maybe that could be useful?

Suddenly, as he was distracted, he was slammed against the wall, a large hand wrapped around his throat.

"Shut it!" Akefia growled.

"Can't breathe-" Ryuji finally squeaked out.

"Pity." But there was no pity in Akefia's rough voice.

"I-I didn't betray you! I just saw a chance...to make a bit...of coin!" Black was starting to cloud the edges of Ryuji's vision and he was gasping out, trying to grab for air.

"By turning me in, rat!"

"Then...helping you...escape! That's why...I took the job!"

He was released, so quickly that he collapsed on the ground, wheezing as he grasped for his own throat. Thankfully, his windpipe didn't seem crushed. He glanced up at Akefia, who had crossed his arms and was glaring down. Then, he crouched down, causing Ryuji to press his back against the wall in fear.

"I knew you would turn me in," Akefia said quietly, narrowing his eyes. "I was surprised it took you so long."

"If you knew, then why-"

"I wanted to get caught, you idiot!" Akefia said, warning me with his eyes to stay quiet. "You're a small man, Ryuji, and I mean mentally. You look at immediate rewards, and those tend to be insignificant. I look for the larger gains, and those take more time. But they're definitely more valuable."

"I don't know what you mean."

"Of course not," Akefia sighed, leaning forward threateningly. "But now it's you who owes me."

"I'll give you half the reward!" Ryuji squeaked out. Such an irritating sound.

"I don't want any of that damn reward," Akefia barked, still keeping his voice quiet. "It's nothing compared to what I want."

"What do you want?" Ryuji was worried now, but there was nothing much he could do. He knew Akefia was a dangerous man and was even more dangerous now that he had a reason to off his traitorous friend.

"Your help when the time comes."

"And when will that be?"

But Akefia did little more than smile.