Elissa couldn't help but wrinkle her nose at the annoying smell of the dead fish. She couldn't see them, but even if Piaget had announced the food they were preparing today, which he had, the smell betrayed the fish.
"Piaget?" Elissa asked, "are you sure that this fish is fresh?"
"What do ya mean?" Piage replied, "it's smelling wonderful. Fresh like the sea. Just wait until it's been cooked. You will love it."
"I don't like fish," Elissa said, but quietly to herself. She had been raised on a regular Ferelden diet of meat stews, meat pies and overcooked vegetables. Fish was strange, exotic and Elissa wasn't used to it.
"You will like this fish," Piaget said. Elissa started blushing when she realised that he had heard her. She apologized but her told her not to.
"I am a good cook," Piaget said, "my food is not like the one you are used to, of course. I don't have a kitchen. And my clients are pirates, not lords and ladies. But I am a good cook." Elissa didn't know what to say, she was just sorry she had offended him.
"What can I do?" She asked instead, eager to learn.
"I want you to mix the spices and then cut the fish, I will fry it later."
Elissa felt her heart speed up at the thought of preparing food for the first time and eagerly listened to the instructions that Piaget was giving her. Piaget described the shape of the bottle or jar, and before Elissa put a pinch of the spice in the box with the fish, he also told her to smell it and repeat the name so that she would learn. "My goal is to have you cooking without somebody over your shoulder," Piaget said.
Cutting the fish was harder since Elissa had never used her hands that way before, but with a lot of patience and taking her time, the eight large fishes were cut up and back into the box with the spices and salt.
"Good girl," Piaget said, "now grab us some water. There is a small jug by the second table."
"Yes, please," Elissa said. It was a warm day and down in the bulkhead the air was stuff enough to make her lightheaded. She would gladly sit down and drink some water for a bit.
"Thanks, lass," Piaget said when she handed him the jug, "you can sit on the barrel." He said to her and patted hard on it so that she would hear where it was.
Elissa accepted the jug when Piaget held up her hand and pressed the item in her hand. A few days ago she would never have thought she would gladly share any type of utensil with a pirate apostate with only one hand, but things had changed. And the water even tasted good. She hadn't thought so a few days ago.
"Do you know the captain well?" Elissa asked.
"I don't fancy that I do," Piaget answered, "she is a private person in many ways. She doesn't exactly keep to herself. But she is definitely a private person."
"Do you know how she winded up being a captain of Siren's call."
"Not really," Piaget replied, "I mean, there are rumours…"
"Yes?" Elissa said, "what rumours?"
"What's with you?" Piaget said, "what's with all the curiosity suddenly?"
Elissa felt her cheeks grow warm.
"Nothing," she said, "I'm just curious. I'm on her ship after all."
"If you say so, lass," Piaget said, "well, before I joined Siren's call, I had heard rumours of Captain Isabela and how she led her crew with an iron hand, and how they would raid towns, leaving no riches behind. Including beautiful females."
"Beati… ful… females?" Elissa repeated.
"Yes," Piaget replied matter-of-factly, "and at least that part of the rumour seemed through."
When Elissa didn't reply, Piaget reached out for the jug. After taking a sip he continued talking.
"She is relatively just to people who deserve it, and I'm proud to serve as part of her crew."
"Just?" Elissa said, "she's a slaver!"
Piaget waited a while before answering.
"She doesn't have the heart of a slaver, do you think she does?"
"Well…" Elissa said, "no. No, she doesn't. Her heart is… I.. I mean, she seems like a lovely woman." She knew she was stuttering and turned quiet, hoping that Piaget couldn't tell how flustered she had gotten. Elissa didn't even know why she had gotten so flustered from just thinking about Isabela.
"How did you wind up as part of her crew?" She asked instead, changing the subject.
"I worked in a tavern as a boy, ever since my mother and brothers realised I wasn't built for hunting like the rest of them. It wasn't just that only have one hand, but I just didn't like to kill either."
"How long did you keep working for them?" Elissa asked.
"Until I was a young man. I still went back home for hunting season from time to time. Discovered I was a mage. By that time mother mine was pregnant again, probably going to give birth to another boy, when she found out I was a mage she told me to go back to the tavern and never come back. So I did as I was told. That was really when my adventures began."
"I'm sorry about your mother," Elissa said.
"Nah, girlie, it's fine," he said, "it's been a long time since Piaget cried about his old mother."
"What happened then?" Elissa asked.
"I worked for a few years in the tavern until it was raided by Gerard Crustard, infamous Orlesian Pirate. They killed my employer, captured the maids and me. He was mean and a bully, but he taught me how to cook. Personally. Told me that if you wanted something done you had to do it yourself. And he wanted me to be his cook. Orlesian, Antivan, Riviani, Ferelden, anything, I can cook it and it's thanks to that tyrannous but gluttonous man."
"How long did you work for him?"
Piaget sighed and Elissa thought he almost seemed sad.
"Almost forty years," he said, "I never thought it would end."
"But it did?"
"Yes," Piaget said, "the good Captain Isabela killed Crustard and most of his crew. Not me. Turns out she appreciated good food even more than the late Crustrard."
"But she killed your friend!" Elissa had never heard Piaget say anything bad about the captain, now she wondered why.
"Ha! He wasn't my friend. No, not Piaget's friend. I was chained to the kitchen and I was only allowed to live and breathe recipes and ingredients. He beat me when I did something wrong. Taunted me. If the food burnt, he forced it down my throat. Living on his ship was a special type of torment. No, I was relieved when the good Captain placed her dagger through his engorged neck."
"So she saved you?" Elissa asked.
"I am an old man," Piaget said, "there wasn't much left to save. But she treats me fairly, I can come and go as I like. Piaget could have it worse. But what about you?"
"What about me?"
"What is your story?" He asked, "how come you're here? With me?"
Elissa told him about her childhood as a lord and lady's daughter, about bullying, about her brothers. About not really knowing what life was.
"Not until now," Elissa said, "until now. With her."
"With her?" Piaget sounded amused.
"What…no, I mean…" Elissa didn't know what she had meant, she tried to calm her racing heart and took three deep breaths.
"What I meant was that she has given me opportunities that nobody else has," she said.
"Well, like you said," Piaget said, "she is a lovely woman."
"Lovely woman?" Isabela's voice announced her arrival, "you better not have been talking about me." Elissa was surprised that she hadn't heard her coming, she must have been so focused on the conversation and her own confusing feelings.
"Of course not, captain," Piaget said before Elissa had a chance to speak, "who could describe our fierce, dangerous and fearless pirate captain as a lovely woman? Not Piaget at least."
Isabela laughed at that.
"We've spottet a ship," she said her voice turning serious, "I don't recognize their colours and we're preparing for battle. Just in case."
"Battle?" Elissa repeated, "what do you mean, battle?"
"We need to fight sweet thing," Isabela said shortly, "Piaget you know what to do." Without any more words, she grabbed Elissa's arm and pulled her with her.
"What…" Elissa said.
"You're going to hide in the Captain's quarters until I come and get you," Isbaela said, "I believe in independence and that everyone is capable but I also believe in not betting anything you aren't prepared to loose."
They were out on deck again and for once it wasn't so peaceful. She heard blades being swung through the air as if tested, and men shouting about clearing the deck.
"Captain Isabela, sir," a voice shouted, "ship's awfully close now."
"We'll be ready," Isabela shouted back.
A door opened and Elissa was pushed into the cabin.
"Hide under the table or something," Isabela said to her and was about to leave when Elissa grabbed her arm.
"But what happens," she didn't want to finish her sentence, "what happens if you fall?"
Time seemed to stand still and things quieted around them while Elissa waited for the pirate's answer. Elissa felt a rough hand against her cheek and she closed her eyes for a moment. The touch went away.
"I won't fall," Isabela said, "now go hide."
Elissa was pushed fully into the room and the door closed with a bang.