When they entered the large house that sat just uphill from the beach, Emera and her father were greeted by cheerful squeals. Rosa and Mia rushed to meet them at the door, crushing them into a group-hug. There, lost somewhere between Mia's shoulder and Rosa's chest, Emera realized just how much she had missed her stepmother and stepsister. The embrace shifted into excited conversation. The women asked question after question about where the two Pirates had been and what they had seen. Emera tried her best to answer as quickly as Mia asked. Flint, however, resorted to silencing his wife's interrogation by snogging her.
"Slow down, Mia!" Emera laughed, "I have questions too. Is Malcolm here?"
Mia shook her head, sending her dark curls bouncing every which way, "No not yet. But he sent word. He should be here within the next few days!"
"Wonderful!" Emera beamed and took her sister's hands, "I've missed both of you so much!"
After a while, the family moved their conversation from the foyer to the sitting room. The discussion carried on for over an hour. It had been ages since they had seen one another and a great deal can transpire in that time. They caught up over afternoon tea, talking until Flint dozed off on the sofa. Emera took the opening as an opportunity to deliver her belongings to her bedroom. The young sailor excused herself and hurried up the stairs. The way to her room was all too familiar despite the fact that she didn't spend much time there. Shoving the door open, she stepped inside the small space.
The room was perhaps five paces across in either direction. On the wall opposite the door sat a large set of windows, below them sat a number of trunks and drawers. Emera's bed sat to the right. It was dressed in modest coverings and a folded stack of clean clothes had been placed at its foot. Emera smiled to herself as she crossed to examine the pile. It consisted of a clean pair of breeches, a linen blouse and a fresh set of undergarments. The young sailor tossed her sea-sack onto the bed before turning around. She had intended to inspect the rest of her room but was caught off guard by something across from her. Her vanity sat along the wall there, next to her bookshelf and a small table. Emera crossed slowly to the mirror in order to clarify what she was seeing. Sure enough, someone had scrawled across the surface of glass. The message looked to have been written in a stick of Emera's own kohl and it read:
You took something of mine, and so I've taken something of yours. If you want him back... then come and get him. And bring the Mask.
- Caroline.
Emera felt as though someone had forced her to swallow a chunk of ice. She couldn't move. She could hardly breathe. A wave of land-sickness overtook her, threatening to make her topple over if she didn't steady herself. The young sailor gripped the back of her vanity chair and stared at the elegant writing across her mirror.
"Jack..." She breathed.
*Oi! Emera here.I'd like t' wish each and every one of ya a very happy International Talk Like A Pirate Day! Be safe, don't do anything I wouldn't do, and remember: Take what ya can, give nothing back!*