Shout out to IvyTheKitty, Rani-Girl, ZanyAnimeGirl, Phantom Ice, Doodle0505, little Miss punk rocker, and Angy!

This chapter was supposed to be a little longer, as I've noticed they've been getting shorter, and I think it worked :) Also I've gotten a few requests regarding how the other characters I've mentioned are doing. Thy humble writer lives to serve and loves to please! (Seriously though, it was a good idea and contributed to the plot. Thanks guys!)

Enjoy!

Amelia had never been a good liar, but she tried hard to steer clear of anything pertaining to what she was planning. She also couldn't leave early simply to avoid Madeline, who would no doubt be the first to figure things out, not that she wanted to. It might be a while before she saw her sister again, and Amelia wanted to spend as much time with her as possible.

Frankly Amelia was glad she only had to wait a day. According to Arthur they would make port in the early morning, and he only planned to stay twenty-four hours. Long enough to dump the mercenaries, pay them, and restock on their rapidly depleting stores.

As a result, Amelia was torn between spending as much time as she could in the brig, and avoiding anything remotely close to anything having to do with her plan. She soon found it to be a finer line to walk than she had anticipated. Despite that, or perhaps because of it, Amelia found herself getting Lovina to talk a good bit. It wasn't that hard, if you knew which topics to broach.

"He wouldn't even admit it, either!" she was fuming. After it was established some level of irritation was Lovina's normal state, the sisters found she had a number of good stories to tell. Their latest conversation involved Lovina and Amelia trading stories on potential suitors they had 'humiliated'.

"Even when everyone saw it, too. His parents, and Feli, and Nonno, and half the guard. His excuse for not courting me after that was I wasn't well bred enough. Bastardo just couldn't swallow getting beat in a horse race by a lady. My Principessa was better than that old nag, and he had the nerve to call her a bastardo. I still can't believe Nonno made me apologize for hitting him. I didn't even break anything, just got his lip bloody."

Amelia giggled. "Yeah, they never liked me beating them in a horse race, either. Or any race, for that matter. Hey Maddy, remember that one guy I drunk under the table?"

Madeline rolled her eyes. "The one that bragged about being able to hold his drink once our parents left the room? A regular alehouse would have done, Amelia. You didn't have to open father's liquor cabinet."

"Maybe, but it was totally worth it to see the look on his face," said Amelia, sharing a devilish grin with Lovina.

"I don't suppose he was a talkative drunk?" asked the Italian.

"Oh, he was," said Madeline, blushing.

"His mother fainted," cackled Amelia. "And she did it before he even got to the good stuff, too."

"I would appreciate it if you wouldn't repeat any of that," her sister informed her.

"Aw, but it was really funny," pouted Amelia. "What if I skip over the bad words?"

"No."

"You're no fun."

"One of us has to be. It's certainly not going to be you. For a heroine you certainly get into a lot of trouble."

"I get bored," complained Amelia.

Turning to Lovina, Madeline said, "It would seem my sister has the attention span of a toddler."

Lovina grinned. "My sister's the same way. Only difference is she's cleaner about it."

"Consider yourself lucky, then."

"I'll trade you."

"Would you?" asked Madeline, face lighting up with overenthusiastic hope.

And so it went. Amelia was quite pleased with herself. Normally she was horrible when it came to keeping secrets. There was still a sense of guilt lingering in the back of her mind, though. It didn't go away, no matter how much she tried to convince herself she as doing this for their own good, to be a heroine. That irritating little voice kept poking at her, wondering if she wasn't betraying her sister by going behind her back like this.

No, it's for her own good, Amelia told herself grimly. She'll...thank me later. If I can talk Arthur into making a later. I hope he will. He will, right? Even if he doesn't want to, I can talk him into it.

That was one bit she was looking forward to exploring. While displeased with her antics, their mother had also been the one to explain to them the real dynamics of the household. While the husband was the head of the house, it was usually under the great influence of the wife. As the wife, she was supposed to advise and aid as much as she was supposed to support and serve. More than one occasion had arisen where their parents had sent them to bed, supposedly dead set on a decision, only to announce a change of mind the next morning. Amelia was starting to get an idea of how her mother had gone about doing this, and while she shuddered to think about it in even mild detail, she was curious to see if she had the same...ability. Arthur had already shown he was willing to listen to her and take what she said into account. The idea held promise, to say the least.

"Amelia?"

"Mmm?" she asked, snapping back to reality.

"Do you know when we're going to make port again?" asked Lovina, face grim, voice lowered. "What kind of port it's going to be? The sooner we get off this tub the better."

"Eh, no, he hasn't said," said Amelia, realizing even as she did she'd made a mistake. She wasn't prepared for the question, so her answer had come too quickly, too nervously.

Madeline's face snapped into a frown. "Amelia."

"He said he was going to a small pirate port, all right? Nothing big, and not a place where an escape would be a smart idea. Remember Tortuga?"

Lovina grimaced. "Fine."

"I'll get you out of here soon enough, don't worry," Amelia assured them, flashing a slightly forced smile.

"Amelia, what are you planning?" Madeline deadpanned.

"Nothing," she said, a little too quickly.

"I know when you're lying. Whatever it is, you're not doing it. I won't let you."

Amelia usually couldn't meet her sisters eyes whenever Madeline called her out. This time she had no such difficulties. She wondered vaguely if it was because she was growing up or because she was in the right for a change. "It's already done, Maddy."

"What did you do?" demanded her twin, getting to her feet.

Amelia also stood, drawing herself up to her full height. There was only a very slight difference in their heights, but she didn't care. "I made a deal. A heroine never goes back on her word. You're getting off this ship, both of you. I don't want you to be stuck in a cell for the rest of your life, Maddy." Turning to Lovina she added, "He get's dangerous when he's drunk. If you stay too long something bad is going to happen to you."

Lovina's face was tight, but it seemed she was letting Madeline do the protesting. The normally quite girl was glaring through the bars at her sister, lavender eyes blazing. "At least tell us what sort of deal you made. Don't tell me you sold yourself to that dirty scoundrel."

Okay, it was one thing to attack her, but Amelia found she didn't like it when her sister turned on Arthur. Bristling slightly, she protested, "He's not that bad. Well, except for the pirate part. He treats me better than any suitor our parents ever threw at me, anyway."

"He's a pirate," hissed Madeline, furious. "How can you say that?"

"I told you, he's not that bad. I think if I stay with him long enough I can get him to stop, maybe switch to merchanting or something."

"That's not a word," snapped Madeline automatically.

"He's already a little better. He's letting both of you go, isn't he? Even though Lovina belonged to Antonio."

Lovina's protest of "Hey!" went unheard.

"Think of the things he's done, the lives he's taken. You can't fix everything, Amelia."

"I can try, can't I? Even if I can't, I think I can be happy here, Maddy. Sure home was nice, but it wasn't going to last."

"Neither will this, not if he gets caught. If he hangs you hang with him."

"Better dead than married to some bastard only wants me to warm his bed and pop out babies."

"Is that honestly what you think?"

"You weren't any happier than I was about it."

"I wouldn't prefer death over it!"

"Would you?"

"I know I wouldn't."

"No, I mean would you? If you found a pirate who treated you like Artie treats me, would you stay?"

Madeline was still glowering through the bars. "I'm not so stupid as to fall in love with a criminal."

"It's not something you try to do."

Both sisters turned to stare at Lovina, who had been watching the argument in uncustomary silence. The Italian was staring hard at the floor, fists clinched in her skirts. Without looking at either of them she said in a low voice, "The heart is an idiot. It doesn't do what it should. If it did, wouldn't we be happy with nice, normal bastardo husbands instead of pirates?"

Until that point, Amelia had never put a label on just what emotions she had in regards to Arthur. When Madeline said it though, and now Lovina, she couldn't find a word that fit better. It didn't feel perfect yet, but it felt close, very close.

BREAK/BREAK\BREAK

Ludwig sat carefully on a bench in the courtyard of the Vargas's main house. Beside him sat Feliciana, shoulders slumping, back hunched as she gloomily stroked the cat curled up and purring in her lap. He wasn't good with these sorts of things, and while he knew his fiancé was completely aware of this, the German felt he owed her a few occasions where he was able to say the right things.

"All the surrounding ports have been put on alert. As soon as there's a sighting we'll know. Carriedo won't get far."

Feliciana sniffed. Only pure willpower kept Ludwig from cringing. So far only one time in three had his attempts to make her stop crying ever worked to date. Wild swings from pouting to excitement he could handle, but he still felt out of his depth with tears.

"I'm sorry," she said, sniffing again. Lifting a hand, she carefully wiped the moister under her eyes. "I'm being silly, aren't I? Crying when we don't know if...don't know anything yet."

"She is your sister, and you two were very close," said Ludwig stiffly. "I don't think it's silly."

Feliciana lifted her head, giving him a watery smile. Her eyes were still red, her pale face devoid of makeup. It wasn't like she used a lot anyway, but Feliciana had been forgoing it these days so it wouldn't get smeared when she cried.

"You're not mad about the wedding?"

Ludwig shook his head. "No matter how many times you ask me that my answer will not change, Feli. Besides, it's not like there were a lot of people coming."

"Keeping it to a small number was a good idea. I'm glad I listened."

It was as much because of empathy as it was he didn't want her miserable when they got married that Ludwig had agreed to put it off. Feliciana was insistent that they not go through with it until Lovina was back. When they'd first realized Lovina hadn't made it to the church, Feliciana had been inconsolable, insisting it was her fault for not dragging her sister with her. Ludwig had only recently managed to convince her otherwise, and that was when she'd asked him to postpone the wedding.

"She won't be mad about the garden, right?" asked Feliciana worriedly. "I'm taking good care of it, like mama taught us, but she always told me never to touch it."

Ludwig sighed. He opened his mouth to tell her for the fourth time that day that he doubted Lovina would mind her keeping the precious tomato garden alive, but he never got the chance. Before he could, the guards scattered from their posts at the open gate, a white horse barreling through.

In a heartbeat Ludwig was on his feet, sword drawn, keeping Feliciana behind him. "Get inside, now," he snapped.

Feliciana stood up, set down the cat, shook out her skirts, and propped her hands on her hips. "The last time I ran I lost my sister, Luddy. I'm not running this time."

Ludwig wanted to groan. Of all the times for her to-

"Kesesesese!"

The German froze, his eyes widening. It had been years, but he knew that laugh. No one laughed like...

The white horse was reined mere feet from him, but Ludwig didn't flinch. He stared as the rider dismounted lightly, a grin on his face. "The awesome wedding crasher has arrived! I'm not late, am I?"

Ludwig was frozen in place, eyes widening. Feliciana tugged on his sleeve, asking, "Who is this, Luddy?"

Gilbert looked at her for a minute, and then back up at Ludwig. "Are you sure you're my bruder?" he asked, laughing. "Well, I guess if they're sisters that makes you Ludwig. You've grown, West."

"Gilbert?" asked Ludwig, slowly lowering his sword. "It's been six years. Six years. We only heard tales of you becoming a pirate, nothing else. Why are you back now?"

The albino sobered. Taking off his tri-pointed hat and pressing it to his chest, he directed an elegant bow towards Feliciana. "A little birdie told me you were getting married, West." Straightening and returning the hat to his head, he continued, "I only left because of our father, it never had anything to do with you. What kind of bruder would I be to miss your wedding?"

Feliciana darted around an unmoving Ludwig to get in Gilbert's face, eyes wide with hope. "Who told you? Have you seen my sister? The stories were right, weren't they? You're friends with the pirate who took her?"

Gilbert took a step back, as all these questions were said in one breath in a very short period of time. "Ja, ja, Toni and the Awesome me are freunde. I passed his ships a few days ago, stopped to say 'hi' because I'm awesome that way. It's a good thing, too."

"Did you see her, my sister?"

When Gilbert nodded, still eyeing Feliciana as though she might decide to attack him with words again, Ludwig sheathed his sword to put a hand on her shoulder. Rather than settle down, she turned and attached herself to his side as she asked, "Was she alright? He wasn't hurting her?"

The grin that had spread across Gilbert's face at his brother's blush vanished. "Antonio? Nein, he never hurts girls. Neither of us do. It's very unawesome."

Feliciana sagged in relief. Ludwig put an arm around her shoulders, as much for comfort as to make sure she wouldn't fall over. After a moment he asked, "Could you find him again?"

"Don't you remember, West? The Awesome me can do anything I want to."

Ludwig met his brothers eyes. It occurred to Gilbert then just how much his little brother had grown up. Not only was he taller and bigger than him, but now it seemed he was also the more mature of the two.

"I don't know what you've been up to, bruder, nor do I want to," he said grimly. "Is the only reason you came back because you heard I was getting married?"

"Ja. If I stay any longer our own father will hang me."

"He won't."

Gilbert frowned. "Was?"

"Find Antonio and bring Lovina back. Consider it a wedding gift. I'll speak with Vater."

The albino looked genuinely surprised. "You're not going to kick me out or put me in prison?"

"Nein."

"You're not mad at the Awesome me? It's hard to do, but you're awesome enough I would actually care."

Ludwig sighed. "I am not happy you disappeared for six years. I'm not happy you're a pirate. But you're still my bruder, East. Leave the authorities to me. Just bring Lovina back."

Gilbert considered this. "It's a good thing you're sending the Awesome me. Someone less awesome might have a harder time talking Toni into bringing her back for a visit so soon."

"No, not for visit, to stay," protested Feliciana. "He can't keep her."

"He can if he wants to, and I think he wants to."

Ludwig frowned. "Explain."

"Every sailor knows a woman on board is bad luck, Luddy. Antonio is very superstitious, so he never brings a woman on board for any reason. When I saw him, he wasn't about to give up your sister-in-law. I called her cute, and he threatened to throw me overboard. He never threatens me unless he means it, I'm too awesome."

"Will you do it or not?" asked Ludwig stiffly. "We can work out the details later."

"The Awesome me will do it. A sister is an awesome wedding present, ja?"

"Gud. I'm coming with you."

"Nein, you are not."

"Gilbert-

"I can find her and bring her back, West. Antonio will listen to me, he recognizes my awesomeness. If you're there, I don't think he will listen as much. Trust me."

Ludwig hesitated.

"If women are bad luck, does that mean I can't come either?"

"Nein," said the brothers in unison.

Gilbert stomped back over to his horse. "Neither of you are coming! I might be awesome but I'm not the most dangerous thing out there. Some people don't like my awesomeness, and it will be harder to find your sister if I'm worrying about you two." Putting one boot in the stirrup, he mounted the horse and swung it's head back towards the gate in one fluid motion. "I'll be back in a few weeks. Toni planned on staying in the Caribbean for raiding session, so there's not too many places he could be. Don't get married without us!"

With that he put his heels to the stallion, urging it to a brisk gallop. As he road back through the main gate Feliciana looked up at Ludwig.

"Do you think he'll really bring her back?"

Ludwig watched his brother disappear from sight, mouth grim. "Gilbert is reckless and rude and a little delusional, but he's never broken a promise to me." Lips twitching slightly he explained, "He says it's unawesome to lie. If he says he'll bring Lovina back, he will."

"I still wish he'd let us come with him," pouted Feliciana.

As much as Ludwig wanted to go with Gilbert, he wanted his fiancé to stay put even more. It was why he hadn't pushed the matter. Now, though, that left him for the easer-said-than-done task of talking their father into not bringing the law down on Gilbert. He tried not to wince at the thought.

BREAK/BREAK\BREAK

The Cuervo de Advertencia made port four days after it had left. The Muerte Alada wasn't far behind it. If anyone in Tortuga wondered why they had returned so quickly, or why they were without the Delfín Rojo, no one said anything. They knew better. Besides, it wasn't the first time a pirate had lost a ship. It wasn't the first time Antonio had lost one of his, either.

As the crew made their way down the gangplank, Antonio pulled aside the captain of the Cuervo de Advertencia. It was a smaller, sleeker vessel he'd often used to scout out targets for raids. As such, it was captained by a man he put as much trust in as he did Gilbert or Francis.

"Take what's left of the last take, buy up as much ammunition and gunpowder as you can get your hands on," he ordered Fernandez. "Use every contact you have. We leave as soon as we can afford to."

"Aye sir," said Fernandez, bobbing his head. "But what about the men we lost?"

"Leave that to me. We've lost enough ground. I won't lose more than we have to," said Antonio coldly, turning to follow the crew onto the dock.

Fernandez watched him go, mouth grim. He'd never seen their fleet captain so grim when they made port before. One of the first men to sign on with the Spaniard years ago, he was one of the few to watch the man go from a battle-skittish lad to a hardened pirate. For five years, he could count on one hand the things Antonio cared about. Gilbert, Francis, his map, his ships, and gold. He'd heard of the female they'd taken in Port Diego, but he hadn't believed it.

They'd caught up to what was left of theDelfín Rojo a day after it had gone down. What remained of the crew was waiting in life boats and clinging to floating wreckage. Fernandez remembered reaching down to help their captain onto the main deck of his ship, steadying him when he stumbled wearily. He'd quickly removed his hands when Antonio had slowly lifted his face, actually taking a step back. Captain Carriedo was pale, clothes streaked with blood that wasn't his own, which wasn't unusual after a battle. The burning hatred and outrage in his normally cheerful eyes was what had caught the captain off guard.

Fisting a hand in the man's shirt, Antonio yanked him a step closer so he could growl in a rasping voice, "Get us back to Tortuga as fast as the sea allows. We run from Kirkland no more. I don't care who wants his head, no one is taking it but me." Giving Fernandez a shove he barked, "Now!"

Fernandez knew that the soul reason Antonio hadn't ordered them after Kirkland then and there was because they had half a crew of unarmed men. However long they spent adrift, it was long enough for Antonio to process the initial outrage and reach a logical thought process. If he was going to take the offensive against Kirkland, he needed all the fighting men and weapons he could get.

Shaking his head, Fernandez made his way briskly into the port. This is why women are bad luck. It's in the middle of raiding season, and he wants to go on a crusade against one of the most ruthless pirates in the Caribbean. She could be dead for all we know.

Not that he spoke any of this allowed. Fernandez was no fool, and he didn't have a death wish. Kirkland might have a bigger reputation, but that meant little when Antonio was angry. It wasn't Kirkland who cut things off to make men talk, or utilized unpleasant methods to dispose of traitors. Old Haman had been lucky, Antonio hadn't had time to kill him slowly. The last informant they'd found had been dumped overboard in a shark breeding ground. His hands, feet, and tongue had been thrown in after him.

Suddenly Fernandez found himself pitying Kirkland.

Principessa - princess

freunde- friends

was- what

Vater- father

gud- good

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It occurred to me as I was flipping through past chapters to make sure I was getting their ages right that this might be helpful:

Gilbert- twenty-one

Ludwig- eighteen

Lovina & Feliciana- eighteen

Antonio- nineteen

Amelia & Madeline- nineteen

Arthur- twenty-one

Just a thought for my fellow detail Nazi's :P

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