Good news, I'm not dead! I had no intentions of leaving it this long, but I've made arrangements to ensure this doesn't happen again. (Basically I waited until I was working on the Epilogue to start updating.) I feel guilty about leaving my story hanging for so long, but there was a period of time where sleep was a commodity. Work and school pileup ensured this, and sadly I discovered that there was a limit to which I was willing to sacrifice it to write.

But I'm back now! And having the story mostly written out means I can update at my leisure, for the most part. I do still have stuff going on, but I'll try to get one up a day, at least.

I would like to thank the reviewers who kept reviewing during my long silence- without you I would have given up entirely! :) Seriously, it meant a lot to me, reviews always do. It means people are reading my stories and care enough to make the effort of a review. While I have a constructive-flame-only policy, I think you all deserve kudos for sticking to it. I expected more flames considering I basically disappeared for six months.

Without further adue, the long awaited Chapter 20! :)

Lovina sat with her back to the wall, eyes closed. Once she'd finally slowed down, her weariness had returned. Remembering her achy feet, she had them sprawled out in front of her as she dozed lightly. Madeline was still on edge, going back and forth between staring at the ships and frowning at her companion. Not for the first time she noted just how much more suited the Italian was for all this. How could she even doze for pities sake? Madeline could barely sit still.

"How am I supposed to nap if you keep tapping your foot?" Lovina drawled sleepily at last.

"How can you nap at all?"

"I close my eyes and picture nice things. Like a tomato garden or people I don't like screaming in terror. There was this one maid who always like to nag me about my posture. She's terrified of spiders. I like to remember that time she found a nest of them. It's my favorite actually, second only to a tomato garden."

Madeline stared at her for a minute in exasperation. Lovina's eyes were still closed, and she sounded half asleep. "You really are suited to this, aren't you?"

"I think so. Of course the tavern was nice too. Maybe a smaller one...with more pasta and tomatoes. I would rather not have rum but I guess I would have to."

Madeline rubbed her temples, slowly sinking to the floor. Putting her back to the short wall, one hand drumming against her knee, she asked, "Do you think Carriedo would agree to that?"

"To what?"

"Settling down. Running a tavern instead of ruling the sea. It seems to me he quite likes what he's doing already."

Lovina frowned, and though she sounded more awake now her eyes were still closed. "I'm not going to ask for a tavern as soon as he gets me back. If Nonno doesn't kill him I wouldn't mind staying on a ship with him for a while. The tavern is for when I can't sail anymore."

"Do you think you'll get bored?" asked Madeline, arching her eyebrows in disbelief. That sounded more like Amelia than Lovina, unless of course twenty or so years passed. Then she could see anyone tiring of this life.

Lovina snorted. "No. There's no way I'm having a child on a damn ship. I want to have both feet on solid ground when that happens."

Madeline's jaw dropped. "You-You'd seriously consider having children with a pirate?"

Before the Italian could do more than frown, her eyes snapped open as something thumped against the trap door. Madeline glanced over the tower's wall as she scrambled to her feet, but little had changed save for the growing number of lights in the town.

As they both stared down at the hatch, neither moving towards it, Lovina started when Madeline jumped. She reached for her dagger, pausing when she saw what had startled the other girl. She grimaced as Gilbird returned to his original resting place, fluffing himself out and giving a single squawk before closing his eyes.

Lovina slowly drew her dagger as Madeline grimaced apologetically. The trap door thumped again, voices muttering beneath it. The ladder shifted, starting to slide off the door. Madeline tiptoed around, pushing it back over the door and then standing on it. Lovina joined her, and after a moment's thought returned her dagger to its hiding place.

This time both girls were nearly knocked over when someone rammed the trap door from below. They exchanged looks as distorted muttering and cursing started coming up louder from below. Definitely not English. It sounded like the same language the dead guards had used.

Madeline bit her lip, and then yelped as they were knocked to the planks, someone ramming up from below with a force to match a charging horse. Lovina grunted as she hit the planks, but then flipped herself over, scrambling for the rum bottle. She grabbed it by the neck just as a hand wrapped around her ankle. With a yelp, she brought the bottle down hard on the head of the pirate. His grip went slack as the bottle shattered over his skull, and she yanked her foot free.

Madeline screamed, and Lovina turned in time to see her swing a long dead torch at the other pirate's head. The Italian was startled when the wood actually cracked over the man's skull, sending him off balance against the tower's low wall. Madeline flipped the torch in her grip and drove the jagged end of wood into the man's neck, stumbling back as he lurched over the edge completely, tumbling silently towards the ground below.

When the blond slowly turned to look at Lovina, her eyes were wide and wild, her hands shaking. "I...I killed him," she whispered, legs buckling. "Oh God...I killed him."

Lovina grabbed the pirate still half in the trap door by the shirt, shoving him back down it. He knocked down the extra ladder they had managed to procure as he did. Grimacing, Lovina turned back to Madeline, stepping over to her and taking her by the shoulders.

"Madeline, look at me. Listen, it was him or you, understand? He was going to do God knows what to us and bring us to a pirate captain who will not be as nice as the ones we know. If we didn't end up dead no doubt we would have wished for it. Do you understand?"

Lovina maintained her grip, waiting until Madeline slowly nodded before releasing her. Gilbird had opened his eyes, and was cheeping softly. Madeline raised a trembling hand, gently stroking his head. "Let's go," she whispered. "Before more come."

As much as she hated the idea, Lovina knew she was right. There would be others, especially if these two didn't return. The timeframe would speed up considerably if anyone found the body at the base of the tower. Face set grimly, she maneuvered the ladder back down the hole. It was a little difficult to do single handedly, but Madeline was still so shaken she didn't think she'd do more than drop it on their feet.

Lovina led the way down the ladder, trying not to look at the bodies too much as she called for Madeline to hurry up. As the blond inched her way down the ladder at a painfully slow pace she asked in a shaky voice, "Why did they only send two?"

The Italian reluctantly glanced at the man she had hit with the bottle. She honestly didn't know if he was unconscious or dead, and she wasn't about to check. "Maybe they were here to relieve the other two. I don't know. Now would you hurry up?"

Madeline shot her an irritated look, which made Lovina feel a bit better, and dropped down to the floor boards. Lovina turned, leading the way back down the stairs. Every now and then she glanced back to make sure Madeline was still there. The worst of the shock seemed to have passed, at least. Madeline was still pale, but she was keeping pace.

Lovina guessed they had made it halfway down the tower before she heard the voices. She froze, heart thudding heavily in her chest. Madeline stumbled into her back, and then went ridged. Lovina turned, slamming both hands into the other girl, shoving her back up the steps. "Run!" she hissed.

Madeline didn't need to be told twice. Unfortunately, the only way left from here was up. As fast as Madeline ran, Lovina was still faster, even on the narrow steps managing to outpace her. How far they made it, Lovina didn't know. All she could hear were the pounding of boots closing in fast.

Then, one of their pursuers yelled. "Stand and fight our awesomeness you Turkish cowards!"

Lovina stopped so fast Madeline slammed into her a second time, and this time they both went down hard on the steps. Lovina, crushed between stone edges and Madeline's body weight, yelped.

"What are you doing?!" demanded Madeline wildly, scrambling to her feet and grabbing Lovina's arm. "We have to-

"It's not the damn pirates!" blurted Lovina, wincing as her arm was almost jerked from its socket.

Madeline's head snapped up as their pursuers finally caught up to them, eyes wide in terror. Lovina had just enough time to notice this before she was yanked up from the steps and crushed in a tight embrace. Her nose was pressed into a familiar chest, and despite the fact he didn't exactly smell his best at the moment she relaxed, closing oddly damp eyes.

"Lovi," whispered Antonio, voice quivering.

Lovina pried her head away just enough to turn it so she could breathe, then let him press it back against him. She put her arms around him, holding him tight. She knew this was not the time or the place, but for the next few seconds she decided to just enjoy the moment.

"Captain Carriedo," said Madeline, catching her breath. "Gilbird found you."

Gilbert, who had been hot on Antonio's heels up the tower, laughed. "He is the awesome Gilbird. Of course he found me. We got your message. It's a good thing you have the Awesome me, because it's going to be a hell of a fight to get out of here again."

Antonio finally released his grip on Lovina, stepping down a step so he could hold her at arms length. He frowned, peering at her in the dull torch light. "You are not hurt, sì? Kirkland did not harm you?"

Lovina shook her head, her throat oddly tight. "No. He never touched me."

The Spaniard pressed a hand to her cheek, and smiled. It wasn't his cheerful beaming, or a grin she associated with bloodlust. It was a softer, genuinely happy smile. "Good." Then he sobered, letting his hands fall away from her. "But Gilbert is right. We must move quickly."

With that he grabbed her hand, pulling her down the steps at a rapid pace.

As she stumbled after him, Lovina demanded, "Who the hell is attacking the port? Are we really that unlucky? And where's in the hell is your axe?"

"My axe is aboard the Cuervo de Advertencia. It was too conspicuous, unfortunately. I feel naked without it. And no, we aren't that unlucky. This was chosen, carefully."

Lovina scowled, but when he didn't elaborate on the immediate threat she asked, "Who is he? Why is he doing this? And how'd you get here?"

"My men are well trained, and Gilbert honors his agreements."

"You're my awesome wedding present for Luddy. The Awesome me will bring you home for the wedding. The bride saw my awesomeness and chose me for-

"Would you shut up?" hissed Lovina. Then she paused, frowning. "Feliciana sent you?"

"Ja. They're glad you're alive, but they don't trust Toni like I do."

"We'll discuss that later," hissed Antonio, slowing as they neared the bottom. "Now, silencio. They're all over the port, like rats."

As the two pirates drew their swords, Gilbert grinned wickedly. "And everyone knows what to do with rats."

Gilbird cheeped. Lovina turned in time to see the albino blink down at Madeline's bosom with surprise. "Gilbird? What are you doing there? Not awesome, ignoring me like that."

The canary cheeped again, but didn't move to leave his current location.

Gilbert frowned, but then studied Madeline for a moment. "We will have words after the Awesome me rescues you, deal?"

Madeline lifted her chin stubbornly. "If you can make good on that promise, fine."

"Never doubt the Awesome me," chided Gilbert as Antonio slowly opened the door.

Lovina rolled her eyes, but strained her ears as Antonio slowly slipped out, scanning the area. After a moment he glanced back at them, jerking his chin for them to come on. The Italian followed him, but decided to leave her dagger where it was. Knowing their luck they'd end up needing an extra blade, and she felt better with the weapons in more capable hands.

It looked as though most of the crew had made their way into the city, not even bothering to leave guards at the docks. Lovina tried not to look too hard at the lifeless shapes sprawled over the docks and roads leading up to them. Torches were placed along the planked route down to the docks, making her feel exposed as they ran by, their shadows turning giant and blatant against the stone wall.

Too easy, she thought, heart pounding against her ribs as they hit the docks. She was closer to Antonio than his own shadow, and when she glanced back Madeline was sticking close to Gilbert. Both pirates had their swords drawn, eyes on the area as much as the planks in front of them as they ran. It's too damned easy. Why would they go through the trouble of bringing in such a big ship for a raid, then not even leave guards?

Lovina glanced up at the ship, looking for movement around the burning torches and braziers. It was nothing short of pure luck that she saw a flicker of metal by a brazier burning at the aft of the ship. She didn't have time to think, let alone shout a warning. She was still processing what she'd seen when she put on an extra burst of speed, tackling Antonio.

The pirate grunted, but didn't fall. He stopped short, twisting to grab her with his free hand. "Qué-

The question was cut short as an arrow appeared less than a foot inf ront of him, wickedly sharp tip glinting in the torchlight. Lovina heard a muffled cry from Madeline, along with a slap as the girl clamped her own hands over her mouth. Antonio swore as a horn blew from the ship. It was mere seconds before it was answered by another near the city's gate.

Shifting his grip to Lovina's wrist, he demanded, "Can you swim?"

"What?"

Antonio turned down a separate dock, one leading away from the ships. "We're docked at the other end of the harbor. If they catch up, you're safer in the water. My crew was under orders to answer to Amelia in my absence."

"You have my sister?" blurted Madeline.

"Sì. So many of their crew is in the city, if we hurry we can move on the Veiled Queen. With no ship, even numbers will not last forever. I'm willing to leave Sadiq at the mercy of the locals."

"She was eager to blow him up anyway," Gilbert commented. "By the way, can you swim Birdie?"

"Birdie?"

Lovina couldn't believe they were doing this now, but before she could comment Antonio stopped short. The hand still on her arm pulled her behind him. Frowning, she peeked around the pirate, about to demand an answer. Lovina clamped her mouth shut when she saw why he'd stopped, though.

"If anyone's ship is going to sink, it will be yours, Carriedo."

Qué - What

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