The next morning, Thalia and Annabeth made their way to the throne room. The councilman was there, surrounded by a few guards. With him was a girl, dressed in boyish clothing.
"Your Highness." He bowed.
"Please," Annabeth said, waving a hand, "skip the formalities. Tell me everything about the Tide Walker. And explain what you meant yesterday when you said he 'claimed another'. Also, explain the prescence of this girl."
The courtier bowed. "Of course, Your Highness. The Tide Walker is a pirate who mainly operates around our seas. He is merciless to those who fight or are assumed to be against him. Luckily, he has an unwritten alliance with certain royal families along the coastal line - we are fortunate enough to be one of them. He has never formally introduced himself to any court - instead sending people from his crew, such as this young woman."

Annabeth, startled, interrupted him. "I apologise for the rudeness, but you work on his ship?" She asked the girl.
Angry brown eyes met her grey ones. "'Ship', Princess?" She scoffed then. "Don't insult him. Our Captain has a few squadrons' worth of ships. Of course, he only rides on his ship."
"So who commandeers the others?"
"His most trusted inner circle." The girl pushed out her chest in pride. "I am proud to say that I commandeer one of his ships. The ship that protects Sparta, I command. Of course, Captain gives me my orders, but I man that ship." She boasted.
"Congratulations." Annabeth praised. "That's not easy work."

Annabeth turned to the courtier. "Is there anything that you can tell me that this woman cannot?" When he shook his head, she nodded. "You are dismissed." She turned back to the woman as the courtier left the throne room. "Now, what may I call you?"
"Commandeer Clarisse La Rue."
"May I call you Clarisse?" When the girl nodded, Annabeth continued. "Now, what can you tell me about your captain?"
"Well, he's a private individual. Tall, probably about 6 foot. Eyes that always seem to match the colour of the sea. Fairly built up. The best at sword-fighting. Not too bad at wrestling. Seems to like the colour blue." Clarisse examined Annabeth's face. "I have a feeling that you want me to be more specific. More random. Hm. His ship, the one he commandeers himself, is called the Princess Andromeda. It's the hardest ship in all the Seven Seas to find. He has a black horse named Blackjack. Uses both a sword named Anaklusmos, and a trident. No idea where he got the blasted things from - he's unstoppable with them, and nobody can figure out where he got them forged." She paused. "He's got allies in every coastal city. Including this one." She blurted out. She glanced at a portrait of Annabeth's parents. "You make him out to be the bad guy, but he takes from those who do him or his allies wrong and distributes it evenly. When that snob told you that our Captain had claimed another, it meant that we've aquired a new ship. Some stupid Romans again. Captain hates the Romans. Well," she contemplated, "he strongly dislikes them."

Thalia leaned forward. "Clarissa. May I ask a question?" At the pirate's nod, Thalia continued. "Have you dined with the Tide Walker at any point?"
"Of course. All of the commandeers of his ships dine with him one a random day each year to give a report." Clarisse answered, her voice steady but her face giving away her confusion.
"Okay. What does the Tide Walker eat?" Thalia asked. When she saw Annabeth's face as well as Clarisse's, she shook her head. "Just answer. If we are to meet, it is only polite to bring gifts. Maybe food is something we should bring."
Clarisse nodded, as if accepting this reason. "He eats absolutely anything as far as I know." She paused. "Oh, wait. He does have this strange habit of only eating foods which are blue of colour. He asks his cook to mix food colouring in each of the meals he has."
Thalia's face was triumphant as she leaned back. "Thank you, Clarisse."

Clarisse nodded. She turned to Annabeth again. "If that is all, Your Highness, I'll take my leave. I need to get back to my ship."
"Oh, of course." Annabeth said. "Thank you, Clarisse. I hope we meet again."
Clarisse bowed and sauntered out of the hall.