When he finally entered the galley he found Roach, the only useful member of the crew in Izzy's opinion, had prepared a simple but warm meal for everybody. Bonnet's crew sat together chatting away with Fang and Ivan like this was how pirates normally acted. Izzy wasn't stupid either, he'd seen Fang and Ivan growing chummy, and he certainly wasn't pleased about it. Fucking twats the lot of them.

Normally he ate alone, used to eat with the boys but the boys were losing sight of who they were just like Blackbeard had started to. That was why Izzy simply grabbed a bowl of whatever the stew Roach had managed to concoct was and then a second for the teenager in his cabin. The girl, Willa, would be a lovely excuse for him to leave the galley and be away from the stupid fuckers. They didn't want him there and he sure as shit didn't have any desire to be there.

With long strides the leather-clad man walked back to his tiny box of a cabin and, of course, found the little Prussian noble in the exact spot he'd left her in. He didn't speak, just thrust one of the bowls out to her which, after a split second, was taken. Sure she'd eaten not long ago but that had literally just been an orange and a couple scraps of meat.

"Danke schön, Meister." (Thank you so much, Master)

Quietly she lifted the wooden spoon out of whatever the stew actually was and tasted a little. They'd just resupplied so they'd be having their best rations they could for a few days at least before food went back to being energy before taste. Izzy hadn't ever been picky when it came to what he ate, never had the option as a child since food hadn't been an absolute. So he sat down in the chair that only just fit between the table and bed with his blue eyes on Willa as he at from his own bowl. Oh how grateful his stomach was for some sustenance.

Izzy had noticed there was something a little off about the girl now he'd spoken with Blackbeard, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Then again, he truly didn't have much experience with fifteen-year-old rich girls. Eyes raked over her subtly, this girl was too thin, clearly that commodore fucker hadn't bothered feeding her properly. And why the fuck does that make me so angry all of a sudden?

For a time neither of them spoke, she pretended to be overly interested in her food and Izzy just watched her while the conversation with his captain rattled around inside Izzy's brain. Maybe one of the things that he found unusual about Willa was that she didn't act like the posh people he'd met; she was certainly less annoying than Bonnet.

When he finally broke the quietude between them he couldn't help the tiny spark of a smirk that appeared on his lips as she jumped.

"If your asshole of a dad sold you to pay a debt he's got no money. Got any other rich relatives?"

Willa spoon paused as it all clicked in her mind. This girl wasn't stupid, she knew they'd want to make some coin out of her. Yet, after a moment, she still shook her head.

" … My elder brother will probably have nothing to inherit but debts, and my grandfather was ill when I was sold." Her accent had a way of caressing vowels that Izzy found he actually rather liked.

"Then maybe that brother of yours will inherit something after all, yeah."

"Nein leider nicht." (No, unfortunately not.) She said quietly to herself as she pushed a chunk of potato around in the bowl. It wasn't until she felt Izzy shooting a lifted eyebrow at her that she finally elaborated in a language he understood. "Greve Viggo Gøye, my grandfather, is ill and his second wife never liked my mother. She certainly doesn't like Friedrich or myself." Green eyes glanced up to Izzy who felt as though he was getting the details on her whole family tree. "That's my brother." Willa finally ate the last chunk of potato which had grown a little chilled and set the bowl aside. When he made a hurry-up-and-tell-me gesture Willa continued. "She is nothing but greed, so she's been trying to cut us out of his life and money since we were born. Controls just about all of the Gøye wealth now. It'll go to my step-uncle rather than anyone of Gøye blood."

Izzy sighed deeply. He'd been right from the start then, there really wasn't anyone to even try selling her back to. At least they had a translator should they need one and besides, she might actually obey his commands and do some chores unlike the rest of the useless fucking crew. All Willa had was a noble name with no value. Didn't matter, after a while he'd probably forget the von Krieger name as well.

When he swallowed the last mouthful of his supper the bowl was cast aside on the square table behind him then, with slow movements so as not to cause the teen to panic, Izzy fished a half-empty bottle out from underneath his bed. Izzy wasn't much of a drinker, sure he drank, but never more than a tankard or two at a time. Anything Izzy could do to prevent spilling the contents of his stomach in front of other pirates – or people in general – was a priority for him. There was no way he'd be getting shitfaced. The first mate yanked the cork out, took a swig then sat down on the edge of the bed when a yawn took him. Exhausted, he was exhausted. Normally he'd have a full crew who did what the fuck he said but aboard the Revenge Izzy had found himself doing twice the work with half as many people. He'd stayed up on watch the previous night as well. Awkwardly he removed his ever-present waistcoat and untucked his black shirt before he rolled his shoulders to ease some of the stiffness there. The fifteen-year-old wouldn't mind if he just rested his head on the pillow for a moment surely. It is my fucking bed. So Izzy just tipped backward leaving his head on the pillow and his feet on the ground.

However, Izzy had just imagined she'd sit there quietly as she had been doing but it seemed that was not the case. The first mate felt her shuffle then slip off of the tiny bed to kneel on the floor at his feet. That was where the warning bells started ringing in a cacophony of alerts within his mind. The older man's whole body tensed as his brow furrowed and then, without warning, she was slipping off his boots.

"The fuck are you doing, little lass?" He demanded as he sat upright with alarming speed.

Surprisingly beautiful green eyes peered upward at him and Izzy swallowed audibly.

"Helping, Master." She told him meekly.

He threw out some of his usual vituperative comments without a single thought. "I'm not some namby-pamby ponce of a lord. I can dress myself."

She slipped back an inch or so as Izzy could yank his other boot off but with the bottle still in his hand it proved to be somewhat awkward. With a sigh he just set his foot back down and took another swig.

"Just do it."

So Willa did, she easily pulled off his remaining boot and set it neatly beside its twin. Izzy keeled over with the sole intention of passing out. The Prussian wasn't a real threat and he had to sleep, he just had to.

Willa gazed at the elder man for a moment similar to how a mother would a child; it was an expression that would have caused Izzy all sorts of confusion and unease. A few moments later Willa stood to move the bottle from Izzy's hands to the table, and blew out the lantern Izzy had lit quite some time ago. Once more the scent of smoke filled the cabin, a twirling odor that went to linger in the corners.

She slipped back down to the ground then and practically curled in on herself so she could sway with the ocean's movements. Roughly two silent minutes passed before the man with salt and pepper hair broke it. His voice echoed quietly around the room but fortunately this time Willa didn't jump.

"What are you doing down there now, lass?"

"Sleeping, Master." She responded softly. "The Kommondore insisted I slept where dogs belong."

Oh Izzy was grateful that Prussian bastard was dead because otherwise Izzy would have ripped his damn lungs out.

"That fucker is gone and Blackbeard put me in charge of you."

Next thing Willa knew Izzy had reached out from the bed, wrapped both arms around her waist and somehow managed to haul her to him. He then rolled over with her before releasing her and turning back leaving her between him and the wall while he faced the door. The bed wasn't big enough for two people, there was no denying that, not unless she wanted to practically lay on top of him of course. She knew it, he knew it and Izzy could pretty much hear her thinking beside him.

"Go to sleep, lass." Izzy's voice was laced with tiredness.

Cautious as to what had just happened, Willa plastered herself against the wall his bed was pushed up against and did her very best not to touch him. Slowly Willa's emerald orbs adjusted to the darkness she'd once against found herself in. Black save for a little sliver of light that came from underneath the cabin door. She could see the shadow of him and a dark patch which she assumed to be some kind of tattoo on his neck but it was much too dark to make out clearly.

She lay there just listening to him breathing long after it had levelled out into slumber. This truly wasn't what Wilhelmina had expected from pirates, especially Blackbeard's pirates.

~X~

The next morning Izzy awoke practically dangling off of the bed, which was unusual because he almost always slept on his back. He pushed himself up and stretched almost obscenely, the sort of stretch which felt utterly blissful right up until it ended and then one was forced to ponder if they'd over done it a bit. After stifling a yawn and raking a hand through his hair to push it out of his face he peered over his shoulder as if to confirm that Wilhelmina von Krieger hadn't been a figment of some dream. Nope, not a dream, Willa was still there pressed against the wall to take up as little of the bed as possible. Even to a stone-cold man like Israel Hands it was somewhat endearing.

Fresh daylight slipped underneath the door illuminating the room just enough to see by, so Izzy took the opportunity to gaze at her sleeping form. The dark circles under her eyes looked better than they had the previous day but not by much, and the cut below her eye had eased a touch of its redness as well.

A little voice in the back of his mind wanted him to leave the girl to sleep but that voice was told to shut its fucking face when he caught sight of the amount of grime on Willa. That was how he found himself pulling on his boots before he stood and that was what woke her up. He practically felt the way her eyes flicked about before settling on him with increasing worry.

"Get up." He ordered. "You need a bath."

That was true, Willa was utterly filthy. Her hair had turned greasy and he remembered her skin feeling tacky when he'd picked her up. Frankly it was kind of disgusting.

"Don't look so fucking worried, lass, Bonnet's got some swanky as shit bath tub you can use."

Willa just went along with it. A bath did sound nice even if the water was cold. Salt water residue clung to places she seriously wished it wouldn't. So she waited quietly with patience as he hunted down Jim, and somehow managed to force them to the passageway outside his cabin where he ordered them to help Willa bathe having determined that Jim was least likely to make the Prussian uncomfortable. Jim however, someone Willa learnt pretty damn fast didn't speak all that much, seemed to only agree out of pity for the teenager. Izzy took it as a win though since he'd gotten what he wanted. He grabbed his soap ball out the box he kept his thread in and tossed it to Willa before he'd basically telling them to fuck off and get on with it.

"Sooner she's out of that vile slip the better."

Willa's mouth fluttered a moment before words managed to leave her lips. "Em, I don't have any other clothes."

Yes, that did seem like a downside to his plan. In a second of quick thinking he grabbed his spare shirt, the one she'd repaired for him the previous night, and tossed that to her as well. With that they were ushered out of his cabin so Izzy could get up on deck and begin his duties; after all, First Mate Hands had idiots to deal with.

For a moment Willa and Jim just stood there until he vanished from sight, then the two spared a glance at one another.

"Come on, I'll show you to the bath." Said Jim in a tone which only confirmed that they pitied Willa.

It turned out that the bathroom really wasn't that far from Izzy's cabin and when they entered she truly had to pause a second to digest what was before her. A rather nice room with ornate sconces and a tub far more fancy than anything else she'd seen on the Revenge so far. This was a pirate ship, wasn't it? Pirates were violent thugs, or so Willa had been led to believe. Yet, while Jim saw to the bath being filled, Willa kept thinking of what she'd seen since waking on deck with Izzy Hands over her. The pirates had looked more curious than violent and while the first mate didn't appear to be an overly personable fellow he'd treated her with more care and respect than anyone in the upper classes ever had.

Eventually the bath had been filled with inviting hot water and Jim just gestured to it insistently. "Get in then."

She'd have much rather washed herself but she supposed that this was Izzy's odd way of making sure she didn't drown while ensuring she didn't have a much older man hovering awkwardly. Didn't look like she was getting much choice. Slowly she pulled her dirty slip over her head and just let it drop to the floor. Although, the way Jim's eyes widened wasn't lost on the Prussian; she did her best to ignore it. Looking for any sort of distraction Willa sniffed at the soap ball, it was sweet but certainly a manly scent that actually seemed typical of a man like Israel Hands. Didn't seem typical of a pirate though. Weren't their soaps mostly cheep, horrid concoctions of whale blubber? This was not that so only one conclusion presented itself; Izzy had stolen it, not that it really mattered. Clearly Willa had been too focused on soap because when Jim spoke the teenager startled.

"Is that asshole Izzy the one who gave you these?" They asked with a loose gesture to the bruises and bite marks.

Willa shook her head; how could someone think Izzy had done this to her? He'd been so kind.

"Nein, he hasn't hurt me in the slightest."

More gentlemanly toward her than an actual gentleman seemed like a more apt description. Jim's expression remained dubious though, they didn't trust Izzy.

"I can wash myself. Danke for your help, Jim."

She raised her hands to gather up her hair but hissed when a sharp pain consumed her upper half and then promptly fell back into the water making a splash. Jim actually had enough kindness to seem concerned.

"I'll wash your hair for you." Jim exasperated as they came to kneel by the tub.

Willa found herself with little choice but to sit there and let the older person do as they pleased with her foul hair. However, she cared very little if it meant she could have a bath. The water was hot and ate away at the grime which had started to encrust Willa. The heat also bloomed deep into her bones and muscles where it eased the pain she felt. Peaceful bliss. Wilhelmina had almost forgotten that peace existed. Maybe being with pirates wouldn't be so bad, it was certainly the happiest she'd been since going to sea.

Jim showed such kindness in aiding Willa to wash; they somehow managed to avoid letting any opinions settle on their face for more than a split second. Willa had a series of cuts and scratches over her body which had almost certainly come from the destruction of the Prussian vessel but others were older and had clearly been caused by the edge of a man's ring. The almost perfect print of a boot on Willa's back did give Jim pause though. Somebody had taken great pleasure in beating the teenager.

Mud, that was the color of the water by the time Jim and Willa had finished. Cold, disgusting mud. The teenager managed to rinse herself and dry off alone but when it came to getting Izzy's shirt on Jim was forced to again provide assistance.

"Danke, Jim."

"Sure, whatever." They responded softly.

Izzy's black shirt came down to just above mid thigh on Wilhelmina and was massively oversized to the point it kept wanting to slide off of her shoulders. Still, the linen provided a warmth Willa hadn't known in months. The rag known as her slip found itself balled up in her slender arms as her wet hair cascaded down her back.

Like with the entire time Willa had been in the bath, Jim said little, just guided the girl back toward Izzy's cabin since they didn't really know what else to do with her. However, when they rounded a corner they found themselves almost on top of Frenchie and Wee John who had been joking with one another. As soon as Frenchie set eyes on Willa's state of undress a whistle escaped him along side a smirk.

"Nice legs, beautiful."

Wee John nodded to himself. "Yeah, you're a tiny girl but you're a sweet buttercup."

The auburn-haired beauty paled; every drop of blood drained from her face and she started to shake. Kommodore Hohenstaufen had called her that. At every available opportunity he'd tossed that horrendous pet name at her. Butterblume this and Butterblume that. Hohenstaufen's voice had oozed with such vile spite every time he opened his mouth. He'd spit it at her, hiss it at her and anything-else it at her that he could. Willa's shaking suddenly started to vibrate through her as her heartbeat raced, and the next thing she knew she'd bolted.

The Prussian hadn't intended to, she'd not thought about it, just gone. One foot hurriedly lunged in front of the other in desperation. Willa didn't know her way around the ship but that didn't matter since she made it only a short distance before her face ploughed into something solid and black as soon as she made to turn a corner. Izzy! It was Izzy! Her heart felt as though it would leap out of her chest and leave her to just fall down dead, so Willa clung to the elder man with a need she couldn't quite decipher in that moment.

"The fuck is going on here?!" Izzy demanded as Jim, Frenchie and Wee John appeared a few steps behind her. The first mate's expression grew darker. "What did you twats do to her?!"

Not a single attempt was made to wrap his arms around Willa in return, he had no desire to hold her, surely felt no affection for her. That being said Izzy didn't push her away either, instead he allowed her to cling to him while he growled at Bonnet's crew. Willa felt her heart rate calm down to something which resembled normal as she breathed him in; Izzy Hands smelt of the same soap ball she'd washed with and the sea. And why was that so comforting to her now?

The dark-skinned man called Frenchie bravely shuffled forward and held out the slip Willa had dropped when she'd bolted.

"I'm – I'm sorry. We didn't mean to upset her."

Wee John nodded in agreement. "Honest."

Izzy snatched the slip away while blue eyes continued to glare daggers. Willa felt him tense as though he'd strike at any second, but then another man appeared between the pair and trio with a cautious expression and finer clothes than any pirate.

"Em, what's going on here folks?" Stede questioned. "Why is there a half-naked teenager in the passageways?"

Jim piped up first. "She's just had a bath and doesn't have any other clothes."

"Ah." He mused in understanding before his attention was directed to the Prussian. "Why don't you come with me, my dear. I'll get you some real clothes."

After a calming breath Willa lifted her face out of Izzy's surprisingly strong chest and glanced up at the blond man beside them. He looked nothing like a pirate and he certainly wasn't a naval officer. This guy was a lord or something else equally out of place on the high seas.

"Not to worry, you'll be okay with me and I'm sure Mister Hands is busy." Stede reassured with a kind smile.

This man was the least dangerous person on the ship, he wouldn't know how to hurt her even if he tried. She'd be safe with Stede Bonnet. Willa didn't instantly do as he wished though, instead she peered up at Izzy who she still clung to.

"May I?"

Izzy appeared to stumble mentally a second or two before he remembered that Wee John, Frenchie and dagger-happy Jim were still there. Willa could actually see him put his gruff, angry mask back on.

"Do what you want, I'm not your keeper."

Well, Blackbeard had literally put him in charge of Wilhelmina von Krieger so that was exactly what he was.

It took more effort than Willa had expected but she eventually convince her arms to release Izzy's waist; she'd managed it. As soon as they'd separated though Izzy shoved the sip into her grasp and stormed off. Willa wasn't left abandoned long though as Stede soon offered an arm – no one had done that since her brother had last escorted her to one of the von Krieger parties – and guided her toward the captain's quarters.

"Oh, were are my manners?" He began after a few steps. "I am Captain Stede Bonnet, this is my ship, the Revenge. Ed said you'd be staying with us a while."

Willa's brow furrowed deeply. Somewhere above them a seagull squawked. "Ed?"

"Hmm? Oh, Blackbeard." He elaborated.

And to think that Willa had started to think all the Blackbeard talk was just made up. Nein, thought Willa, if this Bonnet person is captain here then no way in hell Izzy would be first mate. That was evident, Izzy would have killed Bonnet and taken the ship for himself in a heartbeat.

Upon entering the cabin Willa extracted her arm from the blond and waited patiently by the door as he crossed the room to trip the secret lever which opened the auxiliary wardrobe. Cautiously she let him usher her inside. Surprise, that was the first emotion to pass though her but then Willa found that she really wasn't all that amazed to find so many clothes around a man like Captain Bonnet.

Stede grinned. "Welcome to my auxiliary wardrobe."

Ja, he's a lord or a land-owner at the very least. Stede caught the look she gave everything and casually shuffled closer to her.

"I know it is rather a lot but you never know when you'll need a quick outfit change. No one wants to be caught out if there's an impromptu talent show."

Pirates and talent shows didn't go together surely. Willa lifted up her hand to tuck one of her drying locks behind her ear, that was when Stede caught sight of the repair to Izzy's sleeve.

"Ooh, that is well done." His face lit up. "I wasn't aware our Mister Hands could sew."

"Em, that was me."

She'd not known it was possible for Stede's face to light up further. "Excellent! I'll give you these then."

Quickly the tall man spun around to root through his selection a moment before he discovered exactly what he'd been searching for. With a triumphant sound Stede turned back to the fifteen-year-old Prussian and thrust out a pair of brown leather trousers which clearly didn't fit with the rest of Captain Bonnet's aesthetic.

"You could probably tailor these enough to fit you – I'm sorry, I never got your name."

"Wilhelmina Dagmar Kornelia von Krieger." She reeled off as she had many times before in her short life.

Stede nodded mostly to himself. "Miss von Krieger, lovely." He gestured with the leather trousers again. "I purchased these when I first became a pirate. I thought they'd make me really look the part but I'm now certain leather is Ed's and Iggy's thing rather than mine. Here." This time she took the proffered item and slung it over her arm with her slip. "You'll need a shirt as well, doubt you want to be wearing that shirt all the time."

With that the blond went back to his fine clothes while Willa tried to process if this was all the delirious imaginings of a girl seconds from death or real life. She had so many questions but was certain continued silence would be her safer option.

Just before Willa could get lost in the inner mumblings of her mind a white shirt was held out in front of her as well. Willa blinked at it a second then took it not wanting to appear rude; that and actual clothes did sound rather nice.

"Sorry, this is too big for you as well." He said with a genuine apology. "Better than nothing though."

"Danke schön, Captain Bonnet." Green eyes finally got up enough courage to meet his much darker ones. "Truly."

Stede offered her a smile, the sort a father would offer their child, and it warmed Willa's heart. She'd not been blessed with many of those smiles in her life.

"Of course, my dear. I should be apologizing though. I should have come and spoken with you right away. Forgive me, I was rude and lacking. It can't have been comfortable sleeping in Izzy Hands' room. I will endeavor to find you better accommodation."

"Danke, Captain." She said automatically, but then forced herself to add more; Izzy had been kind. "Though I would prefer to remain with him."

Stede raised a questioning eyebrow. "Really? Are you sure, my dear? He can be rather … difficult."

"Ja, I'm sure." She insisted as her eyes fell to their feet, "It has been a very long time since I have felt safe, but for some reason he makes me feel safe."

Much to Willa's absolute delight Stede bestowed another of those fatherly smiles on her. His eyes were soft and full of care.

"Maybe you'll have a good effect on him." The blond cleared his throat. "Should you decide otherwise my settee is always available to you. Please do not hesitate to ask for anything you might need."

Willa nodded. Stay polite. Rich people like overly polite. "That is very kind, Captain."

When she didn't lift her eyes to meet his Stede rested a hand on her shoulder which had her snap upwards startled.

"I mean it. I am sorry I didn't come to speak with you after we hauled you on board." He assured her gently. "Go on back to Izzy's room, best give those clothes a go."

That was the moment Willa decided she liked this strange man with his flamboyance, resplendence and positive attitude. Sure he looked nothing like an actual pirate but that didn't matter, he was a genuine person who actually seemed to care; a rarity in her world. So Wilhelmina found herself oddly at ease as she walked back to Izzy's quarters unaccompanied. Not entirely a cynic but pretty fucking close, that probably described Willa best. Just about every single person she'd met acted only in their own self-interest, but this gang of lawless delinquents she'd stumbled in with were different. All pirates were violent animals as obsessed with gold as magpies were with shiny things; the false axiom.