The S.S. Pacismulle looked like a little dot against the night sky now, lit up by half a dozen torch lights on the deck. The first mate, Dusk, studied the unfurled sails and the motionless deck and then slid the telescope shut with a snap. "Looks like they're not gonna follow us." He held out the telescope to the hatted man standing to his side.

"I'd be impressed if they could," the man retorted as he took up the telescope. He slid it open, placing it to his eye. "We took out their sailors. No one but their captain to man that ship. And I'm sure he's too busy handling the passengers." A grin crossed his face as he lowered the scope, handing it back to Dusk who snapped it shut.

"Gerald!"

The hatted man turned, his grin broadening upon seeing the face of his most beloved wife. "Felicia! Come here!" He and his wife embraced, both squeezing strong enough to suffocate a small animal. The two were a peculiar sight. The captain of the ship, Gerald, was at least half a foot shorter than his wife with fine features and piercing green eyes and a bit of stubble on his square chin. If standing beside anyone else of the crew, he probably would've been quite intimidating with his large hands and broad chest. Probably moreso if he hadn't chosen to wear his ridiculous pirate hat, which was made taller by long, looping feathers and beads. To better his appearance, he said.

His wife, however, was equally as intimidating. She had large shoulders and wore a top that left her shoulders and arms bare, exposing dark, tanned skin and cords of muscle born of sheer labor. Her brown hair was pulled into many thin braids, all pulled into a high ponytail with a bandana wrapped around her head. If she didn't have a fair, effeminate face, she probably would've looked more intimidating that even Dusk, who happened to be the pirate crew's trump card for putting a little scare into others.

Felicia pulled away, her smile spreading. "Judging by that grin on your face, I guess we lost them, eh?"

Gerald laughed. "Of course! Wind's in our sails, we'll be down in Hsarus by the time they get their ship together. Did you send the letter?" He stepped away from the stern of the ship, walking toward the other end where the crew's quarters were. The darkness of the deck was slowly being lit up by lantern light, the pirates having finally find enough breathing room to light the lanterns again.

Felicia fell in step beside Gerald and Dusk followed close behind. Ava popped up on the other side of Gerald, something that she was prone to do. "I sent the letter, pa! I gave it to the birdie and it went flying, just like you wanted to!" She grinned widely, showing off some missing baby teeth.

Felicia smiled warmly at the girl. "That pidgeon is bred to deliver mail, so it should reach the good gentleman Winfield in a day, give or take a few hours. We can count on that." She looked toward Gerald. "We'll be 3 million richer before the end of the week, if all things go smoothly."

Dusk smirked behind Gerald. "Maybe then we could buy ourselves a vacation. We probably put ourselves high on the radar 'cuz of this. We won't be able to get anywhere near Griswold or Pelta Lunata."

Gerald threw a look of insult over his shoulder. "I know that. Which is why it's important that all things go well. We'd get enough money off of Winfield to maybe retire in Hsarus or Onderana even. Relax a bit. Be nice to not be chased by patrol every now and then."

Dusk cocked an eyebrow. "Sure you won't miss the adventure?"

Felicia scoffed, putting one hand on Ava's dark-haired head. "I know I won't be missing it. This ain't a place to raise a girl 'mongst all these rough men. First thing I'd do is teach her how to behave less like a brat and more like a lady."

Ava scowled in response. "I'm no brat, ma!"

Dusk snickered, earning a punch to the side from Ava.

Gerald waved his hand, stopping at the front of the crew's quarters. "Alright, alright. Before any 'o that happens, we gotta finish our job. What's the status of everyone?"

Felicia pulled out a clipboard clipped to her waist,tilting it so that it caught the lantern's light. "Well, Kormic's on look-out duty. Delmar and Julius are down in the hull puttin' away the loot. Rico's guarding our lil princess."

Ava pulled on her mother's arm. "But I'm your lil princess."

"It's a figure 'o speech, Ava," Felicia said.

"Cap'n!"

The four turned to see Shin jogging toward them, water soaked into his shirt. Gerald frowned upon seeing him. "What is it?"

"We're takin' on some water starboard-side. Probably from when we rammed that merchant ship. Leakin' into the kitchen. I stopped it, but I can't fix it 'til we anchor up somewhere."

Gerald sighed, scanning the horizon.

"I think we're close to an island to the west," Dusk said, following Gerald's eyeline. "Spotted it through the 'scope earlier. We could hide out there until we get repairs done."

"Sounds good." Gerald turned to Felicia. "Alright, set a course for that island. We'll anchor up there and get repairs done. Shin, you go clean up the kitchen. Dusk, you're with me. I want to have a little chat with Ms. Victoria Winfield." He grinned as Felicia and Shin saluted, going off their separate ways.

The lower levels of the pirate ship was surprisingly well-kept for... well, pirates. The floors were shiny with what looked like wax, except most of the coating had worn thin from the traffic the hallways knew. Magicked orbs stolen from Mascord lit up the corridor like it was daylight. Each of the crew had their own room except for Felicia and Ava, the door which Rico stood before at the moment. Upon seeing the captain descend the staircase, the bored expression was replaced with relief. "Cap'n!" He took a few steps forward, pausing into a salute.

Gerald glanced around. "Which room's she in?"

"She's in the girls' room. Sleepin' like a babe."

Ava popped up behind Gerald, a scowl on her face. "Why'd you hafta put her in my room? You didn even let me get my toys before lockin' her up in there." She pouted, looking up to her father.

"Ava, now's not the time," was his brisk response.

"I don't see why I have to guard her. She's tied to a chair. No wimpy girl's gonna macho her way outta a chair."

"Just open the door, Rico."

Rico lifted his hands and walked back to the door. He gripped the knob and pushed it open.

The door swung open with a creak, opening into the slightly more spacious room of both Felicia and Ava. Gerald was the first to step in, bowing his head low so to the rimming of the door didn't knock his precious hat off of his head. Dusk followed soon after, standing upright beside his captain.

Dusk blinked as he entered, his eyes falling onto their hostage's face. He had never really gotten a solid look of her face seeing as he came from behind with the potato sack. The girl tied to the chair was in her middle teens, her red hair pulled into braided pig-tails, which was about where her effeminate characteristics ended. Just the way she sat in the chair, her face brushed red and her eyes fixed into that glare on Gerald's face didn't seem to fall into the 'I'm a helpless daughter of a noble kidnapped by pirates' look that Dusk was expecting to see on her face. She even seemed ready to spring out of the chair and attack them if she wasn't already tied to it.

"So the lil' princess is awake, eh?" Gerald chuckled.

Dusk gave Gerald a sideways glance, then crossed his arms, doing his best to put up the toughest appearance he could. There was word that the daughter of Noah Winfield had something of a temper, so he couldn't look weak in front of her. All he really had to do was look intimidating, which was what he was good at.

Victoria didn't answer, just continued to give that smoldering glare toward Gerald. The pirate captain took a step toward her, putting one hand on the hilt of his sword. "I apologize if'n this place ain't good enough for you, princess, but you probably wouldn't like one of my men's rooms." A wry grin crossed his face. "They're not as tidy as Ava here."

Ava popped up beside Gerald, looking the hostage in the face. "Hey! You better not've touched anything in here, ya hear me?"

Victoria did a brief sweep of the three in the room and Rico who stood at the door way before returning her gaze to Gerald. "Who are you people? What do you want with me?"

Gerald raised his eyebrows. "Oh! I don't suppose you've heard of us?"

Dusk's eyes flitted toward Gerald, a look of wariness in them. He knew all too well what was soon to follow. Especially if Ava was there. He heard Rico behind him blow a quiet sigh. Dusk squared his jaw and fixed his eyes back on Victoria.

"I'm Captain Gerald Haydlen. This here is Dusk Pyralis, first mate, and my daughter Ava. You're on board the Theif. And we are known as..." Gerald turned, straightening his back and putting both hands on his hips. He cocked his head the slightest of angles and peered down at Victoria with a smug look on his face. Ava slid her arms up, pointing them like an arrow toward the upper corner of the room while her face held the most serious look that could ever sit on a face as she opened her mouth to say the very same words Gerald opened his mouth to say, "The Dark Pirates of Doom!!" And behind both the spectacle, Rico buried his face in one hand while Dusk remained like a very intimidating, very disgruntled statue.

The expression on Victoria's face, the expression that was once one of anxiety and fear shifted ever so slightly. Gerald swept his hand to the side, putting one hand to his chin as he cocked an eyebrow. "I see that you fear our name. I'm not surprised, for we are quite renowned about the world for being the most fearsome pirates on the sea." He turned so he showed the other side of his face to Victoria, the feathers on his hat bouncing with the movement, and held a thumb up by his face, his lips parting into a dashing grin. "If you feel afraid right now, don't worry! That's somethin' just about everybody feels when in the presence of famous pirates like us." He began to slowly pace back and forth in front of Victoria, then wrapped his hand about the handle of his sword, drawing it easily from it's sheathe. It was perhaps the most natural motion that he had made since his speech began, except, as he turned to face Victoria again, his lips open to continue, he paused, a look of confusion crossing his face. "....Hm... Ah...."

"'Don't be thinkin' that...'" Dusk supplied.

"Ah yes! Thank you Dusk." Gerald returned to face Victoria, lightly touching the blade of his sword with his other hand. "But don't be thinkin' that there ain't no reason to be fearin' us, princess. We didn't get famous for good deeds." He leaned forward, tapping the flat of the sword on Victoria's shoulder, inches from her neck. "It'd be a shame for me to cut up your pretty face, wouldn't it?"

"A big shame!" Ava chirped in.

Gerald straightened up abruptly, looking back at the girl. "Ava, sweetie, this is Daddy's big moment. Why don't you go see if Mommy needs your help, okay?"

Ava scowled. She turned to Victoria and pointed. "If ya keep lookin' scared, maybe we won't hurtcha!"

"Ava."

Ava stuck out her tongue and dashed back out the door.

During the entire speech, though, Dusk's eyes watched Victoria and it wasn't until this moment that he noticed something a bit odd about the way she sat. She didn't look that uncomfortable which was strange because he would've thought that being tied to a chair would be uncomfortable. Her hands were locked behind her back and from where he was standing, he could see that there was a metallic plating on her arm, which he thought was strange because when he first captured her, he thought it was just a fancy glove and it never occurred to him that it was weird to have only one glove on one arm. And it was metallic too. Like a piece of armor. Or gloves that fist-fighters used. Would a noble girl wear something like that?

Gerald turned around, that pleasant smile still on his face. He waved his sword in front of Victoria's nose. "Now don't be tryin' anything rash here. You might end up hurtin' yourself, trying to break out of those bonds." Gerald snickered, swinging his sword back into it's sheathe. "If your dad loves you enough, you could probably get outta here by the end of the week. We hear Noah Winfield's got quite a stock of money that he might pay for his precious Victoria."