It had been a week since (Y/N) thought she saw Mamoru in Ekapan, and also a week since Leopoldo had kissed her.

When he was close (Y/N)'s whole body heated up, but Leopoldo acted as if nothing had happened.

It confused her greatly, she wondered how he could take her first kiss like that, and then act as if it were something so trivial.

The pirates were planning to dock again, apparently to stay for a few nights.

(Y/N) was standing alone on the main deck, purposefully separating herself from the pirates so she could worry to her heart's content without a million questions.

A few lower crew members were rushing around her to prepare docking, and she tried her best to stay out their way.

As (Y/N) gazed at the town, they would be stopping in her worry grew tenfold.

The Kingdom of Bizia was in sight and (Y/N) felt like she could vomit.

Bizia was Taycia's enemy, both royal families loathed each other.

They still attended the same annual banquets, supposedly to keep a peace treaty in place, as well as to keep face with other kingdoms. Though both families looked for discreet ways to destroy each other.

She was worried that she would be recognized, as the royals here are known to tour through their city, and even some guards had seen (Y/N) before at the banquets.

(Y/N) gripped the railing of the ship tightly, trying to calm her nerves.

A hand on her shoulder made her jump and almost yelp. She looked to see a smiling Ivo.

"You look horrible, little dove." He said with a sweet smile.

She released a dry chuckle.

"Thank you, Ivo. You always make my heart quicken with your kind words." The ex-princess joked.

She was getting better at teasing, after a month with Ivo, she had to be.

"Honestly, tell me what is bothering you and I will remedy it." Ivo leaned against the banister.

"Nothing is wrong," She smiled her sweet smile. "I am just caught up in my thoughts."

Ivo did not believe her, but he did not press her any further. He looked down at her (E/C) eyes looking over the kingdom.

The sun shined off her stunning (H/C) hair that fell just above her (H/L) and how her (S/C) skin looked even more flawless in the evening sun.

She is so beautiful, nothing, no one, can dare to compare... How can a simple girl make me so vulnerable? I wonder... is she oblivious or am I am eating out the palm of her hand?

(Y/N) did not notice the lustful stare Ivo was eyeing her with, instead, she decided to ask him something.

"Do you think I can stay on the ship while the rest of you stay in town?"

His neat brows furrowed deeply.

"Why would you want that?" He asked standing straight now.

Is she getting tired of us? Is she sick of me? Or one of the others?

His thoughts were going rapid-fire, he could not keep them straight, it was a jumbled mess of insecurity.

"I just don't feel like staying in the town, besides I quite enjoy my room on the ship." (Y/N) lied unaware of the frenzy she had made in Ivo's head.

"Well..." He huffed, he never lost his composure.

(Y/N) curiously looked up to him.

"I will talk to Captain." He finally spat out and stormed off, spinning on his heel to disappear into the busybodies on the deck.

(Y/N) was once again left bewildered by the pirate's actions.

I did not think a small request would upset him; it would only be for a few days. These pirates are so confusing.

Ivo marched below deck, distressed with twisted irrational thoughts.

She wants to separate from us. Why? So she can leave? So she can escape? She must be getting sick of us, of me. She is going to leave us, leave me. But why? Who upset her? Who is chasing her away? It cannot be me! I have been smiling! I have been kind!

My little dove doesn't want to be around me... someone will pay for that.

He barged into the meeting room where he initially left the three others with the excuse that he only needed fresh air. The door swung open with so much force it caused a loud bang to crash through the relatively quiet room. Though no one had jolted from the sound, it did gain everyone's quick attention.

Kazumi glared at him coldly for his rude entry.

"Ivo, what a dramatic entrance. The fresh air was that good?" Leopoldo joked leaning back in his chair.

Leven watched Ivo closely, noting that he looked almost demonic, surmising that something must have upset him to an extreme extent.

"Who..." Ivo grumbled.

"Excuse me?" Kazumi stood taller, seeing the red sclera as well.

Ivo had never attacked any of them before, but the demon inside of him would be much stronger than the comparatively calm men.

"Who... upset... (Y/N)?" Ivo almost growled her name, he staggered further into the room.

At the mention of the girl, the three men became very concerned.

"What are you talking about? (Y/N)?" Leven questioned, masking his concern with his best-annoyed voice he could muster.

The veins in Ivo's arms began to bulge, his green irises grew brighter, and his breathing became erratic.

He did not have control over his thoughts, he did not have control over the demon.

If the host has a weak mind, they are easily overpowered by the primal demon inside them. If they let it run rampant in their bodies too long, they become a shell for the mindless demon, possessed by it.

The four pirates were so successful with their demons because they had such strong will power and resilient minds in their ways.

Right now, Ivo was too upset to even care about his demon and too far gone to notice he was in the middle of a possession.

"She..." Ivo thought back to how the sun hit her skin and how lovely she looked with the slight breeze in her hair.

"She ...wants to ... leave us..." He gripped the back of a chair at the table, squeezing so hard the wood splintered beneath his hands.

"Ivo, you need to calm yourself," Kazumi warned flatly, ignoring his statement completely.

"Calm...?" Demonic Ivo quizzed, seeming to forget the meaning of the word.

Leven and Leopoldo slowly stood from the table, coming to join Kazumi at the back of the room.

"I'd rather not kill a good friend." Leopoldo sighed.

"He just needs to calm down," Kazumi muttered to Leopoldo.

Kazumi was close to Ivo, they have known each other since their early teens, and have been together every day since they met.

"Ivo," Kazumi spoke firmly, not fearful of the demon's presence.

"What would (Y/N) think if she saw you like this?"

Ivo's body tensed.

(Y/N)... (Y/N)... (Y/N)...

After a pause, Ivo placed his balled fists over his eyes, applying pressure.

I need to calm down... If I let this demon take me over (Y/N) would never smile with me again...

Ivo staggered back into the wall, calming himself and clearing the muddy thoughts.

That's right... her smile, her beautiful smile... that is my happiness, as long she is smiling, I know I can too.

He released a breath, moved his hands to his temples, and began to massage slowly.

Finally, he looked back to his friends who stared back at him.

Ivo's eyes returned to their brilliant pale green, and he flashed a big, false, smile.

"Did I scare you all? I apologize." He chuckled.

"Especially you Levy, you look terrified." He teased; Leven's jaw dropped.

"What?!" Leven shouted. "Who is terrified?!" He raised a fist in the air, fuming and ready to fight.

"What were you so upset about? You said something about (Y/N)." Kazumi cut to the chase.

Ivo's anger almost flared up again, but he remained calm.

"Our little dove has asked to separate from us."

Everyone's heart stopped, it was like their whole world came crashing down, and they completely understood why Ivo had lost it.

"She... wants to leave?" Leopoldo muttered, he thought back to the other night.

Did I scare her?

Ivo smiled wider, falser.

"Well, she didn't say that exactly, perhaps I overreacted." He shrugged.

"Quit playing around!" Leven snapped. "Just tell us what she said!"

His heart was breaking, and if he did not get it together, he felt his demon would come out as well.

Ivo sighed loudly, dramatically.

"She wants to stay on the ship as we stay in town, I have no other way to take that then she doesn't want to be with us," Ivo said, using his right hand to brush his shoulder-length hair back.

The men were quiet trying to decipher an alternate meaning.

"Maybe she just doesn't want to walk through another town, what's the big deal?" Leven crossed his arms.

"Being the curious girl that she is? No, I don't see her growing tired of visiting new places." Ivo thought aloud.

"She has been acting strangely the past few days," Leopoldo spoke, he thought because of the kiss, in reality, it was because a few days ago was when she learned they would be stopping in Bizia.

"She is a prisoner." Kazumi finally said firmly.

"She cannot leave even she wanted." He said this but his heart ached.

What if she did want to leave? Could I hold her as a prisoner now that I feel this way? I wonder what her tear-stained face would look like... how would her voice sound, begging me for something... breathtaking, no doubt.

"She will join us in town that is final." Kazumi turned back to the map he was studying before Ivo's episode.

The discussion was over, but they silently agreed on the same thought.

(Y/N) will always be ours, no matter what.