Lucy yawned before she sat up and rubbed her eyes. After her vision returned, she smiled at her surroundings. She laid on the comfy queen-sized bed inside the great cabin at the back of the Iron Maiden. Unlike a typical captain’s quarters, the cabin was like an extensive suite at an inn. While the bed was on the far left corner, the desk stood in front of the back glass window. The bathroom was on the right with one tub and grooming equipment. Bookshelves, a dresser, a weapon rack, and everything a captain would need for himself. Four other rooms with beds were outside the great cabin, probably for high ranked crew members. If the rest of the crew needed someplace to sleep on the ship, they get the buck beds in the orlop deck.

Since their escape from Brightmoon, Charles gave Lucy a quick tour of his ship. The navigation room sat on top of the great cabin near the sterncastle deck and below the poop deck. There was an infirmary, a cargo hold, and a crow’s nest on the mainmast over the quarterdeck. One brig chamber where the pirates held captives for ransom or interrogation, and one kitchen for one cook. If the crew needed to wash or use the restroom, they get the stall room in the cargo hold. And since Walton became in charge of the ship, the stall room hasn’t been cleaned too often.

Gross! Lucy was grateful Charles allowed her to use his personal bathroom and sleep on his cozy bed while he slept in one of the crew quarters. A lady should have the benefit of sleeping in a nice clean room.

After she stretched her arms out, Lucy got off the bed and placed her white dress on. She tightened her dress and wrapped a leather belt around her waist, which has a long sheath on the back. From the sheath, she pulled out a silver cutlass sword with a golden handle.

The Vanquisher Attack type: Physical Attack Power: 10 Defense Power: 5 Speed: 10 Effects: Raises speed to 10 for ten seconds after a critical hit.

Charles found the sword in a stash chest and gave it to Lucy. He believed Walton looted the sword because he left the sword in the chest behind. Since Lucy has no weapon, Charles offered it to her as a reward for earning her pirate class. With its effect, Lucy will become the fastest swordswoman in the seven seas. If she kept updating her speed attribute, nobody could touch her.

Lucy slid her sword back into her sheath and checked her equipment list. The sword was the only item she was carrying. She left the hatchet in the stash and Charles cooked the lizard-boar meat for dinner. One meat wasn’t enough to fill up their bellies, but two grog bottles and pieces of bread with butter on top were enough to satisfy them both. The ship’s stores contained fish, spices, vegetables, fruits, and plenty of rum to keep the crew from starving. Of course, there was a cargo of fishes for a crew of pirate cats. Lucy didn’t mind fish, but Charles hated fish. He preferred vegetables and fruits, which were out of character for a wolf. If he got stranded at sea, he whether eat seaweed than catch fishes with a harpoon.

The rest of the cargo was health potions, elixirs, weapons, cloth, wooden planks, and other loot used for crafting or trading. But they found no gold anywhere on the decks. Charles suspected Walton wasted all the gold on gambling, which was typical of him. But they could get more gold if they traded half of the cargo. After all, pirates make a living by looting and trading to the highest bidder.

Lucy left the great cabin and walked to the quarter-deck outside, looking around for Charles. She didn’t see him on the forecastle deck, the main deck, or even on the quarterdeck. So she climbed up to the sterncastle deck and spotted him on the poop deck, staring through a spyglass. What could he be up to this time in the morning?

"Hey!" Lucy shouted, climbing up the ladder to the poop deck.

Charles lowered his spyglass and smiled. "Why hello there, lass. Was my bed comfy for you?"

Lucy snorted as she stood next to him. "It smelled like a furball."

"Sorry about that. Walton hates taking baths. But I can wash the bed sheets if you like."

Lucy giggled. "It's fine. I still smelled like a wet dog."

"But you took a bath last night."

"At least I don’t smell like a cat."

Charles laughed. "I am just keeping an eye out for players. Sometimes they raid random ships for fun. When we get close to Blackmare, we will sail out from the PVP waters."

Lucy glanced at the open sea. So far, no other ships or land was in sight. The sea was a little quiet with small waves splashing below the ship. If a hostile ship appears, Lucy and Charles would have to scramble to each cannon to fire them all. But if the players board the ship, Lucy and Charles could get outnumbered. For the best, they should avoid other pirate ships until they get a crew.

"How long will it take to reach Blackmare?" Lucy asked while the wind blew through her hair.

"We might reach there by nightfall." Charles pulled out a scroll and unrolled it. "See? It is forty miles from Cordeen Isle."

Lucy stared at the paper, which was a map of the Sea of Raybour, harboring ten islands. Blackmare looked like a cloud of black spots, clustered together to form a round imperfect circle.

She pointed her finger at the dark island. "Why is Blackmare shaped like that?"

"Blackmare isn't one island, it is many." Charles rolled up the map. "They are close together, surrounded by swamp water and marshes. Everybody gets their feet wet there.”

Lucy leaned over the railing. “We always get our feet wet in this world. Dryland is like stepping stones here.”

“Indeed.” Charles pulled open a hatch on the poop deck and dropped through it. “In the meantime, you can do what you want here. We have one hour and fifteen minutes before sunset.”

Lucy stared at the hatch, which she didn’t notice before when she first climbed onto the poop deck. She wasn’t sure what else she could do while waiting to arrive at the swamp island. Charles has dices and cards for a game, but the cat pirates didn’t leave much entertainment on the Iron Maiden. If the crew was on the ship, the atmosphere would be more colorful. Lots of talking and singing would keep Lucy from getting bored. She could go back to bed if her tiredness didn’t leave her body. Maybe Charles could give her something to do.

Lucy climbed through the hatch into the navigation room. A large square table with the world map rested at the center. On the right, Charles placed the rolled map into a dresser between other maps rolled up.

“Is there anything else to do on this ship?” Lucy asked.

Charles closed the drawer. “Why to do some fencing? Give your sword some practice?”

“I don’t need practice.” Lucy crossed her arms. “I can handle a weapon on my own.”

“Ha! Last time I fought you, I have beaten you.”

“You kissed me!”

Charles laughed. “It was a distraction.”

“And my father knocked you out.”

Charles shrugged. “Still, I called that kiss a victory.”

Lucy rolled her eyes. “But you didn’t beat me.”

“Then why don’t we have a rematch? Nobody will get in our way this time.”

“Okay.” Lucy shook her finger at him. “But no kissing! I will bite your nose off if you try that shit again!”

“Fair enough.” Charles pulled out his silver spadroon. “Outside.”

He pushed the door open, allowing Lucy to walk out to the sterncastle desk.

Charles closed the door and headed to the main deck. “There is more space down here.”

On the main deck, he spread out his feet, keeping his sword up. “Ready?”

Lucy copied his stance while keeping five feet apart from the wolf. “My father taught me to always be ready.”

“Then he taught you well then.” Charles swung while leaning forward.

His blade didn’t reach Lucy, but she parriesd it anyway. She struck back, and he blocked.

“So you practiced on your own?” Charles thrust toward Lucy’s torso.

She blocked and leaped back. “I didn’t always practice alone. My father taught me in case a brawl broke out in his tavern. But I still sharpened my skills for possible adventures.”

“Now you’re on an adventure.” Charles charged, thrusting like he was trying to poke Lucy.

She sprinted backward while parrying each strike. Her back hit the wall and Charles pressed his blade against her throat. He didn’t push harder since they were only having a friendly duel.

“Always watch your surroundings, lass,” Charles whispered close to her right floppy ear. “You are in my mercy…..”

Lucy blushed, but she pushed him back. “Agh! Don’t do that again!”

Charles held up his hands. “What again?”

Lucy pointed her sword at him. “You tried to kiss me again!”

“No, I didn’t! I pinched you to the wall to show you what happens when you don’t keep your eyes around.”

Lucy licked her lips. “Okay, but not too close! I prefer keeping my mouth clean.”

“Do you think an enemy will give you that consideration? They will take advantage of you if your focus isn’t wide.”

“Well-uhhhhhhhh-no! I know enemies don’t show mercy.”

“Then pay attention.” Charles returned to his position. “On guard!”

Lucy stepped forward with her feet apart and swung her attack.

Charles parries and thrusted his blade out, allowing Lucy to reach him. Then he twirled toward her back as she missed him.

“Can I ask you again?” Lucy swung, swinging her sword toward Charles until he parries her attack. “Why did you betray the empire?”

"Not part of the subject." Charles sprinted, pushing Lucy toward the forecastle, their blades clapping.

"Well, you asked me about my training." Lucy danced to the left, avoiding the wall.

Charles kept swinging and poking. "That wasn't personal."

"To me, that was." Lucy thrust toward Charles's left thigh, but he deflected it.

"I only wondered what skills you learned." He parries her next attack.

Lucy jumped back, avoiding his swing. "Prrrh! You are seeing them now."

She swung her body on one toe, spinning like a top with her blade out.

Charles jumped over her, rolling his body through the air as Lucy missed him.

After he landed, he ducked and swung a kick. Lucy fell off her toe and landed into the longboat.

Charles laughed and held his hand toward her. "It's better to stick with basic moves without trying to be fancy, lass."

Lucy glared at him, but she grabbed his hand.

Charles pulled her out from the longboat. "Again?"

Lucy spread out her feet, holding her sword up in front of her. "Any tricks, I'll kick your bloody ass off this ship."

Charles chuckled. "But that wouldn't be fun. Your enemies will use everything to kill you."

"Like kissing?"

Charles rolled his eyes. "Let's make a bet. Shall we? If you can throw me into that longboat, I'll tell you why I became a pirate. If I win, you will scrub the decks before we reach Blackmare. Got it?"

"I scrubbed before. You're on."

"Ooooooooooh, scrubbing a ship is a different story." Charles sent the first strike.

Lucy parries and pushed Charles's blade back. She almost touched his chest until he kicked her back.

She coughed, feeling a little pain in her gut where the wolf struck her. Although she arched, she couldn't hold back.

With a growl, Lucy charged with her sword up. She got close, but Charles tripped her and she flew back into the longboat.

Lucy punched the longboat's side, hurting her fist. "Ouch! Damnit!"

Charles sheathed his sword and approached the longboat. "You still got a lot to learn, lass." He held out his hand. "If you want to become a true pirate like your father, you must fight harder."

Lucy sighed and took Charles's hand. She landed on her feet and placed her sword back into her sheath. "When my level reaches higher than you, you will be the one in the longboat."

Charles grinned. "But in the meantime." He pushed his finger against her upper chest. "Start scrubbing. I want all the top decks spotless. The bucket and mop are in the cargo hold."

He patted her shoulder and walked away. "I will be in my cabin if you need anything."

Lucy watched him for a moment and sighed. "If my father was here, he would be disappointed in me."