The soft rocking woke Alexandria up from her sleep. She jumped up clenching her chest patting her body down looking for something. Her hand hit the spot where her journal was stored. Breathing a sigh of relief looking around the room. The last thing she remembered was passing out while a polar bear. Everything else was just a buzzing in her head.

"You hit the ground hard. How are you feeling Captain?" Lyrics voice echoed in her head for a moment. She sat up wincing at the light looking at her blood soaked crew member.

"I feel like I was hit by a train. Where are we now?" Alexandria winced again, rolling her shoulders and attempting to crack her neck. Looking around the room, noticing all her things.

Lyric let out a soft giggle. "We are on our ship heading towards Fina's island." She paused, giving her time to process the information.

Alexandria tried going back to the last thing she could remember. Flashes of the fight run through her head. Clamping her eyes shut wincing from the pain of trying to remember. "What the hell?!" Placing her head in her hands for a moment.

She had never had trouble remembering a shift like this before. Something was off. She could feel it radiating throughout her entire body. Looking through her journal later would be a good idea. Lyric sat there for a moment waiting for Alexandria to collect herself.

"Any other news or are we sailing into a trap?" Alexandria reached into her blouse pulling out her journal and starting to flip through it looking for any mention of amnesia. There was no mention of it anywhere. However there were torn pages that she didn't remember taking out. She needed to figure that out later when there was time.

Lyric let out a soft giggle. "Fina doesn't appear hostile. She even stopped her crew from attacking us when they finally came to help after seeing the attack." That was an intense moment especially with Alexandria passed out on the deck.

The door to the cabin swung open and Eve strolled in. "Well look who finally decided to wake up." Tyra was behind her a look of both concern and relief on her face.

She let out a hearty chuckle. "It is good to see you awake. It is too early to die on us just yet. I should get that honor." Letting out another chuckle passing by Eve to sit on a chair in the corner of the room.

Alexandria was stunned for a moment. They had not been a crew for that long. Eve had just joined but already their bond was quite strong. Hopefully filling out the rest of the crew would be this smooth. Rolling her eyes at the thought she cracked a small smile.

Lyric giggled covering her mouth to try and hide it. Glancing over at her, Alexandria wrinkled her nose. "Just get over seeing me smile. We are in a damn serious situation at the moment." Everyone in the room went rigid at the statement. She was right they needed to focus.

Looking at each of her crew for a moment, getting a good stretch and cracking her neck. She felt better and now it was time to get to business. "What exactly did Fina say when I was unconscious?"

The door swung open and Fina, flanked by two of her crew, walked into the room. “Apologies for the intrusion. It would be better if I answered that question.” Her crew members stopped at the door. Both Lyric and Eve's hands rested near their weapons just in case. Fina chucked, shaking her head. “We are all friends here, no need to be tense.”

Letting out an exasperated sigh Alexandria cracked her neck. “Why should your word be better than that of my crew? I recall you threatened to kill all of us.” She motioned her hand to the bed calling off Lyric and Eve. There was no reason to spill blood in the cabin. She didn’t want things ruined so soon after setting it to her liking.

Clicking her tongue Fina sat at the end of Alexandria’s bed. The handle of her pistol was showing which added to the tension in the room. “If I had not done anything your crew would be dead. I stopped mine from attacking when you passed out. Is that a good enough reason for you?” Fina sorted a bit of a smug grin painted across her face.

Alexandria wrinkled her nose. She wasn’t pleased with the attitude. However, stopping unnecessary bloodshed was always helpful. “There is a better way then running your fucking mouth. You act like my crew can’t handle themselves. So cut the bullshit and tell me how things will move forward?”

Taking in a deep breath letting out a soft chuckle. “That is one of the reasons you're still breathing. Most would run and hide but you're sitting here challenging me from bed. I have a proposal.” Fina moved from the end of the bed standing at the side. “With the right backing you can go far. Half of your plunder and all my territories are yours to use freely. You won’t get a better deal than that.”

Alexandria looked up at Fina. She wasn’t familiar with such deals outside of her books. The deal sounded more patronizing the better. “You taking half my plunder only grows yourself not me. How about I grow my influence and just come back to take your territories? If it wasn’t for me and my crew, you would be at the bottom of the ocean.” She sat up glaring at Fina even though she was still dead tired. No way was she going to be pushed around by anyone regardless of how powerful they thought they were.

Fina’s crew members stirred behind her. The creaking of the planks signaled a possible confrontation. Her hand went up to stop them. A soft swish was heard followed by a thud. One of Eve’s throwing knives wiggled inside the frame of the door. Fina’s crew members looked at each other then Fina. She shook her head, turning back to Alexandria. “It would seem you don’t like to take orders. That will do you no favors in this world.”

Wrinkling her nose Alexandria pushed herself up getting out of the bed. She stood getting as close to Fina as she could. “Captains don’t take orders from anyone.” She grabbed her scythe cane pulling it close drawing the blade. Using the sheath for balance she brought up the point resting it in between them. “I have no problem taking what I want. Being tested on and held against my will for so long. I have no issue dying for something I believe in.”

Both Lyric and Eve jumped up going for their weapons. Fina’s crew members had yet to move from the door. Everyone’s breathing became rushed and heavy. Tyra’s time piece she kept on her was the only sound echoing in the room after Alexandria finished talking. Fina tilted her head to the side staring down at Alexandria and the scythe blade between them.

“You continue to surprise me. If you think taking my territories is so simple, why not do it now? Claim everything I have just by taking my life.” Fina moved forward allowing the blade to press against her neck. She wasn’t going to kill herself but testing Alexandria’s resolve sounded like a good time. Shallowing a bit, the blade moved slightly showing the tension was at the brink of spilling blood.

Closing her eyes for a moment Alexandria escaped into her thoughts. Killing Fina right now wouldn’t accomplish what she wanted. A deal however in her favor would give her much more. Plunder didn’t have to be shared. There was always another way. Her eyes shot open a small smirk crossing her face. “You give me half your territory in exchange for that plunder you wanted. No one really loses and I take something from you without killing someone I am starting to fucking admire.”

A soft chuckle escaped Fina’s lips. It soon turned into a full-blown hearty chuckle. Taking a few minutes to gain her composure looking down at Alexandria. “Well, I think we can work something out. Once you leave here that will start the halving of your plunder. Divided out by food, materials, and precious items. I will show you the territories that will be yours to take.”

Alexandria moved the blade from Fina’s skin sheathing it. Wrinkling her nose leaning on the cane a bit. “What do you mean the territories are mine to take?” She wasn’t sure what the hell that meant. If they were trading wouldn’t she just take ownership? Rolling her shoulders and cracking her neck feeling a bit better. All the excitement was giving her a second wind. There was still the matter of figuring out why she passed out. Her journal entries needed a thorough read through.

“It wouldn’t be any fun if I just handed you half my territories. You will have to take them from prisoners I have sentenced to death. Once you're done with that they will be yours. Half the plunder will come back to me of course. Everyone wins in the end.” Fina waved her crew members away walking to the door. She motioned Alexandria to follow her.

Following her out the cabin flanked by Eve and Lyric. While they were talking the ships had made it to the docks of Fina’s island. There were people everywhere, much more than Alexandria had seen in her whole life. The noise was deafening but made her smile. Lyric giggled, clapping and jumping next to her. “It is about time you had a genuine smile grace that face.” Alexandria wrinkled her nose punching Lyric in the arm with her free hand.

“What did I tell you about my smile? It isn’t a big deal just worry about that ear numbing giggle of yours.” Alexandria shook her fist continuing to take in the sites. Finally, a settlement that wasn’t on fire or a ghost town. The deal wasn’t completely ideal, but it was a hell of a lot better than giving half of her things away. She wasn’t going to pay rent on something that wasn’t already hers.

Fina’s crew took care of securing the ships while they made their way to Fina’s quarters on the island. Alexandria’s hair blew around her making her want to shift and ride the wind as her vulture form. V shrieked, landing on Alexandria’s shoulder. It had been a while since she had seen her. Of course, it wasn’t as though she missed her that much. Reaching into the pouch on her belt giving V a bone to munch on.

They walked until coming up on an old clock tower. It had been patched up, but it had a certain charm to it. Wide doors were already open as they walked in greeted to a large room with some lamps hanging above, a large wooden table, and chairs all over the place. Both Alexandria and Fina took their seats while Eve, Lyric, and Fina’s guards stood behind their captain’s. This would be the first time in almost twenty years Fina had made a deal with another captain.

Unfolding a map laying it out on the table. It was marked in different areas by a dark red hue. Alexandria assumed these were all Fina’s territories. The map was only a fraction of the size she had in her room. There was no telling what adventures all these places would offer. Alexandria wrinkled her nose. “So which half are you putting up for me to claim?”

A hearty chuckle escaped Fina’s lips. She pulled a quill from her jacket making a few lines on the map. “You get to choose which half you want to take. Aside from the island we are on now everything else is up for grabs. Once you have chosen, I will make those areas ready.” She stabbed the quill into the table tilting her head to the side. “I hope you're ready for this. It isn’t going to be easy. That wouldn’t be any fun.”

Alexandria studied the map carefully. There were three lines in total on the map. One horizontal, one diagonal, and the final one was vertical. Each half section gave a different assortment of islands and resources. She needed to choose wisely in order to have a firm foundation to build her own empire. Her hand was starting to come down, stopping short with a voice echoing throughout the room. “Are you sure that is the correct choice?”