On the next day, the events of the previous night still were in my mind. I never imagined Dirk would be alive after I'd thrown him into the ocean, which was a silly thought since many sailors could swim. What intrigued me the most was how did he find me in Nassau... Was it a coincidence, or he'd been looking for me to get revenge? Apparently, the redhead didn't work for the RNN or any other navy, so I didn't know what to think. Even though I was relieved that Dirk hadn't drowned, I feared he'd try to kill me if we met another time. Although the angry sailor consumed my thoughts significantly, another man was also in my mind. Yes, Miguel was still in my head... My heart started beating faster and the shivers of pleasure came back once I thought of the Spaniard. There was no way I could forget our experience at the beach. Somehow, being with Miguel that night helped me feel less stressed about coming back to Sea Urchin. I bit my lower lip, nervous since I had to face Captain Monster soon. Although I still felt insecure about sticking with my plan, the crew could stop respecting me if I didn't act fast. They had no idea what I intended to do, but I felt a need to help them before those terrible men did any more damage.

I swabbed the poop deck with Maartje as I observed Captain Fletcher. No, it wasn't as bad as it seems, it was just the closest place to the stern. The captain walked from one side to another as if trying to find new prey. Quartermaster Knight did the same, but with a slightly less aggressive look in his eyes. The cutlass I'd stolen from Dirk was partially hidden on my vest. I'd usually have put the sword on my brown belt, but I needed to leave it less exposed than I did back in The Revenger. Hopefully, it was far enough from the two bloodthirsty men's eyes.

Maartje frowned, "Is that sand on your clothes?"

I bit my lower lip, wanting to hide away for a moment. I couldn't believe my outfit still had evidence of my little adventure with Miguel. Although I was typically a good liar, I rarely succeeded in deceiving my cousin.

What will I tell her now?

I faked a smile, "Yeah. I laid down on the beach yesterday to observe the stars."

My cousin narrowed her eyes and raised a brow as she kept examining me. I could feel she was suspicious as I kept cleaning the floor. God, the woman watched me like a hawk! Getting closer, my cousin widened her eyes while Francis sat by my right.

I caressed the dog for an instant, "My cousin is creepy, isn't she, buddy?"

He barked, but I couldn't tell if he had understood me. We were so close that I could say Francis had become my dog.

Maartje knit her brows, "I heard that!"

I chuckled while shaking my head in denial. She definitely got that curiosity from her father. Maartje gawked for a moment. What was wrong with her? I raised a brow, wondering why she wouldn't stop analyzing me.

"You have two love bites on the neck and your hair was messy yesterday..." my cousin smirked and gave me a pat on the back. "You did it, Storm, didn't you?"

Did Miguel really leave marks on me? I can't feel them!

I laughed and rubbed my neck, "Yes, and it was pretty good, but I won't talk about it."

Maartje cocked her head, seemingly attempting to imitate Francis's look. She walked around me while smiling mischievously. I rolled my eyes and laughed again. My cheeks probably got red at that moment.

"At least tell me something!" she grinned widely. "What's his name? Is he Dutch? How handsome is he?"

"All right!" I put my hands in the air as if I surrendered. "His name's Miguel, he's a Spaniard and incredibly attractive."

My cousin gaped again. I couldn't stop giggling and felt dumb for it. She wrapped her arms tightly around my waist, apparently congratulating me, as her eyes gleamed. I hoped she wouldn't insist on the subject. After all, it was only a one-night stand, nothing major.

"I've heard Spaniards have stunning eyes that make people fall for them instantly," she winked and gazed at my neck. "It seems that the rumors are true..."

I giggled, "Trust me, it's not just the eyes."

The two of us laughed instantly. Although I hated to admit it, that damn smile wouldn't leave my face. I felt only a physical attraction for the Spaniard, but I could never forget him. Since Miguel was my first, perhaps even my last since men weren't commonly attracted to female pirates, he wouldn't leave my mind easily.

"I can only imagine," she got closer to me. "How did it happen between you two?"

My ears were redder than ever. Luckily, before I could give my cousin an answer, Sven and Laurens showed up. Francis ran and licked Laurens' legs as he always did. The dog wasn't very fond of Sven and I couldn't understand why. While Sven held cleaning equipment, Laurens was there to fix some torn shrouds. I sighed in relief. Even though I'd enjoyed my experience at the beach, I didn't feel comfortable talking about it.

Sven faked excitement, "Ready to work today?"

I chuckled and shook my head in denial, "Only if it involves cutlass fighting or sleeping."

Laurens smiled softly at my cousin, "What about you, Maartje?"

She flushed while tilting her head slightly downward and I controlled myself not to laugh. I wished I could've said what I had thought without embarrassing her.

Who's got a crush? It's you, my dear cousin!

She bit her lower lip, "I'm handling everything okay."

Sven pressed his lips together and cocked his head. I prayed that he wouldn't see the love bites Miguel had left on my neck. Talking about that with Sven was the last thing I needed.

Sven lifted a brow, "Speaking of swords, where did you get this cutlass?"

"I stole it yesterday from that redhead I threw into the ocean on my first pirate attack," I sighed as I remembered my awkward encounter with Dirk. "Turns out he's alive... He even tried to kill me."

Laurens blinked rapidly. Maartje and Sven gawked. They appeared to be as shocked as I was. The merciless part of me said I should be upset Dirk survived, but the good-hearted one made me feel happy I hadn't killed another innocent sailor.

"That's insane!" Sven shook his head in denial while rubbing his chin. "I saw him fall!"

"Apparently, he's a strong fella," I took a deep breath. "Honestly, I'm glad he didn't die."

Laurens' eyes widened, "What are you talking about, Storm? You just said he attempted to kill you!"

I huffed, wishing Dirk had accepted my invitation so that he wouldn't feel all that anger towards me. One of the worst sensations is when somebody hates you enough to try to end your life.

"I know, and that was terrible, but he sounded intriguing when we first met," I chewed on my lip while raising my eyebrows. "Besides, I'm not fond of killing even though I love adventure."

At that instant, Laurens squinted while observing me. I took a deep breath, hoping he wouldn't say anything about my neck, hair, or clothes. He was one of my best friends, but I didn't want to talk to him about what happened in the previous night.

"What happened to your hair?" Laurens raised a brow. "Also, why do you have sand on your clothes?"

I knew I should have changed my clothes! Damn it!

Maartje smiled mischievously, "Eva just had some Spanish food last night and it was hotter than she expected."

I started laughing hysterically and felt my cheeks getting red. My cousin laughed so much that I thought she would run out of air. God... Maartje was unbelievable, wasn't she? What a naughty cousin I had! Laurens frowned and looked at us as if we were two very drunk ladies. Sven rubbed his chin, apparently confused with our laugher as well. I hoped my two friends didn't understand what Maartje truly meant.

"Just ignore her," I controlled myself not to continue laughing. "She had too much rum."

When my cousin was about to say something, a man screamed on the main deck. Maartje's eyes widened and Francis started barking nonstop. Knight and Fletcher dragged the victim towards a rope as he sobbed. Sven bared his teeth and Laurens bit his lower lip. My friends appeared to be as nervous as I was. I glared at the two leaders and shook my head in denial, not believing they were causing more suffering. Pursing my lips, I looked from side to side, examining the environment. Twelve male crewmembers were working nearby and all of them liked me. In fact, everyone in the crew was fond of me, only a few weren't very friendly. No one seemed to hate me.

I took a deep breath as I went down the stairs, "This is the perfect opportunity. The crew likes me, so I shouldn't have a problem with fulfilling my goal."

"What are you up to, Eva?" Maartje clenched her teeth. "Please, don't do anything stupid!"

Sven sighed, "I have a feeling she's not listening..."

Laurens scowled as he looked at me, "What's going on?"

Francis walked quickly as if he knew what was about to happen.

It's the only way.

"You'll understand soon, Laurens," I downturned my lip corners and tied up my hair in a bun. "They have to see that Captain Monster and Quartermaster Devil aren't invincible."

I approached the captain once I reached the main deck with my friends. They all kept a safe distance from me, except for Francis, seemingly afraid. Closing my eyes for a brief moment, I took one step closer. Fletcher observed the quartermaster tying up a rope around the victim's left ankle. Tears kept running down the poor man's face.

"Don't you two ever get enough of being so cruel? Especially you, Mr. Bloodshed," I reached for my cutlass and narrowed my eyes at the captain. "Let him go before I make you two look bad."

Both leaders laughed at me. I smiled mischievously since I knew that was exactly what they would do. Three men stopped what they were doing to pay attention to me. Captain Fletcher took a step forward, shooting me an icy glare.

Knight pointed his blunderbuss at me, "You'd better get out of here before I kill you."

Along with some women, more men started showing up. While a few crewmembers whispered, others observed me with their eyes bulging.

I smirked, "I'd like to see you try."

I bared my teeth and kicked the pistol out of his hand. The quartermaster flinched and growled in anger. He appeared to be burning in rage. Some people said, "Oh!". At least five crewmembers put a hand on their mouths.

Maartje hyperventilated and knit her brows, "Eva, stop! They'll kill you!"

There was no other way. To show everyone that Monster and Devil weren't unstoppable, I had to challenge them directly. The only language they spoke was violence.

"I challenge you to a duel, Captain Fletcher," I glared at the captain and pursed my lips. "If you win, you can do whatever you want with me. If I win, you and Knight step down as commanders of Sea Urchin."

I couldn't see Maartje, Laurens and Sven from where I was, but they were definitely freaking out. The captain lifted an eyebrow while the crew wouldn't stop talking. Knight and Fletcher looked at each other and burst out in laughter. The quartermaster reached for his dagger. Some crew members chuckled as well.

"I won't waste my time with a silly woman," Fletcher's lips curled into a despicable grin. "Finish her, Knight!"

I've seen you train, Quartermaster Devil. I know all your moves and you're easy to defeat.

Once Knight approached me with his weapon, I dodged. The only thing he hit was my hair, almost destroying my bun.

I whistled, "Now, Francis!"

The dog growled in anger and ran so fast that Knight had no time to react. Francis bit his leg three times. The quartermaster screamed in pain and recoiled while his blood dripped down slowly. Yes, I'd trained the dog to attack whoever I wanted. Although it took a couple of months, it was totally worth it. Limping, Knight struck another blow with his dagger, aiming for my shoulder. I blocked him with my cutlass.

I smiled mischievously, "Today is not the day to underestimate me."

When the quartermaster tried to strike again, I used a special move that uncle Ruben had taught me. With strength and care, I broke Knight's blade in two. A significant amount of people clapped and cheered.

Laurens put both hands on his face, "I can't watch this..."

Since Knight was distracted while gawking and hyperventilating, I struck my sword against his waist. A significant amount of blood was spilled and I did the same with his belly. Although those two big bruises wouldn't kill the quartermaster, they were enough to stop him from fighting. Knight winced and fell flat on his face. The wood cracked as his body crashed against the ground. Captain Monster's eyes twitched and he breathed fast.

I walked around Quartermaster Devil's injured body. Blood dripped from my cutlass and my legs trembled a little. Almost all the crewmembers celebrated my victory.

Sven clapped while smiling widely, "Damn it, Storm! That was awesome!"

Knight glared at me, "I'll destroy you once I recover, bit..."

Before the quartermaster could finish talking, Francis barked loudly and jumped between the cruel man and me. Knight's eyes widened and he dragged himself away. Captain Monster gulped.

I caressed Francis's head, "Thank you, pal. I can take it from here."

The dog licked my hand and walked towards my friends. As time went by, more crewmembers showed up at the main deck to watch my revolution attempt. They appeared to be on my side. Sweat ran down my back as I knew failure wasn't an option.

"As I was saying, I challenge you to a duel. Cutlasses only," I approached Captain Monster and raised a brow. "Are you ready, or have I scared you too much?"

Fletcher forced a laugh as he puffed out his chest. His arms shook a little as he took a step forward. I bit my lower lip and stared at Captain Monster defiantly while trying to make my legs stop trembling. Although I would never admit it, that was the scariest moment of my life. Nothing had made me want to run away as much as that situation. If the captain excelled at sword fighting or used brute force, my humiliation was imminent.

The captain crossed his arms, "You must have a lot of trash in this dumb female mind of yours. I'm not wasting a single drop of sweat unless if it's to keelhaul you."

I lifted an eyebrow, "Right! I forgot you just pretend to be tough..."

I walked around the tyrant, making him breathe faster. Both men and women laughed. If dogs could chuckle, I'm sure Francis would've done it at that instant.

"Come on, chicken!" I grinned wickedly and made the sound of a rooster. "Are you really that afraid of being defeated by a woman?"

At that same instant, a vast amount of people shouted, "Fight!" while others yelled, "Coward!". I won't lie, I had no idea the crowd would be that participative. There was no way to be entirely sure whether the crew supported me or not. Honestly, I didn't even care. All I wanted was to defeat the tyrants and stop the suffering. I was determined not to be silent as I'd been with Hendrika for years.

Captain Fletcher threw his blunderbuss on the floor. He growled in anger and attacked me with his cutlass, almost slicing me on the right shoulder. The crew members kept shouting excitedly. Our blades clashed so loudly that a shiver ran down my spine. I aimed for Fletcher's chest, but he blocked me. He left a bruise on my left arm, making me wince.

"Come on, Storm! You can do this!" Maartje shouted.

The captain tried to attack me again and I blocked him quickly. My jaw clenched as I struck my cutlass against his thigh, slicing it like a fish. Captain Monster flinched, yelling in pain. I kept fighting and, unfortunately, so did he.

Fletcher had an evil grin on his face, "I'll tear you apart!"

Now Sven knows what I meant when I told him I'd be the only one to die...

I bit my lower lip until I tasted my own blood. Francis barked multiple times, appearing to be sensing my fear. My opponent's blade kept colliding with mine as I protected myself from his blows. After four attempts, I wounded his waist. My eyes bulged once the captain suddenly started moving faster. Sweat flooded my body as I gritted my teeth and defended myself. His blade tore the skin on my right shoulder and it burned absurdly.

"Now we're talking!" I faked a smile and decreased my tone of voice. "I'm going to die..."

I blocked the captain's following blows with difficulties. Although my cutlass sliced a piece of his arm's skin after a while, he kept fighting fiercely. Captain Monster moved so quickly that he made me recoil all the way to the mainmast. My opponent went for my neck, but I stopped him. Our blades formed a cross as they collided. His sword was so close to my face that I could smell the metal. Fletcher had trapped me. I was doomed.

****

Author's note: