The town of Port Espada stretched out in front of the ship. Colorful houses dotted the streets and contrasted against the blue ocean. The island was shaped like a half-moon, or perhaps a swordfish, and in the middle of the curve, the town dwelled. This was where pirates, looters, general outlaws, and other refugees from society gathered. It was their town, with their rules.

Surprisingly, it wasn't a crime-ridden town but rather a utopia of freedom, laughter, and joy. A place where all the expectations of regular society were absent. Everyone was allowed to be who they wanted and love who they wanted.

Ignacio stood at the front of the boat like a figurehead as the Estrella sailed into the harbor. The green and orange scales blended into the coppery wood and the lizard looked like he was part of the ship itself. His hat was slightly crooked but stayed in place.

As the ship neared the docks, Alba could see people pointing, whispering, and gasping. It seemed their lizard captain had made an instant impression.

***

After having ordered new sails in the merchant quarters, Alba walked towards the downtown area. It would take a few days before the new sails could be delivered and mounted on the ship.

Despite it being daytime, the alleys were filled with drunken and talkative sailors. But with Ignacio by her side, she didn't have to worry about anyone bothering her. One look or wheeze from the lizard seemed to deter even the hardiest sailors.

Pedro and Joe had first insisted on coming along to get the sails, which would have been a hassle since they surely would not have been able to agree on what sail to acquire, but had been persuaded not to by the promise of liquor and food. At Alba's suggestion, carried forward by Ignacio, they and the rest of the crew had gone to Diego's Tavern for breakfast. The place was widely known to serve the fluffiest pancakes and the crispiest bacon in all of the seven seas.

The new sails had been paid for with the remaining loot from the successful pineapple heist of last summer. That had been a grand time. Fruit had flown through the air and Captain Ignacio had looked very handsome in his disguise. Even Alba could admit that, and she usually didn't find men handsome.

But now there was nothing but turnips left of their previous loots. They had to find that treasure or else this might be the end. The sailors would have to look for work elsewhere if there were no doubloons to pay them with. Still, the new sails were necessary. Alba wasn't willing to risk becoming lost at sea with sails that could take them nowhere, hoping that the waves carried them to shore and that the turnips lasted long enough for them to not have to turn to cannibalism.

Grey and pink cobblestones arranged into artful mosaic covered the main square. Octopi fought with whales and starfish cuddled with jellyfish on the ground of the plaza. Along the sides laid taverns and bars where visiting sailors gathered in celebration and jolliness.

Alba could see, and hear, her crew before she even entered the square. Joe's voice rang over everyone else's as he bellowed out a heartfelt song and Pedro's peg-legged tap-dancing followed the melody. The lyric told about a pirate who rescued a princess from a bloodthirsty sea monster. Of course, neither Joe nor Pedro had been part of such heroic deeds, but that didn't stop them from singing. Loudly.

As she came close Alba saw that both men stood atop tables, entertaining a whole crowd below. The rest of the crew danced along beside them, tipsy and joyful about being ashore. Two crew members were missing though, Grace and Lucien.

Grace had chosen to stay behind on the ship, probably enjoying some quiet reading time. The stern cook had a pile of romance novels hidden under her bed, where she thought Alba wouldn't find them. Alba had found them though, and she had also read most of them. Just because you didn't believe in romantic dreams didn't mean you didn't enjoy reading about them.

But Lucien should be around somewhere. Alba scanned the square for signs of the blonde boy. If Ignacio had been a bloodhound maybe the lizard would have been able to find him.

Despite not being a canine, Ignacio rattled away across the square. His claws made a clinking sound as the iguana ran over the cobblestones. Alba ran after. Ignacio stopped by a bush with big red flowers and when she examined it closer a blond mop of hair stuck out.

Alba crawled into the bush. Luckily, it didn't have sticky thorns so the descent was quite easy. Once inside, she sat down next to Lucien. From the little nook that the boy had carved out, they could see the tavern where Joe and Pedro were entertaining themselves and others. Ignacio soon made his way through the greenery as well, chewing through some leaves on his way, and curled up by Alba's feet. Who needed a dog when you had an iguana?

"What are you doing in here, Luce?" Alba asked and put her hand on the boy's knee.

"That man..." he said and pointed towards a table in the tavern. "I've met him before, and I don't want him to see me."

The man sported an unusual green beard. Among pirates, rebellious and extravagant looks were considered status symbols, and much time and effort were spent coming up with previously unseen fashions. Piercings, tattoos, and hair color were all commonplace. Alba's own hair shifted in different shades of purple. She colored it with a brew made from boiled-down flower petals. But green was an unusual color. Perhaps algae or seaweed had been used to achieve it.

Alba gave Lucien an encouraging nudge. "Let's go down to the beach instead," she said. "It's too noisy here anyway. I can grab some food for us and we'll meet there. Ignacio will guide you and make sure you're safe."

***

With a basket containing bacon and egg sandwiches in her hand, Alba walked down to the beach a few minutes later. The white sand spread out like snow in front of her. Endless and untouched, except for a few footprints that were yet to vanish into the abyss of time. Although Alba had never seen snow herself. All she had to go on was Captain Ignacio's stories of when he as a young man had been part of an expedition to the Frozen Isles. Late at night, he had regaled his crew with stories of frosty mountains, white bears, and odd flightless birds. The captain had been a good storyteller and Alba could to this day imagine the scenes vividly in her mind.

The crew had not taken notice of her as she ordered the food at Diego's Tavern and neither had the man with the green beard. But she had seen him sitting curiously close to Joe and Pedro, who seemed to be taking turns telling tall tales about life at sea. Hopefully, they were wise enough not to mention the treasure map.

Yeah, who was she kidding? Of course, they weren't...

Alba sighed as she sat down in the sand. She would have to deal with that later because right now she needed to be there for Lucien.

But first, she needed to eat her sandwich. Her mouth watered as she unpacked the paper around it. It smelled of grease, butter, and smoke. It was a beautiful smell after weeks on a turnip-based diet. And it tasted even more beautifully. Saltiness, sweetness, and creaminess mixed in her mouth as she chewed.

After a few chews, Alba turned towards Lucien. Her appetite was satisfied enough to take a break from the sandwich. "So who is that man?" she asked.

"His name is Captain Greenbeard," the boy replied dutifully.

Of course, that was his name. Pirates were rarely inventive when it came to naming.

"And you know him?" Alba asked before going in for another bite.

Lucien was quiet for a moment before starting to tell his story. "I grew up on the mainland," he said. "On a huge plantation. I was the youngest of fourteen children and my parents sent me to boarding school to study bookkeeping. I didn't want to be a bookkeeper, but that didn't matter. My fate was decided for me."

"So how did you... end up here?" Alba asked.

"The ship I traveled on to the boarding school was overtaken by pirates one night. By Captain Greenbeards's crew... They held us for a high ransom."

"But couldn't your parents pay the ransom and get you out of there?"

"That's what everyone thought. But I had seen some of their books since I was to be a bookkeeper. The numbers didn't add up. They were not as wealthy as it seemed. It was all an illusion. They couldn't pay. And fourteen children are a lot, maybe they figured they could afford to lose one."

"So what happened to you then?"

"Captain Greenbeard kept me as a slave on his ship. I had to do all the tasks no one else wanted to do. Empty latrines and scrub the outhouse. Until the day I met Captain Ignacio."

That was always the story, it seemed. Captain Ignacio, the strapping hero who had swept in and saved them all. Or maybe his legend had gotten exaggerated after his unfortunate passing.

"It was here in Port Espada," Lucien continued. "The captain saw me being disparaged by Captain Greenbeard for not having washed his boots well enough. And he offered to pay my ransom, despite the high price. He must have used the money from a previous loot. I expected Captain Ignacio to keep me as a whipping boy himself, but he told me I was free to leave."

"But you stayed?"

"Where was I to go? My parents obviously didn't care. And I liked life at sea, as long as I could live it as a free man. Captain Ignacio gave me the freedom I never had, not even before I was captured. But when I saw Captain Greenbeard today I remembered how it was like to not be free... and I became scared he would try to claim me again, now that Captain Ignacio is gone."

"I wouldn't let him," Alba said and put her arm around Lucien's shoulder. "I would put lizard Ignacio on them. I'm quite sure he got a mean bite."

Lucien reached out and petted the lizard's tail a bit. "I know the iguana is not Captain Ignacio," he said with a conspiratory smile. "He doesn't sound like the captain when he talks. He sounds more like... you."

Alba didn't say anything to confirm his theory. But she was glad Lucien had seen through the act. It meant at least one man on the ship knew that the orders actually came from her. And if any glory was to be had he would know it was hers to claim. Even if no one else knew.

After finishing their sandwiches they stayed on the beach as the sky turned from blue into orange and then into black. The white sand around them shone brightly as moon rays reflected on the grains. Alba felt a bump on her shoulder and realized that Lucien had fallen asleep. She patted the blond hair and let his head stay rested where it was.

The water looked as black as the sky above it. Only slight vibrations from waves revealed where the surface laid. It looked fearsome but at the same time safe. The ocean was her home, as well as her enemy. It could nourish her and it could vanquish her. And somehow that was the charm. That was the adventure. That was the choice all of them made when they decided they wanted a life at sea.

Just as her eyes were about to daze off into a slumber as well Alba thought she saw something. A movement in the water. A splash of a fishtail and shimmer of pearl.

Mirabel.

When Alba opened her eyes wide again the movement was gone. The sea laid still as a blanket. But who knew what lurked underneath? Monsters, treasure, and perhaps romance.