The rest of her afternoon was spent in her room. After she swept the floor and wiped down the walls, getting rid of cobwebs in the corners, she turned back to the map. If she was going to get it to trust her, she'd have to start now. She spent the next few hours meditating next to the map, letting it read her energy, feelings as they ebbed and flowed, and then she meditated just for herself, to hopefully start building some of those walls for herself. Beyond Paul, she didn't know much about magic in the world, especially not one as powerful as an oracle. She figured she could start her walls by finding her core, which was a light orange, and imagining bricks slowly start to line up around her core. She swept up the floor around her core, and picked up a brick, setting it solidly on the ground with imaginary cement. Maybe this was a shaky foundation to start her protections, but metal felt too solid, too final, enough that it would stop even her from accessing the parts of her she still cared for. Wood was too easy to break down, and coral was too harsh. No, she didn't something that would protect the fireball of her core, but still keep it warm. The only thing she could imagine, truly, was a brick oven, so she set it up there.

Plus, it never hurt to start small.

Eventually, she felt tired from picking up brick after brick, and decided that was a good place to stop, putting up an imaginary clear wall around her for now. She sat off her bed, feeling woozy from the length of time she spent with her legs crossed.

And, well, now what?

She's already cleaned, and she figured it was best to not step over any toes on her first day. She'd feel things out during dinner, see if she could find another way to pass the time. She doubted there was a library somewhere on the ship—avoiding dead weight—but maybe there was a singular book no one wanted that she could read to keep her occupied.

About a half hour before dinner, she left her room, walking through the floors and memorizing the few halls. She found her way up to the deck and walked quietly past those working hard at keeping the ship moving forward. She found her way to the Captain's quarters, and although she would rather die than entering there uninvited, she did see a shelf near the entrance, where she saw just a few books stacked on top of each other, unorganized. There was a book on nautical charts and navigation guides, several histories on different countries, some language dictionaries, a sailing manual, and a hand-written log. Her eyes fell on a small, weathered, book, battered with age but seemingly well-loved.

She pulled it out from under a few history books, pulled it around and read the cover. Navigating the Unknown: A Pirate's Guide to the World. She opened it up and read the first few paragraphs:

So you want to be a pirate. In this thrilling world of piracy, you'll be navigating the vast, uncharted—or, more likely, charted but free—waters. Knowing how to read a map is nice, but reading the stars, the people, lands, the waters, the world—that's where your power lies. The life of a pirate is full of adventure, danger, and constant exploration. Together, we'll embark on our own adventure, an adventure of learning how to uncover ancient secrets, special techniques, and legends that should help you, and your crew.

Pirating navigation was born of necessity. Now, the lines have become blurred on how necessary it is, but whatever your purpose, your next steps will make all the difference.

"It's a good book," a woman stated from next to her, but not too close.

Brynn looked up, and quickly put it back on the shelf. "I'm so sorry, is it yours? I was just looking. I was going to ask."

The woman, an averaged-height, muscular woman, looked up at Brynn, observing her expression. Brynn couldn't help but notice her beauty. Besides her strength, her olive skin and sharp cheekbones made her stand out. Brynn hadn't seen her in her initial introduction of the crew—she would have remembered her. She had a confident and assertive aura, practically radiating authority (which, in Brynn's opinion, seemed fitting for a pirate). Her sharp black eyes locked onto Brynn's with an intensity that was both intimidating and... Well, Bynn wished her cheeks weren't red.

The woman offered a faint smile. "No need to apologize. It's there for the crew to read. I'm Selene, by the way, the ship's navigator. You must be Brynn."

Brynn nodded, feeling a sharp pain at the name she was now burdend with. She doubted she'd ever say it out loud. This one's name was particularly sharp against her chest. "Yes, I'm Brynn. It's, em, nice to meet you. Your book seems interesting—I'm new to all this."

Selene chuckled, taking in her appearance. Brynn's band tee and black skinny jeans were a bit out of place there. "I can see that, but I like it. Don't change it. And, a desire to learn is a good start. You're welcome to borrow the book, but be sure to bring it back when you're finished. And, make sure ya get something out of it. Navigation is an art, and it's essential for everyone to know the basics—you never know what might happen." She picked up the book and held it out to Brynn.

Brynn accepted it, her hestitation slowly melting away. The warmth of the navigator's voice slowly melted her immediate worries away. "Thank you, Selene. I appreciate it. I'm looking forward to contributing to the crew."

Selene winked at her. "I'm looking forward to it too."

She walked away, leaving Brynn feeling flustered and weird inside as she held the book closer to herself.

Soon, the bell rang for dinner, and they gathered towards the mess hall in groups, the working ones supporting those that didn't. She gathered her meal—a delicious plate of meat, potatoes, and cheese—and was looking for a place to sit when she spotted Caden waving his arm at her, signaling for her to join him, a warm and welcoming smile on his face.

She felt a wave of gratitude and made her way over. The table was not yet crowded, but the room was, the noise of the crew's conversations filling the air.

"How's your day been?" she asked him.

He laughed. "You're so funny."

She wasn't making a joke, but she laughed along with him. "I try my best to keep up with the cool kids around here."

Caden rolled his eyes. "Cool kids? Nah, it's all about the swashbuckling adventurers, like us, always on the lookout for danger. Like us."

"Swashbuckling adventures, huh?" Brynn raised an eyebrow, feigning skepticism. "I guess I'll need to brush up on my swordfighting skills."

Caden leaned in closer, his voice dropping into a conspiratorial whisper. "Don't worry, I'll teach you the best tricks."

Brynn laughed. "Can't wait to learn it. What's the craziest adventure you've had so far."

Caden's eyes lit with excitement and pride. "Oh, there's been a lot. There was this time we encountered a giant sea serpent that tried devouring the ship. Captain Finnian lead us out, though, and we didn't lose a single member. I wanna be that strong one day—but when the sea serpent left, he told me I was the reason we were alive. I cut of one of the tentacles, stopping us from drowning."

She didn't have to feign her amazement. "Did you really?"

He nodded proudly. "I sure did. Though, I can't take all credit. Selene stabbed it in the heart, actually stopping it."

"Huh." She smiled. "Well, it seems that you do have a lot you could teach me, then. Challenge accepted."

Caden took a large bite of his meal, and continued speaking with his mouth full of his concoction. "Yeah. Captain's got stories that would make your hair stand on end. That wasn't even close to their craziest stories; just one of the ones I was there for."

Brynn leaned in, eager to hear more. "Tell me Captain Finnian's most hair-raising tale."

The boy chuckled and then swallowed. "I can't spill all the secrets at once. You'll have to stick around and earn your place to hear the best stories."

Brynn gave him a sly smile. "On it, boss. I plan to be the swashbucklingest swashbuckler on this ship."

Caden laughed. "We'll make a pirate out of you yet."

As light as she felt talking to Caden, the feeling was abruptly interrupted when an irritated presence make itself known. A striking woman with pale blonde hair and crimson eyes strode over to their table, stabbing a knife into the table between the two, making Brynn jump back.

"Get away from her, Caden," the woman commanded, her voice brooking no argument. "You shouldn't be mingling with outsiders."

Caden's face fell from laughter into anger almost instantly. "Mom, she's not an outsider. She's our crew now—that's what Cap said!"

The woman glared at him. For the life of her, Brynn couldn't remember her name, but if there was one name she wished she knew it was this woman's.

He rolled his eyes but reluctantly stood for the table. Brynn watched as the woman loomed over her, feeling a mixture of anxiety and defiance at the threatening figure.

The woman fixed her red gaze from her son's to Brynn, ripping the knife from the table as she did so and pointing it at Brynn, her voice dripping with menace. "Let me make something very clear. If you ever hurt my son, I'll kill you without hesitation. I don't know why Finnian invited you here, I don't know what capabilities you have, but whatever they are... they won't help you if you cross me."

Brynn felt anger at the accusation. "I would never—"

But before she could finish her sentence, the woman acted swiftly. With a fluid flick of the wrist, she drew a knife from her best and flung it at Brynn, who didn't have the coordination to act fast enough. Before she knew it, the blade grazed her cheek, drawing a thin line of blood that quickly flowed down her cheek as it sliced past and leaving behind a stinging sensation. Once it registered, she winced in pain, her hand flying to her cheek, in order to stanch the bleeding.

The woman leaned it, her lips curling in disgust. "Consider this a warning. Next time, my aim changes two inches to the left." She pointed to where Brynn's eye was, sending a chill down Brynn's spine.

Without another word, the woman turned on her heel and walked away, towards the spot where Caden now sat. Bryn continued holding her bleeding cheek in shock.

As she debated whether to retreat to her room for the evening, she was joined by Fergus, handing her a black, damp rag.

"It's got some vodka soaked in it. You won't get infected," he said as he pulled a chair for the person with him. The stunning woman behind him sat in the chair gracefully, her ethereal wavy raven hair and pale green eyes casted a captivating spell. Brynn knew her to be Evelyn, the banshee. "This is my wife. Wife, this is Brynn."

Evelyn gave him a look. "You can start calling me by my name, now. We've been married for months." Her voice was melodious, like a hauntingly beautiful song. She was sure she'd get used to it, but Brynn felt cold hearing it.

He put a plate of food in front of her, and she started picking at it. "Ah, but then I wouldn't be able to remind everyone that you're my wife."

Evelyn rolled her eyes, then looked at Brynn. "I know we met already, but I'm Evelyn. And Valeria?" She nodded towards Caden's mom. "Don't let her get to her. She's just protective of Caden, as any good mother should be."

Brynn couldn't help but agree. "I can support that, but it was a bit... intense."

Fergus flashed Brynn a grin, his skeleton teeth contrasting his jovial demeanor. "We all have our quirks."

As the moonlight shone through Brynn's window, she woke up before dawn, starting her day thirsty, likely from the amount of salty air she wasn't quite used to yet. She headed to the water supply, and the ship's cook, a stout and weathered man, gave her a once over as she approached.

"You're new, ain't ya?" the cook grumbled, his apron stained with various food ingredients. "Only one bottle a day, so make it last."

Brynn nodded and collected her water bottle, then a bowl of oatmeal, and turned her attention towards the breakfast gathering. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She was going to win them over. She had to—truly, there was no other option if she wanted their help.

"Hey," she said, standing awkwardly by the small group.

Not a single one looked at her.

As she looked at their faces, she realized she couldn't remember their names, either. I know that one of them started with a K—but beyond that, she couldn't guess. She hummed, then sat at the end of the table where they sat, deciding that although they could ignore her, they still had to know she was there. They'd get used to her presence. As she ate, they spoke in low tones, their voices tinged in accents she couldn't pinpoint and genuine laughter. But they didn't spare even a glance her way. It was as if she were a ghost, invisible to their world.

Maybe she should get a change of clothes.

She pretended it didn't bother her as she pushed a morsel of food around her plate, attempting to hide her disappointment while she observed them. There was Barnaby (human), Sable (goblin), Koraline (orc), and Seraphina (harpy). Brynn observed them as they spoke.

"Alrighty lads," Koraline started, "we gotta lotta work for us. Today, we do below deck. Tomorrow, above. The next, barnacle duty."

Sable groaned, but Koraline gave them a quick warning look, the other three settled down, too. And then Brynn knew—Brynn would become Koraline's next best friend.

The sun started to rise, the pink color entering through the few windows of the room. Brynn immediately sprinted outside, refusing to miss her first sunrise on the sea. It was worth it. Where the water met the sky like moving glass, the pinks and oranges meshed together like a Monet painting, the pinks slowly meeting dark blue. A star could still be seen in the sky, just south of the crescent moon. She watched as the sun slowly, and then all at once, rose over the eastern shore, hiding the star instantly.

She jumped as a voice from above her spoke. "I've seen it every day, and it never ceases to amaze me," said the captain's voice. She looked up, and he smiled genuinely down at her, looking much cleaner and sober than he'd been the day before. His boots knocked against the wood as he quickly came down the stairs to stand next to her. They turned back towards the sun, but the time had passed for its peak; now, it was just the morning sun, lighting the start to a new day.

"How long have you been on this ship?" Brynn asked.

He shrugged. "Started when I was real young. So young, I can only remember moments before being on the sea. This ship was my mother's, and I took on after her when she... er, died."

Brynn gave him an odd look. He didn't sound very sorry over her death. Not that it was something she really needed to concern herself with, but as they stood side by side, the captain's gaze lingered on the horizon. The breeze played with his tousled hair, making him look younger, more approachable than he had the day before. She took a deep breath, the salty air filling her lungs as she searched for the right words.

"Did you always want to be a captain?" she asked, trying to break the silence with something more meaningful. 

He shrugged. "Didn't have much of a choice. When you grow up on ship, the sea becomes a part of you. It's not about wanting--it's about doing. What about you? Did you want to be... out here?"

Brynn hesitated, her thoughts drifting back to her home. "I'm not sure what I wanted," she admitted. "I just knew I had to leave."

The captain nodded, as if he understood more than she had said. "The sea calls to those who need it."

Brynn considered his words, letting them sink into her. "What if I wanted to be a part of the crew? How could I do that? They don't seem to be very keen on letting me in so far."

"It's your first day. Let time tell your story." 

She looked back out at sea. "But--"

He cut her off, straightening and adjusting the collar of his coat. "Trust is earned, not given. The crew needs to see what you're made of, and the only way of doing that is showing them. No one's gonna hold your hand out here. You'll prove it. In your own way."

With that, he turned on his heel and began to walk away. He paused after a few steps, then turned back to her. "Remember, Brynn, the sea doesn't care if you're ready or not. You either sink or swim. I suggest you start swimming."

With that, he left her alone on the deck, the morning sun casting long shadows as it continued to climb into the sky. She straightened her shoulders, took a deep breath, and decided that Cap was right; she had to start swimming. 

And she was ready to dive in. 

___