“I neva reali thou’ abou’ wha’ nex’,” Calico Shaq grumbled into his mug. Rubbing his back so the tears wouldn’t start falling again, Max couldn’t help wondering how he got himself into this mess. BB’s abandoned crew sat crowded around the circular table for an impromptu therapy session. It was Cy’s suggestion of course. “Meh whole life is a’ sea. Meh Mah was a pirate. Meh Pa was a fisherman, or he was a crabber… She also mentione’ a boatswain… You kno’, Mah was neva tae clear on Pa.” The other pirates gave a sympathetic grumble. A few even slid over some coins from their last salary, so Calico Shaq could keep the booze coming. From behind the counter, the innkeeper was observing in disgust and amusement. It must’ve been like an early version of trash TV, but he was being paid to keep watching.

  “That’s okay.” Cy was the worryingly reassuring voice of reason. All the pirates turned to face the opposite side of the table. Max thought back to Edric’s report on him. Cy could get away with being a cult’s prophet. “Our parents do not define us or our future-”

  “I ain’ finish’ ye’.” Calico Shaq’s voice was rough, but Cy took no offence as he gestured for him to continue. Almost all the pirates were taking advantage of the rare opportunity to vent and destress. Calico Shaq shook off Max’s hand, who took the opportunity to take a few swigs of beer before the reassuring hand would have to go back to work. “Id’s been not’in’ bah trouble since we go’ ‘ere.” A few of the pirate mumbled in agreement, throwing a couple more coins in his direction. “Firs’, Captain BB made meh go aroun’ ge’in’ ta’oo stuff like a looney and usin’ mos’ of meh coin. Then, mah new bir’ lef’ meh.” It took a few pirate stories for Max to pick up that the birds in question were always women instead of an actual bird. Tears were beginning to swell causing Max to resume the position as comforter. “Today, a stron’ lassie stole da gun meh Mah gave meh, an’ sho’ a’ Vain Bane.” Vain Bane saw the opportunity and began showing off the graze on his arm. It didn’t look much worse than a bad scratch. Still, it was enough for some of his fellow crewmates to throw a few coins in his direction. When Vain Bane finally got a turn to speak, he’d be rolling in it. “An’ now, Captain BB is gone, an’ I’m ou’a da job. Cy, wha’ shou’ I do?”

  Cy gave some sympathetic nods, as the room quietened to hear him speak. He placed his hand on his chin, probably in an attempt to make himself appear more mystic. Cheesiness aside, it was working. The pirates had been lapping it up all night. “Have you considered… opening up a flower shop by the docks?”

  The crowd fell silent as the eyes turned to Calico Shaq for his verdict. “I neva considere’ i’ before tae beh hones’.” It was a fair response. It wasn’t good enough for the other pirates.

  “What’chu talkin’ about? You have a delicate hand!”

  “A real green thumb,” another pirate agreed with an enthusiastic nod.

  “Come on now Shaqqie, you’d be good as a florist. Always sweet-talking women, well why don’t yeh talk them into getting a bouquet.”

  Calico Shaq still didn’t seem convinced.

  “You complained about missing the leaves changing colour earlier this week!”

  “And the shop would be a good front for smuggling,” Cy added. There was a sudden change in the atmosphere. The innkeeper decided it was time to step out and get another stack of mugs to add to the building pyramid on the counter. Perhaps in his mind, it was so he could feign ignorance if it ever came back to him. “You would be good on both sides of the business. Also, if you really want a decent missus, then always keep a bunch of lavender on hand.”

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  The pirates broke into celebration, pushing a grateful Max away so they could celebrate with their comrade. He was predicted to get it all. A life by the sea, a quaint cutesy shop, a shit ton of money from smuggling, and a good woman; what wasn’t there to celebrate?

  Max took the opportunity to move to Cy’s abandoned side of the table before the pirates settled themselves. Soon, they will need to begin their next round of therapy. “You could see all that from his fate?” Max asked, as he began counting the sizable donations that Cy received.

  Cy muttered back in a low voice, but no one was paying attention. “He’s got a flexible fate, who knows if it’s really going to play out like that.”

  “But it could?”

  “At the moment, it’s the second most likely course of events… apart from the wife thing. Covering up his smell will increase his chances, but it’s not looking good.”

  “He’s not getting a wife, huh?” Max pitied the pirate, who was chugging back every glass his friends handed to him. Earlier, when Cy suggested for them to bathe more, it didn’t go down well. Then again, it was back when everyone was sober and bitter.

  “Or maybe his missus will have your sense of smell, so he wouldn’t be any different to anyone else.”

  “Or can’t smell at all. Get ready, they’re taking their seats again.”

  Just as the pirates were getting settled down, the door to the inn’s pub was thrown open. “You started the drinks without me!” BB shouted before giving a hearty laugh at her sniffling crew before their tears began flowing. The crew clambered to get closer to their Captain while Max and Cy watched, suspicious.

  Where was Jacquotte?

  “I took a few hours off for a little honeymoon, and they’re all sobbing like babies.” There was a sense of joy in BB’s tone. She looked proud at the sight before her. After reassurances from BB that they were still employed, most of the pirates were now content with their situation again. The only difference now was they had a new crew member, who was sleeping on the ship already.

  “Sorri, C-Ci sir,” Calico Shaq stammered, while under the eye of his boss. “I made ya tell meh a propheci an’ all... Bu’ da sea. She calls tae meh.”

  “Go for it!” Cy exclaimed with a thumbs up, causing everyone to celebrate. Their ‘prophet’ gave his blessing for all of them to return to a life of crime.

  “Honestly, what will they do without me,” BB murmured before joining in celebrating Calico Shaq’s return to the crew of The Pillow Princess.

  Cy was watching BB carefully before he began to use the condensation from his mug of beer to draw something. Max was watching before he saw something strange in the reflection of the brass mug. It spooked him. Although he couldn’t quite place what it was, unease caused him to instinctively look away.

  A moment later, Cy cleared his throat making Max look back. Whatever it was, it was gone. Cy didn’t mention anything being out of the ordinary. On the contrary, he was focused as he whispered, “How could you modify this shape into a name with runes?” Max frowned before Cy drew a twisted version of his own name before the one Max showed him back at Darius’s inn. Now following along, Max watched carefully as Cy redrew the initial shape. “Think you can make an educated guess?”

  “I can try. Can you get me something with innate magic?”

  Prepared, Cy handed him a singular scrap of parchment and an inked-up quill pen. “Use this.”

  “I thought we used all of these,” Max said, suspiciously.

  “I saved one in case of emergencies.”

  “Then let’s use-”

  “It’s time to use it.” There was something off about Cy’s voice. He wasn’t sharing something. “Can you draw her name or not?”

  Max frowned before begrudgingly complying. The second the two runes were completed; he heard a commotion behind him caused by the pirates before there was an eruption of laughter. It turned out BB fell on her ass. The only two not smiling or laughing along were watching the response carefully.

  “Did you do that?”

  Max showed him the piece of parchment before pointing to the first rune, “That’s BB’s name.”