𝐓𝐖𝐎 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃𝐒 ━ 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐛 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝

i. these beast infested seas

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐍𝐄

━

"suit yourself, princess"

▬▬▬▬▬𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐐𝐔𝐄 𝐋𝐄 gazed ahead at the wide expanse of the blue sea. The morning sun bathed softly on her skin, the salty air a welcome feeling in her lungs. She saw a clear bright sky, dark and deep waters for miles. A regular person would observe just that. But being on the sea for three years now taught her different. She noticed other things.

Like right now, for example, the loud incessant squawking of the world's most annoying birds.

"Do you see what me eyes see now, girl?" Crow asked, his voice its usual low grumble.

"Seagulls," she said, pointing at them flying above. "They're following the red tail."

The captain nodded. "Aye. But not just any red tail. It's the Red Bluster. I know it in me bones."

"We come all this way for a proper fight."

Without looking, she knew it was Jacob who had spoke. 

He had just joined her and Crow on the bow of the Inevitable. He was wrapping tape over his hands, as he did at the start of every day.

"And we'll get it, me boy," Crow growled. "It's been 30 years since that thing took me deadlight. Now I'll have me revenge."

It had been quite a number of days since Angelique had escaped that wretched castle and joined this crew. But every time she thought she knew everything about everyone, things like Crow's vendetta against a red sea beast took her by surprise.

She was surely about to ask questions about this Red Bluster, before the sound of someone's boots interrupted her. Angelique recognized that unique gait, because it was slightly uneven. Mostly due to the wooden peg. 

Sarah Sharpe too, had joined them on the bow.

"Well, we've passed Rum Pepper Island," she said, popping the cork off a small glass bottle. "It's heading for the Dregmorr Sea."

Jacob crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow at her while she drank.

Sarah raised a brow back, not even the slightest ashamed. "If we're gonna do battle with the greatest and most terrible thing in the sea, it's best not to wait till after."

She offered it to him. Jacob accepted it, tipping it at her with a grin that said he agreed. "There might not be an after."

He took a swig.

The moment he was done, Angelique deftly plucked it from his hands and downed the rest of it. She wasn't sure why she kept her gaze on him while she drank. And she wasn't sure why he kept his gaze on her either.

She prided herself on being able to read people.

But as his eyes flashed with something, it was indiscernible to Angelique. And that made her slightly frustrated. The tiniest glimpse of a smirk graced his lips. Like he knew. 

She resisted the urge to scowl at him.

"Captain!" shouted Lea from above in the crow's nest. "It's another hunting ship under attack!"