She’d always thought he’d been too quiet for a pirate. Always so solemn, and he seemed to keep secrets from everyone. As First Mate, she knew every in and out of the ship and its crew. But this one young man had always managed to elude her. She knew his name, or at least, what he claimed was his name. She knew also that he was very fond of keeping things neat and orderly on deck. It was, after all, the place where he chose to sleep. For some odd reason, he refused to ever venture into the ship’s cabin, reluctant even during storms. He was quite the fierce fighter when things got rough. She’d seen him so many times before, prepared to kill at a second’s notice. But everything was always done in silence.

And yet, here he was, asleep on the deck. He didn’t seem so threatening. His daggers were sheathed and away. He looked almost childlike as he slept. His blanket had slipped off, and she wasted not an instant in reaching down to replace it.

She smiled. Every child has secrets. Someday you’ll tell me.