Archive of Our Own ^beta

Jacob stares at the quiet sea. A funny word to describe the large mass of water, given what lurks beneath. The waves were relatively smooth tonight. God did the crew need it after the fight that took place earlier.

That, and it made them vomit less when they eventually drank too much.

He should really join them. They were all below deck, no doubt celebrating and laughing at his expense. He was called to the captain’s room after all, which usually meant no good. But it wasn’t bad. The opposite in fact. It was great. Jacob was going to be their captain somebody. So he should be down drinking and celebrating too.

But something kept him here. Standing quietly. Staring at the quiet ocean waves. Just for a moment he wanted to keep this piece of information to himself.

When someone approaches, he knows who it is immediately. Short, meaningful steps punctuated by the clicking of a peg leg. He glances up to meet the narrow gaze of Sarah Sharpe. She’s as hard to read as ever, dark eyes calculating.

“It’s not like you to be out ‘ere. Usually you’re flabbing that big mouth of yours ‘till morning,” he rolls his eyes, catching the flask she tosses his way. “Was the captain’s news really that bad?”

He debates on just telling her. It wouldn’t be that big a deal, no doubt she’d be happy for him. Or, whatever emotions she was able to emit.

“Ah you know he was just . . . expressing his gratitude for the rescue. Nothing big,” Jacob lies. She raises an eyebrow. He knows he’s been caught.

“Hm. You sure it wasn’t about him making you captain?”

He should’ve known better than to lie to Sarah Sharpe.

“Ya got me,” he says, throwing his hands in the air. “You’re not upset?”

Part of him thought Captain Crow would appoint her as his successor. She was as smart as she was cunning. A cool, collected leader with a fire for battle and a love for her crew mates. Who could make a better captain?

Him, apparently.

“Oh Jacob,” she chuckles, shaking her head. “What in hell’s name are you on about? I’m not a young green-eyed lass anymore. I can admit when I see a fine leader. You must be blind if you can’t see it. With a few words, you turned our crew from a moping mess to one who was ready to enter battle again, damaged ship or not. You have something special.”

He smiles with her, now feeling stupid for ever thinking such a thing. He takes a long swig of the beer, sighing into the night air.

“Aw, gee, Sarah. Not like ya to be all mushy gushy.”

“Don’t get used to it,” she sniffs, rolling her eyes. “But that’s not why I came to talk to you.”

Jacob now regards her with a raised eyebrow. Her tone had become grave, and she no longer met his gaze. She sighs, her eyes slipping shut.

“The captain wasn’t himself today,” she admits.

He hates that he agrees. Crow and Nicklebones had been good friends, in the time they were able to spend together. The fact that Crow’s vengeance had nearly blinded him enough to abandon the fellow hunter? Well, it put Jacob off. It seems he wasn’t the only one. But it was very quickly dealt with, so it hadn’t been a very big issue.

“It was probably because it was the closest he’s ever been to having it. Thirty years is a long time to wait,” he reassures. Sarah nods, head raising.

“You’re probably right,” she sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose. “I think I’ll stay out here for awhile. Go have fun, you’ve earned it.”

“Oh come on Sarah,” he throws an arm around her shoulder, dragging her towards the stairs. “I plan on drinking you under the table tonight.”

“Hmph. You’re on.”

——

Everyone knew Jacob to be charismatic, courageous, and bold. He possessed a determination that effected everyone within a mile radius. Ever since he was a small lad, he was excited for every voyage and every fight. Even if he came out bruised and battered, he’d patch himself up and look forward to the next one with a smile.

However, he was not at all looking forward to this particular adventure. And it all came down one reason: a small, trouble-making, stowing-away, orphan girl by the name of Maisie Brumble.

The young girl was practically glued to his, Sarah’s, or the captain’s side. However, being the clever girl she is, she figured out that Jacob was the easiest to follow. Because while Sarah and Crow were practiced in the art of ignoring children and their jabs, Jacob was not. And Maisie threw jabs like they were darts. The longer she threw them, the more that stuck. Jacob couldn’t help but rise to any challenge that was thrown his way.

And the current challenge was to avoid Maisie Brumble at all costs. Despite all his battles, this one proved to be the most difficult. Because it was near impossible to avoid a girl with a determination that matched his own on a ship with few hiding spots.

“Jacob!” She calls, and he felt his stomach sink.

“By the gods,” he groans, quickly abandoning his conversation with Peter. The young boy stares after him with wide eyes. He is pushed aside by Maisie, who is currently in hot pursuit ducking under arms and weaving between legs.

“Teach me something!” she demands excitedly, planting herself in front of him. He stares down at her in shock.

“How did you-“

“Pleeaase,” she begs. Her brown curls bounce as she skips around him, effectively trapping the poor man. The other crewmates watch in amusement.

Jacob manages to grab her, pinning both arms to her side as he picks her up. He places her behind him. “I ain’t got nothing to teach ya lass.”

He then spun around to make another escape, but she quickly grabs onto his pants.

“That’s a lie! You told me yourself that you were captain material, you did! Surely the future captain has something to teach me,” she taunts, making little tugs on his pant leg.

“Oh I do alright,” he sighs, kneeling down to her. “It’s called how to be quiet,” he replies smugly.

Maisie crosses her arms, fixing him with an unimpressed look. “Well I think the future captain ought to learn that lesson himself.”

Jacob felt his last line of patience waver. “Why you little-“

“Oi! Maisie Brumble!” A voice loud and clear rises above the rest of the chatter. None other than Ms. Merino steps up to the pair, her fiery hair shining brilliantly in the mid-day sun. Maisie immediately stands up straight.

“Good day Ms. Merino,” she greets respectfully. Jacob glowers, pouting that he didn’t get even a smidge of the same respect.

“Come on now. I’ll teach ya how to use that voice of yours for some good,” she insists with a large smile, placing her hand on Maisie’s back.

As she leads the boisterous girl away, Merino sends Jacob a look that could only be described as ‘you owe me.’ Jacob gives her a salute, sighing as he strode away. He met Sarah and the captain at the bow of the ship.

Sarah looks upon him with a catlike expression, her smirk unmistakable. “Having fun Jacob?”

“Oh yeah,” he agrees sarcastically. He watches as Maisie bosses around the other members. They seemed delighted in entertaining the young girl, listening to her orders. “A blast.”

The captain merely chuckles.

——

That night, Jacob lay staring at the ceiling. He couldn’t sleep. For whatever reason, restlessness kept him awake. He’d like to say he didn’t know why he was feeling like this, but deep down he did know. For years his captain— his father— has been chasing this beast.

Jacob has witnessed first-hand Crow at his lowest points. He knows what this means to him. If they come away from this fight empty-handed, who knows what it’ll do to him.

Not only that, there was the pressure of getting and killing the beast first. Hunting, while it could get messy, was delicate. It took time and much planning to take down a single beast. Rushing was not optimal.

Sighing, he heaves himself out of his hammock. Stepping lightly, he makes his way into the main deck, where very few of the crew still linger.

Easily he hauls himself up the shrouds, all the way up to the crows nest. There he finds Lea, intently watching the ocean as she leans against the railings.

“Beautiful night, right Lea?” He spoke, dropping down next to her with a thud. She nods in acknowledgment, not turning to see him.

“Aye, Jacob. No sign of trouble.”

She doesn’t ask why he’s still up, and he appreciates that. Gently, he pats her on the back.

“Why don’t you get some shut eye, alright?” That gets her to turn to him, an argument waiting on her tongue. “I can’t sleep a wink anyways. I’ll keep watch,” he affirms.

She pushes off the railings. “Right then, good night Jacob.” Her head disappears for a moment, but reappears seconds later. “Remind me to buy you a beer when we get back to land.”

“If anyone else buys me a beer I think I might die of liver poisoning,” he jokes. Lea’s laughter follows her as she disappears, leaving him to his own devices.

For several minutes, it’s peaceful. Jacob sharpens his blade as he watches the sea, counting the number of times he hears the satisfying sound of blade against rock.

That is, until he hears grunting. So he pauses his ministrations, listening carefully. To his surprise, a head pops into view, and he immediately knows who it is when brown eyes blink curiously at him.

“Maisie! What are you- How did you get up here?” He questions as she tries to pull herself up. With a steadying hand he guides her up and over.

“I watched you do it,” she explains breathlessly. “So I copied you.”

“Great,” he mutters. “Lovely. Aren’t you supposed to be asleep?”

She rests her chin on the railing, peering out at the glittering water. “I didn’t want to.”

He sighs, rolling his eyes and focusing on his dagger instead. He half-expects her to kept talking, but Maisie continues to study the sea wordlessly. Her eyes suddenly draw to her feet, eyebrows furrowed.

“I lied,” she whispers softly. Jacob lifts his head. “I had a dream about my parents.”

His heart sinks a little. “Oh.” He’d be lying if he said he never had nightmares. Especially about that night. Images of a burning ship and massive creature with mandibles swimming straight towards him. He should probably comfort her, right? “I’m sorry lass.”

She doesn’t respond immediately. When she does, her voice is shaky. “It’s alright. They lived a great life, and died a great death,” she finally turns to meet his eyes. He notes that her eyes are misty. “Right?”

Reassuringly, he smiles. “Aye.” He places a hand on her shoulder. “That they did.” She smiles, and Jacob feels a bit satisfied that his words worked a little.

Maisie moves, and he observes with wide eyes as she burrows against his side. Unsure, he places his arm around her.

“I want to avenge them someday,” she murmurs, yawning tiredly. Her eyes flutter.

“You will, lass,” he assures, patting her gently. Her breaths steady out, gently fanning his shirt. “You will.”

Something about the thought of her choosing to stay next to him has him feeling soft. It’s probably why he can’t bring himself to carry her down, where she really should be. So he just sits with a smile, holding the trouble-making, stowing-away, orphan girl.

——

Maisie hums happily. She’s been learning a lot about how to be a sailor. At first she was disappointed, because she wanted to jump straight into how to be a good hunter. But Jacob told her that to be a good hunter, you must first be a good sailor. So she tried to learn as quickly as she could.

She’s also been getting to know a lot of the crew members. Only certain few—like Captain Crow, Sarah Sharpe, and Jacob Holland—were depicted in her book. But there were so many others. Like Ms. Merino, who she’s absolutely fascinated with. Something about being able to boss around the crew while still not being captain amazed her.

There was also Lea, who she climbed up to visit a lot. Every time, Lea praised her for getting better at climbing the shrouds. And Peter, the youngest of the crew, whom she shared many conversations with. She was proud to say she almost knew every member by name.

Currently it’s raining. Or more accurately— storming. There’s a constant drum of rain outside, nearly drowning out the captain’s orders and the footsteps of the crew. Jacob had told her to stay in her bedroom, and so here she is. She pulls book by book off the shelves, skimming each one to cure her boredom.

She wishes someone would come see her. It’s kind of lonely.

As she’s thinking this, the window that was previously shut bursts open, gusts of wind and water rushing through. Maisie covers her eyes with her arm, the wind making the rain droplets little needles that sting upon impact.

She makes her way towards the window. Her intention is to shut it, then return to her reading. But as she tries to close it, it resists, the wind making it difficult. She pulls with all her might, body half out the window.

It is at that moment the ship lurches.

It’s enough to sweep her off her feet, tumbling out the window. She barely has time to scream before her body crashes into the ocean waves. She shuts her mouth as seawater piles onto her tongue and burns her eyes.

The water is merciless. It thrashes around her body, dragging her like a dog with a toy. When she’s able to surface, it’s only for a mere heartbeat as another wave swallows her whole.

‘Oh my god,’ she thinks desperately. ‘Oh my god. I’m gonna die here.’

But Maisie wouldn’t be Maisie if she wasn’t a fighter, so she kicks at the water. With great effort, she manages to break free again, coughing. But The Inevitable is already advancing away. Leaving her behind.

“Wait!” She cries, trying to swim after it. “Wait! Please, don’t leave me!”

Her screams are futile as it becomes smaller, disappearing into the mist of the storm. Maisie doesn’t know if it’s the rain, ocean water, or the tears that wet her cheeks as she cries and cries.

The waves takes her again, dragging her under. She sobs under the water, trying not to suck in seawater

Something brushes her leg. She gasps soundlessly, kicking around to fend it off. Instinctively she reaches for her knife. She draws it and swings it wildly, hoping that it’s enough to scare whatever touched her.

Although it burns, she squints underwater, searching. Lightning cracks overhead. It illuminates the imposing figure of a creature— barely a foot away from her with the shape of a horse and a fish.

Her eyes widen as the light fades.

Kelpie.

She slashes with renewed vigor, screeching. But she’s running out of air. She needs to resurface.

Kicking with all her might, she tries to drag herself towards the surface. But the ocean has become stronger, and her weaker. It seems like the harder the fights, the more she sinks.

Suddenly, there’s a solid body under her arm, dragging her up, up, up, until her head meets the air once more. Greedily she takes in breaths, coughing up water. It isn’t until she’s regained her bearings that she realizes the Kelpie is right next to her, horse face staring at her.

Immediately she pushes away, snarling at it and swinging her blade. The Kelpie merely stares, black eyes glittering.

She pauses momentarily, realizing it’s not coming after her. Instead, it doesn’t move. It just stares.

It’s skin is beautiful— she thinks briefly. In the light on the lightning, it glows purple and green and blue. It whinnies softly, swimming a little closer. Maisie doesn’t dare breath as it comes face to face with her.

She’s read about them— of course. Bloodthirsty creatures that devour human flesh with needle-like teeth. But it doesn’t have teeth like needles. Maisie can distinctively see how flat they are. Not suited for tearing meat.

Tentatively she reaches out, palm touching its nose. It makes another soft noise, eyes shutting as it nuzzles her hand. She laughs, the situation insane.

She flinched as it moves, but it only positions itself under her arm, supporting her.

Maisie’s expression is incredulous as she asks, “are you going to help me?”

The Kelpie, because it is a Kelpie, doesn’t respond. But it does start swimming, pulling her in the direction of The Inevitable.

“Yes, yes!” Maisie yells excitedly. The Kelpie neighs, gracefully cutting through the ocean water. She can feel it’s strong muscles flexing beneath her, large fish-tail propelling them effortlessly.

Eventually the ship comes into view, and Maisie can even spy her window hanging open. The creature seems smart, for it brings her right to the side of the ship. She stares up at the railings, hearing the voices of her crewmates. Then she meets the eye of the Kelpie once more, seeing her reflection in those obsidian eyes.

“Thank you,” she says to it. It huffs, shaking out its mane. More droplets rain across her face. It backs away, and then dives down, returning to the depths. She stares at the spot it once was, contemplating.

Before she can dwell on it to long, she calls for help. Her shrill cries quickly attract attention. A few peer down into the water, spotting her almost instantly.

“Man overboard!” They bellow, quickly gathering rope. The shouts repeat across the entire crew until everyone knows of it. Relief fills Maisie when she can see Jacob’s form on the railings, blond hair wet and stuck to his face.

“Maisie!” He calls, worry flooding his system as he spots Maisie struggling in the water. “Hold on!”

Not a moment later, he’s diving down, entering the ocean like he owns it. She can feel him grabbing hold of her. Instantly she clings to him like a starfish, shivering uncontrollably.

“It’s alright Maisie. You’re alright. I’ve got you. You’re safe,” he repeats over and over again. She sags, knowing it to be true and that she doesn’t have to fight anymore. As she’s pulled up onto the ship, Maisie lets the darkness take her.

——

When Maisie wakes, everything hurts. Her throat is dry, her eyes throb, her head aches, and her muscles are sore. She finds all this out when she tries to move, only to be met with several different kinds of pain. She whimpers immediately, flopping back down on the bed.

“Try not to move lass,” a voice orders softly. Her eyes widen, making her wince once more. But that voice is unmistakable.

“Jacob? That you?” She asks softly, turning her head the slightest to find him. He sits near, looking tired and disheveled.

“Aye, Love,” he confirms, tone laced heavily with concern. He moves his chair closer. “Are you feeling alright?”

Again she tries to sit up. Jacob helps her, placing a comforting hand on her back. “No. Everything’s so hot,” she huffs out in short breaths. He gingerly brushes his knuckle against her forehead, cursing low.

“Doctor said you’d have a fever. But he didn’t say it’d be this bad.” His hand reaches down to a pail of water, bringing out a soaking cloth. “Lay back down,” he orders as he rings it out.

Maisie does as she’s told, lacking the will and the energy to argue. Jacob places the cloth over her forehead, a few droplets escaping into her scalp. She sighs instantly in relief. The cloth is cold and comforting against the heat of her head.

Jacob stands, checking her over once more. “I better go tell the captain you’re awake.” He begins to walk away, but Maisie grabs a hold of his hand. He looks back in question.

“Wait! Please don’t go,” she begs, eyes pleading. He looks torn for a moment, but relents in the end. He allows her to drag him back to his chair.

“Alright, I won’t go anywhere,” he assures. But Maisie still doesn’t let go of his hand. He squeezes softly.

She’s silent for a long while, brown irises darting back in forth as she thinks. Jacob can’t begin to imagine how scared she must have been. She passed out almost instantly in his arms, but still clung to his shirt even as the doctor tried to pull her off. Just like now.

“I saw something,” she begins. Jacob’s eyebrows shoot up. “I think it was a Kelpie.”

He covers his agape mouth with his hand. “Are you sure?”

She nods. “It was half-horse half-fish. I’m sure of it, I am.”

Unexpectedly, Jacob leans close, enveloping her in a hug. Maisie sits stunned, before hugging back.

“You’re lucky to be alive,” he whispers. They sit like that for a few moments, before Jacob realizes what he’s doing and pulls away. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine,” she replies, still a little shocked. It’s been forever since she’s been hugged. But that wasn’t the current problem. “Jacob, the Kelpie helped me.”

He cocks his head in confusion. “What do you mean it helped you?”

“The ship was so far away, and it was so dark. But I saw it, and I was scared at first but it didn’t eat me. It helped me swim, and brought me right up to the boat!” She spouts all at once, Jacob struggling to keep up.

“Hold on, hold on. Maisie that’s impossible. Kelpies are violent creatures. And they shouldn’t even be this far out at sea. They stay near shores,” he argues.

“Have you ever even seen one? It had flat teeth!” She argues right back. She’s yelling at this point.

“No, but I know it to be true! You were probably hallucinating!” He’s yelling, too.

“I wasn’t, I tell you!”

“Maisie!”

They both glare at each other, heaving. Maisie’s lip wobbles, before she flops back on the bed, facing away from him. Her body trembles.

Jacob instantly feels regret. He shouldn’t have raised his voice. “Maisie . . . “

“I’ve changed my mind,” she bites out, voice wobbly but resigned. “I don’t want you here anymore. Go away.” When he hesitates, she shouts, “Go away!”

This time, he listens. As he’s about to open the door, he looks back at her. She’s still facing away. He wants to apologize, but maybe he should leave it for now.

When he leaves, the entire crew takes notice. But they say nothing. If it’s because they heard the yelling, or because he’s barely left the room in the past day, is unclear.

“He looks like a walking corpse,” Merino whispers. Although, it’s more of a whisper-scream.

“Mm,” Sarah agrees wordlessly. She watches as he makes his way to the Captain’s Quarters.

Jacob knocks, hearing the ‘come in’ from Crow. He enters, shutting the door behind him. The captain studies him from where he stands over a map, taking in his sullen expression.

“She’s awake,” he explains. Crow nods.

“Good. A little shocked, I imagine. But she’ll be alright. She’s a fighter.” Crow looks at him again, but he is staring at the wall. “Is that all?”

Jacob sighs, running a hand through his hair. “Children are difficult,” he murmurs vaguely. Crow laughs, understanding instantly.

“Aye, that they are Jacob. That they are,” the captain says with a far-away tone, like he’s reliving an old memory. “You just have to be patient, my boy.”

The hunter sighs again, wondering why he even cares so much.

——

Red can feel the exact moment she is freed. The human’s shell was a heavy, dragging weight. But as she spins and spins and spins, it is suddenly lifted. She twirls off into the water, flapping her fins to right herself.

She can also feel the exact moment two humans enter the water. The ripple echoes in her bones, and she stares at them. They stare back. One adult and one baby. She retreats, not desiring to hurt a baby.

Red should leave. Red needs to leave.

She’s tired and worn out and frankly missing her home island. She’s spent too long in the water, and especially too long fending off the bad humans with their dangerous claws.

But something makes her to stay. She watches the pale adult human and the dark baby human as they stand on the smaller shell. The Alpha stands on the large shell, spitting furiously. She curls her lip. She wants to eat it.

The pale adult roars back. The Alpha points one of its many claws at the baby. The adult puts itself in front of the baby. The baby cowers.

Ah. It must be the baby’s parent.

She can feel for the human parent. She’s been a mother before. She’s protected her pups, and has watched them die. She was devastated. The human would also be devastated if it lost its baby.

Maybe that’s what compels her to leap out of the water, catching the parent and the baby in her jaws.

Quickly she retreats to the depths. She will return, in the future. For now she will focus on making sure the mother and baby are safe.

——

It has been a long swim. Made even longer because Red is tired and hurt. The places the humans struck with their claws burn, made better by the cool of the ocean water. But she’s almost there: her home.

She cannot feel the humans, and hopes they didn’t wander into her stomach. Maybe she should have thought this through more.

It’s no matter. The island is visible. Green covers the entirety of it. High in the sky the white things slowly fly around. She doesn’t mind them— as long as they don’t get too close.

With one flap of her flippers, she sends herself rocketing towards the surface. Something thumps in her nose, but she ignores it.

Suddenly Red has the uncontrollable urge to itch her nose, and she twitches to get rid of the feeling. But it doesn’t work, and the irritation quickly turns into pain.

It only becomes worse the longer it sits. Finally she makes it to the shallows, and she raises herself to her full height. The next second involves her expelling a great sneeze. She feels something get lodged between her nostril.

However, she’s more concerned with the fact that the adult human is wildly swinging too and fro. It appears to be dangling from some brown seaweed. But where was the baby?

She lifts the brown seaweed curiously. It seemed to lead back to her nose. Now, she has lived this far in life by not being stupid. She gives the seaweed a tug.

Unsurprisingly, the baby comes swinging out. The adult tries to reach for it, but falls. They both make shrill noises as they keep swinging and swinging. Having enough, she grabs the baby with her teeth.

It freezes immediately, little eyes wide. She admires it’s fearlessness, for it stares at her head-on. She stares back. The baby tilts it’s head—the tiniest of motions. Feeling playful, Red tilts her head the same way. Then the baby turns the other way. Again, Red follows the movement.

See? Red thinks as the baby relaxes a little. Not so bad.

The adult does not agree. With a shout it comes swinging at her with its claw. What does it think it’ll do with that little thing?

Although, she does suppose mothers will do anything to protects their kids. The kid dismantles from her jaws, swinging away. The adult falls, landing in the sand. But her eyes follow the baby to make sure it’s safe. It lands in a tree, looking unharmed. She’s glad.

There’s a little pitter patter below her. She looks down to find the adult running towards its big claw. Now she knows it must be determined to protect its child, but she thought that she’d proven herself by now. Deciding she has had enough of this human, she whips a wave at it with her large flipper.

She expected it to run or dodge. But it merely stands there and takes it, washing away. She coughs up the human’s wooden shell, letting it land on the sand, and begins to crawl away. After all, she’s got a nap to take

Before she disappears from view, she looks back one more time. The adult and baby both seem fine, so she carries on.

——

Everything is red. The sky, the ocean, the moon, the mist in the air. Maisie has never seen so much red. And it reeks of blood. The tangy smell of iron infiltrates her nose, but when she tries to cover it the smell still leaks through.

She’s on a rowboat, all alone floating in this blood ocean. Where was everyone? Where was The Inevitable? Where was Jacob?

Something surfaces next to her, blood dripping of if its form. The figure is so familiar it makes her want to cry. Those clothes, that hat. But her father died years ago?

She has to be sure. She reaches out, tipping the rowboat as she tries to see the figures face. A skeletal hand shoots up from the blood sea, encasing her wrist. Her father’s face slowly turns to face her, eye sockets empty. She screams, and struggles. The rowboat sloshes back and forth.

Something grabs her from the other side, halting her movements. It’s her mother, dressed as she was when she would sing Maisie to bed. Her eyes are as empty as her father’s. Tears stream down her face as she whimpers.

Now someone is standing in front of her. Trapped by her parent’s hands, she meets the blood-red glare of Captain Crow. He’s pointing a gun at her head.

“I’ll make you regret ever cuttin’ those lines, Maisie Brumble.”

Maisie can only scream.

Before he can pull the trigger, Maisie is shaken awake. She sputters, gasping for air. Someone is holding her. But it’s not like how it was in the nightmare. It’s gentle.

“Easy, Maisie. Breathe,” a familiar voice commands. And she does. She breaths in. The scent around her is so familiar. So comforting and different from the stinging smell of iron. It was like a rainy day on the ocean.

A hand smooths her hair. She lets out one last sigh, her breathing normal.

“Was it your parents again?” Jacob asks above her. He sounds exhausted. But here he is, hunched over her like she’s worth the trouble.

“Sorta,” she replies, equally as tired.

“Do you wanna talk about it?”

“Mhm,” she confirms, looking out towards the outside. She hopes that they are safe in this shell. Protected from whatever’s outside. But perhaps she’s learning that they aren’t the ones needing protecting. Just to be sure, she huddles closer to Jacob.

She’s struggling to find the words to describe her anxiousness. It’s been sitting heavy on her shoulders ever since the day Red attacked The Inevitable. It’s been easy to ignore before because she was busy. But now it’s quiet. Just her, her thoughts, and the hunter holding her.

“Do you think Crow would’ve shot me?” She questions, voice small. She feels the exact moment Jacob tenses.

“No. He . . . he wouldn’t have. He was just angry,” he explains hesitantly.

Maisie stares at the ground. “Because I let Red go?” She can feel him nod. “But the crew was gonna get hurt.”

Jacob doesn’t reply. At least, she doesn’t hear him. If he does, it’s after Maisie’s already fallen back asleep.

——

When Red wakes, the sun is rising. She snorts, shaking off the noisy birds that have landed on her. They clammer and fly into the sky, but still circle around her forever and endlessly. She sniffs the air, satisfied that it smells clean, and begins to exit her lake.

She’s already slept to long. She needs to make sure no other apex beasts have moved to claim her part of the island while she was away. If they did she will rip them apart.

The smell of the humans is small, but present. Which is good. She hopes they will survive here. The baby is nice. The parent is okay.

It isn’t long before she’s entering the ocean waters—cooled by the night. Taking one large breath, she dives down, bubbles rising up around her. She won’t be long. Just a quick check will do. None of the other beasts are usually dumb enough to challenge her anyways.

That’s what she thinks, at first. Everything seemed normal up until the moment she was swimming towards the shore again. Then she spies a familiar figure in the distance, large and spiny.

Her lips curl. Karkinos. Rage propels her to swim faster towards the blasted crab, who doesn’t even notice her. Her fury only grows when she sees that it’s trying to eat the parent human. This will be the last time she will get allow it to get away with this.

She rises in front of it, snarling. The crab’s eyes widen, dropping the human. Her nostrils flare as she seethes. She roars once, the Karkinos’s only chance to back down. But it glares at her, clicking it’s pincers together.

She growls, and charges. It’s been awhile since she’s had a good fight. Too bad for Karkinos, because she won’t hold back. She knocks the crab around with her massive horn. It tries to pinch her skin, but she’s used to it being blistered and pierced. The crab cannot hurt her.

Pure outrage is what fuels her to keep pushing and pushing, constantly diving towards Karkinos. Unfortunately it is evasive. Always backing away from her attacks. Coward, Red thinks with an ugly snarl.

It scuttles up a rock, pinching its pincers together mockingly. With a roar she follows it up the rock, snapping her jaws shut. She falls back to the water, eyes widening when she feels its weight suddenly upon her.

Without warning she’s being thrown around, a pincer around her horn. She groans loud, frantically thrashing. But the crab digs its legs into her, grounding itself. She groans again as it tries to slice her neck, and she tries to tear away. But Karkinos is relentless.

The weight is suddenly gone, and she springs free. She shakes her head, regaining her bearings.

The crab lets out a screech, and it tries to reach for the human claw embedded in its flesh. Seeing her chance, Red clamps her teeth around the crab. Crunching down for good measure, she tosses the crab back to the sea.

Water rises high into the air as it meets the ocean with a splash. One final time she roars, watching in satisfaction as the crab scuttles back to the depths. It won’t be returning any time soon.

There’s a noise behind her, and she just barely turns to see the baby reuniting with its mother. They chuff at eachother, but their tones sound strangely unhappy. Curious, she watches.

Then, the baby is barking at her. It waves its flippers to get her attention, then holds up the small blue angler. She gets nearer to see better. The baby seems happy that she’s gotten closer.

It proceeds to make a flurry of gestures, pointing out at sea and stacking things on the angler’s head. It kind of looks like what they’re in now. And are the little fruits supposed to represent them? Does the angler represent her?

She stares out at sea, where the baby pointed. They wanted to go back out there? She supposed she brought them here for them to be safe. But if they want to leave, then what was the point? Perhaps she can aid them one more time.

So she circles around, collecting the humans and their wooden shell on her head. She hears the baby gurgle excitedly, before howling. It seems to be a good sign, so she keeps swimming.

Maybe she will kill Karkinos when she returns, for the humans won’t have to witness the carnage.

——

For most of the day, Maisie busies herself with the spears that litter Red’s back. She’s long forgone trying to be gentle. Some are lodged deep, but Red always seems fine when she tugs on them. So she keeps working.

Jacob is also busy. He works on patching the rowboat, even though Maisie has pointed out several times that Red is taking them with no problems. He’d always retort back, but he’s been strangely silent recently.

If she had to guess, it started when Red helped them fish. He got this far-away look in his eye. Like he was deep in thought. She didn’t point it out, and went straight to pulling the spears.

This particular one was being extra tough. Her shoes slid on slippery skin as she yanks with all her might. But it doesn’t budge. Unhelpfully, Blue rolls around her feet, tiny belly bulging with all the fish he ate.

In the midst of her straining, she misses the approaching footsteps. She still doesn’t notice until Jacob stands in front of her. With wide eyes she watches him place both hands on the spear, and then she understands. Wordlessly they pry it out together. Red growls in appreciation when it springs free, and Jacob tosses it to the sea.

Side by side they continue the effort, until the sun is setting. When they pull the last spear, Jacob hangs on to it. When she gives him a questioning look, he states, “just in case.” But he sounds unsure.

Neither of them move from their place near Red’s tail. Maisie observes it swish in the water, then trails her eyes upwards to the sunset, and finally lets them rest on Jacob’s face. Cautious, she lets herself lean on his leg. Warmth bursts in her chest when he gently holds her shoulder.

This is what she’s been seeking, whether she’s realized it or not. Sure the workers of the orphanage were kind, but they were like that with every child. This felt special. Like it was just for her. Something-someone that she could keep to herself.

“Could I read that book o’ yours?” Jacob asks, breaking her trance. She nods, handing it to him. Then they make their way back to the rowboat, him skimming through the pages.

One conversation later, Maisie says “maybe we didn’t start this war.”

And Jacob responds, “maybe, but why would we?”

And that gets Maisie thinking. “Jacob, if women didn’t get plucked from their veggie-patches, and towns didn’t get destroyed, then who would want the beasts to be hunted?”

His eyebrows furrow. Again he studies the book, then flips to the inside cover. There, he traces the symbol imprinted there. “The monarchs.”

And suddenly everything makes sense.

——

It is mid-day, and the crew is silent. Which is something that a ship’s people should never be. Life on a ship, especially since they were hunters, was busy. There was always something to see, something to be done, and somewhere to be.

But there is nothing. No noise, no enthusiasm. They all appeared dead on their feet. Even Merino had little to say, especially since they left Mukesh.

It’s been like this since they lost Jacob. He was and had always been a fire that kept the crew chugging. But that fire had been doused. All that remained were the ashes no one had the motivation to rekindle. Not even Sarah had the energy to care.

Jacob was gone. The Crow she’d grown up with was gone. Whatever remained would be taken by Batterbie’s curse.

Bitterly she looked to the weapon. It sat ominously at the bow of the ship. Crow, after they left Mukesh, had stared at it for hours. He muttered to himself like he was in a trance, eye fixated on the cursed item. It revolted her to her bones.

“Sarah?” From where she stared at the vast expanse of ocean, she turned to the young boy. Peter, his name was. The newest and youngest addition to The Inevitable. Sarah felt numb, for she had a feeling he would be the last.

Everyone immediately stopped what they were doing (which was essentially nothing. Crow had insisted that ‘the poison would finish the job that you lot couldn’t.’) to focus on the two. She assumed it was because with Jacob and the captain gone, it left her to commandeer the ship. It was too bad that she has no intention too.

“What is to become of The Inevitable?” Peter asked hesitantly. There was a look in his eyes that told he already knew the answer. The crew seemed to hang on to Sarah’s silence.

If it were Jacob in this situation, he would say something uplifting. Something revolutionary. Something how this ship had overcome many feats before, and that this certainly wouldn’t be the last. Then the crew would laugh, and go back to their duties.

But Sarah is not Jacob. She cannot pretend that everything will be fine.

“After this,” she starts, turning back to sea. “The Inevitable will be no more.”

Collectively the crew has a sudden realization that it was the truth. Perhaps some could have a life in a different ship, or on land, but it would never be the same ever again.

With her whole heart, Sarah wishes she could go back in time, if it meant to feel alive once again.

“Captain! A ship has been spotted! Off the port bow!”

Sarah’s moving before Lea finishes her sentence, drawing her spy glass from her pocket. But even from this distance, she can recognize the ship.

“It’s The Imperator,” she says in disbelief. Yes, it was The Imperator currently under attack by The Kraken. The massive ship sat useless as tentacle upon tentacle wrapped and squeezed and slapped. She could hear crewmates screaming as they were plucked off the ship and forced underwater.

She looks to the Captain, who regards the scene like it was nothing more than another sunset. “What are we to do?”

The Captain looks at her, like the answer should be obvious. “We carry on.”

“But Captain!” It’s Peter who speaks, wide-eyed and afraid. When the Captain fixes him with a smothering glare, Peter licks his lips nervously. “Shouldn’t we help?”

“And why in the blazes would we do that?” The Captain snarls, putting his face right up to Peter’s. Sarah had to give him credit, for the boy did not flinch away.

Peter licks his lips. “It’s what Jacob would’ve done,” he whispers fearlessly. The Captain’s expression immediately sours.

“Say that name again,” he growls, walking off. “And I’ll have you join them.”

Peter scowls, and the entire crew stands powerless. As the Inevitable sails past, Sarah tries to ignore the screaming.

——

Jacob stares at himself in the pages of Maisie’s book. He must give credit where credit is due, because it’s a near replica of him. But he looks so . . . angry. He looks fierce, ready to kill without hesitation. He hopes that’s not actually what he looks like.

He cringes at the thought, thumb and index finger rubbing the corner of the page. Maisie jumps down in front of him, her arms crossed over her chest.

“That ain’t you no more,” she declares, tapping the spy glass against the page. “You’re not the Jacob Holland who killed four of them beasts in a span of two days.”

“It was five,” he admits guilty.

But Maisie continues on. “You’re Jacob Holland who befriended a beast, saved me life, and led us all the way to Rum Pepper Island,” she announces. His eyes widen, and Maisie giggles at his reaction.

He stands, snapping the book shut. Relief washes over him. “We made it.”

The island looms in front of them. Jacob follows Maisie as she excitedly skips away. They hover near Red’s horn, observing the land.

“This is as far as Red goes,” Jacob explains. Maisie’s face falls. “Won’t be safe for her past the Dregmorr, but we can flag a passing ship.”

Maisie considers his words. She wanders off, ungracefully plopping herself down. “And then what?” She implores quietly, so quiet Jacob almost misses is it. Her feet swing back and forth

“Well, then I’ll, uh,” he starts, not having thought that far ahead. He goes to sit next to her. “I’ll take you back to Guelston, won’t I?”

“Guelston is a place, not a family,” she states firmly. “I ain’t going back, and you ain’t going back on that ship. And what about Red and all the other innocent sea beasts? Do we leave them to die?”

He sighs heavily, turmoil growing in his heart. “What are we supposed to do Maisie? This is years of history, it’s not going to be solved easy.”

“We’re hunters! When is something ever easy?” She counters, and Jacob is at a loss for words because she was right. “But if we stick together, maybe we could solve it . . . together.”

“Together?” He echoes. It’s not that her words are confusing, but the way she said that last part was strange.

The girl suddenly curls into herself, avoiding his stare. “I don’t know. I’ve never considered bein’ in a family again. It’s every orphans dream, but, I don’t know. Maybe if you and I pretend long enough, it could work?” She says, sounding small even to her own ears. Jacob’s eyes widen. “So what do you say? Should we give it a go?”

Once again he is rendered speechless, struggling to grasp the weight of her suggestion. “What like- like a family?” He questions.

Maisie retreats instantly, realizing his tone isn’t happy or excited. “N-nevermind. Forget it.”

But Jacob isn’t forgetting, he’s still pondering the scenario. Would he even make a good father? He accepted the captain role without hesitation. But a father? “Maisie, I don’t think-

She whirls on him. “I said never mind, ya donkey.”

“We’ll I-I just-“

“I said never mind!” She cuts him off in finality, finishing it off with a fiery glare. Jacob immediately backs down.

“All right, all right,” he placates. An uncomfortable tension hangs in the air, and he pats his thigh. “Well, uh, we better get packed up.”

Maisie rolls her eyes, standing. She begins to follow after Jacob. But then there’s a loud crack echoing in her ear, and she whips around. Her eyes immediately find the ship across the water, a red firework dissipating in the air.

“Jacob, is that . . ?” There’s no mistaking those red sails. It was The Inevitable. Suddenly, Red is growling, the sound vibrating Maisie’s entire body. Then she begins to turn towards the ship.

“Red?” Maisie questions, bracing herself. The large beast only growls louder, picking up in speed. “Red?!” She seeks out Jacob, who’s eyes are as wide as saucers.

He snatches the spyglass from her, peering through the cracked lens. On the bow of the ship, he can see the entire crew standing behind the Captain. Now of them are moving— like statues they stand. Crow has his hand around the handle of a massive weapon, tip glinting in the sunlight.

“Maisie,” he orders, voice grave. “We have to jump.”

“What?!”

“We have to jump!” He shouts, catching her arm. That spear was bigger than Maisie, almost the same size as Jacob. If the captain missed and hit either one of them, they would be done for.

He begins to haul her towards the water, but Maisie rips herself away. “We can’t abandon Red!”

“We have no choice!” He yells over the sound of rushing water. Red is practically snarling now, the noise deafening.

“Yes we do!” She pleads, eyes darting to herself, her knife, Red, Jacob, and The Inevitable. “Find a way to stop them! I’ll stop Red!”

“Wha? Wait- Maisie!” but the girl’s already taken off, drawing her knife from her sheath and running towards Red’s face. He growls in irritation, but he does not jump.

Frantically, his eyes search. Stop the Inevitable? How was he supposed to do that? No, he thinks, shaking his head. That’s not the right question. How will he stop The Inevitable? Shouting would prove futile, there was too much noise.

There, the one spear he hung on too. He could get their attention with that.

He makes a break for it, scooping it up into his hands. Meanwhile Maisie has slid down Red’s face, barely hanging on to the flat of her giant nose.

“Stop it, Red! Stop it I say!” She shouts, pounding her fists on Red’s skin. Her yellow eyes are cross-eyed as she glares at the child, shaking her body in an attempt to get her to stop.

Jacob tries to give himself a good position, but the ground beneath his feet is suddenly unsteady as Red sways. He tips back and forth, arm reeled back and ready to throw whenever there’s an opening.

Maisie digs her nails and grits her teeth. She eyes the knife in her hand, before letting out a cry and plunging it down. Red roars when it pierces through her nostril, halting her movements completely.

Jacob finally gets a good angle, and lets the spear fly.

“Time has come, ye de-“

“Watch out!”

The entire crew ducks as the spear collides with The Hand of God, knocking it off course. The captain raises himself, eyes narrowed but confused.

“What in the bloody hell?”

“Wait!” Jacob flails his arms. “Stop!”

Merino pushes past the crowd, mouth agape. “Is that?”

“Jacob,” Sarah finishes.

Nobody moves. Maisie glares defiantly at Red, who stares back like she’s finally seeing again. “If you do this, it never ends,” Maisie declares shakily, her hands trembling. Red blinks at her—the tears threatening to fill the child’s eyes. Then she glances at The Inevitable.

“Can you take us?” Maisie begs, pointing at the ship. “Please?”

Red hesitates, before slowly listening to Maisie’s instructions. The girl extracts her knife from Red’s flesh, grimacing at the blood. Jacob reaches a hand out, and she takes it, letting him lift her. The two stand side by side, staring ahead as they draw closer.

She squeezes his hand, and he squeezes back.

Red fearlessly puts herself in front of the ship, barely inches away. The crew has their weapons drawn.

“Stay here,” Jacob whispers before jumping off. He lands on the ship with a heavy thud, raising himself to meet the captain’s gawk.

“Jacob?” He whispers, disbelieving. “Is that really you?” He lets out a little laugh, before enveloping him in a hug. “I thought I lost you.” Unsure, Jacob hugs back. Then the captain is laughing, slapping him on the back. “And would you look at that! You brought the devil right to us.”

He picks up the spear. Red growls low, tense and waiting for the slightest hint of an attack.

“No!” He says, throwing one hand up to stop Red, and the other to keep Crow away. “Please, just, let me explain.”

And he does. He recounts the entire story, telling them about how Red saved them from a Karkinos and brought them peacefully all the way here. The crew exchange glances, but listen intently.

When he’s done, the captain looks none to happy. “So what then, Jacob? You’ve gone and befriended a beast, ignoring the hundreds of years of war we’ve had? How good of you,” he sneers. “Are you going to forget all the brave souls who died fighting against them? Them people who died heroes?!”

“Aye, they died heroes,” he says. “But you can be a hero and still be wrong.”

The captain scoffs, shaking his head. “Listen to you. The monarchs gave me an order Jacob. I intend to fulfill it.”

“The monarchs don’t care about us! Any of us!” He shouts, turning to the crew. “They don’t care about the sacrifices our brothers and sisters have made. They don’t care about how we risk our lives for them. All they care about is making sure they get what the want!”

“Enough! Enough of this talk, boy!”

“The proof is right here!” He gestures to Red, whose fleeting eyes follow him. “She’s not a monster!”

“And then what, Jacob?” Sarah asks calmly, hushing the murmurs of the crew. She steps forward, her mouth set in a grim line. “What happens after this? This is the only life some of us have have ever known. Are you asking us to abandon it just for this?”

Jacob swallows heavily, leveling her with an even gaze. “I don’t know Sarah. But we Hunters are teetering on the plank either way. Either we end this on our own terms, or the monarchs find a way to replace us. I’d rather choose the former.” He takes a steadying breath. “The longer this goes on, the more innocent lives are spent for a worthless cause.”

Sarah considers his words, lips pursued. Jacob looks to the crew. They are whispering amongst themselves, glancing at Red and then at him. Crow snarls at him, expression incredulous.

“Don’t just stand there, you lot of good-for-nothing swash buckets! Raise your weapons or so help me!”

“Father, please,” Jacob pleads, tone soft. Crow’s face twists in an ugly snarl, and without warning he charges for the man he called son. Jacob draws his dagger, deflecting the oncoming blow.

“I gave you life, I gave you everything!” He roars, swinging again. While he fights with everything in him, Jacob does not, and maybe that’s why Crow overpowers him. “But I don’t know you anymore!” For a moment Jacob falters at his words, and it’s the opening Crow needs to send him overboard.

Jacob’s body hits the water, and Red growls, opening her jaws. But before she could make a move, a lance collides hard with the temple of Crow’s head. Knocked aside, he grunts in pain. Peter stands above him, face set in determination and hands clutching the very lance that struck him.

Crow goes to stand up, but is met with many more lances. He stares in disbelief as his own crew turns on him, all their faces hard and exhausted.

Sarah stands above Peter, glaring down at Crow. “Brig him,” she orders.

“What? No!” Crow protests as several crewmates grab hold of him, dragging him below deck. “Get your hands off me! I’ll have you hanged for this!”

His cries echo and eventually fade, and Jacob is brought back aboard by Fen and Old Nick. He sputters, coughing up a bit of water.

“Thank you,” he says earnestly, and they nod. Weaving through the crowd, he goes to stand next to Sarah.

“Well,” she starts, sighing. “What’s your plan, Jacob?”

He gives her a small smile before turning to the crew. They all look to him, and Jacob knows he can’t screw this up. He should choose his next words very carefully.

“I know this must be hard, and confusing for you. For a lot of you, this is the life we’ve been living forever. It’s the life I’ve known since I was a child.” He pauses, planting his feet. “But that life was a lie!” He lets his words echo, and watches their expressions lift. “And I refuse to live a lie anymore!” Turning to Red, he sucks in a deep breath. “No more monster hunting!”

And he kicks The Hand of God with all his might.

It doesn’t budge, and it takes the pain a moment to sink in. He groans, face scrunching in pain.

Maisie winces. Red watches, unamused.

“No more!” He tries again, kicking with his other foot. Again, it doesn’t move, and Jacob is left with more pain. “Okay, can I have some help?”

A few crewmates help him push it into the ocean, where it sinks easily. Jacob fixes his hair, steadying his breathing. “No more monster hunting!”

And the crew cheers with him. Maisie laughs, launching herself off of Red. Jacob catches her, hugging the girl to his chest.

“Next time, I call giving the speech,” she announces. Jacob laughs with her.

——

Jacob lingers at the door below deck. The very bottom floor of the ship. It was rare for someone to be down here. Storage boxes were what lined the creaking walls, filled with an assortment of materials that would never be used again. He wouldn’t be surprised if he was one of the last to step foot down here.

But there was another reason no one ever came down here. The crew was extremely close-knit, like a family. And just like families, squabbles tended to break out. But they were always resolved fairly easily with no trouble. Because of this, no one was ever sentenced to the brig that sat behind this door.

Jacob can’t ever remember, in his many years of hunting, someone being locked in the brig. It was sad that the first person ended up being the captain.

He’d been putting off coming down here for the evening. So many different emotions swirled in his chest. Regret, anger, confusion, fear, betrayal. Jacob didn’t know how to feel.

One part of his brain was somewhat optimistic. In there was the man he’d grown up with. His father. Somehow everything would be alright. But that other part knew, deep down, that something had broken. A bridge had been burned, and no matter how many planks Jacob held, it would never be fixed.

Desperately he tried to pretend his breath wasn’t shaky.

Carefully, he knocks. Once, then twice after. Not a breath was heard on the other side. Taking a deep inhale, Jacob pushes the door open.

Everything that his eyes saw was so incoherently wrong. Crow sat hunched low behind the rusty metal bars, his back to him. He was just sitting there. Silently. Jacob was glad he couldn’t see his face, for whatever expression Crow wore would probably burn in his nightmares.

Stepping lightly, he picks up the stool laying sideways on the floor. He liked to imagine that it was already like that, and not knocked over when Crow was dragged down here. He fixes it, and eases his weight onto it.

After that, he’s lost. For hours he’s been thinking of what to say. But now that he’s here, his tongue might as well be lead.

What are you supposed to say to the person who raised you, taught you everything you knew, only for them to point a blade at your back? He knew that killing them beasts was important to Crow. But did their relationship really mean so little that he wouldn’t hear Jacob out? The thought stung more than he’d like to admit.

He supposed it was now or never.

“Crow-“

“Oh, so it ain’t ‘captain’ no more, huh, Jacob,” the man spits. Jacob’s eyes go wide.

“What are you talking about?”

Crow laughs, startling him. It’s loud and hollow, so unlike the hearty chuckles he’d grown fond of. The man just barely turns, so Jacob can catch a glimpse of his dangerously glittering eye. “Must be nice. How long ‘ave you been planning this, Jacob? Overthrowing me, taking The Inevitable for yourself.”

“Are you listening to yourself?!” Jacob shouts, leaning forward. “You sound like a madman, Cro- Capta- I mean . . . “ he fumbles with his words in frustration.

Crow fully turns around now, and he stands to his full height. “Maybe I am. But at least I’m not a traitor for siding with those beasts!”

Jacob stands too. “It doesn’t have to be like this!”

The two stand breathing heavily, glaring at one another. Then Crow finally speaks, momentarily composing himself. “Oh yeah? Then what does it have to be like.”

For a second, Jacob falters. But then he meets Crow’s eye again, this time with a more tender look. “We could do whatever we want after this, Crow. We don’t have to be working under the monarchs anymore,” he reasons. His voice was soft, but his words were firm. “This doesn’t have to be the end of us.”

Crow bows his head slightly as he contemplates. Silence draws between the two, making Jacob antsy.

“So what, we go living together as a family?” Crow questions, raising his head. “Like father and son?”

A smile breaks Jacob’s face, his eyes softening. “It doesn’t have to be on a farm, or whatever. I hear fishing could be a pretty . . good . . . occupation,” he trails off. He watches, confused, as Crow turns back around.

“You’re not my son. Not no more. The next time I see you it better be in hell.”

The words feel like a spear through Jacob’s heart. He stands speechless, gaping stupidly at the man he called father. The man who held him in his arms, called him son, and saved him countless times. The man who he ate with, drank with, laughed with, sobbed with. The man who didn’t wipe his tears, but instead pushed him to keep living with a smile.

His heart sinks like a rock in the ocean. The man he called father was dead.

Slowly, he walks out of the room. Despite the current storm inside his chest, he gently shuts the door. Numb legs carry him past whispering members of the crew, all the way to the back of the ship. There Red swims quietly behind the boat, chuffing softly at him.

He can’t even bring himself to smile back. Leaning against the railing, he lets his head drop to his arms. He’s glad Maisie isn’t here to see him like this.

When someone approaches, he honestly can’t tell who it is. And he doesn’t care. He still feels numb, even when Lea comes to stand next to him.

She eyes him, then the beast that trails behind their beloved ship. Earlier in the day, Jacob had spied several crew mates coming and going from this exact spot, doing the same thing. Marveling at Red.

“She’s quite a sight,” Lea whispers. Jacob hums in agreement. “Listen Jacob. I don’t how to say this . . . but I think you did a good thing today.” He lifts he is head, and searches her eyes for a lie. “We all do.”

“Not the Captain,” he says bitterly.

Lea shakes her head. “The Captain’s been long gone even before you came back from the dead. Maybe . . . maybe he’s been gone before this, and we never even noticed.”

Her words are slightly comforting. Lea’s never been much of a talker in the first place, which is why she prefers to keep to her best. So the fact that she was even trying made him feel a little better.

“What are you gonna do after this, Lea?” He asks, desiring to get his mind off the current dilemma.

She crosses her arms, resting her back against the railing and tilting her head to look at the sky. “Aw, I don’t know. Maybe someplace somewhere they need a good pair of eyes. But you don’t have to worry about me, or the others. We’ve always found a way through life.”

He chuckles. “That we have.”

“What about you? Got any big plans?”

“Hmm,” he contemplates, sparing a glance towards Maisie’s room. “I might have somewhat of an idea.”

“Yeah, well, at least let me buy you that beer first before you ride off into the sunset.”

——

For the entire ride back to Guelston, Maisie has said nothing. Soon after her big speech, they parted from Red. Some tears were shed as they both gave the beast one last pat, who in return gave them a fond snort. Then she disappeared under the ocean, tail splashing water all over them.

Then they said goodbye to the rest of the crew, which was also very emotional. For some, it would be the last time they ever saw each other. But Jacob would always carry the memories with him.

He even let Lea buy him a beer, before she saluted him and went on her merry way. Then he flagged a carriage, which brought them all the way here.

Surprisingly, without any arguing, Maisie allowed him to take her back to the orphanage. He believes this is the main reason why she is quiet. ‘A place, not a family,’ she had put it.

Jacob tried to hide his smile. Maisie had no idea, but she wouldn’t be an orphan soon. Not if he had anything to say about it.

It had been subconsciously weighing on his mind ever since the young girl brought it up to him. He didn’t want to let her go. He couldn’t. It was an indescribable feeling. He wanted to be there for her: watch her grow. Teach her all he knew.

An unfamiliar feeling, but not unpleasant. He hoped she still felt the same.

Soon, the building came into view. It was secluded, and quite large. Jacob took notice how Maisie stared at it with dread, her throat bobbing.

The steady clack-a-clack of the carriage horse slows, stopping right next to the entrance. Jacob hops out first, gesturing to Maisie to come closer so he can help her. But she ignores him completely, jumping down herself and already striding towards the door.

Hurt stings his heart. It’s not too late, right?

Hurrying to catch up, he joins Maisie at her side. The doors are already open, maybe to let in fresh air. Inside he can hear the bustle and laughter of children. As they enter he knocks twice, the woman at the front desk snaps her head up.

She takes them both in, her mouth dropping. Then she’s abruptly standing, her chair screeching in the process.

“Maisie Brumble!” She exclaims, rounding the desk. Her long black dress swishes at her feet as she quickly advances. Unable to help himself, he puts himself in front the young girl, not liking the look in the woman’s eyes.

Her eyes rocket up to meet his, and just like that her expression changes. “Thank you, sir, for returning her,” she says politely. He opens his mouth to say something, but is cut off. “Come on, you!” She gestures to Maisie. Hesitantly, Maisie follows. As she follows the woman, she looks back at Jacob sadly. “This will be the last time this happens, you hear?”

“Actually!” The woman turns to him, eyebrow raised. Jacob can’t help his smile growing as he meets Maisie’s wide brown eyes. “I’d like to make an adoption.”

For the second time, the woman’s mouth hangs agape. Meanwhile Maisie squeals, launching herself at Jacob at an alarming speed. He catches her with an ‘oof’ and hugs her tight. With the way she’s squeezing his neck, Jacob should really be concerned with passing out.

But he can’t bring himself to care, and instead smooths his to-be daughter’s back. Later, Maisie will insist hotly that she didn’t cry. The wet stain on his shirt proves otherwise.

——

It’s been a month since the capital speech, and the King and Queen have renounced beast hunting. They’re finally turning to solve the problems of their kingdom since they could no longer rely on the horns of beasts for profit. Slowly, things are changing for the better.

Feeling more content than he ever has, Jacob stares at the water gently lapping under his feet. Blue sits on his lap, making all sorts of squeaks as Jacob pets him. He’s learned the small angler’s favorite places, like his back where he can’t reach. Blue practically melts under his touch.

So what if he’d grown attached to the little bugger? Dare he say it, the little guy was pretty darn cute.

He hears the sound of wood creaking behind him, and soon enough his daughter joins him. Immediately Blue goes to her, making Maisie giggle as she pats his head. Jacob swings an arm around her. In return she leans against him, both of them watching the water.

“Do you think we’ll ever get to go back?” Maisie asks, a little sad. She knows Red is safe, but she’d like to see the gentle giant again.

“Maybe one day,” Jacob murmurs. “There’s generations worth of violence weighing on those beasts. We can’t expect them to forgive easily.”

Maisie hums in agreement, smiling. One day there might be another kid like her who befriends the many creatures. And sure it would make Maisie happy, to be that kid, and maybe someday she will. But she’s even more happy to be right here. With her father, her pet, and the future waiting like an open book.