Queen of The Sea

Grog and Whiskey

The ship sailed silently into the harbor. In its massive size, the ship creaked and groaned as Leona diligently forced it against the docks. As quietly as they entered, Leona and Rin exited the ship. The sight before then was something out of a nightmare. The docks themselves were made of ebony wood and were crowded with rotting ships, varying in size. The Black Sand Reef was a fitting name. It was a coral reef brought to the surface by volcanic movement. The sand that laid on the shore was pitch black, a result of the volcanic activity again. A path was recreated by large boulders. The rocks were covered in dead algae and coral, giving the pirate hideaway a death like feeling. The bones of the coral were complimented by by fish bones, and the remains of what looked like a whale that washed ashore. The docks were lines by groups of pirates who were laughing and talking, a few were even singing seas shanties. The atmosphere gave Rin an ghostly feeling, while Leona felt at home.

"Aren't we going to hide our valuables? Won't...." Rin leaned close go Leo. "The pirates steal them?" He whispered. Leona gave the Prince a glare. 

"No mate." Leona hushed Rin. "There is peace here, no one steals." The pirate puffed out her chest. "Oh, they can smell fear." Leona teased in a warning kind of way. Rin gulped and followed Leo down the path.

The path lead to an opening to a cave. The cave mouth itself was small, Rin actually had to duck to walk through. The inside was a massive cave. Makeshift shops and bars were placed about the large opening. The air was damp and cool. It had a horrible odor of rotting fish and sea salt. The pirate hideaway was softly lit by candles and lamps placed about the many pathways. Leona took pride as they waltz down the walkway to a building in the center of the cave. It was a fairly large building, crafted mainly of stone, the same of the cave walls. It was a tavern called The Nasty Sail. Wenches sat outside of the tavern, calling out to Rin. From the windows, they could see the crowded tables, the bright glowing candle lights. Horribly shrieking instruments were being played within the building. 

"Leona... What if the crew of the White Squid is in there?" Rin asked nervously, peering into the foggy windows. Leona grew unnerved, but her confidence remained. 

"Then we'll take em." Leona grasped at the sword that was attached to her belt. "Aye Rin, we'll be fine, come one, ill get you some grog." 

"Grog?" Before Rin could say anything else, Leona grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him into the busy tavern. The reek of alcohol lingered in the air as they entered. The air was moist, the humidity of the room started to make Rin sweat himself. The prince looked at Leona. The girl was smiling brightly. She was truly born for this life. Soon, Leona and Rin sat at the bar stools and the barkeep greeted them. 

"What can i get ya?" The barkeep was a woman. She was old and frail looking. Wrinkles sagged down her face, though it was obvious the woman tried to cover them with white powder and blue eye shadow. The old lady had what looked like a permanent scowl on her aged face. 

"A grog for him, and yer strongest whiskey for me." Leona gave a smirk to the old barkeep, who simply grunted and went off to get the drinks. 

"Now, how will we find the location of The White Squid?" Rin asked as the woman placed the drink called grog before him. Leona didn't answer at first, she was too busy drinking the liquor to speak. After she chugged the glass she whipped her mouth. 

"Simple, ask." Leona turned around and leaned against eh bar table. She faced the tavern full of people and grinned. "One of these scurvy sea-dogs and jack tars should know. The White Squid is feared, they avoid it at all cost. So, they know where it is and when its goin' to be there." She took a deep breath, relaxing in the chaos. 

"Should we start asking?" Rin asked nervously. Leona glared at him. 

"We ain't in no rush, enjoy it, this could be the last night of our lives." She spoke calmly, this surprised Rin. Leona, the woman who had been nothing but an emotional wreak the whole time since they met, was so calm about announcing they could die. Rin stared at her.