Empress of the Sea|✔️

Chapter 6

Rewritten
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Aeryn's hair flew like the wind, the wonderful breeze running through the strands made her feel free.

She might as well be.

Aeryn found a proper ship to work at. As a sailing master.

The crew was male-free. A blessing in disguise, perhaps?

After a year on the island, she decided she needed to work. Sure, keeping the company of other young people who Erel had saved as well was fun, but staying on a stationary island could never compare to being on a ship.

Erel saved the young kids who were innocent and got abused on board and brought them to the island. Many were female, but a few boys were there too, like River and Ryker, both brothers of Reyna. The triplets of them had such a funny dynamic.

She'd spent almost nine months on that island, the worry of her family at the back of her head. It felt as if she were actively procrastinating. And she hated that feeling. She loved getting work done on time.

"Oi, sailer!" called Ryan, the Captain of the Winter's Heel. "Come here and check out these new maps I got us."

"Coming!" Aeryn raced through the ship and arrived at where Ryan stood. "Where are we headed today?"

"We're going to Gragoiwa," the ginger-haired captain said, her green eyes focused on lighting her cigar. Once the cigar lit up, so did her smile. She took a puff and let it out, facing away from Aeryn before doing so.

She had told Ryan all about Sheries and his crew members and how they used to blow smoke on her face.

The captain adjusted to accommodate for Aeryn.

A miracle it was for Aeryn to stumble upon the Winter. It passed in front of Flijikle, the island she used to stay at. The ship came onshore with an ill sailing master who was seconds away from death.

One thing led to another, and now Aeryn had a solid income.

But now she wanted more. Wanted to be her own captain.

"Capt'n," Aeryn started, her hand scratching her neck. "My job here as the sailing master is temporary, right? Until Ursula recovers, I'm going to work here."

"Why are you stating the obvious? You want something?" Ryan took another puff of her cigar before throwing it into the ocean. She slapped a hand on the maps she had. Majority of the ship's furniture shared the same wood as many from the Maiden's Cross. A detail that took Aeryn a whole to get over.

"I wanted some advice."

"On what, girly?" The captain fell into her seat and pointed her head at the chair parallel to her.

Aeryn descended into the wooden chair and let out a forced giggle. "Um, I wanted to become my own captain once my contract ends here. I want to have my own ship." And hunt down the Tiger's Ruby. It's my only way to get revenge on Sheries. He's dead, so I figured attaining the jewel he used to kill for would be a good way to get back at him since Sarah's ghost must've gotten to him first. That was what she didn't say.

"Ah. I asked the same thing to my ol' Cap'n. That geezer whooped my butt immediately. But I can get you some advice."

Aeryn leaned in to listen.

"First, you're gonna need a boat. To get a boat, you need money. I took my grandma's inheritance, and she was a business tycoon. That woman was a monster. Used her husband to make deals while she pulled the strings in the background."

Aeryn tried hard not to roll her eyes. Here came another "grandma story." She'd heard so many of them, and most of them included cussing and ended with tears.

"Anyway, after you buy yourself a boat, you'll need a crew. Then you gonna need to buy a bigger boat. Then a ship. You must build your way up. If you're lucky, there's a casino in Waihg. Once you get 'em drunk, they be willin' to bet their ships on their cards."

"Do you have some other advice? I know I need to build my way up to such a large ship—" she looked around the ship, the same make and model as Sheries'. It was why she'd gotten afraid when the Winter's Heel came ashore Flijikle. "How do I become a captain?"

"Be someone who looks up to you. It don't matter if it in fear or respect, as long as you's a leader, you gon' be a fine captain, girly. You got the qualities. Even the death glare."

Aeryn smiled, thankful for the advice but feeling as if she received next to nothing. She supposed she should ask the first mate or the quartermaster. Those two were the ones pulling the strings behind the ship's performance.

***
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Word Count: 984