“You… you gave them apples.” Shane stated and moved closer to the Latina, sitting herself beside her.

Carmen sighed heavily and nodded. “I’ve dedicated my life to helping people get better, to live longer… Not to kill people who’re simply trying to earn a living…”

Shane kept quite. She wanted to comfort her, to say something but didn’t quite know what to say.

“I do want to be a pirate, Shane. I want to take on this world with you…” She paused for a second and opened her eyes to look into Shane’s. “But these aren’t the men I want to see suffer. They did nothing wrong.” She looked down to her hands for a second, fiddling with her fingers. “When will we release them?”

“Once the men have had their fill. No more than twelve hours, I promise.” Shane said and wrapped one arm around Carmen’s back and pulled her close next to her. The rest of the crew were up top on the main deck of the Groene Draeck. They were celebrating their victory and eating the food they had found aboard the merchant vessel. “Why do you want to be a pirate, Carmen?”

Carmen glanced up at Shane with confusion, “I already told you. I want to be free. I want to be with you. I want what society would never give me… so I’m going to take it. You really think I could walk around so freely on any other ship? Or that anyone would let me be with you? Or even listen to me and take into account my opinion? This is a whole new world to me. I’m so used to seeing people segregated by class, colour and religion but here… no one cares… everyone is exactly who they are and no one judges.”

Shane chuckled a little. “You seem to be forgetting something.”

“What?”

“I’m not exactly who I told them I am. If I did tell ‘em, they’d likely kill me.”

“…You don’t know that.”

“I lied to them. I signed the articles knowingly. You don’t fuck with the code.”

Carmen smiled, “Well, then it’s not a matter of you being a girl, is it? It’s that you’re a two-timing pirate.”

Shane laughed and pulled Carmen’s back to her chest and wrapped her arms around Carmen’s waist. She stroked the soft skin of Carmen’s exposed stomach and took in Carmen’s sent with a contented sigh. “I had to lie… Not every pirate ship is this… accepting. I’ve been on other ships, and I’ve seen what they’ve done to women found on board… besides, I’ve lived my whole life this way. Not about to change that now.”