Serah’s POV:

Henry bounced me around on his shoulder for fifteen minutes while everyone was chanting. When I started complaining, he gently lowered me to the ground, presented me with a sweet roll and went back to sleep. I sighed, this happened every year. It was the way that they showed me how much they appreciated me I guess. In public, we weren’t allowed to show weaknesses, Uthera and her crew would be upon us in seconds. Affection was a sign of weakness on the Isle. My thoughts roamed to Uthera as I nibbled on the roll and made my way back to the balcony.

I remembered the way she had threatened the royals in the streets. I had somehow felt protective over them. I didn’t know why I did.

Perryn still stood on the balcony quietly, an idiotic grin on his face.

“What?” I asked, coming to stand beside him.

He shrugged, “Nothing.”

Perryn’s POV:

Serah was quiet beside me. I grinned as thought of what had just happened. Normally, Serah didn’t allow anyone to come near her. But just now, she had allowed Henry to swing her around and the others to hug her without a fight. I marveled at her difference in attitude. On the ship, she had been cruel, strict and heartless. She barked orders at sailors and when something wasn’t done to her satisfaction, there was to be punishment. Her crew was to listen whenever she spoke otherwise they would miss something important and got in trouble. They were afraid of her, they flinched when she walked past and never spoke when she was around. The pirates treated her like their captain; their leader.

Now, on the Isle, away from prying eyes, she seemed more normal. She seemed quieter, more timid and gentle. She was a friend to them, not a captain.

“Why are you like this?” I blurted suddenly, forgetting that she couldn’t read my thoughts.

She looked at me, confused, “Like how?”

“Like…I don’t know…you’re all cruel on the ship and in front of people but then when you get here, you’re suddenly nicer?” I managed to get out. Her sudden friendliness made it hard to talk to her. As if since she felt more human now, I had more trouble talking to her and carrying a conversation.

She blinked, “I can be mean if you want me to.”

“No, no that’s not what I meant.” I quickly replied.

Her eyes flashed as she continued, “Because you can’t show weakness on the Isle. Your crew should just be your crew. They need to follow your orders and in return you protect them. There shouldn’t be a…relationship between the captain and the crew, other than the chain of command.”

“So…having friends is considered a weakness?”

“Yes. What people think when they see you have ‘friends’ is that you’re not strong, you can’t take care of yourself, you always need someone to back you up.”

I bit my lip, “Why care what they think?”

She looked amused, “What are you, a prophet? All people have weaknesses. If you keep your friends around you in public, that most likely is your weakness: That you can’t take care of yourself. And they’ll use that against you in fights, break you away from your crew, corner you, and attack.”

I saw a forlorn look in her eyes, as if she was reliving an experience that had happened a long time ago.

“Did that…happen to you?” I asked quietly.

For the first time, I saw her blank expression change, if only for a second. She looked at me, eyes wide in surprise, her mouth forming an O and a look of slight hurt on her face. But then it vanished, and her face was as blank as ever.

“Uh…no.”

It was obvious she was lying.