The group of five sat tucked away in a wooden booth, this time at the very back so (Y/N) would not get elbowed in the back of her head again. It did not take them long to find the new Tavern; it held the same atmosphere as the hideout tavern, but differed with the cliental.

Instead of rough and haggard pirates, the surrounding people looked to come from all walks of life. (Y/N) sipped her water, listening to the pirates bicker back and forth, save for Kazumi who remained quiet, with a gentle smile.

She was enjoying herself overall, yet still reeling from seeing her brother pretending to be a simple rebellion leader. The pirates seemed to ignore the bizarre encounter, other than Leven, who did not drop it until he got his ale replacement.

It worried her they would not let it go, but she figured in the life of these rowdy pirates it was just another day.

They did not flinch when two men were mauled to death. So why pause after a chance meeting with her brother?

"Brother, you know you screamed bloody murder, do not deny it." Leopoldo laughed.

"I did not!" Leven snapped. "Even if I did, wouldn't you if you woke up to a python on your chest?"

"I truly believed a frightened woman was in our tent." Ivo teased.

"Shut it!" Leven slammed his fist on the table, causing (Y/N) to jolt but the two jokesters just chuckled harder.

"It was quite loud..." Kazumi finally entered the conversation.

"Yeah, right," Leven grumbled.

As he raised his glass mug to take a swig it was like a light bulb went off in his head and an evil smirk pulled at the corner of his pale lips.

"Then let's talk about the time Leo almost had a heart attack and hid behind Captain when a stray dog came running up to us in Goonip?" Leven finally took a proud sip of his drink.

Ivo snorted out his drink, rapidly wiping his face before (Y/N) could see the mess.

Leopoldo scoffed, trying to laugh off the embarrassing memory.

"I did no such thing."

"You did," Kazumi corrected. "You even bruised my arms from holding onto me so tightly."

(Y/N) giggled at the thought of what it would look like to see that.

So, they do get scared? They always seem so cool and collected, invincible really. It is comforting to know that I am not the only one of us with fears.

"Oh, but we cannot forget Captain and Ivo's fear of the old woman in Oldkeep," Leopoldo quickly averted the shame to the last two.

"An old woman?" (Y/N) blurted with a chuckle and furrowed brows.

"A one-eyed, one-armed old woman who is always soaking wet," Ivo remarked as if that was enough of a justification.

Leopoldo shook his head.

"They walk to the other side of the street whenever she is out, it is as if she had the plague."

"She is unsettling..." Kazumi defended monotonously, causing (Y/N) to giggle again.

"She is old, what is she going to do to you?" Leven almost laughed himself.

"She has a shifty eye." Ivo shrugged with a smile.

Everyone but Kazumi laughed at Ivo's comment.

I hate to think of leaving them one day, they are all so important to me. But I will do what I have to fix what has been done. So, I will enjoy every minute with them for as long as I can.

"Dear, excuse me but I need to get another," Leopoldo whispered to (Y/N), raising his empty mug.

(Y/N) sat on the outside this time after Ivo complained about wanting to sit by her for his birthday.

"Oh, I will go get it." (Y/N) beamed at him, she wanted to stretch her legs anyway.

Leopoldo smiled back.

"How sweet of you, but I will go."

"No, I will be quick, I want to." (Y/N) slipped out of the booth and began towards the bar before Leopoldo could say anything else.

Leopoldo sat blinking rapidly at her behavior and was disappointed that she was serving him.

"I wonder how long it will take her to realize she needs money." Ivo chuckled. "I say one minute."

"I say two!" Leven betted as well.

"Thirty seconds," Kazumi stated.

Leopoldo only chuckled at his comrades placing bets on such a trivial matter and remained quiet. All four set their eyes on the girl walking to the bar, carefully weaving through standing patrons.

And so the bet began: when will (Y/N) realize she needs money to get Leopoldo another drink?

(Y/N) finally made it to the bar and stood between the two stools, one empty and in the other sat a lone man. He had dirty blonde hair, and a scruffy beard, which reminded (Y/N) of hay when she glanced over to him.

"What can I get you, pretty lady?" The bartender, a big burly man, asked with a grin.

(Y/N) smiled as well.

"An ale please." She sweetly asked.

The bartender nodded once and grabbed a clean mug from the shelf.

As soon as the bartender reached for the mug, she felt a nudge on her arm. (Y/N) looked down to her arm first, then flickered her eyes to the man with a hay-like beard. He was simpering a rotten-yellow smirk and looking her form over with prying pond-water shaded eyes.

"Don't I know you?" The man finally asked.

What? (Y/N) became nervous right down to her bones as she searched the man's face for any recognition.

Could he be an old guard? An ex gardener? How could he know me?

"N-no?" (Y/N) replied shakily.

"Oh, well that is too bad, I would love to get to know you."

(Y/N)'s shoulders promptly dropped in relief followed by a quiet sigh.

Oh, he is just attempting to flirt.

"I am sorry, I know too many people already." (Y/N) laughed him off, focusing back on the bartender feeling the glass with ale.

"Aw, can't you make a little room for me?" The man pouted, used his index finger to teasingly trace a circle on her shoulder.

(Y/N) wanted to wretch at the contact, and her skin crawled with disgust.

The pirates, still watching, saw this and immediately stood ready to get rid of the pest that dared touch their woman. But (Y/N) did something they were not excepting, and their eyes widened.

Thank you, Silas.

(Y/N) thought happily to herself as she gripped the man's palm, twisting his arm in the opposite direction, manipulating his wrist to ache with extreme pain.

"Argh! Let go, you bitch!" The man hissed in pain, slapping the bar with his free hand, trying not to move the other one in her grab.

"Oh, you don't like me touching you without permission?" (Y/N) faked a pout.

Silas taught her this hold when she began courting at ten years old. Since Silas was not allowed to be close during her 'dates', he figured teaching her a few mild self-defense techniques was his best option if he could not be there in time to stop a touchy encounter.

(Y/N) had only used it was once before on a grabby prince, but she remembered it well. She had no reason, nor opportunity to use this particular grab since then, but she was thanking the gods and goddesses she could still pull it off.

She stood coolly at the bar as if she were not one extra bit of pressure away from breaking a man's wrist, watching as the bartender came back with her ale.

"There you go, pretty." The bartender sat the mug down. "On the house." He winked.

(Y/N) gave a thankful smile back to the bartender.

"Thank you, you are so kind." She complimented.

"This man here was harassing me; do you think you could make him leave for me?" (Y/N) batted her lashes at the blushing bartender.

"You are the one harassing me!" The man snapped his face bright red with anger and perhaps slightly from the alcohol.

The bartender immediately sent a sneer at the man, grabbing him by the collar.

"You trying to run off my clientele? This ain't a bar for pervs!" The burly man raged, reaching over the bar to pull the man out of the bar.

(Y/N) finally released her grip.

"Thank you so much," (Y/N) waved to the bartender grabbing the mug and making her way back to her table carefully.

"Look, he gave me 'on the house', is that the kind you like?" She smiled at Leopoldo.

"Wha-what?" He stammered still shocked from watching her twist a man's arm at an unnatural angle with one hand.

"The bartender said this was 'on the house', is that a type of ale?" (Y/N) sat the mug down on the table but realized they were all standing.

"Are we leaving?" She asked disappointedly.

"No," Kazumi said, sitting back down in his seat. "Are you alright?"

(Y/N) furrowed her brows.

"Yes, I am fine." She smiled.

"You almost broke a man's wrist." Leven pointed out, not at all troubled by it, more so proud.

(Y/N) sat down as well.

"I wasn't going to break it, but I didn't like him touching me."

"Where did you learn something like that?" Kazumi quizzed.

"Oh, my friend taught me, for all those dates I was talking about earlier." (Y/N) smiles wider.

Leopoldo ruffled her hair.

"I am sad to see you won't need my protection all the time."

Shouldn't that be a good thing? (Y/N) thought to herself.

"I am going to go get some fresh air." Ivo smiled. "I will be right back."

"Take your time..." Kazumi said knowing exactly what Ivo was planning.

"Oh, I will." Ivo's smile into an evil grin that made (Y/N) knit her brows. Ivo sauntered out of the tavern without another word.