Devante raised an eyebrow. "They're incapable of living by themselves?"

_

Finally, the boat was hauled all the way up, and Milo and Zack stepped off of it.

"I'm in charge of the business now."

-----

Makeda quietly stepped off with her usual grace.

The girl still sat in the corner of the boat.

"Do you particularly wish to be?"

_

"...Would you please get off the boat?" Zack asked.

"It doesn't matter if I want to be. I am."

-----

The girl blinked before she understood him and carefully climbed out of the boat.

"You don't chose to master your own fate?" Devante asked.

_

Zack nodded, before turning to the helm. "Papahi! Take us south and swing is around to Miami... We've got a deadline to meet!" He called out.

He turned back to the girl and smiled, sighing slight in relief. "I apolgize for the haste... Welcome aboard the Ravenfang, miss... if you have any questions, I'd be delighted to answer them as best I can"

Estella paused, not sure how to respond.

-----

Papahi nodded, turning the ship.

The girl looked at him, "Who are you?"

Devante nodded. "Eat all the grass that you want, but don't let people tell you which clump is yours..."

_

Zack smiled, and gave a bow.

"Captain Zacharia Havenwood, at your service, ma'am" Zack told her.

"But I should go back. The people there need me."

-----

The girl nodded quietly. "What do you want me to do?"

"They're unable to live without you?"

_

Zack smiled.

"What're you good at, tell me about yourself?... Starting with your name would be nice, Miss...?"

"I'm in charge,"

-----

"Mamiá'tsíkimi"

"Didn't answer my question" Devante said.

_

"...I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the Blackfoot dialect" Zack informed her.

"How does that not answer your question?"

------

The girl blinked in surprise that he knew where she was from, "It means Magpie."

"Fairly sure they could live without you in charge"

_

(She told him :P)

"Ah, Magpie" Zack remarked. "A pleasant name"

"But then it would fall to my late husband's brother to be in charge and I don't trust him."

-----

Magpie smiled a little, "You're welcome?" she questioned, not sure if she was getting her English right.

Devante moaned in exasperation.

_

Zack smiled, and nodded.

"What?" Estella asked in surprise.

-----

Magpie gave him a small smile.

"Isn't there another alternative?" Devante asked.

_

Zack smiled.

"So... what brings a Blackfoot woman to the swamps of Florida?"

"Like what?"

------

"I was exploring."

Devante shrugged. "I don't know"

_

"Really? That's all?" Zack asked Magpie.

Estella looked at him.

-----

Magpie nodded. "The people I was living with died."

Devante just looked back sadly.

_

Zack nodded. "Maybe perhaps you should tell us your story"

"What?" Estella asked.

-----

Magpie was quiet for a moment, "My life-partner-to-be, and I traveled east, before we married, three summers ago. Up north, he got sick with a white man's disease and died. Pastor and Mrs. Williams, Quakers, allowed us to stay with them, and then let me stay with them after my life-partner-to-be died. I left last year, wanting to see more of the world before going home." She spoke simply, as if getting back into the swing of speaking English again and stated her story fairly easily.

"Any idea what we're looking for, specifically?" Zephyr asked Christian, her brows coming together as she watched the captain and his men return to the ship with a strange girl from the island in the distance.

Christian smirked. "Only the captain seems to know that, and he keeps cards close to his chest"

_

Devante shrugged.

"I'm insane, I don't know what goes on in my head and heart"

_

Zack nodded. "Well, on this ship, you'll certainly see the world... And my condolences for your loss" He told her sincerely.

Estella nodded slowly.

-----

Magpie nodded quietly, "Why did you come find me?"

"Probably a mixture of "Wow, this girl is nice" "I'm so alone" And "I bet the trees are spreading gossip already""

_

"Ah... that's where things get a little sketchy on my side" Zack told her.

Estella couldn't help but laugh slightly at the last one.

-----

Magpie gave him a quizzical look.

Devante raised an eyebrow as she did.

_

Zack smiled.

"Okay, I was kinda planning on going across the ocean, but my, uh... spiritual guide, told me there was somebody I had to pick up here, and if I didn't, they would die... That person turned out to be you"

He sighed slightly. "And honestly? That's not only the best I can give you, it's pretty much all I know too"

"What a tease," Zephyr chuckled, watching the man in question while he went about the deck.

Estella stopped herself, "Oh, please forgive me. That was rude of me."

-----

Magpie nodded slightly.

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