The expression on Cook's face changed to pure horror as he learned of the new plan. "No!" he gasped. "I thought there was a deal and then we were going back to sea!"

"Deals change," Robinson said firmly, crossing his arms for emphasis.

The old man looked from one pirate to another, still in disbelief. "All you scumbags agreed?" They nodded. "What! Cap'n! You can't!"

"Oh, so I'm Captain now, huh? Funny, didn't seem like you cared until now. Like you said, since I am Captain you take orders from me."

Cook's face twisted into an ugly sneer. "Right, Captain. Remember how you achieved that rank? I do. How about you enlighten your crew here how you stole and cheated other pirates for the spot, picking them off, one by one, like flies."

Robinson went red. Jillian knew Cook had struck a nerve. She and the crew stared at him, waiting to see his response. "Go," Robinson hissed. "You can stay on the ship for all I care. When we come back, you better be gone. I don't want to see you anymore."

Cook spat in the dirt at Robinson's feet. Then he spun on his heel and stormed off. The Captain straightened himself and went off in the opposite direction.

After a moment, Jillian followed after the pirates, stunned. Was that what Cook had hinted at before? Robinson at first glance didn't seem like the one to kill for power. But he was a pirate and he was going to make her walk the plank until she deemed herself useful. A swoop of fear went through her stomach. Would Robinson get rid of her when he was done with her? If so, why did he want to help her?

She caught up with Smalls. "Did you know?" she whisphered to him.

The young boy shook his head. "Unlike the others, I joined the crew after Hook died. I had been on my own for awhile and snuck aboard a ship. The Jolly Roger attacked it while at sea and they were gonna end me until they found out I was a good lookout." He muttered a few choice curses. "Cook was out of line, though. He is our Captain and we need to respect what he says."

They walked in silence until Robinson began barking orders. "Rosie, get a map of this kindgom! Eye-Eye find us some horses! Sparky, pick up some more weapons from the ship! Smalls and Boulder, go rip down WANTED posters."

Jillian did a double-take. "WANTED posters?" Smalls shrugged and ran off.

"And Jillian!" She started, surprised. "Go buy provisons." He tossed her a small moneybag. His face was still a bit pink from Cook's outburst. He gave her a tight-lipped smile that look more like a grimace and went off.

As Jillian bought food for their journey, she saw Merko at a distance with his new elf friends. She gave a sad sigh, still wishing he was coming along. She wanted someone more familiar wtih her. She felt a large hand clasp her shoulder. "Don't worry about the elf," Boulder rumbled reassuringly as they walked out of the store. "He is strong and noble."

Jillian nodded mutely. Boulder's words only made her feel worse. She hadn't even been thinking about Merko's well-being! She had been thining of herself! The wickedness of that made her feel more rotten than a pirate's garbage.

"Oh, I also found this." He handed her a rolled up piece of parchment. She unrolled it and almost passed out. It was a WANTED poster of her! The picture was in good likeness and the order for her capture was issued by a certain Sheriff Anton of Grimm. Her blood boiled.

Boulder took the poster back and skimmed over the list of crimes she committed as if he was reading a pleasant proclaimation. "Assisted a magical person...resisted capture...attacked prison guards...escaped prison. You're building quite the repuation in Grimm, eh?" he laughed a throatily and Jillian tried to snatch the poster away.

"Rip it up!" she whisphered frantically, her eyes scanning the crowds nervously.

"Why? If Captain saw this, he'd induct you into the crew right away!"

Somehow that didn't make her feel better.

"Put it up!" she repeated and Boulder stuffed it into his pocket. "Oh, what will I do? I'll get arrested and then you'll too, being my accomplices and we'll be burned at the stake!"

He laughed again. "Burned at the stake? We are experts at evading capture. Don't worry about it."

Jillian tried to calm down as they rejoined the other pirates. She tried to catch Smalls's eye to see if he saw posters of her as well. If he did, he didn't say a word.

Eye-Eye had provided them with seven horses of all different colors. Jillian was given a tan mare with bold, dark eyes and a shiny white mane. Jillian had only rode a horse once before and that was when she was much younger. She hoped this would work out.

Rosie came up beside her, already saddled on his spotted gray horse as if he belonged more on one rather than a ship. "Be confident. I hear they smell fear," he said seriously.

"Ha ha." To her relief, she was able to climb up without any further embarrassment.

"Good job. Your horse will follow the rest of us as we down down the trails. Just gently pull the reins to the right or left if we're turning, pull back if you want to stop, and nudge your heels against her sides if you want her to go."

"For a pirate, you seem to know a lot about horses," she smirked.

"I wasn't always one," he said bluntly, before taking his place behind Eye-Eye. The lineup was Robinson in front, then Eye-Eye, Rosie, Sparky, Smalls, her, then Boulder bringing up the rear.

"Alright, crew!" Robinson called from the front. "To Brooks!"