Chapter One: A Day Like Any Other

Evangeline awoke to Echo, her fox familiar, laying beside her. She stroked his down-like, ruby fur sleepily brushing a tendril of her long, jet-black hair our of her face. She yawned sleepily as she stretched, her back cracking a little. Sighing blissfully as she enjoyed the sun rays beaming in through the window of her one-room home. It was a shack at best, but most of the building was devoted to her magic items and potions shop, The Hook and Bottle.

Evangeline was a sea witch, her eyes a beautiful dark brown and her hair a mess of ebony waves. Her skin was as smooth and white as porcelain. Slowly, she rose from her bed, yawning and stretching again. She smiled a ruby-lipped smile at Echo and petted his head. Her fox familiar wagged his tail a little, a glimmer of a smile in his light brown eyes.

"What are we doing today, Angie?" He asked within her mind through their unique bond.

Evangeline smiled, "well, my friend, first is breakfast, and then we will head to the docks to pick up a shipment."

Echo wagged his tail as he got to his feet and stretched sleepily. Angie and Echo lived alone in Mysthaven, the pirate refuge of Magramar. Magramar was a vast country consisting of four main islands. Evens to the north-east, Synds, the largest, in the south-west, Epiphany of the south-east and of course, the north-eastern isle of Mysthaven.

Evangeline looked to the other bed in her one-roomed living quarters sadly. Her father, the pirate Captain John Wright, had been away at sea for some time and thus his bed lay empty. She sighed and walked over to her washbasin, cleaning her face and teeth before brushing her hair at the vanity. Echo hopped down from the bed and headed towards the table while she dressed in her usual attire; a black dress and matching thigh-high stockings, her outfit only complete as she tied her hair back with a black ribbon.

They shared a meal of cold rabbit stew from the night before for breakfast. The stew was accompanied by a heel of bread and a few slices of cheese for Evangeline. It wasn't the most delicious breakfast, but it sufficed. Angie sighed, sipping some cold herbal tea she had also brewed the night before.

Absentmindedly, she turned her now empty cup upon the saucer after swirling it three times with her left hand. She studied the shape of the tea leaves simply before nodding.

"We must be careful today, my friend. Something auspicious may happen to us today..." She spoke softly to Echo.

Her fox companion nodded and blinked, "then careful we shall be."

He wagged his bushy red, white-tipped tail and padded towards the door which led to the shopfront. Angie smiled and followed after him, together, they emerged into the dimly lit shopfront. Rays of sun glimmered and reflected upon the various cases of goods and bottles of potions that Evangeline made and sold to the people of Mysthaven.

Not all the people of Mysthaven were pirates; there were various shopkeepers and traders, innkeepers too inhabited the isle. Not to mention the red light district's women and then the baker, the librarian, and simple citizens. Notoriously an isle of buccaneers though, the city was wrought by crime and violence, and everyone that lived there had become accustomed and hardened to it.

The pair left The Hook and Bottle, locking the door behind herself with a simple flick of her hand, the sea witch and her familiar headed into town. It was shaping up to be a beautiful day on the often rainy isle, and Evangeline smiled as they headed out of the shopping district and down an alleyway towards the docks. They frequented this passage; it was the fastest way from their shop to the docks after all.

She wondered aloud to herself and Echo, "I wonder if Father will return today..."

Echo rolled his eyes to the sky. "Fat chance, Angie."

The witch nodded sadly wondering if he would ever return from the sea this time. The thought filled her with dread; there was always a chance that he and his crew would be caught by the navy, sunk by rival pirates, or lost to the ocean. She inhaled deeply, the smell of the salty breeze tickled her nose, and she sighed. She loved the smell of the ocean, and it only grew stronger as they approached the docks.

They passed many citizens as they walked. Some smiled and waved to her, most scowled and then averted their gaze. Sea witches, born with magical powers, were uncommon and revered as bad luck to have around. Angie tutted to herself as she passed a group of women that eyed her distastefully. Whispers always followed her wherever she went.

"She's so odd, that girl."

"Why can't she just leave?"

The whispers always followed her, but she had learned to ignore them from a young age. Together, she and Echo continued their short journey to the docks located on the isle's south-west corner.

Cutting through an alleyway seemed like a normal trip for Evangeline and Echo, though something felt off. The salty ocean wind picked up, whipping her hair in front of her face. She turned her back to the wind for a moment to brush her ebony locks away, tucking them into her cloak. That's when she noticed that a pair of unruly looking pirates were following her.

The group sneered as she noticed them. Quickly, she turned around and headed for the exit of the alleyway, towards the docks. Suddenly, two more pirates appeared in front of her. The smell of alcohol was thick about them, and their auras were an unfriendly hue. As one the group closed in on her.

"What do we have here?" Snickered the first pirate.

"Seems a little rabbit has los' 'er way." One from behind chuckled.

"What do ye' say boys?" The third slurred.

"I say we 'ave some fun." The fourth smiled wickedly.

Evangeline played the fool and pretended to look horrified as the group approached her and Echo. She put her hands up, showing she meant no harm as they closed in, one drew a dagger, another a pistol while the final two drew cutlasses.

"Easy now deary, we won' hur' ye if ye play alon' li' a good girl." The one holding the dagger revealed a mostly toothless and yellowing grin.

"Oh, don't worry," she smirked, "I know you won't." She threw her hands towards the ground, releasing a shockwave as she did. This wave of force knocked all four pirates to the ground, and with that, she and Echo took off running for the populated docks. The group of buccaneers were left stunned and confused on the cobblestone path of the alley for a few moments before getting to their feet and chasing after her.

Thankfully, Evangeline knew her way around Mysthaven and deftly lost her assailants to the crowd. As one, she and Echo headed to the marketplace where sailors were selling a variety of goods.

"Nothing like some fun to get us started on our day eh Echo?" She smiled down at her vulpine companion. He yipped at her in response panting a little.

Their first stop was the apothecary for various herbs and flowers used in potion-making. The elderly female merchant smiled to them and waved; she knew them well as they frequented her stall.

"Hello Angie, how are ye'?" She asked with a motherly smile.

"Well, Grace, thank you." She looked over the herbs and flowers gathering what she needed and handing over a small sack of coin.

The woman smiled and nodded as she counted the coins.

"Will that be all?" She asked kindly.

Evangeline nodded and headed off. She gathered some seawater in a flask as she headed to the baker's stall next. He scowled at her as she bought a loaf of bread and some muffins from him. Not so much as a thank you came from him as she headed away after paying.

She and Echo moved as one, dodging through the crowded dock district and the hustle and bustle of the market. Together, the pair headed for a local tavern, the Oxenboar. They entered and went to take a seat at a table when Angie noticed the four pirates that had cornered her in the alley. She scowled darkly as they headed towards her. Echo growled menacingly while Evangeline drew her dagger.

"Didn't you boys learn from the first time?" She smiled leaning against the nearby beam and fingering her dagger nonchalantly.

"We don' take kindly ter witches." Scowled the first pirate.

"Aye lass, leave yer magic out of it an' come with us." The second pirate nodded to the stairs leading to the bedrooms of the Oxenboar.

Angie smiled. "Oh, no, I won't be leaving with you. If you want to play with us more, you'll have to come outside."

"S'at so?" The third sneered.

"Aye." She replied firmly with a nod. "That's so. If you want to cause any more trouble, I'd hate to leave a mess for Horris."

"Appreciate it, lass!" Called Horris the proprietor and innkeeper of the Oxenboar, to a round of laughs from the patrons that knew of Angie and Echo.

The fourth pirate spat at her feet and tossed his head, splaying his greasy hair, towards a table nearby. "Come on, boys, this one's no fun at all!"

"See ya," Angie said with a sarcastic wave and a kind-looking smile.

With that, the pirates left her be, and she took a seat at the bar instead.

"Never a dull moment with you around is there?" Horris chuckled.

Angie shrugged simply to the portly, balding man. He had seen better days, his eyes were sunken and tired looking, and he seemed to be losing more of his grey hair of late.

"The usual, I presume?" Horris offered.

"Please." She said with a courteous smile.