Kael brought the boy and his group to an old warehouse away from the bustle of the main port. There, by the wavering light of a few oil lamps, the full scale of the group became clear: twelve young people, all sharp-eyed and with movements that spoke of lives lived on their own terms. Among them stood out a girl slightly older than the rest, who kept close to the young leader. She called him "brother," though Kael noticed at once they shared not a single physical feature. She was the one they called the Sister.
"How did you end up leading a group like this?" Kael asked, crossing his arms while his sailors watched the entrance.
The young leader didn't flinch.
"They were already skilled thieves when I found them," he answered calmly. "They just lacked ambition."
"Ambition? What do you mean by that?"
"If it were up to them, they'd die as common thieves," the boy said. "But their skills are worth more than that."
Kael gave a dry laugh, sizing up the "children."
"And what made you think they could join me?"
"You're known for recognizing people with real ability."
"If you know that much about me," Kael said, hardening his tone, "then you know my head carries a high price right now, and that many of my men have been killed in single engagements."
"That's exactly why I'd rather be with you — because you stand against what the king is doing," the boy said without blinking.
Kael studied him. The boy wore worn clothes, but his posture was straight and his speech too precise.
"You're not a thief, and you don't look common-born. You look like a noble playing a game. And the way you speak about me suggests you know my history well."
"I have my reasons," the boy replied. "But I can tell you that we see the kingdom the same way — what's happening to it, and what you tried to change."
Kael sighed. He passed a slow hand over his face, as if trying to wipe the tiredness away, and his shoulders dropped an inch.
"Do you know I'm not someone who enjoys fighting impossible battles? I'm tired of trying to change things and realizing there are situations that go beyond me — things that can't be fixed."
"I'm not sure that's true," the boy replied. There was something in his eyes — a stubborn, clean spark Kael hadn't seen in anyone for years. The Captain looked down at the floor, as if meeting that gaze cost him more than hauling a barrel. "That's why I came to you."
Kael was quiet for a moment, looking at the twelve young faces waiting on a word from him.
"Show me what you're worth and maybe I'll think about it. You have a few weeks before I make up my mind — after that, you'll never hear from me again."
---
The First Conflict
After that conversation, Kael accepted the new recruits temporarily aboard the Dawn Wind. The integration, however, was anything but smooth. The veterans watched them with contempt and suspicion.
"Captain, are you sure about this?" Marcus asked as they watched the youngsters scrubbing the deck. "They're just children."
"I'm not taking them with me," Kael replied, adjusting his ballista. "They're here for a while while we're still in port. After that, we leave them behind."
"I don't trust them. What if they're bounty hunters working their way into our confidence?"
"I don't think so," Kael said, though his hand brushed the hilt of his dagger. "But if that's what they are, we'll know soon enough."
"True, Captain. It's not like a small group of children could take us on anyway," Marcus laughed — though his eyes never stopped watching.
Later, as the sun began to set, Marcus pulled Kael aside.
"So what's your plan with these kids? You know it's only a matter of time before we're attacked again. What if they're the ones who led our enemies to us?"
"I don't know yet," Kael admitted. "But if they were used to find us, or if they can't hold their own when it matters — they'll pay for it with their lives."
"And if their story is true and they really do want to join you?"
"That's a possibility. That boy who leads them has something familiar about his face... but I don't think ideals alone will take him far. I just want to see what happens. Then I'll decide what to do with him."
"You think he might be the son of an old acquaintance?"
Kael stared at the sea, brow furrowed.
"Maybe. But the fact that he won't just come out and tell me — that makes me doubt. That whole family was wiped out because of the previous governor."
---
The Trial by Fire
Days passed until danger, as always, came knocking. It happened at a port bar where the crew was resting. In the middle of the night, the sound of heavy boots surrounded the place. A group of the kingdom's soldiers burst in with weapons drawn, hunting for Kael's head.
Kael was ready. He had with him his strongest men and the group of young thieves. Before the chaos started, he had given his trusted crew a clear order: "Don't fight seriously. Make it look like it costs you." He wanted to see what the new ones would do.
The fight began. To Kael's surprise, the twelve moved like coordinated shadows. In the blink of an eye — before the veterans needed to "strain" at all — the youngsters had disarmed and subdued the soldiers, dropping them at the Captain's feet.
"That was remarkable," Kael admitted, genuinely impressed. "They really do have ability."
The young leader wiped his dagger clean and looked at Kael with a knowing smile.
"I noticed you never fought seriously. You wanted us to prove whether you could trust us."
Kael crossed his arms.
"And do you think that was enough?"
"I don't," the boy replied with disarming honesty. "But I'm ready to do whatever it takes to show you we're loyal and that we can be useful."
"Well then..." Kael signaled to his men. "Now that we've caught them — it's time to celebrate."