Life lessons...

The whole thing was a goddamn nightmare.

And it's all Rick Morgan's fault! She gritted her teeth, trying hard to contain her temper. She expected him to burn in hell for eternity.

-I am not interested. I will not offer myself that way! Her voice came out louder as she put more forcefully a pile of dishes on the counter.

The number of dirty dishes was unbelievable.

-And you're better than anyone here? Just be smart. Don't let the heart make the decisions. Love is just a pathetic illusion. Did you believe the tale of the good boy in love or interested, you fool?

-I did not say that! - she protested. - It's just that... I don't care about men.

Katie let out an astonished moan.

-God! Do you have a preference for women?

Like?

-No! It's not that. It's just..." Cassie waved her hands in the air in bewilderment. - He had fun, got it? Not just having fun. It was humiliating. They offered money for me to stay away.

Mary's eyes widened in pure astonishment.

-Heavens. Has she probably messed with some possessed man? are always like that.

-She is a virgin! Wait till monsieur finds out! She's never slept with a man before! I hope she was at least smart and didn't lose her virginity to this man.

The statement brought embarrassing looks and lower, surprising murmurs. Cassie stared at the girls awkwardly.

- It's none of your business...

-Of course, it is.- Katie cut the protests of the new assistant with a greedy look.- Can you imagine someone around here irritated looking for you?

Cassie listened to the nonsense for a moment. It was impossible. After what Mayra had said... after all...

-She's lucky. She's rich! - the blonde grumbled with envy.

-Like this? - Cassie wondered how to get out of the situation, unhappy.

-Did you hear that? Mary laughed. - Our young lady has never committed herself to a man between her legs. You silly girl. Monsieur can get you a fortune. - She laughed vulgarly. - You do not know what you're missing. I once had the opportunity to have one of them in my bed. They are vigorous. They certainly know how to please a woman! Forget you, gallant scoundrel.

-Like? - Cassie gasped.

The blonde sighed with envy.

-Oh, Mary was talking about the privateers. There are rumours. They say some of them are wolves. The people of the region do not trade with them and so they seek their fortune in the sea.

Mary nodded dreamily.

- I worked for some time in Madame Lili's tavern.

Katie agreed to know that she would once again hear wailing.

"She fell out with a very famous courtesan. It's always good to be careful and avoid rivalries with Mayra. She knew Mayra and her frames well. She manages to make everyone mad at you and still get away with the damn lies.

Cassie found her curiosity at the mention of wolves. And there was Mayra... The message had been pretty clear. That she stay away from the Armada and the castle. That she never came back and left everything behind forgotten.

-And who ...

-Oh, he was a handsome man. He still is. A ship and may soon become a commodore. Imagine then?

The blonde laughed again with tears in her eyes.

-Oh, this girl sure won't bother to commit to such a vigorous man between her legs. - The comment was mean. Richard Morgan. He certainly knows how to please a woman. Mayra used to say that he never let her sleep.

Cassie's eyes widened in bewilderment. Morgan! Furious, she pulled a pile of plates with absurd violence indifferent to the glasses she dropped on the floor. Damn man!

New risks echoed through the fun and dreamy kitchen.

-The man is certainly a libertine. A man who likes to please women. Mayra complained because he wanted a change. She didn't accept competition. - Mary spoke very seriously. - He is undoubtedly very vigorous. ... The man even lost his breath, Mayra and I ...

Of course, the stories escalated in the kitchen with all the lively conversation.

Cassie gritted her teeth in a curse. What had he done? Had the arrogant bastard taken those women to bed at once? She managed to shoot murderous looks at a pan of grease that needed to be washed.

He was boastful, arrogant, unhappy, conceited and… and…. She shivered with rage.

-That doesn't change the facts. Katie held back the women's din a little. - Corsairs don't usually frequent Monsieur's tavern.

She intently watched the younger girl hired and her flutter with the conversation. The girl had no family. But her reaction, no matter how hard she tried to hide it, denied that... She knew the privateers.

- What is it, virgin? The cat ate your tongue? He should learn how to use it. - Mary provoked. - May I help you? I can also appreciate a pretty face like hers.

-Let MaryJane listen and you'll be in bad shape.

Cassie gave up on continuing to do the dishes, smothering assorted pests. She had managed to break some plates in addition to the glasses. Mayra expected her to accept the money they offered. She could just imagine the attractive face in front of her with a hankering for… She, damn him, had made her life a misery. It was all his fault! Richard Morgan hadn't even bothered to send her away. he had tasked lackeys to... to...

He was just....simply...

-Oh, stop dreaming about Monsieur Morgan. - The blonde grumbled. - Find a good man. A rich one preferably. It's old. maybe you'll get lucky and be a widow in a few months.

Cassie hung her head in disbelief at the list of absurdities.

- You broke the dishes again. That way you won't get any money this week, girl. Again. Enough of the camphor that he broke in the customers' heads. - Katie sighed.

The whole situation was humiliating. Cassie had urges to scream with such fury. Violent emotions surfaced very easily.

-It was not my fault. That man tried to grab me! - she defended herself.

-You shouldn't be showing off than in the salon. God! Knee them between their legs. How did she manage to survive on her own?

The girl could cry, yet she raised her defiant face in defiance.

She hoped that Richard Morgan... she hoped that he... he... That Rick...

-I've always survived very well on my own. - Her complaint was muffled.

It was not true. Zagorra kept her under extreme care.

-Sure. Under the care of a parent. - She shook her head and left the kitchen work to sit on a stool studying the girl in front of him intently. - You're too young. Do not lie to me. You are not a maid.

Cassie sighed heavily. She was very tempted to tell Katie her skills with a pistol or a sword. She certainly wasn't a helpless damn young lady.

-You don't know anything about my life. Don't get caught up in it. Soon you won't have to worry anymore.

-And where do you imagine going? Katie asked again. - Were you kicked out of the house because of a handsome boy you decided to grace? New girls. You have a full belly, aren't you?

-I haven't eaten anything yet!

-You fool! - the blonde had tears in her eyes from laughing so much. - She wants to know if you're waiting.

-Waiting? Cassie asked not understanding. - Waiting what?

-Baby, you fool. Katie sighed. - You know how to make babies, don't you?

This is not happening.

-Of course, I know how babies are made! - the response was aggressive.- Of course not. I don't like babies. They cry all the time. Noisy. stink. They are terrible and dangerous miniature adults.

Katie shook her head regretfully as she chose her shoulders, resigned. A nice glass of wine and maybe the pipe. She was going to teach that girl how to survive in the male-dominated world. The girl was bait for trouble.

-I imagine she knows. - The old cook agreed. -She's not like animals, you irresponsible. I don't know how she managed to survive like that. I'm going to teach her some notions about sex and how to please a man so she can know how to defend herself.

Cassie hated Richard Morgan as she never hated a man! Let him burn in the boilers of hell. She wasn't in love with that heartless brute! Never, ever. The man was a monster, not just a damn wolf.

-Like?

- Lying with men, you fool! - Katie was impatient looking for patience. You should be careful to choose healthy men and even more careful not to get pregnant. There are herbs. An unhealthy or sick man can make her feel very bad. There are diseases that they bring when they are...

-Oh, Beloved Jesus! - Cassie was mortified, blushing to the roots. -Have mercy.

- If you can, avoid pirates who frequent the tavern. They are not very clean. And they have habits... Well, it's only to be expected after so much time on the high seas that they'll do that. They often have certain habits that they don't like.

Cassie was sure she was going to die of embarrassment. She could strangle Rick. She tried not to think about Thalagar and the strange way he treated Corner.

-Come on, you must have already heard something about the subject. You can't be that innocent.

Cassie was discovering that Zagorra kept the Tomorrow Star crew in line. She never heard that kind of conversation. Thalagar didn't appreciate her getting involved with the crew.

-Men most of the time like women who know how to offer pleasure. It's bad for every woman the first time around. But a vigorous man in your bed can be very pleasant. They don't like prudish or inexperienced girls.