The merchant ship glides across the tranquil ocean, its wooden hull creaking softly in the gentle embrace of the night. The calm sea mirrors the clear sky above, where a brilliant full moon bathes the world in its silver glow. The ship's sails billow gently in the faint breeze, reflecting the moonlight and casting ethereal shadows upon the deck. The rhythmic lapping of the waves against the ship's sides creates a calming sound that contrasts sharply with the impending violence.

Far off in the distance, the horizon blurs where sea and sky meet, creating a seamless expanse of calm and light. Stars twinkle like scattered diamonds, completing the night's celestial tapestry. It would have been the perfect night for a sailor, a night all men at sea long for, but it was not perfect for this merchant ship surrounded by three pirate vessels flying the jolly roger of the Aquatic Rose.

Aboard the Aquatic Rose's main ship, Silas stands at the stern with his arms crossed, watching his men work. He holds his breath, almost forgetting to breathe as they move about. Footsteps approach and a voice calls up to him from the steps.

"Captain, we didn't find anything."

Silas clenches his teeth as he turns, glaring down at Jones, his first mate. With a growl, he stalks over towards him.

"Bloody nonsense! There has to fuckin' be somethin'! Fucking check again! Turn every last damned piece of furniture over!"

Holding up his hands passively, Jones takes a step back and shakes his head.

"Sorry, Captain. We've already searched several times. Everything that was on that ship has been taken and the men we took claim ignorance of any sort of map."

Silas glares down at the man before turning to stare at the merchant ship. Another failed endeavour. More resources wasted. And still he wasn't anywhere close to finding Grimwave. With a low voice, he mutters.

"Tsk... Very well... Torch it..."

Within his quarters later, Silas leans over his desk, looking down at papers illuminated by a flickering lantern. The light paled in comparison to the flames visible through his window as the merchant ship burns in the distance. His nails dig into the wood as he reads, and with a feral cry he sweeps his arm across the papers, scattering them across his cabin before slamming his fist down upon the wood.

Stalking to his cabinet, he grabs a bottle of whiskey and takes a long swig before collapsing into his chair. Leaning his head back, he closes his eyes, contemplating returning to port to find another lead. Before he can take another drink, a banging comes at his door.

"Oi! Captain! Yer gonna wanna come an' see this! We found something mighty strange on that ship we plundered!"

Silas's curiosity is piqued. His crew knew better than to bother him after a failed mission, so whatever they'd found must be significant. Following Finn down below deck, he enters the hold where his men have gathered around a large, rectangular container made of hard, heavy cedar. Strange rune markings cover its surface, unlike anything any of them have seen before.

"We weren't sure what it was, so we didn't open it," Finn explains. "We thought you might know a thing or two 'bout it."

Silas takes a crowbar from one of his men and positions it beneath the lock. After straining against it for several moments, the lock pops off and falls to the ground. Wiping sweat from his brow, he places his fingers under the lid.

"Well, let's bloody see what we have here..."

The crew gasps collectively as the lid opens to reveal an unconscious figure lying on white silk, surrounded by dozens of somnia blossoms. The figure's chest rises and falls faintly with each breath. Silas steps forward cautiously, reaching out to brush a hand against her cheek.

"Who is she?"

"Where did she come from?"

"Why was she in that crate?"

"Did Grimwave put her there?"

The crew's whispered questions hang in the air as Silas continues to stare at the mysterious figure. Grimwave. The name sends a chill down his spine as he begins piecing things together. Grimwave was no stranger to trafficking people, but never with such care and ceremony. What made this one so special?