It was no secret that Leonis was a wanted man, his face plastered on wanted posters all over the empire and the kingdoms neighboring it. To those on land, he was both myth and legend; to nobility and royalty, he was a scourge; to pirates, he was a man to be both feared and admired. It was rare that he found someone who didn't know who he was, and so he had gotten more than accustomed to being recognized by those he had captured. It was perhaps because of this that, when the woman turned around to face him, daggers in hand, the pirate captain didn't flinch even when she said his name. Instead, he slowed to a stop, amusement and intrigue lighting his gaze as he watched her.

`

She was such a small thing, frail and fragile, he was certain, as any woman would be. And yet, there she stood, facing him as if she were seriously going to try and fight him. Perhaps he should be laughing at her misplaced courage, or at the stupidity of trying to fight him, but instead, he was intrigued. The men on this ship, the captain, and the soldiers had surrendered without much of a fight. Hell, all it had taken was a few cannons, and they were waving a white flag and dropping to their knees. Cowards. But this stowaway seemed to have far more balls than any of them; a woman was far more courageous than men under the direct orders of a king. Laughable, intriguing, amusing.

`

The woman would not have made it far if she had chosen to flee up onto the deck; perhaps that was why she had chosen to fight? Letting his boots still a few feet from her, the pirate captain slipped his hands into his pockets, eyeing her with curiosity. His gaze flicked to the dagger in her hand before he returned his eyes back to her face, sharp and assessing. Slowly, a smirk curled onto his lips. "Armed and insolent, are you? I like that, though, a dagger against me? Bold, or hopelessly naive, I can't decide which yet." He said, amusement lacing his tone. "And as for thinking I'd pick another ship... I go where I please, take what I please, especially when it belongs to the empire. Your captain, bless him, was... quite the coward, hardly a man I'd expect to sail a ship like this." He added and leaned forward slightly, letting the edge of danger thread through his voice, teasing and deliberate.

Intrigued. That's what Leonis was as he watched the woman before him, her stance defensive, her hand holding firmly onto that small dagger of hers. It wasn't often that he came across women with such misplaced courage, and yet courage all the same. Most, he'd noted, wept and trembled, pleaded and begged. She, on the other hand, seemed to hold more fire in her eyes than any of the crew that had commanded this ship. Impressive, and likely the only reason that the pirate captain had made the decision to keep her alive this long.

`

Leonis was not a kind man, nor was he very compassionate to anyone he didn't trust or care for. He did not think twice about ending lives or slaughtering the people of the empire. He felt no guilt, no shame; if anything, it was his way of getting back at the kingdom that had betrayed his family and sent men to slaughter them. So any ships that he came across, any crew that was under clear orders from the royal family or higher nobility, he didn't spare. He relished in their deaths just as his men did, and he equally enjoyed watching the prized ships sink beneath the onslaught of his cannons. This ship and the crew up on deck would be no different. He'd slaughter them and then sink their ship. However, the woman before him, he was half inclined to spare, if only for the fact that her attitude, demeanour, and reason for sneaking onto this ship interested him.

`

When she spoke, he listened, his eyes dropping to the blade in her hand when she said she didn't want to fight. Interesting. He didn't doubt that, should he get within reach of that blade of hers, she'd waste little time in sinking it into his body if he gave her half the chance. "If you wish to stay on this ship, you're more than welcome to." He said with an amused grin. "But I'll be sinking it the moment my crew and I are off." He said and leaned back on his heels, taking on a rather calm and relaxed posture as he watched her. "Tell me, lass, what's a pretty thing like you doing aboard a Royal Navy ship? Hmm?" He questioned. Honestly, he doubted that the crew of this ship knew she'd been on board. Several things led him to that conclusion. One being the fact that she'd so clearly been sleeping down here, safely hidden and tucked away behind the cargo crates. Another being that she seemed so adamant about not being seen by this damned ship's crew.