Niko was riding high on his father?s shoulders. His feet had gotten tired about half a mile into the trip, though if you asked him how far he?d really gone it would have been at least ten times the true distance. That wasn?t a lie, it was a lack of understanding on his part. He?d be four next month, October the twenty sixth was going to be his day! Old enough do a lot more, and still small enough to be carried on people?s shoulders. His father stopped and turned towards the buildings, or was it all one building. There wasn?t any space between them at all. Where did people play here? He had heard his dad clearly enough, this was supposed to be a play date with some kids he?d never met before. He couldn?t wait!

?I think this is it buddy.? His father?s voice carried up to him and made Niko look again. Here? If it weren?t for the numbers, he wouldn?t be able to tell one from another. He read the numbers off as they ascended the stairs to the front door, which earned him a smile from his dad, who told him he was so very smart. He liked being smart.

?Do you think they?ll like me?? Niko grabbed hold of the big hand at his shoulder when his father rang the bell.

?Who could resist those eyes?? His father had squatted down to tell him that, and poked him on the nose for good measure. That always tickled so much. Niko wiped the spot with the back of his hand just as the door was opening.

The lady that opened it was so pretty, but? she had a problem, and worse than that she didn?t even seem to notice. He knew it would be rude to simply blurt it out, but someone needed to tell her. His dad didn?t seem to want to, so Niko took a deep breath, then curled a finger at her. When she came down to his level, Niko bravely leaned in and whispered so that only she could hear. ?I?m sorry, but I think someone did something to your hair. It?s all pink.?

For some reason, that seemed to make her happy? It was good to tell the truth. He had no idea why his dad didn?t want to tell her. Maybe things like that coming from another grown up would have hurt her feelings. Niko smiled brightly at her, basking in the feeling of another good deed. Another lady had come down then, her hair was a normal color so maybe she was the one that did it. He?d have to watch her pretty closely, and he would have, but the three of them started talking. His father did exactly what he knew he would, calling Niko over and kneeling down to introduce the two ladies to him. The pink haired one was called Claire, and the other one, she had really dark hair, her name was Raven. That pretty much settled matters for Niko.

He?d seen Ravens before, big black birds that Gio said were always getting into the crops and causing trouble. He was certain that he knew who did that to Claire now. Raven?s were birds though, and they could fl. Flying was probably the coolest thing in the world. He chewed on his thumb knuckle as he now felt very conflicted. Was it possible to be trouble and cool? His dad wanted him to say hi to them. Niko had been saying that since he was two, and felt that the accomplishment was probably far below the level of a very smart boy.

He looked right at the dark haired woman, and opened his mouth to speak. ?Did god give ravens wings to make up for all the bad stuff?? They were laughing again. Grown ups always seemed to laugh at the serious questions. He only noticed for a moment though, then he was pointing down the hall.

?Who?s that?? It was a girl, he could tell that much, boys tended to have shorter hair, and he?d never seen one wearing that kind of clothes before.

Raven said the girl was her daughter, Adelaide, which just made the new girl use the voice on all the adults. It was impressive the wincing from them as she announced in no uncertain terms that it was Addie!

?Addie?? It was the annoyed parent voice, the one that tells kids. If I didn?t have company you?d be in trouble miss. Kudos for Addie, so far she rocked. ?This is Nikolai.?

Nikolai? Only Rochelle called him that, or ma, but she usually followed it up with the rest of his name then hurt his feelings by sending him to his room. Addie was looking at him, her eyes were so blue, and not like his. That was pretty cool too, was she trying to figure out if she liked him? Niko raised his fist high and jumped up and down as he cried out. ?Niko, Niko, Niko!? He pumped his fist, and elbow and wondered why the grown ups had hidden their mouths behind their hands.

It didn?t matter, cuz Addie was waving him towards her and telling him in that grown ups beware voice. ?C?mon! We?re playin!? Then she charged off down the hall, and Niko was right on her heels.

He did hear his dad ask if it was okay after a while if he went in to play too. Niko put his hands to Addie?s ear and whispered a little too loudly. ?My dad is a good player.? Niko was finally able to get a look at Addie?s eyes, intensely blue and her pupils were elongated. It had to be one of the coolest things he?d ever seen.

We, turned out to be another boy and girl, Alex and Avy were younger than Addie, but they were just as intriguing to him. Alex was a little wild, the grin he shot Niko as Addie introduced him only managed to set off his golden eyes and hair. Avy on the other hand was more reserved. Niko had seen people with grey eyes before, but Avy?s were silver and her hair was darker than the Raven lady, even darker than his mommy?s. Could such a thing even be real? He was a few inches away from finding out when his father?s voice cut across the room.

?Careful buddy, you?ll mess up her pretty hair.? Ridiculous thought, Niko just wanted to touch it a little, maybe give it a tug. Sometimes Rochelle would wear fake hair mixed in with her real hair. His father looked over his shoulder, though Niko wasn?t sure what he was looking for. Maybe he was trying to keep an eye on Addie?s mommy too? He saw his father grin once, and then come fully into the room to kneel before Adde, Alex, and Avy. ?Addie, Alex, Averia.? His dad?s head moved from one to the other as he said their names. Then he patted himself on the chest. ?Kruger, Niko?s daddy. Everybody close your eyes?? His dad did it too every time, Niko always peeked. ?Listen to the sound of the wind, smell the sea and hear the sea birds crying over head. Feel the salt air.?

Niko didn?t know how his daddy did it, but all those things he was able to see and even feel. He could hear the creak of the wooden ship. ?My name might be Kruger, but you have all boarded the Dread Pirate Ship, Anvil. And you will call me?? Niko was getting excited. His daddy hadn?t brought new crew members on the ship in a long time.

When his dad jumped up and shouted Captain Krugey, Niko could no longer hold back. ?Yaaaar!? He shouted it loudly, because loud was the best way to be a pirate. Addie was the first to seem to understand that they were no longer in her mommy?s house, and join in the shouting with Alex only half a second behind. Avy on the other hand, it took Addie saying she was too cute in her bumble bee tights for her to shoot a look and cry out too. Niko looked at Addie and grinned wide.

The Captain had Niko training Alex on how to shoot the guns, and it was a very good thing too, because Addie had steered them into a trap! According to the captain, the needed to Make for an island, but there was a blockade of ships keeping them out. If it hadn?t been for Avy up in the crow?s nest, they?d wouldn?t have spotted the ships coming in from both sides until it was too late!

Alex was a really good gunner, almost as good as Niko and maybe better sometimes when Niko got distracted by Addie when she?d whip the ship into sharp turns. The decks tilted, this way and that and even Captain Krugey was forced to hang on to something in order not to go overboard. Avy was lucky to be up in the nest, there was plenty to hang onto up there. Ship and crew managed to fight of one ship, and sink the other in a long sea battle that left Anvil needing some repairs. Avy?s point and cry had the captain going to the prow and pulling out his spyglass.

?Arrgh? yee be right Avy? What do ya say when yee be spotting land?? Niko could see her struggling with it, so he got closer and whispered the words up so that Captain Krugey couldn?t hear him. He smiled up at her when she finally caught on and issued a loud, land ho!

?Land ho!? Niko shouted in response. A cry picked up by all of the crew now. Addie steared a course that put them on a line for the beach while Niko and Alex secured the guns and set the jibs. Even Avy had to come down and ready the long boats so the crew could go ashore. They went in armed, muskets and cutlasses at the ready.

Captain Krugey managed to find a shipwright and made arrangements to get Anvil all patched up. That of course only left one thing for a dread pirate crew to do. ?Dance party shore leave!! Yaaar!? The crew had picked up pretty quickly that whenever the captain shouted yar, he wanted to hear it back with as much, or little enthusiasm as he put into it. This one had a lot, and the music came on mid yar. Addie seemed to dance with people, grabbing hands, jumping and spinning. She danced with everyone of them, including the captain who picked her up and twirled her a bit. Everyone wanted a chance to do that, and the captain was more than happy to hoist them all, sometimes two at a time. They danced for a long time before Captain Krugey turned off the music and went to the book shelf.

He had them all clear the floor up while he selected a book. When he came over they were all on the mat and he sat down in front of them and held up the book he?d selected. ?A is for Apple.? Addie announced matter of factly. It was her book after all. Niko understood, but Captain Krugey had a way of making the words change.

The Captain opened the book, gave them all a grin and a wink before starting to read. ?A is for Addie, she?s sitting right there. She?s got quite the voice, and a sapphire stare. A is for Alex with gold hair and eyes bright, it?s easy to see why he?s mommy?s delight. A is for Avy, the girl who would dare, to have eyes so silver and midnight coal hair.?

That was how books went when his father read them, it was never the same book twice in a row. Parts of it never changed, but most of it seemed to be different every time. He liked it when his dad got to the letter N and made him part of the story, though he didn?t see himself making all the girls cry no matter how brown his eyes were.

Niko didn?t know when it had happened, falling asleep. What he did know was that he wasn?t the only one. He woke to find they?d all fallen asleep, cuddled up against the captain who was just as soundly asleep as everyone else. Addie was across from him, he reached out and poked her a few times until she woke up looking at him. Niko looked at the door, Addie nodded and proceeded to lead the way out to where Her mommy and Claire were quietly talking.