“Anita, you don’t need to work on the ship like this.”

I thrust a chunk of bread at him. “We all have our jobs to do, Captain. Now eat. We can’t have you starving to death.”

When the bustling activity of the day was over, I found solace in José’s cabin. One night, when we were stretched out together on the bed after making love, tired but happy, José talked to me about his destiny.

“I believe that I was born with a purpose.” He stroked my cheek. “Even though I am here, in Brazil, I know that my destiny resides in the fatherland.” He gently kissed me. “We all have a destiny to fulfill, tesoro mio.”

“I don’t understand; why does your destiny reside in your fatherland?”

“My home is nothing more than clusters of feuding territories. I dream of the peninsula being one country.” He ran his fingers through my hair, letting the strands slip through his fingers. “So many men have died trying to achieve this dream, but I really feel that I will be the one to make it a reality.”

Later that night, I lay staring at the ceiling, trying to contemplate what my destiny was. Perhaps it was Destiny that led me to José, and it was quite possible she wasn’t done with me yet. Whatever it was, I wasn’t going to find it in this cabin, whose walls suddenly felt confining. I slipped out of our room, with a shawl wrapped tightly around me. The wind had stilled in anticipation of some unseen force. I could feel it, just out of reach.

I waved to one of the sailors. “Hello there!” I called out.

“Ahoy!” he responded. “What brings you topside so late at night?”

“I needed some fresh air.”

He nodded. “Be careful.”

I continued walking to the stern of the ship but stopped short when I saw the moon. It sat high in the sky, tinged with red. I gasped. Blood on the moon. My breath caught in my throat. Blood on the moon meant that there would be trouble ahead.

“You are sounding like an old woman,” I said out loud. Not caring who heard me. “Next thing you know you’ll be dressed in black, scaring young girls in the village.” I shook my head, attempting to banish the fear that threatened to seep into my thoughts. Still, I silently crept back into bed with José, moving in close, letting his warmth banish my ghosts.

Early the next morning I heard the call. The crew spotted another ship on the horizon. I ran topside to see the new visitors. Four massive Imperial vessels barreled toward us. One ship loomed as large as all four of our ships combined. The sails were pillars of clouds climbing toward the heavens. One thing was for certain: We would not survive a battle with them.

José moved about the ship with an authority I had never seen. He bellowed orders, making everyone around him jump to action as he made his way to the helm. I ran to the side of the ship to stand ready at the weather braces for the next maneuvers.