But it was. And that was the truth of it. Ace would make it his home or die in the attempt. Thatch had no other home than this one and he wasn't going to argue. Emptied a few seats could mean anything, but he'd never taken on the entire world on his head. Settling ones place and making sure that others knew it was the way the Whitebeards had survived.

But there was no point in saying so. Lea didn't want to do it, so he didn't want to do it. Thatch would find other ways. He always did.

"As I said it's your choice. Do what you want."