Chapter One:

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Coward
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When i was a baby, maybe 7 or 8? I sat on the stool nex' ta our window in our cottage. Me, my mum, my pops, and my brotha lived there. Our cottage was on the beach. The only thing that separated us from the King's castle was the Deep Blue*. She was just as it sounded. Deep and blue. I always watched that castle and thought of how much I wanted it for myself.

(Deep Blue* An Ocean that surrounded the island that had the King's castle placed on top.)
  
   I'd as'd ma mum what the difference was between us and the man who lived in the castle. As to which I was trying to say that I be extremely jealous of him. Ma mum would always reply with the words:
"He deserves the life in the castle Liam. He and his young, trust worthy family."
   I neva understood what ma mum meant by tha'd reply until I grew to 12.

   When I was 12, I was much a rebel. I'd stolen food and cloth for my mum and brotha for years while my pops sat on the lounge drinking away the shit that he say'd he's been through. Ma mum act'd like ma pops wasn't even in'd a cottage.
   When I was 13, ma pops left the cottage an'dever came back. Ma mum say'd that she made 'em leave but we both knew he'd run away.
    At 14, North Bridge* was given into a draft. That kingdom had started a war because of the King of the Castle. Luckily, drafting meant da'man need'da be 18. The country that the King of the Castle ruled over was in an indefinite war that no one knew when it'd end. The least to say, when I turned 18, the draftin' age gone down to 14. Which meant me and ma brotha were to be drafted. Ma mum told us to run away. My brotha told us that we were to be fightin' strong for deh country. I took ma mum's advice. Left ta Nautica Port* deh nex' day and stayed away for 10 years.

(North Bridge* Village Kingdom where the King of the Castle is located, way up on the North coast.)
(Nautica Port* Western coast where the water is warmer and trade and merchants sell. Many marinas afloat there too.)

   I left ma brotha there cause he'd still been insisting I stay to fight for deh country. Ain't that a sick way a' saying goodb-

"Holy shit! There a spida below deck! Deh size a' ma face!" The man screamed at the top of his lugs, running up a small amount of stairs and to the second deck of a pirate ship.
"Ay, Marcel! Ya interruptin' Liam's story!" Jean squealed innocently.
"Gah, sorray Captain!" Marcel screamed, putting his right hand up to his forehead like a soldier. Jean squinted his dark brown eyes at Marcel. His black dred locked hair dangled before the red wood that made up the deck. He turned back around and faced Liam.
"Go on." Jean said nicely. Liam stared at Jean for a quick moment then he gave a quick glance to the four scalawags trying to listen along.
"Well, that'd was ma brotha's goodbye. Ain't not one otha word aftawards." Liam spoke unpleasantly as he finished off where he was before.
"Tha'd be jus' sad ma potluck man." Jean responded as he stood up from sitting on a barrel full of beer.
"And that's why I'm excited to reach Nautica Port-" Liam said as he stood up from leaning on the port side of the ship. He walked over to the bow of the ship and looked out into the forward Cruel Seas*.
"I'd getta see ma brotha again. Surely he be still workin as da cook for the King's Men*." Liam said, finishing his last sentence he spoke.
"Hopefully! I'd love ta see a reunion like that!" Jean said excitedly, walking up to Liam from behind and wrapping his left arm around Liam's neck.

(Cruel Seas* Ocean covering most of the west coast.)
(King's Men* Men fighting in the war for the King of the Castle.)

   The Treasured Gold* ran her course to Nautica Port. Liam was eager to see his brother and mother again. Jean had left up to the top deck where he could steer the ship. He was the captain after all.

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