Retention
Prologue
I smiled to myself as the cool ocean breeze hit my face. It was a beautiful day for sailing. The dark clouds from the previous day had blown off to the west without much of a storm. The sea was calm, and a beautiful green and blue color.
"Bryson! Ship to starboard!"
My head shot up as I looked up at my shipmate. I ran to the other side of the ship. I immediately noticed the flag. "Looks like nasties! Ready the cannons for defense!"
I ran up to my father, taking his arm to get his attention. "Captain! That's Quinn Kylos' ship! He's the pirate who took your sister hostage." I pointed to the ripped-up flag with the design of a diamond skull with a rusty cutlass shoved through the top on it.
My father's face immediately turned white, and he clenched his jaw together. "Thank you, son. There are men who need you below. I'll take care of Quinn." He pulled out his cutlass and walked to the center of the ship.
I started running to the trapdoor to go below, but was knocked to the ground as a cannonball hit our ship. My eyes narrowed as I saw Quinn jump off the rope that was swinging from his ship onto ours. He drew his cutlass, and walked up to my father.
"Captain." He bowed over-dramatically, and then smiled. "How lovely to see you here."
"Stop with the formalities, Quinn. Tell me where you have my sister." He clenched his sword in his hand tighter. I sometimes hated the fact he had to be so honorable. Never attacking first.
"Well, I would love to tell you, Anthony, but I have no idea where my men put her body." He smiled, his eyes gleaming.
Anthony stumbled a bit as a wave rocked the boat. "Wh-what? She's..." He looked like the breath had been completely knocked out of him. I silently begged him to keep steady and focused.
"Yes. Dead. She wouldn't answer my questions. She's /so stubborn/!" Captain Kylos sighed with annoyance. "You really ought to teach her some manners."
Anthony, quite unexpected to Quinn and all of the men aboard, swung his sword right at Quinn. The opposing captain's shirt got stuck on the edge of his cutlass. Kylos' eyes went quite wide, but he forced them back down and swung back at him.
I jumped up to my feet, pulling out my cutlass to go and help, but it was quickly knocked out of my hand as someone grabbed my arms and pulled them behind my back. It was then that I suddenly realized that every single one of my crew mates had been grabbed by the arms by one of Quinn's lackeys, a cutlass to their throat in case they tried to escape or run away. And that was when I felt the metal touch mine.
I had to help my father, but I would rather not die. I was going to become the captain of The Ocean's Dagger one day, and I didn't want to die before then. So I stayed put, even though I was less than happy at the puny pirate they sent to guard me. It was an insult to have to be held by someone with almost no muscles.
Quinn spotted me out of the corner of his eye as he blocked a swing from my father. He chuckled, "that your son, Anthony? Is that /all/ you could muster? Not even someone handsome? Hardly worth losing your wife over."
Captain Anthony yelled with rage. It was only the second time I had ever seen my father get angry. It still scared me.
He swung his cutlass right at the captain's left side, Quinn having no time to block. The swing only had enough force to get the cutlass stuck halfway through his side. To this day, I don't know why that didn't kill him. Discovering that this left him defenseless, Captain Kylos thrust his cutlass forward and right through my father's heart.
