Hey pirate fans!
I'm editing, so please tell me if you see a mistake or anything that doesn't feel good to you. I'll make sure to read all your comments, I actually feed on them.
Love you all!
Let the games begin ;)
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At the top of the main mast, a man watched the sea around the sailing ship. He gazed into the horizons as the waves moved towards them repeatedly. He felt calmed by their inviting rhythm, but also bored with the monotonic performance. Everything remained dull until a dot in the large sea was visible enough to draw his attention. He instantly leaned over the crow's nest and delivered the news
"Captain! Me captain! A ship, a ship ahead!"
The captain stepped towards the forecastle of the large ship. He stood proudly as he pulled his telescope out of his long, black leather jacket and used it to locate his soon to be target. He was instantly slightly disappointed with what he saw. He was handsome with a commanding attitude and a tall confident stance. For a man in his early thirties, he was too young to be a pirate captain, yet that didn't keep him from becoming one. And for all the years he spent in the sea, he knew how unusual the current situation was.
"How odd, it's a fishing ship"
A limping pirate scratched his dirty head, "Aye me captain, that is weird. Fishermen always stay in guarded waters. This is too far for them to wander"
"Indeed", another added, "We're quite far from shores and this is not a fishing area"
The one on the crow's nest leaned forward as he gazed at the sea, "It's not moving, captain, and it looks like its anchor is dropped"
Soon enough, others joined the forecastle to debate about the intruders, "Maybe they're lost", "Maybe they know we're bored and came to entertain us", "Aye, fresh meat!", and boorish laughter spread to reveal their colorful teeth laughed boorishly.
An evil smirk tugged on the captain's lips as he ordered his men, "Well then, let's get entertained. Avast ye! They're not escaping, which means they haven't seen us yet. We'll sail quietly towards them and keep watch. We shall enjoy the hunt. If they start to flee, we'll raise sail and catch on."
Then he turned towards the sea and added, "Time to feed the devils"
Excited with the prospects of a new prey, the crew obeyed, impatient to get their hands on whatever the sea Goddess was offering them.
The young man sitting in the crow's nest jumped out and slid down on a rope. He dropped beside his captain and offered more information, "There are two men on the front deck, captain. I don't think they can see us, and I see no one else above deck for now"
Another joined in, "There are certainly more souls down the hull"
The captain turned to the young pirate, "Good eye Maren, get back on the mast and keep looking for any suspicious movements or other sailors stepping out. I'd like to keep the element of surprise if we are to have any fun today. After all, just a fishing ship"
"Aye aye, captain!", Maren grinned. Then with the same agility, he climbed to the top of the mast once more and resumed his task.
The captain glanced at his crew and commented, making them all laugh and grin evilly.
"Almost too easy to be fun"
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The waves got agitated and the fishing ship was fighting for stability. The waters were getting worse, almost as if they mirrored the tension above deck.
Only two men stood here, facing each other. Too absorbed in their quarrel to check the surrounding ocean. Neither noticed a certain ship with a black flag, silently approaching them.
The first one was Terry, an old man in his sixties. He held a short sword in his hand and pointed it towards the second much younger man, "I'm asking you for the thousand's time. The money, where is it?"
Nyx stared at him in disbelief, signs of exhaustion clear on his pale complexion. His hands were tied together and didn't help his current predicament. His black silky hair complemented his face perfectly, reaching a bit under his ears. His sea-blue eyes bore into the old man, and he sighed in fatigue before repeating the same thing he has been saying for days
"I told you, Terry, I have no idea what you're talking about!"
"You think I'd believe that?", Terry screamed while furiously moving the sword around, making Nyx pull his head back to avoid being slashed.
"I-I really don't know! When father passed away, he left us with the house and the fishing ships that you're managing. Those are already worth a fortune! You were there. He left nothing else-"
"Stop lying! You think I'm an idiot? Your father told me himself back in the days that he had a treasure for you two! You and that stupid, spoiled sister of yours. Fucking hell, all these years I've been looking high and low for it only to find naught! I busted my ass for years playing your stepfather for what? Nothing!"
Painful thoughts saddened Nyx's eyes, but it was soon replaced with anger. He stepped closer and started yelling, no longer caring how close he was to Terry's sword, "My father trusted you as a close friend and a business partner! And when he... when he passed away, we welcomed you into the family! You married my mother! She trusted you with everything including herself and her children! You were handed all our estate and business to manage. You made loads of money and kept most of it to yourself. What more could you possibly take from us?"
The effort strained him, and he started getting dizzy. He stopped for a second to regain his focus. He looked down at his tied hands and tugged on them again, only to have his wrists protest in pain. He breathed in and managed to calm his voice, "This is completely futile. Just let us go home, Terry. My mother is waiting. You know how frail she can be. She falls sick easily and I'm certain she's extremely worried by now. We've been sailing for 5 days already. We're much farther than we're supposed to. We shouldn't even be in these waters, and you know that! We were expected to be back 2 days ago. Please, think about her and be reasonable. Let us go back" he pleaded, but Terry didn't look any close to changing his crazy mind.
Nyx glanced down at the point of the sword that was dangerously close to his throat. He pulled back slightly but the sword immediately followed. He tried to gather his thoughts and decided to face what he came to realize; that talking will not get him out of this mess.
He knew this bastard cared about no one and nothing but money; he certainly made that clear over the years. Now Nyx was being punished for his own carelessness. And he couldn't believe his stepfather bribed one of his own crews and got them to assist him in this idiotic plan. Those were men that Nyx paid on a weekly basis! How could they turn on him so easily?
He sighed and thought regrettably, 'I should have let my cousin Haven choose the sailors to hire'
Thoughts about his mother and sister crossed his mind and he felt agonized. His mother trusted this horrible man, yet he relentlessly ripped them off over the years. Nyx tried to amend most of that and shelter his mother and sister from such horrible truth. However, no matter how hard he tried, the young man failed to protect his father's business or his own mother and sister from such a petty thief.
Nyx gathered his last shred of hope and effort and tried to find a way out of the mess he was in. A few days ago, he didn't believe Terry could truly kill him. He thought his acts were idiotic and fruitless, and that he'll soon realize his own foolishness and resign his criminal behavior. Alas, now he wasn't so sure his life meant anything to the old man. But how could he save himself?
He noticed the agitation of the sea and decided to use it to his advantage. He waited for one of the stronger waves to rock the ship. And just when the ship rose, Terry got distracted for a second, trying to keep his balance. At that moment, Nyx sidestepped away from the shiny blade and lunged towards him. He pushed him with his shoulder and reached to grab the sword's handle.
Victory was so close as he touched the sword. But Terry recuperated fast and punched him hard, sending him on his back.
"You, son of a bitch! Even after starving for three days, you can still attack me! You think you can beat me? Look at you! You're pale as hell! Foolishly young. You cannot beat me, not even in your best shape, you bookworm! Tsk, always cherished and protected by others like the important delicacy that you are. First your damn father, then your stupid mother, your uncle, sister, cousin, Ugh! Always fucking reading those stupid books as if they could change a single thing around you!". He smirked and added sarcastically, "Heh, what the hell would you know about a real fight?"
He looked down on the young man. He could kill him. He could kill him long ago, but the bookworm was useful at keeping the business going enough for the money to keep coming. But that wasn't enough. Terry wanted more.
Remembering his purpose for all of this, he decided to try one last time. One last time, then he wouldn't be blamed for finishing the worthless shit.
"Look, I don't want to hurt you, boy. We worked together for years, and it wasn't all that bad. God knows I don't want to hurt your mother. She is a lady like no other, and she's been a decent wife. So, either tell me where the money is, or tell me if your sister knows about it. Maybe I should go ask her, nicely, huh? I bet she wouldn't last as long as you did. You'd be surprised how fast she would sing if I left her alone with the sailors-"
"Don't you dare go near her!"
Nyx grabbed the wooden edge of the deck with his tied hands and pulled himself to stand with difficulty. "Raya is happily married now. You are well aware that she knows nothing about my father's business! She kept away from these matters before and after his passing!"
Feeling fed up and impatient, Terry yelled, "This is your last chance, pretty boy! I already went this far. Kidnapping and threatening a fucking highborn! Hell, at this pace, it would be much easier to go back without you than with you! I'll just tell them you stupidly fell off the deck. Yes! You fell like the idiot that you are, and I spent days looking for you. How does that sound? Your end is near, kid. Speak, God damn it, speak and spare your own life!"
"You bastard! I endured your annoying selfishness for so long. I covered your petty thefts for the sake of my mother and to protect my family's reputation! I left my studies and future to help you run the business! We regarded you as part of the family, but you never treated us like one. You never saw me as a stepson. I was nothing but a nuisance to you! You coward! Look at you, hiding behind a sword!"
Terry's anger and impatience took the best of him. He raised his arm with the sword and decided to send the insolent boy to his maker.
"Fuck you!", Terry cursed, as he took a step towards the young man. He was about to end this when he noticed Nyx being distracted. The young man was staring at something other than the sword. He was looking sideways in surprise and horror. Only then did the imposing shadow reach his right shoulder. Terry looked over his shoulder to see a huge ship closing in on theirs in eerie silence. Their eyes moved upwards to stare at the crude smiles of the men standing on the edge of the larger ship, eagerly waiting to be close enough to jump on their deck.
Nyx's gaze halted on a certain distinguished man among them. He was tall with a strong build and an undeniably heavy presence. They locked eyes together and Nyx found himself frozen, unable to break free from the gray, cold gaze that was looking down at him with the most arrogant smirk. Like a predator observing its helpless prey.
When he noticed the waving black flag attached to the main mast of the mysterious ship, Terry shouted to alarm the crew below deck
"PIRATES!", Terry screamed.
He rushed to get back to his unfinished business. In an act of confusion and despair, he turned to Nyx, grabbed his collar and pushed him making him lean backward on the edge of the deck, "I'd be damned if I let some fucking pirates know about my treasure! Spit it out, Nyx! It's now or fucking never, where is the God damned money?"
Nyx looked above his shoulder at the sea. Half of his body was pushed out of the deck. He moved his legs trying to secure himself, but with tied hands, he was unable to escape the old man's grip. He opened his mouth to say something when a sudden impact shook the ship.
Ropes were instantly sent dangling and boarding the fishing ship in seconds. All the sailors that came out of the hull in panic were immediately attacked and easily beaten.
The pirate ship had bumped violently into theirs. Terry lost his balance with the impact, and he let go of his stepson.
Nyx gasped. Unable to grab the edge of the deck, he fell backward into the sea.
The scene didn't escape the captain's eyes. Everything happened so fast. One second the young man was staring at those gray eyes, and the next he was thrown out of the ship.
Seeing the handsome young man disappear into deep waters, he instinctively threw his leather jacket behind him and jumped from the deck of his pirate ship and into the sea.
As the water became darker, Nyx's fear rose steadily. He struggled to swim back up towards the light, but he couldn't use his tied hands to swim. Still, he moved them and did the best he could despite the lack of energy and the bruises around the ties that stung painfully in the salty waters. He panicked and put all his efforts into his legs in order to stop sinking any deeper. Soon, however, he felt weakness and despair sneak into him as his body became colder. A moment later, his arms stopped trying, his legs stopped fighting.
'I'm sorry, mother...', he thought to himself.
Memories of his mother and sister flashed before his eyes. He felt deeply sorry and unfilial. Despite all his sacrifices and efforts, he was still unable to protect them from Terry's greed.
'Am I giving up? After everything I've been through, is this the way it all ends? I don't know... I cannot think... I'm exhausted... I'm alone, helpless, ... hopeless'
His lungs hurt excruciatingly with a piercing pain. Out of breath and with no will to live, he could struggle no more. He looked up at the fuzzy sunspot that was slowly disappearing and felt an odd sense of peace mixed with deep despair.
Through his blurred vision, he saw a shadow swimming towards him.
'Death?', he wondered
He felt deeply sad about this lonely ending yet looking forward to the prospect of finding peace. With that thought in mind, he closed his eyes and surrendered to the shadow.
The shadow of death put his hand around Nyx's chest and pulled him towards the surface. As soon as he resurfaced, he was met with crew members, anxiously waiting for their captain. The pirates instantly regained their arrogant smiles and cheered victory. The captain held a thick chain dangling from the side of his ship, and some of his crew members hurried to pull the chain and their captain along with it.
Agenor stepped onto the deck of his pirate ship and stood proudly. He then threw Nyx on the wooden deck and received his fellow pirates' praise
"Captain! You got our ransom money back!", "It's not dead, Aye?"
The captain looked at the silent body that lay before him in a haughty way. He approached him and poked him rudely with his boot. Feeling no response, he knelt on one knee, turned Nyx on his side, and then moved his head backward.
As soon as his neck stretched, Nyx coughed violently while spitting the water he had inhaled. The captain closed his eyes discreetly in relief, then he stood up and resumed his cold stare.
Some of the pirates surrounding them found the scene entertaining, and the young man's poor state didn't spare him their jokes.
"Heh, beauty is back from the valley of the dead", "Aye! Right into the valley of hell". The two pirates looked at each other, and everyone laughed brashly.
Nyx could barely focus. He looked around him and saw people laughing.
'I'm in hell?' he thought. He felt lightheaded. He tried but failed to focus on their faces or gather enough strength to say something. His forces left him as he lost consciousness.
One of the pirates rolled his eyes, "Again? Oh well. We can still play with the others we found until he wakes up"
"What do we do with him, captain?"
Agenor was still staring down at his caught prey. He remained silent for a moment before a smirk tugged the corner of his mouth wickedly as he ordered.
"Take him away.
I'll deal with him later"
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Kisses ;)