"Remember the good ol' days?" Captain Ren sat on the edge of the stern's deck with Nico. She took a big swig from the rum bottle.
"What was good about them? I was just a dum child and you were - "
"I was what Nico?" Ren interrupted. She smiled, knowing this would make him uneasy.
He hesitated. Then said nervously, "Well, you were a pretty bossy captain back then." He then mumbled, "Still are, actually."
"I heard that!" she stood up, her legs wobbling, and pointed a shaky hand at her first mate. She was at the first stage of being drunk, and Nico knew it too. He chuckled. "You are right I suppose." Ren calmed, then sat back down. "I was a wretched captain." She turned to Nico and punched him lightly on the shoulder, "But you can stop laughing now, you bloody idiot!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry Captain! It's just it's funny when I think of little Ren. When she first took over as Captain. Now look at you! You are all grown up... and drunk!" he burst out into a much harder fit of laughter. He was also intoxicated.
* * * * *
"Heh, they won't catch me." Nicholas muttered to himself as he jumped the stone wall with the goods in his hands. Two village men, with lanterns and farming tools in their hands, chased after him. But they were no match for his speed.
Once he jumped the wall he ran onto a Shipping dock, where he ducked behind a pile of tied up barrels. And had hidden the stolen items in his ragged coat. The two angry men kept running, thinking the young thief had gotten farther away.
As soon as the men ran far enough from the dock, Nicholas leapt out from behind the pile of barrels. He scanned his surroundings, though he could not see well in the dark; at the very end of the dock was an old ship with dirty white sails and a wooden carved bird as the heading.
~Nothing special~ was Nicholas's first thought. But then he noticed three older, beat up men loading barrels and wooden crates of food and supplies up a long ramp and onto the ship. ~Jackpot.~
The boy snuck closer to the ship. He waited until two of the men got tired and decided to take a break. The two men were the most beat up looking. The sailor left was tall, large and seemed strong. The boy had to be careful. Nicholas crouched low to the ground, and, sneaking behind the piles of supplies as he went, managed to get close to a mound of crates that were sitting at the end of the dock. Some of the crates were much too large for Nicholas to carry himself. Others were just the right size to steel and carry with one hand.
As swift as the young thief could be, Nicholas grabbed a crate and took off running. ~I'll reach the road before the guy even realizes what happened.~ he thought, satisfied. But before Nicholas knew it, a large hand reached out and grabbed his collar. "How is he so fast?" Nicholas whispered to himself as he gagged from the tight collar choking him.
"So, you thought I was not paying attention did you?" The tall, dark man's words were choppy and unclear, English was clearly not his first language. "You are thieving scoundrel, boy!" The man threw Nicholas down on the hard, wooden dock and violently kicked the crate from his hands. Anger filled the man's voice.
Nicholas trembled without realizing, but held a brave, emotionless expression. "I am not a thief." The boy said, turning around to face the frightening man. "I merely just take what I want." He retorted.
"Hah! You have quite a mouth on you boy!" The dark man chuckled without a smile. He then drew his sword, pointing it right at Nicholas's chest. "I will let you keep the goods if you beat me. Draw your weapon." he commanded, very serious.
"I have only a pocket knife." Nicholas's voice cracked. He was confused and frankly, scared for his life.
"That will not work." The man then walked over to where he was loading crates and picked up an extra sword that was laying at the very bottom of the ramp. The man tossed the weapon to Nicholas.
The boy caught the sword in surprise. He gripped the handle and switched to a fighting stance. The sword was rusted and short sided. It's handle was grimy to touch and was obviously a poor weapon to use against a, most likely very skilled, swordsmen. But Nicholas paid no mind to the condition of the sword. He was ready to do his best to fight off this fearsome man.
CLANG! Went the blades as they clashed. Nicholas, backed farther away with each swing of his sword. The skilled man leapt closer to the young thief no matter how far away he got. CLANG! CLANG! The man swept the blade under Nicholas's feet. The boy jumped out of the way, avoiding the man's frightening sword whenever he could. The battle continued until Nicholas lost his balance and fell to the ground, hurting his back. The man pointed the sword directly to the poor, injured boy's chin, making Nicholas lean his head back so as not to touch the end of the blade.
"What say you boy? To being beaten?" The man asked, he smiled yet his dark eyes stayed fierce and serious.
"This was unfair!" Nicholas exclaimed. "An old man going up against an innocent child!" though still trembling, he still managed to get out a few snarky words.
Chuckling came from the man's mouth. "Heh, you are mistaken boy! I am not old and you are not innocent." he paused as more laughter filled his voice. "And I never said our duel would be fair. I am a pirate after all! We do no play fair." The man put his sword back in his sheath that was attached to his leather belt.
"You're a pirate?" Nicholas whispered. He then scrambled to his feet.
"You were a decent opponent for a youth who has no mind how to hold a sword." Unexpectedly, the man then took Nicholas up in his arms and started toward the ship.
"What are you doing? Put me down!" the boy called, flailing his arms, trying to wiggle away.
"No boy! You must meet the Captain. That's when the fun will really begin!" He chuckled once more, wickedly.
~Captain?~ Nicholas had gruesome thoughts of what kind of "Fun" would be had. Who could this Captain be?
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