The Caw! Caw! of seagulls spiraling up above. The steady rhythm of foamy waves washing away footprints on the beach. The wooden crates scattered around, half buried in the sand. The mast of a sailing ship, which was the only part visible sticking up from shallow waters. The cage, where a young prince lay sprawled, face snuggled up against the body of a dead fish.
The captain declared, loud enough for all to hear: “I bet you ten gold pieces that he's still alive!”
One of the pirates replied: “Alright, you're on! Wow, this has got to be the easiest money I've ever made!”
KerSploosh! A bucket of water was thrown over the prince, wetting his hair and dripping down his face.
Meanwhile, the chef served up food and drink, instruments and voices called out in song, and everyone made merry. Possible outcomes were suggested to one another, and soon, the jolly round quartermaster was making notes of who would end up owing who. As it stood, most were betting against the captain. The odds are ten to one! Place your bets here, folks!
Seconds passed. Then minutes. One of the pirates yawned. The captain’s fists curled tightly into themselves. Cree! Cree! Called the seagulls. The captain stared at the prince expectantly, but it was clear that doubt was starting to creep into his eyes. Someone in the background laughed, interrupted by a smack upside the head.
The pirate that originally made that bet spoke up: “Time’s up, cap’n. Call it quits. He's not waking up.”
The captain watched and waited for just another minute. And then, he let out a dramatic sigh.
Reaching for his purse, the captain began counting out the ten gold pieces that were owed. One. Two. Three. In the background, some of the pirates cursed their luck. Four. Five. Six. The sound of clinking coins filled the air as money was exchanged between them. Seven. Eight. Nine. Some of the pirates refused to pay up, and fights broke out. Ten-..
Just as the captain was counting out the final coin, a barely audible groan escaped from between the prince’s lips. The captain froze, and a sudden hush washed over the beach. Even the seagulls went quiet.
After watching for what felt like an eternity, the captain picked up a stick and poked the prince in the belly. Was it just my imagination, or-.. Silence. The captain poked again. Silence. Then, just when he was about to give up for good, the prince's eyes peeled slowly open. A smile graced the captain's lips. He declared the outcome: “He’s alive!”
A mix of cheers and groans and applause and swears and punches filled the space, like a stadium after the winning goal! The pirate who originally took up the bet threw down their hat and began counting out a payment. The captain chuckled heartily as he received his prize. He never had a doubt in his mind. Nope, not one.
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The prince pushed himself slowly upward, wincing at his pounding headache. His cracked lips separated to say something, but only a croak came out. The captain snatched a bottle from one of the losers (who started to fight back, but thought better of it), and offered it to the prince through the bars in his cage. The prince eyed it dubiously, but with a little wiggle of the bottle and the slosh of fluid inside it, the prince couldn't resist.
The liquid burned like fire as the prince poured it down his throat, and he started to cough as it got caught in the wrong pipe. What was this stuff? He turned the bottle around, and saw a big XXX on the label. He knew instantly that he wasn't old enough to be drinking something as strong as this.
The captain stuck his hand through the cage, and the prince gave the bottle back to him. The captain tipped it back, draining the rest in five hearty glugs. With an aaaahhhhh, the captain looked pink-cheekidly into the eyes of the prince, sizing him up like a wild animal. A shiver ran down the prince’s spine, but he met the captain’s gaze with a stern expression.
They stayed that way for several minutes. Now that the excitement of the bet had passed, the more cowardly of the pirates quickly got bored of this seemingly meaningless exchange, and wandered off for other things. The braver of the pirates watched with much respect for the prince, crossing their arms and waiting silently for the judgment of their captain.
It felt like an eternity, but still, neither of them broke gaze with one another. Conviction burned in the eyes of the prince, and reflected in the eye of the captain. A whole year must've passed, until suddenly, the captain cut the tension: “BWAAAAHAHAHAHAHAH!! You've got some spunk, kid! Hey, how about joining my crew?”
The prince recoiled at this unexpected invitation. “Join-.. Joining your crew!? I'd never join up with ruffians like you! I'd rather die!”
The captain and the elite of his crew burst out laughing! Some of the pirates laughed so hard that they fell to their knees, slamming at the sand as they rolled around in it! The prince grimaced, disgusted by the reaction; It was never okay to laugh at someone's resolve.
The captain wiped a tear from his eye: “Listen here, brat. We’re about a million miles away from anywhere meaningful, and at this point, it's not worth the effort of babysitting delicate cargo like you. Either you join up with us, or you find your own way in life.”
The captain hitched a thumb over his shoulder to demonstrate his point, and the prince’s eyes followed an invisible line to where it pointed: Back into a wild, dangerous jungle. What should he do? It didn't take long for him to come to his conclusion: “I'll go on my own, and make it back home safe and sound.”
The captain nodded decisively. “That's a shame. I like your fire, kid.”
With the jangle of a big ring of keys, the captain unlocked the cage. It swung open with a loud creeeeak, and the prince nearly tripped as he stepped out into the softness of the sand. He felt the eyes of the pirates burning into his back as he crossed the beach, but he didn't look over his shoulder even once as he disappeared into the jungle.