David pulled at the rope and frowned. He had learnt how to do knots with rope before, but he didn’t think there was so many different knots to worry about!

“It seems you might only be good at cleaning the floors around here…”

Side glancing the merchant captain, David sighed. He had looked up so much to be a sailor but experiencing it was entirely different! David had wanted to come out to sea so badly for so many years, but it has somewhat come to be a totally different experience to what he was expecting…

For so long he had looked out to the ocean, from that of the land, feeling like his freedom had been there. Once he had felt that way, the land had never felt like the place he was supposed to be, which was just another reason why he complained and wanted to run away…

The captain shook his head and walked away, muttering the word ‘useless’ among others.

Well, David thought slowly, there’s nothing good about you either…

It was normal for David to talk back, it was one of his traits! But he didn’t say anything out loud and what he did say in his own head hadn’t been with much vigour…

It doesn’t matter where I go, David thought, there’s people…

And this was another reason why he wanted to run away. He felt like people were full of troubles! It was connected to them like snails were connected to their shells…He saw it everywhere, how people had troubles…

He knew it was stupid to think that he could get away from that kind of thing, but he still used it as an excuse, unable to wrap his head around how to just let it go when it was just everywhere his eyes could hear and his ears could hear!

He had been quiet this whole time, still somewhat angry about his predicament. Having had been nearly killed by a certain advisor of a certain king, David had lost a part of himself that regarded Prince Elton and his father as people that he couldn’t leave behind…Having had been tied to what seemed like frame of a bed, then left for dead as those who had been guarding him, from when he had been captured, left…

David still remembers how he had accepted death. Then, of all people that had come to save him, it had been the one that had betrayed him. Fair enough he probably is taking the ‘betrayal’ beyond of what it was, but he was mad about it! Then, having no choice but to accept her help, feeling less and less the man that he was, he just couldn’t stay! Nothing would have kept him on land after all of that and so, he finally was following through with all his threats of leaving!

He had told the captain, when he had made it to the dock, that he had been a merchant most of his life and that he knew how the world works but did admit that he’d never really been on a boat before.

He looked up what it was like to be a merchant by sea and knew that it wasn’t easy. He’d looked into maps, understanding them…He knew that dirt roads weren’t something he could just ride on…The sea was full of beach and low coasts…It was full of coral and currents…One had to be careful upon where to sail!

Honestly, he had thought himself ready! But…He had not been!

It was like a whole new world at sea…

Being out to sea now for just three days, David found how useless he was. The only thing he was grateful for, besides that of prior knowledge of trade and slight sea information, was that he didn’t seem to get sea sickness like others.

He was grateful for it, simply because he could see others and how sick they looked, but…Feeling useless was not one of his traits!

He just had to work hard!

This merchant ship was going to trade with the country of Melya, so they would be in the water for another couple of weeks…David had never been told how long it would take and he knew it was different to being a land trader who just followed a dirt road and some signs.

Having been quiet might not have been the right thing to do when he really wanted to learn so much stuff about the sea…But, it was like a wall had been created between himself and…Well, any other person right now.

Even if Prince Elton and his father had been looking for him, while he had been held captive, even if they wanted to give him endless apologizes and spoil him rotten, David didn’t want to return. Well, not right now…

Even if this ship didn’t smell…Good…Even if he was talked down to by the captain and even got what looked like left over food…It just simply wasn’t enough for David to stop and go back to his old life.

He had brought a compass, with help from the thief, he had got some clothes the befitted that of a sailor and that was all he had with him really. If he had the guts to go back home and pick up his sailing stuff…Well, it wouldn’t have really helped much really!

He had a couple of maps, but now having glimpsed the map in the captain’s room once or twice, his maps were severely low grade! His compass was useless if he didn’t understand where north was! On land, there are landmarks, there were roads and obvious points upon where north was but, on the water, there were less ways to find where north was and yes, he had to learn them, he was eager to know every which way to find out…There was just one thing he never wanted to tolerate, and that was getting lost!

Having had to be taught the basics, which only made him feel what he was called, ‘useless’, David could only accept the captain of this ship for now.

The ship looked big to David, but once he found a bigger one not far out to sea, he was somewhat stunned. Having been someone on the land all this time, he never understood how big a ship could get!

He had known nothing at all!

He read about some ‘living at sea’ books but some obvious knowledge, like why the boat might have a couple of chickens, he felt like he had been stupid!

Bowing his head, a new trait lately to his feelings, David could only take a deep breath in and hoped that he will return to his usual self soon. He used to get angry, and he used to be able to deal with big messes so easily, now…It was like he turned into someone completely different. He couldn’t even tell you who he was anymore…

Accepting his new job of mopping the floors, David kept his eyes and mind opened to learning, feeling still somewhat determined to tell himself that he’d done the right thing.

He had too much pride to go back without learning something! How could he complain about leaving so many times and come back with nothing…He just had too much pride to go through that much embarrassment!

But that is just the first step! David’s first step into the sea life was only just starting. Starting out as a trader with no boat experience, to becoming a co-Captain of several ships that belong to no other than King Elton of Commorda!

***

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“No, I said to the starboard, you useless idiot!” The captain yelled!

David went to glare at the captain but stopped himself and tried to relief himself by moving his neck around.

“Now!”

David looked at him squarely and did as he was told. It felt like the captain had made things hard on him on purpose! Why can’t they just say to the right or left! Why do they say ‘bow’ and ‘starboard’ like it was something new, something so different that it needs a completely new…Name…

David had learnt about what they were back on land but being out to sea for the first time, he was bound to forget which side was which at least once!

But twice? No, David shook his head and knew for sure that the captain just had it in for him!

They had now been out at sea for three weeks now, but things just seemed to get worse for David. He felt like a slave to this man!

He couldn’t wait to teach him a lesson!

David knew that he was bound to be better than the captain with something! Oh, he’ll find out and when he does, he’ll let the captain know how much of a ‘useless’ idiot he was! There were the obvious flaws, like that the captain was an older man and that he wasn’t even good looking, that David had been using in his mind but he wanted something better!

With his anger slowly creeping out, David felt slightly more himself, finally, as he continued with his job while pushing a bit of his slightly longer hair out of the way.

“Don’t talk to him…”

David saw someone walk towards him, even though another told him not too.

“Be careful, lad. This Captain doesn’t like…Useless things.”

David let go of the rope and watched as the person walked right by him, having said this.

What does he make out of that!?

Was the person trying to be nice or…

Well, it gave him something to ponder on as he continued. It was almost like things never stopped now and David could feel like the past was further away than just a couple of weeks, it almost felt like months already!

Having just something else to think about wasn’t the issue, it was…The Captain…

David wasn’t all that stupid, well, sometimes he felt completely stupid, but he felt himself start to think again instead being a quiet man that was just enduring everything.

Watching the comings and goings on the ship, he could see that the men were all unhealthy and, well, almost like the dead. They hardly smiled or talked to one another, and David could see that the captain was more than just a bossy bully.

There was most definitely something not right on this ship!

Smiling slightly, David took a deep breath in and flexed his hands out in front of him. This was like child’s play!

It was time to get some information!

Having learnt a bit more about boats in the last few days and having read some prior, David started to make circumstances happen that might happen without help normally. He didn’t really want to get the crew into trouble, but to get information, sometimes it can’t be helped.

The wind, the water, the waves, anything that was out of their control, David tried to use them to the best of his abilities to help him achieve just about anything.

Through this, he did indeed see the captain flare up, which is exactly what he was looking for!

“I just can’t believe the bad luck we’ve had on this trip! Did you double check the cargo!?”

“Yes, Captain.”

“Dammit, get me that potion! I at least got to make this trip worthwhile!”

“Captain?”

“Get it!”

What potion?

David quietly left the window and picked up the mop and bucket to go into the latrine.

Thinking about what he heard, David frowned. He had checked the cargo during one of the ‘mishaps’ that had happened earlier and had found very normal trading items…Did he miss something?

There had to be something that he missed, simply because he knew without a doubt that there was something amiss with this Captain!

But what David didn’t understand, until that night, was that there was nothing amiss…Yet!

David came to the captain’s lodgement area, having been demanded to do so, and found the table having a seat for two.

“Take a seat, little merchant.” The captain stated, putting out a hand full of rings and bracelets and continuing to eat.

David wanted to be sarcastic about his ‘little merchant’ title but stopped himself…It really wasn’t the time…

This wasn’t good…

David took a seat, and he was sure that there was something going on!

He remembered the captain stating a potion and David looked at the food and glass of drink in front of him with worry.

“What, you think I poisoned the food or something?”

Yes, yes, I do! David instantly thought.

Looking back at the captain, who took a swig of his drink, David could only sigh in his mind…How was he going to get out of this?

“I’m just not…” David started.

The captain interrupted, “Nonsense, I know you aren’t stupid. You, and just like others on this boat, are probably hungry as hell…What, you don’t trust me?”

No, not at all! David once again instantly thought.

David stared at him. The captain was taking the direct approach and honestly, David didn’t know how to handle him. He was used to being hidden, in the shadows…People that used the direct approach like this really made him confused.

“Drink, or I’ll just get rid of ya now!” The captain stated, drinking himself with one hand and holding up a knife in the other…It wasn’t a big knife or anything but just the action that he did and the effect that he wanted to bring really worked and David felt like this merchant had it in him to not only hurt people but even kill…

David thought that since he had no choice, he thought that he would have to just have to throw it up later and picked up the glass. It really was elegant, how the captain really did make it like a last supper type of thing. The glass looked like a glass you’d find in a nobleman’s house! Even the dinner set was fancy…This man was really a strange one…

Was it David or did this man ooze out that he was completely untrustworthy and that he was a terrible person? Did he go out of his way to look so classy but looked completely the opposite…

It was on second glance though, David thought, he didn’t know how creepy this man really was until this very moment…

How can someone get away with this?

David held the glass up and then suddenly it occurred to him that the captain probably has gotten away with it before, and probably thinks he’ll continue to do so.

There was no one else there right now and perhaps the ‘potion’ didn’t work straight away…Perhaps that was exactly why he gets away without whatever he plans to do!

“Drink!”

David, with anger rising inside him, drank the so-called wine and put it down. “May I leave now?”

The captain let go of a laugh and smiled at him, “Eat.”

David wondered where he put the potion, in the meal or in the drink?

Picking up some chicken, eating it like a little princess, David was startled when the captain slammed his hand on the table.

“Little sissy!”

David took a bigger bite and stared at the captain.

I will repay all this back to you, old man, David thought.

But before he could take more than three more bites, something hit him in his back and before blacking out, he heard the captain’s laughter.

“What an idiot. First lying about being a trader, then being useless…”

David had no idea what words came next…

Waking up groggily, David took a while to remember what was going on. Looking around him, he felt the house was moving…

Getting up from a corner on the floor, hardly able to accept the fact that he had slept there, David felt that his legs felt strange.

What was going on?

Finally remembering the captain and having eaten and drank, David tried to rush towards the top of the boat, wanting to throw up…Until he fell back down again.

Uh?

Actually, he never really noticed that the boat and noises going on seemed a bit weird right now. There was yelling and he was sure that he heard running around, almost like there were many people above him.

Shaking his head, so that he could wake up faster, David took a deep breath in and went to climb up the ladder.

What was going on with his legs, they felt…Heavy…

But perhaps he should have just stayed downstairs!

Looking out from the hatch, noticing several things at once that weren’t normal, David blinked to what was going on…

What do I do?

It was the first time that he came across a fight on a boat! It was clear that they had been boarded and already David could see the merchandise being taken and moved to the other…Ship…

And boy was it a nice, big ship! He couldn’t even see all of it because it was night-time, but what he saw was already impressive!

Normally he wasn’t one to just sit there and watch. He’d normally have an idea on what to do but David was not only still slightly groggy with legs that felt heavy but, he couldn’t help a small part of himself from being happy with the situation. The captain deserved this mess!

He was a nasty, old coot of a man and he deserved this! David stopped thinking in his tracks as he was spotted by a dirty man who wiped over the sweat on his forehead…

Um, I can’t fight on a ladder but…David tried to see what he should do!

He didn’t even have a sword!

Getting down a notch, he closed the small lid to the area and got down the ladder.

Looking around the area where they normally sleep, David could only find a knife, not a sword, to defend himself and that was it.

Before he could think of the best possible way to survive, the opening at the top of the ladder opened and he saw the same man look at him.

He stared at David and David just stared back. Only holding the knife at his side now, David slowed his breathing and told himself not to panic as he watched the other man sigh, David could only stare back.

Why wasn’t he doing anything!?

“If you put the knife down, I’ll pretend you aren’t here.”

Uh?

David was confused…

Should he really put his knife down?

What if he were to just drop it at his feet, he’d still be able to pick it up before the other man comes at him…

Since it didn’t seem like a bad choice, David let go of the knife and he saw the other man nod and leave…Just like that!

Weird…

Picking up the knife and hiding it in his clothes, David went towards the ladder and slowly went up, only to find that the opening no longer opens. They must have put something heavy on top of it!

David sighed, he guessed he should have known better!