This time every part of the pirate’s brain was screaming not to get involved, but his legs were carrying him forward regardless. He quickly sidled up to the burly man and slapped a hand on his shoulder, making him jump. He’d been too engrossed in lining up his next blow. The pirate slipped into a fake English accent with ease.

“I don’t mean to interrupt, but then again I do. What could it possibly be sir, that would have you damaging your merchandise?”

“Kids’ got a mouth on him and needs to learn his lesson. But I’m sure the madam and some others will teach him even better.” He sneered.

The kids face blanched ghostly white, a sharp contrast to the brilliant red it had sported mere moments ago.

“And what sir would you be asking for such a young lad?”

The man’s fist lowered, the pirate had gained his full attention.

“How much do ya have?”

“I believe sir I asked first. Name a price.”

The man turned back to the kid eyeing him up. The little spit fire had the darkest glare set on his face and from what the pirate could see, looked like he was about to spit on the brute. He could only hope the kid would find an inkling of self-preservation for a few moments longer.

The man turned his body back towards the pirate, his neck was so fat it didn’t appear it could turn alone, and he was largely ignoring the kid he still had in his hold.

“I think nine pounds would be a fair price.”

“Unfortunately, it would seem we don’t think alike. He’s just a kid, and scrawny, looks like he’s about to waste away. I’d give you three pounds.”

“I can get a better price than that from Madam Walsh.” The man tried to act like he was dismissing the pirate, but he hadn’t turned away yet, meaning his attention wasn’t lost. “I’d lower it to seven.”

“Five and a half. It’s more than fair, and more than what you’ll get from the madam for a young lad with a fighting streak and a freshly bruised face.”

The pirate wasn’t completely sure why, but seeing the fire in the young boy’s eyes, that even now hadn’t burned out…he couldn’t leave him. He had to have him, even if the price had been fifty pounds, that boy was coming with him. The pirate waited as the pot-bellied man weighed his options, he already knew he’d won.

“Fine then. Pay up.”

The pirate carefully counted out the money and handed it over to the thug, before the boy was thrust in his direction. The kid tripped over his own feet with half his legs being bounded and fell into the pirate. A shiver ran through the pirate. It was like a lightning bolt down his spine at the contact. But he was mostly too distracted by the kids’ deadly glare now focused on him.

He shifted his pack to his left side before bending slightly and throwing the kid over his right shoulder like a sack and then began walking toward the ship. He weighed about as much as a sack. They’d have to feed him and get him to put on a few pounds, they didn’t need him being sickly on the ship.

The kid was thrashing steadily spitting obscenities.

“With a mouth like that, you’ll fit right in on a pirate ship laddy.”

That only faired to make the kid thrash worse and start cursing perverse pirates. The pirate reached up and gave the kids bottom a firm smack. It wasn’t supposed to hurt the kid, just get his attention.

The kid yelped and stilled, his swearing stunned into silence.

“That’s better. Look kid, I’m not here to hurt you.”

“Ya bought me like common livestock, you’re carrying me like a sack of potatoes, you’ve been talkin’ about me mouth like that disgustin’ lard, and then ya smack my arse. What in the hell am I supposed to think of you.”

“Not saying you don’t have some points there kid, but what I meant by your mouth was all the swearing you’ve been up to, and I only smacked your arse to get you to shut it for just a moment, and stop flailing about. You’re going to end up pitching us both in the dirt.”

The kid seemed to have tired out after that. He was quite as a mouse, and limp as a dish rag the rest of the way back to the ship. They boarded, if a bit awkwardly, but managed to make it, and the pirate made his way to his cabin wrenching the door open the best he could with his arms full.

He laid his pack down by his desk before dropping the kid into the chair beside it. He looked up, gaunt face streaked with mud and sharp steely blue eyes. The pirate hadn’t fully noticed the color beforehand, just the fire they held, but now up close, they looked like two blades stabbing through him.