Nicholas was shoved with purposeful force onto the hard wooden deck of the old ship. He tried to crawl away several times but the dark man held his bruised hands behind his trembling back.
Three more pirates gathered around the capturer and the captured. Others most likely would have also wanted to see the entertaining scoundrel who tried to steel from the ship. But, in fear of getting scolded by the captain they didn't dare leave their posts.
Nicholas kept his head down. He refused to look at the terrible men who had tricked him and kidnapped him. Horrible thoughts ran through his head of what might be done to him. He had heard pirates usually made people walk the plank, but that wouldn't work, the ship was docked. Then his mind ran to the idea that the pirates might just tie him up and leave him in their "Torture Chamber" (as Nicholas imagined) and not give him any food or water so he would die fairly quick.
"Heh, here comes the cap'm boy! " The pirates sneered. Nicholas kept his head down as he heard heavy foot steps walk toward him. Big, heavy boots hit the deck as the body slowed to a stop right in front of Nicholas.
"You're the thief?" said a sarcastic, feminine voice.
Nicholas looked up to see a young girl; looking to be around his age, wearing a large captain's hat, long shirt (much too large for her figure) tied on with a piece of thin rope, her leggings were lose and the bottom was clearly torn off so as to make them fit her height better. "You're the Captain?!" the boy exclaimed with shock. When he said this, the dark man pushed down on his hands with more force. To correct the boy's mistake of the exclamation. However, this didn't stop Nicholas from bursting out laughing. He no longer had control of his volume. "You're all under the command of a little girl?!" Nicholas yelled through fits of chortling.
The Captain smiled.
"What should we do with this miscreant Captain?" the dark pirate, still holding tight to Nicholas asked.
"Araja!" the little girl commanded to the dark man, "Let him stand."
With that, Araja pulled the reluctant boy to feet.
"What's your name boy?" Although having a feminine voice, the little girl captain spoke like an old raspy man.
"Why should I answer to you?" Nicholas retorted, smugly.
"I say again," she pulled out her sword that was much bigger and sharper than Araja's when he dueled with Nicholas. "Name?"
Once again, being threatened by a blade Nicholas was forced to comply, "Nicholas Goodman." The boy scowled.
"Your name is Goodman, yet you're a thief?" Eyebrows raised, the girl giggled. She lowered her sword, though still on guard.
"I am no thief!" the boy snapped back.
"Shut your mouth boy." Araja hissed in Nicholas's ear.
The captain then lunged forward. Nicholas, expecting a another blade to his throat, wince and shut tight his eyes. Nothing seemed to happen. When the scared boy slowly opened his eyes again, there was the captain, only an inch from his face. The little girl stared into his eyes, she had a wide smile on her dimpled face. "I like you Nick!" she exclaimed.
A small tone of red started to appear on the surprised scoundrel. "U - um," he shook his head. "Don't call me Nick girl!" He tried acting tough once more.
"I'll stop calling you Nick if you stop calling me girl. Savvy?" she backed away from Nicholas. "Let him go. He's harmless enough." she nodded to Araja.
With that, Araja let go of Nicholas's arms and pushed him forward. The boy stepped into a fighting stance. Yet, the captain was still very calm.
"Name's Ren Whitesman. You can call me Ren." She held out her hand that was not occupied by the sword. "I'd like you to join my crew!"
Astonished, Nicholas hesitantly put out his hand. At the last moment he slapped the girl's hand out of the way. "I refuse to take orders from a little girl! And I refuse to work with no pay!"
The pirates around the two all drew their swords. They were ready to kill this rude, ungrateful thief. However, little Captain Ren stayed still, grinning.
"Nick, I greatly implore you to join my crew." she said peacefully. "Yes, I would be your Captain. But I would not be in control of you. When on my ship, you are like apart of a family, not some sort of business. And, it seems, you have no where else to go."
Nicholas's head hung low. He could hardly face the fact that what she said about him was, indeed, true. "I told you to stop calling me Nick." He whispered. He looked up at Ren. "Especially if I'm going to stick around. I don't want to hear that every bloody day, alright?" his rough lips pressed together as he thought of what's to come next.
"Alright. Nico than!" The Captain yelled.
"No!" Nicholas stomped his foot.
"It's already your name! Deal with it!" The Captain turned around and started walking to her study. "Men, back to work! And get this boy some proper sailing clothes!" She shouted behind her. Then she walked into her study, slamming the door behind her.
"Well, ya heard her mate! Let's go get ya some clothes." one of the older, fatter pirates went up to Nico and gave him a pat on the shoulder.
"Is she always like that?" He asked, still unsure of what just happened.
"Yessiree! Infact I'm surprised the Cap'm wasn't louder!" he chuckled.
* * * * *
"Yes, you were quite bossy back then." Nico chuckled drunkenly. "But you were pretty cute too. Still are actually - "
Nico saw Ren had fallen asleep on his shoulder next to him. With the rum bottle in her hands. He smiled.
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