The chill woke Anne up earlier than she had hoped.  It was freezing outside even though summer was just a few weeks away.  Trying to get warm, she sat up and drew her legs to her breasts and wrapped the dirty grey wool blanket tighter around her small frame.  The entire time she sat there, she believed she was alone, but when she heard a slight shuffle toward the aft side of the vessel, she quickly shot a glance to her right.  Or she thought the sound was aft, for just to her left, or port side, only a few meters away was Capt. Doran.  He was looking out over the sea and toward other ships.  She wasn’t sure if he knew she was there, so she did her best to remain quiet.

The captain, she had to admit, was a rather good-looking man.  He was tall, without being scary like Kenward, and had dark brown hair and eyes.  His beard was nicely trimmed, and he was always impressively dressed albeit somewhat casually. 

Anne watched him as he stood there and began to wonder what sort of adventures he had been on, or if he had ever fought pirates.  O how marvelous that would be!  She would absolutely love to fight off pirates by his side and save the day!  Caught up in her own fantasies, she hadn’t realized the captain had said something to her.

“You know, it is quite impolite to stare,” he mentioned but never looked in her direction.  Wondering who he was speaking to, Anne looked to see if anyone else were around.  “Why are you sleeping above deck anyway,” he asked still facing the sea.

Knowing now, he had to be speaking to her, Anne stood and began to move toward him.  “Last night, Dyson tripped me, and I dropped a bowl of soup at Kenward’s feet.  Kenward then told me I had to sleep up here.”

Doran shook his head.  “Did you get to eat dinner?”         

“No.”  Then switching the subject, “I’m sorry, Captain, but which ship is it that draws your interest?”

Again, Doran shook his head, but this time he turned to look at his companion.  “I come here every morning before dawn to think.  I just find it easier to contemplate life’s many peculiarities when everyone is asleep, and things are quiet.”  Then he looked back out to the sea where several ships made their way to and fro.

Anne stood silent for a moment wondering if she should leave him alone and then decided against it.  “I didn’t see you here yesterday.”

He smiled, “I try to get here before the new kid gets his early start.”

“Oh.  Well, speaking of early starts, I suppose I should begin swabbing the deck,” she attempted a half-hearted joke.  Then, “Um, before I leave may I ask you one last thing?”  Doran once more looked to his young man; this time with a wry look and one raised brow.  Taking that to mean, yes, Anne asked her question.  “Have you ever seen a pirate,” she knew she sounded more like a pre-pubescent schoolboy than a man, but she didn’t really care.  When he gave her an odd look, Anne thought perhaps she should explain why she had asked such a peculiar question.  “Please, do not believe I wish to come in contact with any; although, I am not afraid of a fight.  I was just wondering if you had seen them and what they were like if you had.”

Smiling then, Doran explained, “Andrew, pirates are precisely the sort of people a captain hopes never to come across, and luckily, I have had the great fortune of having not seen one.  However, if we do happen to come across a pirate ship, I want you to know, my men’s safety comes before anything we may be hauling.”  He had turned completely toward her and was moving his hands as he spoke.  “You see, unlike some of the other ships at port, my ship has many family men aboard, and dead, they will no longer be able to support their wives, children… mistresses.” He winked.  “Of course, there are some men onboard, like Dyson, who hope to die in a blaze of glory; however, my first concern is, and always will be, my men. If the pirates merely wish to steal our merchandise, then they can have it.”

Anne was not at all expecting this sort of response from a ship’s captain.  Weren’t they supposed to be all bravado?  She wasn’t quite sure how she should respond.  “Well, I’m sure the men appreciate that.”

“Do you?”

Treading carefully, Anne spoke her mind.  “Actually, I am quite surprised by your response, and I must admit, were I you, I would try to protect our cargo.  Not because I don’t worry about our loved ones at home, but because I feel if we roll over and hand them what they want, they’ll expect us to do so every time.  If that happens, the crew won’t have to worry about working aboard the Survivor because the Survivor would not have survived.  The pirates would prey on us every chance they could, and soon after, the merchants wouldn’t send their goods via this ship because they’d realize we were all cowards.”

“You make a very interesting point,” Doran smiled.

Anne hadn’t noticed the captain’s smiles, and therefore continued to re-emphasize her point.  “Of course, I do.  And perhaps you should further consider what I have said and contemplate tactics to help the ship and crew in case of any such situation.”

“Thank you for the advice,” the captain still had a smile in his voice as he spoke.

Still missing the smile, she nodded.  “You’re very welcome. Now if you’d excuse me, I should begin my daily chores.”  Anne rapping her blanket tighter, started toward the supply closet.

Halfway there, the captain called to her, “Andrew!  Once you have finished your morning duties, I would like you to join me in my cabin for breakfast.  Perhaps then we can further discuss tactics.”  Then trying not to chuckle, he turned back to the sea.

When Thaniel entered his bedroom the night after Anne’s disappearance, he found Reyna on the floor trying to muffle her sobs.  Seeing, his usually resilient wife in tears, nearly ripped Thaniel apart.  Reyna was usually the one to make all the tough decisions in the family, but now he could see she was just as lost as he was.  That realization was almost more than he could bear, for it meant Anne was not coming home. It meant the last hope was shattered.  He almost felt; prior to seeing her there, that if someone believed Anne would be home, then she would be.  However, knowing how Ethana felt and seeing Reyna this way, left him positively hopeless.  Instead of joining Reyna’s side, Thaniel fell to the ground in the doorway and wept whole-heartedly for the loss of his daughter, and over the events which had led to her disappearance.

Ethana heard the sobs of her father, becoming more frightened, she ran to him.  She held him in her arms and rocked him back and forth as her mother looked on.  Slowly she began to caress his head and asked herself what Anne would do if it were she who was missing.  Surprisingly, putting herself in Anne’s shoes was not as difficult as she had always believed.  She knew she had to be daring, fearless, and bold.  It was in that moment that she decided to ask the King and Queen for help.