After supper, Raven had returned to her lower deck quarters, still reeling with shock and excitement from the night’s events. She was both nervous and excited for her new start in London. In truth, being a governess was not her ideal future, but there would be no complaining on her end, of course. Maybe, in time, she could be allowed to pursue some of her own passions as well, such as writing or painting. Either way, as long as Linda was in her life, all would be well.

However, the high she had experienced from supper quickly faded as an alarm sounded out upon the boat just hours later. Raven immediately pulled herself out of bed and let her curiosity get the best of her as she wandered around to get some answers.

*

"What is going on?" she asked one of the deckhands on her level.

The man turned to her with a pale and nervous look. "I do believe it is a pirate sighting,” he said numbly.

Raven gasped with shock and fear.

"P-Pirates?" she exclaimed.

The man nodded. “Indeed. It might be best for you hide the raid out miss. If we are lucky, none of them will look down here for valuables,” he gulped.

Raven frowned, unsure of such a cowardly plan.

"But what good will that do? If they decide to sink the ship we all die!" she snapped.

The man just shrugged, gulping down a mug of beer he had been holding on to.

"Well, your fate might be worse if they catch you alive. I assume only the wealthy will be making it to the escape boats, and that's if the pirates don't find them first. You're a goner anyways, so it would be best to spare yourself any further sufferings, miss,” he replied.

Raven scowled at the drunkard with disdain. "Fine, go hide away and die if that is your wish! But I shall go and fight!" she hissed.

The man burst out in bellowing laughter as she turned ran through the halls, looking around for some kind of weapon she could use. She dared a filthy pirate to so much as touch her!

Suddenly, another alarm came, indicating what Raven assumed was the actual start of the pirate’s attack. She quickly dashed up to the higher levels, searching desperately for signs of Linda or Dashon. People were running around frantically now, screaming and shoving each other around in a frightened frenzy. Raven immediately ran to her sister’s room, but saw no signs of her within. Then she pushed her way through the crowds up to the upper deck, praying that her sister had not been captured or injured.

And then she saw it all. The fire, the screaming, the dirty men attacking, the countless people running away from the raiders. Chaos in every sense of the word. Yet, still she saw no signs of Linda! Was she alright, was she—?

Raven let out a shocked gasp as she finally spotted her dear sister. She was in the arms of a large pirate, being carried off like an animal as Dashon lay unconscious or dead out on the ground.

"I GOT HER, BOSS! I GOT HER!" her captor shouted to the others.

"No!" Raven screamed, running after the kidnapper.

"Raven!" Linda cried out fearfully.

In an instant Raven picked up her pace and quickly lunged for her sister's hand, pulling herself up on the barbarian carrying her. Then she scratched at his eyes with her sharp nails, causing the man to scream with pain and release them both.

“Quickly, Linda!”

Raven snatched up her dazed sister’s hand and turned to run, but another pirate stood in her way. He was very tall and handsome, waiting there with his sword pointed at the two of them dangerously.

“Tsk, tsk. Where are you going, ladies?" he chuckled.