Clank…Clank…Clank…

My eyes fluttered open lazily. I lifted my head to see where the noise had come from. The pale morning light filtering in through the porthole illuminated the bits of dust particles that seemed to be suspended in the air. Aside from that, there was no one. My head fell back against the rotting wood, closing my eyes again. Sleeping pulling me back into darkness.

Clank…Clank…Clank…

I sat up quickly. Once was one thing but this happened again. My eyes frantically searched the dull space. Looking for the culprit. After a moment I was about to resign only to pause. A dark hand slid from the darkness, his fingers wrapped firmly around a glittering schmitter.

Clank…Clank…

“What do you want?” I broke the silence. Crossing my small cell I put my face between the bars to try and see what it was. Dark thoughts began to surface of the crew coming down to torment their gangly prisoner. The man, thing, laughed. It was the type of laugh that sent chills up your spine and raised the hair on your arms. More of a growl than a chuckle.

“You’re the prisoner?” The thing's voice echoed in the silence. Or maybe it caused the silence.

“Are you one of the crew? The captain won’t be please you’re down here.” I spoke in a vain attempt of sounding threatening but the words seemed lost in the space between us. It stepped from the shadows, causing me to stumble backward. The blood in my veins turning to ice.

“Well, I can assure you he isn’t pleased to know I am on the ship,” the thing smirked, revealing sharpened teeth, then he frowned, his eyebrows scrunching in confusion. “Though now I think about it, he won’t be pleased.”

“You’re here to kill me aren’t you? That’s the only reason they’d send one of your kind,” I spat venomously at him, though keeping my distance. He chuckled and moved closer, sheathing his blade. He wrapped his hands firmly around the iron bars between us. I backed up as far as I could, my back hitting the wall of the ship. I was trapped. Without thinking I shut my eyes, not able to face my death.

A deafening crash ripped through the silence. Dust or shattered bits of metal and wood showered my face. I involuntarily sneezed and opened my eyes. The dust settled and I was able to make out the figure standing a few feet in front of me where the bars of the cell how been.

“If you don’t move now, I can promise I won’t have to kill you. Now, come on,” he scoffed. He waved his hands around clearing the dust. I stared at him slack-jawed. He didn’t wait long, he quickly turned and walked out of the cell. After a moment's hesitation, I followed silently behind him. We ascended the stairs to the upper deck, the wood creaking beneath our boots.

A blast of salty air hit my face before I saw the bright daylight. I couldn’t suppress a smile as we reached the main deck. The mercenary threw his hand out to stop me from moving forward and held up a finger to silence me. I glowered at him but then he pointed across the deck. Crew members were washing the wood planks and some were just lounging. Their deadly saber’s glinting in the dying sunlight.

“How the hell did you get on the ship?” I hissed.

“You forget, I may pass through solid objects if I please. I swam aboard,” he said it as if it were simple.

“Of course you did, you’re a monster,” I snapped. He glared at me ruefully.

“Here’s the plan…,” he started and had me move closer to him. I felt him place his hands on my shoulders, the iciness of them seeping through the thin cotton. Before I could protest he shoved me forward with force. I stumbled out into the open and spun around, staring at him in bewilderment. I was about to launch myself back down the stairs but it was already too late. The crew was beginning to turn toward me, drawing their blades.

I glanced around for the nearest weapon. There was nothing. I looked out over the boat, my chances of surviving in the ocean were slim to none, especially with night falling. The sharks would be tailing us. I groaned. I don’t know why I expect the thing to actually help me escape the ship. There was no escape. The ocean expanded in all directions around us.

“Now tell me, prince, how did you escape?” I spun around, the captain stood behind me, his blade pointed directly at my throat. I could hear the shuffle of feet as the crew began to surround me.

“I- a mercenary, he released me. I don’t know,” I mumbled.

“A mercenary?” The captain threw his head back cackling. “Here that? The royal pain has begun hallucinating. What do we do to crew members who fall ill?”

“Feed them to the sharks!” They all seemed to cheer in unison. I swallowed. He betrayed me. I took a few steps back and froze. Pain seared through me from my center.

I dared to look down, a once clean blade was now stained a dark red. Fat drops of blood fell onto the deck. The blade was pulled from me and I slid to the ground. Faintly as I slid into the darkness I made out the tell tale chink’s of metal on metal. I could’ve sworn I heard the mercenary say:

“I was paid to kill him, and they will always get their money’s worth. You guys? You’re just a bonus.”