The Sole Prince

You don't speak much, do ya? [part 1]

The prince would scream if he wasn't frozen in shock. The now-dead pirate collapses to the floor, revealing the man who stabbed him, who is surprisingly the same height as the prince. Which is an awful thing for the prince to notice while his life is on the line, yes, but it's weird; most killers are tall. The man, now removing his sword from the dead man, wears a flimsy white shirt that contrasts his dark skin, tucked into black pants. Blood decorates the white, some dry and deeper, some wet and vibrant—this wasn't his first kill. He looks towards the prince, stepping into the room and raising his blades towards the prince's neck.

"Who are you?" the killer asks, inching closer to the prince. The prince backs up until he's against the wall, questions running through his head instead of an answer escaping his lips. "What's your name?"

"I—I'm James. I'm a prisoner," the prince manages to get out. The man twirls his wrist, and thus sword, in a circle signifying for the prince to continue. "I was on a ship to Sardonia from Roriark, and it was hijacked by the pirates on this ship, and they took me as the sole survivor." James gets it all out in one breath, managing not to lie yet also not disclose the full truth. No need for the killer to know he's a prince, no?

"Well, you sure didn't look like a pirate," the man says with a smirk. "Takes one to know one, that is," the pirate continues, still not lowering his blade and keeping it at James's neck. He keeps it there, seemingly more for protection than attack, for safety rather than malice. "Are you telling me the truth?" The prince nods instantly. The pirate lowers his blade and starts walking back and forth in the room. "This your bucket?" he adds, pointing to the bucket on the floor with an extended blade. The prince nods again. "They really did have you locked up, huh?" Another nod. "That man," he says, now pointing to the dead body on the floor. "He was saying something about you doing maps, huh?" Nod. "You don't speak much, do ya?" This time it's a shake. The pirate laughs. "You might not speak, but you sure do have a lot of thoughts behind those eyes, huh?" The prince neither nods nor shakes his head, so the pirate decides to continue talking.

"Alright, alright. I don't like to kill unarmed folks, so how about I strike a bargain with you? Feel free to say 'no.' I won't take it for an answer, of course, but feel free to say it." The pirate laughs a little before continuing. "Alright, well, how 'bout I don't kill you and you become a prisoner for us instead? That is if the captain allows it. He ain't known for taking prisoners. If anything, you'll be more like a crew-soner. Part of the crew, but without any of the rewards." The prince doesn't know what else to do, so he just nods. "Perfect. I'm Eric, by the way," he says, extending an arm for a handshake. His dark skin shines in the setting sun as James reaches out with his to shake. "And just know, if you try anything, my sword is less than an arm's length away. I may not like it, but I'll do it." Eric finishes with a wink. "Okay, follow me."

The pirate, Eric, turns on his heels and walks out the door, elongating his step only slightly in order to step over the dead body. It takes a moment for the prince to register he's supposed to go too, and, as he walks out the door, he makes a point to not look down.

James had never seen the ship other than the cabin he was kept in due to the fact he was unconscious as he was originally brought aboard. Though, now that he's actually seeing it, he realizes that he's not missing much. The hallway that the two of them walk through is quite dismal, with more broken wood beams than undamaged ones. It's halfway through the hallway that James finally registers all the screaming and shouts that are coming from ahead of him, his heart rate finally settling down to a place that he can actually hear something outside of his body. Well, so much for a calm heart rate. As the two continue to walk the hallway, the yells only get louder and louder, the prince now able to hear the clashing of swords and some distinct words. Nearing the end of the hallway lies a staircase seemingly up to the main deck. To the right of it is an open door where a big, burly man lays dead, blood pooled around his body. Eric turns over to it before taking his first step on the stairs, and points to the limp body with his sword. "That could have been you if you had tried to attack me," the pirate says with a grin, turning back around and stepping onto the staircase. "You made a good choice."