Saving the Assassin Prince

A midnight sail

Prince Erikk 

The wind howled mournfully, its sharp blasts snapping at the sails. Dark clouds loomed ahead, making the evening sky glow eerily. The sea whispered underneath my feet as we stealthily slid through the evermore-growing choppy waves. My hair coming loose from its bind, my black overcoat flapping in the wind. 

My first assassin mission. The thought pranced through my mind, the excitement and dread running through me. This was my first time off the island of Tyras in the years since I ran from my kingdom and father. As the eldest and only son of my father, I was heir to the kingdom of Localt. I was expected to behave and rule as my father, but upon growing up and realizing the truth. I ran from it instead of staying and trying to fix it. I knew my father was a harsh man, I just didn't realize how evil he was till a few years ago. In my effort to get away from my father I did the one thing that went against my moral character, I became an assassin. After years of struggle, with both physical and mental torture, I am here today with my first mission. I was trained in both weapons and poisons, stealth and skill. As well as my least favorite... torture. 

But considering how my own father treats his subjects, the methods of torture I learned are nothing to compare. His ways are worse than how many other kingdoms would treat their servants, the lowest of the low. 

My mission was to rid the world of evil, even if I had to kill to gain it. My first target is a brutal pirate king, well former pirate king. He still stands as a threat to the kingdoms. The pirates that roam the seas are the worst kind of scum, each evil in their own kind. When the different bands of pirates fight, it is as if the sea has become blood and the land hell. I don't understand why the kingdoms don't band together and rid the world of these monsters. But I suppose most of the kings and queens are too full of themselves to care much for the havoc the pirates rage in their kingdoms.

I scan the open sea nervously in search of any ships other than mine. Or more specifically Captain Domlp, who was standing beside me at the helm of the ship. His knuckles moved relentlessly on the wheel, his wiry white brows scrunched together as he scanned the horizon. His white hair blew wildly behind him in the wind, his captain hat completely bare of the numerous feathers that once occupied it. He was one of the few friends I made on the island of Tyras, even though he and I were nearly complete opposites. His personality was wild and untamable, whereas I was rather sonic for my age. Rebellion was just a stage, that I was still in. 

"Tis a bad one, mayhaps ye better go down below, highness," Domlp says over the wind as the waves start to worsen, his golden tooth glittering in the freshly lit lanterns. I frown at the formal address as I reply. 

"I am not afraid of a little wind and water." 

"Aye, but ye should be."

"Your words do not scare me, captain," I respond clasping my hands behind my back and straightening. He raises his eyebrow in response, and I raise one in return. 

"Yer funeral." He mutters with a small smile forming. "If ye ain't going below, ye best get to work."

I roll my eyes in response, his idea of putting me to work mainly consisted of mopping, sweeping, and unloading buckets of seawater off the rails. Which with that very thought he hands me a bucket and jerks his head at the deck. I take the bucket and tromp down the steps to the main deck, water already sloshing at my ankles. Despite being a prince Domlp didn't take any person being lazy on his ship. 

Soon we entered under the clouds and instantly the wind increased, and rain started down upon us in torrents; waves growing larger and more dangerous underneath us. Within seconds my clothes were soaked in the combination of salty sea water and rain. 

I sputtered as a particularly large wave crashed down on me, making me lose all my balance. I got up quickly and began to haul water over the edge again. It was an unfortunate never-ending battle. Captian Domlp had long before called on all hands on deck, as we entered the middle of this intense ocean storm. I was tempted to take back Domlp's offer to go below deck, but I was not going to be a coward because of a few intense waves... and what the hell was that? 

Through the lightning, you could barely make out the tremendous waves as they roared closer. As they grew closer they blocked out the sky, one after another. I have never known real fear until this very moment. The whole crew stopped their work as they gazed petrified at what was crashing upon them. Our ship rose and rose till it seemed as if we were completely vertical. As the wave struck the mast splintered and fell upon the ship with it. 

"Jump, Erikk!" Captian Domlp screamed over the roar, his voice gurgling underwater as I jumped. Into the cold dark abyss.