Of Marines and Pirates (Trafalgar Law) (EDITING)

Prologue

Oh what had I gotten myself into this time? The storm was terrible and we were still far from shore. Rain beat down on the ship in buckets, it was impressive we hadn't sunk yet with how much water was coming down. I mopped back the strands of my hair plastered to my face. Lightning was getting closer and closer. Any second now the jagged bolts were going to strike the masts of the ship.

Another flash lit up the sky. I saw the lookout in the crow's nest. He looked to be struggling with something. The lightning continued to get closer.

"Get down here!" I screamed to the lookout at the top of my lungs.

He didn't hear me. The lookout continued to struggle around up there. At this rate he was going to get electrocuted. Looking around I tried to find something, anything to get his attention with. No swords or knives at my sides and nothing within my immediate reach. Another crew mate slammed into my shoulder.

"Hey!" I yelled. He didn't even acknowledge me.

At this rate I would have to climb up there myself. Taking a deep breath I grabbed onto the mast and started to climb. From my peripherals I could see the lightning leaping ever closer. Rain pelted my face obscuring my vision. I had to stop long enough to mop the bangs out of my face again.

"Hey get down!" I tried again.

"I can't!" He finally answered back, voice strained. I jumped into the crow's nest.

Not only was I up to my waist in water as most of the crow's nest was flooded but I got smacked across the face with rope. The lookout was flailing around with most of the rope attempting to unwind it from the mast. His hair was plastered to his head, soaked cap jammed down so far on his head it almost obscured his eyes. "We need to get out of here! The lightning is going to strike soon!" The wind yanked at the sails and they shrieked.

"We have to unwind this first! If we don't the mast stands a good chance of snapping due to the tension on the sails!"

I frowned and grabbed the rope as well, "Then let's get to it!"

It went much faster with two of us working on it. The wind howled and beat on the wailing sails. From the corner of my eye I noticed the lightning strike the mast to the far right. There was a single pop and a flash before complete silence save for a low-key ringing. We shared a mutual look of fear and went faster. Our hands fumbled with the soaked, fraying rope.

The last coil of rope was shoved into my hands right as the lightning hit. The world lit up. My eyes met with the lookout's. I could see the frightened whites of his eyes before everything went white.

"Rayne!"

I sat bolt right gasping, one hand to my heaving chest. My heart thrummed beneath my fingers slamming into my rib cage. Where was I? Blinking the sleep away I sat up and stretched. As always there he was, kneeling next to me with that dopey smile and warm brown eyes. He tapped a finger against my nose. "It seems you fell asleep in the library again."

"Hm," I hummed twisting around the crack my spine. The book I'd forgotten about in my lap tumbled down to the floor. "Sorry Atticus."

He shrugged and picked up the book, "If it were up to me you know I'd let you sleep. As it is, I received word that Admiral Akainu arrived back onto the island early this morning."

"Did he? Hm..." I flinched as Atticus patted my face.

"Wake up Raynie, you know–

"Darling come greet your father!" I wrinkled my nose as my mother's voice cut through Atticus's hushed words. Atticus winced backing away to a safe distance. He and my mother never got along and as my attendant he could easily be fired for the smallest infractions. My mother was certainly a stickler for details as it was, she had eyes and ears everywhere.