Across the Seven Seas

Chapter 3: Exchanging

The swaying of the ship made it easier for Lloyd to nod off into unconsciousness. Although his mind was still filled to the brim with questions. Like what was happening above deck earlier? And why did pirates want to capture him? Why was he so special? Despite all his thoughts, Lloyd still slid quietly into sleep. A sleep that was abruptly interrupted.

Lloyd found himself laying on the musty ground when he awoke. He sluggishly lifted his body up into a sitting position. He looked around at his surroundings with tired eyes. His gold-green eyes found themselves stopping on a figure of a girl staring intently at him with fierce bright green eyes. Startled Lloyd jumped backward with a yelp.

The girl put a pale finger up to her lips, "Quiet. Everyone above deck is sleeping and I do not need you waking them up with your ruckus."

"W-who are you?" Lloyd stammered as his heart drummed against his ribs.

The mysterious girl pulled a strand of slivery hair behind her ear, "The person who is going to get you out of this cell. Unless you would rather sit and rot here."

"No, no, please get me out of here!" Lloyd scrambled forward and wrapped his hands around the rusting bars of his cell.

The girl smiled, "Gladly." She pulled out a ring of ancient looking keys out of her pocket, selected one, and unlocked the cell's door. She then slowly opened it trying to make the least amount of noise possible.

Lloyd watched this process with eager eyes, itching to get off of this godforsaken pirate ship. As soon as the door was open Lloyd walked out of it swiftly without hesitation. He turned to the girl who was closing and locking the cell back up.

"Thank you so much," Lloyd gasped with relief.

The girl gave a small smile, "No need to thank me. Here," she held a slightly dusty tan cloak out for Lloyd to take, "put this on. Maybe if we run into anyone you won't be as recognizable."

"Ok," Lloyd took the cloak and hesitantly put it on. It was slightly too large for him and he had to roll up the sleeves.

"Now follow me, and keep quiet if you want to get off this ship." The girl instructed in a whispering tone.

Lloyd nodded and followed the girl up the stairs and out of the holding cells. The two made their way swiftly and quietly across the ship heading to where the emergency row boats were. The girl got into the small boat first and motioned for Lloyd to join her once she was seated. Lloyd carefully climbed into the little boat, trying his best not to look down at the churning black sea water miles below him. The girl, once both escapees were safely situated in their getaway boat, carefully lowered them into the water below. Once the boat was bobbing in the water she cut the ropes holding the boat with a sword from her side. Together the two bobbed up and down in the boat watching the large pirate ship sail away unaware of any of the events that had transpired.

Lloyd looked around at the endless ocean surrounding the little boat. He then turned back to the girl, "Now what? Where are you planning to take me now?"

"Don't worry," the girl said, "there's someone already on their way to get us." She pointed to where,in the darkness farther away, a large ship sat on the waves.

If Lloyd squinted and focused hard enough he saw another small boat, slightly larger than his own,  rowing towards them. Who was it though? Some kind of navy? More pirates?? The girl waved her arms around and called out to the small boat. Soon the boat came closer and someone in it waved back. The two small boats gently came to a stop against each other. There were two people in the other boat, one held a lamp which illuminated a small area around him and the other rowed the boat. The one with the lamp was a boy who looked slightly older than Lloyd himself with tan skin and dark green eyes and extremely messy brown hair. A scar ran down the side or his face. The other was a girl around the same age as the boy with vibrant red hair that was thrown in a messy pony tail held together with an orange bandanna that matched her eyes.

"Good work, Pixal, the captain will be pleased  that everything went according to plan," the boy said with a smile.

Lloyd's rescuer, Pixal, shrugged, "It was not very hard. There were no guards or anything watching him." She pointed her thumb at Lloyd.

"Well, we're glad that you're both ok," the boy said and offered a hand to Lloyd, which Lloyd hesitantly took. "The name's Kai, by the way. And this is Skylor."

The girl with the oars waved a hand at Lloyd while Pixal climbed out of her stolen boat and into the other. Lloyd looked around at the group of people who had saved him and gulped. I'm hoping that these guys aren't more pirates. I'm too afraid to ask. Too afraid that I already know the answer.

Skylor set off rowing again turning the boat back in the direction of the larger ship. As they neared the ship Lloyd filled with dread, the ship sure looked like a pirate ship with its ominous dragon head at the front of it.

I'm being exchanged from one group of pirates to the next! Just like some kind of cargo or treasure! Lloyd thought with his fists clenched, The worst part is that I can't even do anything about it. I'm unarmed for starters, and even if I did have a weapon, there's no way I could take on an entire ship filled with pirates by myself! Even if I could, where would I go? I have no idea where I am and no idea of how to get back home.

Lloyd ran a hand through his golden locks in frustration as he wondered what this next group of pirates would have in store for him next.

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Wow, another chapter! Sorry it's been so long. I've been pretty unmotivated and I didn't know what to write next. But now you have this chapter to enjoy until next time!

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