Beyond the sea

CHAPTER ONE

I was dressing in my room when someone barged in, it was Matt Wesley, my best friend, "Anna, general said we should all assemble at the ground" he said immediately "you could have knocked, what if I was naked" I protested as I buttoned up my trousers.

"well that will be a pretty sight" he said and winked

"get out pervert!"

"I love you too" he said and left, idiot, Matt had fawn hair and chestnut brown eyes, we've been best friends for some years now and we both joined the army together when we were eighteen and we've been here for four years now.

I tied my hair into a bun and wore the uniform which was camouflage, I lined up with the rest while the general talked about the new orders from the king.

"one of the royal ships with valuables were attacked by unknown pirates, so the orders were that some of you will be selected to help the Royal Navy to go on the hunt for the pirates and retrieving as many stolen goods as possible.

Is that understood" general visafric explained
"yes sir "we choroused

The general, was a man in his fifties he was tall and had dark hair and equally dark eyes that were like looking into the soul of the devil
"there is also a promotion and reward from the king if you are successful. So the names of those who are selected are, Ray visafric "

"of course he would include his son" Matt whispers in my ear while the man mentions seven more.

"Matt Wesley "the general said "Matt you got chosen, I'm so happy for you " I said excitedly
"and the last but not the least Silvanna Martinez "
"I got in, Whoooooo!!" I screamed and started to celebrate "miss Martinez this is not the time to celebrate, find the stolen goods first " he said silencing my celebration.

"the ten of you will embark on the journey through all the seas for the hunt don't see this as a war but as as a spy mission, be careful and don't get killed" he took a deep breath before he continued "and to the rest of you who are not among these ten shall remain at the base and serve as back up incase anything happens "

**
**

"Tomorrow!, I can't believe we're going tomorrow, this is messed up" I shouted in my room
"you're messed up, they probably chose you because you are the only girl in the army" Matt said "well thanks for reminding me how lucky I am" I said

" true true "

Yeah, that was it, I am the only girl in the army which makes me special because other girls aren't brave enough, so I'm often given special treatment I even have my own room while the others have to share rooms and Matt and I met six years ago since then he had been the only one I have but it wasn't always like that

FLASHBACK SIX YEARS AGO

"happy birthday honey " my mother, Sophia Martinez said as she hugged me, it was my sixteenth birthday and we were having a small party on our ship
"thank you mother " I replied with a smile, I was so happy I blew out the candles on my cake and all the crew members sang happy birthday to me. My father was a sea voyager and merchant he was also the captain of the ship so I lived most of my life on the ship except from when we dock.

After the celebration, I went to look for my father who left the party early on the way, I saw David, he was one of the crew members he was two years older than me and he joined about two months ago, he has always been friendly and nice to me while the others were always so uptight and devoted to there jobs, I decided to ask him of my father's whereabouts
"hey, dave" I called and he looked at me and gave me his sweetest smile

"Hey" He responded and I smiled back
"do you know where my father is?" I asked "at the deck"
"Thanks"

"Wait" He said when I was about to leave I looked at him then he shyly looked down and ruffled his brown hair before bringing out a box and giving it to me
"happy birthday Anna" he said as I collected it "thank you" I said and smiled before leaving. I found my father on the deck as Dave had said.

"father?"

"my baby girl" he said and side hugged me as I came beside him "father, I'm not a baby anymore I'm sixteen now which means I'm almost a woman" I said and he smiled "almost" he repeated then he brought out a beautiful necklace with a blue diamond pendant, I gasped with shock
"This is the most priceless Jewel in the whole of Broganthia, it's our family crest, it was found by my great grandfather who was the greatest sea voyager at his time and it has been passed down to those who choose the same path as he did so when they or their children come back, it would be used as recognition to be given entitled inheritance" he explained "I want you to have this, I feel you have grown and the next time we stop at the city, I'm dropping you off, then you'll take my inheritance, get married and live happily" he continued
"Oh my, thank you father, you're doing this because you know I love the city right?" I said while hugging him "yes, that's my gift to you, happy birthday Silvanna" he said while hugging me back tightly.
Later that night I had slept wearing the necklace but I woke up midnight hearing clanking of swords, I came out of my room to see our men fighting against some pirates. I quickly ran to look for my parents, I saw one trying to take my mother so I quickly went there and knocked him out with a plank of wood "mother are you okay" I asked she suddenly grabbed my shoulders and looked into my eyes, I could feel the fear in her "yes, yes Anna , you have to run, dive into the water and swim aw- "she was cut short by a knife stabbed in her back,"mother! mother!!"
"I love you honey" she whispered before falling down on my neck, my body was tensed, I was shivering with fear and anger, that anger I used in pushing the man to the floor and started punching him, I punched his face until he was bleeding a lot
I got off and started searching for my father. I saw another man, holding him by the neck "where is the diamond "the man asked him "leave my father alone!" I screamed and he turned around and grinned showing his brown teeth and one gold one "oh looky here, a damsel in distress" he said as he walked towards me then he looked at my neck.
"ooh she has the diamond on her neck" He said and I narrowed my eyes at him waiting for him to attack me any moment.
"you look feisty little one, too bad I'm not in the mood to play so be a good girl and hand over the diamond maybe I'll consider sparing your lives" he said as he came closer to me "never, you idiot!" I said looking him straight in the eye no matter how scared I am right now, I made sure I didn't show it, then he started laughing hysterically, he face my father and grinned
"your daughter is really something Martinez" he said and suddenly grabbed my arm violently making me wince in pain "listen you pipsqueak don't make me kill you before I get this necklace" he said
"Anna please listen to him, I don't want you to get hurt" my father said with a look of worry and sadness in his face. I can do this. I thought

"I will never give you my necklace you will have to kill me first" I said and spat on his face, I guess that angered him because he flung me away and I landed pretty bad then three men suddenly came from behind me and grabbed me, I tried fighting them but their grip was strong. They tied me to a pole and one of them snatched the necklace from my neck "No!" l screamed but I was helpless, I looked to my right, I saw that they tied my father too, he was looking up, probably at the sails, I followed his eyes and I saw fire, he was looking at fire, the pirates had set the ship on fire before leaving us tied up. My eyes widened with fear, I struggled to break free but the ropes were too tight, then I saw a figure running towards me, I sighed in relief as I saw Dave, "don't worry, I'm here to help you" he said then cut the ropes, after he freed me, I ran to my father the fire was spreading quickly.
There was a problem, he was tied with chains not ropes.

I couldn't free him.
I couldn't break the chains.
I couldn't help my father.
I could only look at him, he was shouting but I couldn't hear him, I could only hear run, that was when Dave grabbed my hand and ran taking me with him, before I knew it, I felt my self drowning swimming, floating, I don't know which one but whatever, I felt like I was on the verge of death.