The Pirate Prince of the Ice Sea (Book 1 of The Legend Of Kaleania)

Chapter 7

I woke up to the sound of Verui's voice. "Arak, wake up!" I slowly opened my eyes to find him shaking me.

"What is it?" I asked, wearily.

"Pirates are here," said the mother. She stood at the barricaded door and I got up to walk towards her. She was right. Pirates ran up and down the streets, seemed to be looking for something.

"Do you know the reason why they're here this time?" I asked. Pirates always came to Akaenia for some kind of reason on every Sa'adi. She shook her head.

"I know naught," she said. " But I've overheard them talking about a boy of fifteen. I think that's why they are here. They're probably searching for that boy."

"But the only ones that are fifteen are Kan and I," I said. The boys in the village and in the castle are either younger or older I was. "Then that must mean,"

"You must leave here," she finished.

"What about Kan?" I asked. I wasn't really worried but if the pirates were after us, then I have to at least warn him.

"That's not all I heard," she said. "They said that they weren't just looking for a normal boy. They were looking for the slave prince." My breath became shallow and realized that the pirates were looking me.

"I'll fight them all," I said.

"What?" they asked in unison. I nodded.

I balled my hands into fists and said, "I'll fight them all and kill the captain." I might have very little skills of fighting with a sword but I have my dagger and my courage.

"Arak, I know I said that you have to face your fears but there will be a time where you have to run away like right now." she stated. She grabbed my arm and started begging me not to do it. "What would your mother say to you if she was in my place?" That made me stop. I turned to face her and I saw tears in her eyes.

"I won't go, alright?" I asked. She nodded. "So I'll leave Akaenia before they get a chance to get to me," I gently pulled her arm off mine and started leaving.

"Thank you, Arak, for everything," said Verui.

"Your welcome and thank you for being my mother for a few hours," I said. I left and headed towards the port where I planned on getting to Jewthrain, a kingdom that wasn't far from Akaenia but still far to make my escape.

I paid the man at the harbor 3 Kyiv since I didn't have much left. He told me to get on and I did. Another man gestured me to the storage where I could sleep since the other places on the ship were full.

I thanked him and went down to the storage area where barrels of rum and gunpowder were stacked. I took off my cloak so I could use it as a blanket. I laid down on the not-so-soft wood with Sarngika resting on the crook of my neck. "Good night, Sarngika," and with that, I closed my eyes and rested.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I woke up to find myself in some kind of prison cell. I automatically knew that I wasn't in the storage of the ship that was suppose to be taking me to Jewthrain.

The prison cell was everything in black. The cell bars went horizontally and vertically. Torches lit the hall like the hall that lead to the king's study. The only daylight was the opening on the ceiling with a set of stairs that lead above. "Well, this is great," I mumbled to myself. "First day of freedom and I'm locked in a prison cell."

"You're in the brig, twerp," said a voice. At first I thought it was Asher but the voice I heard belonged to a girl. I saw her on the bottom of the stairs and she walked towards me.

Her wavy long blonde hair was tied in a braid that went over her shoulder. Her skin was like a reflection of the moon at night. She wore a dark blue captain's coat that split into two tails at the back. Her skirt was up to her thighs and wore black leather boats that went up over her knees. She had a pistol in her belt and a sword at one side and a machete at the other.

"Why am I here?" I asked. I went up to the cell bars and stared into her crystal blue eyes.

"Captain Derek has ordered us to search for a boy of fifteen in Akaenia and I knew that there is two boys of that same age. A prince by royal blood and a slave prince." she explained.

"Then tell the captain that I won't be in a cell, treated like an animal." I said.

"Listen, you silly little runt, the captain's been dead for fourteen years now," she said. "And the Black Diamond has been sailing the sea with no captain for that time. Captain said not to vote for a captain since he had a son before he got himself killed."

"Wait," I said. "Let me get this right. The captain of the Black Diamond was killed about fourteen years ago and he appointed for no one to be the next captain except his son which you think might be me?" She nodded. "Then why would you think it's me?"

"You're basically the spitting image of Derek, pirate captain and pirate king of the Ice Sea." she said.

"This is happening so fast," I muttered. "Why hasn't anyone told me?"

"They probably wanted to protect you," she said.

"Protect him? From what?" asked Sarngika. He woke up and flew onto my shoulder.

"Well if it isn't the troublemaker," the girl said.

"Hello, Kara," he mumbled.

"You two know each other?" I asked.

"Remember when I said I was your father's bird?" I nodded. "Well I was on this ship with him and Kara, his first mate."

"I'm afraid we've never been properly introduced," she said. "I'm Lady Kara Jewthrain, first mate of Captain Derek and former princess of the Kingdom of Jewthrain." So, she was a princess of the kingdom that I was going to have my first taste of feeling free.

"Arak Aiken, slave prince of the Kingdom Akaenia and a runaway," I said.

"Runaway?" she asked, confused.

"On the night that I was crowned, I ran away since I wasn't ready to become prince." I answered. "Anyway, what was so important that my mother would give me up for protection?"

"Evil is brewing on the Ice Sea, Arak." Kara went up to the cell bars and was directly in my face. "The seven pirate lords want the son of Derek to drive the evil away. Arak, the Ice Sea has become a cage for pirates over the last two centuries. The crew and I have longed for freedom and same did your father." A tear slid down her cheek and I felt sorry for her. "Your our only hope, many other pirates have lost their lives for only a little bit of freedom and have given up but the Black Diamond crew never gave up searching for you. Arak, become the Captain and the Pirate Prince and restore hope and freedom." What was I suppose to do? Her speech was moving and it felt like it wanted me to do it.

"How much time do we have?" I asked.

"Two months on the eve of the new moon," she answered.

"I'll do it but one question," I said.

"Yes?"

"Who is doing this to everyone and what was my parents trying to protect me from?" I asked.

"Hotaru Neikan. She's the one who killed your father after she was trying to kill you and killed your mother after she'd given you up." she answered.

"Let me out," I muttered. "Let me out to avenge their deaths," She unlocked the door.

"So will you do it?" she asked.

"Aye, I will become captain of the Black Diamond and the Pirate Prince."