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

Chapter 12

I woke up to find that it was daylight and that I was still at the desk. Sarngika seemed that he was freaking out. I asked what was wrong and he said, "You've been sleeping for three straight days! Kara and I tried to wake you up but you didn't. Kuala brought in two days of food for you and he also tried to wake you up." I was stunned. Have I really been sleeping for three days? I looked out the the window and I noticed that the ship had stop. That meant only one thing: We were in the Kingdom of Akaenia.

I got up and rushed out the door while I put the necklace back on and Sarngika following behind me. I got onto the main deck to find everyone looking at me with their arms crossed and angry expressions on their faces. Kara's was the one that scared me the most.

"What in Kerala's Firealm were you dreaming about?" she yelled. She went up to me with her knife at my scar.

"Well, I'm sorry for worrying you but I don't remember," I said. She backed away and placed her knife back in its sheath.

"Changing the subject," she said. I could've sworn that I heard that line before but I didn't remember who said it. She turned toward the crew and shouted, "Some of you will go with me and Airom while the rest of you stay with the ship." I was confused. Why would Kara go to see the prince that she was supposed to marry? I shook my head, trying to get the question out of it. Now's not the time for questioning, I thought.

Some of the men climbed down the ladder that lead to a boat that was already in the water with Aka hanging onto the rope. I moaned, knowing that pig headed moron was coming along. I climbed down and into the boat with the other following.

"Look who's coming along with us?" he said. "It's the kid pirate prince captain." A few men tried to hide a snicker but it didn't help since I already knew.

I didn't know what made me do it but something snapped inside, causing me grab his collar and shouted in his face, "I've had enough of you making jokes about me! You've been making child wisecracks about me ever since I arrived. And I'm sick and tired of it. A captain might have to tolerate with his crew but when one of his crewmates is talking like a master treats his pet about him, he'll probably snap and cause that man to beg for mercy. I've been down that path, Aka and it isn't pretty. But the roles are reversed in the end. I've always been the one to beg and listen to the person that gives me nothing but disgusting leftovers. I don't want to relive those horrible memories about my slavery. But with you, you're like a someone being somebody he's not. Imagine your life as I had mine for the last fourteen years. Think about the pain and suffering. Think about how your stomach grumbles in the night with only a few bits of scraps, keeping you awake. Think about how weak you are as you work day and night with no breaks. Think how this affects the person you are now."

"I-I'm s-sorry, Captain," he said as I watched tears swell up in his eyes and I thought I just broke him. I let go of his shirt, only to have him fall to his knees and crying at my feet.

"You're right. I know what it's like to be a man that has been stripped of his dignity like an animal. To suffer the pain that the people who were higher than you to make you feel weak and helpless," I knelt down and placed my hand on his shoulder. He looked up at me and I saw the same thing that I saw in Kara's eyes when she told me her back-story, dismay and terrified.

"Don't make fun of a person when he's been through a lot, alright?" I said.

He nodded and wiped his tears with the back of his hand as he got back to rowing towards the village. It was quiet for the next five minutes until we reached the beach. One man asked if we should sneak in the shadows but I said that we will walk in the light. He was about to protest but Kara stopped him by saying that he should follow my orders. With me leading and the others following behind me, we entered the village that I remembered a little. I only remembered that I ran through here away from Asher and that I helped Verui and his mother out of the cold night after I was crowned. People stared at us but mostly at me.