We The Kings ( bxb completed)

Chapter 22

"Hear what?" Said Samuel, opening his eyes. 

I looked over in the ocean distance, a ship was coming into the harbor. The waves carried the large ship to the sandy shore.

"It's just a ship, Zander. Probably just pulling into the dock. Don't worry. They can't see us. Or anything were about to do." He put his hand on my cheek and softly caressed me.

"I. I don't know. I think we should get dressed." I said, nervously pulling away from him. I began to walk towards the beach.

I went up and threw my clothes. The bottoms clung to my wet legs. I continued to walk further up the beach. I carried my boots.

Samuel slipped on his clothes quickly and followed me.

"Zander. I get if you're nervous. I know you might be confused right now. But I've been through it too, and I'm here for you, I want you to understand yourself and be comfortable with-."

"Samuel! Run!" I cut him off.

"What?" He said.

"Run!" I pointed behind him. Two men large with swords were running towards us from the ocean. We booked it onto the other side of the beach, running away from them. The sand was tough to run in, it felt coarse and trodden. I slipped and face planted into the golden sand. The men had gotten closer to us. Samuel grabbed me by the arm and yanked me up. He pushed me behind him.

"Stop right there!" Two men came running from the other side of the beach.

"We're surrounded! Give me the dagger!" Samuel instructed. I frantically set the dagger in his hands. He held it up as four men with swords came with us from both directions. We were outnumbered. They stuck their swords out as us.

"What do you want?"

"Drop your dagger, you bastard." One of them scoffed. All of the men were wearing leather clothes, with jackets, and hats. Their swords were jagged and sharp, like glass from a broken mirror.

Samuel hesitated, then released the dagger to the sand.

"We have nothing you want. All of our stuff was already stolen. Let us be, Pirates." Samuel said.

"We don't care about your shit. Walk." He nudged me and Samuel forward, poking us in the back with their swords.

"What do we do?" I asked Samuel.

He sighed. They tied our hands. Samuel had surrendered. They hauled us on their ship and tied us to the wooden beam in the center of the deck. More pirates came out and surrounded us waving their weapons. The ship began to leave the port.

"Samuel! We're moving! What do we do?" I panicked.

"Hush." Samuel said sternly.

"Well, well. If it isn't the king. King Samuel Skyes." A deep voice said. A tall man approached him. He had earrings dangle down his ears, heavy hat resting on his head, and a coarse, dark, beard. He was dirty, but not nearly as filthy of the one's who had attacked us on the beach. A gap lived in between his teeth where one had gone missing.

"What do you want with me?" Samuel said.

"Cmon, don't play games with me, Samuel. We go way back." He touched Samuel's shoulder with his oily hand.

"What?" I asked Samuel.

"Captain Skull Beard. Yes. He's stolen merchandise from my kingdom one too many times. My father banished this filthy rat. If he ever came back to my kingdom, he'd chop off his head." Samuel explained.

"And I stayed away. Until the new king decided to jump right in my hands."

"What the hell do you want from me? Gold? Jewels?"

"Oh I have a much better plan for you, Samuel. I'm keeping you here. Holding you for ransom. You know how much a king is worth? Much, much more than you can imagine. You have no heirs. No heirs means a fight for the throne around your noblemen, and isn't the world already torn up enough by war?"

"How did you find us?" I asked.

"A little thief friend of mine said he was selling a royal sword. When I saw it, I knew who it belonged to. I know what you're doing Samuel. You're trying to resurrect a dragon. I thought I was crazy, but you? You're really trying that wack shit! Shouldn't you be helping your kingdom right now instead of running off with this boy? And you dare call yourself a king." He pulled himself off Samuel's shoulder with an aggressive push.

"Enough, Skull Beard! Since my father couldn't chop off your head, I will. And I certainly will enjoy it!" Samuel gritted his teeth.

"Haha! Not if you're dead first. If no one answers the ransom, guess I'll have to kill you. But it won't be a quick killing, no. Pirates torture is much more fun than that."

The captain then examined me, and grabbed my head by my hair. He slammed it back to the wooden pole I was tied to.

"Ah!" I winced with pain.

"And who the hell are you? Another king? Royal cousin, perhaps?" He examined my face.

"No. He's no one. A squire. Leave him be! He's not worth any value. Let him go. It's me you want!" Samuel yelled.

"Hmm. Maybe we'll just kill him now then. Drop his body off once we get far enough at sea."

"You will not hurt him!" Samuel commanded.

He poked me with his sword.

"Hmm. You seem to have a soft spot for this squire. Maybe we'll torture him first. Make you watch. Then we kill you."

"Don't touch him! Don't! Leave him be! You can do whatever you want to me. Just don't touch him. Please." Begged Samuel.

"Anything you say?" Said the captain, raising an oily eyebrow.

For the first time, I saw fear in Samuel's eyes.

"Yes." He lowered his head.

"Untie the king. Just the king. Bring him below deck."

The private goons did as he said. Samuel didn't struggle.

"Samuel!" I cried out, pulling at the rope in a futile attempt to free myself.

"Take him below deck." Skull Beard commanded.

They scooped up Samuel and disappeared below.

Samuel had risked so much for me. He's saved me countless times. He lied to them for me. And he was most likely getting tortured for me. Samuel was a strong and amazing man. I couldn't believe his level of self sacrifice for others.

I tried to formulate some kind of plan. Samuel she I needed an escape plan, and there was no way I was going to leave him at the mercy of vengeful pirates.

The pirates let me be. I sat for hours in panic, worrying about the awful things they were doing to him. They dragged him up to the top deck.

He was bloody and beaten. His lip and eye was swollen like he had been stung by a bees. I screeched.

"Samuel!" I called out.

They tied him back by me. He collapsed against the wooden post. Blood dripped from his nose onto his lap. He sniffled in attempt to suck the blood back up.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"That's the worst beating I've ever taken." He said, letting out a cough. Samuel had almost lost his fire to fight. The passion in his eyes dimmed. What did they do to him?

"Word got sent out about your ransom and the asking price. Well get word back in a few days. In the mean time.." Skull Beard towered over him.

He untied Samuel and slammed him down on the deck, face first. His damaged face scraped against the wooden deck.

"Stop! Please!" I cried out.

"You stay out of this, or you'll be next." Snickered the  Captain.