What if the porthole in the ship Jaron was sent away on was too small, and he couldn't escape? What if the pirates attacked, with the prince still on the ship? Stranded on an island, with a single other survivor, Jaron finds himself in the home of a tribe. Will they accept them, or throw them back into the sea to be devoured by vicious creatures? At home, the royal family struggles with the loss of a family member, but will they be reunited once more?

I couldn't help but be impressed by the ship, as I stepped out of the carriage. It was a galleon, made out of wood, slightly over a hundred yards. Four long masts sprouted up from the deck, reaching up towards the sky as if wishing to fly away.

I was escorted up a ramp and onto the ship, past men carrying barrels and sacks of materials I had no interest of knowing about. Other sailors were tightening ropes, and mopping the planks. I suspected there were about fifteen but knew more there must be more underneath the highest deck.

Once I was on the ship, I ran to the railing and gazed out upon the port of Avenia. It had taken us about a day to arrive at Isel, and a day before that to journey to Libeth where we spent a night, resting the horses. My bed had been quite uncomfortable, at least compared to the thick, soft mattress I was used to. I hoped the service on the ship was better. Although, I didn't plan on staying very long.

Making use of my acting skills, I clenched my stomach and grimaced. One of the sailors walked over to me and placed a hand on my shoulder. I whimpered, and lifted my hand up to my head, as if dizzy.

" I... I think I'm seasick," I mumbled, making the man look puzzled.

" But Your Highness, we haven't even left port!" he exclaimed and I glared at him.

" What's your name? " I asked coldly, and the man told it was Talon. I continued with a threatening tone. "Well, Talon, if you prefer I let my breakfast on you than in a bucket, be my guest and keep talking." To make my point, I dry heaved, putting my hand in front of my mouth. Horrified, the sailor hurried off to get me a bucket and some medicine. When he returned, he placed the bucket in my hands, while he lead me down some steps onto lower decks. After walking for a while, we came to a door, with a golden brim.

Talom pushed the door open, and I nearly sighed in relief. I had suspected my living quarters to be more uncomfortable, so the contents behind the door took me by surprise. A room, nearly as fine as mine at the castle, opened up in front of me. A wooden desk sat on the opposite side, overlooking a small porthole. A large bed was located on my right, while a closet sat in the corner near the door. I immediately flopped down on my bed and told the man to leave. I ordered him to tell everyone, that I was not to be disturbed, or I would puke over anyone who dared enter through the door.

I counted to three hundred after the man left, with agonizing slowness. I did so just to be sure, he wouldn't return. I didn't think he would, but I decided not to take a chance.

I stuck the medicine for seasickness into my pocket – once I got back on shore, I was sure I could sell it for a good amount of money to give me a headstart in my new life. The only thing now was to sneak away.

I set my crown on the desk and climbed on top. I reached for the porthole and found myself surprised how easy it was to open. I knew already then, that I would not fit, but I wasn't the kind to just give up. Instead, I stuck, my head out of the hole – something I found relatively easy, and then with my legs tried to push myself through. Ten seconds hadn't passed until I realized I would have to try it another way. Sticking my hands before my head, I managed to move about an inch farther from where I had gotten before, but my shoulders got stuck on the other side.

I tried to wiggle with all my might, making sure not to make too much noise, with the fear of somebody on deck hearing, but my efforts were in vain. I could not get out.

" Well, there goes that plan. I guess it's time for plan B." I muttered. There was only one problem.

I hadn't thought of a plan B.

Mentally smacking myself in the face, while sitting down on my bed, I tried to think of other options. I couldn't leave the ship across the ramp, nobody would believe me that it was only to go get a fluffy toy for the night, and besides, even if they did, believe me, they would send someone to get the toy. Someone, who was not me.

I couldn't jump overboard, for not only did I have absolutely no chance of getting away, I would probably be confined to my room for the rest of the trip. Which, in a way, I already was. If I left my room now, the sailors would call off my bluff. There was too much of a risk of being seen.

I couldn't get off the ship.

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I woke up to the sound of thunder, and the shouting of men. My eyes were heavy, as I had only slept for a few hours at most. The storm currently raging outside had begun a few hours after we pulled out of the docks, beginning with dark clouds, strong winds, and high waves.

I had put on my face of seasickness and rushed up to deck to whine about the weather. The captain had assured me that it would pass soon, and not even grow strong enough to be called a storm. He had suggested that I get some sleep, telling me that it might help my stomach.

So, like a good little prince, I had retreated to my room, trying not to stumble too much on the rocking ship. I had promised myself, that I would stay awake, but surprisingly, I had fallen asleep quite quickly.

My dream had been rather good, so when I woke up I was grumpy as a boar, that had missed its breakfast. I tried pulling my blanket around myself, in an attempt to go back to sleep, but the sea had different plans.

A wave hit the bow of the ship, sending me tumbling onto the floor, my head bumping onto the closet door. I sat up, grumbling a curse at the devils while rubbing the back of my head. I was not happy.

I began rising onto my feet, when another wave hit the boat, now from the right side. But instead of sending the boat rocking to the left, the force sent it flying into another wave. The impact shuddered through the whole boat, and I fell flat onto my bottom.

I grabbed my crown from atop the desk and placed it on my head. My hair was messy and tangled from the short moment of peace that I had gotten from the storm. I hadn't changed my clothes, only taken my boots off, so I pulled them back on, before stomping out of the door, and heading towards the deck.

I was in no hurry... until I heard the swords clashing. What I had before mistaken for the men screaming orders was actually them screaming in pain, and horror. I hadn't taken my sword with me on this trip, so I was unarmed when I peeked out from the trapdoor at the top of the stairs that lead to the deck.

Men, who belonged to my ship, all of them Carthyan, were fighting against men dressed in dark colors. Blades of different kinds slashed and cut. Some were ragged, some sharp, some curved. Long, short, medium. Steel, iron, bronze, silver.

I shifted my eyes, trying not to focus on the men falling one by one, with their chests or throats slashed, and instead focused on the monstrous vessel attached to the side of the boat, with thick ropes. Whoever was attacking the boat must have come from that ship. Black sails blew in the strong wind so hard, that I wondered how they hadn't already been ripped off the masts. On top of the highest mast, a large flag moved, a skull with bones crossed behind it imprinted on the fabric.

I was just about to return down the stairs to find a weapon when a hand suddenly reached out and grabbed me by the collar. I was wrenched through the small gap, scraping my leg in the process, and lifted up into the air, so that my feet hang a foot in the air.

I gazed into my captor's ice cold and emotionless eyes. Dirty, black hair hung low to his shoulders, looking like it hadn't been washed in years. A loose shirt hung outside his belt, making him look even skinnier than he must have been.

I gritted my teeth at him, grabbed his arm, and kicked him in the stomach. I might have been small, but I was not weak. Something my father never realized, I thought grimly, as the man staggered back, releasing his grip on my shirt.

I used the moment to get a better grip on his arm, I ran behind him and did a complicated move. The result was not pretty. A large crack filled my ears, as the shoulder popped out of place, and the bones snapped. The man fell to his knees grasping the injured hand. I picked up the sword he had dropped; a double-sided blade and plunged it into his back, and through his chest. The man as dead before he hit the deck.

At first, I was in shock. I had never killed anyone before. And if you didn't count the time I had injured the King of Mendenwall, I hadn't conflicted other wounds in that matter. But I quickly shook those thoughts out of my mind. These men were here to kill me and my men. I was supposed to fight back.

I glanced around for weapons suitable for someone my age and size, but to no avail. All I saw was my men dying, being struck down by these strange men. Murderers. Pirates.

A sound of footsteps rang from behind me, and I twirled around, lifting the sword, just in time to block a blow that another pirate sent towards me.

His face was long, his skin droopy. Green eyes glared at me evilly. As our swords clashed. He looked at me up and down, and his eyes widened with recognition.

" Aye, Devlin! Captain, I found 'im! It's the prince!"

Heads turned around to look at me, belonging to pirates and Carthyans. Their eyes widened and most began shouting my name. The pirates shouted it triumphally, while the Carthyans hollered it in horror.

" Corlor, you can injure him, but don't kill! Leave him to me!" A voice rang out, but I couldn't see who had spoken. The voice was deep and had a dangerous tint in it. I couldn't help but shiver at the strong Avenian accent, and nearly missed the sword that was heading towards my feet. I leaped into the air, and the blade flew millimeters from where my legs had been only moments ago.

As a counterstrike, I swung my sword in a wide arc towards his side, which Corlor brought his sword to stop the blow. At the last moment, I did a complicated move with my wrist, diverting the blow elsewhere, and my sword connected with his neck, slicing straight through.

I turned my head to escape the gruesome scene but still heard his head fall to the ground with a thud. I grasped the sword in my hand harder, thankful for all the hours I had trained with a sword back in Drylliad. Sword fighting was more like an instinct than a hobby to me.

As I searched for an opponent or a man in big trouble, pain exploded on my left arm, and I hollered out, twisting around. This time, I was faced by a monster of a man, who stood a good foot taller than me. His face was covered with an evil smile that matched his eyes. In his hand, he held a wicked curved sword, and in the other a dagger that shone red with crimson.

I couldn't help but feel intimidated by him. A leather robe covered his body, and a dark red shirt could be seen under it – although I didn't know if the actual color was red, or if it was just the result of his opponents failing to fight against him.

What could a boy of ten years do against such a brute? Sure, I was trained with a sword, but not nearly as well as him, that was for sure. So what could I do?

As I searched around for something that might help me, I said: " I would rather not fight you."

The man sneered. " Scared?" His voice boomed with power, and I recognized as the one who had ordered Corlor not to kill me. He must be Captain Devlin!

I shook my head, and out of the corner of my eye, saw a barrel full of fish, that the sailors had loaded onto the ship before our departure.

" What, me? Scared? No! I just thought that an old man like you might want to have a chance at living another day."

Devlin dove forward, slashing his sword with unimaginable force and skill, and it cut through my left thigh, even though I jumped away to avoid it. I ran to the barrel, limping, and the Captain followed me. He moved slowly, like a hunter stalking on its prey. He moved with ease, which made my hair stand up on my neck, but I didn't let my fear show. I had an image to uphold!

As Devlin moved closer, I lifted up my slightly-too-heavy sword, acting like it was heavier than it really was. I had to make myself look weak so that at the last moment I could use the skill that my opponent didn't think I had. But the Captain saw right through my bluff.

" I can see you have more skill, that you let on, boy. Don't try to act otherwise."

I scoffed, and backed a step, letting my right side become slightly vulnerable. I needed him closer to the barrel. Which he did. He was only about a pace away, and about to sprint around to catch me, when I sprang forward, and kicked the barrel with all my might, sending pain through my left leg.

The barrel tipped, and dozens of fish or all kind, slid onto the floor, making it slippery with slime. Devlin seemed surprised, and as he started forward, he slipped on a salmon and fell onto his bottom. A grumble rose from deep in his throat as he jumped up, and with surprising agility, jumped over the barrel only a foot away from me.

" Men! Get to the Prince! Protect him! " I heard Talon's scream faintly, and out of the corner of my eye saw him, wounded across the shoulder and leg, trying to fight his way to me, like many others.

Devlin used the slight distraction to his advantage and slashed his dagger towards my neck. I raised my sword to block it, but then realized it was a fake. How could I have fallen for it?

The man changed the direction of the blade, and it cut into my stomach, slicing all the way across. I gasped and nearly dropped my sword. My right hand flew to the wound, while with my other I deflected another blow, this one sent to my chest. I heard my men shout with fear, as they saw my injury, but they were all pushed back by the pirates. It came clear to me then. I was the reason they were here. And they were here to kill me.

I felt wet gathering around my right hand and pulsing through the slits between my fingers. The wound wasn't small, but it wasn't life-threatening either; unless it got infected, and it wasn't cared for.

I fought a wave of nausea and backed away from the slashing blades, that Devlin was using to attack me with. My vision was beginning to fade slightly, my eyes sight slightly disoriented. I deflected the bigger strokes, but some passed my defenses, and soon I was covered with cuts and bruises.

At one moment, I made a single mistake of diverting my eyes to the battle raging on around me, and Devlin pushed me to the ground. Even though I didn't have lots of time to look around me, I found that most of my men were down, and only about fifteen remained from the fourty that had boarded from the port in Avenia.

Most were tied with ropes, though some were still fighting. I wasn't sure why they weren't being killed, and although I probably should have been happy that they were still alive, I couldn't help but fear that there was something worse planned for them. Worse than death.

As I stumbled to the ground, my sword clattered out of my hand, and the one belonging to Devlin appeared at my throat. I immediately froze, deep inside not wanting to die this young.

" Finally, I have you, young Prince. I was sent to murder you, and I get paid for it. " I felt a cold hand clutch my heart, even though the news was no surprise to me. But the Captain wasn't finished yet. " I was sent to murder you. But I'm going to make sure your death is long and painful. " And with that, he spun his sword in his hand and bashed the hilt onto my head. One thought rang clearly and true through my head, before I hit the ground, out cold. This was not going to end well.

I hope to update as soon as possible after every chapter, but if I do not update, please remind me, or give me ideas for another chapter. I appreciate those ideas, and they truly help me to create new chapters. Who knows, maybe the next time you check in, your idea is there for everyone to read. If you do not wish me to tell that it's your idea, just tell it in the review, if you do give me one. If you do not tell that you don't want your name on it, your name will be in the 'thank you section' of the next chapter.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and all support is appreciated. If some part was unclear, please notify me, and I will try to make it more understandable.

- Melissa Waters