For those wondering this isn't the sequel to Beyond The Shores Of Berk, rest assured though I will write a sequel but first I have to write this, the idea has been pestering me for months and I hope you will like it, it revolves around a pairing between a character of my own and Ruffnut (With whom I have a slight crush on) But enough of that let the adventure begin!

A Ruff Nut To Crack

Chapter One - Strange Goings On

I looked on in awe as did the rest of the crew, the clouds had been swirling for days now and at first we just assumed it to be odd weather, but after days of this odd weather we all began to get a bit skittish about continuing on through the norse lands, It had been six weeks since "The Armament" left the royal port in England, every single member of the crew was promised a heavy sum for their burden of travelling into viking infested waters, we were told not to worry due to having cannons and plenty of flintlocks and rifles aboard, but vikings are tough and I shared my worry with the rest of the crew.

Perhaps I should slow down, I am Alexander Mercer, I serve onboard as first mate, my captain is Christophe Chevalle, a french import who lent his services to England's cause, so to the rest of France, a traitor. Im not exactly a social person the only crew members I know on board are the Coxswain, Bertolt Groves, the Quarter Master, Phillip Vine and the Yeoman, Ian Mandrake. Our mission was to travel to the norse islands and in basic terms, Destroy and salvage, in my opinion our genius king does seem to understand that salvage is letting someone else kill them and then we take their scraps, but I prefer to keep my head on my shoulders.

I should probably give some more information, I am only 17 years of age, the captain is 42, the others I daren't ask, it was either old age, the rum or the scurvy that made them look like lepers but there was a reason I hadn't gone to close to talk to them, plus most of our good crew members fell overboard during a rather violent storm that happened a week back, just as we came into viking territory, we have assumed them to be dead, after all no able bodied man could survive in waters that harsh.

(-)

Hours had past and the clouds seemed to swirl more before turning grey, I started to fret, I didn't believe in mystics or magic, but there didn't seem to be any other reason for it, and hey presto it was now raining, I hated rain, even the large Navy hat I was wearing didn't fully shelter me from the blistering rage of the sea, I didn't feel sea sick, but I was quickly beginning to get sick of the sea, my angry thoughts had to wait as we came across a major problem.

"Watch out!" The Master-at-Arms yelled as the main mast of the Armament came crashing down onto the deck, the wind and full force gale had brought it down onto the hull of the ship and the four sailors who weren't quick enough to dodge, I turned my head and forced back my supper, not now, now while the sails and the mast tackle are bringing the ship down, then amists the yells of the crew and the splashing of the water we heard a large roar, as the ship was crashed into by something large.

I felt my supper coming back up as the pennant line came loose and smacked one of the sailors into the sea, the sudden lurch had sent me flying into the ships wheel, knocking the helmsman onto the floor and making the wheel turn uncontrollably, I tried to steady the ship as the captain tried to get order back, but the thing under the water kept knocking the ship until we found the ship to be slowly sinking, I felt more worry and fear rising as I caught a small glimpse of the sea devil that was making us its prey, it had wings and it was spraying boiling water onto the main deck as everyone started to abandon ship, I looked on as I saw a few of the crew engulfed in the boiling water the creature was spraying, I saw nothing else as a loose plank of wood hit me on the back of the head and knocked me unconscious, all I could see was the beast flying away as my vision faded to black and I saw nothing else….

(-)

Aching followed by all sorts of uncomfortable feelings were flooding through my body as I felt the waves drifting in and out and filling my boots with sea water, I felt faint and incredibly hungry, as I came to I managed to turn myself on my side as I coughed up sea water and the remainder of my tea, after the coughing and spluttering I felt slightly better as I looked up to the sky, It was morning, dawn to be exact and I felt the sunshine beaming down and cooling my cold skin, I never expected the sea to be that cold, but the terror of sinking with that thing lurking in the water made me forget all about how cold the sea was.

I sighed to myself as I sat up and looked at my current situation, I was shipwrecked on a supposedly deserted island, the entire crew was probably dead, and the only things I had on me were my Silver rimmed flintlock, 17 bullets, my dagger and a small bottle of rum, at least there was an alternative if I was marooned I could drink myself stupid and then shoot myself if it all turned hopeless.

No, I cant think like that, not right now, I was made first mate of that ship for a reason because I was the one who talked sense to the captain so now would be handy to put my skills into actions, I stood up and removed my navy blue coat that had become heavy with the water soaked in I dropped that down onto the sand and I started to make my way up the beach, from what I guessed I hoped it was an island, there was no way of knowing right now unless I went for a walk and of course found something to eat.

Oh lord how I hope that there will be something to eat…..

I left the beach along with my coat, my boots and my periwig and I started to check out this landscape and find my self something to eat, I hadn't been walking for too long after I came across a tree that was sprouting some lovely, ripe apples, I used my good aim and threw a rock and sure enough an Apple fell from the tree into my hand, I took a couple of bites and savoured the taste, It made me smile at how much better food tastes when your desperately hungry, a little life lesson my father had taught to me when I was 10.

After I wolfed my way through three apples I kept on walking, assessing what wounds I had endured from the battle with the flying beast, I had several cuts and bruises on my legs and arms and a gash on the back of my head where I was hit, apart from that and the fatigue I felt almost normal, I would have been better had it not been for the damn sun, in England it rained most of the time and the sun almost never came out, I wasn't used to this much sun wether it went away in the next hour or not it was making my headache more of a pain, I wasn't hungry any more, but my thirst was insatiable, my lips were dry and I needed to drink something.

I had been walking for an hour with no water and that combined with the sun was starting to drain my energy to the point where I was nearly down on my knees crawling, I felt like giving up and lying there, I did try to crawl a few more inches but I couldn't do it, I turned onto my back, breathing as best as I could, I called for help. Nothing, I tried again, no one replied so I said my final goodbyes before I closed my eyes to let death take me to join my crew, that was until I partly opened my eyes and heard distant shouting and a slim dark figure run up to me with what looked to be a bottle, it was propped to my lips and without hesitation I drank down the cool liquid as it bought me back into life, I still couldn't sit up but at least I didn't need a drink as I gulped down every last drop, I tried to open my eyes fully, but the heat made me drift off, to put it bluntly I fainted in the arms of my rescuer….

That should do for now, let me know what you think of it, and tell me how I can improve, read, review and what not Im not fussed although opinions are appreciated thanks and bye :)