Luck is when opportunity knocks, and you answer

-Anonymous

Chapter 11: New Kingdom

Our time so far on the ship… hasn't been a miserable one. We weren't treated poorly, speaking as prisoners. We were given decent meals that were enough to fill all of us, and we were allowed to use the bathroom whenever needed… we just needed a escort. Thankfully there were a few females among the men, so they did that.

We were given books as well as bouncy balls for boeing, which quickly got old in minutes. Like, It came to the point when my crew started to sing a few sea shanties, and I tolerated it for a while, until the three songs they knew got annoying. In which I told them all to shut it.

We've been on the ship for about two weeks, and as more time passed the more I thought about what was going to happen. I've asked questions, but the only person who would answer any would be Linebeck. He isn't that bad of a guy, he is pretty annoying though. He'd always give my crew and I incredibly vague answers.

"Where are we going?"

"To put you on trial."

"I asked where."

"I know."

Or

"Any idea what's gonna happen to us?"

"I dunno."

"Do you know anything?"

"Yeah, I know that you could end up dead. Does that help?."

"Not really."

"Good." Then he'd either walk away or completely ignore me and find interest in that map of his or count how many rupees he had, which to him seemed to never get old. I didn't sleep easy, as it was hard for me not to think too much. Thankfully it kept my mind off… him most of the time.

Today I awoke to the abrupt stop of the ship which had everybody, and sadly me as well, fall out of their hammocks hitting the floor with a grunt. I was groaning and rubbing my head as I saw Linebeck walk in front of our cell, looking sleep deprived as always, with people behind him.

"Sorry about that, I'm not the best with docking. You've gotta get up now," He ordered while unlocking the cell door.

"Why?" I asked getting up, irritated at his lack of skill for the simplest of tasks.

"You're going to meet the king, now hurry up. I don't want to keep my king waiting, he's incredibly kind and I don't want to feel bad for being late. I know that my king has much more important things to attend to than dealing with a few lowly pirates," Linebeck jeered.

I wordlessly got up and followed him as he walked out, the guards remained in the room and awaited until we all exited and started following us. We were halfway to the stairs, when I turned the corner and noticed that a door lay open. It wasn't open enough that it one could walk into it, but it was open nonetheless. I quickly whispered to Mako, who walked besides me, to get to the back and fall as if hurt. He looked at me questionably, but by the way I was looking at him he knew that it was no time to question.

He slowed himself towards the back and fell down, and 'accidently' tripped and hit his head against the wall, which caused everyone to look at him as he groaned and cradled his head with the acting lessons he picked up in order to avoid his chores.

"Is he okay?" Linebeck asked in concern.

"Old age is just gettin' to him. He's fine, just give him a minute." I said waving him off.

He simply shrugged and turned his back to me, continuing to walk to the flight of stairs that led to the deck. The guards were leaning forward in concern of Niko. I took this time to quietly open the open door and to my luck, it was the armory. There's enough weapons in stock for a small army, although I know I have to act wisely. Knowing well that there were high chances of people waiting for us with weapons I know I can't start a fight.

Wait a second… I'm going to meet the king!

I grabbed a small dagger that fit into my boot and shoved it in. I then walked back out of the room and closed the door, glancing to my left to see that I came out just in time as the guards were picking Mako up. Said person looked at me and I gave him a nod indicating my success.

We walked up the stairs and saw that Linebeck's crew was taking merchandise off the ship, and that there were people carrying swords awaiting us behind Linebeck. I'm glad that I didn't decide to arm my men and start a fight. Thankfully Linebeck, didn't look like he suspected a thing.

I looked around and saw that my ship was docked next to this one. They seemed to take care of it, there were no scratches and it looked like it was docked with care, despite that Linebeck's was docked poorly. So far the people of this 'kingdom' seem pretty nice. They've taken care of me and my crew just fine, despite the fact that we've tried to plunder them of their goods. I inhale the clean air and smile to myself finally being out in the open sun, no longer behind bars with annoying shipmates and lantern lit rooms.

My crew and I walked off the ship, followed by the armed citizens… one of them had taken my sword, who had used rope to bind our arms together behind our backs. This kingdom's port is bigger than any other port I've ever seen, it lays next to a giant beach where I see there are families running amok and playing in the water, building a sandcastle or just relaxing. They all looked so happy as they laughed and all held big smiles on their faces.

My smile quickly turned into a frown as I thought to myself that I could've been like them.

The port led to a huge drawbridge over a giant river that went out to the sea, and a giant wall made of stone which appears to surround the kingdom. Linebeck walked across the drawbridge, and we followed. Once we past the giant arch designed to fit the bridge, we could only stare in amazement at the view that laid before us.

The buildings that seemed to hold citizens were large and numerous in numbers, they were built well of mixes of stone and wood standing tall upon the stone covered ground, close as if the occupants were trusting and kind to one another. It may have been big, but despite its incredible size, it was so full of life. Children ran around playing tag, young couples roamed the streets hand in hand and the old timers found enjoyment in staring at the beautiful sky or taking part in other leisure activities. Merchants and other tradesman spoke with smiles to their buyers, and I even noticed a play going on in what looked like a stage. In the middle of it all, provided a clear view of a castle past a concrete fountain.

On the very top, was the flag that Linebeck had. The flag that contained the Triforce.

My eyes widened as flashbacks of my adventures with my husband came to me. "Linebeck," I called. He turned around and began walking backwards, as if he knew his way around like the back of his hand.

"What is it?" He asked casually.

"What's up with that flag?" I asked.

He squinted and lowered his head, as if thinking of his answer, but then his eyes focused in on something behind me. I looked and I saw an old man staring back at me like I murdered his mother. I noticed that person wasn't the only one to do this, as there are others who kept their eyes on me. It was only a few, and they were all on the older side, but still...

Linebeck slowed his walking and leaned in to ask me if I'd had a history with any of these people, I told him no. Sure these people looked familiar, but in the sense that they were all passing faces. I didn't recognize anybody who I'd done anything to. He looked me in the eye looking for any sign of deception, to which he found none, he simply shrugged and just kept walking.

We walked past fields of grass, gardens, fields, and more people. Some of which, you guessed

it. Stared me down with cold eyes.

Once we had made it to what looked like a training area, Linebeck had stopped the group to talk to this girl in a white crop top, dark green capris, a yellow sash, and black shoes. Her long black hair hair was up in a red ponytail that reached to her lower back and her skin was fairly tanned.

She was practicing on a dummy made of hay, well more like destroying it as the limbs were cut off with precise and strong cuts.

When Linebeck walked up to her she held her own scimitar to his throat and he was waving his hands in front of his face as if begging her not to kill him. They talked for awhile, and Linebeck seemed to get her to calm down as she lowered her sword. Surprisingly she pulled him by the scarf and kissed him, and kicked him in the butt back to us.

"Love you Liney!" She said with a smirk.

"Love you too JoJo!" He said back, walking back with a dreamy expression across his face.

"Who was that?" I asked.

"My wife Jolene, quite the feisty one. She used to be a pirate like you… and me as well."

I gave him a curious look, "You were a pirate?"

"I guess I don't look the part huh? But yeah, anyways I still remember the day we met on the seas. Me and my crew were trying to board their ship, so I swung on and decided to fight the first person I saw. Before I knew it I was punched right in the jaw, and I almost died in a sword battle had it not been for my crew defeating hers and surrounding her. I knew right then and there that I was a goner, for she'd stolen my heart," Linebeck told, waving off my question.

"So you meet a girl who punches you in the face and almost kills you, and you fall in love?" I asked incredulously.

"Love is strange my girl… love is strange," he said as if he were a wise-man.

"You've got that right," I mumbled.

"Oh, you have a love story to tell?" Linebeck asked curiously wanting to know.

"None of your business," I said in finality. Hearing my tone correctly he didn't say anything after that.

Soon enough, the castle came to a close view. It was made entirely of stone and lay on a neighboring small, elevated island. Looking at it up close, it was massive, as the tips of the castle seemed to touch the clouds. The sun gleamed from the side as the waves gently brushed against the rocks and the wind itself seemed to provide an inviting breeze as we walked across the bridge.

We entered the large castle doors and the people that were behind made us bend to our knees, telling us to show our respect for their king. The floor was tiled burgundy and the walls were a light gray with white columns at the corners of the room. A red carpet went from the giant throne to the entrance, as it lay adjacent to two giant redwood doors on each side of the throne each which must be the kingdom flag above. The one with the Triforce above what I could only make out as a bird. The so called guards took place against the sides of the room we were in, which if you hadn't figured out yet is the throne room. There was no king, well there was nobody in the throne.

I looked at Linebeck curious, he just smiled.

"It seems our king is taking a nap… as usual. It's only noon," he joked and the people laughed as if this happened often. Linebeck looked at me and my crew and held up his index finger as if saying 'just a moment' and opened a door on the right, being sure to close it behind him.

The guards became easy and began to chat with one another. I realized that my sides were covered by my crew, along with the backside of me, and that meant that this is the perfect time to execute my plan.

And so… I grabbed the dagger out of my boot, and began to cut.

Author's Note

There's nothing to say about this chapter, I'm trying to build suspension. Hope it's working. Anyways thank you for reading, see ya next week!