At my training the next day I followed my dad's advice and arrived 5 minutes early for my session with Captain Salazar, he was waiting for me, "only 5 minutes early, disappointing I expect 10 minutes at the least is that clear boy" he spoke with a heavy Spanish accent and in a very harsh tone. First he pointed to the tip of the sword, "Now this is the pointy end you kill people with it I suspect that after about 5 weeks of training you will be wanting to stick it through my heart but do that and you can't learn. Do I make myself clear boy", I nodded my head he then called over a man who seemed to be of quite a low ranking in the guard? Salazar then spoke again "this is the newest recruit after you so lets us see what you can do" he gave us both a training broadsword, which I manged to lift up but was still very heavy, the second I thought I was ready the young guard came at me, I managed to block his first couple of strikes but then when I lunged at him he took his sword to my angle and I feel to the ground.

"I have seen worse first attempts, but I have also seen better", he then took the broadswords and then took two short swords from a barrel of them.

The one thing my brother had taught me before he was arrested was how to defend myself with a short sword, I was never sure if this was because he cared for me or if he just wanted something easy to kill, but even just watching him I learnt a lot, including how to win a fight with one. Salazar then gave me the blade I then question "this is the pointy end right" pointing at the tip and fumbling around with how to hold it. Salazar just looked at me as if I was a baby not understanding anything, then he said one word "fight".

I knew that if I wanted to prove myself I needed to first corner myself by the barrel with the other swords in it, the guard was slashing at me but I managed to block all his hits, not before realising I did exactly what I hoped and cornered myself with the barrel behind me. The guard hadn't realised the barrel was there, so I took some slashes at him to make it look like I was trying to harm him, and he thankfully then disarmed me. I placed my hands behind my back and placed them on two more short swords. The guard then pointing his blade at my throat said "any last words.

"Just three" I replied with a cocky smile, I then pulled the swords I was holding from behind my back and swung them around, I span around using the blades as an extension of arms each circle taking a step closer to the guard. Until it happened, I had cornered him and with a final blow knocked his blade to the ground and held my sword at his throat. The guard put his hands up in surrender "you asked me for some final words well here they are".

"on your knees".

The man followed my orders and fell on his knees, after that all that could be heard was a slow clap, from Salazar "an unethical tactic but one that worked none the less now just practise your broadsword and maybe you can challenge me, and then on that day you will take my place as captain of the guard. Same time tomorrow" he said before leaving. The guard then came up to me and said "well fought Salazar will always be hard on you; I was meant to join the navy, but he demanded that I join the kings guard for a year first. The name is Killian. Killian Jones. I was an honour to fight with you my lord". He then bowed and a snowball flew over his back and hit me square in the nose. "told you I could get him" I then heard a young girls voice say. Killian then lifted Anna up out from behind some crates and placed her on top of them. "and indeed, you were right my princes".

Anna then looked at me "sorry you had to be involved in that, I just needed to remined my brother that he may be a swords man, but I am still in charge". "You are very cheeky Anna" I said as I threw a snowball back her way, but sadly Killian jumped in the way before acting out a very dramatic death. Anna jumped down from her crate and held Killian's head in her hands as he pretended to die. "no, my brave knight you will not die today" Anna said whilst pretending to weep, Killian then responded by saying "at least you get to live my princess" and then he 'died'.

Anna then hopped up and said, "oh well, come on then Jack lunch will be ready soon", and with that we returned to the castle, leaving Killian to die in peace.

On our way to the dining hall I started to question Anna about how she knew Killian she told me how he used to be a servant but not a good one at that, how h always went on about wanting to sail the open seas and how he believed it was his destiny to be a captain. He used to tell Anna stories about pirates and their secrets.

We then continued to lunch hoping for it to be something delicious.

From The Man with No Name