This chapter is incredibly long since it's one of those origin chapters, so it's broken into two parts. Here we find out how Hannah got involved with Garin, Jacques, and got the motivation for killing Captain Bloodhook. Meh, there's a little bit of mature content towards the middle ... but nothing that'll make people squeamish hopefully.

The slanted text at the beginning of some of the sections are Hannah's words.

Writing Process: At this point chapters 1-7 are written. :D

Session 03: The Meeting
" He thought I got married? "

Hannah didn't know how to feel about that revelation. One side of her was highly confused to why his captain would even care if she got married or not after all this time, but that quickly turned into anger. Still, there was another feeling she wanted to deny. It was an emotion she shoved aside years ago in hopes it'd never resurface.

" It's none of his business if I get married or not! " She couldn't let her guard down about this now, not after holding her footing for all these years. " As far as I'm concerned we have nothing else to talk about on that front. "

Jacques breathed out a sigh. " I understand that, but he doesn't. You don't know how hard this has been for him. "

" Hard? He's the one who breeches my trust and he says that he has it hard! He's out there living that damned dream of his, so I say let him live it! " She spat, pulling Armin along by the arm. For a moment she forgot that this was her house.

" Can you at least talk to him? " Jacques cried, forgetting about his meal in hopes of saving his friend.

Hannah stopped at the doorway of the kitchen. " He isn't worth my time. " Her voice cold, she'd take a step forward. " Make sure you wash your flith from my dishes before you leave. "

Armin took his friend's hand with hopeless confusion as they left the kitchen, traveling down the hallway to the den where she'd collapse on the couch. He could've sworn he heard her sobbing, but he couldn't see her face buried in a pillow. " I near saw you act like that towards somebody. " And he was there when Kanrik showed up in the Ice Caves! " That Jacques guy must have hurt you pretty bad ... "

His lady friend pulled herself enough to speak. " It wasn't Jackie that hurt me. " She started with a sigh. " His best friend did. " At the moment she couldn't bear to think his name without feeling irreversible pain.

The Bori could do nothing but try to comfort her though he had fleeting thoughts of finding the one who made his friend cry and making them pay. " Do you want to talk about it? " He asked as he pulled her up into a sitting position. " The elder said it helps to share your pain with one you can trust. "

Hannah slouched on the couch, holding her cheek with a bare paw. " That's true. " But she hadn't told anyone about her childhood, absolutely no one. They knew nothing except the subject was taboo in the brown haired pet's mind.

" If you must know his name is Garin ... "

I couldn't say that my childhood was a happy one. My mother died of illness weeks after giving birth to me. My father, a pirate, ran away like a coward the moment he knew she was carrying. He never wrote, he never visited, and never took the responsibility to take care of me. My mother's father, a pretty old explorer, was the one who took care of me. My grandpa was pretty rich and famous before he took me in, and he sacrificed everything for me ...

Ultimately, his life at the hand of my uncle.

Bloodhook was his name, and he's a pirate by trade. At the time he was the most powerful and feared pirate in all of the world. His ship, The Black Pawkeet, was the most fierce crew that ever lived. They had absolute power over our territory, but they wanted more. Bloodhook wanted rights to my family's legacy, a glorious treasure hidden in the caves under Krawk Island. My grandfather wouldn't dare surrender it's location to them, so they did the unthinkable ...

They killed him, and they took me as their prize. I knew by instinct where the treasure lay, but was too young to travel into the caves on my own. In the meantime Bloodhook made me a servant aboard his ship; scrubbing floors, cleaning weapons, making meals, and singing to amuse them.

My suffering continued for years, until we ported in a small fishing village where Bloodhook hoped to collect 'insurance money' ...

" Wench! "

Hannah, ten years old at the time, hurried through the corridor of the ship in search for Bloodhook. She found him leaning against a railing; the Pirate Eyrie grinning wickedly as the small usul knelt at his feet. " Yes sir? " Her response held no real emotion, having long since bottled it all away.

" Today we will be going into port. I have my own business to attend to in the nicer part of town, but you're expected to fulfill your duties as always. " Bloodhook threw a pouch full of money at her, chuckling as the heavy sac bounced off the girl's head. " There are some orders of food and ale waiting in the marketplace to be picked up, and we need more cannonballs and rope. Stock up the ship, then clean it top to bottom, and I expect it all done along with our dinner before sunset. "

That was a tall order to fill, but the girl pulled off miracles before. Bloodhook only had to punish her once, and only one, for her to learn not to cross him. " Yes sir ... " She said as she put the pouch in her pocket.

At that point she expected Bloodhook to leave her to her business, but she didn't get off easy. Much to her horror he reached down and took her chin, lifting her head so he could look at her face. She didn't dare look at him, too ashamed of what he forced her to become.

" It's a shame you're not a few years older, wench. " Bloodhook thought aloud as he forced her head to the side, but this time she struggled. " You would make a fine wife if you weren't so damn stubborn. " Disgusted with his ill fate, he pushed the girl back onto the deck before leaving.

I wanted to cry, but I wouldn't allow myself to cry outwardly after that first round of 'punishment'. I couldn't give him that kind of satisfaction. I did my duties knowing that Bloodhook only kept me alive to see me suffer. This had gone far beyond the need to acquire a treasure that might not even exist. He wanted to see me cry, or cower, or even completely give into his twisted desires, but I wouldn't degrade myself.

I had to keep going.

For my mother who kept me alive at her own expense.

For my grandfather who lost everything.

And for myself and everything to come.

Hannah held the reigns of her only friend aboard The Black Pawkeet; a uni she affectionately named Dunequeen due to her sandy pelt. Dunequeen, like herself, was another spoil from a raid years before she became a member. Due to a throat injury she could not speak beyond whines and grunts, but she didn't need to for Hannah to understand her.

They walked solemnly on the boardwalk overlooking the beach where children around Hannah's age, all little boys, played. It wasn't a matter of segregation for the children, but they were hardly past the age of thinking that boys were infested with Mootix and girls with Kooties. Hannah knew it not to be true, and actually preferred younger boys to the older men that she dealt with in everyday life. At this age they were virtually harmless.

But when they grew up ...

" WATCH OUT! "

Dunequeen saw what was happening before her young friend. She reared back on her hind legs, yanking Hannah back and out of the way of a fast flying gormball that bounced roughly off a very unfortunate wall. It bounced off and landed at the feet of the two serving girls just as the group of boys playing with it ran up to the edge of the boardwalk.

" Hey girl! " One of the boys yelled as he climbed onto the planks of the boardwalk. The boy is a yellow haired usul with a blonde mane that covered his chest even through his shirt. " You should watch where you're going, girl. Brandon almost decked you one good! "

Hannah looked down at the group of boys over the side as she knelt. Brandon must have been the orange buzz near the back that smiled sheepishly when she looked. " I am sorry for being in your way, then. " She said swiftly as she picked the water filled ball from the ground. " I have some business to attend to in town, so I'll just be on my way. "

" Hold on a minute! " The yellow usul boy looked at the girl's face, despite her best attempts to avoid his eyes. " I never seen no girl like you around here before. " He noted as he went around the other side to look. " Nope. None of them are half as cute as you! "

The boys chorused a disgusted 'EWW' as Hannah gained a bright pink hue along her little snout. Did he really mean that, or was he just teasing?

The yellow usul noticed the blush and grinned wickedly. " Now ani't that sweet, looks like I'm not the only one who's smitten! " He teased as he poked one of her heated cheeks.

Hannah yelped, shrinking away in surprise. " I don't know what you're talking about! " She squealed, hiding her face in Dunequeen's mane.

" You don't, eh? " The usul's tail swayed swiftly behind him, as if he was thinking. " That's a real shame. I was going to invite you over to play with us, but since you're so clueless you must be as bad as those other girls in town. "

Timidly, the dark blue eyed usul peeked through her friend's mane. " Play? " The word wasn't one she associated with, and the custom was foreign to her.

The boy raised an eyebrow. " You know what 'play' is, don't you? " Hannah shook her head. " Oh come on! It's like when you and your friends do a lot of fun stuff. Like we were playing Gormball and it's pretty fun, 'specially when the ball explodes on Jacques. " He leans in close for the next part. " He screams like a little girl when he fur gets wet! "

That got a giggle out of Hannah, and the usul flashed a grin. " So, do you want to play? "

For a moment Hannah forgot about her duties to Bloodhook and his crew.

For a moment she remembered that she was indeed a child.

" Yes ... " Dunequeen looked at her wide eyed, but she continued. " Please. "

Nodding, the boy reached around to lead her away from the uni. " You can cut out all that 'please' and 'thank you', stuff. We're not no one famous or rich. " That made Hannah's heart swell. These children weren't going to judge her. " The name's Garin, by the way. I'm sure you have one ... "

She had to think about it. Years of hard labor with little respect or love dubbed her 'wench' or something just as terrible by the lower ranking members of the crew. Her memories of a happier time in her life returned, and with that her name.

" Hannah. My name is Hannah. "

Garin introduced me to his friends, and soon we were all playing a game of Gormball like old friends. Jacques was damn near determined not to get soaked, which was rather hilarious since the other boys kept passing to him. Much to our surprise he won our little tournament and got to suggest the next thing we do. It took only a few hours for me to learn all of their names and unique personalities, as well as how things worked in their little group.

As it turns out they are all orphans like me, but didn't allow themselves to be captured and sold off into servitude. Instead of striking out on their own they banded together and supported one another, like a family. Garin lead this little family not because he was the oldest (in fact he was the youngest one amongst them), but because he was brave enough to do anything to ensure their survival. He broke his friends free of prisons, stole food and coins from the vendors, and told outright lies to any law enforcement that may have come to intervene.

I was incredibly envious of their determination to make things work out. I didn't know it at the time, but it inspired me. No, he inspired me. It was because of Garin that I was able to break free of Bloodhook and live without fear.

Armin listened to Hannah's story intensely. " That's amazing! " He bounced up and down on the couch. " But, didn't you get in trouble for showing up late to the ship? "

Hannah placed a hand on her lips as she tried to remember. " Heh. Now there, kiddo, is where the story gets interesting. "

Yeah. The Ninja realized this is an incredibly long set up for a love story by now, and we'll still not get into the bulk of the story until like ... chapter 7-ish. If it makes you feel any better about the direction of this story, things are about to speed up in the action department. What's a story about corrupted kingdoms and war without senseless violence:D

On the review front, The Ninja thinks she hit up every story on the front page. If she missed one, or you want her to review yours, just send her a neomail. It's important to let others know how their stories are, after all.