They hadn't stood a ghost of a chance.

When Arthur had warned the other sailors, they'd just laughed him off. They'd kept drinking right up until the moment the pirates had arrived and surrounded them in a wicked ring of swords and pistols.

Now, they were standing on the deck of the small sloop, having been forced to unload most of their precious cargo onto the pirate ship.

The pirates surrounding them were smirking and congratulating each other. To be honest, Arthur thought resentfully, it was really rather pathetic considering how much fighting they'd actually had to do.

Then a voice barked an order in French, and they were silent.

A tall man stepped forwards to address the captives - presumably the captain from the way the others respectfully moved out of the way - and Arthur tried hard not to stare.

He had cobalt blue eyes, and his blond hair was tied loosely against the wind. His attire should have looked ridiculous - he was wearing a long, dark brown coat that hung open to reveal a loose white shirt, open at the neck.

Arthur tore his gaze away from the caramel skin the open shirt revealed, and focussed instead on the arsenal of weapons that hung from his belt.

"Merci for handing over your cargo so willingly," the captain smirked, French accent heavy on each word.

Arthur glared at him. "You sure are smug for someone who only defeated a crew of inebriated idiots. Is this your first victory or something?"

A taut silence met his words. All eyes swiveled to the captain to gauge his reaction.

The captain sauntered towards him, and Arthur could see himself walking the plank in a matter of seconds. But he lifted his chin proudly and met the other's narrowed blue eyes. After several long seconds, the captain laughed. "What's your name, boy?"

"I'm not a boy, I'm twenty-one." Arthur said irritably, knowing how petty his words sounded. He was just fed up of being patronised - after all, if those idiots had listened to him earlier, they wouldn't even be in this mess. "And why should I tell you my name?"

"Very well. My name is Francis Bonnefoy, legendary French pirate. You have heard of me, non?"

He had, but Arthur wasn't about to boost this idiot's ego. "Never. Why should I concern myself with a French bastard?"

"You wound me, mon cher."

Arthur's face flushed. He only knew a little French, but it was enough to understand what that meant, and he was nobody's darling. "Kirkland. My name is Arthur Kirkland," he snapped, realising straight afterwards how easily he'd been tricked into giving his name.

Bonnefoy smirked again. Then he turned abruptly. "Antoine!"

One of the pirates looked up. "Ouais?"

"Retournes les prisonniers à leurs navire. Sauf celui-ci - il m'interesse."

"Bien sûr, capitaine." *

Arthur glared at them and wished he could understand what they were saying.

The pirate called Antoine rattled off a series of commands in rapid French, and the rest of the pirates hurried to do his bidding. Arthur's shipmates were quickly herded into several tiny boats and rowed back to the Mary Rose.

Leaving Arthur standing alone on the deck of the sloop.

He caught sight of Bonnefoy standing alone on the bowsprit, and marched up to him. "Hey, you French bastard! Why can't I go back to my ship?"

'Sorry, mon cher, but you are much too interesting to set free."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Arthur replied furiously.

Bonnefoy looked him up and down and leered.

Arthur felt a fresh wave of anger curl in his belly. He clenched his fists to stop himself from punching the grin off that damn pirate's face.

Bonnefoy didn't seem to care - if anything, he looked almost pleased by Arthur's reaction. He smiled in satisfaction, and said the four words that would change Arthur's life.

"Welcome aboard the Achéron…"

*Translations and note by Lemon Nightmare:

'Ouais' - Yeah

'Retournes les prisonniers à leurs navire. Sauf celui-ci - il m'interesse.' - Return the prisoners to their ship. Except this one - he interests me.

'Bien sûr, capitaine' - Certainly, captain

Achéron is the (frenchified) name of a river which is mythologically connected to the Styx, the river to the Underworld. Hence choosing it as the name of a pirate ship :)