Chpt 3 The true skills of a pirate

If Antonio and Ivan had thought that after seeing his father die Alfred would become quiet, withdrawn and depressed therefore becoming easy to manipulate, they were very sadly mistaken. It had only taken a day for Alfred to make Ivan leave on his own ship muttering that he was Antonio's problem now. Antonio had been relieved when the tall Russian had left, as the little boy had spent the day booby trapping the ship for Ivan, and Ivan had tried to throw the boy from the main mast. For some reason the two hated each other much more than Alfred hated Antonio. Granted he had just seen them kill his father, but his hatred for Ivan was over whelming.

" Capitan! Alfred stole Texas again!" Wailed a small boy with the same complexion as Antonio.

"Esta bien, Donde esta?" asked Antonio

"El es on the bow sprit. " The sniffling boy replied

Antonio paled at what the young boy said and dashed out onto the deck. He looked at the bow sprit, which was a long pole that stretched before the ship that usually held the attachments for the fore sail and the jibs. Sitting at the end of the bow sprit was the blonde haired little boy, kicking his legs backwards and forwards while clutching the toy in question that had been christened Texas. Some of Antonios own crew paled at shimmying down the sprit but that little boy sat there as if it was the best seat in the house.

"Alfred! Could you come here porfavor? " asked Spain trying to keep the pleading tone out of his voice.

Alfred looked down at the two Hispanic looking people that seemed far away. He shrugged and considered dropping Texas from the ship, but then he actually liked the toy, and decided that from now on it would be his. He hated that little Spanish speaking brat, he assumed the kid was Antonio's son, but no one had confirmed that theory. Whoever the brat was, he was close to Antonio, and that enraged Alfred, as Alfred felt that the two of them had a relationship that was mocking him and his lost fathers relationship. Not that Alfred believed that his father was dead, it would take a lot more than that to kill him, but he was defiantly lost at the moment.

"Don't wanna!" Alfred called back

"Obtenga el culo aquí abajo ahora o así me ayude a Dios!" Yelled Antonio drawing out his revolver and pointing it at Alfred

Alfred looked at the revolver and let out a snort. That gun was all wrong for this situation, with todays wind speed and that angle the most Antonio could do was wound him. That would still probably hurt, so Alfred decided to answer him.

"Don't speak daigo, and your gun is all wrong for you. If I was you I would have chucked your gunner over board instead of my dad! At least it would have saved you from looking like an idiot when a ten year old boy told you how stupid you look with that weapon!" Shouted back Alfred

Antonio slowly withdrew his weapon. What did a stupid ten year old kid know about guns anyway? Still this little confrontation had given both of them an idea.

" Tell you what Alfred, if you come down here I'll let you pick out what gun you think I should have and let you be my gunner's apprentice." Antonio promised

"No deal! I told you your gunners stupid! Instead why don't you and I have a shooting competition? If I win I keep Texas, if you win I'll learn Spanish!" Called Alfred

"Deal!"

Alfred ignored the smirks that the brat Latino and the Spanish "capitan" where exchanging as he browsed the ships arsenal. He pretended that he wasn't impressed, the Spanish captain had some of the newest and most impressive guns, even the gun powder was of the highest quality. Still Alfred passed some weapons straight away, he ignored some of the weapons that Antonio had thought the inexperienced boy would choose. Instead Alfred weighed some remarkable choices, guns that Antonio's own gunner would have probably have chosen for the boy. He weighed them all up in his hand and chose a plain looking revolver, but in Antonio's mind it was the perfect choice. Antonio frowned, could this boy actually know something about weapons?

Alfred noticed Antonio's frown and smiled gleefully. Really, did he just think pirate nobility was born into such a position just like regular nobility? Of course it helped, but to be a pirate captain your crew had to chose you, so that meant proving yourself. Then to be Pirate King you needed most of the pirate captains votes and consent to become the king, only after being nominated by the past king himself.

Therefore as soon as Arthur had chosen his son to be his successor at the ripe age of four months he had began planning the boys strict education. As long as Alfred could remember he had been tailing his father, the quartermaster, carpenter, and the gunner for his schooling. His father, as well as being captain, was also the best sailing master the seas had probably ever seen. Before he had become a captain and defiantly before he had become the pirate king, pirate captains had fought to have him in their crew. Still, even if he did have the best sailing master ever as a teacher, the gunner was his personal favorite, and he would follow him even after his father had dismissed him from his lessons. Not only that, but Alfred had a strange passion for guns, and a certain talent.

"You ready?" He asked spinning the gun in hand with ease as if it had been made for him.

"Of course pequeno." Replied Antonio uneasily

The two were on the last make shift target that Antonio's crew had put all over the ship. The targets where actually very difficult, Antonio had almost missed his mark a couple of times. However he and Alfred where tied at the moment, the boy shooting all of the targets as if he did this thing every day, and on his father's ship he had. Antonio shot the last target with another bullseye, and went to stand by the helm. Alfred took aim and pulled the trigger, but just as he did the ship swayed violently and he only nicked the target. Alfred turned furiously to glare at the Spanish man who was looking purposely the other way from the helm whistling.

"Looks like I won mi amigo, you have to learn to speak Spanish now. Also give Texas back, you lost." Antonio said smiling

So that was how he wanted to play it was it? Alfred smiled, much to Antonio and the Latino brats surprise.

"Yeah I lost so I'll learn Spanish. Unfortunately for you I made no such mention that I would give Texas back if I lost. Plus he was never in your possession for you to make that bet anyway." Alfred sneered and scurried away with the Latino boy chasing him screaming curse words in Spanish at him.

I never gave the "Latino brat" a name but I think you can guess who he is. A close relationship with Spain, fighting over Texas, latino, yeah he's little Mexico!

Little Alfred's acting up a little, but I think most 10 year olds would if they had seen their father being thrown of a ship and shot at.