Sorry I haven't updated this to Chapter 2 but I've been busy. Also, I had a hard time deciding where to go from Chapter 1 but I decided this was the best route to go so hopefully you guys enjoy it. Please comment if it is boring or a character is not IC, I want your honest opinion. Read on!

Chapter 2: Promotion

It's been a week since Percy left on the Princess Andromeda and it's already felt like it's been a year. Luke made him change out of his rags and into a getup that made him look like a pirate. Percy now had a linen shirt that was quite comfy to wear with an assortment of cloths for a belt, another piece of cloth that shielded his forehead from hot, summery days, and was given a pair of trousers. Luke also made Percy braid a strand of his hair and put a plain bead through it. Apparently, the number of beads a pirate has on the Princess Andromeda is how many years they served on her. Still, even with all the clothes, Percy did not fit in with the crew. Everyone on the crew was more intimidating than Luke is. All of them are brutes and giants, and Percy looked too fragile to be on this crew.

"Jackson!" a voice thundered.

Percy blinked and turned on heels to the voice "Yes, sir?"

It was Ethan Nakamura, Luke's first mate. The most frightening thing about him was his eye patch, even if the eye hiding under it might be lost or dead, Percy felt it glaring at him. Percy could never look Ethan straight in the eyes.

He smirked "Come with me." Percy hesitated, what did Ethan want him to do? Ethan was not known for his kindness. He's heard stories from crewmembers that Ethan works some of the members like slaves and if you refuse to do something, he'll beat you relentlessly. Percy needed the money, so he followed Ethan to the quarter deck.

"How much do you know about sailing?" Ethan stopped in front of the helm. No one was manning it since the ship was anchored. Luke was nowhere to be found too. What was Ethan planning for him to do?

"My dad was a fisherman and when he was alive I used to fish with him but—"

"I don't need your whole life story." Ethan groaned. "Do you know anything about sailing? Answer yes or no, Jackson."

Percy nodded "Yes," The truth was he never exactly piloted a ship before but when his father was alive, he used to let Percy man the helm under his supervision. Fishing with his real father that seemed like eons ago was when everything was perfect. Percy used to go fishing with his father every day and they both brought home tons of fish to feed an army. Sadly, that dream ended a long time ago.

"Great, our former Helmsman decided to jump ship. Literally, he jumped off our ship and drowned. I guess he wanted to kill himself for some reason. Anyways, we need a new Helmsman and you're the only on the Princess Andromeda that doesn't have a specific job yet. Now, you do. I'm promoting you to Helmsman." Ethan stepped out of the way to let Percy seize the helm.

"B-but I-I never—" Percy began to protest.

"Anyone can steer a ship." Ethan rolled his eyes. "I hope ye weren't lying to me about knowing nothing about sailing."

With that, Percy took the helm. Ethan barked orders and the crew scrambled aboard deck. Some of them fixed the sails and rigged the cannons into place. It was quite a sight to see. Percy was now at a position where he could watch others do the dirty work. Percy made sure the wooden wheel grasping in his hands now was slow and steady. He had to make sure he did not screw this up or he would have to face Ethan's wrath.

"Percy's our Helmsman now?" Luke asked tiredly while climbing the stairs to quarter deck. He had off his captain's hat which revealed shaggy blond hair on the top of his head and his scar looked more noticeable than before.

"Yes, I'd rather get some work done while ye were sleeping so we aren't late for him." Ethan said, looking distantly out in the sea.

Luke smiled devilishly. His scar made him look like some insane baboon. "Right, we'll get our next shipment of pirates to kill from him."

"Who's him?" Percy asked and regretted it once it spit out of his mouth. He had no room to question his captain.

Ethan looked like he wanted to punch Percy but Luke got there first "Well, Percy, it's simple. The 'he' we are referring to is Kronos. We all work for him, you see. He runs the privateer business for all of the West Indies and America. If you are so interested to see who exactly we are gossiping about then I'll gladly take you to him."

"No! How in the world do you think—?!" Ethan protested but was dragged by Luke to the side for a furious whispered conversation. Percy wished he could hear them but the roar of the sea against the ship and the winds were blowing the words away from him.

"Percy, right?" a voice asked.

Percy blinked to see a girl below him on the main deck. Percy never seen her around the ship before but this was a huge ship and with her stature, she could be unnoticeable compared to some of the men on the ship. Percy wondered if he even saw at least one girl on the Princess Andromeda until now.

"I'm Silena Beauregard. I'm glad to see someone my age here on the ship now. It was gettin' quite lonely." Silena smiled up at him.

"Yeah…" Percy really did not know what to say. He guessed it was because he hasn't talked to someone for just social reasons in a whole week.

"On the plus side, you're very handsome, but my heart is already taken by another man."

"Who?" Percy asked just to keep the conversation going. He was not jealous at all that Silena was already taken. Somehow, he found this girl was not his type, if that meant anything though because all the girls in his village whispered and giggled about him (probably making fun of him). Percy was never concerned with the concept of love since all the girls made fun of him and taking care of his mother and Tyson was more important than girls.
"Charles Beckendorf." Silena replied with a dreamy eyed look that his mother used to get when looking at Percy's father. "Everyone calls him by his last name but I call him Charlie. He's so sweet, and strong, and—"

"Sounds like you're in love." Percy smiled.

She nodded "Oh yes! Do you have a special someone, Percy? No? That's hard to believe, I mean you seem kind and approachable. Also, you have your looks—"

"I look like someone who crawls through the trash, Silena." Percy rolled his eyes.

"And your face sparkles because of it!" Silena commented. "One does not have to look rich to have good looks. Remind me when we dock the ship to find you a girl in town. Any girl would love to go on a date with you, trust me."

"I'm not here to make dates, Silena." Percy strictly said. He wanted to return home so bad with bags of gold. He did not really want to be a privateer but this was the best way to make an easy coin.

Silena scoffed "Then why are you here, Percy? Tell me your ultimate goal. Go on, you can trust me."

"That's my private business, Silena. I'm sorry but I don't like telling people my secrets."

"I can respect that, but you might not get another chance to tell me your secrets."

Percy was confused "What do you—?" but she already left before Percy could finish his question.

"Good news, Percy!" Luke's hand hit his shoulder. "You can come with me to meet Kronos. He'll love to see you."