Clang, clang   Will thrust and parried with his sword. This particular pirate was skilled in swordsmanship, but Will slung the pirate's cutlass across the deck and into the water below. The pirate pulled a dagger from his boot. Will quickly hit the side of the pirate's head with the flat of his sword. He crumpled to the ground. 

    Will stepped over him to meet his next assailant. As he battled several more of these greedy thieves, he moved closer to his captain. Out of the corner of his eye he saw that a duel had begun between Rowan the Feared, the captain of the Maid's Plunder, and Captain Clement, the captain of the Silver Seagull, the ship that the pirates were attacking.

Will quickly dispatched his opponent and kept his eye on the battle ensuing at his right. Captain Clement stumbled, and Rowan gained the upper hand. Will rushed to help his captain, but was hit on the side of his head before he could.

 When Will woke up his hands were tied to a hook, that was about two feet up on the wall. His knees were bent beneath him, and were starting to cramp. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he noticed more prostrate figures lining the walls.

    Will struggled to stand up but hit his head on a low, sloping ceiling. Instead he started to violently shake his wrists in hope that the rope he was bound with would loosen.

    "It's no use." said a hoarse voice from across the room. "The pirates know how to tie a knot."

    "Captain?" Will asked. "Is that you?"

    Yes, my boy," Captain Clement said, "It is I the pitiful fool of a captain. The poor Silver Seagull and her cargo deserved a better man than I."

    "Many a good captain have been taken by pirates. Do not worry yourself." Will replied. "You're as good as any man."

    "Thank you my dear boy, but I know that I am old now and a better, younger man such as yourself could have averted this disaster. Aye," he continued, "a man such as yourself."

    Suddenly a square of light shone onto the floor inches from Will's face. A rope ladder swung down, hitting the top of Will's head. He grunted softly at the impact. A shadow appeared overhead and slowly a body emerged from the hole. A pair of feet dropped onto the ground in front of Will, followed by several others. Will lifted his head, finding himself looking into the face of Rowan the Feared.

    Rowan looked down at the prisoner. He looks familiar, he mused. "Get them all on deck!" he ordered.

    Will was untied roughly, then bade to climb the ladder. He climbed quickly and when he reached the top, he breathed in deeply the fresh sea air. After all the men had climbed on deck and were standing in a line, Rowan stood before them and prepared to speak. Rowan's hair was long for a boy and chestnut brown in color. He had an honest smile with gleaming white teeth. Without a cutlass at his side, you wouldn't have been able to tell that he was the famous pirate captain. He's so young! Will thought. How did we lose to naught but a boy?! 

    Rowan started to speak, "We are here to give you three choices that will impact your life, so choose carefully. The first choice is: you get to stay here on our jolly good ship and join these merry men as your new crew mates!" All the pirates cheered at this. "Choice two," he continued, "is to be dropped off at a nearby deserted island. And three..." he paused, "is death by sword."

    Rowan's cutlass gleamed in the sunlight. "So," he glanced at the line of men. "Who wishes to choose first?' He walked along them. Stopping, he ended up in front of Will. "You. You choose first."

Will stepped forward. "As for choice one - I don't think the piracy quite suits me. As for two, the unknown intrigues me, but a quick death by sword is better than a slow one of starvation. Therefore I choose three. Run me through at your leisure." He stepped back in line.

As his former crew members each stepped forward, there was noticeable majority that chose choice two. A few cowards chose piracy, but when it was Captain Clement's turn he stepped forward proudly and declared "Choice three." After all the former members of the Silver Seagull's crew had made their choices, Rowan the Feared ordered his crew to set sail for the nearest deserted island. 

    Those who chose piracy were set before a desk with the ship's contract on it. After they signed they were shown to their new duties. Shortly, they arrived at a desolate island with a small growth of trees at the far end. The rest of the crew, except for Will and the captain, piled into four small rowboats. 

    After they had been dropped off, and the two ships were out in the open sea again, Rowan called Will to his cabin. Will prepared himself for death.