White Main.

Cirus sat at the top of the foremast of the boat.

The moon was full and seemed to loom over him. The only sounds: the water softly lapping the side of the ship as it moved through the dark ocean that now seemed as if it had fused with the sky.

He sighed, breathing in the salty air, his eyes gray closed “What a calm night…it seems so strange...following our battle with the military ship.” He stood up on the sail, watching over the massive ship.

“Captain?” He heard from below him.

He looked down to see a young boy standing on the deck “What do you need?”

The boy called up to him “Shouldn't you get some sleep, you have been awake all night…and after winning that battle with such stealth…shouldn't you be tired?”

Cirus paused for a moment, his hand resting on the handle of one of his swords, which was now held careful in the sheath on his waist “The sun will rise soon…there is no need for me to rest, wake the crew. We should meet land soon. I can already see something on the horizon.”

The boy stood upright answering sternly “Yes, captain!”

He darted towards the stairs, the sound of his echoing feet seeming to disappear in a matter of seconds. He smiled hearing the boy’s loud shouts from the lower deck “Everyone get up! Hurry! Captains orders!” The sound was followed by loud moans, then joined by running water, along with several loud shouts.

Cirus walked over the pole holding up the sail, then grasping his hand around a dangling rope, let himself fall , the sound of his boots hitting the wide deck, seeming to silence the crew underneath.

He walked down the stairs, the crew watching him as he paced through the hammocks were they slept “What are you slacking for?! Get up girls, I’m not going to wait, get your swords, land is nearing.” Suddenly they began to move, the enclosure filled with the sound of rushing feet and gladdened shouts.

“Captain?” He turned sharply to see a second boy standing behind him, near his age “Where are we headed?”

Cirus walked past him, beckoning him to follow “Allow me to show you.” They both walked up the staircase, Cirus stopping at the front of the ship pulling out a telescope and tossing it back “There…” The boy lifted it up to his eye, gasping at the sight

“That land. Is that the White Main!?”

He nodded “That is the source of all of the military ships, an amazing place for trading goods, for supplies.”

The voice spoke up behind him “But Captain, that city is known for hanging pirates!”

Cirus smiled, his gray eyes reflecting the red light of the sunrise “Yes, but that’s what makes this interesting.” He turned “but

Prince, let me reassure you. All of you are under aged. No one in this crew is nineteen or above but me, I am not risking your lives.”

Prince pulled the telescope down from his face “Captain, none of us wish to put you in danger.”

Cirus took the telescope back, slipping it into his two belts “What? Has it been nearly two years since I have felt land on my feet?

This will be a reprieve for me. We will only dock for a few days.”

I walked through the dusty walkways of the city, my brown cloaks hiding my face from sight “I…think I lost them.” I slipped into an old alley, its crusted stone walls lit brightly by the sun looming straight over head. “It is so hot…but I still made it.” I leaned up against the wall, and let myself slide down to the ground, my fingertips collecting the soil that lay there.

“We need this too!” I turned towards a part of the alley, voices were coming from around the corner.

“Shh be quiet, that was too loud” the voice answered

“Yeah OK I got it but…why don’t we trade the gold medallion for the fruit? I haven’t tasted fruit in so long!”

“Fruit will spoil, and we have to use the goods more carefully, the gold medallion is expensive. It took hard work to steal that thing.”

I perked up “Thieves?” I crept over to the corner, standing up as I peeked past it.

Waiting there with a salesman were two boys, one seemed to be thirteen, the other sixteen. I examined their rough clothes, and the old belts that they wore, along with their long boots “Those…aren’t thieves. More like…seamen.”

The thirteen year old lifted the medallion up in front of the salesman’s face, the sun reflecting off of its polished design “Give me all of what you’ve got. This medallion is pure gold.”

The sixteen year old grabbed the boy's shoulder “Prince what are you doing!?”

He pulled away “Wendrin just let me do it, the crew will be happy!” Wendrin sighed, and there was a long pause, as if he were contemplating his decision.

“A new target” I whispered quietly. “Time for act number one…innocent girl.” I stood up slowly, and casually began to approach the two boys. They seemed preoccupied, and to my luck, the thirteen year old had a golden chain hanging from his pocket. Slowly I strolled past them, and at the last moment, slid my fingers through a loop in the chain and slowly began to remove it as I walked by.

“What are you doing?” I froze, leaping back as the thirteen year old, Prince swung a dagger back at me. I had missed the other medallion…barely though.

“Hey Wendrin…” Wendrin turned to face me as the black market salesman, ran off into another alley. “We have a thief on our hands.”

I eased back into a defensive position as Prince readied his

dagger. “Hey, Prince, no need to be so rough…using a weapon already?”

Prince growled back at him. It was amazing how much power this boy had

over the older one. “I should teach them their place…stealing from us.” He hissed.

Wendrin glanced over at me once, then back at Prince “Then I guess I can let you have a little go round while we're here.” Prince laughed sarcastically then speed up into a run.

Surprisingly I ran out to meet him. That gold was mine.

“Ugh…” I groaned rubbing the sore spot on the back of my head. I could feel the moist wood under my feet, and cold steel against my back. Where was I? The last thing I remembered was attacking that kid at the market.

“Up yet lass?”

I shot up, jerking my aching head to see my eyes gazing through steel grids, a familiar boy on the other side. “What! Where am I!?” He chuckled slightly waving a set of keys before my eyes.

“Try to steal from pirates, and they might steal you” I growled retreating into the corner of the cage. I could see rusted barrels in the background, along with small kegs.

“This looks like a ship hold.” He nodded slipping the keys into his pocket

“Good lass, I’m proud you recognized it.” I glared at him, I knew I shouldn’t struggle, I have been caught like this in a jail, smooth talking was the best way out.

“So, what exactly do you want me here for?” He shrugged turning around to make his way through the hatch onto the main deck.

“I’m not sure. Maybe the captain will want something to do with you?” I tilted my head a little as he made his way up the stairs

“What?” He chuckled lightly as he disappeared on the deck.

This was just perfect.