"Hatzu! We're going to take harbour soon, wake up!" An old man, chalked in the white salt of the sea yelled down, making his way across the deck slowly.
Soon, a youth emerged from the hold wearing tattered clothes. As he made his way over the deck another voice rang out; "Where do you think your off to boy?" The middle age man standing at the dock yelled looked Hatzu up and down.
"I'm going a shore…" Hatzu said quickly not paying much attention to the man.
"We still own you what makes you think you can come and go as you please?" The man said pulling out a dagger and pointing it towards the child in a treating manner.
"I'll take him with me"
"Captain" the man said jumping up. In front of him stood this captain standing tall, single shot pistols slung across his chest and a large hat flowing in the wind.
"Boy come here and carry my things." the captain said dropping a bag as he walked off the boat and down the towards the dock, not once looking back.
The weak thin Hatzu scrambled to follow behind the captain but rushed none the less. "Thank you, sir." He stuttered following as closely as he could.
"This is the day we part ways little Hatzu." the captain replied as he began to twist through the back streets.
Hatzu walking behind the man but felt confused "What do you mean?"
As the captain came to a corner he pulled out a small trinket on a string; "This was found on you when we pulled you up, previously I thought it would lead me to your family – I had hopes to ransom you off." The captain said nonchalantly as he chose a direction.
"So, you've found my family?" The boy asked hesitantly but with a sense of excitement bubbling upwards.
"No," the man said, crushing the child's sprit, "as it turns out this was not the mark of your family. After I had nearly given up a man told me that these items are quite expensive. I made a few enquiries and found someone who buy's and sells these things."
The captain stopped in front of a little beat up old wooden shop and walked in, Hatzu followed to scared to speak or flee.
"What brings children into this old man's shop." A man in his thirties said almost ironically without paying much attention to the duo.
The captain grabbed the arm of Hatzu and pushed him forward; "I have a trinket I hear you buy and sell so brought it and this boy to be sold."
Fear spread across Hatzu's face as his legs lost all strength. "What?" He mumbled repeatedly as if the singular thought had yet to penetrate his dense skull.
The man at the counter looked at the boy and then to the man. "Where is the charm you speak of?" He asked.
The captain once again pulled out the necklace to show the store clerk. With a smile and a nod, the clerk pulled out a bag of gold. Dropping it onto the counter with a jangly thud. "I will pay you for the seal and I am the only one in the city who will. My price is more than fair but for the boy I will only offer a trade – I do not buy slaves; do you accept?"
The captain did not rush but waited a few breaths. "That depends, how much is a fair amount and what would you be training?"
The shop keeper didn't' hesitate, pulling a small dagger from his sleeve and placing it on the table. "this entire bag of gold will be exchanged for the item and this mid grade dagger will be exchanged for the child."
The captain reached into the bag and was left speechless. He had wanted 5 silvers for the item and 5 coppers for the child. As he pulled his hand from the bag, he saw the shimmer of gold.
Not caring about some knife, the man turned to walk out and soon stopped before the door.
"What about your dagger?" The clerk said pointing to the Captain. The voice caused him to freeze in his steps before the howling of a flying blade pierced through his chest. The captain fell to the ground and small pool of blood formed.