You're Like a Fire

You're Found

"You have to be able to climb it, boy." One of my crew nudges him towards the main mast, his small form staggering up to it.

He glances back at me for direction. I nod and smirk a bit, encouraging him to go on.

His hands go to the sides of the wooden pole, trying to find a feasible way to grip it. A few laughs pass through the crew, his face flushing the tiniest bit red. He grabs one of the ropes and tests his weight. He puts all his weight in his arms for a moment before kicking his legs up and pressing the soles of his boots to mast.

Then he starts up, using his upper body to hull himself up because that's all he knows. It's smart. I've seen others use the same strategy before and I've seen others fail miserably or not even be able to get a grip.

He disappears over the edge of the crows nest. "Back to work, men," I call out to the rest of the crew and grab the hook at the bottom of the mast and kick the lever.

I'm pulled off my feet and into the air before landing steadily on the crows nest beside a winded assassin. "So how'd I do?" he asks sheepishly. His brow lightly covered with a thin sheen of sweat.

"Good, for your first time on a ship. I'll be putting you up in the ratlines for now. The others will keep an eye on you for awhile, let you get the hang of it then you're on your own."

"Really? That's it?" He seems shocked to say the least. His eyebrows furrowed in, confusion.

"What did you expect? Did ya think we'd throw ya overboard and speed off to see if you could catch up? Or that we'd tie you to the main mast for a very days to see how well ya fair?" I let out a dark laugh, remembering that I've seen all these used in the Navy but not as a pirate.

The Navy makes you suffer because they can't kill you. A pirate will give you a quick death but a Navy man with make you want to take your own life.

"Well... Yeah," he stammers.

"Pirates aren't bad people, Keever. Kenway would give ya some long spiel about freedom but it's not that either. We won't be taken advantage of by a king that's an ocean away is all. Just like any other sailor." I pat his shoulder and start moving slowly out across the yard.

He follows, quite reluctant as, if we fall, we plummet down to the deck. The wind is calm but the sun is especial unforgiving today. I think he'll be fine after a few days of the salty air and rough seas.

I show him how to sit beside the unfurled sail, how to tie a proper knot, and now to steer a sail if we get into bad weather. "When the weather takes a turn nothing will be easy. Everything will be slick and it'll be hard to see. Just watch yourself and you'll do fine." I pat him lightly on the shoulder.

He tips backwards, losing his balance, panic evident on his face. I grab the thin material of his shirt and steady him back up beside me. "Fuck fuck fuck," he curses, hiding his face in one if his hands, his other gripping tightly to the wood.

"You also should start wearing a jacket. Your skin is so fair, your whole body will be the same shade as Annie's hair by the end of the week." He furrows his brow in annoyance.

"I'll be fine. A jacket would bake me. I don't know how you do it." His inexperience showing through again. Like the world can't touch him but deep down he knows it can.

If only I could get Kenway to realize that.

"You won't want one until your first fight with a pirate, then the added leather will seem more appealing." He stiffens visibly. "But I don't plan on letting you get battered anytime soon."

He sits in silence, contemplating what he has gotten himself into.

"Anyway don't worry everyone almost dies on their first day," I laugh, and walk carefully back to the crows nest. "Dinner's at sundown."