The Pirate and The Assassin

Chapter Two

"Well, what do we have here?" His voice sounded amused as she stole a look towards the merchant. He scowled back at her as she returned her green eyes back to the captain.

"Looking for food." She lied, her voice making it sound honest enough for them to believe. The captain looked her up and down and looked around. He brought his gaze back to her and spoke.

"Where are your mother and father, girl?"

"Gone, Dead, probably both." Sass was not the best way to go when she was kind of trapped here.

"So you are a bastard then?" He smiled, not necessarily the warmest smile.  She nodded, her green eyes studying the face before her warily. A tanned face it was, with a grey goatee and short grey hair. He looked old, and she could tell by the crows feet at the corner of his brown eyes, which had bags under them. Tired and yet something about him made him seem young still. Maybe it was the smile or the twinkle in his thunderstorm eyes. 

"Aren't orphans usually turned in to the guards, and taken to the servants ward?" He now spoke to the merchant who was annoyed that this was taking so long and it was way too hot to be standing around waiting for people to buy things from his booth.

"Yes, I can go fetch one for you." He looked down on Kenna, watching for any reaction that might seem distressed or nervous. She didn't even try to run, instead she just leaned up against the frame of the tent, waiting for what came next, almost bored.

"No I think not, my ship needs a cabin boy, but I suppose a girl will do. What is your name girl?"

"Kenna."

"Have a last name, Kenna?"

"First name only. I don't remember my last name, nor do I care enough for one."

"Come with me then Kenna, We shall board my ship soon, but for now walk with me through the market as I restock for the journey ahead." The man walked further up the slope and Kenna had to trot alongside in order to keep up.

"Well if I am to serve you then I at least should know your name...." She mumbled for only his ears to hear.  Through gritted teeth he spoke.

"Grimm, Bernard Leith Grimm."  Kenna laughed as he said it, a facial expression of pure joy plastered on her face.

"Bernerd?!?!" More laughing.

"Leith?!??!"She laughed some more until he shut her up with a fearsome look.

"BernArd. With an A.  And yes, Leith. It's a good name,strong and sturdy. My father's name actually. Make fun of it again and I'll bet I can get those guards over there to come and get you. Won't be laughing when you are put in with the other  unfortunate orphans." She growled at him, said a few colorful words under her breath,  but stopped the mockery when he tossed her a gold coin. They took an hour to walk around the entire market, and he had her carry all of his bags and purchases until they got back to the harbor. By the time they boarded the ship, her arms were aching to drop the bags, but she didn't. This was some kind of test, and if it meant getting out of this sad town, if it even deserved to be called that, then she would not fail. Before going below deck, Kenna looked out at the island of Tera to say goodbye one last time.

   Finally he told her where to put the stock away in and she couldn't feel her arms after she set the parcels down. Grimm came up to her and started running through her duties. A long and endless list of chores that she knew would only make her tense and grumpy.

"In the mornings you will swab the deck and make sure the sails are tied into positions, and then go down and fetch my lunch from the cook."
His voice droned on and on and she buzzed out for a moment or two.

"You will have two meals a day, but only after you complete your tasks, understand?" She shook herself out of the day dream she was having and nodded.

"Good. And you will be paid and trained to fight, since ALL my crew members need to know how to use a weapon, because one day your life may very well depend on it. First lesson will be tonight after I check with the first mate to set our course. Make sure you know the names of the crew and who is in charge. Report back to me once that is down. Oh and your cabin. Since you are the only female on the ship, you will get your own cabin." He lead her down a few doors and turned the knob to show her what lay inside. A small cot with a blanket or two, and a table with a candle. Not much, but better than the wet ground she had been sleeping on before. She turned to thank him, but he was gone. Sighing, Kenna closed the creaky wood door and began to make her way around the boat.  Her thoughts were her only friends as she asked the names of the crew, humming a little tune as she went. A few of the men were surprised to see a women on board. Wasn't it bad luck to have a women on a ship? It took coaxing to get the names out of the men, for some didn't want to share with this annoying 19 year old girl.

One of the men, Hark, Jasper Hark, caught her attention, ruggedly handsome with his brown hair and golden eyes, which seemed to be mischievously wonderful. He gave her a boyish grin as she strolled up to him.

"Mhm seems like we got trouble on our hands, a beautiful little wench. Prey tell, do you like playing with fire?" He whispered, sending chills down her spine.
"Depends on if you are fire." Kenna flipped her hair and walked away, leaving Jasper with a look of smugness on his face.
       "First Mate Hark, Second Mate Knoll, Murray, Cardoth, Moriar, Alistar, Nexus, Braum, Darius, Azir, Ezeral, Graves, Kayle, Bronn, and Jeffery." FIve times over she repeated these names until she thought she had them memorized. Finally she knocked on the most embellished door, it could only be Grimms, and it swung open. He smiled and let her in.

"Well? What are my crew members names? Starting with my two in command. Begin." He sat down at his desk as she wrung her hands trying to distract her from looking around the marvelous room.

       "First Mate Jasper Hark, Second Mate Knoll, Azir, Cardoth, Moriar, Alistar, Nexus, Braum, Darius, Murray, Ezeral, Graves, Kayle, Bronn." She smiled confidently, her eyes sparkled with a certain sass.

"Very good, but you forgot Jeffery Peters." The smile vanished and so did the look in her eyes.

"Still your training will commence upon this night.  Think fast. Catch." He tossed a sheathed sword at her, slightly smaller than his own, that lay in a black leather sheath at his side. She caught it in her right hand, he raised his thick, furry eyebrows, impressed. 

"Good. Now Take it out and show me your stance." The sword slide out of its leathery home and it fell to the floor by her small feet. She kicked it away and stood, ready to fight. Grimm walked around her and shook his head.

"Poor stance, spread your feet apart more, and put your left arm out. By the end of this, you will know how to fight with both hands, three different kinds of swords, throwing knives and daggers, pistols and guns AND master at all poisons. As a female, you can get away with more than you expect. Mhm.....you will make a fine addition to our crew."  Her eyebrows raised as he said part of the crew. Maybe she wouldn't be a cabin girl for long. He smiled at her as she adjusted her grip on the sword so that it was tighter on the handle.

"Lesson one. Stick them with the pointy end." He said, seeing if he could get a reaction out of her and he did. She rolled her eyes at him before speaking in an annoyed voice.

"I know which end to use."

Hark watched from the doorway as this small girl started lessons from this great captain.

"Hold it like it is part of your arm. For that is what it must become-A part of you. Now swing." She swung the silver blade down, only for it to meet his blade. Some sparks flew as the metal hit more metal.
Jasper snickered as she fumbled at the heavy metal.

"Move your feet with the swings. Back. Back. Back. Good." His words flew over her head as she met his swing al almost every time. Only a few times was she knocked down by the flat side of the blade. It would knock the wind out of her but she always got back up.  Her energy was endless tonight and she intended to make the best out of this night.  He taught her how to block, and parry and swipe. So many things to remember! Don't put your arm there, don't swing now, make sure your hair is tied up so it doesn't get cut off. The list of things to remember was endless and she was sure she was going to forget.