The sound of waves crashing against the sandy beach woke Victor up from his slumber, while the scent of the salty air lingered under his nose as the carriage rumbled on the frozen path. It suddenly slowed down to a halt, Victor snooped through a small hole behind him, what lies on the other side was a medium-sized cargo ship docked far away from the drifting ice near the beach. Jin poked Victor’s shoulder and he quickly sat back straight against the wall. Luck was on his side as the carriage curtains were flown opened by one of the slavers.

“If one of you touches me, or so I swear that you will not see the light of day. Understand?”

Jin and Victor nodded, he made his way inside the carriage and released the chain from the floor. He then left the back of the carriage and stood near the exit with his hand readied on the hilt of the sword.

“Get up!”

Jin and Victor stood up, their chains dangled and clinked with each other as they both left the back of the carriage. A bright sun shone upon them but wasn't enough to keep the cold away. Victor took the chance to stretch his body a bit as the lukewarm light rested on his skin. It had taken them two days to travel here or whatever this place is. The whole time they were kept in the back, only occasionally given food and a quick break to relieve their bowels.

“Move!” The slaver pushed Victor forward and forced the boy to start moving toward the dinghy.

Something caught Victor’s attention, an unguarded horse and they were so close to him and the forest. Jin pushed Victor and caused him to glance, the woman was shaking his head slightly as if she knew what his thoughts were. She was telling Victor that it was a bad idea then she slowly nodded toward the two men on her left, and they were armed with a pair of crossbows.

Victor gritted his teeth then made his way up the boat and forced to row it toward the ship. However, when Victor lay a single foot against the vessel, he was immediately pulled and tossed toward a collection of barrels. His body crashed into the barrels and caused them to fall over. The pain burst from his left shoulder, he gritted his teeth and turned with a glare at the man who pushed him.

“HA HA HA! I can’t believe my own eyes! Look who has graced us with his presence,” the black-bearded man with a sour smile and decorated with tons of scars; lowered his head mockingly. Yet, the shameful part was that the rude man was a fellow countryman based on his feature; the same as Victor, there was a chance that they both were born in the same city.

Victor felt a dozen stares at him, he clenched his hands then pushed himself off the floor and was ready to strike the man before him, but after seeing Jin’s worried face. Victor took another glance around him, the men had their weapons readied by their side in case Victor to retaliate. Victor held back because one of the reasons and the absolute main reason was he doesn’t want ‘Jin’ the only person that showed kindness to him to be involved with his debacle.

A punch flew and planted itself against Victor’s stomach. The young boy dropped to his knees, he groaned painfully and withheld every inch of his tears from escaping.

“Crew! Do you know who I hate the most?”

“Royalty!” Cheered the slavers.

“I hate them. No. I despise them! And...do you know why?” He took another step closer, and Victor backed away and fumbled onto his butt.

“Why?” It was a stupid question, and that’s why the bearded man was triggered by it.

The man forced Victor to stand up again by grabbing onto his collar and forced him to walk backward until his back was against the railing. Victor was close to falling into the freezing water below when he was held by the collar, this man had threatened Victor’s life using only his hand. Victor grabbed onto his arm and while making sure his feet were on balance at the edge, but if one his feet slip, down he goes into the freezing water.

“I heard about you, Exiled Prince. Is it Victor Lawson? Or just Victor now?”

“How did you know?”

“News around here sometimes traveled faster than horses. You lost everything didn’t you?”

“Yeah, and what? Are you going to sell me to Ghadah’s men? Huh?!”

“Certainly a good idea...I could toss you to the wolf and be done with it, or I could ask your family for ransom, but we both knew that they wouldn't do anything. Because! You are not a part of them anymore. So who does care about your life?” A grin appeared on the abusive man’s face.

“The answer is nobody!” This man before him brewed something inside Victor; a violent cyclone that could destroy everything in its path, easily well known as rage.

Without a second thought, Victor pulled his arms and pushed himself off the edge or so he thought. it was a good plan despite being suicidal, but it didn’t work, the man was too strong and heavy. It only took one of his hands to toss Victor back onto the deck. New pain arrived, Victor clenched his fist and before he could glare at the man, a bunch of dirty clothes was tossed onto his face.

The man laughed after he saw the murder-suicide attempt on his life, and he couldn’t stop laughing as he rested his hand over his belly trying to contain the laughter from bloating his stomach. He stopped and then wiped the tear of joy under his eyes.

“You work for me now. My first task for you is to clean this mess up!” The man kicked a bucket filled with dirty water onto his deck and walked away

“I don't work for you!”

“You don't? Hmm, you're not the type to care for his own life, but how about others?” He turned his gaze at Jin.

“Wait. Damn it, fine! I’ll do it.”

“Good, and my name is Captain Dasco. Don't forget it.”

“Jackass...” Victor muttered under his breath.

“Ahead, men! We got a long journey ahead of us.” The Captain yelled and the people cheered back as they pulled up the anchor and lowered the sail.

It finally happened, in a twisted sense of ways, Victor’s wish was finally fulfilled, he got to finally leave his home, but the destination and conditions of the circumstance was not something he had expected. He took one last view of the frozen land and certain undesired emotions rose again, but the only thing he could do now is to stay alive by cleaning this dirty mess.

 

***

 

Time: an unstoppable rule of the world. It passed away uncaringly at the world, unaware of its surroundings. Living things become older while non-living things begin to decay. It is one rule that is absolute in this world, but no matter how many Victor looked at the sea, that absolute law became confusing. The sea doesn’t end, it does not decay so does land, both of them remained. It has been a few weeks since Victor left his home, and it seems the treatment here doesn't get easier by day.

Victor’s train of thought was disturbed when Jin, the woman that had boarded this vessel with him, said something in her native tongue. The boy smirked and replied it easily with her language.

“You’re getting good. I could have mistaken you for a Yakawa. I think you finally got it.”

“Well, I had a great teacher.”

“Oh, I almost forgot….Here.” She handed a rounded object wrapped with cloth to Victor.

“A present? You shouldn’t. I knew I was your favorite, but you have to know, you ain't my type.”

“Aishe!” That noise she made is the most favorite part for Victor, every time he teased her, she always made that noise. It was hilarious for the boy because it sounded like a cat just sneezed, but it was not fondly loved by the one who had to execute it.

“So what’s this?” Victor unfolded the fabric, he was pleasantly surprised but horrified for what lies in his hand.

“An apple!”

“Shhhh…” Jin covered the boy’s lips, but Victor removed her hand.

“An apple, are you crazy? You are going to get us both in trouble.”

“It’s not just for us,” Jin took out a small shiv and began to cut a small slice.

“It is also for them,” she nodded her head at the other slaves around the small damp room.

They look as miserable as the people who attend a funeral. All of them are slaves that ran away from their country, just like Jin. Except for Victor, that is, he was just unlucky to be in this circumstance. Despite the different races, Victor did try to socialize with them, but they preferred their own company or flat out didn't understand his language, or just ignored him entirely.

“They need something that can give them hope,” Jin laid out a slice of apple, juicy and succulent. Rich with flavors in every bite, unlike the grub the slavers provided. A droplet of drool dripped out from his lips as Victor was hypnotized by that minuscule slice and tempted to the brink with his longing of good food. The woman grinned when Victor grabbed the slice and slowly relished the flavor in his mouth.

“Uwahh, so delicious.”

“It worked right?”

“Worked?”

“Give you hope. In the depth of despair, that small slices alone can make you feel that your life wasn't that bad after all, even though you know what lies at the end of your path are only the eternity of darkness.” She sighed and nodded her head with both eyes closed.

“Feeling philosophical, I see.”

“Victor, my cute child… I just couldn't help myself. I did marry a handsome scholar a long time ago and he loved his books, just like you.”

“May Gidona bless his soul.” Victor pressed his hand against his left chest.

The moment Jin heard the mechanism in the door turned and clicked; she quickly hid the apple under her raggedy clothes while Victor pretended to sleep. The slaver entered and as usual, spitting and burping. Even though this damp room smelled like rotten fish all the time, Victor could not stand the burp, it smelled even worse than what he used too.

“Prince of Nothing, you got toilet duty!”

“Toilet duty again? That’s the third time in a row, you people really need to watch what you ate.”

“Does my sweet and sensitive ear hear some backtalk from you?”

“No, Sir.” I brought my head down.

“Good...Now, kiss my boot.”

Victor was about to glare at the dirty man but held it in, then slowly bowed down to my knees so my lips could reach his boot. It was humiliating, but Victor had done so much worse than this, that it became like a twisted routine to him. Ever since he was abducted into this ship, it was nothing but humiliation and pain. One thing that they had a beef with Victor was, of course, his royal bloodline. Victor lay a kiss on the man’s boot, his lips tasted a rotten sour taste, and he could not imagine where that boot had been to.

“I can't believe you actually do it?!” He laughed aloud.

“I expected more of a fight!”

Victor gritted his teeth as he waited for the… Kick! Pain shook up from his stomach while he lay on his side, coughing and groaning in pain. It was terrible, it was agony, it was painful, Victor held in the tears and raised himself again while the other slaves looked away, except for Jin. She held in her anger as she watched her friend being humiliated and hurt.

“Thank you, Sir.” Victor pressed his head against the floor.

The slaver smile turned to frown as he left the room. Jin quickly rushed to his side and helped the boy gather himself. Victor patted the woman’s shoulder as he stood up again and walked through the door, leaving her behind. Victor slouched a couple of feet before finally able to straighten his back and grabbed the mop and bucket leaned against the wall.

It went like that for weeks now, he was called, he got beat up, got humiliated, got some more cleaning to do and it was again, a terrible horrendous twisted routine. However, he endured it because he had been through worse, and there could be hope when they landed on Yakawa. As for now, the deck needs to be spotless before the Captain arrived, so Victor scrubbed like never before. Besides, at least Jin is here to help him through that tough time.

The heavy footsteps were recognizable from a mile away, it was the Captain walking toward him. Victor scrubbed even harder as he waited for the Captain to walk past him.

“Captain! Captain!” The man in the crow’s nest at the highest peak of the ship yelled out.

“What?!”

"A Royal Battleship is heading toward us from the port side!."

"Flag?!"

"Ghadah’ Armada, Sir!"

The Captain sighed and then turned his attention at the wind, "Full speed! Steer to starboard! Cannons ready!"

One of his crew rushed to him, "Captain, what's the plan?"

"We are going to try to outrun it."

"With this kind of wind?"

It only took him a glaring glance to scare his crew back to their stations. However, his crewmate was right, it doesn’t take long for the Ghadah ship to catch up to them. Victor watched as the ship was getting closer and closer to them. A sudden distant pop led to a cannonball narrowly missed the ship and punched the sea in front of them. A large amount of water splashed onto Victor’s back as he stood frozen near the railing.

“Captain! Our speed is no match for them!”

“Then we fight! Ready the cannons. Portside!”

The ship swayed to starboard as the Captain turned his wheel to portside, Victor grabbed on to the rail with his life as the ship was in range, it was unlike anything he ever heard before. The noise of the explosion shuddered the air and the ships itself. A plume of smoke rises from the side of the ship. A long-awaited barrage of cannonballs missed their target and landed on the water.

The enemy ship echoed its thundering noise, “BRACE YOURSELF!”

Suddenly, something flew beside Victor’s head, he felt something stroked his hair and disturbed the air around his left ear. However it wasn’t that fast, Victor saw it coming and was frozen, but lucky him, it missed. Choked by his collar, Victor felt someone had pulled onto the back of his collar and forced the boy to kneel.

“Stay down you fool.” The Captain lashed out as he let go of Victor’s shirt and stood up once more.

“If none of my cannonballs hit that ship, I’m going to shove you all into the cannon and fire it myself!”

Another volley flew toward the enemy, and a couple of them hit the target, but the enemy was relentless as they fired another volley at the slaver’s ship. Some of it hits the ship’s body, destroying a couple of cannons, but one particularly hole horrified Victor, so he stood up and ran toward the stairs.

“FIRE!”

“RELOAD!” The screams and explosion were deafening.

He ran down through the gun port and passed down the storage, and into the slave cell. After peeking through the barred window, Victor found that the water already started to burst into the room. Victor tried to open the door but it was locked, he glanced around him to find the keys but it was fruitless, the keys must be on the slavers that came in this morning earlier.

“Victor!” Jin rushed to the barred window, gripping the metal.

“Jin, hold on! I’m going to get you out. Just hold on!”

The ship shook to the symphony of detonation and so did Victor’s heart, but he kept it together and rushed upstairs. He looked in every corner of the ship, on every person he passed, but none of them had the keys or the guard that was on duty this morning. Crack and roar, Victor was thrown forward through the crate as an enemy cannonball flew through the ship’s body and exploded one of the gunpowder barrels near him. Broken woods flew everywhere, Victor rolled and let his slightly char back soaked with salt water to help calm the small burn from the explosion earlier.

Despite the obvious danger looming over him, the boy stood up, again groaning and wincing as he moved his body; he needed to save Jin, that was his one goal. As he took another look around him, something glitter from the sunlight; it was the keys. Victor rushed to the torsoless body that was crushed by a large wooden beam from the explosion earlier. He snatched the keys and ran back down as fast as he could.

He reached down and found that the room was almost filled with saltwater. Jin and the other slaves swam up and near the barred window to get some air. Victor tried every key into the lock, hoping that he got one right. Yet, the task became more difficult when it became too hard to see through the murky water and find the lock itself.

“Quickly!”

“We are running out of air!”

“Gidona! I beg of you, please let me save her!”