At the Mercy of the Pirates

"Take him below to the slave hold," Roberts commanded. "Make sure he's secure. And tell Hassa to keep an eye on him." The men holding Fred nodded and took him below decks. The negro Fred had kicked down the stairs was waiting at the bottom. His face was bruised and his nose bloody. He did not look happy. "We're chaining him up in the slave hold," one of the pirates said as they dragged Fred passed the black man. "The Cap'n wants ye to keep an eye on him," the other pirate added. Hassa nodded and followed them.

Up above, the pirates resumed their preparations for the attack on the merchant ship. They hoisted the Hespan flag once again, the injured and dead pirates were cleared off the deck and the bowmen went to their places on the ship's castles. But on the quarter deck one pirate stood alone, awaiting a brutal punishment. Mad Dog had his hands lashed together and tied to a short rope which was knotted to an iron ring embedded in the deck. "Damn ye, Captain!" he screamed as Roberts stepped onto the quarter deck. The captain walked over to DelVecchio. The olive skinned pirate was just about to administer the first of Grogan's thirty lashes. Roberts held up his hand, staying the commencement of the whipping.

"Obedience, Grogan," Roberts said to Mad Dog, his face stern and uncompromising. "Authority be based on obedience. If ye do not obey me then ye threaten me authority. And I can'na allow that."

"The King's Man is a curse on this ship, Roberts!" Grogan shouted back at him. "Kill him, or we are all goin' to DIE!"

"That's where yer wrong, Mad Dog," Roberts replied, loud enough for the other pirates to hear. "If the dragon wanted us dead, it would'a killed us long ago. And that King's Man would be dead too. He be no curse on us, and when the gold he brings in to this crew is dropped into yer palm, ye'll see that I was right. But for now ye need a different kind'a convincing." Roberts nodded at DelVecchio and the pirate's whip snapped forward. A cry of pain filled the air, which was followed by another and another and another and another...

When Fred regained his senses, he found himself sitting on a dirty wooden floor, his back against the wall and his hands shackled above his head. Hassa stood over him. A wicked grin formed on the pirate's face and without a word the black man sent his foot flying into Fred's gut. The air in Fred's lungs was knocked out with a grunt and blood spattered his lips. Hassa chuckled and turned away. Fred silently cursed at the man, but could do no more.

1. And he likewise said a prayer for the unsuspecting merchant ship.

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