Well hello everybody. This is my first fanfic and I'm very proud of it. It took me two and a half months to write. It was interesting trying to copy Brian Jacques writing style. I hope I did a good job. Please review. Enjoy!

Disclaimer I do not own Ben or Ned nor the series for that matter. Mr. Jacques has a very good lawyer.

A Tale from the Castaways of the Flying Dutchman

Part One: A Journey

1640: Northern Europe.

A tow-headed boy and a black Labrador dog were walking through a field. The field was bare; the short blades of grass were brown and dead and crunched under their feet. Halfway through the field they came to a tree, shriveled and wispy looking because of its lack of leaves.

The lad sat down with his back against the tree. The dog lay down beside him and they both looked at the sky; gray with clouds.

"It's going to be another cold winter eh Ned." the boy remarked.

"Well maybe you should grow a fur coat then." replied the dog using their mind connection.

The boy sighed. "Look Ned, we have this argument every winter. I'm not going to grow a fur coat. And besides, the Angel always comes through for us. We haven't frozen yet."

The dog sniffed. "I know that Ben. I'm just reminding you that it'll be too cold for us to sleep out in the open much longer."

They had been trying to move south as the weather grew colder, but the Angle had kept moving then up north. The pair was silent for a moment both thinking their own thoughts.

Finally Ned spoke. "You know this kind of feels familiar." Ben thought back to all the places he and Ned had traveled. Had it only been twenty years since they had left the presence of the Flying Dutchman? Seventeen years since they had left Luís the shepherd at Tierra del Fuego. Thirteen years since they had left Captain Thuron on the La Petite Marie and all of his and Ned's friends in Veron. And then his mind drifted to all the other places they had been.

Finally Ben said. "I don't think we've been here before shipmate."

Ned shook his head. "Well I just can't shake the feeling. Where do you suppose we are?"

Ben closed his eyes. "Somewhere up north if the weather anything to go by." In fact, Ben was wearing every stitch clothing he owned. Not that that was a lot. He shivered and leaned against the dog for warmth. "We should get moving." said Ben. They had been walking all day but he the movement would warm them up a little.

Ned got up and stretched causing Ben to fall sideways. Ben sighed and got up to follow his dog that had already started walking. It started to drizzle and the pair quickened their pace knowing it would be dark soon. There was a small hill in the distance.

"Maybe we can see a farm or a village from atop of that hill." said Ben. They both started to run as the freezing rain started to come down harder.

Ned reached the hill before Ben and started to race down the other side. "Hey Ben, there's a light not that far from here."

Now Ben was coming down from the hill. "Can you see the source of the light?" asked the youth. He too could see the light, but he couldn't identify what kind of building it was coming from in the twilight.

Ned's eyes were sharper so he was able to see the outline of the building. "Looks like some kind of pub or rest stop." he said.

It wasn't long in till they reached the building. Ned's second guess was right. It was a rest stop. They went in, both dripping water on the floor. Inside it was warm: a fire was in the grate. A few people were at tables, but besides that it was mostly empty. Ben weaved between tables to the counter, which was at the back of the room. The barman eyed them suspiciously. Ben realized how hungry he was. It had been a while since he and Ned had last eaten.

Ben attempted a smile, but it turned into a kind of grimace. "Is their way we could get some food and lodgings, uh without any money." asked Ben. The barman wordlessly handed him a broom.