A/N: Well hello my dear readers, it has been a while and I can assure all of you that this chapter has been in the making for far to long. A two parter this time with a bit of a piraty theme to it. Ideas are always welcome for future chapters. So please enjoy and don't forget to read the little notes that follow. If you have any questions than feel free to ask me.

VOC*: Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (Dutch East India Company). Dutch traveling company that was involved in colonization and trade in parts of Asia.

Also forgive me for any mistakes that I have made, English isn't my first language.

xxx

A deep sigh left his lips. ''Great, just great.'' He mumbled, but he was immediately silenced by the man next to him. He looked at Pieter, who was nervously looking at him before eying their abductors. Merlin leaned back against the pole that he was tied to.

It had all started less than two hours ago. Merlin was on his way to Batavia, a Dutch settlement. He hadn't been keen on going to the east, but if you lived as long as he did than you do want to see the world. He and Aithusia had decided to split up for a while, both longing for a temporary change of company. So he had traveled to Amsterdam in order to take one of the VOC* ships to Batavia. Once all papers were in order he and seven other passengers had boarded one of the trading ships. It was a tight squeeze, but next to the captain, his crew and cargo they did fit.

He was told that there wouldn't be any danger as the VOC was the biggest power in the seas of the east. Though somehow they still got hijacked by pirates, a rather nasty bunch who definitely could use a bath. The pirates had killed the captain and the crew. He had tried to help, but once the pirates had taken the others hostage he knew he couldn't do anything at all without getting the others in danger.

He turned to look at one of the women as she let out a loud sob, before burying herself in his shirt. Merlin gently wrapped his arms around Elisabeth's shoulders in order to calm her down. He knew that she was terrified and she was still so young. She was one of only two women on board, the other being a middle aged woman called Mariah, and he knew that Elisabeth was only on this journey as she was promised to the Governor General. He did pity her, marrying a man that she had never met before. He did receive a glare from one of the older men, Pieter, as he was touching a woman in such a way, but he ignored it.

Heavy footsteps echoed over the deck and Merlin looked up to see the captain of the pirates walk up to them, the most ugly and dirtiest looking one of them all. The man rubbed his beard before he smirked at the group and turned to his crew. ''Finish loading the cargo and then set the ship on fire.'' The pirate then leaned over Merlin, eying the woman in his arms with a wicked grin and Merlin pulled her closer to himself. ''So vhat have ve here?'' They didn't answer him. ''I guess I doesn't really matter. Your my prisoners now and I do believe that you vill fetch me a rather nice price.''

Pieter snarled at the pirate. ''You're going to sell us like... slaves!''

''You're slaves.'' The pirate than leaned in, grabbing Pieter's collar and Merlin could see the older man flinch in fear and disgust. ''My slaves till I sell you lot. You'll vill be calling me Captain Elvin and follow my direct orders.''

''And what if we don't?''

Elvin let out a loud laugh. ''Than the fish will be nibbling at your bones.''

xxx

Merlin rubbed some sweat of his forehead before he returned to sweeping the deck. They had been prisoners for nearly two days now and he could see that the others were completely exhausted, both mentally and physically.

He could feel his magic boil underneath his skin, he knew that it wanted to come out, throw the pirates off the ship and protect the other passengers. But he knew he shouldn't. He had absolutely no idea how the operate as ship and he was almost certain that the others didn't know either. He would make a move once they would reach land.

''Merlin?'' He turned to look at Elisabeth who walked up to him.

''Are you okay?'' He asked and she gave him a small nod. Merlin and the other men had been forced to work on the ship and he had a bit of mixed feelings when they had ordered him to sweep the deck as he was to skinny to help with the sails. Elisabeth and Mariah were set to help the cook and he could only say that he was relieved that none of the pirates had tried to take one of them.

''I'm fine.'' She whispered and he gave her a warm smile. A slight blush spread over her cheeks. ''You know... you would make a great husband.''

He turned to look away as she stepped closer to him. ''Ehm... I wouldn't be so certain.'' It wasn't like he hadn't thought about it, marrying that is, but he knew that he couldn't be with a 'normal' person. He didn't want to put anyone through a life with him, knowing that they could never grow old together.

''No you would be gr-.''

''Get back to work!'' One of the pirates snarled at him and thus cutting off Elisabeth's words.

xxx

Merlin's eyes snapped open at the sudden sound, a loud bang that sounded far away, he wasn't able to figure out where it came from. Over the past couple of days he had gotten used to sounds of the pirates' ship, the pirates walking over the deck and laughing and screaming coming from bellow.

He glanced at the pirate that was set to guard them, the man was fighting sleep and with a little push of his magic he could see the pirate giving in. He eyed the rest of the deck before he pushed himself up, careful not to wake any of the others. The raven leaned over the railing of the ship, staring at the darkness of the ocean. Normally he would have looked over it, but it was just so out of place in the middle of such a vast ocean. There was a small light in the distance, floating up and down with the sea.

It was another ship.

Merlin was barely able to silence his sharp intake of air as he felt hope rise in his heart. It was definitely far away, but it was a ship none the less. But how in the world was he going to make them notice... and could he even be certain that they wanted to help.

Not that he was able to try anything as a hand grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him roughly down. Pieter stared at him with large eyes as he hissed. ''Keep your head down before they see you.'' The older man then pointed at the light appearing from bellow deck as two more of the pirates walked onto the deck. The bigger one of the two roughly poked into their sleeping friend's side and their guard jolted awake. The man made an annoyed noise as the other two scolded him for falling asleep before he stood up and walked away. They took over guard duty.

Merlin eyed Pieter thankfully before laying back down, these new guards were far to awake and he was far to tired to try anything else, beside he had absolutely no idea how to signal the other ship without letting the pirate notice his attempt. He would just have to wait till they reached shore.

xxx

Part two is coming up soon.