His head was throbbing and the world around him was swaying, making him want to lose any food left in his stomach.

"Willy." He heard a frightened voice whisper. He slowly opened his eyes to see he was tied to a ring on the deck of a ship. But not just any ship, the ship that he had seen earlier that morning. He slowly looked to his right to find a scared looking Bente huddled against the wooden beams of the ship. She was also tied up. He let out a small groan of pain and Bente flashed him a worried look. Willy heard some shouting in a language he had never heard before. It was deep and thick and it was coming closer to him. Someone lifted up his chin, forcing him to look up at the man who held him. The man had dark skin and black hair, and was dressed in religious looking robes.

"So the little thief awakens." He said in the thick accent.

"What do you want with us?" Bente asked, her voice was quivering. The man let out a deep chuckle.

"I don't want you, Lass, I want him." He said smirking at Willy. "He's very skilled in his thieving ways. He will be very useful in Socorro." He grinned. Willy went pale and glared at the man. His uncle Hal had told them about the time they went to Socorro. They had gone to save several Araluen slaves from the slave market. He told him how the gold market and the slave market were the main trades of Socorro.

"You're going to sell us?" Willy asked horrified. The man smiled.

"Smart lad. You and the pretty girl will be sold, yes, but you must do a job for us first." He said. Willy raised his eyebrows in wonder.

"What would that be?" He asked.

"A gold trader stole a large sum of gold jewelry from us, I want you to get it back." He said. Willy glared at the man.

"So I get you back your gold and you sell us? That's unfair!" Willy said.

"Well, what would you like in return?" The man snapped. Willy glanced over at Bente, who was watching the exchange carefully and shivering all the while. He couldn't blame her either, they were both scared, and it was freezing outside.

"I'll get you the gold, if you take Bente here to Araluen." He said. "You won't get caught by any Skandians like you would if you tried to return her to Skandia." He said. The man looked over at Bente also.

"Deal." He said before walking away.

"Willy! No! I can't let you risk your life for me!" She whispered harshly, scooting across the wooden deck to sit next to him. He could feel the warmth of her body radiating onto his.

"They want me, Bente. I wouldn't be able to get away if I tried. But I can save you with this deal. You won't become a slave. They'll take you to Araluen, and you need to go to Redmont fife, and find MJ and my grandfather. Everything will be alright." He said. She shuddered and he saw tears streaming down her cheeks.

"What if they kill you?" She asked. He stared at the sea before them for quite some time, before answering. She leaned her head against his shoulder and he kissed her forehead.

"Then that's the price I'll have to take."

***

"We must leave tomorrow, before another storm hits." Hal said.

"Wouldn't it just be best to wait the Winter out? It'll be safer." Will suggested. The Heron had been caught in a bad storm the night before they reached Araluen, and they barely made it to Araluen. It had now been a week since the storm, and Hal had just finished the repairs on his beloved ship.

"It would be best, but we can't intrude." Hal said. Will glared at them.

"You wouldn't be intruding if I invite you." He said. Hal rose his eye brows and looked at the rest of his crew.

"What do you say?" He asked them all. There were a few who mumbled yes. Jesper and Edvin weren't ones though.

"I'd best be getting back to Abby and Willy. I feel bad as it is missing his birthday." Jesper said.

"And I don't want my girls along with their aunt for too long, they'll start to go crazy." Edvin said. He had left his two daughters, Alina and Bente at his sister-in-laws house. His wife had passed away after the birth of his three year old daughter Alina, so their aunt cared for the girls while Edvin was sailing. Hal nodded his understanding.

"But we don't have enough stores to last us through the whole trip back." Ulf said. The others nodded, so Hal settled it.

"We'll stay here. Winter is pass in a month anyway. Nothing bad can happen to our families while were gone." Hal told his crew, and a few reluctantly nodded.

They arrived in Redmont fife the next day, and Will allowed them to sleep in his main room, where they were all sprawled close together. The day after they arrived at the cabin, Will began to train MJ. Hals crew watched as MJ shot his bow and made a few targets and missing a few.

That evening, they all gathered around the table, eating venison and talking loudly, until Will shushed them all, pausing to listen as his rangers horse, Tug, let out a warning neigh, telling Will that there was a rider approaching. He pulled out his Saxe knife and slowly stood, as there were footesteps on the veranda and a nervous knock at the door. He opened the door wide and it showed a messenger, who looked frightened at the sight of a ranger and his apprentice and a crew of Skandians.

"I...I bring news too Ranger Will Treaty." He said. Will gestured for him to continue. "There are gold thieves sailing to Socorro. They must be stopped." Will rose his eyebrows.

"Why do gold thieves pertain to me?" He asked dully. The man took a deep breath.

"They...They have your grandson held captive. Will Jr has been. taken."