Benji Blackthorne scrambled up the plank of the tradeship, and took his place on the deck along with the other hands, not minding much the dunking he just received. He deserved it he supposed. Stealing the first mate's fruit was perhaps not the smartest thing he'd done in his young life. All-in-all, though his life was rough as a young sailor, he enjoyed it. The older sailors would often buffet him for his foolishness or yell at him when he got an order wrong, but they also taught him the tricks of the sea and how to survive long journeys without going stark raving mad. Toothless Wiell took pity on him occasionally and shared his rum and stories. Tales about the Days of "olde" when piracy was rampant.
Benji loved the old stories Wiell told with his lisping slurred manner and waited for the old sailor whenever their shifts coincided. Other times he'd do his errands and dream about being a grand old pirate. Before the kingdoms united to put down the last of the pirate armadas things on the high seas were exciting and interesting. Now it seems no one knew of buried treasure, or captured princesses, or anything even remotely news worthy. No sea dragons or ghost ships. No undead zombies crawling out of the sea onto ships decks in the middle of the night. All of these things were relegated now to cabin boy fantasies and stories of old sailors.
The boy felt at home aboard a ship and though he was forgetful and sometimes lazy he was born able to run a ship. He could name every sail and every knot. He knew about wind speed and navigating by the stars. He could read a compass and a map. He understood the workings of the astrolabe and sextant. In other-words he was destined to be a great pirate captain someday. But sadly for him pirate captains were as obsolete as city states. Now the cities bowed to kings and emperors and pirates hung from gallows alongside landlubbing thieves and brigands. Benji understood most of those hung for crimes were not really criminals but merely scapegoats. Justice was still as foreign a concept to the gentry as ever.
Benji didn't despise the nobility without reason. They blinded his father, a simple fisherman for failing to pay them their taxes. Nevermind that he could barely feed his family. Blinding was the kinder of the punishments visited upon his village for various infractions. All Benji knew is that the sea was a fairer mistress, and those who could would inevitably abuse their power. Benji longed for balance, preferably at the edge of a knife.
Benji went below decks to swab the sailor's quarters and do the myriad other tasks assigned him. While he worked he alternatively dreamed of better days and seeking vengeance for his family's catastrophes.