Chapter 1: Trial and Error

“Aron St.Beth,” the judge spoke in an absurdly posh accent that did little to disguise the familiar voice underneath, “you stand here today accused of larceny, assault, destruction of property and, moreover, piracy.” The man put his papers down, revealing a ruggedly bearded face that Aron would recognize anywhere, even with the wire framed spectacles perched on the nose. He hardly had time to recover from his shock before the man continued, “St. Beth, how do you plead?”

Themes

Found family, confronting change. Objects seeming crooked, misplaced, not quite right.

Structure

Exposition

Aron St.Beth, formerly the lighthouse keeper in Seavale, has signed on to his brother Nathanael St.Beth's pirate crew aboard the Lady Madeleine. Nathan isn't sure why his brother, a fairly peaceful and quiet boy, has suddenly decided to get involved in piracy, but he welcomes his presence anyway. Aron's best friend, Elle Franklin, has also signed on to join, though her reasons seem more academic than anything else. However, as is tradition with pirates, the new recruits are to be initiated. In this instance, the initiation is a mock trial, where the new kids are "kidnapped" in the dead of night and brought aboard a spare ship to face trial for their crimes of piracy.

Rising Action

The scene opens when Aron is awoken by a sack being drawn over his head. He attempts to struggle as two people (a gangly blond man and a taller woman with dark braided hair) force him out of his hammock. Aron goes so far as to headbutt one of his captors, breaking the man's nose, before he is tied up and escorted to another ship drawn up next to the Lady Madeleine. His internal monologue reveals that he is terrified not only for himself but for the crew, namely his brother Nathan and his friend Elle. He is finally brought into what looks like a courtroom, whereupon the sack is removed and he is left staring down a judge.

Climax

The judge, boots up on the bench and papers obscuring his face, reads aloud the charges levied towards Aron. He asks how Aron pleads and moves the papers to look him in the eye: Aron is so shocked he cannot answer at first. He attempts to call the judge, his brother, out on the ruse, only to be silenced by the pirates around him. He catches on and, in a tense moment, admits his guilt and swears himself as a pirate.

Falling Action

After the tense courtroom scene, Nathan escorts his brother back aboard the Madeleine, answering his questions about the initiation. He reveals that they tried Elle before him, and that she also passed. Aron is a bit confused as to why it was necessary, but Nathan assures him that it's just the pirates' way and that Aron will have to get used to things not always making sense. Nathan also assures him that the crew is now practically his family, some more literally than others. He's trying to make Aron feel like he belongs, and though Aron appreciates it, he isn't convinced.

Components

Goals

The point of the initiation is to see if the new recruits are willing to accept their actions in any scenario- even if it means death. The first test is to see if they will plead guilty to the charge of piracy, and the second is to see if they will turn on their crew to receive mercy. Nathan himself is dressed up to play the part of the judge, much to the guile of the rest of the crew. This appears high stakes at first, as Aron is introduced in what seems to be a deadly scenario, only to reveal his relation to the "judge" and the true circumstances in which he found himself here. It is low stakes and humorous by the end, which sets the tone for the majority of the story's interactions.

Relations

Protagonists

Aron: the main character, and the one whom guides perception and narration. Hesitant and shy by nature, Aron is well out of his comfort zone aboard a pirate ship. However, his care for people runs deeper than his fear, so he is willing to abandon everything he knows in order to defend his family and friends. [Redacted spoiler for motivation].
Nathan: the pirate captain, and a man very different from Aron despite their shared upbringing. Nathan is confident, tried in battle, and knows how to command both his crew and his ship. He is somewhat out of sorts with his family life (which he thought he had left behind, for better or worse) and his "professional" life colliding, but he is happy to be able to see his brother every day.

Plot type

Webcomic chapter