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"Two Treasures: A Pirate Tale" (closed)

Gerald watched as the real Captain descended to the deck and walked away. He was in shock that Belle Bonny would do such a thing. How could she turn over her prized ship to the prisoner. He had a feeling that she was trying to teach the girl a lesson.

It did not take long for Gerald to realize that, although Agatha had some knowledge of ships, it was very rudimentary. Gerald and the OOD had to make some modifications to the tachs that Agatha was making in order to keep her from running the ship over sandbars, or landing them on a beach.

On one of her bad maneuvers, the OOD motioned to Gerald not to do anything until the last minute; waiting until Agatha was in a panic before taking evasive action. "So, you think you can handle this ship better than Belle Bonny, do you Captain? I think your mouth put you someplace that your knowledge couldn't handle. You would be better served not trying to make yourself look better than you already do."

After spending hours correcting the new Captain's many mistakes, both Gerald and the OOD were happy to see the real Captain return to the quarterdeck. When they were asked how Agatha did, Gerald replied, "Captain, she was very consistent in her directions. She made numerous maneuvers toward beaches and sandbars." He then smiled at Agatha.
 
Four separate times during Agatha's command of Andrea, Belle Bonny left her stateroom and hurried for the ladder that would take her back to the main deck ... but each time she halted at the sudden change in course that she knew would correct the upcoming error. Even down below, sitting at the windows looking aft onto the ocean through which they'd already been, Bonny had sensed again and again that possibly she had fucked up tasking the girl.

But she had faith in the crew, the OOD, and in Gerald, who -- while the newest pirate aboard and a relatively new sailor at the same time -- had already shown some navigational and command aptitude during the mission to find and set upon Retriever.

"Captain, she was very consistent in her directions," Gerald began to explain when questioned about the girl's capabilities.

Agatha knew she'd made some obvious errors, but hell, it was the first time she'd been giving orders to the helm rather than being at the helm and taking them! She thought Gerald was about to compliment her, until he continued, "She made numerous maneuvers toward beaches and sandbars."

"Hey!" Agatha exclaimed in anger, though whether real or mocked could be argued. She looked to Bonny and declared, "I did well enough I believe, Captain. However … I would gladly accept being relieved of command, if that's what you wish."

Bonny was smiling wide as she told the OOD, "You have the Conn, sir. Set your course."

"Actually," the pirate said, looking to the compass, the sky, the sun, and then the distant southwestern shoreline of the Island of Madagascar, "Miss Howard has us on course."

Bonny was pleased to hear this, and Agatha was as well. She shot Gerald a dirty look, stuck her tongue out at him as if she was a little girl dealing with a bully, then turned her face from him as she giggled.

"Young Gerald!" Bonny called, garnering the new pirate's attention. "If Miss Howard would like … I am charging you with teaching her to be a pirate."

Agatha turned quickly toward Bonny, asking with shock, "What? I don't want to be a pirate!"

"A sailor then," Bonny corrected. "Would you like to learn how to be a sailor then."

Agatha didn't immediately respond.

"You have tutors back home, yes...? math, writing, history, and such? Young Gerald here could be your tutor in seamanship."

Agatha looked to Gerald, for whom she had already begun taking quite a liking, despite him being a blood thirsty, non-raping pirate. Contemplating spending more time in his presence, she felt her face explode in a fiery blush that preceded a wide, embarrassed smile.

"The option is to return to your cell, as I have work for Young Gerald," Bonny continued. "What say you?"

Agatha looked between the two of them, then to the helm, and the rigging, and to some of the pirates who had taken an interest in the conversation … or, quite possibly, were just ogling the cute girl on the ship full of horny men.

"I'll agree to it on one condition, Captain," Agatha said with a confident tone. She looked to the young man who would be her teacher, then back to Bonny. "You have to stop calling him Young Gerald. It makes him sound like a little boy and--"

"Able Bodied Seaman Gerald it is, then," Bonny interrupted, giving the young man who earlier had been nothing more than a Swabbie. She looked to Gerald, asking, "Seaman Smith … do you think you're up to teaching our new Swabbie how to run Andrea?"
 
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Gerald could not believe what he was hearing from the Captain. He was fairly new to working with Belle Bonny, but everything he had heard about her was that she was a task master that did not take any nonsense from anybody. Now, here she was, telling him to teach the prisoner everything there was to know about Andrea.

Perhaps the Captain had an ulterior motive for what she was doing. If that was the case, Gerald had no idea what it could be. As far as he knew, the only reason for taking Agatha prisoner was to get the ransom. Now, Belle Bonny was trying to train Agatha as a pirate.

"My Captain, I will do whatever you want me to. You know where my loyalties lie. The prisoner will get to know everything there is to know about your wonderful ship." With that, Gerald led Agatha away, and began giving her a tour of the ship.

When they got to the bunk house, Gerald turned to Agatha. "I am sure, that if you stay on the Andrea that separate accommodations would have to be made for you. Such an attractive woman would not be able to sleep in here with all of the brutes we have on the ship."

After paying her a compliment for the first time, Gerald led Agatha toward the mess hall. On the way, Agatha commented that the only reason that he was paying her any compliments was because he knew that the Captain was taking a liking to her. "The Captain has something in mind for you. Don't get too cozy, or you might find yourself in a very unwelcome situation."
When they arrived at the galley, Gerald pointed out, "This is where that fine grub you had for breakfast came from. Actually, this morning's breakfast was one of the best meals that we have had in a while. The Captain makes sure we eat well. She knows that if she takes care of us, we will do whatever she needs us to do."

After giving Agatha the tour of the ship, Gerald started reviewing some of the many tasks that they had to do on the ship. The first thing he showed her was swabbing the deck, but before he did so, he found her some clothes to change into. There was no way that she could do the tasks necessary to work on the ship in the fine dress she was wearing.

After grabbing an extra pair of trousers and one of his extra blouses from his foot locker, Gerald led Agatha back to the brig. "Change in your cell. That is the most private place for you. I don't want you to ruin your dress. Here are some of my extra clothes. They won't exactly fit you well, but they are appropriate for the jobs we will do ."

Agatha looked at Gerald in horror. "You expect me to put these rags on my body? You want me to wear these. My father's servants would not use these rags to clean the house with." Gerald nodded and chuckled. "Well, you have a couple of choices.... you can keep your dress on as we work around the ship, which will result in its ruin, you can put on those rags that are similar to what I am wearing now, or, you can take off the dress and work around the ship in your undergarments. Completely your choice."

Once Agatha changed, Gerald showed her... more like watched her swab the deck. Then he took her and showed her how the sails were tied down, and how the ties had to be released if the Captain ordered the sails to be raised.

When they were finished with the last task, Gerald led Agatha to the Captain's quarters. Outside the door, the guards questioned why he was there. Gerald told them that he was supposed to deliver the prisoner to the Captain when they were finished their tasks. He waited while the guard checked with the Captain.
 
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Agatha was quite impressed with Andrea as a working vessel. It had probably half the interior volume of Retriever, and yet the crew still had everything they needed to sail and repair her safely and efficiently hidden economically away, filling every little nook and cranny on every deck. Belle Bonny and her men knew how to make use of their space ... including knowing how to store away the pillaged goods from Agatha's previous ship.

After they'd had their exchange about the awful clothing Gerald wanted her to don, Agatha turned her back to the man and said, "Untie me."

She looked over her shoulder to see Gerald's eyes wide with shock. By why? Was it that he couldn't believe a good, noble woman like her would ask such a thing of a pirate? Or was it that he had never actually undressed a woman before? His hesitation made Agatha wonder, Is all his talk of women lining up to get naked with him just talk … or is he as pure of body as I am?

"You're not undressing me, Gerald," she laughed at him. "You're just pulling on that one knot and loosing the strings so that I can get out of it myself … after you go away!"

She laughed again, for two reasons, of course: first Agatha had caught Gerald off guard and she liked that; second, she didn't actually need his help -- she could simply unbutton the front of the dress to exit it -- but wasn't going to tell him that, of course.

When she was finally dressed, Agatha looked down upon herself in horror. She'd never in her life wore something with legs, not even the legged undergarments that many women were wearing these days in place of slips and shifts due to their increased warmth about the lower limbs. If her father could see her in men's trousers, his fever would become a heart attack instead and he'd keel over right there in Cape Town.

She felt so … exposed, which was probably ironic seeing how the several sizes too large clothing hung wildly on her as opposed to highlighting her womanly curves, as her dress had. Still … legs!

Gerald put her to work doing many of the tasks he'd been doing as a Swabbie. He took the time to show her how to do it right -- typically about a minute! -- before he stood back and watched her do it instead. Asshole! Agatha found herself sorry that she'd teased him earlier regarding undressing her. Last time I do that, she thought to herself … before giggling softly and telling herself, I doubt that.

It was a long day for Agatha but passed by quickly; Gerald showed her so much of what he did during a day at sea, even though it was probably only a tenth of all he did. When he was demonstrating something to her and she got the chance, she studied his face; she knew by the end of the day that she was attracted to Gerald, which was going to be a problem … because he was a pirate and she was a lady … and a Lady, uppercase "L".

"Did you learn anything today?" Belle Bonny asked when Agatha was led to her stateroom.

"I learned a great deal today, Captain," Agatha said, smiling despite the exhaustion that was beginning to overwhelm her body. She looked to Gerald, who was standing behind her nearer the entry. Smiling to him, then looking back to Bonny, she said, "Able Bodied Seaman Smith is an excellent tutor, Captain. I would be indebted to you if … if you would allow my lessons to continue tomorrow."

Bonny was no idiot; she knew infatuation when she saw it. And while she was appreciative of young love and how it aided in the maturing process of both males and females, she had to remember that Gerald was her pirate ship crew member and Agatha was her ransom hostage.

"We will talk about that tomorrow, Lady Agatha, but for now we should sit and eat and discuss other facets of your future--"

"Actually, Captain," the girl cut in. She looked reluctant to ask, but continued, "I don't think I have in me the energy to eat, let alone hold and recall a conversation. Would it be permissible for me to turn in for the evening?"

"Of course," Bonny said without hesitation, already having expected Agatha to be spent. "However, before you do..."

Bonny went to her desk, fished out the knife she'd stripped from under Agatha's thigh the day before, and offered it out to her. "You will keep this inside your cell, do you understand. If at any time I order Gerald to search your cell and he does not find it in there--"

"Why are you providing me with a weapon, Captain?" Agatha cut in.

Bonny didn't answer the question; she knew that the girl would eventually figure out that the knife was being returned for the very reason it had been given in the first place, to cut off the dick of a man who tries to force himself upon her. Bonny curled around Agatha to approach Gerald.

"You will lock Lady Howard into her cell, and then you will give her the key," she continued with her orders. "I am less concerned with her trying to let herself out than I am with someone else trying to get in."

Bonny didn't really believe that one of her crew would attempt to rape the young hostage who -- if returned as pure of body as she'd arrived -- was worth a small fortune to one and all. But Bonny wanted Agatha to understand that while she'd had a good day aboard Andrea, this was still a pirate ship and, well, shit happens.

"Rolly!" Bonny called. When her cabin boy appeared, she asked, "Do you have that box ready?"

The older man acknowledged with a nod, and Bonny ordered Gerald to escort Agatha back to her cell. But before they departed, she told the seaman, "Gerald, you will transfer your hammock and trunk down to the lower deck. Set yourself up near enough to Lady Howard to secure her but with some privacy allowances for her as well. Perhaps a wall of some of the cases we took off Retriever, to make a wall."

With a bit of a devilish smirk and a pointing finger, she demanded, "No peeking!"

Turning to Agatha again, Bonny promised, "The storm ahead will drop some rain on us tomorrow, replenishing our fresh water stocks. I will arrange for you to have a warm bath here in my stateroom."

Bonny gestured toward the tub near the cast iron stove … and suddenly remembered the first day she'd met Billy Murray. Her mind drifted away to the merchant-turned-pirate who she was missing so badly. She drew and released a deep sign, then blinked away the tears that had only just begun to threaten. Looking back to the two young people and Rolly, she ordered, "Git!"
 
Gerald escorted Agatha back to the brig. After securing her inside, he handed her the key. "Make sure you keep it safe. Don't give it to anybody, no matter what they say, or what reason they give you for wanting it. The only person you should give it to is me."

After giving Agatha the key, Gerald built a divider out of the booty they had seized. Then he went and got his hammock, and set it up on the other side of the divider. He did not dare peek. If he did, the Captain would be upset at him for disobeying her orders, and he did not want her upset.

"Are you okay over there Agatha," Gerald called to her. She said she was fine and then asked him to join her to talk for a little while. He moved around the barrier and sat in the chair. He made every attempt not to allow his eyes to wander while they talked.

She continued to prod him about being a pirate and a thief even if he wasn't a rapist. "I know what you are trying to do Agatha. It doesn't bother me that you call me a pirate. I work for everything I get, which is much more than I had prior to joining the Captain. Before this, I worked long hours and made barely enough to survive. Now I work just as hard.. maybe harder, but I am rewarded well for it. By the looks of you, I doubt you have ever worked a day in your life... before today."

He stopped and took a breath. He realized that she was accomplishing just what she wanted to. He leaned back a little and sighed. There was something about this woman that was so captivating. It wasn't just that she came from money. She was extremely attractive and he thought that he caught her looking at him several times in a way that indicated she liked what she saw.

"I am going to leave you alone. You should find some writing implements in the box. Perhaps you can keep a diary or a journal of your time here so that you can share it with your daddy when you get back to him." He stood up. "That is, if he pays the ransom."

Gerald went to the other side and got comfortable in his hammock. He did not sleep soundly that night. The rain began to pelt the ship loudly, which echoed like a banging drum below deck.

On several occasions he heard movement and got up to check it out. He chased the other pirates away, and told them that Belle Bonny would not be happy to find out that they were anywhere near the prisoner.

In the morning, Gerald went to get breakfast for Agatha. He brought it back, and announced to her that he had food for her. When she told him it was okay to come over, he delivered the grub to her. "After you eat, I will take you to the Captain. It rained hard last night and there is plenty of water for you to take your bath."

Once the prisoner was finished, he delivered her to the Captain's quarters, and then gerald went out and began his daily tasks. If the Captain wanted him to guide Agatha around, she would call for him at the appropriate time.
 
Agatha was somehow less hesitant to undress from her pirate clothes than she had been getting into them that morning. She barely waited for Gerald to position himself on the other side of the newly built wall before she began unbuckling and untying. She was soon in nothing more than the undershirt that covered her to just past her crotch and buttocks. Agatha contemplated looking up to Gerald's barrier to see if maybe he was peeking through it, but she didn't; she knew she might not be able to tell in the low light of the lower deck, and even if she did see him peeking she wasn't entirely sure she cared.

She felt a blush fill her face at the thought of allowing Gerald to see her in a state of undress. She was a very sexually naïve girl, even more so than she thought she was. Oh, she knew about the human bodies, male and female; she understood what sex was; she understood the social meanings and repercussions of being involved in a sexual relationship outside of marriage; she understood that intercourse led to pregnancy, which -- outside of marriage -- meant ruin for a girl such as herself. She also know about the intense pleasure and euphoria that came from sexual interaction, though, it was all second hand knowledge, seeing how Agatha herself and never so much as embraced a male intimately, let alone opened her thighs to him.

"Are you okay over there Agatha," Gerald called to her.

"Stay over there! And don't peek!" she spat at him, even though deep down she wasn't entirely sure she wouldn't have been pleased to have him take a gander. "I'll tell you when I'm ready."

She hesitated a moment, then slipped the shift up over her head and off to the makeshift bed. She was naked now except for a pair of warm, woolen socks Gerald had found for her. And even though it was chilly and there was a boy just 12 feet away, Agatha didn't immediately do anything about covering herself up. Gerald hadn't peeked, of course, but … Agatha would wonder if perhaps he might have for some time.

After she'd donned a soft, comfortable shift and a thick, woolen night gown, both provided by Bonny, they talked for a while about this and that -- her upbringing with wealth, his without, for one -- and then after she told him that she needed sleep. In the night, Agatha awoke to the sound of Gerald's deep breathing. He wasn't snoring, per se; he was simply breathing with enough volume that Agatha found herself envisioning him in his gently swinging hammock … imagining laying in it with him, cuddled up close.

The next morning:

The night crew of Andrea had stretched out a water catching canvas shortly after 6 bells as the approaching storm promised fresh water. They were able to fill three barrels before the rain let up; with a pipe that ran from the catcher down through the deck, the barrel in Bonny's quarters were filled as well, and Rolly spent the sunrise hour heating the water and preparing a bath.

Gerald delivered Agatha to Bonny, who told her, "I can leave you alone if you prefer."

"No!" Agatha said anxiously, surprising herself. She'd been willing to let Billy see her naked the night before, and yet she was afraid of being in a bath here without the female Captain's supervision and protecting. She said in a calmer tone, "Please stay, Captain."

Agatha once again stripped naked, half-heartedly hiding her womanly features as she carefully negotiated entry into the tub as the ship took an unexpected list in a tacking maneuver. As she was wobbling about, Bonny said, "You are a beautiful young woman, Lady Howard. You have a wonderful body."

Unsure of how to deal with such a compliment, a fiery red blushing Agatha only said nervously, "Thank you."

Bonny laughed at the response. "Have no fear, Agatha. You do not have to worry about me wanting to take advantage of you … as you might have to regarding some of the crew."

Agatha lowered herself into the tub slowly, letting her body adjust to the surprisingly hot water. She said with a matter of fact tone, "But then, you are a woman … so why would I have to be concerned with you wanting to..."

Her words faded as she caught the devilish expression on the Captain's face. Once again, she somehow blushed, even as much of her blood was racing to her skin in response to the warm surrounding her. After a moment, Agatha tentatively said, "I've heard of that … women … with other women … but … but I thought it was just stories … tavern stories, told by drunk men."

Bonny chuckled. "Women are God's most beautiful creation, and men adore them, whether for love of lust … so … if they are so beautiful, and women like beautiful things … gold, diamonds, rare jewels … why shouldn't a woman want to have the most beautiful of God's creations … another beautiful woman?"

Agatha's eyes were wide with surprise at the Captain's musings. After a moment, she asked, "And … you, Captain...? Do you...?"

She didn't finish her question, which Bonny answered in a round about way by saying, "You are a beautiful woman, Miss Howard, and I like beautiful things … but … I am your captor, and it would be inappropriate for me to avail myself of your … beauty … prior to turning you back over to your father for a box full of silver and gold. Besides … I have a man awaiting my return in Nuevo Nassau … and as he has vowed to remain celibate for me, I don't think he would appreciate it if I was rolling around in my bed with you."

Bonny crossed to the tub, offering to help Agatha with washing her hair, adding, "Also, there's already someone aboard this vessel who has eyes for you."

"Gerald?" Agatha asked, laughing. "I don't think he would ever--"

"Forget that for now, Agatha," Bonny cut in. "Nothing's going to be happening between you and my new Seaman. He's too well disciplined to disappoint me."

She didn't explain why Agatha and Gerald being intimately involved would be disappointing to her. Instead, she helped the girl finish her bath, gave her a towel to dry off, then went to her own wardrobe, saying, "Let's see if we can't find you something that fits better. Gerald is a bit too tall and manly for you to be wearing his clothes."

Bonny dug through the closet bolted to the bulkhead, then searched through a trunk of clothes. She came up with some items that had been pillaged from various ships over the years and accumulated. "This should do, I think."

Again, Agatha was horrified at the trousers, complaining that they so defined her figure. But Bonny told her she needed to be able to move more freely to continue her work up topside.

"And the corset?" Agatha asked, laughing. "Is that to help me move more freely and continue my work?"

"No, that's to remind Gerald that you are a woman as well as a pirate," Bonny said, joining the laughter. "I think it will also encourage my men to work harder, believing that the more money we take from our prizes, the more money they will have to spend on delicious creatures such as yourself."

They chatted for a moment about Bonny's man back in Soalala, then Bonny led Agatha up to the quarterdeck, where she called the entire crew to gather about. Once each and every man had had a moment to lay his eyes upon their new, sexy crew mate, Bonny called out over them, "Miss Howard is my guest upon this boat. As my guest, she is to be respected as if she was me. No man is to lay a hand upon her … no man is to even cast a hungry eye upon her."

She glanced off to the Master of Arms, who -- with the Second Mate and two other selected Seaman -- suddenly took hold of one of the other sailors and began binding him in rope; he was one of the men who had gone down to the lower deck with the thought of paying Agatha a visit, only to be intercepted and sent away by Gerald. Bonny continued as they tied him up and lashed a line around his feet, "Any man who even contemplates disrespecting Miss Howard in the way that this man did last night … will be punished."

Suddenly, the four men hurled the bound man over Andrea's port side. The splash was followed by the sudden trailing of the line attached to his feet from a neat arrangement on the deck. The hundred feet or so of rope suddenly went tight, tied to the railing; behind them, the bound man could be seen bobbing about the surface, feet first, gasping for air and screaming -- for help and for forgiveness -- each time his head came above the relatively calm seas.

Bonny looked to her guest's and found the girl's face filled with panic and shock. Agatha moved closer and quietly begged, "Please, Captain … pull him aboard … please … you'll kill him … he'd drown … he only came to look--"

"As you were, Miss Howard," Bonny said in a whisper, adding, "Or I'll have you taken back to your cell."

Agatha backed off, and about ten seconds later Bonny called for the man to be dragged back aboard. His clothes were tatters -- what was left, anyway -- and he wasn't breathing when he hit the deck. The Master of Arms turned him on his belly, pressed upon his back, then rolled him to his side. After a moment, the man coughed up a large amount of water, then began breathing in gasps.

"Back to work," was all Bonny said. There was hesitation initially, but then the men began turning back to their duties while the nearly drowned man was taken down below to recuperate.
 
Gerald knew that Belle Bonny was very capable of showing the men who was in charge. What she did to the sailor who had dared to step outside the lines and attempt to get to Agatha's cell, was a clear demonstration of what happened when you did not follow the Captain's orders.

Gerald had heard of the wrath of Belle Bonny. Now he had witnessed it. It wasn't like he would have ever considered going against any of the Captain's orders or wishes, but he now saw an example of what happened to those who dared to cross Belle Bonny.

Watching Agatha attempt to plead the case of the sailor, Gerald saw the girl get put into her place quickly. The Captain was not going to listen to Agatha's pleas. In that situation, Gerald didn't know if there was anyone who would have been able to convince the Captain not to punish the offending sailor.

When the sailor was back on board and laying on the deck, Gerald approached Agatha, and took her arm. "Let's go. It is time for us to get to work. There is nothing else to see here." He led her below deck where they were to begin the day by cleaning the galley.

Once they were below deck, Gerald stopped Agatha. "You need to remember where you are and what you are. You are on a pirate ship with perhaps the greatest pirate Captain there is, and you are her prisoner. Even though she treats you civilly, do not mistake her kindness for weakness. If you were not a prisoner that she was holding for ransom, there is a very good chance you would have ended up in the water with him."

He walked away from her, and looked over his shoulder. "Now, let's get to work." Gerald pointed out where Agatha could get the supplies they needed and he waited for her to return. He explained to her what they were supposed to do, and then joined her as they scrubbed the galley from top to bottom.

After finishing there, Gerald led Agatha to their next chore which was cleaning the Captain's quarters. As they made their way, Gerald commented on Agatha's new outfit. "It looks much better on you than my clothes did, especially the corset. It leaves no doubt that you are a woman."

Without making eye contact with her, Gerald led Agatha to the Captain's quarters. There was only one guard there, which meant that the Captain was not. "You working with me is perfect for this task. You can clean around the Captain's womanly things. I will take care of the rest."

While working, Gerald took every opportunity to watch the attractive woman. If she caught him looking at her, he would simply say that he was making sure that she did not remove any of the Captain's personal items. His eyes, however, were not on her hands.

Leaving the Captain's quarters when they were finished, Gerald made some small talk with Agatha. "So, tell me, do you think that your father will pay the ransom that the Captain has demanded? You know, that if he doesn't, you are going to be aboard this pirate ship for quite some time. Of course, by the time we get the ransom, you might like working on a pirate ship and ask the Captain if you can join her crew."
 
Agatha was horrified by what she'd seen and was suddenly seeing Belle Bonny in a new light ... a frightful light ... or maybe the opposite, a frightful darkness. She understood the need for discipline on a ship, and on one occasion -- while she'd been sequestered in her quarters below deck -- she'd heard the lashing of a sailor whose drunkenness while on duty had nearly cost another man his leg. But to witness what she'd seen here was unbelievable and, honestly, very scary.

Gerald did his best to explain pirate life to her, followed by trying to take her mind off it all by getting back to work. It helped, a little bit, but the vision of the man being dragged back aboard repeatedly came back to Agatha, sometimes sending a chill up her spine.

He commented on how womanly she looked in her new clothes, and then off and on over the coming hours peeked at her body often, though he tried to pretend he wasn't. After he spoke about her father and the ransom and possibly staying aboard as a part of the crew, Agatha suddenly turned to Gerald and demanded, "I need to speak with the Captain … now … right now, please."

The request obviously threw Gerald off, but he sent the guard outside to retrieve Belle Bonny and a minute later she was stepping into her quarters asking, "Is there a problem?"

Agatha demanded -- well, begged with emphasis -- that Gerald step out so that the two of them could speak alone. Bonny sent the Seaman outside, telling him to stick close, then shut the door. Twenty minutes later, Bonny called the sailor back inside and ordered the guard outside to take Agatha to her cell. The hostage didn't resist at all; in fact, she expressed her appreciation to the Captain as she passed by.

"We have a problem," Bonny told Gerald once the two of them were alone. "It would seem that I made an error in pairing you and Miss Howard together. Our guest is fearful that I'm going to tie a rope around your feet and toss you--"

Bonny saw a reaction from Gerald that she presumed was leading to his vowing no offensive actions regarding Agatha, and she tossed a hand up quickly to deter him interrupting her. She continued, "...tie a rope around your feet and toss you overboard … not because you made an ill advised gesture with romantic or sexual intent toward her … but because she made one … toward you."

She wasn't entirely sure that the young man was understanding what she was saying, so Bonny clarified, "Agatha is suffering a bit of a burning lust for you, sailor … and she's afraid that she's going to throw herself at you in an unthinking, spontaneous moment of passion … which will result in me throwing you overboard."

Bonny gave Gerald a moment to think and even comment on the situation if he saw fit, then told him, "I think it's better if I put one of the Master of Arms men on watch duty for now. We'll be in Nuevo Nassau in four days. We'll be better able to deal with this at that time, I think."
 
When Agatha suddenly asked for the Captain, Gerald was surprised; not by her asking, but with the way that she asked. There was an urgency in her voice that told Gerald that something was wrong. He wasn't sure what could have been so bad.

After sending the guard for the Captain, Gerald waited by the door until the Captain arrived. He moved outside the cabin when the Captain ordered him to do so. He made idle chat with the guards; both of whom chided him about being the personal bodyguard of the rich girl.

When he was ordered back into the Captain's quarters, Gerald looked questioningly as the Captain ordered a guard to return Agatha to her cell. He was disappointed. He enjoyed spending time with her. If he was going to be honest with himself, he was attracted to her, although nothing could ever happen between them because once the ransom was paid she would be heading back to her cushy life.

He looked quizzically at the Captain as she explained that Agatha was afraid he would end up tied up dragging behind the ship. "But Captain, I would never.." He was interrupted by the Captain telling him that it was Agatha that was worried she would do something that would get him in trouble.

Gerald was further disappointed that he had been removed from the duty of guarding Agatha. His separation from her would be cold turkey. He nodded to the Captain. "As you wish. I will get back to my duties Captain."

As he went about all of his duties through the rest of the day, all he could think about was Agatha. She had herself locked in her cell, because she was afraid she was going to do something that would get him in trouble. The Captain said that Agatha was lusting for him. He was thinking there was more to it. If it was just lust, would she worry about what happened to him afterward?

He went to sleep that night with thoughts of Agatha in his head. The thoughts ranged from her in her fancy dress, to her in the Captain's clothes with the corset accentuating her wonderful breasts, to Agatha naked beneath him. It was hard to go to sleep.

The next day, Gerald got up and was tempted to bring breakfast to Agatha, but didn't dare go against what the Captain had ordered. Instead, he got straight to work and tried to put her out of his mind. It wasn't easy. In fact, he wasn't able to do it at all. The day seemed to last forever as he thought of Agatha and how she had herself locked in a cell in order to protect him.

Laying in his hammock that night, his mind again went to Agatha. However, his mind and body were so exhausted; his body from the work, his mind from the constant thoughts of Agatha. He fell asleep rather quickly, and slept well through the night.

As he sat eating breakfast the next morning, he thought about how they would be back in Nuevo Nassau in two days. It wasn't like anything would necessarily change with Agatha, though. She was still a prisoner and she would still be off-limits.

It was another long day of work on the ship. Sometimes it seemed ridiculous that they did the same tasks over and over everyday, but the Captain did not want any idle minds or idle hands. The one thing she did, to keep everyone from getting to bored with their tasks was rotate the men through the various tasks. That really helped.

As he was making his way to dinner, one of the Captain's guards approached Gerald. "The prisoner wants to see you." Gerald looked at him and shook his head. There was no way he was going to the brig while Agatha was there.

"Don't worry kid, the Captain sent me to get you and to take you down to the brig. I will take whoever is posted there with her away for a little while you two little lovebirds can talk. Hey, but I wouldn't do anything to tarnish the goods. We haven't received the ransom yet."

Gerald followed the guard to the brig and watched as he escorted the pirate who had been assigned to Agatha away. He looked at Agatha. You had yourself locked in here to keep me away from you and now you send for me? What is going on Agatha?"

Before she could respond, he continued, "I appreciate your reason for having us separated. I thank you for not doing anything that could get me in trouble with the Captain." He looked into her eyes and leaned back against the wall across from her cell.
 
The past three days had been hell for Agatha, not because she was locked away in a pirate ship brig but because she'd been locked away without the company of the pirate for which she'd been suffering some very lustful thoughts and desires. Agatha didn't understand what was happening in her mind and in her body; she'd never had these feeling for a boy back in England or at any time during her voyage toward her new home in India. Her knowledge of what men and women did with one another was purely book learning or second hand from other women she knew; none of this previous education could have explained or prepared her for the feelings she'd been developing for Mister Smith, as she'd been told by Belle Bonny to call him when amongst the others.

Each of the last three days, the Captain had visited Agatha in her cell at least three times. She checked on her well being and brought her things, both necessities and frills, and -- after ensuring that Seaman Smith was elsewhere on the vessel working -- took her topside for fresh air and a stretching of her legs.

And they spoke, about England, Nuevo Nassau, India, the life of a pirate … and Gerald. That conversation about the young man had begun the first morning after her self-isolation with Agatha simply asking How is Mister Smith? during her walk with the Captain and ended very quickly with her getting the answer He is well. This morning, though, as Belle Bonny helped Agatha with her bath and then had breakfast with her, the conversation about Gerald -- and about men, pirates, and relationships in general.

"You had yourself locked in here to keep me away from you and now you send for me?" Gerald asked after she'd returned to her cell. "What is going on Agatha?"

As he was speaking about her reasons for separating them and his appreciation for her in do so, Agatha cut in with, "Would you cease being a pirate for me, Mister Smith?"

The question caught him off guard, and he simply stared at her for a moment in silence. Did he know understand where this was going? Perhaps he did but either didn't know how to respond or couldn't believe she was asking it. Either way she continued.

"I like you, Mister Smith … Gerald," she said with a tone that would become more deeply emotional as she continued. "I would like to spend time with you as before. I … I would like to spend time with you … in other ways … adult ways."

Again Agatha hesitated. Even after her long conversation with Belle Bonny, she didn't know how to say I want you to lay with me and make a woman of me and stay with me as my lover and husband. She cleared her throat as she stared at her fumbling fingers.

"The Captain … she and I … the two of us, we have had a … a talk about my future. I have promised her that I will do nothing to harm or delay her chances of getting a ransom for my safe return to my father … and … in return, she has promised me that … if you were interested in doing so … she could arrange it to appear as if you had been a hostage, too … and that your ransom had also been paid and you could leave … with me. She will attest to my father in a letter that you had been very helpful to me during my imprisonment … that you got me through it … and that you were a true gentleman throughout the time and should be rewarded."

She hesitated a moment, then looked up to Gerald; her eyes were glazed with threatening tears, fearful that the man for whom she felt so dearly and warmly would have no interest in that of which she was suggesting. "I know my father, Gerald. He would feel obliged to take you into his employ … and … after you impressed him, which I know you would … we could convince him to allow us to court."
 
Nuevo Nassau:

"It is good to see you, Captain Murray," Lady Clara Blackman greeted the new leader of Satisfaction as he entered her office on the 2nd floor of The Hungry Lemur. "I only heard this morning that your acting role as Captain had been unanimously confirmed by a vote of your crew this morning. Congratulations."

She listened to his response, then went on, "You have not been gracing my fine establishment with your presence as much as your men have. They tell me you work too hard and for too many hours."

She conspicuously looked past Billy to the far corner of the office, where a trio of beautiful whores in various states of erotic dress or undress were eying him with hungry expressions. Clara explained, "In appreciation for the business your crew brings to my establishment, and in appreciation for all that Belle Bonny has done for not my establishment but for the town as a whole, these ladies will be available to you after our meeting has concluded … in case you have some spare time and a need to … relax."

Clara ordered the trio out and back to work downstairs in the meantime before speaking of the business for which she'd asked Billy here. "The defense of Nuevo Nassau and of the Soalala Bay is going well, I have been told."

By now, the gun fortifications -- housing four 12 inchers on each side of the harbor's mouth -- were nearly complete, and the road between then and town had been dug out and filled with stone and only waited for the last layer of gravel, which was still being crushed at the island's only quarry. The winds would eventually cover the gravel with a thin but almost consistent layer of sand, allowing for quick foot, horse, and wagon travel to the fortifications when the need arose.

"I've also been told that your ship … Satisfaction, yes...?" Clara smiled at the name, finding it a wonderful choice for a vessel sailed by lust filled pirates who typically made their way directly to her whorehouse each time they arrived in port. She continued her thought, "...your ship is nearly fully crewed and restocked for the upcoming voyage to Comoros."

It had been hard replacing the men lost during the attack on the French schooner in Beira, but -- with help from the others in the crew -- Billy had managed to fill the positions of First, Second, and Third Mate; Sailing Master, Boatswain, Master Gunner, and Master Carpenter; and even Ship's Surgeon, recruiting a doctor from a merchant ship that had attempted to sail into the shallow bar, had run aground on probably the only solid rock underwater obstruction anywhere near, and been abandoned after it began cracking up and sinking.

The crew, of course, had selected the Quartermaster themselves, of course, while Billy was ashore and unable to influence them in anyway. Ironically, they went with the man Billy likely would have chosen if it had been his choice, Thomas Thompson. As Quartermaster, Tom Tom would essentially be 2nd in command, the crew's liaison to Billy Murray, and the only man who could call for a vote of no confidence in the Satisfaction's Captain. Of course, his most important duty -- in the eyes of the crew -- was distribution of coin as the vessel came into ports filled with drink and whores.

Clara pulled open the bottom drawer of her desk and with both hands extracted a large, tied, canvas bag that she dropped on the surface before Billy. It was the next installment of pay for the men -- pirates and simple laborers alike -- who were building the road, fortifications, and other items of defense while they weren't on the seas taking valuable prizes.

Billy hadn't asked Clara from where all this coin was coming. She was sure he'd heard the rumors that Belle Bonny has stolen Blackbeard's treasure more than a year and a half ago in the Caribbean. Had Bonny talked to Billy about it herself?

"For your Quartermaster," she said again, as she had every three days when it was time to once again remind the men why they were working so hard. She laughed, jiggling the bag full of copper and silver. Referring to how the money got spent, Clara told him, "I give it to you, you give it to your Quartermaster, he gives it to the men, they spend it in my tavern and my whore houses … and then I give it back to you again."

They chatted for a moment about various things, then Clara opened the conversation about the real reason for which she'd called Billy to her office. She took out and spread a map of the island, weighting its corners down with a candle stick, two large sea shells, and a sand worn stone that she'd always thought looked like a bosomy mermaid.

Next, she opened up another desk drawer, pulled out a large coin purse, and set it on the map. She began pointing to locations on the map, explaining, "That's Soalala, what you call Nuevo Nassau … and that's the Barbier Estate, 16 miles from here through the forest, 33 by the road."

She gave him a quick explanation of the terrain, which included both highlands of sometimes steep, forested cliffs and lowlands of swamps and rice farms. She retrieved another piece of parchment, this one also hand drawn but covering a much smaller scale; it included all of the buildings of the Barbier estate, as well as the stone fence lines, the orchard, the rice fields, and more. "And that right there … is the block house where Seigneur François Barbier keeps his field slaves at night."

She sat in her chair again, continuing, "You may have noticed that my husband, Blackman … yes, I call him that, too … you may have noticed that he hasn't been around for a couple of weeks. He was taken by some of Barbier's men a week ago while out hunting. I have asked for his safe return … negotiated … offered gold ... only to be denied. I have threatened Seigneur Barbier with legal action, to which -- of course -- he told me he would even loan me his lawyer … in London."

"Get my husband back for me, Mister Murray," Clara asked, now with a pleading tone in her voice. "Get my husband back to me safe and sound … and I will forever be in your debt. Pay whoever you need with this … your own men … men who work for me, who won't hesitate to help you to get Blackman back."

She gestured to the smaller of the two bags again, then pulled out a second one and set it beside it. "That one is to pay the men who help you. this one … it is for you alone, Mister Murray, for when you return with my husband. And after you have gotten him back to me safe and sound, you will never need coin upon entering any of my establishments ever again."

Clara meant, of course, that Billy would never have to pay for food, drink, or pussy ever again; she had heard that Billy had sworn off other women for Belle Bonny, but she didn't believe that. And if he decided to partake of her women, that was between him and his God, nothing for Clara to repeat to Belle Bonny.
 
Gerald was shocked at what Agatha was sharing with him. He believed that he would live out his life as a pirate, robbing and pillaging and working hard for a living. Never did he ever imagine that he would have the opportunity to have a rather easy life and such a beautiful woman to call his.

"Belle Bonny has agreed to let me go? Nobody ever leaves her crew unless Belle Bonny does not think they are pulling their weight. This must mean that she does not feel that I am worthy of remaining on her crew."

It was obvious that Agatha was confused at Gerald's reaction. She certainly thought that he would jump at the chance to join her once she had been released. "Would you not want to be with me? Have I totally embarrassed myself by expressing a desire to be with you?"

Agatha sat on the bed, a disappointed look on her face.. tears running down her cheek from Gerald's response. The only male that she had ever had any womanly feelings for was more worried about what his pirate Captain thought about him than how she felt about him.

"No, no Agatha. I am sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. It is just that, I never thought that I would ever leave this ship.... alive anyway. The thought of spending time with you and courting you is extremely attractive, but what happens to me if your father does not welcome me and he will not allow me to court you? What do I do then?"

He stared at Agatha; his mind wandering. He would love to be with Agatha. He would love to get to know her in the "adult" way. He had bragged to Agatha early on about his ability to get women. Yes, he had been with a woman, but not to the extent to which he had embellished. With Agatha, he saw a woman he would like to spend a lot of time, and spending time with her as a land-lubber was the only way that could happen. There was no way she could stay on the ship and that they could be together. Why would she ever want to be on the ship?

###################################################

Captain Murray listened as Lady Clara spoke to him. He nodded when she offered her three best whores to him, but he knew that he would never partake. There was only one woman he was interested in, and she was on her way back to Nuevo Nassau... hopefully.

He took the pouch of coins to be given to Tom Tom and continued to pay attention to Lady Clara as she talked about the loss of Blackman. Billy had taken a liking to Blackman and had been wondering what happened to him. To hear that he had been captured and enslaved angered Billy.

Billy studied the map as Lady Clara talked about the financial rewards that were in it for his men and for him if Blackman was returned. Looking up at Lady Clara, Billy said to her, "You make sure the men I recruit are well paid, and you make sure that nothing happens to Belle Bonny before I return with Blackman, and you do not need to pay me anything."

Standing and looking at Lady Clara, "I will start organizing tonight. I already know who I want to accompany me. I only ask one other thing.... I want to know which building Barbier himself resides. He needs to pay for this. He won't need a lawyer, he will need a surgeon." He watched as Lady Clara indicated the location of Barbier's residence.

Taking the map, and the coins for the men he would have accompany him, Billy stood up and looked at Lady Clara. "We will get him back, or I will die trying. Make sure Belle Bonny knows where I am when she returns. Keep her safe until I return, or you find out that I am unable to return."

Murray returned to Satisfaction and found Tom Tom. He gave him the sack of coins to be distributed to the men. Then he spoke to him about his new mission. Handing over the second bag of coins, "keep this safe. It will be distributed to those who accompany me whether we get Blackman back or not."

Captain William made the rounds to those he wanted to accompany him. Before he knew it, word spread, and he had men on his crew volunteering to join him for free. Blackman was well liked by the men and they wanted to help get him back.

Early the next morning they set out. They stayed off the road, even though the terrain they traveled was much rougher. They arrived at the Barbier compound just after dark. Fortunately they had the map that Lady Clara had provided. Murray gave instructions to the men. Those assigned to going to Barbier's residence were told to hurt him, capture him, but not kill him. Billy led the others toward the building where Blackman was supposed to be held. "We will meet back here. Barbier will walk back with us.. even if his legs are broken."

The mission to find Blackman went smoothly. The result was the death of several guards and the serious wounding of the remaining guards... several of which would not survive their injuries.

As the sun started to come up, Billy awaited the crew to return with Barbier. The treck back would be slower with the wounded man, but that was okay. In addition to freeing Blackman, the other slaves who were being held in the compound chose to join Captain Murray and accompany him back to Nuevo Nassau. Billy was happy to be able to have more bodies to man his ship.

Barbier cursed and threatened them as they forced him to walk through the rough terrain. Murray laughed at him.. striking him several times and explaining that he was going to wish he were dead if he didn't shut his mouth.
 
Agatha wept in despair at the realization that Gerald would prefer to remain here as a pirate than to leave with her for India or possibly even back to England to court her and, ultimately, become her husband, lover, and father of their children.

"He will welcome you," Agatha said with a promising tone to his question about the possibility that her father would not accept him. "I'm sure of it."

She wasn't entirely certain that her father actually would, though; Lord Howard had visions of his daughter marrying into uncountable wealth as a way to rescue his family from economic and political destruction. What were the chances that he'd allow Agatha to court, let alone marry a young man with no known titles or wealth? Zero, to be honest.

"If he doesn't..." Agatha began before pausing to be sure she was ready to say this. "If he doesn't accept you … if he doesn't accept us … I will run away with you, Gerald … to some distant land where we can be together, just the two of us. Maybe...! Maybe we come back here … to Andrea … to Soalala … to Nuevo Nassua."

It would have made more sense just to forego returning to her father and commit to becoming a pirate beside the man with whom she was in love -- or at least in lust, she didn't know. But that would contradict Belle Bonny's plans for a ransom, and even though she was the hostage in this kidnapping, Agatha had developed a friendship with the Captain and did not want to disrupt this major operation.

###################################################

"You'll all hang for this!" Seigneur Barbier was calling out as he was being dragged through the breaking dawn by two large and strong pirates. His hands were bound tightly together, and the rope between his feet was only long enough for him to shuffle down the dirt road. He continued to bark out all forms of threats, in between getting his face and the back of his head whacked by men who then often laughed at him. "I can pay you to set me free. Gold! Enough gold to buy yourself a ship!"

Some of the men looked between one another at that offer, wondering whether it was true first and whether it was the better deal. Sure, they were being paid by Lady Clara to fetch her husband -- done! -- but turning this man over hadn't been part of the deal and honestly was sort of a bonus.

"Captain, should we not consider the deal being offered," Tom Tom asked with respect. He'd come along on the mission, but he was more of a bean counting seaman than a blood and guts pirate, so he'd stayed back from the most intense fighting, something the others understood and surprisingly accepted. "I mean, you are in charge, Captain, and the decision is most definitely yours. But the men do have a point. We were paid to rescue Mister Blackman, which we have done."

Tom Tom knew that the others would go along with whatever Billy decided was right. But he also knew that as Quartermaster -- as the keeper of Satisfaction's treasury and what some day would be called the position of Executive Officer on modern ships -- he had to speak up for what the men were thinking.
 
Billy stopped and turned and faced Tom Tom. "Really. You think Barbier can be trusted? Do you think he would just give you gold and forget about it?" He stared at Tom Tom and then looked back toward the men.

"Some of you are entertaining what this shit of a man is proposing. Do you really think that he is going to give you even a single cent. He talks like he will reward you, but all he will do is try to ruin everything that has been built at Nuevo Nassau. Is that what you want?"

He paused for a moment. "I am not going to tell you what to do. You must decide for yourselves. I am going ahead. If you follow me, I know that you trust me. If you don't, and you take this man's word that he is going to give you money, I will continue forward, find a new crew and sail away to find a new home port."

Captain Murray turned away from the men and began to walk forward. He had a feeling his men would trust him, but he was not 100% sure. When Tom Tom walked up next to him a minute later, Billy had his answer. "They trust you Captain," Tom Tom told him. I think one of them just broke the man's jaw so they don't have to listen to him anymore.

They returned to Nuevo Nassau with Blackman and Barbier. Blackman was returned, unceremoniously to Lady Clara. Barbier was delivered to the brig aboard Satisfaction. he would remain there to make sure there were no attempts at reprisal. Once Billy was satisfied there would be no threats, He would be dumped overboard on one of their missions.

Captain Murray went to his quarters and sat on his bed and relaxed. The men were enjoying a night in Nuevo Nassau; celebrating a successful mission. He relaxed on his bunk; thinking about Belle Bonny.
 
Aboard Andrea:

"I think I'd like to be alone," Agatha said suddenly. She moved back into her cell, knowing that deep sobs and a flood of tears were imminent. She blew out the candle and lantern both, bathing herself and the cell in almost pitch blackness, stressing, "Please leave me now, Mister Smith. I'd … I'd like to rest."

She'd almost said she wanted to sleep but realized that it was barely passed noon, or what the pirates would have called Afternoon, 2 bells.

Whether Gerald was going to simply depart or try to delve more wouldn't matter as down through the open ladder ports came the sound of a Watch calling out, "Sails...! Sails! Three points off the port quarter!"
 
Gerald hated to see the disappointed look on Agatha's face, but, it wasn't that he didn't want to be with her. It was that there had been such a sudden change in the situation. He was totally taken aback by Belle Bonny's plan to have him discharged from the ship.

While he stood in front of the Agatha, and saw the tears rolling down her face, he heard commotion up on the deck. There was yelling and running around. In a moment, he made a shocking decision. Gerald looked at Agatha. "You stay here. If I return from this, I will go with you. I will take the chance with your father as long as it provides me an opportunity to be with you Agatha."

Quickly, he ran off to his battle station. He had been trained on the large guns, and when he arrived on deck, the Second Mate directed him where to go as they prepared in the event that the ship that was cited had hostile intentions.

###################################################

Captain Murray sat in his quarters for a while. He was worried about Belle Bonny. He had fully expected her to be back already. It wasn't like she was overdue, but, with Belle Bonny, everyone expected her to finish ahead of schedule.

Getting up from his rack, he decided to make the rounds and check on his men. He wanted to make sure there was no fallout from the men thinking Barbier would have given them enough gold to buy their own ship.

After making the rounds and being certain that the men on the ship were in good spirits, Billy went ashore to check on the men who were celebrating at the Hungry Lemur. He knew it would be a wild party, because Lady Clara would give the men anything they wanted, in addition to the reward she had already paid.

As he entered, Billy was immediately summoned to Lady Clara's office. When he entered, the second bag of money was dropped on the table. Billy shook his head. "Give it to the men, or take what they are drinking and the women they are enjoying out of that. I don't want it for me."

Lady Clara looked at him. "I have never known anyone like you Captain. Am I also to suppose that you do not wish to indulge in my three finest women?" Billy just smiled at her,; once again shaking his head.

"There is only one woman that I have any desire for, and we each made an agreement. I am not going to break that, even though, I believe that you would not tell Belle Bonny that I did. There are others who would know, and you know what they say about loose lips. Thank you Lady Clara, but I will wait for the one I truly desire."

Blackman entered the office and roared at the sight of Billy. Billy extended his hand to shake Blackman's, but to Blackman, that as not going to be enough. Blackman took Billy in his arms and gave him a bear hug to end all bear hugs.

Once Billy was released, Lady Clara looked at him and smiled. "I thank you for everything Captain, but, if you don't mind, I have some things I would like to do with my husband." Billy smiled and took his leave; heading back to his ship.
 
As Agatha slunk back into the shadowy darkness of her cell, trying to pretend as though she was no longer aboard this ship or being rejected by the first man for whom she'd ever felt feelings of lust, love, or both, Gerald reacted to the excitement on deck by vowing, "You stay here. If I return from this, I will go with you. I will take the chance with your father as long as it provides me an opportunity to be with you Agatha."

Her first instinct was to feel joy at what seemed like a stupendous reversal. But at Gerald rushed off, she realized that he had said if he returned. Agatha moved to her feet and rushed the cell door, crying out, "Wait! Don't leave me!"

But Gerald didn't hear her over the multitude of voices and scurrying boots.

60 hours later:

"She's still gaining on us, Captain!" the watch at the stern called toward Bonny on the main deck. "She's less than two miles behind us. We're never going to make it."

Belle Bonny hurried up the ladder to the quarterdeck for a better view of the situation. For two and a half days now they'd been doing their best to avoid a battle with the French. They'd managed to outrun a schooner that first day, using their better speed to eventually lose it over the horizon behind them. Less than two hours after the first vessel vanished, though, a pair of Frenchies appeared, two and four points off the port bow, closing as they'd spotted Andrea first.

Darkness hadn't been far off; Bonny had ordered a dangerous maneuver, changing Andrea's course to put them within a massive fog bank lying along the rocky coastline of Madagascar. Twice they'd felt the shoals scraped along the vessel's hole without damage; at one point, the bow watch called out a warning, and only Bonny's quick reaction and the crew's level of skill prevented it from driving directly up upon an above the water rock that would have ripped Andrea to pieces.

At 3 bells Mid, after Bonny ordered a sharp port tack due west, one of the French warships suddenly emerged from the fog less than 80 yards distant, heading toward the island. Andrea was ready, though; Bonny was ready. The gun ports had already been opened, and the gun crews -- exhausted but still alert enough to do their jobs -- had been at their weapons, ready.

"Fire!" Bonny had called down to Able Bodied Seaman Smith, who had been standing in for the Master Gunner, who'd come down with food poisoning and couldn't even stand.

A moment latter, the darkness of the Mozambique Channel lit up with the fiery reds and oranges of flashing gunpowder. The broadside was been perfectly timed; several rounds hit vital targets -- masts, gun ports, the quarterdeck -- and as Andrea slipped away to the west, behind them a building fire once again lit up the night as the French warship's gunpowder magazine caught fire and blew the ship's aft half to smithereens.

The other ship had gotten off a broadside of its own, and while it hadn't caused any deaths or serious injuries, it had done some damage to the rigging. Disabled, Andrea was turned due north with the intention of getting back to Nuevo Nassau as quickly as possible. The second French ship, however, had once again acquired Andrea and, despite being a larger and slower ship, all things being equal, in this case all things weren't equal.

"Land!

Bonny looked to the watch atop the mast and followed the direction of his outstretched arm. During their flight from the French, the Captain had set a northerly course that took them away from Madagascar, then again turned the vessel when her excellent navigational skills told her Soalala Bay was due east. The maneuver had allowed the pursuing ship to get closer, but in the end the wind directions had kept the pirate vessel out of the Frenchie's gun range.

For what seemed an eternity, Bonny found herself engaged in two very important tasks: one, keeping Andrea ahead of the slowly gaining warship; two, finding out whether the defensive fortifications flanking the mouth of the harbor were completed, manned, and ready for action. Bonny's Signalman raised the signal flags, looking answers to those questions, reporting back to Bonny, "Coastal batteries are manned, Captain."

"Signal them with our situation!" she ordered. "Tell them to fire as soon as the Frenchie is within range."

She looked back to the French ship again. She knew that coming from the west, she had to turn hard to starboard to enter the very narrow channel, and when she did the French ship would be able to fire a broadside at her stern; the possibility of the rudder being destroyed and Andrea losing maneuverability -- and running aground -- was great.

The only hope for her ship was that Billy had completed the fortifications, that his crews were manning the guns, and that they were as good at their jobs as Billy had been against the Spanish vessel so many weeks earlier.
 
Billy was heading back to his ship when he became aware of a series of signals going back and forth from between the coastal batteries and a ship. He immediately became concerned. Was there a problem with the Andrea?

He made his way to the first battery at the entrance to the harbor. Once he was there, he was informed that Belle Bonny was indicating that she needed help with a ship that was close behind.

Captain Murray did what every good leader does. He let his men do what they do best. "The Frenchie dares to pursue the Andrea make sure that they pay dearly for their mistake. Do whatever you have to do to turn it into a fireball."

The signalman sent a message to the other batteries protecting the harbor to make sure they knew what the Captain's orders were. The gunners took aim at the French ship and began their onslaught.

"Make sure you get it before Belle Bonny has to turn into the harbor. Do not give that damned Frenchie a chance to fire broadsides at the Andrea. Captain Murray watched anxiously as they blasted away. They needed to give Belle Bonny the chance to enter the harbor.

Billy turned his focus to the Andrea. Belle Bonny was having some issues, but they were issues that she would be able to handle. A lesser captain would have run the ship aground, but not Belle Bonny.

A loud explosion followed by a giant fireball took Billy's attention away from the Andrea. The French ship was engulfed in flames, and just in time. Belle Bonny maneuvered her ship safely into the harbor.

Billy congratulated the gunners in the outermost battery and then made his way back to the skiff that would take him back to Satisfaction. He did not want to seem too over anxious about seeing Belle Bonny, but he certainly was not going to avoid her once she had the Andrea secured.
 
"The coastal batteries are manned and loaded, Captain," the Signalman called after reading the string of signal flags flapping from the recently placed flag pole near the western defense position.

The watch high in the mast reported the distance to the channel, leading the OOD to ask anxiously, "The turn, Captain…?"

Bonny looked to the French ship, then to the fortification, then to the mouth of the harbor. She told him firmly, "Not yet."

They sailed on for another five minutes, during which the French warship was getting even closer and the OOD was getting even antsier. He argued, "Captain! We must tack! Now!"

Bonny looked off to the nearest battery again, her face filled with an anxious expression as she wondered whether Billy was there at the gun or back in the harbor aboard the anchored Satisfaction, unaware that Andrea was coming into port under pursuit. The OOD was calling at her again, fearful that if they didn't change course now they would miss the entrance and run aground.

Suddenly, flashes and expanding clouds of thick, gray-black smoke erupted from the defensive positions, and a moment later the sound of the large 12 inch guns blew over Andrea. Bonny spun to look to the French ship just as 3 of the 4 12 inch projectiles struck, one near the quarterdeck, one about 15 feet up the main mast, and the last inside the ship, having found one of the open gun ports.

Bonny wasted no time, turning to the OOD and barking out orders to alter course due south, into the harbor's mouth. All across Andrea, Riggers and Seaman and, of course, the Helmsman jumped into action, turning the boat hard to starboard. Bonny looked to the French vessel again, just as a secondary explosion blew a cloud of black powder smoke out several of the gun ports and upwards into the masts.

"Billy," Bonny murmured to herself, knowing that only William Murray could have ordered such an attack. She thought about her challenge to him oh so long ago and told herself, "Billy Boy, you've earned yourself a night between my things."

Andrea was fully turned and entering the narrow bay when the western guns -- to the pirate ship's starboard side -- fired again, this time at will; another three successful strikes left little doubt as to whether the ship was going to flee or continue its pursuit. Suddenly, explosive booms from Andrea's port side caught Bonny's attention. She looked to the east to sea the smoke of the other four 12 inchers billowing out toward the beach. Looking to the pursuing vessel, Bonny watched as the foremast leaned and slowly fell back into the main mast, smashed down low by the deck.

The French warship was finished, she knew; its Captain would turn her north, away from the guns and try to limp off to the nearest friendly port on the Eastern coast of either the African continent or the Madagascar island. But that wasn't to be; another round of fire from each of the batteries struck the enemy ship with precision, and a massive explosion of smoke and fire signaled the detonation of the ship's main powder magazine. All across Andrea, the pirates cheered with joy and pride at the superiority of both their sailing crew and their cannon shooting counterparts on shore.

"Mister Smith!" Bonny hollered down to Gerald on the gun deck. When he acknowledged her, she told him, "Get the boats into the water. Take six men, armed, with you in one, leave the other empty, and go rescue the Frenchie's survivors. I'll signal Satisfaction to do the same."
 
As Billy stood on the deck of Satisfaction watching Andrea enter the harbor, he saw the signals coming from Captain Belle Bonny. He rallied up the few men that were left on the ship at the time and sent them to help in the search for French survivors.

He was certain that Belle Bonny was going to question why he was only able to send 3 boats to help out. Of course, she had no idea of the mission Billy and his men had been on while they awaited her return to Nuevo Nassau.

Standing watching the boats go on their rescue mission, Billy was thinking about all of the men that he had celebrating at the Hungry Lemur. The rescue mission would have a better chance of bringing back more survivors if his ship had more of its men on board, but, he was not going to second guess himself; the men had earned their party.

Turning his attention to the Andrea, Billy surveyed her for damage. It appeared that she took some damage to the rigging , which would explain how the French ship was able to get so close to Andrea and dangerously close to her home port. Belle Bonny would have her men working on the repairs first thing in the morning. She would want Andrea in tip-top shape as quickly as possible.

Captain Murray could see Belle Bonny moving about the deck over her beloved ship. He could see that she was already preparing for what needed to be done. She was the consummate professional when it came to pirate Captains. He could certainly learn from her.

A while later Billy turned his attention to the boats returning with French survivors. There were several men who were in bad shape, mostly from burns suffered during the ship exploding. There were some gruesome cries of pain eminating from the boats. He was certain that several of the French sailors wished they were dead rather than suffering the way they were.

Billy descended into a skiff with his ship's surgeon. They went ashore to see what, if anything, the surgeon could do for the injured men. Billy directed that those men that were uninjured were to be taken to the brig until the Captain of the Andrea decided what she wanted to do with her prisoners.
 
As Andrea slid past Satisfaction heading for a dockside berth that would enable quicker and easier repairs, Belle Bonny moved to the railing and found Billy Murray at the rails looking for her as well. Her smile was so wide that -- despite there being 50 yards between them -- the captain of the pirate vessel had to be able to see it.

No sooner had the ketch passed the smallish schooner, though, Bonny went right back to work guiding the vessel to its mooring. Andrea was tied up, and the men were assembled on deck. Bonny gave a rousing monologue about the successes of the past month, which was interrupted repeatedly by pirates excited both by those victories and -- now -- by the proximity of fresh ale and whores.

"Mister Gregerson!" she called to Andrea's newly assigned Quartermaster. "Will you be kind enough to pay these wretched, villainous heathens so that they will get the hell off of my ship?"

There was one last final roar of delight, followed by a chant of Belle Bon-ny! Belle Bon-ny! Belle Bon-ny! as the men lined up to collect their shares and hit the beach. Bonny made her way down to the deck, found Gerald, and asked him to follow her. She led him down one deck and aft to her stateroom.

"Take a seat," she said, gesturing to one chair at her map table as she sat on its edge. "We need to talk before I have you escort Miss Howard to shore."

In the days during their flight from the French warships, Bonny had had the opportunity to speak with Agatha about the girl's conversation with the young pirate. She had considered speaking with Gerald, too, but the young man had had too many sailing related issues with which to deal to have his mind cluttered with thoughts of romance.

"I was once in love with a man who ruled over my heart like I rule over this boat ... fiercely," she began. "I loved that man and would have done anything for him ... and then ... he decided he liked putting his cock into another woman. Our love died ... but this...!"

She looked around her stateroom as if it was the proof of her continuing existence of and love for being a pirate before continuing, "This is still alive in my heart ... and I will never lose my love for who and what I am."

It didn't appear to Bonny that Gerald was quite understanding that which she was trying to explain. She clarified, "You, Gerald ... you must decide which is the true love that you think will not only remain within you forever but will also make you the happiest ... being a pirate as a member of my crew ... or leaving this life and being with Miss Howard."

Bonny stood, at which point Gerald stood out of obedience, and she finished her insights, "I would never attempt to tell you which course you should set."

It might have sounded like her statement was unfinished, like there was more to be said, but Bonny had told him what she wanted him to know. She told him, "If you decide to leave my crew, Lady Clara will provide you with papers, witnesses, and a background that will make you appear to be nothing more than a common merchant marine who'd been ashore after your ship was damaged and its crew dismissed."

Bonny laughed, then countered, "Hell, she might even be able to scrounge up a minor title of nobility to make you worthy of Miss Howard, who knows. That woman can be amazing sometimes. You will have coin coming to you as well, Mister Smith ... your portion of the ransom for Miss Howard and a cashing out of your investment in Andrea."

The pirates were rarely given their full share of the wealth taken from their prizes, as most pirates would spend each and every coin on ale and pussy once they reached shore. Even though Gerald was new to the crew of Andrea, he'd been a member of the crew of Satisfaction since it first came into Bonny and Billy's hands and had a history with Bonny's organization even before that. His portion of all they'd taken in that time would be more than enough to buy a small plot of land or start a trade business here in Nuevo Nassau or in India or even back in Cape Town or even England. Gerald wouldn't be leaving Bonny's service poor ... if he left it at all.

She sent him off to fetch Agatha and take her ashore. "Take her straight to The Hungry Lemur and Lady Clara. No stops ... and don't let her fall in love with another pirate along the way. We know how easily she wears her heart on her sleeve when it comes to young, handsome pirates."
 
Gerald listened obediently to Belle Bonny as she spoke to him. He did not say a word. He did not ask a question, even though he had several. Once she was finished with him, he went below to talk with Agatha for a moment before he took her ashore.

"Are you okay? We made it back safely to our home port... just barely though. Now I guess I have a decision to make... don't I?" He looked at Agatha. She was beautiful, and desirous and she had so much more going for her than he did.

"Why is it you want to be with me Agatha? You could have just about any man. I am sure that your father has ideas about who you should be with... about who you should marry. I am a pirate, and, even if the message to him is that I am a merchant sailor who was held prisoner and released, am I going to be good enough for him?"

He could see by the look in her eyes that she doubted her father would accept him. "You know that he won't. I can tell. That being said, the only way we could be together is if you left him and we ran away... and what would we run to? Nuevo Nassau? and do what? Back here to the Andrea? What would you do? Spend your life fighting off the unwanted advances of other pirates?"

He paused as he unlocked the door to her cell. He offered her his hand and led her out. Then he took both of her hands and looked into her eyes. "I want to be with you, but I do not want to take you away from what is rightfully yours. That wouldn't be fair to you, and it would ultimately lead to you hating me for it."

They stared at one another. Agatha's eyes welled-up with tears. He wanted to kiss her, but he was afraid that would cloud their judgement. "We have some time. I am going to take you to Lady Clara who will protect you until your father has paid the ransom. We will have opportunities to talk while we wait for the ransom. I want you to think of what you have to lose. If you truly believe, after the ransom is paid that you want to be with me, then I will give it a try, but promise me you will take all of the ramifications into account."

Without waiting for her to answer, Gerald led Agatha up to the main deck and off the ship; escorting her directly to Lady Clara.
 
"Are you okay?" Gerald asked when he reached Agatha's cell.

"I heard cannons," she said with worry. "I heard cannons, but ... we weren't struck, were we? Are we safe?"

He told her about what had happened and that they'd made it safely to port. Then he addressed the situation between them, asking, "Why is it you want to be with me Agatha?"

As he went on, Agatha considered what he was saying about her father. When Gerald asked if he was good enough to satisfy her father's expectations for her, Agatha's reaction gave away her belief on the question.

He loaded her up in a launch that was carrying some of the goods pilfered from Retriever that Bonny had specified went directly to Lady Clara's office; there wasn't a word spoken between them until Gerald was turning away to return to the ship.

"You'll come visit me, won't you, Gerald ... Mister Smith," Agatha asked with a desperate tone. She listened to his answer and made the appropriate farewell before turning to the onlooking Lady Clara and introduced herself, "Hello, my name is Agatha Howard. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Outside in the second floor passageway of the tavern/whorehouse, a kind female voice called softly toward the departing Gerald, "Are you in a hurry to leave, friend."

When he turned, one of Lady Clara's whores began walking his way with a bit of swing in her hips and a wandering eye that very conspicuously took in the view of his crotch as if saying You can show me more if you want, for a price. She said with a sweet voice, "I'm Zeeta. Are you looking for some company?"
 
Gerald was disappointed that he had to turn Agatha over to Lady Clara. He understood that there was no way that he could be responsible for her in Nuevo Nassau, but he wished he could have stayed with her longer.

As he left Lady Clara's office and headed back to the ship, he was stopped by one of Lady Clara's more attractive girls. Gerald had seen her around before. He had actually thought that if she wasn't a whore, that she would be someone he would like to get to know.

"Hello Zeeta. No, thank you. I am not looking for company this evening. I just had to deliver a package to your boss and now I have to return to the ship. Thank you for offering though."

He turned away and headed downstairs and out toward the dock. His mind was on Zeeta as he walked. If he remained a pirate, that would be his life. There would be a string of whores. Of course, he would be very picky about the ones he would be with, but they would still be just girls he was with for an evening, or however long he wanted to pay them for.

Returning to the Andrea, Gerald wondered if the plan to be with Agatha was worth trying. He also wondered if Agatha would feel the same about him once she had been set free. In fact, she might even tell her father that he was one of the pirates who had held her captive, and that wouldn't end well for him.

After re-boarding the ship, Gerald went to his bunk. He laid in the hammock staring at the ceiling. He was uncertain of what he should do. On one hand, he wanted to be with Agatha. On the other hand, he had his doubts. Why was she so determined to be with him after such a short time?
 
Belle Bonny waited until the last of the off-duty, horny, involuntarily sober pirates left Andrea to leave herself. The vessel was left in the care of its Quartermaster, Mister Gregerson, who didn't partake of ale or whores due to his religious morals; he had no problem sticking a sword into another man's chest, but drinking alcohol or getting his cock sucked by anyone other than his wife -- back in the real Nassau -- was something in which he couldn't, wouldn't, and shouldn't partake. Six other men volunteered to stand the watch and forego drink and women for the next 12 hours in exchange for additional coin.

She herself, though, went directly from the boat to The Hungry Lemur. She first checked in on Miss Howard, who surprisingly had already bathed and gone to sleep, despite the sun only just now beginning to touch the ground on the far side of the harbor. Lady Clara had been expecting Belle Bonny, so the Captain's permanently rented room had been cleaned, freshened, fragranced, and prepared with food, drink, and a hot bath.

She soaked for what seemed like an eternity, then upon being informed that Captain William Murray of the pirate ship Satisfaction was downstairs, she got out, dried, and slipped naked into the bed. When he arrived, Belle Bonny lifted the sheet to expose the body for which he's been waiting to press against, telling him, "I think we've waited long enough, haven't we, Captain Billy?"
 
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