A Pirate's Love

Danger

*Rap, rap, rap*

A knock on the door unclouded my senses and caused me to freeze. The Captain gripped my thighs tighter, unwilling to let me go.

"No," he mumbled, and traced his hand up my back, pulling me closer to him, magnetizing my lips to his. "Let them go," he whispered between breaths, "they'll go," he grasped and moved my hips back and forth with his hands, allowing our bodies to rock against each other, sending bolts of electricity through my body. He continued to explore my lips, trying to lull me back into what was interrupted.

*Rap, rap, rap*

I pulled away and he groaned. "Whoever is behind that door, I'm going to kill them," he said as he glanced at the door. I looked at him with wide eyes, unable to determine if he was being serious or sarcastic.

"Captain Blacksmoke," Sam's voice called from the other side of the door.

"It's Sam!" I shrilled, and instantly got off of the Captain, trying to fix my hair and lace up my shirt with shaky hands. The Captain lay on the bed in annoyance, glaring at the door, as I started to panic. What was I doing? What would my father say? What would everyone say? What would Sam say? Sam.

The door opened with a squeak of the hinges and the Captain sat up in bed, shirtless and aggravated. "I did not permit you to come in!" he roared, pointing a finger at Sam.

Sam's eyes shot open wide at the sight of the shirtless Captain, then towards me, shocked and confused. "What's going on here?" he shot his eyes in my direction, forcing me to answer.

"Nothing, Sam," I glanced at the Captain, whose eyes were drilling into mine, "I was just on my way to get you some food, but I was still soaking wet from the storm, so the Captain offered me a change of clothes," I answered, hoping he would believe me. All he did was stare at me, then wander his eyes over the piles of clothes on the floor.

A man suddenly appeared in the doorway. "What is it, Crow?" the Captain grumbled, annoyed another person joined the interruption.

"Black sails on the horizon, Captain," Crow said, nervously, shifting in place.

"Bloody hell," the Captain cursed and scrambled to his feet, putting on his boots, a worried look masking his face.

"What does that mean?" I asked, acknowledging his sudden anxiety. He looked up at me and grabbed his shirt from the floor, then fastened his sword and pistol to his belt.

"Our enemy has caught up to us," he explained, quickly, putting on his shirt as fast as he took it off. He hastily made his way out of the room, pushing past Sam, and instantly barked orders as soon as he was in the hall. My eyes locked with Sam's, fear filling my entire body. Memories of the first night we were attacked flooded my mind. I started walking out the door, but Sam grabbed a hold of my arm before I could leave.

"What happened here?" he asked me, his eyes with a sad tint in them. My heart ached.

"Now is not the time, Sam. I have to find out what's going on. We're in real danger if the pirates catch up to us," I said.

"He is dangerous, Elenor," Sam replied, urging me to stay away from the Captain.

"You're supposed to be resting," I said, ignoring his concern. He let me go, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat as he swallowed hard, hurt in his eyes.

I rushed through the hallway and up the stairs of the main deck. The whole crew was standing there, looking up at the quarter deck, watching the Captain as he spoke. "And if they approach too close we'll run a shot across the bow," he explained, mid-sentence, "though, I doubt Dan Deranged will take it seriously. He knows his fleet is larger than ours. When The Funeral of Innocence comes close to our side, we have to give her everything we've got," he paused, I saw a quick flicker of fear in his eyes for a moment, but he continued, "Be prepared to fight, men. Say your prayers and look to the heavens for strength. Savvy?"

"Aye aye," the crew shouted in unison.

"To your stations," he said in a quieter voice, before turning away from them. The crew hurried to their positions, getting to work right away. I rushed up to the quarter deck and saw the Captain leaning on the railing, pinching the bridge of his nose. I watched as his brow furrowed and he muttered under his breath, what I assumed was a prayer. I stepped forward and he turned around, his eyes landing on me in surprise.

"Do you pray, Captain?" I asked. He came up and pulled me towards him, my breast pressed against his chest. He looked down at me, his eyes hooded.

"I always find my strength from the sea," he spoke in a low voice, a small smile flicking on his lips once again. He leaned down and locked our lips together, slow and tender. I melted in his arms, forgetting we were in sight of the others. He pulled away slowly, then looked out into the distance behind us. His damp hair blew in the wind as he squinted in the sun. I couldn't help but admire him, happy I could bring him a sense of strength. I followed his gaze to a dark splotch on the horizon.

"What is your plan of action, Captain?" I asked.

"We will try to outrun them," he began, "but they will soon catch up to us." he let out a sigh and made eye contact. "As soon as they get closer I will send men to the oars, but if they approach further, I will need to pull my men out to save their energy." I nodded, showing him I was paying attention. He continued, "We will fire a warning shot, and if that does not work, we must fight. He rubbed his hands up and down my arms, looking into my eyes with worry. "I need you to stay in your quarters, love," he said quietly, "with Sam. The back of the ship will be the safest."

My heart ached at his concern. I searched his eyes for any wavering, yet found none. "Are you afraid?" I asked, catching him by surprise once again as he raised an eyebrow.

"Only of failing you," he said, with great seriousness. I smiled at him, letting him know that I trusted him.

"I'll only go when I have to. I want to be close to you," I spoke, genuinely. He gave a relieved expression, yet I could tell he was still concerned.

"Captain," one of the men shouted. Captain Blacksmoke turned to face the horizon behind him. The Funeral of Innocence was gaining on us faster than expected. He moved me behind him so He could step forward and give orders.

"Avast, men!" the captain shouted, and all gave him their attention, "Your stations to the oars!" A group of men followed orders to a bunker below. All others took their place, working harder than before. The Captain took out his telescope and looked out at The Funeral of Innocence. His breathing picked up as the ship got closer and closer. I reached around him and held onto his torso to keep him calm. He lowered the glass and looked down at me, his eyes glazed over, looking through me, deep in thought. "Run a shot across the bow!" he shouted, and immediately the sound of a cannon split through the sky. He wrapped his arms around me and held me in anticipation, looking out into the distance. I could feel his heart beating in his chest, his muscles stiffened, a look of intense concentration appeared on his face. Minutes passed, and no sign of the ship turning away was present. He looked down at me with an unreadable expression, still holding me in his arms. "You have to go down now," he stated.

"I want to stay–" I started. He shook his head and closed his eyes.

"Please, don't argue," he sighed, "Go find Sam." His eyes lingered on me as he let me go. All I wanted to do was to kiss him again, to feel his warmth enveloping my body, but I did what I was told.

I pulled away and ran down the steps as fast as I could, hearing the Captain call for the men working the oars, his voice deep and bellowing. The damp wood under my feet, I quickly made my way below deck and searched for Sam. I went into the Captain's quarters where I last saw him; no Sam. I ran down the hall to his room finding the door wide open; no Sam. I skipped further down the hall to my room and opened the door. Sam stood there, looking out the window. "Sam," I called out for him. He looked back at me with fear in his eyes and gestured for me to come near him. I stood next to him and he put his arm around me. I looked out the window and saw a huge ship, decorated with dark wood and jet black sails passing by. Its size was unmatched by The Mountain of the Sun, its guns many more. I held onto him tighter, afraid of what was to come. We stood in silence watching the ship, unsure of what the future held.