A Pirate's Love

Warm Hands

Jake's POV:

"Of course, Your Excellency. Again, thank you for your time," I responded, noticing Elenor was frozen in thought. I stood from my seat, careful not to show the pain that was cutting through my ribs. She sat there, her expression blank, staring through her father. I walked behind her chair and gently pulled it back, my chains clanking against the wood.

"Yes, thank you," she suddenly said as she stood, then darted to the door and made her way out. I turned to follow her.

"Oh, Jake," the Governor suddenly called for me, making me spin around. He smirked a devilish smile with lips curled over his rotten teeth, glaring over his bent spectacles. "I want you to watch him die, so you know what it looks like to die with a charge of treason. He will be what you could be," he sneered. I tried my hardest to bite my tongue, not letting myself bicker back. I bowed silently and then stood, waiting for another remark. "See you on the morrow, lad," he finished, to which I turned and walked briskly away. I trudged down the steps of the building and met Sam. I glanced at the coach in front of us, Elenor sitting inside in deep thought. He looked at me with a furrowed brow, questioning what had happened.

"It went precisely how it should have," I started. "We did everything we could to be cordial and respectful. You've been pardoned, I will be given a trial," I explained. His furrowed brow loosened, his expression turning to a grin of relief. He held out his hand for me to shake, which I took gratefully. He clapped me on the shoulder, squeezing it slightly.

"This is good news," he stressed. "There's still hope." I tried to share in his glee but found myself struck with a pit in my stomach.

"We've been instructed to watch Dan Deranged hang," I explained further. "I fear what it might do to her," I said, nodding to Elenor in the carriage. Sam's smile turned back into a frown.

"You should ride with her back to the gaol," he suggested, "It'll give you more time with her." I nodded in agreement, grateful that he understood. I pivoted to the coach, opening the door, and hoisting myself inside painfully. I sat across from Elenor and placed my chains between my feet, my shackles resting in my lap. She looked up at me, her expression completely blank. The coach started moving from under us, and she began looking around in fright.

"Where are we going?" She asked anxiously.

"To the gaol, love," I said carefully, "that I might return." She suddenly became very still, her eyes staring into mine with an unexpected darkness.

"We could go away. We could take The Sparrow of the Dawn and sail far away from here, to the Americas like you wanted," she spoke hurriedly, trying to make her point clear before I interjected.

"Elenor," I said calmly as I raised my hand for her to stop. She sat at the edge of her seat, her breathing rapid and strenuous, her eyes holding their stare on me. I glanced outside, then drew the curtains inside the cabin, giving us privacy. I stood carefully in the moving coach, then sat next to her closely. She gazed at me questioningly, waiting for my response. "I'm done running, love. I can't do it any longer. Please don't make me," I pleaded. "I would do anything for you, and you know this," I said while taking her fingers into mine. They were warm against my chilled skin, the sensation shocking. "But I can't continue running from accountability. I can't do it, it'll only make things worse," I finished.

"They'll kill you," she breathed out, her eyes glossy and red.

"We won't know that until the trial," I spoke calmly, trying to settle her mind. "All we can do now is be together with the time we have until then," I persisted, trying to keep her mind in the present moment. She looked at my face, at my swollen eye and cheekbone. She lifted her hand to the side of my eye and brushed the skin carefully with her fingertips.

"I am sorry for this," she whispered.

"It is not your fault," I whispered back.

"And this," she said as she brushed her thumb against my cheekbone.

"It is not your fault," I repeated myself. I closed my eyes at her touch, taking in the gentleness I had lacked for days.

"And this," she said as she brought her hand down my chest and over my ribs. They were sore and aching, yet she touched them with the most delicate fingers.

"It is not your fault," I repeated again, sincere in my words as I opened my eyes to look at her. She gazed at me briefly before looking down at my hands and fingered open my palms, gently revealing my red wrists.

"And these," she added quietly, brushing her fingers over the sore spots. My heart ached at her despair, now knowing she felt guilty for each mark that was put on me.

"It is not your fault," I repeated one last time, trying to catch her gaze with my eyes. "The only thing these irons do is prevent me from holding you, love." She finally looked up at me, an unreadable expression on her face. She slowly took one of my arms in her hands and raised it above my head. She turned her body between my arms, adjusting herself to sit on my legs, and then pulled my arms down around her.

"I will not let them take that from us," she said quietly as she pushed down her skirt to lay flat. I pulled her close, a small smile escaping my lips as I peered at her. Her body heat seeped into my skin, filling me with warmth. I hadn't felt warmth in days and was not about to let it go. Her warm hands brushed over my chin and swept away my hair, then made their way over my eyebrows and then my jaw. I closed my eyes at her touch, soaking in her voiceless communication. Eventually, she gently thumbed at my bottom lip, forcing my eyes to open slowly. Her eyes were soft and her eyelids drooping. Her mouth opened slightly as if wanting to say something, yet never speaking a word. She leaned in, telling me all she wanted to say with each movement of her lips. We grasped at each other, refusing to ever let go. A warm hand traveled to the back of my neck, holding me in place so she could breathe me in. She tasted of sweet red wine, pulling me further into her intoxication. My heart rammed against my ribs, painfully straining for relief.

"Elenor," I breathed between a kiss in desperation, to which she unlocked our lips and traveled down my neck. The sensation traveled through my whole body, making me dizzy, and I let out a sigh. I leaned my head to the side, causing my vision to spin. "Elenor, I do not have the strength," I whispered, grasping at her back with my chained hands. She reluctantly pulled away and then placed a few soft pecks at my lips. She looked into my eyes deeply, speaking more words she could not say.

"I won't let them take you from me," she said quietly. I gazed back at her, hoping she would understand the words I dared not to speak. Deep down I knew this was a goodbye I would only have the strength for now. "Don't look at me like that," she said with hurt in her tone, finally understanding. I broke my gaze from her and looked down, not wanting to hurt her any longer. She buried her face into my neck and I held her tightly as she began to sob. Her cries were muffled against my shoulder as I held onto her and leaned my head against hers, trying to provide some sense of comfort within the sorrow.

"I'm sorry," I whispered when she calmed slightly. She removed herself from my shoulder and wiped her eyes to look at me, then gently wiped my cheek. Her cheeks and nose were red from crying, her hair sticking to the side of her face.

"It's not your fault," she breathed out, repeating my words. My heart broke at the sight of her. I did not want to see her like this again. I pulled her into an embrace and held her until the carriage began to slow. When it slowed down more she reluctantly removed herself from my embrace and sat next to me. In desperation I leaned forward to her and raised my chained hands to her delicate face, not wanting to leave her. I kissed her lips in passion as she grasped my wrists until we heard the click of the door handle unlock. We broke away quickly from each other and I stood in my place, not wanting to be caught.

"I will see you tomorrow, love. Keep strength," I urged her in a whisper. She nodded in understanding as the door swung open. I was immediately pulled out of the carriage from my chains and pulled towards the gaol. I heard the door of the coach shut, and I glanced behind me, seeing Elenor peering out from behind the curtain. The driver instructed the team forward, and soon she was pulled out of sight.