Tempest's Embrace

Chapter 10

When his men began to scuffle about and run towards the hollering, he did not know what happened until he was a few feet away from her on the deck.

His eyes immediately landed on her outstretched hands stained with blood. He had thought the worst. She slit her wrists. But that was not the case.

His jaw clenched.
"What did you do?" he growled.

She said nothing. She stood rigid to the spot. The moment she blinked and looked at him as if seeing him for the first time, she paled and backed away.

"Take her below," he ordered.

As soon as one of his men stepped forward to grab her, she took off. All of them followed.
He stepped forward and took off into a run as well as he saw her climb over the railing. His chest tightened, his heart dropped to his stomach as she looked down into the water....and jumped.

With a curse he ran and gripped the railing then watched with horror as she hit the water. Without hesitation he climbed over and jumped in after her.

Dark salty water enveloped them both as he swam for her beneath the rough current. Breaking the surface, he frantically looked around as he heard his men above shouting and pointing out in the distance.

Enraged he watched as she swam and dove beneath the water trying to escape. He took off in her direction kicking strongly to get to her before she drove them further away from the ship.

With skilled fluidity beneath the current and brutal waves due to his life at sea, he was able to swim faster and quickly catch up to her.
She panicked and kicked harder then grew tired against the waves that curled over her and pulled her under.

Beneath the dark water, she kicked and cried out as his fingers wrapped around her ankle then pulled her back. She kicked and kicked trying to get free but he was much stronger.  She thrashed about until she went under and he grabbed her.

"Let me go!" she cried out before drifting beneath the water.

Her struggles only pulled them both beneath the dark waves that engulfed them until he furiously pulled her up and shook her.

"Stop," he growled wrapping his arms tightly around her.

Water sloshed over their heads dragging them under once more covering their silent battle beneath. She kicked hard against him, yanked, and beat at his chest as she inadvertently gulped water in the struggle. 

He drew her against him as her struggle slightly weakened and bobbed strongly to the surface with her.

Her last attempt to fight wildly against him failed. Her strength began to wane and her struggles stopped as he furiously gripped her hair and held her tight to face him.
"If you do not cease I will drown you myself you foolish girl," he shouted.

Weak and filled with so much exhaustion,  she stopped and sagged against him.
A pang of sadness gripped his heart as she wept and gave up spending her weight on him as if giving up completely.

At a distance he saw his men lower a boat into the water. He swam against the harsh current back towards the ship until he was beside the boat where he lifted her up and helped her in. Shortly joining her he sat as his men hoisted the boat back on board the ship.

Annoyed and wet, he ordered furiously for her to be taken below to his cabin and that she be locked in. She did not resist as she was led away. Some time had passed since he went below and changed into dry clothes in another quarter. He wanted to avoid being near her while he was still fuming with anger at her lack-wit attempt at escaping.

Now he stood at the railing staring out into the sea that nearly consumed them alive until he felt the tension lift from his shoulders. With a deep breath he shoved away from it and headed straight for his cabin.