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fandomcorner) wrote2007-03-09 07:56 pm
fandomcorner) wrote2007-03-09 07:56 pm
Press-Ganged (5/7) (Spuffy AU)
Title: Press-Ganged
Author: Hils
Rating: NC-17
Pairings: Buffy/Spike (so far)
Disclaimer: Everything I have borrowed from Joss.
Summary: London, 1800. William finds himself in the last place he expects. The Royal Navy.
Dedications: A million thanks to Dave for the beta.
William shifted nervously from one foot to the other as he waited outside the heavy wooden door in front of him. For a moment it felt like he was back in London, standing outside Elizabeth’s house with the proposal he was about to make heavy on his mind. It seemed an age away now when in fact it had only been a week. Was it really possible for so much to happen in so little time? He felt so much older than he had back then.
The door opened and the boy who had summoned him poked his head around the door.
“The Captain will see you now.”
William nodded and swallowed hard before stepping inside.
The Captain’s cabin was as William expected it to be. Elegant but not extravagent with various maps and other navigational equipment strewn over a few small tables. The Captain himself sat at the far end of the room behind a large desk. He was a middle-aged man, no older than his mid-forties, who sat up straight with a pair of spectacles perched on the end of his nose.
“That will be all, Connor.” The Captain spoke softly, almost dangerously gently, as he looked past William to the boy who was standing by the door. Connor gave a small nod, opened the door and slipped quietly out.
“Sir, I…“ William began, but the Captain raised his hand to silence him.
“You may not have seen me before, William, but I have certainly seen you. I have eyes all over this ship and nothing happens without me knowing about it.”
William remained silent, wary of what would happen to him if he spoke out of turn.
“Do you know what the punishment is for killing an officer?”
William lowered his eyes and shook his head. “No, sir.”
“Hanging. No trial, no questions.”
William’s whole body froze as he imagined the noose around his neck as the life was slowly choked from him. He hadn’t wanted it to end like this. He hadn’t intended to kill Finn, it was self-defence, a gut instinct that he’d had no control over. Now he was to pay for his own sense of self-preservation with his life. He raised his eyes to look at the Captain, willing the tears in his eyes not to fall. Part of him, the same part of him that had killed Finn, wanted to beg and plead with the Captain to spare his life. However, the rest of him knew that this was futile. His death was inevitable, so the least he could do was accept it with the dignity of an English gentleman.
“I won’t apologise for what I did, sir. I didn’t intend to kill Finn but I can’t be sorry he’s dead. If you just knew…“
Once again the Captain raised his hand to silence William.
“Didn’t you hear me say that I have eyes all over this ship?”
The Captain’s grim _expression told William everything he needed to know about the depth and breadth of his knowledge.
“I only wish I’d found out sooner. I might have prevented it.”
William opened and closed his mouth a few times as he tried to process what he was hearing. The Captain continued speaking regardless.
“Obviously I can’t condone the killing of one of my officers, but I suspect punishing you will achieve little. The men have a lot of respect for you now, William, the other officers included. I can therefore see only one option available to me.”
“Sir?” William was barely following this conversation, still trying to get over the relief that he wasn’t going to be hanged.
“I’m going to promote you, William.”
“I’m sorry, sir?”
* * *
Elizabeth stared out of the small porthole in the part of the ship where she and the other girls were being held. The moon was full and seemed to fill the whole sky. She’d tried to keep track of the days by following the patterns of the moon and if she was correct then she’d been on this ship for the better part of a month. A whole month on board this floating prison and she was still no closer to finding a way to escape. At this rate she was never going to find William, or see her parents again. Part of her was now starting to think that she’d be trapped in this life until she took her last breath.
She shook her head at that thought. If she started to admit defeat then she was certainly never going to leave this ship. She would just have to keep a sharp eye and wait for the opportune moment to present itself.
Almost on cue the door opened and the guard Elizabeth now knew as Larry stepped inside. He was looking more sombre than usual and she knew that this didn’t bode well. Bad news was coming.
“Who am I with tonight?” She asked, trying to keep her tone light-hearted. She was now at the stage where she could banter with most of the crew, who all took kindly to her, especially after Owen had apparently painted a glowing picture of her following her tryst with him. Since then she’d been with a different man almost every night and most of them liked her enough to even pay a little. Of course she had tried to resist it at first, but her efforts had been just as futile as they had been on the first night. After a while she found herself actually enjoying her nights with the men, especially when she realised that she could manipulate them into doing whatever she wanted in order to increase her pleasure and their own.
Of course she had nothing to spend her coins on, but she kept them safe in the knowledge that one day she would be off this ship and back with her William.
“The Captain wants you tonight,” Larry replied, answering the question Elizabeth had almost forgotten she’d asked.
A horrified silence filled the room. It was common knowledge that any girl who entered the Captain’s cabin never made it out in one piece. Apparently he was very particular about what he wanted from a woman and those who didn’t meet his expectations met the blade of his dagger.
Elizabeth nodded in silence and turned to face Willow, trying to ignore the tears of fear in her friend’s eyes.
“Can you help me get ready?”
Willow choked back a sob and nodded.
“We’ll all help,” Anya announced.
Elizabeth smiled at Anya’s enthusiasm. She needed a voice of confidence in this situation and it looked like Anya was going to be it. She offered Willow a comforting smile before she turned back to Larry.
“Come and fetch me when he’s ready.”
Larry nodded, impressed by how apparently calm she was following this news. Of course, he couldn’t see how she was on the inside.
He slipped quietly through the door and left Elizabeth to prepare. He hoped she would be the one to survive a night with the Captain. He’d grown fond of her over the past few weeks and it seemed a shame to lose her like this.
Once the door closed behind Larry, Anya immediately sprung into action.
“You’ll need the finest dress we can find. I’m sure Cordelia has one you can borrow. I’ll talk to her and try and get you some jewellery too. Then we’ll need to sort out your hair and your face. Don’t worry, we’ll have you looking perfect in no time. Come on, Willow, you can help me.”
Elizabeth was grateful for Anya’s help, particularly if it kept Willow busy. Willow wouldn’t have time to worry if she had things to do, and Elizabeth wouldn’t have to worry about stopping Willow from worrying. It worked out for the best like this.
She stood back and marvelled at the way the whole room had exploded in a flurry of activity as all the girls offered their help to Anya and Willow. Elizabeth was one of them now and if she made it through this then there was hope for the rest of them.
With everyone making suggestions and offering whatever items Anya needed it wasn’t long before Elizabeth was ready. She found herself dressed in a maroon-coloured dress with a black underskirt. The top of the dress was cut low enough that her corset-enhanced breasts were almost fully in view. Anya assured her the Captain would like it like that. Her hair was pinned up in places to keep it out of her face but most of it hung loosely around her shoulders. Anya had applied a light shade of red to Elizabeth’s lips and a fine dusting of rouge to her cheeks. A black lace choker with a small silver cross slashed across her throat.
“Perfect!” Anya announced proudly. “If he doesn’t want to ravish you instantly then there’s something wrong with the man.”
Elizabeth choked back the lump in her throat. “I hope you’re right.”
No sooner had she finished speaking then the door opened and Larry entered. His eyes raked up and down Elizabeth once before he smiled approvingly.
“Captain won’t know what hit him. He’s ready for you now.”
Elizabeth nodded, hugging Anya first and then Willow.
“I don’t want to lose you, miss,” Willow sniffled into her friend’s shoulder. Elizabeth did her best to offer a reassuring smile even though she was trembling inside.
“I’ll be fine,” She whispered, turning her back on Willow before the redhead’s tears brought her own forward.
“I’m ready,” She told Larry and the two of them left the room without another word.
* * *
Elizabeth glanced at the Captain’s door again. She’d been told to wait outside until she was called and it had been a while now. There was no sound of movement inside and she was starting to wonder if he’d fallen asleep and forgotten about her. During this time she’d been pondering how best to deal with this situation. If she misjudged it there was a chance she wouldn’t leave the cabin alive. She had an idea but it was risky. She couldn’t see any other option though.
“Come!” A voice called, and Elizabeth swallowed hard. This was it.
As she’d expected, the Captain’s cabin was lavishly decorated with deep red woods and lush colours. His bed was in the corner of the room and was the biggest bed she had ever seen. She suspected that if he was so inclined, the Captain could probably fit at least four people in there. A bed of this size wasn’t really practical for a ship and Elizabeth suspected it was a status symbol more than anything.
The Captain himself was sat behind his desk with his feet propped up, watching her. He was a handsome man, there was no denying that, broad shouldered and square-jawed with a mane of deep brown hair tied loosely behind his head. However, there was a coldness and cruelty to his eyes that Elizabeth didn’t care for one bit.
“We meet at last,” he announced, standing up and moving around to the front of the desk to inspect her. “I’ve been hearing a lot about you over the past month.”
Elizabeth said nothing but clenched her jaw and looked him straight in the eye, letting him know she wasn’t afraid of him.
“You know, most of the girls I’ve had in here were at the very least a disappointment. I trust you’ll at least make an effort to succeed where they failed.”
Elizabeth paused for a moment while she composed herself. It was time to put her plan into action.
“Take off your clothes,” she snapped.
The Captain looked at her with complete incomprehension. This was good. At least he wasn’t killing her.
“What did you say?” He asked slowly, the very slightest hint of danger in his voice. It wasn’t enough to make her stop though.
“I said ‘take off your clothes’,” Elizabeth repeated loudly and more slowly. “Are you deaf, Captain?”
He paused for a moment and then slowly began to unbutton his shirt, a small smile curling at his lips. Inwardly Elizabeth relaxed. Her plan seemed to be working. The Captain didn’t want some simpering girl who was terrified of him. He wanted someone who was willing to stand up for herself, someone who would take control occasionally so he didn’t have to. Of course, Elizabeth wasn’t that kind of girl but she would be if it would spare her life.
“I suppose you’re not used to having women speak to you in this way,” she continued. “Well, I’m not a member of your crew and I shall speak to you in any way I choose.”
“I could kill you for this,” the Captain suggested as he removed his boots and began to unbuckle his belt. “I’ve killed people for less.”
Elizabeth did her best to remain nonchalant and merely shrugged. “That’s true. But then you’ll have to deal with that by yourself.”
She pointed to the very obvious bulge in his breeches. The Captain chuckled and removed them to reveal his fully erect penis. Elizabeth didn’t look away.
He smiled. “I had a feeling I was going to like you. The men certainly speak favourably about you.”
He reached forward to unlace her bodice but she slapped his hand away. “You don’t touch me until I give you my permission. Now go and lay on the bed.”
The Captain did as he was instructed and Elizabeth moved so that she was stood in front of him.
“Hands behind your head.” She instructed. “Nothing touches you but me.”
Again the Captain did as he was bid, but there was a flicker of annoyance starting to show on his face. Elizabeth ignored it and slowly began to unlace her bodice, keeping her eyes locked on his the whole time. She slid the dress from her shoulders and allowed it to pool at her feet. The Captain let out a grunt of displeasure when he saw she was wearing undergarments.
“Patience, Captain,” Elizabeth smiled. “Good things come to those who wait.”
“Will you use my name, rather than my title?” He asked, his request taking her a little by surprise. He seemed so sincere and for a moment he appeared almost vulnerable. It was only then that Elizabeth realised she actually had no idea what his name was.
“Angel,” the Captain supplied when he realised she was struggling.
Elizabeth nearly laughed. This man was no closer to an Angel than those who had kidnapped her and sold her into this life.
“Very well, Angel,” She said when she had inwardly composed herself. “Now, patience.”
She unlaced her smock and allowed that to fall to the floor with her dress. Angel smiled now that she was completely naked, taking in every inch of her body with his eyes. Elizabeth returned the smile and knelt on the edge of the bed.
“I suppose we should do something about your little ‘problem’ now.”
“There’s nothing little about it, you can see that for yourself.” Angel’s offence was only half in jest but before Elizabeth could say anything to soothe his ego there was an urgent pounding on the door.
“Go away!” Angel roared. “I’m busy!”
A slight pause and then a voice called through the door. “Sir, a ship has been spotted to the north of us.”
Angel rolled his eyes. “Ignore it. There’s only one kind of plunder I’m interested in right now.”
Elizabeth rolled her own eyes when she was sure Angel wasn’t looking.
There was a pause on the other side of the door and then the voice piped up again.
“Sir, it’s the Navy.”
* * *
William peered through the spyglass at the ship that was drawing nearer to them with every moment that passed. There was no mistaking the Jolly Roger flying from the top mast.
“I’ll wake the Captain,” he told Xander who was peering over his friend’s shoulder. “Get the men ready. I suspect we’ll be heading into battle soon.”
Everyone responded at once, each man knowing exactly what they should be doing. Since Finn’s death the ship had become one of the most efficient and well run vessels on the ocean. The men were much more willing to put in that extra amount of work now that they were under the command of someone they respected rather than someone they feared. William knew they’d all be ready when the time for battle came and he quickly made his way to the Captain’s cabin.
He knocked quickly and hurried inside when he was called.
“Sir, we’re coming up on a pirate vessel. I estimate that if they maintain their current course we’ll be within firing distance in a few minutes.”
The Captain nodded, the _expression on his face not altering at all. “Prepare for battle, William. I’ll join you on the deck shortly.”
“Yes, sir.”
This was to be William’s first sea battle and he was more nervous than he could put into words. He wouldn’t let it show though, the men needed him to be strong and he would be so for them.
“Cannons are primed and all rifles have been loaded and distributed.”
William nodded his thanks to Xander but kept his eyes on the approaching ship. All there was to do now was wait.
* * *
Elizabeth had been forced to dress quickly and had been taken back and locked up with the other girls. Angel had assured her that they would finish what they had started once all this was over. Elizabeth, once hugs of relief at her survival had been exchanged, quickly told the other girls what was happening.
“This is our chance to escape!” She said excitedly. “If we can just get up on deck we can signal the Navy and -“
“Get killed?” Anya suggested. “You’ve never been involved in a sea battle before, have you?”
“You know I haven’t.” Elizabeth replied.
“You won’t last five seconds on deck. There are cannonballs and bullets flying everywhere, not to mention splinters of wood the size of your arm.”
“But surely we should at least try! This could be our only chance!”
Anya shook her head. “Trust me, the Captain will sink the Navy ship just like all the others he’s encountered.”
* * *
The ships were almost upon each other now and all of William’s men were in position. He’d instructed the helmsman to begin turning the ship and he could see that the enemy was doing the same. Now it was just a matter of time before they both reached firing position and luck would decide which of them would get there first. William was poised, ready to give the order to fire as soon as they were ready. It would only be a matter of seconds now.
Three. Two. One.
“Fire!”
William gave the order only a split second before the pirates did the same. Almost instantly he was robbed of most of his senses. The sound of the cannons left his ears ringing, the smoke prevented him from seeing further than a few inches in front of his face and all he could taste was ash and charred wood. He felt the deck quake beneath him as the enemy cannons hit their target.
“Riflemen, take aim.” He yelled, even though he could barely hear his own voice.
Their eyes were sharper than his, but they would still need to wait for the smoke to clear a little before they could fire.
“Wait for my signal,” William instructed, keeping his eyes on where the other ship was. The smoke was starting to clear now and William could see the outline of the vessel but little more. A minute more and they would be able to see enough to fire.
William spotted movement and realised it was the crew of the other ship.
“Fire!”
Once again the air was filled with the acrid smell of smoke as the riflemen discharged their weapons. William once again lost sight of the enemy. He could feel bullets from the enemy guns whistling past him and he could hear the cries of his men as they were hit. A second volley of cannon fire rang out and William carefully made his way to the edge of the ship. He barely heard the sound of splintering wood over the noise and only saw the mast toppling from the enemy ship seconds before it hit them. Thankfully no one was crushed beneath it and Lady Luck had now provided them with a bridge to the other vessel.
“Follow me!” William yelled to anyone who could hear him. “We’re boarding them.”
* * *
Angel had realised things weren’t going well for him when the mast on his ship had fallen. This was the most damage he’d ever taken and he could tell his men were getting nervous.
“Keep firing if you don’t want to find yourselves at the end of a rope!”
The men did as they were ordered, but there was a hesitation in their actions that hadn’t been there before. Angel knew all too well that hesitation cost lives – possibly his if the Navy ever boarded them. Well, he wouldn’t go down without a fight. He grabbed a rifle from the hands of one of his dead crew members and began firing.
* * *
William and his men had managed to safely cross onto the other ship, the smoke screening them for most of the way. Now they had to find the Captain. Once he was captured the pirates would most likely surrender.
It didn’t take them long to find him. He was dressed in an extremely fine suit made of silks and satins. No one but the Captain would be able to afford such luxuries. William pressed the barrel of his gun to the man’s head and the rest of the naval soldiers surrounded him.
“I’m arresting you in the name of King George!” William yelled, trying to make himself heard over the noise of the battle. “Order your men to stand down!”
The Captain turned to face him and William was shocked to see a smile on his face.
“Shoot me. ‘Tis a more honourable death than the gallows.”
William could barely believe what he was hearing. He shook his head. “I will not commit murder. Stand down.”
There was a pistol in the Captain’s hand before William even realised it.
“If you do not kill me, I will shoot you and force your men to return fire.”
A stalemate. William had no doubts that this man would shoot him, but even if he could bring himself to shoot first it would most likely stir the pirates into the need to avenge their martyred Captain.
The click of the pistols hammer seemed to be the only sound on the ship that William could here. He had a choice to make. Kill or be killed.
“Now, I’ll give you one last chance. Kill m-“
Suddenly, without warning the Captain pitched forward onto the deck and lay still. For a moment William thought he’d been caught by a stray bullet – then he saw her. It was little more than an outline in the smoke but it was clearly a woman. She was holding a rifle by the barrel and had obviously used it as a club to render the Captain unconscious.
Dropping her weapon she darted forward and threw her arms around his waist, holding him tightly.
“Thank goodness you’re here, sir. We’ve been held prisoner for so long.”
William smiled and gently stroked her hair. “Don’t worry, miss. You’re safe now.”
She pulled back to look into the face of her rescuer and both of them suddenly cried out.
“Elizabeth!”
“William!”
Their shock at seeing each other like this reduced them both to a stunned silence. All they could do was stand there while the battle still raged around them, completely unaware of anything except each other. Finally Elizabeth reached out and gently ran the tips of her fingers over his face.
“You’re real,” She breathed.
William gave her a soft smile but it quickly turned to a look of concern as Elizabeth fainted.
Part 6
Author: Hils
Rating: NC-17
Pairings: Buffy/Spike (so far)
Disclaimer: Everything I have borrowed from Joss.
Summary: London, 1800. William finds himself in the last place he expects. The Royal Navy.
Dedications: A million thanks to Dave for the beta.
William shifted nervously from one foot to the other as he waited outside the heavy wooden door in front of him. For a moment it felt like he was back in London, standing outside Elizabeth’s house with the proposal he was about to make heavy on his mind. It seemed an age away now when in fact it had only been a week. Was it really possible for so much to happen in so little time? He felt so much older than he had back then.
The door opened and the boy who had summoned him poked his head around the door.
“The Captain will see you now.”
William nodded and swallowed hard before stepping inside.
The Captain’s cabin was as William expected it to be. Elegant but not extravagent with various maps and other navigational equipment strewn over a few small tables. The Captain himself sat at the far end of the room behind a large desk. He was a middle-aged man, no older than his mid-forties, who sat up straight with a pair of spectacles perched on the end of his nose.
“That will be all, Connor.” The Captain spoke softly, almost dangerously gently, as he looked past William to the boy who was standing by the door. Connor gave a small nod, opened the door and slipped quietly out.
“Sir, I…“ William began, but the Captain raised his hand to silence him.
“You may not have seen me before, William, but I have certainly seen you. I have eyes all over this ship and nothing happens without me knowing about it.”
William remained silent, wary of what would happen to him if he spoke out of turn.
“Do you know what the punishment is for killing an officer?”
William lowered his eyes and shook his head. “No, sir.”
“Hanging. No trial, no questions.”
William’s whole body froze as he imagined the noose around his neck as the life was slowly choked from him. He hadn’t wanted it to end like this. He hadn’t intended to kill Finn, it was self-defence, a gut instinct that he’d had no control over. Now he was to pay for his own sense of self-preservation with his life. He raised his eyes to look at the Captain, willing the tears in his eyes not to fall. Part of him, the same part of him that had killed Finn, wanted to beg and plead with the Captain to spare his life. However, the rest of him knew that this was futile. His death was inevitable, so the least he could do was accept it with the dignity of an English gentleman.
“I won’t apologise for what I did, sir. I didn’t intend to kill Finn but I can’t be sorry he’s dead. If you just knew…“
Once again the Captain raised his hand to silence William.
“Didn’t you hear me say that I have eyes all over this ship?”
The Captain’s grim _expression told William everything he needed to know about the depth and breadth of his knowledge.
“I only wish I’d found out sooner. I might have prevented it.”
William opened and closed his mouth a few times as he tried to process what he was hearing. The Captain continued speaking regardless.
“Obviously I can’t condone the killing of one of my officers, but I suspect punishing you will achieve little. The men have a lot of respect for you now, William, the other officers included. I can therefore see only one option available to me.”
“Sir?” William was barely following this conversation, still trying to get over the relief that he wasn’t going to be hanged.
“I’m going to promote you, William.”
“I’m sorry, sir?”
* * *
Elizabeth stared out of the small porthole in the part of the ship where she and the other girls were being held. The moon was full and seemed to fill the whole sky. She’d tried to keep track of the days by following the patterns of the moon and if she was correct then she’d been on this ship for the better part of a month. A whole month on board this floating prison and she was still no closer to finding a way to escape. At this rate she was never going to find William, or see her parents again. Part of her was now starting to think that she’d be trapped in this life until she took her last breath.
She shook her head at that thought. If she started to admit defeat then she was certainly never going to leave this ship. She would just have to keep a sharp eye and wait for the opportune moment to present itself.
Almost on cue the door opened and the guard Elizabeth now knew as Larry stepped inside. He was looking more sombre than usual and she knew that this didn’t bode well. Bad news was coming.
“Who am I with tonight?” She asked, trying to keep her tone light-hearted. She was now at the stage where she could banter with most of the crew, who all took kindly to her, especially after Owen had apparently painted a glowing picture of her following her tryst with him. Since then she’d been with a different man almost every night and most of them liked her enough to even pay a little. Of course she had tried to resist it at first, but her efforts had been just as futile as they had been on the first night. After a while she found herself actually enjoying her nights with the men, especially when she realised that she could manipulate them into doing whatever she wanted in order to increase her pleasure and their own.
Of course she had nothing to spend her coins on, but she kept them safe in the knowledge that one day she would be off this ship and back with her William.
“The Captain wants you tonight,” Larry replied, answering the question Elizabeth had almost forgotten she’d asked.
A horrified silence filled the room. It was common knowledge that any girl who entered the Captain’s cabin never made it out in one piece. Apparently he was very particular about what he wanted from a woman and those who didn’t meet his expectations met the blade of his dagger.
Elizabeth nodded in silence and turned to face Willow, trying to ignore the tears of fear in her friend’s eyes.
“Can you help me get ready?”
Willow choked back a sob and nodded.
“We’ll all help,” Anya announced.
Elizabeth smiled at Anya’s enthusiasm. She needed a voice of confidence in this situation and it looked like Anya was going to be it. She offered Willow a comforting smile before she turned back to Larry.
“Come and fetch me when he’s ready.”
Larry nodded, impressed by how apparently calm she was following this news. Of course, he couldn’t see how she was on the inside.
He slipped quietly through the door and left Elizabeth to prepare. He hoped she would be the one to survive a night with the Captain. He’d grown fond of her over the past few weeks and it seemed a shame to lose her like this.
Once the door closed behind Larry, Anya immediately sprung into action.
“You’ll need the finest dress we can find. I’m sure Cordelia has one you can borrow. I’ll talk to her and try and get you some jewellery too. Then we’ll need to sort out your hair and your face. Don’t worry, we’ll have you looking perfect in no time. Come on, Willow, you can help me.”
Elizabeth was grateful for Anya’s help, particularly if it kept Willow busy. Willow wouldn’t have time to worry if she had things to do, and Elizabeth wouldn’t have to worry about stopping Willow from worrying. It worked out for the best like this.
She stood back and marvelled at the way the whole room had exploded in a flurry of activity as all the girls offered their help to Anya and Willow. Elizabeth was one of them now and if she made it through this then there was hope for the rest of them.
With everyone making suggestions and offering whatever items Anya needed it wasn’t long before Elizabeth was ready. She found herself dressed in a maroon-coloured dress with a black underskirt. The top of the dress was cut low enough that her corset-enhanced breasts were almost fully in view. Anya assured her the Captain would like it like that. Her hair was pinned up in places to keep it out of her face but most of it hung loosely around her shoulders. Anya had applied a light shade of red to Elizabeth’s lips and a fine dusting of rouge to her cheeks. A black lace choker with a small silver cross slashed across her throat.
“Perfect!” Anya announced proudly. “If he doesn’t want to ravish you instantly then there’s something wrong with the man.”
Elizabeth choked back the lump in her throat. “I hope you’re right.”
No sooner had she finished speaking then the door opened and Larry entered. His eyes raked up and down Elizabeth once before he smiled approvingly.
“Captain won’t know what hit him. He’s ready for you now.”
Elizabeth nodded, hugging Anya first and then Willow.
“I don’t want to lose you, miss,” Willow sniffled into her friend’s shoulder. Elizabeth did her best to offer a reassuring smile even though she was trembling inside.
“I’ll be fine,” She whispered, turning her back on Willow before the redhead’s tears brought her own forward.
“I’m ready,” She told Larry and the two of them left the room without another word.
* * *
Elizabeth glanced at the Captain’s door again. She’d been told to wait outside until she was called and it had been a while now. There was no sound of movement inside and she was starting to wonder if he’d fallen asleep and forgotten about her. During this time she’d been pondering how best to deal with this situation. If she misjudged it there was a chance she wouldn’t leave the cabin alive. She had an idea but it was risky. She couldn’t see any other option though.
“Come!” A voice called, and Elizabeth swallowed hard. This was it.
As she’d expected, the Captain’s cabin was lavishly decorated with deep red woods and lush colours. His bed was in the corner of the room and was the biggest bed she had ever seen. She suspected that if he was so inclined, the Captain could probably fit at least four people in there. A bed of this size wasn’t really practical for a ship and Elizabeth suspected it was a status symbol more than anything.
The Captain himself was sat behind his desk with his feet propped up, watching her. He was a handsome man, there was no denying that, broad shouldered and square-jawed with a mane of deep brown hair tied loosely behind his head. However, there was a coldness and cruelty to his eyes that Elizabeth didn’t care for one bit.
“We meet at last,” he announced, standing up and moving around to the front of the desk to inspect her. “I’ve been hearing a lot about you over the past month.”
Elizabeth said nothing but clenched her jaw and looked him straight in the eye, letting him know she wasn’t afraid of him.
“You know, most of the girls I’ve had in here were at the very least a disappointment. I trust you’ll at least make an effort to succeed where they failed.”
Elizabeth paused for a moment while she composed herself. It was time to put her plan into action.
“Take off your clothes,” she snapped.
The Captain looked at her with complete incomprehension. This was good. At least he wasn’t killing her.
“What did you say?” He asked slowly, the very slightest hint of danger in his voice. It wasn’t enough to make her stop though.
“I said ‘take off your clothes’,” Elizabeth repeated loudly and more slowly. “Are you deaf, Captain?”
He paused for a moment and then slowly began to unbutton his shirt, a small smile curling at his lips. Inwardly Elizabeth relaxed. Her plan seemed to be working. The Captain didn’t want some simpering girl who was terrified of him. He wanted someone who was willing to stand up for herself, someone who would take control occasionally so he didn’t have to. Of course, Elizabeth wasn’t that kind of girl but she would be if it would spare her life.
“I suppose you’re not used to having women speak to you in this way,” she continued. “Well, I’m not a member of your crew and I shall speak to you in any way I choose.”
“I could kill you for this,” the Captain suggested as he removed his boots and began to unbuckle his belt. “I’ve killed people for less.”
Elizabeth did her best to remain nonchalant and merely shrugged. “That’s true. But then you’ll have to deal with that by yourself.”
She pointed to the very obvious bulge in his breeches. The Captain chuckled and removed them to reveal his fully erect penis. Elizabeth didn’t look away.
He smiled. “I had a feeling I was going to like you. The men certainly speak favourably about you.”
He reached forward to unlace her bodice but she slapped his hand away. “You don’t touch me until I give you my permission. Now go and lay on the bed.”
The Captain did as he was instructed and Elizabeth moved so that she was stood in front of him.
“Hands behind your head.” She instructed. “Nothing touches you but me.”
Again the Captain did as he was bid, but there was a flicker of annoyance starting to show on his face. Elizabeth ignored it and slowly began to unlace her bodice, keeping her eyes locked on his the whole time. She slid the dress from her shoulders and allowed it to pool at her feet. The Captain let out a grunt of displeasure when he saw she was wearing undergarments.
“Patience, Captain,” Elizabeth smiled. “Good things come to those who wait.”
“Will you use my name, rather than my title?” He asked, his request taking her a little by surprise. He seemed so sincere and for a moment he appeared almost vulnerable. It was only then that Elizabeth realised she actually had no idea what his name was.
“Angel,” the Captain supplied when he realised she was struggling.
Elizabeth nearly laughed. This man was no closer to an Angel than those who had kidnapped her and sold her into this life.
“Very well, Angel,” She said when she had inwardly composed herself. “Now, patience.”
She unlaced her smock and allowed that to fall to the floor with her dress. Angel smiled now that she was completely naked, taking in every inch of her body with his eyes. Elizabeth returned the smile and knelt on the edge of the bed.
“I suppose we should do something about your little ‘problem’ now.”
“There’s nothing little about it, you can see that for yourself.” Angel’s offence was only half in jest but before Elizabeth could say anything to soothe his ego there was an urgent pounding on the door.
“Go away!” Angel roared. “I’m busy!”
A slight pause and then a voice called through the door. “Sir, a ship has been spotted to the north of us.”
Angel rolled his eyes. “Ignore it. There’s only one kind of plunder I’m interested in right now.”
Elizabeth rolled her own eyes when she was sure Angel wasn’t looking.
There was a pause on the other side of the door and then the voice piped up again.
“Sir, it’s the Navy.”
* * *
William peered through the spyglass at the ship that was drawing nearer to them with every moment that passed. There was no mistaking the Jolly Roger flying from the top mast.
“I’ll wake the Captain,” he told Xander who was peering over his friend’s shoulder. “Get the men ready. I suspect we’ll be heading into battle soon.”
Everyone responded at once, each man knowing exactly what they should be doing. Since Finn’s death the ship had become one of the most efficient and well run vessels on the ocean. The men were much more willing to put in that extra amount of work now that they were under the command of someone they respected rather than someone they feared. William knew they’d all be ready when the time for battle came and he quickly made his way to the Captain’s cabin.
He knocked quickly and hurried inside when he was called.
“Sir, we’re coming up on a pirate vessel. I estimate that if they maintain their current course we’ll be within firing distance in a few minutes.”
The Captain nodded, the _expression on his face not altering at all. “Prepare for battle, William. I’ll join you on the deck shortly.”
“Yes, sir.”
This was to be William’s first sea battle and he was more nervous than he could put into words. He wouldn’t let it show though, the men needed him to be strong and he would be so for them.
“Cannons are primed and all rifles have been loaded and distributed.”
William nodded his thanks to Xander but kept his eyes on the approaching ship. All there was to do now was wait.
* * *
Elizabeth had been forced to dress quickly and had been taken back and locked up with the other girls. Angel had assured her that they would finish what they had started once all this was over. Elizabeth, once hugs of relief at her survival had been exchanged, quickly told the other girls what was happening.
“This is our chance to escape!” She said excitedly. “If we can just get up on deck we can signal the Navy and -“
“Get killed?” Anya suggested. “You’ve never been involved in a sea battle before, have you?”
“You know I haven’t.” Elizabeth replied.
“You won’t last five seconds on deck. There are cannonballs and bullets flying everywhere, not to mention splinters of wood the size of your arm.”
“But surely we should at least try! This could be our only chance!”
Anya shook her head. “Trust me, the Captain will sink the Navy ship just like all the others he’s encountered.”
* * *
The ships were almost upon each other now and all of William’s men were in position. He’d instructed the helmsman to begin turning the ship and he could see that the enemy was doing the same. Now it was just a matter of time before they both reached firing position and luck would decide which of them would get there first. William was poised, ready to give the order to fire as soon as they were ready. It would only be a matter of seconds now.
Three. Two. One.
“Fire!”
William gave the order only a split second before the pirates did the same. Almost instantly he was robbed of most of his senses. The sound of the cannons left his ears ringing, the smoke prevented him from seeing further than a few inches in front of his face and all he could taste was ash and charred wood. He felt the deck quake beneath him as the enemy cannons hit their target.
“Riflemen, take aim.” He yelled, even though he could barely hear his own voice.
Their eyes were sharper than his, but they would still need to wait for the smoke to clear a little before they could fire.
“Wait for my signal,” William instructed, keeping his eyes on where the other ship was. The smoke was starting to clear now and William could see the outline of the vessel but little more. A minute more and they would be able to see enough to fire.
William spotted movement and realised it was the crew of the other ship.
“Fire!”
Once again the air was filled with the acrid smell of smoke as the riflemen discharged their weapons. William once again lost sight of the enemy. He could feel bullets from the enemy guns whistling past him and he could hear the cries of his men as they were hit. A second volley of cannon fire rang out and William carefully made his way to the edge of the ship. He barely heard the sound of splintering wood over the noise and only saw the mast toppling from the enemy ship seconds before it hit them. Thankfully no one was crushed beneath it and Lady Luck had now provided them with a bridge to the other vessel.
“Follow me!” William yelled to anyone who could hear him. “We’re boarding them.”
* * *
Angel had realised things weren’t going well for him when the mast on his ship had fallen. This was the most damage he’d ever taken and he could tell his men were getting nervous.
“Keep firing if you don’t want to find yourselves at the end of a rope!”
The men did as they were ordered, but there was a hesitation in their actions that hadn’t been there before. Angel knew all too well that hesitation cost lives – possibly his if the Navy ever boarded them. Well, he wouldn’t go down without a fight. He grabbed a rifle from the hands of one of his dead crew members and began firing.
* * *
William and his men had managed to safely cross onto the other ship, the smoke screening them for most of the way. Now they had to find the Captain. Once he was captured the pirates would most likely surrender.
It didn’t take them long to find him. He was dressed in an extremely fine suit made of silks and satins. No one but the Captain would be able to afford such luxuries. William pressed the barrel of his gun to the man’s head and the rest of the naval soldiers surrounded him.
“I’m arresting you in the name of King George!” William yelled, trying to make himself heard over the noise of the battle. “Order your men to stand down!”
The Captain turned to face him and William was shocked to see a smile on his face.
“Shoot me. ‘Tis a more honourable death than the gallows.”
William could barely believe what he was hearing. He shook his head. “I will not commit murder. Stand down.”
There was a pistol in the Captain’s hand before William even realised it.
“If you do not kill me, I will shoot you and force your men to return fire.”
A stalemate. William had no doubts that this man would shoot him, but even if he could bring himself to shoot first it would most likely stir the pirates into the need to avenge their martyred Captain.
The click of the pistols hammer seemed to be the only sound on the ship that William could here. He had a choice to make. Kill or be killed.
“Now, I’ll give you one last chance. Kill m-“
Suddenly, without warning the Captain pitched forward onto the deck and lay still. For a moment William thought he’d been caught by a stray bullet – then he saw her. It was little more than an outline in the smoke but it was clearly a woman. She was holding a rifle by the barrel and had obviously used it as a club to render the Captain unconscious.
Dropping her weapon she darted forward and threw her arms around his waist, holding him tightly.
“Thank goodness you’re here, sir. We’ve been held prisoner for so long.”
William smiled and gently stroked her hair. “Don’t worry, miss. You’re safe now.”
She pulled back to look into the face of her rescuer and both of them suddenly cried out.
“Elizabeth!”
“William!”
Their shock at seeing each other like this reduced them both to a stunned silence. All they could do was stand there while the battle still raged around them, completely unaware of anything except each other. Finally Elizabeth reached out and gently ran the tips of her fingers over his face.
“You’re real,” She breathed.
William gave her a soft smile but it quickly turned to a look of concern as Elizabeth fainted.
Part 6
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