Press-Ganged (7/7) (Spuffy AU)
Mar. 10th, 2007 05:00 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fandomcornerTitle: Press-Ganged
Author: Hils
Rating: NC-17
Pairings: Buffy/Spike, Giles/Anya
Disclaimer: Everything I have borrowed from Joss.
Summary: London, 1800. William finds himself in the last place he expects. The Royal Navy.
Dedications: Thanks to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
just_sue for being a fantastic and encouraging beta. Thanks also to schehrezade_1 for giving me the kicking I needed to actually get this thing finished
“We’re going to die, aren’t we?”
Captain Giles watched as Anya paced up and down the deck of his cabin, wringing her hands and her eyes filled with despair. It pained him to see her distressed this way when she was usually so confident and brave. It pained him more that their predicament was his fault. If he’d been paying attention, the way any good Captain should, he would have heard the pirates approaching. Now, here they were, locked in his cabin with a guard on the door. He had no idea whether the rest of his crew were alive or dead. For his sake, he prayed they were alive.
He walked over to Anya and placed a reassuring hand on her arm. “Anya, dear, don’t worry. I’ll get us out of here.”
She raised her eyes to meet his and he saw they were brimming with tears. “Then what? We don’t know how many of them are out there. The rest of your men are probably already dead. Even if we do escape there’s nowhere else for us to go.”
That was it! A smile lit up Giles’s face. “Anya, my darling, you are genius.”
“I am?”
“There are parts of the ship, hidden parts, that only a few members of the crew know about. They were built for emergency purposes. We can use them to hide in.”
“Then what?”
Giles frowned. “I don’t know yet, but it’s a start.”
“You don’t know these men like I do. They’ll find us.”
“Not if I can help it. Now, I need your assistance.”
* * *
Larry had been standing guard outside the Captain’s cabin for several hours and, if he was honest with himself, he was not feeling comfortable about it. He knew Anya was inside, most likely performing the same services she’d performed for Captain Angel. It was a shame really. She hadn’t asked to be ‘rescued’ by the Navy. They’d treated her well on board the other ship. What sort of life would she have when she got back to England? Dumped on the streets and left to fend for herself, most likely. He didn’t doubt she could look after herself but it didn’t seem right.
He was immersed in his thoughts when he heard the scream.
“You can’t kill me! I’m not a pirate! Oh, God, someone help me!”
Larry didn’t think twice. He pulled out his sword and burst into the room.
“Anya?”
The last thing Larry saw was Anya looking at him with guilt on her face. Then pain exploded at the back of his head and everything went black.
“I’m sorry,” Anya said with sincerity, as Captain Giles tied the unconscious Larry to a chair and gagged him so that he couldn’t alert anyone else.
“Sorry?” Captain Giles repeated incredulously. “Anya, he’s a pirate. He imprisoned you, did all manner of terrible things to you.”
“I know, but he wasn’t bad at heart, really.”
Captain Giles picked up Larry’s dropped sword. He felt more comfortable now that he was armed. It gave them a fighting chance at least.
“Do you really think any of your crew are still alive?” Anya asked as Captain Giles led her towards one of the ship’s secret compartments. “If I was Angel I wouldn’t have let them live. What reason would he have for not killing them?”
* * *
“How is he?” Elizabeth asked, peering over Xander’s shoulder as he knelt beside William. Following the incident on deck, they had all been locked in the brig. Elizabeth had refused to leave until she was satisfied that William was going to make a full recovery. and Captain Angel had merely shrugged, before informing her he had a wedding to plan.
“I’m fine,” William replied hoarsely. “Don’t worry about me.”
It was obvious to Elizabeth that William was far from fine. Xander had managed to bind the bullet wound and stop the bleeding but the damp and dirty conditions of the brig had caused William to become feverish. Right now his face was flushed and his eyes sparkled abnormally.
“You are far from fine!” Elizabeth snapped more harshly than she’d intended, her face filled with worry. She dipped a rag into a bowl of water and wiped his face. As she moved to put the rag back William placed his hand over hers.
“You did what you had to. You saved my life.”
It was the first time they’d spoken of the arrangement made with Angel since it had happened. William’s gentle and kind words merely distressed her even further and tears rolled down her cheeks. “And now I am to marry the man I despise above all others instead of the man I love.”
William struggled to sit up until Xander finally helped him in spite of disapproving looks from Elizabeth.
“Actually, this wedding is just the thing we need,” William began in a lowered voice so the guards wouldn’t hear. “It seems to me that Angel is the sort of man who likes to put on a show.”
Elizabeth nodded, remembering the overly large bed she’d seen in Angel’s cabin. “He is.”
“So, he’s bound to have most of his crew present for the ceremony. That’s when we can strike. When the guards are small in number.”
“Strike?” Elizabeth asked with disbelief. “William, you can barely move.”
“I’ll have enough strength when the time comes. Now, I need you to go back to Angel.”
When Elizabeth opened her mouth to protest, William raised a hand to silence her. “You have a key role in making this plan a success, my love. The guards here all know you and they like you. I need you to steal a key for the cells and bring it to us before the wedding. Make sure Angel doesn’t suspect anything though. If we catch him unawares we will have the advantage.”
Elizabeth leaned over and pressed a kiss to William’s lips. “I’ll see you soon. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
She turned to face Xander. “Take care of him for me.”
Xander nodded. “You know I will.”
Without another word Buffy stood up and moved to the cell doors, calling to Owen who was standing guard. “You can take me back to Angel now.”
* * *
Elizabeth paused outside Angel’s cabin, or the one Angel had taken for himself at any rate, and turned to face Owen. “Make sure that William is all right for me, please?”
Owen nodded. “Of course I will. I’m sorry things had to happen this way. I’m just doing my duty.”
Elizabeth forced a smile, even though she wanted to scream at him. “I know.”
She leaned in and hugged him, pressing her whole body against his. She felt him become erect almost immediately and she couldn’t help but smile. Men were so easy to manipulate. Owen didn’t even feel the key slide from his pocket.
Elizabeth pulled back and smiled again, only this time it wasn’t so forced. She had the key now, and all that was left to do was feign the need to visit William one more time so she could slip the key to him. The plan was actually going to work.
She turned and entered Angel’s cabin.
“Hello, my dear,” Angel greeted her as the door closed behind Elizabeth. “I trust you are satisfied William will make a full recovery.”
Elizabeth shook her head. “He’s getting a fever. I would like to visit him again tomorrow.”
“I don’t think so.”
Elizabeth flinched, both at his words and at the sound of the door being locked behind her. “But you gave your word!”
“Oh, I don’t intend to kill him. I need him, and the other men, to replace the ones killed in the battle. I think I will rather enjoy watching him see you as my wife. No, we marry tomorrow at dawn. If you refuse I will make you watch as I kill him…then the rest of your friends.”
Angel smiled as the tears rolled down Elizabeth’s cheeks. “Get some rest. Tomorrow we marry.”
* * *
“Captain Giles, I absolutely refuse to allow you to let me die like a rat in the belly of this ship of yours. You don’t get to be Captain without having at least some intelligence. Use it to save us!”
Captain Giles sighed. This had been the topic of conversation for the past hour now and it was, quite frankly, becoming tiresome.
“Anya, my dear, I assure you that we’re not going to die. Now, if you could just keep quiet for a few minutes and let me come up with a plan then I’m sure that-“
“Keep quiet?” Anya hissed, her face flushed with rage. “You might be used to facing death every day whilst looking all dashing in your uniform but I’m not. I want to live!”
Captain Giles brushed his hand over her cheek. “We’ll get out of this mess, I promise. But first we need to come up with a plan.
That was all Anya needed to hear; reassurance that they were going to make it through this. “Alright,” she conceded. “First of all we need to free your men. You can’t fight an entire pirate crew on your own, and I don’t want to have to clean up the mess after they hack you into little bits. Where is the brig? Can we get there from here?”
Captain Giles stared at her for a moment, slightly puzzled by the new, confident version of Anya. He liked it
“Follow me.”
* * *
Something was wrong. William could feel it. Elizabeth had been gone for hours and he knew that if it was at all possible for her to return to him then she would have by now. He just had to hope that she was still alive. The thought of anything else was unbearable.
“We’re going to have to think of something else,” he told Xander as he struggled to sit up. His shoulder felt as though it was on fire and his bandages were soaked with blood but he tried to ignore it. There would be time to look at his wound once Elizabeth was safe. She was all that mattered now.
“What did you have in mind?” Xander asked as he helped William to his feet.
William surveyed their surroundings, trying to detect any signs of weakness in their cell. It didn’t look good. The bars all looked solid and the lock on the door was sturdy. The only thing that might have gone in their favour was the fact that there were only two guards, but that wasn’t very useful when they were locked up.
He was jerked out of his thoughts by two loud crashes and his head shot up just in time to see the guards collapse to the floor. It was then that he noticed Captain Giles and Anya stood where the guards had once been. The welcome sight of Captain Giles and Anya stood in place of the unconscious guards.
“Sir!”
Anya swiftly set about tying the two guards up while Captain Giles walked over to the cell. “William? Are you badly injured?”
William shook his head. “It’s nothing that can’t be dealt with later. Sir, have you seen Elizabeth? She was going to help us escape but I fear something may have happened to her.”
“I’m sorry, I haven’t seen her. Step back now, and I’ll get you out of there.”
Captain Giles reached down and picked up one of the fallen powder pouches dropped by one of the guards. He placed a little of the power inside the lock of the cell and used the flint from one of the rifles to ignite it. A smoky explosion later and the door swung free.
“We must hurry,” Captain Giles urged. “Someone may have heard that.”
William nodded. “Come on, men. We need to arm ourselves.”
* * *
Tears rolled down Elizabeth’s cheeks as she looked at herself in the mirror. The wedding dress Angel had given her was beautiful, there was no denying that, but this wasn’t how she’d imagined her wedding day would be. Far from being the day of happiness and joy she’d expected, all her friends were either many miles away or currently locked up in a cell. The groom was nothing close to the man she loved and she was being forced into marriage just to keep him alive.
She looked around Angel’s cabin, desperately seeking some way to escape and reach William so she could at least explain what had happened. It was useless though. Although Angel had left her alone so he could finish arranging the wedding, he had placed a guard on the door. Evidently he was expecting either that she would try and escape or that William would try and rescue her.
She checked the window but even if she’d been able to squeeze through the tiny port hole there was nowhere for her to go but into the ocean.
A knock at the door stopped any further escape plans she might have made.
“Miss, Angel is waiting for you.”
* * *
Angel looked around the wardroom with satisfaction. It was the perfect place for him to get married and this would be the final stage of the plan he’d made for his life. Finally he had everything he wanted. A ship of His Majesty’s Fleet, a new bride, and the whole ocean in front of him to plunder and rob. Life was most definitely good. He handed a small key to one of his men.
“Fetch Captain Giles and inform him that he will be performing my wedding ceremony. Make it clear to him that if he refuses I will murder every single member of his crew while he is forced to watch.”
As the man scurried away to fetch Captain Giles, Elizabeth was ushered into the room. Angel’s eyes raked over her in appreciation.
“You look radiant, my dear. The perfect wife-to-be.”
Elizabeth pursed her lips and remained silent, but that only caused Angel to laugh.
“Captain Giles will be here shortly to perform the ceremony and after that the world is ours to conquer. As a gift to you, you can choose where we go first.”
Before Elizabeth could respond, the man who Angel had sent to fetch Captain Giles burst in and whispered something in Angel’s ear.
“I want every one of my men in this room, now.” Angel hissed in response.
Elizabeth’s heart fluttered in her chest. Only one thing could have made Angel as angry as he appeared to be right now. Somehow William must have escaped without her help. She should have known he could do it, really.
Slowly the room was filling with Angel’s men, most of whom were looking around nervously. It made Elizabeth smile. William could strike fear into the heart of his enemies when he wasn’t even in the room. She wished he was here right now. She wanted to hold him, kiss him and do a variety of other things that would have shocked her to the core a few short months ago.
“I should have realised you were a coward, Angel.” William’s voice rang out, although there didn’t appear to be any sign of him. “Do you really need all these men to protect you? Are you that afraid of me?”
Angel’s eyes flitted around the room. “I’m not the one in hiding, boy. Why don’t you show yourself and you’ll see that I’m no coward.”
William appeared in the doorway and Elizabeth gasped. He looked terrible. Most of his upper body was now red with blood from his shoulder wound and his face was pale, coated with a sheen of sweat. He seemed to be standing by sheer strength of will alone. She wanted to run to him but found herself held back by one of Angel’s men.
William walked slowly into the middle of the room and Angel smiled. “You call me a coward but at least I’m not a fool. What sort of idiot walks single-handed into a room filled with armed men when he can barely stand?”
Now it was William’s turn to smile. “You think I’m alone? Tell me, where do you think Captain Giles and the rest of his men are? You may not be able to see them but, believe me, they have you in their sights.”
Angel looked nervous for a fraction of a second as his eyes scanned the room, then he laughed. “An almost convincing lie.”
He visibly jumped when a shot appeared to come from nowhere, narrowly missing him and hitting the leg of the man who stood next to him. When he realised his men had seen fear in his eyes, even for a moment, he knew that he would lose all respect from them if he didn’t act quickly. Pulling Elizabeth towards him he placed her in front of him, holding her tight as she tried to break free.
“Are your men willing to risk the young lady’s life? Now, drop your weapons.”
William faltered. Angel once again had the upper hand and once again he had failed to protect Elizabeth. He withdrew his sword and tossed it to the floor.
Elizabeth nearly fainted from fear as the events unfolded before her. William was going to be killed, right here in front of her, and there was nothing she could do this time. She had to get free, she simply had to. Frantic, she bit Angel’s hand, hard enough to taste blood, and in the moment of shock she’d caused him she kicked him hard in his nether regions. Angel immediately released her and Elizabeth broke free. Less than a second later Angel felt the first bullet hit him
“No!” He roared, his eyes focusing on William. “I’ll kill you!”
He channelled every ounce of remaining strength into trying to stride towards the man that had ruined all his plans. He could feel the blood pouring from his wounds and he knew it was over for him. There was nothing to say he couldn’t take William with him though. He staggered back as another bullet hit him, and another. He dropped to his knees and began to crawl. Every inch was agony but still he moved. William. He had to get to William.
That was the last thought he had.
Only when Elizabeth reached William’s arms, held him and kissed him, did she finally allow herself to turn around. Angel lay on the floor in a pool of blood which seemed to be leaking from more holes in his body than she could count. Evidently Captain Giles and his men had opened fire as soon as she had freed herself. His men, now leaderless, had apparently surrendered.
It was finally over.
She turned back to William and was finally able to see just how bad his injury was. It was a miracle he hadn’t bled to death already.
“You must see the surgeon!” She insisted, holding onto his arm to give him support.
William brushed a tender hand over her cheek. “I’m fine now that you’re here.”
Then he passed out.
* * *
“How is he?” Willow asked, hovering behind her mistress as Elizabeth tended to William. He was still unconscious but his wound had now been bound by the surgeon and his fever seemed to have broken.
“He’ll survive,” Elizabeth said with a smile as she stroked his face. “The surgeon says he’s strong. A fighter.”
“That he is, miss. Shall I fetch you something to eat?”
“No, thank you. But you eat something Willow. I’d like some time alone with William, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course!”
As soon as Elizabeth heard the door close behind her she leaned over and placed a soft kiss on William’s lips. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” William replied with a soft murmur and a sleepy smile.
“William! You’re awake! How do you feel?”
“Perfectly well now that you’re here.”
“Oh, I was so worried!”
William struggled to sit up and smiled when Elizabeth leaned over to help him. Just having her close to him made him feel that he could do anything, even fly if he wanted to. However, it was then that he noticed her appearance.
“Your dress. You’ve got blood on you.”
She nodded. “It’s yours. I caught you when you fell. It’s not my dress anyway, really. Angel wanted me to wear it. It’s his dress.”
William chuckled at that. “I’m not sure he’d have been such a menacing pirate wearing that dress.”
Elizabeth smiled. “Oh, William, I’m so glad you’re alright.”
“And I’m glad you’re safe too. I’ll never forget how it felt when he was holding you like that. The way you fought him off was amazing.”
Elizabeth blushed. “I knew he was going to kill you. I had to do something.”
William took her hand in his. “At least it’s over now. We’re both safe and you didn’t have to marry that monster.”
“Yes, I’m free to marry the man I love now.”
William wasn’t sure it was possible for him to smile more than he already was.
* * *
“And it is with the power invested in me that I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
Captain Giles smiled as William caught Elizabeth with his arm that wasn’t in a sling and pulled her close to him, catching her mouth in a passionate kiss.
Their friends cheered.
Much merriment, dancing and grog later and Xander rose to his feet and addressed them all.
“Everyone, I know a lot of you thought we would never see this day, but if there’s one thing I have learned it’s that William and Elizabeth can overcome anything. A love that can bring two people together across miles of ocean and achieve anything. That’s why I know that this marriage will be the most successful one in history. I’d like to propose a toast. To William and Elizabeth.”
“To William and Elizabeth.”
William smiled and pressed a kiss to his new bride’s lips.
“And now, it is time to prepare the bride for her wedding night.”
Elizabeth blushed as Willow came over and, with a smile, escorted her from the room amidst the cheers and hoots of Captain Giles’s crew.
* * *
“Are you nervous, miss?” Willow asked as she unlaced the corset of Elizabeth’s wedding dress.
“It’s strange, but I think I am. Despite everything I’ve done on Angel’s ship. This is the first time for me with someone that I love. Isn’t that odd?”
“No, not odd. Natural I should think.”
Elizabeth stepped out of her wedding dress and put on the nightdress which had been provided for her by Anya. It wasn’t new but it was more pretty than anything else she’d owned. She just hoped William liked it.
“The bed is ready for you,” Willow announced. “Shall I have William brought to you now?”
Elizabeth took a deep breath. “Yes, I’m ready.”
* * *
Captain Giles coughed nervously as he approached William. In the short space of time that had passed since he’d first met William he’d come to think of him as something of a son. That made this conversation all the more difficult.
“William, am I right in assuming that this will be your…well, what I mean is…have you been with a woman before?”
William’s face flushed red. “No, sir, I haven’t.”
“I thought as much. Well, allow me to give you some advice.”
This night is not just about consummating your marriage. It is a chance for you to express your love to Elizabeth in a physical way. The actual act itself is…well…only part of it.”
William frowned. “What else is there, sir?”
Another nervous cough from Captain Giles. “Well, there needs to be some build up to the event. Women like…well…they like to be stroked.”
“Stroked?”
“Yes, man, stroked! Just…just do what comes naturally.”
William still looked confused but he nodded.
“Sir, Elizabeth is ready for you now.”
William swallowed hard and straightened his neckerchief. “Very well.”
* * *
William knocked before he entered the room. It just seemed the polite thing to do. He heard Elizabeth call him to enter and he opened the door.
The room was lit dimly with one candle and Elizabeth lay on top of the bedclothes, dressed in her night attire. She smiled at him. “I missed you.”
Now that he was here, looking at her, he suddenly felt much less nervous than he’d been while he was waiting outside. Elizabeth was here, he loved her, and what they were about to do suddenly felt like the most natural thing in the world. He stared at her in wonder. He had to be the most lucky man alive to have this woman as his wife.
“William?” Elizabeth asked, rising from the bed worry written on her face. “Are you alright? Does your shoulder hurt?”
She moved across the room and stood in front of him, laying one hand on his good arm, her brow creased in concern. They were close enough now that William could feel her breath on his face.
He smiled. “I hadn’t even noticed it. Yes, Elizabeth, I’m more than alright.”
She returned the smile, leaned up and kissed him. He drew closer, pressing his body against hers as he deepened the kiss and felt his breath catch in his chest as his whole body began to thrum with desire. Finally, when he thought he might faint from lack of air, Elizabeth pulled back, a small smile gracing her lips as she slowly began to unlace the front of her nightdress.
William reached out with trembling fingers and stayed her hands. “Allow me.”
Her smiled broadened and she allowed her arms to fall to her sides as William carefully worked at the laces, his eyes deeply focussed on his task. When it was complete he carefully removed the nightgown and allowed it to slide to the floor.
William gulped. It was the first time he’d seen her in any state of undress and she was more perfect than he could ever have imagined.
“You’re beautiful,” he whispered in awe.
Elizabeth smiled shyly and reached over and patted his hands out of the way, working on his shirt buttons with the same delicacy that William had shown her. He could feel his breath hitching again as he took in every inch of her while she carefully eased his shirt away from his wounded shoulder
She ran her hands over his chest, causing him to shiver despite the fact that right now he was feeling anything but cold. “You’re perfect.”
“Even with a bullet hole in my shoulder?” William asked softly, wondering if he would ever be able to touch her pale, smooth skin in the way that she was touching him right now.
“Even with a bullet hole in your shoulder. You could be covered in scars and you’d still be perfect to me.”
William dipped his head and kissed her, stroking his hands over her breasts and moving his head down until he was kissing them. Elizabeth’s gasp of pleasure was all he needed for encouragement as he slowly ran his tongue in small circles over her nipples, taking one into his mouth and suckling gently.
Now Elizabeth was frantically working at the buckle on his belt, almost growling in frustration when it wouldn’t come loose easily. Finally William took pity on her and did it himself, allowing his breeches to fall to the floor.
They met again, gasping with desire and kissing each other as though these were their last moments on earth, before blindly stumbling towards the bed.
A stab of pain shot through William’s arm as his shoulder made contact with the mattress, Elizabeth on top of him and still kissing him. Quite frankly, if he were missing a limb right now he wouldn’t care.
He carefully positioned them so that they were both fully on the bed and Elizabeth slipped to one side so that she was lying beside him. She kissed his good shoulder and then reached over, running her fingers through his coarse pubic hair and sliding her hand lower until she was stroking him. William let out a gasp as his penis twitched at the contact, standing erect and glistening, ready for her.
* * *
“Captain Giles! For heaven’s sake will you stop that pacing and ravish me like you promised me you would once the situation with the pirates was over.”
Captain Giles was sure he was wearing a hole in the deck but right now he didn’t care. A man’s first time with a woman was a serious business indeed, and he really hoped things were going well for William and Elizabeth.
“I’m naked and I want rumpy pumpy,” Anya whined and slapped the mattress with her hand.
Startled, Captain Giles turned to face her. “You want what?”
Anya shrugged. “Rumpy pumpy. Isn’t that what you sailors call it?”
With a tender smile he walked over to the bed and sat down, slowly working at removing his cravat. “I prefer to call it making love.”
“That works too. And don’t worry about William and Elizabeth. I’m sure they’re fine.”
* * *
William hesitated. He really did want this moment to be perfect. Sensing his unease, Elizabeth lay on her back and carefully manoeuvred him so that he was on top of her.
“I love you,” she whispered, kissing him, stroking his face and letting her eyes reassure him. Her other hand was still stroking him gently as she guided him inside her. William let out a gasp of pleasure and Elizabeth moaned as he entered her.
“I love you, Elizabeth, so much,” he said as he began to rock slowly, increasing his momentum as her moans of pleasure encouraged him.
Elizabeth was in heaven. Nothing, not even sex with the most experienced man, could compare with being with the man that she loved. He was consuming her and she couldn’t be happier.
William kissed her as he dipped down with each thrust, taking in every inch of her beautiful face. Flushed and glistening with perspiration she couldn’t have looked more perfect to him.
“Yes, William,” she gasped. “Just like that. I love you.”
His whole body felt as though it were on fire, every cell in him calling her name.
“Elizabeth!” he roared as he came, collapsing bonelessly on top of her.
“Was it alright?” he asked when he had caught his breath.
Elizabeth rolled onto her side and curled up against him. “It was perfect. I love you.”
William sighed happily and nestled more closely to her. “I love you. And I assure you we’ll have plenty of time to work on making it even better while we sail back to England.”
Elizabeth smiled. “I can hardly wait.”
The End
Author: Hils
Rating: NC-17
Pairings: Buffy/Spike, Giles/Anya
Disclaimer: Everything I have borrowed from Joss.
Summary: London, 1800. William finds himself in the last place he expects. The Royal Navy.
Dedications: Thanks to
just_sue for being a fantastic and encouraging beta. Thanks also to schehrezade_1 for giving me the kicking I needed to actually get this thing finished“We’re going to die, aren’t we?”
Captain Giles watched as Anya paced up and down the deck of his cabin, wringing her hands and her eyes filled with despair. It pained him to see her distressed this way when she was usually so confident and brave. It pained him more that their predicament was his fault. If he’d been paying attention, the way any good Captain should, he would have heard the pirates approaching. Now, here they were, locked in his cabin with a guard on the door. He had no idea whether the rest of his crew were alive or dead. For his sake, he prayed they were alive.
He walked over to Anya and placed a reassuring hand on her arm. “Anya, dear, don’t worry. I’ll get us out of here.”
She raised her eyes to meet his and he saw they were brimming with tears. “Then what? We don’t know how many of them are out there. The rest of your men are probably already dead. Even if we do escape there’s nowhere else for us to go.”
That was it! A smile lit up Giles’s face. “Anya, my darling, you are genius.”
“I am?”
“There are parts of the ship, hidden parts, that only a few members of the crew know about. They were built for emergency purposes. We can use them to hide in.”
“Then what?”
Giles frowned. “I don’t know yet, but it’s a start.”
“You don’t know these men like I do. They’ll find us.”
“Not if I can help it. Now, I need your assistance.”
* * *
Larry had been standing guard outside the Captain’s cabin for several hours and, if he was honest with himself, he was not feeling comfortable about it. He knew Anya was inside, most likely performing the same services she’d performed for Captain Angel. It was a shame really. She hadn’t asked to be ‘rescued’ by the Navy. They’d treated her well on board the other ship. What sort of life would she have when she got back to England? Dumped on the streets and left to fend for herself, most likely. He didn’t doubt she could look after herself but it didn’t seem right.
He was immersed in his thoughts when he heard the scream.
“You can’t kill me! I’m not a pirate! Oh, God, someone help me!”
Larry didn’t think twice. He pulled out his sword and burst into the room.
“Anya?”
The last thing Larry saw was Anya looking at him with guilt on her face. Then pain exploded at the back of his head and everything went black.
“I’m sorry,” Anya said with sincerity, as Captain Giles tied the unconscious Larry to a chair and gagged him so that he couldn’t alert anyone else.
“Sorry?” Captain Giles repeated incredulously. “Anya, he’s a pirate. He imprisoned you, did all manner of terrible things to you.”
“I know, but he wasn’t bad at heart, really.”
Captain Giles picked up Larry’s dropped sword. He felt more comfortable now that he was armed. It gave them a fighting chance at least.
“Do you really think any of your crew are still alive?” Anya asked as Captain Giles led her towards one of the ship’s secret compartments. “If I was Angel I wouldn’t have let them live. What reason would he have for not killing them?”
* * *
“How is he?” Elizabeth asked, peering over Xander’s shoulder as he knelt beside William. Following the incident on deck, they had all been locked in the brig. Elizabeth had refused to leave until she was satisfied that William was going to make a full recovery. and Captain Angel had merely shrugged, before informing her he had a wedding to plan.
“I’m fine,” William replied hoarsely. “Don’t worry about me.”
It was obvious to Elizabeth that William was far from fine. Xander had managed to bind the bullet wound and stop the bleeding but the damp and dirty conditions of the brig had caused William to become feverish. Right now his face was flushed and his eyes sparkled abnormally.
“You are far from fine!” Elizabeth snapped more harshly than she’d intended, her face filled with worry. She dipped a rag into a bowl of water and wiped his face. As she moved to put the rag back William placed his hand over hers.
“You did what you had to. You saved my life.”
It was the first time they’d spoken of the arrangement made with Angel since it had happened. William’s gentle and kind words merely distressed her even further and tears rolled down her cheeks. “And now I am to marry the man I despise above all others instead of the man I love.”
William struggled to sit up until Xander finally helped him in spite of disapproving looks from Elizabeth.
“Actually, this wedding is just the thing we need,” William began in a lowered voice so the guards wouldn’t hear. “It seems to me that Angel is the sort of man who likes to put on a show.”
Elizabeth nodded, remembering the overly large bed she’d seen in Angel’s cabin. “He is.”
“So, he’s bound to have most of his crew present for the ceremony. That’s when we can strike. When the guards are small in number.”
“Strike?” Elizabeth asked with disbelief. “William, you can barely move.”
“I’ll have enough strength when the time comes. Now, I need you to go back to Angel.”
When Elizabeth opened her mouth to protest, William raised a hand to silence her. “You have a key role in making this plan a success, my love. The guards here all know you and they like you. I need you to steal a key for the cells and bring it to us before the wedding. Make sure Angel doesn’t suspect anything though. If we catch him unawares we will have the advantage.”
Elizabeth leaned over and pressed a kiss to William’s lips. “I’ll see you soon. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
She turned to face Xander. “Take care of him for me.”
Xander nodded. “You know I will.”
Without another word Buffy stood up and moved to the cell doors, calling to Owen who was standing guard. “You can take me back to Angel now.”
* * *
Elizabeth paused outside Angel’s cabin, or the one Angel had taken for himself at any rate, and turned to face Owen. “Make sure that William is all right for me, please?”
Owen nodded. “Of course I will. I’m sorry things had to happen this way. I’m just doing my duty.”
Elizabeth forced a smile, even though she wanted to scream at him. “I know.”
She leaned in and hugged him, pressing her whole body against his. She felt him become erect almost immediately and she couldn’t help but smile. Men were so easy to manipulate. Owen didn’t even feel the key slide from his pocket.
Elizabeth pulled back and smiled again, only this time it wasn’t so forced. She had the key now, and all that was left to do was feign the need to visit William one more time so she could slip the key to him. The plan was actually going to work.
She turned and entered Angel’s cabin.
“Hello, my dear,” Angel greeted her as the door closed behind Elizabeth. “I trust you are satisfied William will make a full recovery.”
Elizabeth shook her head. “He’s getting a fever. I would like to visit him again tomorrow.”
“I don’t think so.”
Elizabeth flinched, both at his words and at the sound of the door being locked behind her. “But you gave your word!”
“Oh, I don’t intend to kill him. I need him, and the other men, to replace the ones killed in the battle. I think I will rather enjoy watching him see you as my wife. No, we marry tomorrow at dawn. If you refuse I will make you watch as I kill him…then the rest of your friends.”
Angel smiled as the tears rolled down Elizabeth’s cheeks. “Get some rest. Tomorrow we marry.”
* * *
“Captain Giles, I absolutely refuse to allow you to let me die like a rat in the belly of this ship of yours. You don’t get to be Captain without having at least some intelligence. Use it to save us!”
Captain Giles sighed. This had been the topic of conversation for the past hour now and it was, quite frankly, becoming tiresome.
“Anya, my dear, I assure you that we’re not going to die. Now, if you could just keep quiet for a few minutes and let me come up with a plan then I’m sure that-“
“Keep quiet?” Anya hissed, her face flushed with rage. “You might be used to facing death every day whilst looking all dashing in your uniform but I’m not. I want to live!”
Captain Giles brushed his hand over her cheek. “We’ll get out of this mess, I promise. But first we need to come up with a plan.
That was all Anya needed to hear; reassurance that they were going to make it through this. “Alright,” she conceded. “First of all we need to free your men. You can’t fight an entire pirate crew on your own, and I don’t want to have to clean up the mess after they hack you into little bits. Where is the brig? Can we get there from here?”
Captain Giles stared at her for a moment, slightly puzzled by the new, confident version of Anya. He liked it
“Follow me.”
* * *
Something was wrong. William could feel it. Elizabeth had been gone for hours and he knew that if it was at all possible for her to return to him then she would have by now. He just had to hope that she was still alive. The thought of anything else was unbearable.
“We’re going to have to think of something else,” he told Xander as he struggled to sit up. His shoulder felt as though it was on fire and his bandages were soaked with blood but he tried to ignore it. There would be time to look at his wound once Elizabeth was safe. She was all that mattered now.
“What did you have in mind?” Xander asked as he helped William to his feet.
William surveyed their surroundings, trying to detect any signs of weakness in their cell. It didn’t look good. The bars all looked solid and the lock on the door was sturdy. The only thing that might have gone in their favour was the fact that there were only two guards, but that wasn’t very useful when they were locked up.
He was jerked out of his thoughts by two loud crashes and his head shot up just in time to see the guards collapse to the floor. It was then that he noticed Captain Giles and Anya stood where the guards had once been. The welcome sight of Captain Giles and Anya stood in place of the unconscious guards.
“Sir!”
Anya swiftly set about tying the two guards up while Captain Giles walked over to the cell. “William? Are you badly injured?”
William shook his head. “It’s nothing that can’t be dealt with later. Sir, have you seen Elizabeth? She was going to help us escape but I fear something may have happened to her.”
“I’m sorry, I haven’t seen her. Step back now, and I’ll get you out of there.”
Captain Giles reached down and picked up one of the fallen powder pouches dropped by one of the guards. He placed a little of the power inside the lock of the cell and used the flint from one of the rifles to ignite it. A smoky explosion later and the door swung free.
“We must hurry,” Captain Giles urged. “Someone may have heard that.”
William nodded. “Come on, men. We need to arm ourselves.”
* * *
Tears rolled down Elizabeth’s cheeks as she looked at herself in the mirror. The wedding dress Angel had given her was beautiful, there was no denying that, but this wasn’t how she’d imagined her wedding day would be. Far from being the day of happiness and joy she’d expected, all her friends were either many miles away or currently locked up in a cell. The groom was nothing close to the man she loved and she was being forced into marriage just to keep him alive.
She looked around Angel’s cabin, desperately seeking some way to escape and reach William so she could at least explain what had happened. It was useless though. Although Angel had left her alone so he could finish arranging the wedding, he had placed a guard on the door. Evidently he was expecting either that she would try and escape or that William would try and rescue her.
She checked the window but even if she’d been able to squeeze through the tiny port hole there was nowhere for her to go but into the ocean.
A knock at the door stopped any further escape plans she might have made.
“Miss, Angel is waiting for you.”
* * *
Angel looked around the wardroom with satisfaction. It was the perfect place for him to get married and this would be the final stage of the plan he’d made for his life. Finally he had everything he wanted. A ship of His Majesty’s Fleet, a new bride, and the whole ocean in front of him to plunder and rob. Life was most definitely good. He handed a small key to one of his men.
“Fetch Captain Giles and inform him that he will be performing my wedding ceremony. Make it clear to him that if he refuses I will murder every single member of his crew while he is forced to watch.”
As the man scurried away to fetch Captain Giles, Elizabeth was ushered into the room. Angel’s eyes raked over her in appreciation.
“You look radiant, my dear. The perfect wife-to-be.”
Elizabeth pursed her lips and remained silent, but that only caused Angel to laugh.
“Captain Giles will be here shortly to perform the ceremony and after that the world is ours to conquer. As a gift to you, you can choose where we go first.”
Before Elizabeth could respond, the man who Angel had sent to fetch Captain Giles burst in and whispered something in Angel’s ear.
“I want every one of my men in this room, now.” Angel hissed in response.
Elizabeth’s heart fluttered in her chest. Only one thing could have made Angel as angry as he appeared to be right now. Somehow William must have escaped without her help. She should have known he could do it, really.
Slowly the room was filling with Angel’s men, most of whom were looking around nervously. It made Elizabeth smile. William could strike fear into the heart of his enemies when he wasn’t even in the room. She wished he was here right now. She wanted to hold him, kiss him and do a variety of other things that would have shocked her to the core a few short months ago.
“I should have realised you were a coward, Angel.” William’s voice rang out, although there didn’t appear to be any sign of him. “Do you really need all these men to protect you? Are you that afraid of me?”
Angel’s eyes flitted around the room. “I’m not the one in hiding, boy. Why don’t you show yourself and you’ll see that I’m no coward.”
William appeared in the doorway and Elizabeth gasped. He looked terrible. Most of his upper body was now red with blood from his shoulder wound and his face was pale, coated with a sheen of sweat. He seemed to be standing by sheer strength of will alone. She wanted to run to him but found herself held back by one of Angel’s men.
William walked slowly into the middle of the room and Angel smiled. “You call me a coward but at least I’m not a fool. What sort of idiot walks single-handed into a room filled with armed men when he can barely stand?”
Now it was William’s turn to smile. “You think I’m alone? Tell me, where do you think Captain Giles and the rest of his men are? You may not be able to see them but, believe me, they have you in their sights.”
Angel looked nervous for a fraction of a second as his eyes scanned the room, then he laughed. “An almost convincing lie.”
He visibly jumped when a shot appeared to come from nowhere, narrowly missing him and hitting the leg of the man who stood next to him. When he realised his men had seen fear in his eyes, even for a moment, he knew that he would lose all respect from them if he didn’t act quickly. Pulling Elizabeth towards him he placed her in front of him, holding her tight as she tried to break free.
“Are your men willing to risk the young lady’s life? Now, drop your weapons.”
William faltered. Angel once again had the upper hand and once again he had failed to protect Elizabeth. He withdrew his sword and tossed it to the floor.
Elizabeth nearly fainted from fear as the events unfolded before her. William was going to be killed, right here in front of her, and there was nothing she could do this time. She had to get free, she simply had to. Frantic, she bit Angel’s hand, hard enough to taste blood, and in the moment of shock she’d caused him she kicked him hard in his nether regions. Angel immediately released her and Elizabeth broke free. Less than a second later Angel felt the first bullet hit him
“No!” He roared, his eyes focusing on William. “I’ll kill you!”
He channelled every ounce of remaining strength into trying to stride towards the man that had ruined all his plans. He could feel the blood pouring from his wounds and he knew it was over for him. There was nothing to say he couldn’t take William with him though. He staggered back as another bullet hit him, and another. He dropped to his knees and began to crawl. Every inch was agony but still he moved. William. He had to get to William.
That was the last thought he had.
Only when Elizabeth reached William’s arms, held him and kissed him, did she finally allow herself to turn around. Angel lay on the floor in a pool of blood which seemed to be leaking from more holes in his body than she could count. Evidently Captain Giles and his men had opened fire as soon as she had freed herself. His men, now leaderless, had apparently surrendered.
It was finally over.
She turned back to William and was finally able to see just how bad his injury was. It was a miracle he hadn’t bled to death already.
“You must see the surgeon!” She insisted, holding onto his arm to give him support.
William brushed a tender hand over her cheek. “I’m fine now that you’re here.”
Then he passed out.
* * *
“How is he?” Willow asked, hovering behind her mistress as Elizabeth tended to William. He was still unconscious but his wound had now been bound by the surgeon and his fever seemed to have broken.
“He’ll survive,” Elizabeth said with a smile as she stroked his face. “The surgeon says he’s strong. A fighter.”
“That he is, miss. Shall I fetch you something to eat?”
“No, thank you. But you eat something Willow. I’d like some time alone with William, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course!”
As soon as Elizabeth heard the door close behind her she leaned over and placed a soft kiss on William’s lips. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” William replied with a soft murmur and a sleepy smile.
“William! You’re awake! How do you feel?”
“Perfectly well now that you’re here.”
“Oh, I was so worried!”
William struggled to sit up and smiled when Elizabeth leaned over to help him. Just having her close to him made him feel that he could do anything, even fly if he wanted to. However, it was then that he noticed her appearance.
“Your dress. You’ve got blood on you.”
She nodded. “It’s yours. I caught you when you fell. It’s not my dress anyway, really. Angel wanted me to wear it. It’s his dress.”
William chuckled at that. “I’m not sure he’d have been such a menacing pirate wearing that dress.”
Elizabeth smiled. “Oh, William, I’m so glad you’re alright.”
“And I’m glad you’re safe too. I’ll never forget how it felt when he was holding you like that. The way you fought him off was amazing.”
Elizabeth blushed. “I knew he was going to kill you. I had to do something.”
William took her hand in his. “At least it’s over now. We’re both safe and you didn’t have to marry that monster.”
“Yes, I’m free to marry the man I love now.”
William wasn’t sure it was possible for him to smile more than he already was.
* * *
“And it is with the power invested in me that I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
Captain Giles smiled as William caught Elizabeth with his arm that wasn’t in a sling and pulled her close to him, catching her mouth in a passionate kiss.
Their friends cheered.
Much merriment, dancing and grog later and Xander rose to his feet and addressed them all.
“Everyone, I know a lot of you thought we would never see this day, but if there’s one thing I have learned it’s that William and Elizabeth can overcome anything. A love that can bring two people together across miles of ocean and achieve anything. That’s why I know that this marriage will be the most successful one in history. I’d like to propose a toast. To William and Elizabeth.”
“To William and Elizabeth.”
William smiled and pressed a kiss to his new bride’s lips.
“And now, it is time to prepare the bride for her wedding night.”
Elizabeth blushed as Willow came over and, with a smile, escorted her from the room amidst the cheers and hoots of Captain Giles’s crew.
* * *
“Are you nervous, miss?” Willow asked as she unlaced the corset of Elizabeth’s wedding dress.
“It’s strange, but I think I am. Despite everything I’ve done on Angel’s ship. This is the first time for me with someone that I love. Isn’t that odd?”
“No, not odd. Natural I should think.”
Elizabeth stepped out of her wedding dress and put on the nightdress which had been provided for her by Anya. It wasn’t new but it was more pretty than anything else she’d owned. She just hoped William liked it.
“The bed is ready for you,” Willow announced. “Shall I have William brought to you now?”
Elizabeth took a deep breath. “Yes, I’m ready.”
* * *
Captain Giles coughed nervously as he approached William. In the short space of time that had passed since he’d first met William he’d come to think of him as something of a son. That made this conversation all the more difficult.
“William, am I right in assuming that this will be your…well, what I mean is…have you been with a woman before?”
William’s face flushed red. “No, sir, I haven’t.”
“I thought as much. Well, allow me to give you some advice.”
This night is not just about consummating your marriage. It is a chance for you to express your love to Elizabeth in a physical way. The actual act itself is…well…only part of it.”
William frowned. “What else is there, sir?”
Another nervous cough from Captain Giles. “Well, there needs to be some build up to the event. Women like…well…they like to be stroked.”
“Stroked?”
“Yes, man, stroked! Just…just do what comes naturally.”
William still looked confused but he nodded.
“Sir, Elizabeth is ready for you now.”
William swallowed hard and straightened his neckerchief. “Very well.”
* * *
William knocked before he entered the room. It just seemed the polite thing to do. He heard Elizabeth call him to enter and he opened the door.
The room was lit dimly with one candle and Elizabeth lay on top of the bedclothes, dressed in her night attire. She smiled at him. “I missed you.”
Now that he was here, looking at her, he suddenly felt much less nervous than he’d been while he was waiting outside. Elizabeth was here, he loved her, and what they were about to do suddenly felt like the most natural thing in the world. He stared at her in wonder. He had to be the most lucky man alive to have this woman as his wife.
“William?” Elizabeth asked, rising from the bed worry written on her face. “Are you alright? Does your shoulder hurt?”
She moved across the room and stood in front of him, laying one hand on his good arm, her brow creased in concern. They were close enough now that William could feel her breath on his face.
He smiled. “I hadn’t even noticed it. Yes, Elizabeth, I’m more than alright.”
She returned the smile, leaned up and kissed him. He drew closer, pressing his body against hers as he deepened the kiss and felt his breath catch in his chest as his whole body began to thrum with desire. Finally, when he thought he might faint from lack of air, Elizabeth pulled back, a small smile gracing her lips as she slowly began to unlace the front of her nightdress.
William reached out with trembling fingers and stayed her hands. “Allow me.”
Her smiled broadened and she allowed her arms to fall to her sides as William carefully worked at the laces, his eyes deeply focussed on his task. When it was complete he carefully removed the nightgown and allowed it to slide to the floor.
William gulped. It was the first time he’d seen her in any state of undress and she was more perfect than he could ever have imagined.
“You’re beautiful,” he whispered in awe.
Elizabeth smiled shyly and reached over and patted his hands out of the way, working on his shirt buttons with the same delicacy that William had shown her. He could feel his breath hitching again as he took in every inch of her while she carefully eased his shirt away from his wounded shoulder
She ran her hands over his chest, causing him to shiver despite the fact that right now he was feeling anything but cold. “You’re perfect.”
“Even with a bullet hole in my shoulder?” William asked softly, wondering if he would ever be able to touch her pale, smooth skin in the way that she was touching him right now.
“Even with a bullet hole in your shoulder. You could be covered in scars and you’d still be perfect to me.”
William dipped his head and kissed her, stroking his hands over her breasts and moving his head down until he was kissing them. Elizabeth’s gasp of pleasure was all he needed for encouragement as he slowly ran his tongue in small circles over her nipples, taking one into his mouth and suckling gently.
Now Elizabeth was frantically working at the buckle on his belt, almost growling in frustration when it wouldn’t come loose easily. Finally William took pity on her and did it himself, allowing his breeches to fall to the floor.
They met again, gasping with desire and kissing each other as though these were their last moments on earth, before blindly stumbling towards the bed.
A stab of pain shot through William’s arm as his shoulder made contact with the mattress, Elizabeth on top of him and still kissing him. Quite frankly, if he were missing a limb right now he wouldn’t care.
He carefully positioned them so that they were both fully on the bed and Elizabeth slipped to one side so that she was lying beside him. She kissed his good shoulder and then reached over, running her fingers through his coarse pubic hair and sliding her hand lower until she was stroking him. William let out a gasp as his penis twitched at the contact, standing erect and glistening, ready for her.
* * *
“Captain Giles! For heaven’s sake will you stop that pacing and ravish me like you promised me you would once the situation with the pirates was over.”
Captain Giles was sure he was wearing a hole in the deck but right now he didn’t care. A man’s first time with a woman was a serious business indeed, and he really hoped things were going well for William and Elizabeth.
“I’m naked and I want rumpy pumpy,” Anya whined and slapped the mattress with her hand.
Startled, Captain Giles turned to face her. “You want what?”
Anya shrugged. “Rumpy pumpy. Isn’t that what you sailors call it?”
With a tender smile he walked over to the bed and sat down, slowly working at removing his cravat. “I prefer to call it making love.”
“That works too. And don’t worry about William and Elizabeth. I’m sure they’re fine.”
* * *
William hesitated. He really did want this moment to be perfect. Sensing his unease, Elizabeth lay on her back and carefully manoeuvred him so that he was on top of her.
“I love you,” she whispered, kissing him, stroking his face and letting her eyes reassure him. Her other hand was still stroking him gently as she guided him inside her. William let out a gasp of pleasure and Elizabeth moaned as he entered her.
“I love you, Elizabeth, so much,” he said as he began to rock slowly, increasing his momentum as her moans of pleasure encouraged him.
Elizabeth was in heaven. Nothing, not even sex with the most experienced man, could compare with being with the man that she loved. He was consuming her and she couldn’t be happier.
William kissed her as he dipped down with each thrust, taking in every inch of her beautiful face. Flushed and glistening with perspiration she couldn’t have looked more perfect to him.
“Yes, William,” she gasped. “Just like that. I love you.”
His whole body felt as though it were on fire, every cell in him calling her name.
“Elizabeth!” he roared as he came, collapsing bonelessly on top of her.
“Was it alright?” he asked when he had caught his breath.
Elizabeth rolled onto her side and curled up against him. “It was perfect. I love you.”
William sighed happily and nestled more closely to her. “I love you. And I assure you we’ll have plenty of time to work on making it even better while we sail back to England.”
Elizabeth smiled. “I can hardly wait.”
The End
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Date: 2007-03-10 01:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-10 01:06 pm (UTC)