Owned by Pirates Read online

  Looking up at the beautiful ship, I saw the name painted proudly on the side. The Fortune’s Favor. I didn’t know how being sold as if I were a side of beef could be considered fortunate. Perhaps this time my father’s attempts at tarnishing my reputation had simply hit a new low, and he would drag me back home soon.

  But he looked awfully determined this time.

  ~ Chapter 2 ~ The Captain ~

  * The Village Docks *

  Whenever I heard a raised voice when we visited a small town, I assumed it was the local toughs trying to run us out. It made no sense, since we brought them goods they would never find in this area. Then we spent most of the money we got for the cargo at their shops laying in supplies. Why would we buy things if we were bent on thieving?

  Then I heard what the man was saying. Pulling on my coat and striding out to the deck, my eyes widened with surprise at the girl being dragged behind an angry man. I did not approve of the way his fingers were obviously digging into her arm. And I did not approve of restraining a grown woman as if she were a child having a tantrum.

  “What’s this then?” I asked, stepping closer. From the way a few of the local dock men were gathering, this was not an everyday situation here.

  “My tramp of a daughter has likely already been lusting after you. She’s brought shame to our family by turning down a suitable husband. How many pieces of gold for a healthy young girl?”

  The idea of trading and selling humans had always turned my stomach. I’d heard of families selling their slowest son. They'd keep the smart one to run the family business, and the biggest one to do the labor. I’d heard of families selling one child to save six more.

  But to sell a perfectly good woman, to a total stranger? That was pure evil.

  Leaning over the edge of the railing, I took a good look at the folk gathered. I could see a few of the fishermen from two towns over. They were digging in their coin purses and having a frantic whispered conversation while ogling the poor lass.

  This man was throwing the poor girl away. If I didn’t take her in, some unscrupulous bastard would.

  Looking down at her wild, terrified eyes, I could see she wasn’t a tramp. From the cut of his clothing and the size of his belly, the father wasn’t starving.

  I’d been mulling over the idea of one more crew member. I’d downsized the crew by more than half since we’d changed our ways. The idea of bringing a woman on board wasn’t very common. However, it was sewing, mending, and cooking that we needed the most help with.

  Reaching out my hand, I smiled as warmly as I could. “Come here, lass. Let’s have a look at you.”

  Her delicate hand was trembling, but she took mine and walked up the plank to stand before me on the deck. I realized that my size seemed to frighten her a bit. There was no way to know what sort of tales she’d heard of sailors and our ways.

  “I won’t hurt you, little one,” I said softly.

  The way her eyes glanced up at me nervously, then jumped away was almost amusing, but I couldn’t stand that I was terrifying her.

  “What’s your name, lass?” I said as gently as my gruff voice allowed.

  “Flora,” she said softly. Her voice was nearly carried away by the breeze. The poor thing seemed to be in a state of shock, and rightly so. In this backward town, she’d likely met very few strangers.

  “She’s quite the pretty little thing, and seems healthy,” I announced.

  Her father’s eyes burned with hatred as he glared at her. “She’s a disgrace to her family, and doesn’t belong with decent folk.”

  I turned to raise an eyebrow sternly, until he realized his dangerous error. “I’m sorry, sir. Village folk. Er, you know what I mean.”

  The rest of my crew were howling with laughter, crowding closer to ogle the woman who might be joining our travels. Their amusement was shared by local dock men who were cautiously drawing closer to witness the entertainment.

  “Boys, she’s a beauty, ain’t she?” I roared to the crew.

  “Aye, Captain!” my five men hollered back.

  “How many gold pieces would a lovely lassie like this be worth to ye?” I demanded. If I was going to shame this bastard of a man, I wanted to make a public spectacle of it that would follow him forever.

  A darkly tanned man with gold teeth leered. “Her sweet blue eyes look so innocent. We’d have to teach her everything around here, Cap’n. Perhaps three gold pieces.”

  “Thank ye, Teeth. O’Doule, what say you?”

  “That lovely white skin will sear in the sun, Captain. We’d have to keep her below decks most of the time. Three gold pieces.”

  “Dirty Davy?”

  A tall, lanky man in a dusty gray headscarf stepped forward. “She’s a tiny one, Cap’n, but I think I see a spark of gumption in ‘er eyes. Five gold pieces. That be fair.”

  “Aye,” called out a stocky man at the back. “Five be generous.”

  “Thank ye, McGee.”

  The poor lass looked like she wanted the sea to swallow her, and make her disappear. Having this talk in front of her was not very gentlemanly, I’d admit.

  I looked behind me, searching out the last crewman. “Little Larry,” I asked more gently, “What do you think of this delicate gal?”

  A giant of a man, nearly seven feet tall with the well-worn face of a thug walked slowly forward. I was impressed that the girl didn’t flinch. His gentle eyes examined her quite seriously. “May I see your hands, Miss?” he asked politely. She seemed a bit unnerved by his deep tone, but she lifted her hands to him.

  Larry turned them so her palms were up, so careful it was if he were afraid of hurting her. Bending forward, he examined her fingertips. “She can sew, Cap’n. Likely quite well, as she’s put in many hours. She could help me make our new sails, and clothing.”

  He let her hands fall. Then he wrapped his fingers around her waist, determining how much of her silhouette was from the puffed layers of her dress, and how tiny her slender body was within. His huge hands completely encircled her. “She’s a bit thin, Cap’n. She won’t require much food at all, but we should likely try to fatten her up just a hair. We’ll need her to become a bit more sturdy to survive the winter.”

  I was listening intently to every word. My first mate’s opinion was the most important.

  Larry tipped her face up with his finger to look deeply into her eyes. He lowered his voice even more so that only she and I could hear him. “She’s not afraid of us, specifically. She’s afraid of the whole world. Someone has told her she’s worthless, and she doesn’t realize how lovely she is.”

  I nodded, contemplating. “And your price, mate?”

  “Seven gold pieces, Cap’n,” Larry announced. Flora gasped in shock, then quickly stared down at her feet. Larry stepped back to join the crew at a respectful distance. A crowd had been steadily gathering on the pier, and the villagers gasped as well.

  With that, he had told me that he wanted to keep her, and that she would be a good addition to the crew. Larry and I had always had a way of communicating through subtleties.

  I nodded, thinking. The rumors I’d heard of people selling their children said they never fetched a price of more than five gold pieces. Looking down at the dock, the father shifted his weight nervously, possibly ashamed at having underestimated his daughter’s worth. I hoped that he feared the judgment of the townsfolk for selling her in the first place.

  “Thank you, Little Larry,” I said, still contemplating. “I’m going to steal her away for a quick parlay. You stay put,” I ordered her father. Then I glanced at my men with a nod, signalling for them to keep watch.

  I took Flora’s hand, leading her to the far side of the ship, behind a stack of cargo bales for a moment. “My men like you,” I said, low enough so that only she could hear. “I would never bring a soul aboard my vessel they didn’t trust. Little Larry likes you very much, and his opinion means the world to me. You do sew, then?”

  She nodded. “Yes, sir. I’ve been
working hard since I was small. I could easily outfit your entire crew with the proper supplies, and I can repair things so well that they’ll hold up for years.” She leaned closer, reaching to examine a tear on the collar of my coat.

  Her hair smelled so fresh, like a spring breeze. Her delicate skin looked as silky as a rose petal. Yet her bright blue eyes, so clear with concentration, told me that she was a woman who could stay on task.

  She was so focused on the fabric that she didn’t realize her proximity to me. “I could fix this within an hour...”

  Then her hands snapped away. She looked up at me shyly, and a lower man would have snuck a kiss. I realized this innocent young girl needed protection. She needed someone to show her the ways of the world. From the way my heart began to thud unevenly in my chest, I needed it to be me.

  “Did ye know ‘tis lucky to touch a sailor’s collar?” She shook her head. “I think it’s a sign, sweet girl.”

  Her long light hair, big blue eyes, and pale, rounded face made her look like a porcelain doll. Yet it was the way her gaze darted around the ship that made me truly take notice. She was curious. Smart. A gal like this would be interesting to have around.

  Reaching out, I tucked a stray tendril of soft hair back behind her ear, letting my fingertips graze her cheekbone. “I’ve never seen a lass so beautiful.”

  Somehow her tiny sigh, soft as a whisper, reached my ears. I could plainly see her wide pupils, how her breath trembled with each exhale. The lass enjoyed being this close to me. I was intrigued. It had been a long time since I’d been with a woman, and even longer still that I’d considered keeping one around for more than a few nights.

  For the moment, I decided, I’d bring her along and see what developed.

  “Do you want to come with us for a life of adventure?”

  She bit that perfect full bottom lip. Then she gave me the softest smile. “You’re the first person who has ever asked me what I wanted, sir.”

  My heart may have broken for her, but for the fact her sweetness was warming me clear through. She looked off into the distance, contemplating only for a second. “Yes, please, sir.”

  “You’ll obey me, serve me, serve my crew and this ship?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  I nodded, a wide smile overtaking me. “You have no idea what a treasure you truly are, lassie. Now be a good girl and play along while we humiliate that rotten father of yours, yes?” She nodded very seriously.

  I took her arm gently, and marched her back to where her father waited impatiently. The crowd of townsfolk had tripled. It was my duty as an honorable man to shame the townie bastard of a father who would treat a good woman this way.

  I stood beside Flora so all could see her clearly. The glow of the setting sun ignited the gold of her hair, and warmed her delicate skin.

  The villagers seemed to take a careful look at her, as if for the first time. She was radiant, beautiful. I had a deep instinct that she was kind. Why hadn’t anyone tried to help her escape that man before?

  “So, since her father is throwing away a perfectly good daughter, we’ve determined that we’ll take her.” The townsfolk who still weren’t sure what was happening all gasped in shock. Selling one’s daughter to a pirate, or any kind of sailor? Horrified whispers ran through the crowd like a brushfire.

  “There has, however, been some discrepancy as to the price. What is a fine young girl worth? My men seem to think that she might be worth five gold pieces. Some say as high as seven.” The murmurs silenced, as every person assembled was dying to hear the verdict first hand. This was the sort of tale they’d be telling their grandchildren. They likely wanted to get every detail correct.

  “A pretty little lass like this, with flaxen hair and eyes as blue as the sea itself. A girl who can mend, and sew, and immediately offered to fix my coat without being asked.” A few of the older ladies laughed, but were quickly shushed. “A brave girl who wishes to set out on the open sea for a world of adventure rather than be trapped under the thumb of a father who despises her, and has told her she’s worthless.”

  The father looked like he’d rather slink away empty-handed than face further humiliation, but he was trapped by my poisonous glare.

  “I asked Flora what she herself wanted. She declared she’d rather sail away with us than stay here with her family.”

  An older woman gasped, her hand flying up to cover her mouth. The crowd murmured for a moment, then became silent again.

  I paused. This was not a time to make a deal. This was a time to make a point. This poor little lass might consider her absolute worthiness by this exchange. Looking over at her hopeful face, I wanted her to know that she was a precious thing. All women were, of course, but she was a treasure all her own.

  “A lass with all of these grand qualities, with a heart full of passion, is worth all of the gold in the world.” I reached into an interior coat pocket, drawing out a small black bag that jangled heavily. “But instead, I’ll give all of the gold I have in my coat. Twenty gold pieces.”

  The silence of the crowd was absolute, but for a few stifled gasps. That was a years' salary for a lucky, hard-working man, and more than some would see in all of their days.

  Flora’s mouth fell open, her bottom lip trembling as she looked up at me. Her little fingers gripped her skirt in fists. Then her head shook slightly as if she couldn’t believe it.

  Leaning down to whisper in her ear, I allowed my lips to brush her skin as I breathed, “If I’d had it handy, I’d have paid ten times as much to keep you safe, sweet girl.”

  She blinked hard, her sky blue eyes filling with tears. Yet I couldn’t tell if it was from gratitude, relief, or confusion.

  Standing up straight, I tossed the bag and a wicked glare to her father, who caught both clumsily.

  “There is only one demand I must make.” The father nodded for me to continue, unable to meet my eyes again. I turned to the townsfolk, who all looked as shocked as if I’d slapped them. “You will tell her mother what transpired here today. Do not let the disgrace of this horrid man be forgotten. He might be temporarily rich, but he’ll be a spineless, cruel bastard forever.”

  The father slunk a few steps down the boards of the walkway with his sack of gold, burning with shame under the glares of his neighbors.

  “Set sail, lads. We’re off.” My men scurried around, raising the sails, securing the fresh cargo, and hauling up the anchor.

  I stood beside Flora, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, guiding her to the railing at the stern. “Take a last look, lassie. We might never be back.” I noticed that her eyes locked with her father’s, where he stood directly beneath her on the pier. Lowering my voice, I said, “Any last words for that despicable man?”

  Without hesitation, she spat hard – the saliva catching him full in the face. He bucked backward, tripping over some ropes, falling on his arse painfully as the villagers roared with laughter. He clutched his sack of gold to his chest, staring at his daughter as if she had stabbed him.

  Flora turned on her heel, walking to the other end of the ship so she would never have to look at him again.

  I was completely impressed by her sass, and followed her, now laughing hard and loud. “Lass, I must say, that was the best goodbye and good riddance I’ve seen in all my years. I have never been so proud of a gal in my life.”

  She walked all the way up to the bow, leaning on the polished wood of the railing, her shoulders shaking. I came up behind her, not sure what to do. Relying on instinct, I wrapped her in my thick arms, pulling her further away from the dock, and the stares of the townspeople.

  She spun, leaning her cheek against my shirt as the sobs overtook her. Rocking her gently, I murmured to her softly as she cried as if she were being torn apart. I tried not to smell her luscious hair, and think about the softness of her delicate form in my grasp. When her body finally stopped quaking, I rubbed her back, and whispered into her ear, “You’re the bravest little lass I’ve ever seen. I prom
ise to keep you safe.”

  Flora stepped back, perhaps realizing that she’d just broken down in front of a stranger. “I’m so sorry, sir. I don’t... this is so unlike me.” She tried hard to catch her breath and compose herself. “I don’t even know you. To be so familiar... I’m terribly sorry, sir.”

  “Lass, you’re soon going to learn about me, the boys, and the workings of this ship. We won’t be strangers for long. There is much to learn. It is a strange life to adjust to. I’ll be here to hold you if ever you need it.”

  Looking down into her soft eyes, it felt like she was still trembling. This poor, sheltered little gal was about to spend her first night away from home, and was likely frightened to bits. All she could manage was a slight nod of her head.