The Grey Lady Ch. 06

Once again, I did want to let you know that this chapter (Chapter 6) as well as Chapter 7 do have violence in them as they involve the battle. I understand if you, the reader, decided to skip these chapters. But, being pirates, they do not always behave themselves. I've tried talking to them, but they remain adamant about being rude, crude and socially unacceptable. In the meantime, I have tried to keep the blood and gore down to a minimum.

Enjoy.

*****

Chapter 6

The sun was just a blush in the morning when Jake awoke her with a kiss. His dark stubble scratched her face as she opened her eyes to find him staring back at her. During the night the sheets had been pushed to the foot of the bed leaving the lovers exposed in each other's arms. His naked body felt surprisingly comforting against her nudity. His hands caressed her ass, each hand cupping a buttock with his fingers resting deep in the cleft dividing them. He kissed her again as his penis slipped between her legs to rub against the heat of her slit. She wanted to melt into him. His kisses made her weak as she opened her mouth to admit his tongue. Even by day, though barely day if the sun was a guide, his kisses could still turn her head.

He pulled back to give her a wicked grin. "I do so love corrupting the innocent." He slid his cock back and forth in the space between her legs, and she could feel her wetness beginning to seep on top of his penis. "I so wish we could stay in bed all day and enjoy each other. But, duty calls."

He kissed the tip of her nose, squeezed her buttock and then, pulling himself from her, turned over to get out of bed, his cock leading the way. She felt sticky between her thighs and lay in the bunk watching him as he quickly washed and pulled on his pants. The entire time he spoke.

"This morning we must start early. Today we will meet up with our mark, and everything must be ready."

"You mean The Ramrod?"

He paused. "Who mentioned that name to you?"

"I read it."

"You can read?" His back was to her and she couldn't see if he was angry or just curious.

"Yes."

"Good thing to know." Jake was quiet for a moment. "There will be fighting today. Most of it will be on The Ramrod, though there will be some on The Lady. You and Toby will be locked in here."

She climbed out of bed, bending over to make up the bunk. A groan behind her was her only warning as an arm snaked around her waist. Jake pulled her to him, her back pressed against his chest. She could feel his bulge pressing into her backside. His other hand reached down to cup her mound and fingers possessively teased her needy hole. Nuzzling through her sleep-mussed hair, he found her ear and nibbled her lobe, giving another groan. She leaned back against him, feeling breathless at what he was doing to her. The hand around her waist slid up to cup her breast. His hands felt hot, and she knew that if he took it father, she could not resist him. She wanted to say no to him, but she just couldn't. His lips found her neck and she moaned, tilting her head to offer the white column to his kisses.

Suddenly, he turned her around to face him, kissing her passionately as his hands cupped her ass and the bulge in his pants pressed harder into her. She pressed her hand against his bare chest, feeling the strength of his muscles. Then, he squeezed her buttocks and turned her around to send her on her way, giving her ass a quick swat and watching that firm skin jump. "You are a temptress," he grinned. She was left breathless, walking away on somewhat unsteady legs.

As she cleaned herself with a towel and dressed, Jake began to shave. It was funny but at a moment like this, she felt like an old married couple, each dancing to a familiar song. In the back of her mind, she knew that Jake was not the marrying kind. He had no compunction at sex, but certainly not marriage. He would roam the seas, raping and pillaging until he came across someone who would best him. Or the gallows claimed him.

Tears blurred her vision at the thought of his bloated body swinging as a deterrent to those who would follow in his footsteps. She almost missed what he was saying.

Jake finished with his shaving and put on his shirt.

"We engage around mid-morn. Afterwards we will head to Wexling." There was a pause. "I wish you were not here." Her shoulders slightly slumped. "This should be the safest place on the ship."

She finished dressing, trying to keep her attention on what he was saying. It had to be important for him to wake her up early.

He turned to give Samantha her orders. "If you will make sure that everything in this room is tidied and put away. Pick up all the papers. Bolt things down. Use your judgment. Hopefully we will keep them away, but just in case." He crossed, opened the door and called to Toby. "Toby! In here on the double!"

The young lad came scampering in the room, yawning and tucking his shirt in his pants. "Sir!"

"Did you to finish with everything on your list?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. Off you go. Bring only yours and Samantha's meal. I'll get my own."

"Yes sir." Toby hurriedly left, heading for the galley.

Jake turned to see Samantha standing still, her back to him. Something about the way she stood told him something was wrong. He crossed to her, coming up behind her to slip his arms around her, leaning her back against his chest. He knew that it was nerves getting the best of her. After all, this was new to her.

"Everything will be just fine. But you must be strong. I need you strong today." He wished that he didn't have to worry about her during the upcoming fight. He wanted her safe. But he still had a job to do. He could feel her straightening, shoulders back.

She turned to him. "You do know what happens to pirates? If they catch you, they'll hang you. Or if you lose the battle? You could be killed."

He gave a chuckle, looking down at his grey lady. "Is that so? I didn't know you knew so much about pirates."

"Everyone knows that's what happens to them."

"Then you would be free of me. You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Her eyes flashed up at him in anger. He couldn't resist her any longer. He kissed her, and she leaned in, giving herself to him. "I guess that I'll have to be cautious," He said, looking deep in her dark grey eyes, like storm clouds on the horizon. "Careful. If someone didn't know any better, they might think that you cared for me."

He left her hot and confused. Heading for the galley, he passed Toby on his way back to the cabin carrying their morning meal. The lad grinned at him as he headed back to the cabin. He knew that the kid was fond of Samantha and would do anything for her. He had taken to Toby the first time he had seen him in The Angry Pelican in Carpton begging for work. That was over two years ago. The young man had a quick mind and it was good to see him so happy taking care of Sam.

The galley was full, the crew trying to get their fill so they would be ready for the attack. They were an enthusiastic group, laughing and trying to guess just what booty they would find on board their mark and making plans on how to spend it when they arrived back in Wexling.

*****

She set the desk up for the morning meal with Toby. She had come to look forward to this time with the personable cabin boy. The young lad was always cheerful and seemed to have such a positive outlook on life. Here was an orphan who somehow found the good in whatever life handed him.

In no time, Toby was back with a tray loaded down with food. She looked at the youngster as he quickly set up the food.

She asked, "Are you nervous about this?"

"Not really. I don'ts really likes the cannon fire, but the Capt'n's gud. So's the crew. Thar gud at whut they dew. An' they a'ways win, and gits us gud loot."

"Is there a lot of cannon fire?"

"D'pends. Sumtimes yay, sumtimes nay. D'pends on how much uv a fight they's puts up." Toby looked at the uneaten portion of her meal and asked, "Ar yew finished? Yew didn't hardly touch yure fud."

"I'm not hungry, Toby." She tried to smile at him but was not very successful.

"Tsk." He gave her a sympathetic glance before cleaning up the remains and leaving to take the tray back to the galley. Samantha brushed away the crumbs and then put all the papers she could find around the cabin together in a pile. The room really wasn't that messy so it didn't take long to put things in order.

Overhead she could hear everyone else busy as well. Sounds of scraping, footsteps running back and forth, and the muffled sounds of men shouting.

She gave a start when the door flew open. Jake stood in the doorway, cutlass at his side. He looked every inch the roguish pirate.

Noting the pile of papers on his desk, he said, "Is this all of them? Good." He swept up the small stack and crossed around to unlock a drawer on the desk, placing them inside. He locked it back and turned to her, pressing a small dagger in her hands. "Keep this safe. You might not need it but just in case. Toby will be here with you and he will be armed too." She slipped the blade in the pocket of her pants.

Toby appeared in the doorway. "Capt'n, Mister Bilge is calling fer yew."

Jake turned to the lad and handed him a pistol. "In case you need it. We'll try to keep them away. Bolt the door." The lad took the firearm; the piece looking very out of place and too heavy for his skinny arm.

Jake turned back to her, grabbing her by the waist before drawing her in to him for one last kiss. It was hard, bruising her lips. Then he was gone, slamming the door behind him. Toby quickly threw the bolt and crossed back to her, attempting to console her.

"We shud git cumfertable. We may 'ave a bit uv a wait 'fore the battle actually starts."

She tried making small talk but she couldn't keep her mind on the thread of conversation. Worry seemed to be uppermost in her mind. What if Jake was hurt? He was her protector. He had become her world. And if something should happen to him... She closed her eyes. Was it because of him or was she just thinking about herself? Was she just worrying about what would happen to her if he was killed. Or had he become more important to her then she could have imagined possible?

She asked Toby about his childhood in the hopes of getting her mind off the impending battle. He told her of growing up in Carpton. Of being an only child. Of life with his mother and father, until his father had been found dead, murdered, leaving just his mother and himself for several years until she too was dead and he was all alone.

Suddenly, there was a loud report overhead as the ship shuddered. She could hear the men shouting and running across the deck. More cannon fire, each accompanied with shaking and dipping of the ship.

"Weir after 'em now. Chase guns." The ship felt like it was speeding through the water, skimming across the tops of the waves. "Will catch 'em sune. The Grey Lady is swuft!" Toby spoke with obvious pride. He told her what was probably happening topside, explaining the battle with apparent knowledge. She had no idea if what he said was true or not but his words made sense. He told her which crew member was probably manning which gun. He was also full of humorous stories of past campaigns with one particular episode involving Picky Pete dressed as a wench being made to run all over the deck screaming and acting the part of the fair maiden so as to lure their mark in. She loved the idea of that slimy man being made the fool.

"We'll be cuming 'long side eny time now." Toby seemed to know the fight entirely from the sounds above and pointed out the difference between each side's cannons until soon even she could differentiate between The Ramrod's fire and that of The Grey Lady.

Suddenly there was a series of deafening booming sounds as the ship shook hard. Sam grabbed on to the bunk to keep from falling on the floor. "That's tha big guns! Thay dew tha reel damage!" Samantha was surprised that the Grey Lady could stay in the water with all the shaking from these big guns.

The noise above changed and Toby grinned. "They ar probably git'n redy ta board 'er now." This time there was more shaking, as one after another guns, smaller than before, went off overhead. "Swivel guns," Toby told her. "Close werk. That means we've cum side uv 'er." There was a gleam in the kid's eyes. "Now is wen we boards 'er. An' thay cums o're 'er. Fitein' is on both ships, and it's 'and ta 'and."

She could hear the individual men fighting, noise coming from the open porthole as well as through the wooden deck. Occasionally she could hear the fire of what Toby had called swivel guns from the Ramrod lightly shaking the ship.

Overhead it sounded like Hell. Each fire of a cannon or gun caused the ship to shudder. Muffled screams and shouts punctuated the air. They sat, talking and listening to the fighting outside.

"Capt'n Jake is gud. Evry time 'e wins." Toby tried to reassure her.

"How many battles have you seen?" Maybe if she talked with him it would take her mind off the horrible sounds outside.

"Eleven."

"Why did we attack them?"

Toby grinned. "It's the only way ta gits the treasure."

Suddenly, the door rattled. Toby brought up the pistol, pointing it towards the sound. With his other hand he pushed Samantha behind him. Here was this young kid trying to protect her when she, as the adult, should be trying to protect him.

Again and again the door shook as whatever, or whomever, was on the other side tried to get in the cabin. She felt the knife in her pocket, though she didn't know if she could use it. Whoever was on the other side was making a conscious effort, throwing their body hard against the wooden barrier.

There was the sound of splintering wood as the door finally gave way. In the doorway was a large man. Just as big as Stan, this man had the look of a pirate. His hair was shoulder length and brown, or maybe it was just blonde and very dirty. It hung in mats down past his shoulders. He had a dirty scraggly beard long enough to touch the dirty shirt he wore. One sleeve was torn with some splatters of blood and smears of some kind of black powder. He wore brown britches and brown boots.

But what she really noticed was the evil grin beneath an eye patch over his left eye. The right eye appeared a watery blue color. And though he grinned, the smile never reached his eye.

"Well, wat 'ave we 'ere? I sees a lit'le prize." He just ignored Toby as his eye took in the vision of Samantha. She backed away, trying to put more space between herself and the dirty man.

"Oi, wat's the matter? Don't we look purty nuff fer ye?" The large pirate gave a mocking look of hurt pride, then took a step forward and Toby raised the gun to threaten the man.

"Stay 'way!" Though the lad gave a good bluff, he didn't stand a chance. The large man laughed and swatted him away as if he were a fly. The next few moments were a blur. Toby and the gun flew across the room with the gun going one way and Toby the other. The young boy flew out the open door and hit his head against the wall outside, slumping over unconscious. Her heart skipped a beat - Toby was just trying to protect her.

She made a run across the room, hoping to check on the poor boy. However, the man was quick for his size. Anticipating her thoughts, he managed to grab her right arm as she ran past, jerking her to a stop as a scream left her lips. She clawed at his fingers to no avail. His other hand managed to grab her other arm, pulling both of her hands behind her back and putting her under his control. She could hear the battle continue above them.

She found herself pulled back against Patches (she didn't know his name but she had to call him something.) Reaching around her to run a finger down her cheek, he lightly pressed under her eye on the bruise that Pete had given her. She winced in pain.

"Looks like the Capt'n 'as a plaything." He leaned in close to her face on the word "plaything," giving a low chuckle. His breath had the stench of a corpse and she almost gagged when he breathed in her face. He looked around the cabin as if looking for treasure before his eye came back to Sam.

"Let me go! That boy didn't hurt you! You had no right to hit him like that." She tried to break away from the pirate, but all he did was laugh.

"That mongrel? 'e got in me way! That'll learn 'em to raise a gun ta me!" The large man spit in the direction of Toby and Samantha could feel her anger rising. She didn't know if he had even killed the young man, but she was not going to let him get away with it. He threw her down and she hit the floor hard on her hands and knees. It looked like it was up to her to stop this madman. Heaven help them all, if that was the case.

The large man prowled around the cabin, keeping an eye on her while looking for loot. He pawed through the trunk in the corner, finding nothing apparently interesting before heading back to her.

"So, where's the good stuff?"

"I don't know. I know nothing." He had no idea just how much she didn't know, she thought. Overhead was the sound of more cannon fire, or gun fire, or whatever it was. Patches looked at her warily.

"I suggest ye start rememberin' reel quick like! An' if ye kin't remember, thin maybe that young lad kin." He started to head for the door, or what was left of it.

Samantha had to do something quick before Patches could hurt Toby any more. Jake wanted strong: Jake would get strong.

"Wait!" The pirate stopped, turning back to her and waiting. "Okay. I'll tell you what you want to know. Just don't hurt the kid." A grin ghosted the pirates face as he crossed back to her, leaning in as greed lit up his dirty features. She hoped that greed would be his downfall.

Samantha stepped even closer to him, as if ready to pass the information to him that he sought. Turning her right side away from his view, she reached her right hand casually in her pants pocket. The cold sharp blade greeted her fingers and despite the pain it inflicted on her hand, she carefully gripped the small blade.

She said a silent prayer hoping God would hear her and answer it. The knife came out of her pocket as she thrust upward, sinking it deep in the pirate's gut. Blood spurted onto her hand.

When she pulled the dagger back, her whole hand and most of her arm was slick with blood as she plunged the blade again in his abdomen. Just yesterday she was throwing up over Picky Pete's lashing. And now, here she was trying to kill a man. She felt revulsion and anger, yet she was no better than these men that she had feared, transforming into a blood thirsty pirate herself. But she was going to stop Patches. She heard the man scream as her hand drew out the dagger and she saw the blood pooling at his feet.

Hands grabbing her around her neck, the angry pirate roared as he lifted her in the air. She could smell the blood as he held her aloft, her feet dangling above the floor. Pure rage sparked from his eyes. She tried to kick back at him but he seemed to feel no pain.

However, she was not going down without a fight. She plunged the dagger in one of his wrists but the blade glanced off of the bone and fell out of her hand, slick with blood. It clattered uselessly to the floor and plopped into the growing red puddle. She was afraid that Patches would suffocate her before he bled to death.

She tried to pry his fingers from around her neck but his grip was too tight. Her lungs felt like they would burst. Grief filled her. She would die without ever knowing her past. She would never have a future with Jake, or have him hold her in his arms, he would never... The giant's hands around her neck hurt and though it looked like he was screaming, she could not hear it. Instead, there was a thumping that filled her ears.