Title: Press-Ganged
Author: Hils
Rating: PG-13 (for now)
Disclaimer: Everything I have borrowed from Joss.
Summary: London, 1800. William finds himself in the last place he expects. The British Navy.
Dedications: Thanks to Jacqui and Dave for the beta
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Elizabeth. Would you do me the fine honour of consenting to be my wife?"
William paused for a moment, frowned at his reflection and sighed. "No, that won't do."
He'd been practising for over an hour and was still no closer to being happy about how he was going to do this. For a librarian, a man of words, he certainly had problems putting them together. He straightened his tie and tried again.
"Elizabeth, we've been courting for some time now and I was wondering if perhaps ... if it were agreeable to you ... you might consider..."
He let out another sigh of frustration. This was ridiculous. He was going to look like a fool. He'd just have to stand here and keep practising until...
"Sir?"
William let out a startled yelp and turned to find Jacob, his manservant, standing in the doorway. He'd been so wrapped up in his thoughts that he hadn't heard him knock.
"The carriage is here, sir."
William gave a tight smile and nodded. "Thank you."
As Jacob's head disappeared William turned back to the mirror and adjusted his tie one last time. This was it. He put on his coat and headed outside to face the most difficult challenge he'd ever encountered.
* * *
Throughout the journey words churned through his head as he desperately continued planning how he was going to propose. The only problem was that the closer he got to Elizabeth's home the more his mind seemed to empty. He was certain that by the time he arrived he would barely be able to speak.
The carriage rolled to a stop and William stepped out into the night, too nervous to notice the icy chill biting into his skin. A grey stone townhouse stood before him, the lit windows looking warm and inviting. Yet he didn't move. Fifteen minutes passed until he finally summoned the courage to approach and raise a trembling hand to knock on the door. A few moments later the door opened and William found himself being ushered in by the butler. Without a word his coat was removed and he was taken up to the parlour.
"William!" Elizabeth's mother greeted him warmly, pressing a kiss to his cheek almost as though her were her own son. "It's so good to see you."
William smiled in return. Elizabeth's mother always had a way of making him feel completely at ease. "The pleasure is all mine, Mrs Summers."
"I'll have Daisy bring us up some tea. Elizabeth will be joining us shortly, she’s just finishing changing."
William gulped in what he hoped was a discreet manner before turning his attention to Elizabeth's father who was sat by the fire reading his newspaper.
"Good evening, Mr Summers."
The paper lowered slowly to reveal a well-dressed, clean-shaven man. Elizabeth's father dealt in textiles and was rapidly becoming the most sought after man in London for fine cloth and linen. He gave William a short nod of greeting before the newspaper was raised once more. William was used to this by now. When he'd first met Elizabeth's father he'd been convinced that the man hated him. He soon learned, however, that Elizabeth's father was the same with everyone and in fact had no objection to him at all.
"William!"
He turned to see Elizabeth framed in the doorway, her face lit by a radiant smile. "I'm so pleased you're here. I have something for you."
William felt his face flush red as she stepped forward and took his hands in hers.
"Father, may I take William into the library for a moment?"
"Do what you wish," The faceless voice replied from behind the newspaper.
"Don't be long though, dear," her mother requested. "Tea will be here soon."
Elizabeth nodded and pulled William out of the room.
* * *
This is it, he thought as they entered the library. This was probably the only time he and Elizabeth would be together tonight. If he was going to propose it was going to have to be now.
The library was one of the larger rooms in the house and William had filled most of it himself. Elizabeth's father had decided that he wanted a library for his wife and daughter to enjoy and had hired William to select the books for it. He'd spent a lot of time speaking with both Elizabeth and Mrs Summers about the books they liked and it was then that he and Elizabeth had discovered how much they had in common. Once his task had been complete he had started courting her.
The shelves were made of the finest oak that could be bought and the books which filled them were in perfect condition. Elizabeth had taken it upon herself to take care of the books as though they were her children.
"I found this in a quaint little bookshop and I just knew you'd like it."
She picked up a small book from the table in the centre of the room and handed it to him. His eyes widened. It was a copy of the poems of William Blake - very rare.
"Oh, Elizabeth, it's wonderful. How on earth did you know … this is just what I've been looking for."
She smiled shyly and lowered her eyes. "I know you, William."
He stared at her in complete awe for about thirty seconds before he found his voice.
"Elizabeth, will you marry me?"
"W-what?"
William raised his eyes to meet hers, amazed that not only had he just proposed to the woman he loved but that it had been startlingly easy.
"Elizabeth," he repeated, "I love you. Will you marry me?"
Her eyes brimmed with tears as they held each others gaze and then she threw herself into his arms, sobbing into his shoulder.
"Of course I will, William. Of course I'll marry you."
William felt his own tears begin to fall as he stroked her hair and held her close. "Oh, Elizabeth. You have no idea how happy you've just made me."
* * *
"Mr Summers, I'd like to ask your permission to marry Elizabeth."
The newspaper lowered ever so slowly and William could feel his heart pounding. This was the difficult part. The newspaper was placed on a small table beside the armchair as Mr Summers rose.
"William." He said, his voice low and soft. "I'm amazed at you."
William flinched and Elizabeth tightened her grip on his arm.
"Now, Henry." Her mother tried to intervene but he raised a hand to silence her.
"You've been visiting our house for a long time and now you propose to my one and only child. May I just ask you one thing?"
William swallowed hard and cleared his throat. "Of course, sir."
"Why has it taken you so long?"
William blinked. "Sir?"
"My wife and I have been expecting this for months. Why has it taken you so long?"
Elizabeth stared at her father like he was a stranger while William stammered in a desperate attempt to find an answer that wouldn't offend anyone.
"Well ... I ... you see ... I ... "
"Oh, stop that and give your future father a hug."
And before William could utter another word the older man had pulled him into his arms and was clapping him very firmly on the back.
"Welcome to our family, William."
* * *
He'd spent the remainder of the evening drinking tea with Elizabeth and her family before finally leaving. Elizabeth's parents were keen for the wedding to take place as soon as possible, which he had no objection to. All he had to do now was tell his mother. He knew she'd be pleased. She'd always liked Elizabeth and had been dropping hints about seeing an engagement for some time now.
He pulled his coat more tightly around him, almost regretting the decision to walk home. Not knowing what time he was going to leave Elizabeth's he hadn't arranged for a carriage to take him home and Mr Summers' coach was being used for business. It wasn't a long walk at any rate.
"Scuse me, sir. D'you know what time it is?"
William raised his head to see a young man standing in front of him, in torn clothes, unshaven and dirty. He resisted the urge to wrinkle his nose and instead reached for his pocket watch. A moment later someone grabbed him from behind and something struck him on the back of the head. He caught a brief glimpse of a whole group of men standing around him before everything went dark.
* * *
When he awoke he was aware of his stomach lurching and for a moment he was sure he was going to vomit. He lay there willing the feeling to pass and trying to work out what had happened when suddenly he was pulled roughly to his feet.
"Outside, you piece of scum."
"W-what?" He opened his eyes long enough to see that he was in a darkened room and that the floor was covered thinly with straw. Before he could get his bearings fully though, he was shoved through a door and had to close his eyes again as the sunlight assaulted them. Although he couldn't see, and had no idea where he was or what had happened the words he heard next chilled him to his very soul.
"Gentlemen. Welcome to the Royal Navy."
Chapter 2:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"I don't understand," Elizabeth sobbed as her parents awkwardly tried to console her. "How can William be gone?"
"We don't know, dear," her mother tried to soothe. "The police have said they'll do all that they can to search for him, but in a city the size of London…" The unspoken words as her voice trailed off made Elizabeth cry harder.
"Elizabeth," her father said firmly but gently, causing his daughter to raise her red and puffy eyes to look at him. "I will round up every man I can to help with the search for William. Whatever part of London he's in, we'll find him."
* * *
"Th-there must be some mistake," William stammered as his eyes took in the endless ocean that surrounded them. "I'm not a sailor."
"You soon will be." The man who had first addressed them sneered, bearing down on William. William coughed, the man's stale breath causing him to choke. Roaring laughter seemed to come from every man on the ship as he gagged and tried to compose himself.
"Looks like we've got a delicate one 'ere lads. We'll 'ave to whip 'im into shape."
Knowing laughter this time and William gulped. He didn't like the sound of being whipped into shape.
“I'd like to be taken to whoever is in charge of this vessel," he said with more confidence than he felt. "There has been some sort of mistake and it needs to be rectified.”
A finger prodding his chest, hard, caused him to cough again.
"Now you listen to me, lad, and you listen good. As far as you're concerned I'm in charge around 'ere. You do what I say when I say it or there'll be trouble. Got it?"
"But I really must protest! I…"
He barely saw the fist swinging towards his face before everything went black - again.
* * *
"Still no news?" Elizabeth's mother asked as she stood in the doorway of her daughter's room with her husband. Elizabeth lay sleeping peacefully in bed, the result of a sleeping draught the doctor had given her.
"Nothing," Elizabeth's father replied sadly whilst gazing fondly at his slumbering daughter. "We've searched everywhere we know and there's no sign of the lad. It's as though he's vanished into thin air."
* * *
William had no idea how long he had been unconscious but he woke with a headache, and a bruised jaw too. He soon found himself put to work cleaning the decks of the ship. Common sense had told him that to argue would only result in another fist to the face, so he worked quietly, even though the smell of the dirty water made him nauseous. All that was on his mind now was how to get back to London and Elizabeth.
After half an hour of mopping with the sun beating down on his head, William found himself thirsty and exhausted.
"Excuse me?" he called softly to the man who was working beside him. "Where can I get some water to drink?"
The man stopped his own mopping for a moment and stared at William in wide-eyed surprise. Then, much to William's annoyance, he began to laugh.
"A drink?" he asked between chuckles. "Oh, you must be one of the new boys."
"I am." William replied haughtily, not used to being laughed at. "But I don't belong here. I was kidnapped."
More laughter and William found himself becoming increasingly annoyed. All he wanted was a little sympathy for his plight, and so far nobody seemed to care.
"Not many of us are supposed to be here," William's co-worker finally said. "Shortage of people wanting to join the Navy, apparently, so when they ran out of volunteers they started taking people."
"But … but that's wrong!" William exclaimed vehemently. "And illegal, surely."
This time he received what was almost a patronising smile. "They don't care where the sailors come from so long as they get them."
William sighed and wiped a hand over his sweat-drenched face. The heat was starting to make him feel ill.
"I can't stay here. I've just become engaged. I must get back to Elizabeth. She will be worried about me."
The man looked at him with something akin to curiosity and smiled sympathetically.
"You got a name?"
"William."
The man extended his hand. "I'm Xander."
* * *
"Miss Elizabeth, would you like something to help you sleep tonight?"
Elizabeth sat in front of her dresser while Willow, her maidservant, brushed her hair for her. Elizabeth noticed, tiredly, that she barely recognised her own reflection any more. Her face was pale, her eyes red and her cheeks sunken. Her hair hung dull and limp around her shoulders and the only time she’d slept was when she had taken one of the pills the doctor had left for her. She wasn't sure how long it had been since William vanished, but it felt like an eternity. Nobody ever spoke of him around her as they knew it would distress her, but she knew that they had stopped looking for him. They'd given up.
"Miss?"
Willow's voice drew her out of her thoughts and she gave a small smile. "Not tonight, thank you."
Willow nodded and gently set the brush down before kneeling beside her mistress.
"Oh Miss Elizabeth, I wish there was something I could do to help. It hurts me to see you suffering like this."
Elizabeth turned to face the redhead who had more or less helped to raise her from birth. Already the wheels were turning in her head. She couldn't just sit around waiting for news that William was dead. She had to do something.
"Willow, there is something you can do."
* * *
"I had a girl once," Xander told William as they continued to mop. Much to William's dismay, he'd found out that water was only distributed at certain times of the day and it was hours until the next ration was due. Nevertheless, he refused to perform his work without a shirt as Xander did. It just wouldn't be proper.
"Tell me about her," William encouraged, desperate to take his mind off the blazing heat.
"Anya." Xander smiled fondly. "She was amazing, in every way, if you get my meaning."
William blushed. He'd soon realised that Xander had no qualms about talking of the more intimate aspects of a relationship and it made him quite uncomfortable.
"How did you end up on this ship?" he asked, desperate to change the subject.
Xander shrugged. "Not much to tell, really. Got drunk in a tavern one night with a bunch of men I'd just met and woke up here."
"And you never attempted to escape?" William asked incredulously. "You never attempted to get back to Anya?"
Xander sighed. "You're new here, William. You'll soon see that once you're in the Navy, there's no getting out."
We'll see about that, William thought to himself.
* * *
Elizabeth's mother tapped lightly on the door of her daughter's room, a tray of food in her free hand. She hoped that if she brought it herself rather than sending one of the servants Elizabeth might actually eat something.
"Elizabeth?" she called when there was no answer. "Are you awake?"
Opening the door, she frowned when she found the room empty and the window open. Setting down the tray, her eyes fell on a single sheet of paper which was lying on the bed. Picking it up, she scanned the words.
"Oh no, my baby," she whispered as the contents of the short note pierced her soul. She collapsed, sobbing.
Mother, I’m sorry to have to leave you and Father but I'm not prepared to give up on William. Willow and I have gone to undertake our own search for him.
Please don't worry and I will return to you as soon as I can
All my love,
Elizabeth
Chapter 3:
Now, as he finally made his way below deck, his clothes were soaked with sweat, every muscle ached and screamed and his lips were so dry he could barely feel them. His mind was torn between the need to sleep and the need for food and water. It seemed he had no choice in the matter and he soon found himself herded into the queue for food.
He could feel his legs trembling with exhaustion and wasn’t sure he’d be able to make it to the front of the line.
“Just hang on, you’ll make it,” Xander whispered in his ear. His voice was a source of comfort to William, just as it had been all day. He nodded, braced himself and edged forward. The queue was moving slowly, but he could see the front now. He felt Xander’s hand on his back and took strength from it.
Finally he found himself standing in front of a large, fat man with a huge bristling beard.
“Here,” he grunted, giving William a brief glimpse of heavily yellowed teeth. A bowl of stew was shoved into his hands along with a small piece of dry bread and a glass of dirty looking water. This, apparently, was dinner.
* * *
The sun was almost rising when Elizabeth’s carriage pulled to a stop. She looked out of the window and then at Willow who was sleeping beside her. Finally she nudged her awake and together the two women stepped from the coach. The whole of the city seemed to loom before them and on every side houses, taverns and shops and stretched as far as the eye could see.
“Where do we start?” Willow asked nervously. She’d never been into the depths of the city before and the sheer size of it terrified her. Elizabeth felt a little disconcerted too but didn’t let it show for Willow’s sake.
“We’ll find an somewhere to stay nearby and then start with the local taverns.” She said. “Somebody here will surely know what has happened to William.”
Willow nodded and the two of them headed to the first inn that caught their eye.
The Queens Head was small, but clean and seemingly a fairly quiet place. Elizabeth decided it would suit their needs and booked two rooms, one for herself and one for Willow. She was soon settled in bed, determined to start her search as soon as she’d had some sleep.
* * *
“You get used to it,” Xander said cheerfully as he took a seat beside William, who was staring at his stew with a mixture of disgust and intrigue.
“I don’t think I ever will,” William sighed, taking a mouthful of the thick substance and grimacing. “All I can think of is Elizabeth and the home I’ve been taken from.”
Xander smiled, his eyes filled with sympathy. “Tell me about her.”
“She’s my whole world.” William breathed with a sad smile. “The most beautiful creature I’ve ever beheld.”
He then proceeded to tell Xander how he’d met Elizabeth, about their growing friendship and finally their engagement. He barely noticed the men that had gathered round him to hear his story, nor did he notice Petty Officer Finn hiding in the shadows, also listening.
“And so, on the day I became engaged to the most wonderful woman in the world, I was taken from her and brought here.”
There were general murmurs of sympathy from the group of men that sat around the table.
“That’s right bad luck, Will.”
William didn’t object to the use of the nickname, he merely nodded his head. “So now you see why I must get off this ship and…”
“You! Come with me!”
William’s head shot up to see Finn towering over him.
“Me?” He squeaked, fearing another fist in the face.
“Now!” Finn bellowed.
Silence had fallen over the whole dining area and William felt every pair of eyes on him as he rose to his feet and followed Finn through a nearby door.
“I was right about you,” Finn said, once William had closed the door. They were alone in a small room which was apparently used for storage but at the moment was largely empty. “A delicate one, like I said.”
He raised a hand, as though he was going to reach out and pet William’s face. At the last moment, however, he appeared to change his mind and instead, dropped it to his side.
“I heard you talking to the lads back there. Seems you’ve got notions of getting off this ship.”
He stepped closer and William was once again blasted by Finn’s foul breath.
“Never going to happen,” Finn whispered, intimately, leaning in close to William. Although he was reluctant to meet Finn’s fist again, William decided to risk speaking his mind.
“Sir, surely you realise I don’t belong here. I just want to go home and marry the girl I love.”
Finn smiled. It was a chilling smile that made William want to shudder, a smile with no hint of warmth or compassion behind it – nothing but cruelty lay behind Finn’s lips.
“I’ll make you feel welcome, lad. I can promise you that.”
His large hand reached out again and brushed over William’s cheek. It was coarse, covered in calluses, the result of years of hard work in every weather condition.
William recoiled.
“Don’t touch me.”
Finn smiled again. His eyes seemed even colder than before.
“There’re no women aboard this ship. Time’ll come when you won’t mind me touching you so much.”
He reached behind William and opened the door.
“Now piss off.”
He didn’t need to be told twice. William scurried back into the dining area without looking back. Finn watched him go, the smile still on his face.
“I’ll see you again soon lad,” Finn said under his breath, the cruel smirk still on his lips.
“What did Finn want?” Xander asked as William sat back at the table.
William merely shook his head. There were some things a gentleman didn’t speak of.
* * *
Exhausted, Elizabeth and Willow headed back to where they were staying. They had been to several taverns throughout the evening and so far they had learned nothing about what had befallen William.
“Miss!” The landlord called as they stepped inside. “These gentlemen would like a word.”
Three burly looking men sat at a table near the bar, their heads shaved almost clean and their faces and arms adorned with various scars and tattoos. Willow nervously moved closer to Elizabeth as the largest of the men stepped forward.
“Hear you’re looking for a bloke named William.”
Elizabeth’s face lit up. “Yes! Have you seen him?”
He gave a leering grin and gestured to a free seat at their table. “Have a drink with us and I’ll tell you all about it.”
“Miss Elizabeth,” Willow hissed in a hushed whisper, “I’m not sure this is a good idea. I don’t think these men can be trusted.”
“What choice do we have?” Elizabeth whispered in reply. “I don’t see anyone else willing to help us. You go up to bed if you’re scared. I can deal with these men. Nothing is going to happen with the landlord watching.”
Willow hesitated for a moment but finally fear got the better of her and she hurried upstairs. Elizabeth gave the men her best smile and took a seat.
“What’ll you have to drink, missy?”
“Just some water please,” Elizabeth replied politely.
Raucous laughter came from all the men at the table.
“You can’t be drinking water. A glass of wine for the lady!”
The apparent leader of the three took a glass from the landlord and placed it in front of her. It was filled almost to the brim with a dark red wine.
Elizabeth wasn’t especially fond of alcohol, and something told her that getting into any state of drunkenness around these men wouldn’t be wise. Still, she supposed one glass wouldn’t hurt and she took a small sip. This seemed to please the group and they began to drain the pitchers of beer in front of them.
She briefly explained her situation, about how William had vanished on the eve of their engagement.
The men made murmuring comments of sympathy and resumed their drinking, encouraging her to finish her wine as well. She drank some more and when she realised they were not going to be forthcoming with their information she decided to ask.
“So, can you tell me where William is?”
“Finish your wine and I’ll tell you what you need to know.”
Elizabeth sighed and emptied the last of her wine. She was beginning to wonder if they knew anything about William at all.
The leader smiled when he saw Elizabeth’s empty glass.
“William is staying in a tavern called The Horses Mane. It’s not far from here.”
Elizabeth frowned. “But we were there this afternoon. William wasn’t there and nobody had seen him.”
The man shrugged. “Your William does have black hair and green eyes, doesn’t he?”
Elizabeth shook her head sadly, her heart sinking. “No, he had pale hair and the bluest eyes I have ever seen.”
Another shrug. “Looks like I got the wrong person then. My mistake.”
Tears stung Elizabeth’s eyes. She had been certain she’d found William and now she was no closer than she’d been when she first arrived in the city.
“Well, thank you for your help anyway.”
She rose to her feet and let out a small gasp as the room began to spin around her. She felt as though she was about to faint. ‘Am I drunk?’ she thought. ‘It can’t be possible. I only had one glass of wine.’
“You all right?” The man asked.
“I’m fine,” Elizabeth replied, closing her eyes for a moment to will the spinning sensation away. “I think I must be tired.”
She headed towards the stairs, trying to ignore the way the floor seemed to be rising and falling beneath her feet. She really did feel quite unwell. She managed to stagger up the stairs and into her room. A few seconds later there was a light tapping on her door.
“Come in,” She called weakly.
Willow slipped into the room, looking worried.
“Miss Elizabeth, are you all right?”
Elizabeth stood in the middle of the room, her face pale as she swayed on her feet.
“No, Willow. I think I…”
She crumpled to the floor before she could finish her sentence.
“Miss Elizabeth!” Willow hurried to her mistress’s side. She was unconscious. “Miss Elizabeth, wake up!”
Willow rose to her feet and began to search the room for a cloth to wet and put on Elizabeth’s forehead in an attempt to bring her round. It was then that she heard the voices.
“Are you sure it’s been long enough?”
“I put enough stuff in her drink to knock out ten men. We’ve left it long enough.”
Willow let out a small squeak of fear as she heard the door rattle. There was nowhere for her to hide, and Elizabeth still lay unconscious in the middle of the room. She was so scared she couldn’t have moved even if there had been anywhere to go. She remained rooted to the spot as the door opened and the three men from downstairs stepped into the room.
“’Ere!” One of the men exclaimed as he saw Willow. “There’s someone awake in here.”
The leader pushed his way to the front and stared at Willow with a mixture of surprise and annoyance. Finally he elbowed one of his comrades in the ribs. “Deal with her.”
The slightly smaller man let out a grunt and moved towards Willow. She backed away, her eyes wide with fear.
“Don’t worry, I ain’t gonna hurt you … much.”
Willow opened her mouth to scream but a meaty fist connected with her jaw before she could make a sound. Stars exploded behind her eyes and then everything went black.
“Idiot!” The leader sighed as his companion caught the now unconscious redhead in his arms. “She’ll have a hell of a bruise and you know we get less money if the girls are damaged.”
The man holding Willow shrugged. “She was gonna scream. Didn’t have any choice.”
Ignoring him, the leader knelt down beside Elizabeth and pulled her into a sitting position, brushing her hair away from her face.
“We’ll get a good price for this one at least. Let’s go.”
The third man pushed the window open and climbed out. They passed Willow out to him and the man who had been carrying her climbed out after that. Finally Elizabeth was passed down and soon all that remained was an empty room.
* * *
William dreamed of Elizabeth that night, of her pure eyes and loving smile. It comforted him and for a short while he forgot that he was sleeping in a room with forty sailors.
He didn’t know what time it was when two pairs of hands grabbed him, pulling him from his bed and tying a rag around his mouth to prevent him from screaming. It was still dark and he could only make out dim shapes as he was pulled into another part of the ship and dumped on the floor. Someone lit a small lamp and William found himself in a private room, accompanied by Petty Officer Finn and another man he had never seen before. The gag was removed and Finn spoke before William could even open his mouth.
“Listen to me good, lad. You’re going to do what I tell you. If you don’t, Mr Abrams here will introduce you to your own guts.”
To prove his point, Abrams pulled put a large dagger and tilted it so that the blade glittered in the low light. William let out a small whimper but said nothing. He knew Finn and Abrams were serious.
His eyes widened as Finn undid his trousers, pulling out his limp penis
“Touch it.”
William shook his head, fear and disgust evident on his face.
“Touch it!”
Abrams stepped forward, dagger raised. Self-preservation and fear overcame all of Williams other senses and he reached out and placed his hand on Finn’s flaccid member. Finn closed his eyes.
“Good, now stroke it.”
Tears of shame burned William’s face as he did as he was told, stroking gently at first and then harder until Finn’s penis stood erect. He winced as Finn roughly grabbed the hair at the back of his head and pulled his face forward.
“Suck it.”
Bile rose in William’s throat at the very thought. He couldn’t do this. He wouldn’t. He’d just let Abrams kill him, and save himself any further shame and humiliation. Finn apparently read his mind and chuckled.
“Abrams won’t kill you, you know. You’re no good to us dead. He’ll just cut a few parts off, leave you looking like so much of a freak that if you do ever make it back to your girl she’ll run screaming.”
Finn had struck the one area where William was vulnerable. The thought of seeing Elizabeth again and her being afraid of him was too much to bear. What were a few minutes of shame compared to a lifetime of torment? He closed his eyes and wrapped his lips around the tip of Finn’s penis. It was salty, with an underlaying taste of something musty. William resisted the urge to gag and took it deeper into his mouth as Finn gave a sharp tug on his hair. Finn let out a soft moan of pleasure but then unexpectedly pulled back, leaving William coughing and spluttering on his knees.
“I’ve got a better idea,” Finn said, causing William to look confused. Finn gave a half smile and his fist shot out, clipping William on the jaw. The blow wasn’t hard enough to knock him out, merely enough to send him sprawling back, stunned. He could only lie there, black dots swimming in front of his eyes, as Finn and Abrams pulled him to his feet and pushed him over the small table that sat in the middle of the room. William was only half aware of what was happening as his trousers were pulled down around his ankles. Then he felt a searing pain in his backside as Finn entered him.
He let out a mewl, but Finn merely clamped his hand over his mouth, continuing to thrust in and out of him. William could feel his own blood running down the backs of his legs now, but the more he struggled the rougher Finn got with him. The pain became more and more unbearable until William thought he was going to pass out.
A couple more thrusts from Finn and it was over. He shuddered, letting out a small groan as he filled William with semen. A moment later he let go, allowing William to slump to the floor.
“Take him back to his bed,” Finn instructed as he tucked himself back into his trousers.
William could only lie there as Abrams roughly pulled his trousers up for him before picking him up in his arms like a small child. This only made the pain worse and after letting out one final moan, William passed out.
The next thing he became aware of was lying in his bed, a lantern shining in his face and Xander staring at him in white-faced horror.
“My god, Will. What did he do to you?”
All William could do was weep
* * *
“I know you don’t want to hear this right now,” Xander said as he cleaned William up as carefully as he could. “But you’re going to have to do something about Finn. You’re not the first lad he’s done this to, and he’ll keep doing it as long as you don’t fight back.”
“I can’t fight him,” William said bitterly. “He’s twice my size and I’ve never hit anyone in my life.”
Xander shook his head. “I don’t mean literally fight him. You try that and him and his mates will make it even worse for you. The others will leave you alone if they don’t have a leader to follow.
William looked at Xander questioningly. He didn’t understand what his friend was saying. Xander realised this and decided to put it in more simple terms:
“You’re going to have to kill him.”
Chapter 4:
The voices only became clearer.
“Miss Elizabeth! Wake up!”
“Maybe she’s dead.”
“She is not dead! She’s breathing, look.”
Elizabeth felt someone shake her and let out a soft groan as her head began to throb.
“We could try dunking her in the sea.”
Sea? Elizabeth opened her eyes, noticing almost at once that the rocking sensation from her dream hadn’t stopped. Willow was looking down at her, and next to her was a woman that Elizabeth didn’t recognise.
“Are you alright?” Willow asked as she helped Elizabeth into a sitting position.
“Yes, I think so,” Elizabeth replied, frowning as she noticed a deep purple bruise on Willow’s jaw. “What happened?”
“Those men from the inn kidnapped us. We’re on board a ship now, but I’m not sure where we’re going.”
It took a moment for Elizabeth to process what she was hearing. “A ship?”
“The Invincible,” the other woman replied. “A former ship of the Royal Navy, now in the hands of … less reputable people.”
Willow and Elizabeth exchanged glances, neither of them understanding what the woman was talking about.
“Pirates,” she explained, acknowledging their blank looks.
Elizabeth looked afraid for a moment before her face filled with rage. “This is absolutely unacceptable! I will not be held prisoner by a bunch of thieves, rapists and lord knows what else. You…”
She trailed off and gestured with her hands, indicating that she didn’t know the woman’s name.
“Anya.” She supplied.
Elizabeth nodded. “Anya. You will take me to the Captain immediately and I will insist that we be returned home at once.”
“I could do that,” Anya replied cautiously, “but the Captain would kill you if one of the crew didn’t get to you first.”
Elizabeth stamped her foot with impatience. “So I’m just to sit around and wait for him to sell us off as slaves?”
Anya raised one eyebrow. “Not exactly. We’re not going to be sold as slaves.”
Elizabeth’s face brightened at this news.
“We’re the ships whores.”
* * *
“I can’t kill him.”
William plopped down in a seat beside Xander and buried his face in his hands. He was tired, not having had a proper nights sleep since Finn had attacked him. He was half expecting it to happen again, even though Xander had assured him that Finn never did the same person more than once.
“You want him to get away with this?” Xander asked with disbelief. “You want him to do this to someone else?”
“No, of course not,” William replied, “but surely if the Captain was informed then perhaps…“
“Nobody gets to see the Captain except through Finn,” Xander interrupted. “You don’t have any choice, Will.”
“Even if I had no qualms about taking a human life, Finn is twice the size of me. How am I ever supposed to beat him?”
William’s eyes widened with horror as Xander pulled out a hefty, sheathed dagger and handed it to him discreetly.
“You don’t have to fight him. Just catch him when he’s unprepared. It’s what he did to you, isn’t it?”
William carefully removed the blade from its sheath, noticing how it glinted in the dim light of the cabin. Part of him knew Xander was right. Finn had to be stopped before he attacked anyone else. But this wasn’t just about killing him any more…
…it was about cold-blooded murder.
* * *
Willow and Anya’s eyes followed Elizabeth’s as she paced up and down the cramped space that had been allocated to them. The rest of the whores, about six in total, had decided to stay out of this and sat in one corner whispering amongst themselves.
“There must be some way we can get off this ship,” Elizabeth insisted as she paced.
Anya sighed. This had been going on for over an hour now and Elizabeth clearly wasn’t listening to a word she was saying.
“If there was a way to get off this ship, don’t you think we’d have done it already? Nobody on this ship chose to be a whore, Elizabeth. We don’t have any other choice. We do what we want or they kill us.”
“Better to die than live a life of shame like this,” Elizabeth snapped in response.
Willow let out a small whimper, her face white with fear. “Miss Elizabeth, I don’t want to die. I’m afraid.”
“Haven’t I just explained this? It isn’t dieing that you have to worry about, it’s…”
“We will find a way out of this, I promise,” Elizabeth interrupted, before Anya could scare her friend any further.
Anya snorted. “We all said the same thing when they first came aboard. We all got used to it in the end. It’s not a bad life, really. If you do a good job some of the men even pay a little.”
“You’re not helping!” Elizabeth said as she climbed to her feet and resumed pacing.
Anya sighed. She was starting to get seasick watching Elizabeth moving up and down like this. She wondered what it would take to talk some sense into her.
* * *
The weight of the dagger in William’s pocket felt like a lead weight, pulling him down. He’d tried to go about his duties as normal, but he was certain the other members of the crew knew what he was contemplating.
Occasionally Finn would brush past him, not saying a word and acting like nothing untoward had happened. Once in a while he would catch William’s eye across the deck and smirk at him.
William had hoped that seeing Finn again would perhaps spur him into some sort of action, but all he could feel was the dagger. No rage, no desire for justice, just his own sense of guilt for an act he had not yet committed, and the weight of a potential murder weapon in his pocket.
* * *
“Are you going to do it tonight?” Xander asked, once their evening meal was over and they were alone.
“I’m going to do something,” William replied, “I’m just not sure what yet.”
“Well, don’t wait too long,” Xander answered as he climbed into his bunk. “Finn has probably already picked his next victim.”
As the lights dimmed a thought occurred to William. He lay in his hammock and looked up to where Xander was lying a few feet above his head.
“Xander?”
“Yeah?”
“Did Finn … did he do this to you too?”
Silence.
For a moment William wondered if Xander was already asleep. Then a voice replied, so soft that William could barely hear it. “I hadn’t even been on the ship a whole day.”
William heard Xander shift in his bed [again with the bed!], an indication that he had nothing further to say on the matter.
“I’m sorry.” William whispered. “I’ll put this right, I swear.”
* * *
Elizabeth stopped pacing when she heard the door to their quarters being opened. A tall, stocky man thudded into the room, his eyes Sliding over the girls until they fixed on her.
“You,” he grunted, “it’s your turn tonight.”
Elizabeth’s mouth opened and closed as she struggled to find words, but none would come.
“Who’s she got?” Anya asked, seeing Elizabeth’s obvious struggle for even one coherent sentence.
“Owen,” the man replied, his eyes fixing on Anya’s bosom as he spoke to her. “What about you? Fancy one tonight?”
Anya shrugged. “Sure. Doesn’t look like I’ll be getting a better offer.”
“Usual time?”
“I’ll be there.”
He shot her a quick wink before turning and leaving. Once he was gone, Anya grinned at Elizabeth. “He’s not exactly great in bed but he always slips me a coin or two afterwards.”
Elizabeth continued to stare blankly ahead, her eyes still wide with horror as the reality of her situation came crashing down around her.
“I’m really going to have to do this, aren’t I?”
Anya patted her shoulder awkwardly. “You’ll be fine. Owen has only been on board for a few days. He’s probably still a virgin so he won’t care how bad you are.”
Elizabeth burst into tears.
* * *
The mid-afternoon sun beat down on William’s head as he undertook his afternoon duties. He could feel the sweat flowing from every pore and the weight of the dagger seemed to only make his tasks more difficult.
Finn stood on the other side of the deck, his eyes travelling over the men hard at work. Occasionally they would linger on Michael, a young lad who had been brought on board a few days before William. He hadn’t spoken a word since he’d arrived, despite coaxing from some of the more amiable members of the crew.
As William watched Finn watching Michael he suddenly realised he had to do something now. Xander had been right, Finn was never going to stop until somebody made him stop.
His feet started moving before he even realised it, taking deep and purposeful strides until he was standing in front of Finn.
“Get back to work,” Finn said, sounding almost bored.
William shook his head.
“Get back to work before I beat some sense into that thick head of yours.”
William shook his head again. But this time everyone had stopped what they were doing and were watching William and Finn’s interaction with interest.
The next words to come from William’s lips were clear and loud, and were as much of a surprise to him as they were to Finn and the rest of the crew.
“I challenge you to a duel.”
* * *
For once Elizabeth was glad there was no mirror present. She couldn’t bear to think about what she looked like now that Anya was done with her.
She was dressed in a plain white smock, Anya insisting it would make things easier and avoid any of the awkwardness that came from fumbling with layers of clothing. She’d also removed all the pins from her hair, so that it now fell in loose curls around her shoulders.
Anya had wanted to paint Elizabeth’s lips red and put rouge on her cheeks, but Elizabeth had refused, just as she had refused to wear the corset that Anya had wanted to lend her. What she was about to do was bad enough, without having to look the part
“You look good,” Anya beamed proudly. “Well, as good as I can make you look anyway. Are you sure you don’t want just a little bit of rouge?”
Elizabeth shook her head.
Anya shrugged, making the final adjustments to Elizabeth’s hair and dress before disappearing. Elizabeth sank to the ground, burying her face in her hand and using every ounce of strength she had to stop herself from crying. How had she gotten herself into this situation? All she’d wanted was to find the man that she loved, and now she was being forced to give her body to another.
“Maybe they were right,” she whispered to herself. “Maybe he just didn’t want to marry me.”
She choked back a sob at the thought but before it could develop to full tears the door opened and the man who had been in earlier stepped inside. Elizabeth felt her heart sink. Part of her had been clinging to the hope that something would happen to stop her having to go through with this.
He gestured to the door with his head and Elizabeth suddenly realised she couldn’t move. She was so scared that her legs had literally frozen. Anya hurried over and helped her to her feet, allowing Elizabeth to lean on her as they walked to the door.
“You’ll be fine,” she whispered as they reached the darkness of the doorway. “It’s his first time too so it will be over quickly.”
Elizabeth nodded numbly, pulling away from Anya and somehow managing to walk on her own. She followed the man down the almost black corridor until they reached another small door.
“In,” he growled, pushing the door open and stepping aside.
Elizabeth knew she’d be pushed if she didn’t go willingly and gingerly stepped into the room, flinching as the door banged shut behind her.
The room was dimly lit by a small lantern and it took a moment for Elizabeth’s eyes to adjust. What she did see made her almost retch.
The entire floor was covered with hay, making it look and smell a little like a stable. In the middle was a wooden pallet covered with a few coarse-looking blankets. This, apparently, was the bed. A smell assaulted her nostrils that she struggled to identify…it was obvious from looking at the place that it wasn’t cleaned very often.
Trying her best not to inhale the foul smell, she sat down on the pallet and wondered what she was supposed to do next. She could feel the wood digging into her through the blankets and shifted uncomfortably.
At that moment, however, the door opened and a young boy of about sixteen stepped nervously inside. He had golden hair and for a split second he looked almost like William. When his eyes landed on her he jumped, and for a moment he looked like he was going to turn and bolt.
He’s as scared as I am, Elizabeth realised and that made her feel better, if only a little.
“H-hello.” Owen stammered.
Elizabeth gave him a small smile. “Hello.”
It was strange, but the sight of this young, frightened boy left Elizabeth with the odd sensation that she should take care of him and make this as easy as possible.
“Would you like to sit down?” She asked, not forgetting her manners even in this situation.
Owen looked at the pallet for a second and then at Elizabeth before nodding his head slightly. She shifted over so that there was room beside her and Owen carefully took a seat.
They sat there in silence for a few moments as Elizabeth tried to work out what to do next. Anya had given her plenty of hints and tips but they all seemed to have flown from her mind now that she was actually here. Looking at Owen, however, Elizabeth realised she was going to have to take control of this situation.
“Do you want to kiss me?”
She’d always believed a kiss to be a sign of love, and Anya had told her she wouldn’t have to kiss any of the men unless she wanted to, but she had a feeling a kiss would help him at least relax a little.
Sure enough he leaned over and gently placed his lips upon hers. Elizabeth responded in the way Anya had instructed her. She opened her mouth a little and coaxed Owen’s open with her tongue. He responded instinctively, allowing her access and massaging her tongue with his own. One hand reached up to grasp her breast and Elizabeth allowed him to do so.
Her eyes closed, Elizabeth imagined that she was not being intimate with a young pirate, but with William. It was their wedding night and they were about to consummate their marriage by making love for the first time.
As the kisses grew deeper and more intense Elizabeth lay back, pulling him with her and imagining that instead of a wooden pallet they were lying on a soft, warm comfortable bed with silk sheets.
She felt him lift her skirt and assisted, pulling it up around her waist. At Anya’s instruction she hadn’t worn anything beneath her dress and as she parted her legs for him she felt cool air on the part of her that had never been exposed except to bathe. It was a strange feeling but not altogether unpleasant.
She felt Owen tremble on top of her but whether this was through nerves or excitement she couldn’t be sure.
The tip of his manhood rubbed against the inside of her thigh, hard and warm. Apparently he wasn’t sure where he was supposed to put it. She wouldn’t have known either but for the tingling sensation between her legs. She shifted her body slightly so that he was pointing in the right direction and gave a small nod.
He pushed into her hard and pain cut into her as she felt a warm stickiness trickle down her leg. She couldn’t help but give a small, muffled cry.
“Are you alright?” Owen asked with concern, apparently terrified he’d done something wrong.
Elizabeth nodded as the pain began to fade.
“Slowly” she whispered and he nodded.
She felt him move within her and a feeling of pleasure began to flow through her whole body, warming her and bringing an involuntary smile to her face. Owen thrust once, twice, and then let out a grunt and collapsed on top of her as she felt his semen fill her.
“Thank you.” Owen whispered when he had recovered his breath a little.
Elizabeth just lay there, her mind numb as she tried to process what had just happened. She felt different. And not in an entirely bad way. In fact, aside from the pain and the fact that she had just given herself to a man she didn’t know, she’d quite enjoyed the experience.
She felt Owen climb off her and a moment later she heard the door open and close.
She lay there with a small smile on her face until the man who had brought her there came to collect her.
* * *
The crowd was still watching William and Finn with interest as the Petty Officer tried to process what he’d just heard. William noticed, looking at them, that there were no other officers present. A little strange, but also fortunate. What he was doing could be considered a hanging offence.
“A duel?” Finn finally snorted. “We’re not part of your nancy social circles? now, boy. You’re in the Royal Navy.”
William shrugged. “I see. You’re not man enough to defend your honour. Or perhaps you are afraid I’ll beat you.”
A snicker came from one of the crowd and that gave William’s confidence a small boost. He had no idea where these words were coming from. They were just flowing from his lips before his brain could even engage.
Finn’s face flushed red with rage. “Don’t you dare question my honour, lad. Somebody fetch us two swords.”
A few moments later William had a blade in his hand, heavier than he was used to wielding but not so much that he wouldn’t be able to use it. He was a skilled fencer but had never imagined he’d have to put his abilities to the test like this.
Finn raised his sword and William did the same.
“En Garde.”
Finn struck first,but William managed to parry the thrust aside. As he’d suspected Finn struck hard, but he was slow, which would work to William’s advantage. He stepped nimbly to one side and struck back, his blade slashing Finn’s arm and drawing blood.
Finn looked at the wound and then back at William. There was a rage in his eyes so intense that for a moment William was actually afraid.
“I’m gonna make you wish your bitch of a mother had never given birth to you.”
He slashed back, and again William managed to dodge the blow.
Almost.
Pain flared above his left eye and he felt blood trickle down his face.
“We’re square now.” Finn grinned as William wiped the blood from his face. “Now c’mon pretty boy, give me everything you’ve got.”
William scanned the crowd and managed to catch Xander’s eye. His friend smiled and there was a look of hope and complete trust in his eyes. He knew William was going to win.
William turned back to Finn and raised his sword. He attacked with a flurry of moves so fast that it was all Finn could do to block them. He was being driven back so quickly that he eventually stumbled over his own feet and went crashing to the ground.
William pressed the tip of his sword against Finn’s throat.
“Do you yield?”
Finn said nothing, merely glaring at William.
“Do you yield?” William repeated more firmly.
Finn looked up to see more or less the whole crew staring at him. There was no coming back from this. They had all seen him beaten, and by a puny scrap of a lad of all people. He looked back at William and nodded, unable to actually say the words.
Satisfied, William lowered his blade and offered a hand to Finn.
“Don’t need your help.” He growled, climbing to his feet himself.
William turned to the crowd, most of whom still looked surprised at the result of the duel.
“I want you all to know that Petty Officer Finn is no one to be afraid of.”
Finn could only watch, sword in hand as his entire authority was undermined right in front of him by someone who had been utterly terrified of him a few nights earlier.
The grip on his sword tightened and he was lunging at William before he even realised it.
“Will, look out!” Xander called as soon as he saw Finn move.
William reacted instantly, turning and ducking Finn’s blow before thrusting his sword home.
A collective gasp came from the crowd as Finn stared down at the sword that had impaled him.
“Didn’t think you had it in you,” he rasped, blood gurgling from his lips.
“You didn’t give me a choice.”
Finn’s eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed to the floor.
A moment of stunned silence swept the deck before Xander came and stood beside William over Finn’s dead body. He looked down at the corpse and spat on it.
Another man came and stood beside Xander doing the same thing. Another came, and another, all of them spitting on the man who had abused them.
Finally, when everyone had had their moment of gratification, they picked up the body and tossed it overboard.
“Bastard doesn’t deserve a decent funeral.” One man muttered.
“Amen.” Another added.
Xander wrapped an arm around William’s shoulder, steering him back towards the sleeping quarters.
“I killed him,” William whispered.
“You had no choice,” Xander replied. “Come on, let’s get that wound looked at.”
They were halfway across the deck when a young boy stepped in front of them.
“The Captain wants to see you. Right away.”
Chapter 5:
William shifted nervously from one foot to the other as he waited outside the heavy wooden door in front of him. For a moment it felt like he was back in London, standing outside Elizabeth’s house with the proposal he was about to make heavy on his mind. It seemed an age away now when in fact it had only been a week. Was it really possible for so much to happen in so little time? He felt so much older than he had back then.
The door opened and the boy who had summoned him poked his head around the door.
“The Captain will see you now.”
William nodded and swallowed hard before stepping inside.
The Captain’s cabin was as William expected it to be. Elegant but not extravagent with various maps and other navigational equipment strewn over a few small tables. The Captain himself sat at the far end of the room behind a large desk. He was a middle-aged man, no older than his mid-forties, who sat up straight with a pair of spectacles perched on the end of his nose.
“That will be all, Connor.” The Captain spoke softly, almost dangerously gently, as he looked past William to the boy who was standing by the door. Connor gave a small nod, opened the door and slipped quietly out.
“Sir, I…“ William began, but the Captain raised his hand to silence him.
“You may not have seen me before, William, but I have certainly seen you. I have eyes all over this ship and nothing happens without me knowing about it.”
William remained silent, wary of what would happen to him if he spoke out of turn.
“Do you know what the punishment is for killing an officer?”
William lowered his eyes and shook his head. “No, sir.”
“Hanging. No trial, no questions.”
William’s whole body froze as he imagined the noose around his neck as the life was slowly choked from him. He hadn’t wanted it to end like this. He hadn’t intended to kill Finn, it was self-defence, a gut instinct that he’d had no control over. Now he was to pay for his own sense of self-preservation with his life. He raised his eyes to look at the Captain, willing the tears in his eyes not to fall. Part of him, the same part of him that had killed Finn, wanted to beg and plead with the Captain to spare his life. However, the rest of him knew that this was futile. His death was inevitable, so the least he could do was accept it with the dignity of an English gentleman.
“I won’t apologise for what I did, sir. I didn’t intend to kill Finn but I can’t be sorry he’s dead. If you just knew…“
Once again the Captain raised his hand to silence William.
“Didn’t you hear me say that I have eyes all over this ship?”
The Captain’s grim _expression told William everything he needed to know about the depth and breadth of his knowledge.
“I only wish I’d found out sooner. I might have prevented it.”
William opened and closed his mouth a few times as he tried to process what he was hearing. The Captain continued speaking regardless.
“Obviously I can’t condone the killing of one of my officers, but I suspect punishing you will achieve little. The men have a lot of respect for you now, William, the other officers included. I can therefore see only one option available to me.”
“Sir?” William was barely following this conversation, still trying to get over the relief that he wasn’t going to be hanged.
“I’m going to promote you, William.”
“I’m sorry, sir?”
* * *
Elizabeth stared out of the small porthole in the part of the ship where she and the other girls were being held. The moon was full and seemed to fill the whole sky. She’d tried to keep track of the days by following the patterns of the moon and if she was correct then she’d been on this ship for the better part of a month. A whole month on board this floating prison and she was still no closer to finding a way to escape. At this rate she was never going to find William, or see her parents again. Part of her was now starting to think that she’d be trapped in this life until she took her last breath.
She shook her head at that thought. If she started to admit defeat then she was certainly never going to leave this ship. She would just have to keep a sharp eye and wait for the opportune moment to present itself.
Almost on cue the door opened and the guard Elizabeth now knew as Larry stepped inside. He was looking more sombre than usual and she knew that this didn’t bode well. Bad news was coming.
“Who am I with tonight?” She asked, trying to keep her tone light-hearted. She was now at the stage where she could banter with most of the crew, who all took kindly to her, especially after Owen had apparently painted a glowing picture of her following her tryst with him. Since then she’d been with a different man almost every night and most of them liked her enough to even pay a little. Of course she had tried to resist it at first, but her efforts had been just as futile as they had been on the first night. After a while she found herself actually enjoying her nights with the men, especially when she realised that she could manipulate them into doing whatever she wanted in order to increase her pleasure and their own.
Of course she had nothing to spend her coins on, but she kept them safe in the knowledge that one day she would be off this ship and back with her William.
“The Captain wants you tonight,” Larry replied, answering the question Elizabeth had almost forgotten she’d asked.
A horrified silence filled the room. It was common knowledge that any girl who entered the Captain’s cabin never made it out in one piece. Apparently he was very particular about what he wanted from a woman and those who didn’t meet his expectations met the blade of his dagger.
Elizabeth nodded in silence and turned to face Willow, trying to ignore the tears of fear in her friend’s eyes.
“Can you help me get ready?”
Willow choked back a sob and nodded.
“We’ll all help,” Anya announced.
Elizabeth smiled at Anya’s enthusiasm. She needed a voice of confidence in this situation and it looked like Anya was going to be it. She offered Willow a comforting smile before she turned back to Larry.
“Come and fetch me when he’s ready.”
Larry nodded, impressed by how apparently calm she was following this news. Of course, he couldn’t see how she was on the inside.
He slipped quietly through the door and left Elizabeth to prepare. He hoped she would be the one to survive a night with the Captain. He’d grown fond of her over the past few weeks and it seemed a shame to lose her like this.
Once the door closed behind Larry, Anya immediately sprung into action.
“You’ll need the finest dress we can find. I’m sure Cordelia has one you can borrow. I’ll talk to her and try and get you some jewellery too. Then we’ll need to sort out your hair and your face. Don’t worry, we’ll have you looking perfect in no time. Come on, Willow, you can help me.”
Elizabeth was grateful for Anya’s help, particularly if it kept Willow busy. Willow wouldn’t have time to worry if she had things to do, and Elizabeth wouldn’t have to worry about stopping Willow from worrying. It worked out for the best like this.
She stood back and marvelled at the way the whole room had exploded in a flurry of activity as all the girls offered their help to Anya and Willow. Elizabeth was one of them now and if she made it through this then there was hope for the rest of them.
With everyone making suggestions and offering whatever items Anya needed it wasn’t long before Elizabeth was ready. She found herself dressed in a maroon-coloured dress with a black underskirt. The top of the dress was cut low enough that her corset-enhanced breasts were almost fully in view. Anya assured her the Captain would like it like that. Her hair was pinned up in places to keep it out of her face but most of it hung loosely around her shoulders. Anya had applied a light shade of red to Elizabeth’s lips and a fine dusting of rouge to her cheeks. A black lace choker with a small silver cross slashed across her throat.
“Perfect!” Anya announced proudly. “If he doesn’t want to ravish you instantly then there’s something wrong with the man.”
Elizabeth choked back the lump in her throat. “I hope you’re right.”
No sooner had she finished speaking then the door opened and Larry entered. His eyes raked up and down Elizabeth once before he smiled approvingly.
“Captain won’t know what hit him. He’s ready for you now.”
Elizabeth nodded, hugging Anya first and then Willow.
“I don’t want to lose you, miss,” Willow sniffled into her friend’s shoulder. Elizabeth did her best to offer a reassuring smile even though she was trembling inside.
“I’ll be fine,” She whispered, turning her back on Willow before the redhead’s tears brought her own forward.
“I’m ready,” She told Larry and the two of them left the room without another word.
* * *
Elizabeth glanced at the Captain’s door again. She’d been told to wait outside until she was called and it had been a while now. There was no sound of movement inside and she was starting to wonder if he’d fallen asleep and forgotten about her. During this time she’d been pondering how best to deal with this situation. If she misjudged it there was a chance she wouldn’t leave the cabin alive. She had an idea but it was risky. She couldn’t see any other option though.
“Come!” A voice called, and Elizabeth swallowed hard. This was it.
As she’d expected, the Captain’s cabin was lavishly decorated with deep red woods and lush colours. His bed was in the corner of the room and was the biggest bed she had ever seen. She suspected that if he was so inclined, the Captain could probably fit at least four people in there. A bed of this size wasn’t really practical for a ship and Elizabeth suspected it was a status symbol more than anything.
The Captain himself was sat behind his desk with his feet propped up, watching her. He was a handsome man, there was no denying that, broad shouldered and square-jawed with a mane of deep brown hair tied loosely behind his head. However, there was a coldness and cruelty to his eyes that Elizabeth didn’t care for one bit.
“We meet at last,” he announced, standing up and moving around to the front of the desk to inspect her. “I’ve been hearing a lot about you over the past month.”
Elizabeth said nothing but clenched her jaw and looked him straight in the eye, letting him know she wasn’t afraid of him.
“You know, most of the girls I’ve had in here were at the very least a disappointment. I trust you’ll at least make an effort to succeed where they failed.”
Elizabeth paused for a moment while she composed herself. It was time to put her plan into action.
“Take off your clothes,” she snapped.
The Captain looked at her with complete incomprehension. This was good. At least he wasn’t killing her.
“What did you say?” He asked slowly, the very slightest hint of danger in his voice. It wasn’t enough to make her stop though.
“I said ‘take off your clothes’,” Elizabeth repeated loudly and more slowly. “Are you deaf, Captain?”
He paused for a moment and then slowly began to unbutton his shirt, a small smile curling at his lips. Inwardly Elizabeth relaxed. Her plan seemed to be working. The Captain didn’t want some simpering girl who was terrified of him. He wanted someone who was willing to stand up for herself, someone who would take control occasionally so he didn’t have to. Of course, Elizabeth wasn’t that kind of girl but she would be if it would spare her life.
“I suppose you’re not used to having women speak to you in this way,” she continued. “Well, I’m not a member of your crew and I shall speak to you in any way I choose.”
“I could kill you for this,” the Captain suggested as he removed his boots and began to unbuckle his belt. “I’ve killed people for less.”
Elizabeth did her best to remain nonchalant and merely shrugged. “That’s true. But then you’ll have to deal with that by yourself.”
She pointed to the very obvious bulge in his breeches. The Captain chuckled and removed them to reveal his fully erect penis. Elizabeth didn’t look away.
He smiled. “I had a feeling I was going to like you. The men certainly speak favourably about you.”
He reached forward to unlace her bodice but she slapped his hand away. “You don’t touch me until I give you my permission. Now go and lay on the bed.”
The Captain did as he was instructed and Elizabeth moved so that she was stood in front of him.
“Hands behind your head.” She instructed. “Nothing touches you but me.”
Again the Captain did as he was bid, but there was a flicker of annoyance starting to show on his face. Elizabeth ignored it and slowly began to unlace her bodice, keeping her eyes locked on his the whole time. She slid the dress from her shoulders and allowed it to pool at her feet. The Captain let out a grunt of displeasure when he saw she was wearing undergarments.
“Patience, Captain,” Elizabeth smiled. “Good things come to those who wait.”
“Will you use my name, rather than my title?” He asked, his request taking her a little by surprise. He seemed so sincere and for a moment he appeared almost vulnerable. It was only then that Elizabeth realised she actually had no idea what his name was.
“Angel,” the Captain supplied when he realised she was struggling.
Elizabeth nearly laughed. This man was no closer to an Angel than those who had kidnapped her and sold her into this life.
“Very well, Angel,” She said when she had inwardly composed herself. “Now, patience.”
She unlaced her smock and allowed that to fall to the floor with her dress. Angel smiled now that she was completely naked, taking in every inch of her body with his eyes. Elizabeth returned the smile and knelt on the edge of the bed.
“I suppose we should do something about your little ‘problem’ now.”
“There’s nothing little about it, you can see that for yourself.” Angel’s offence was only half in jest but before Elizabeth could say anything to soothe his ego there was an urgent pounding on the door.
“Go away!” Angel roared. “I’m busy!”
A slight pause and then a voice called through the door. “Sir, a ship has been spotted to the north of us.”
Angel rolled his eyes. “Ignore it. There’s only one kind of plunder I’m interested in right now.”
Elizabeth rolled her own eyes when she was sure Angel wasn’t looking.
There was a pause on the other side of the door and then the voice piped up again.
“Sir, it’s the Navy.”
* * *
William peered through the spyglass at the ship that was drawing nearer to them with every moment that passed. There was no mistaking the Jolly Roger flying from the top mast.
“I’ll wake the Captain,” he told Xander who was peering over his friend’s shoulder. “Get the men ready. I suspect we’ll be heading into battle soon.”
Everyone responded at once, each man knowing exactly what they should be doing. Since Finn’s death the ship had become one of the most efficient and well run vessels on the ocean. The men were much more willing to put in that extra amount of work now that they were under the command of someone they respected rather than someone they feared. William knew they’d all be ready when the time for battle came and he quickly made his way to the Captain’s cabin.
He knocked quickly and hurried inside when he was called.
“Sir, we’re coming up on a pirate vessel. I estimate that if they maintain their current course we’ll be within firing distance in a few minutes.”
The Captain nodded, the _expression on his face not altering at all. “Prepare for battle, William. I’ll join you on the deck shortly.”
“Yes, sir.”
This was to be William’s first sea battle and he was more nervous than he could put into words. He wouldn’t let it show though, the men needed him to be strong and he would be so for them.
“Cannons are primed and all rifles have been loaded and distributed.”
William nodded his thanks to Xander but kept his eyes on the approaching ship. All there was to do now was wait.
* * *
Elizabeth had been forced to dress quickly and had been taken back and locked up with the other girls. Angel had assured her that they would finish what they had started once all this was over. Elizabeth, once hugs of relief at her survival had been exchanged, quickly told the other girls what was happening.
“This is our chance to escape!” She said excitedly. “If we can just get up on deck we can signal the Navy and -“
“Get killed?” Anya suggested. “You’ve never been involved in a sea battle before, have you?”
“You know I haven’t.” Elizabeth replied.
“You won’t last five seconds on deck. There are cannonballs and bullets flying everywhere, not to mention splinters of wood the size of your arm.”
“But surely we should at least try! This could be our only chance!”
Anya shook her head. “Trust me, the Captain will sink the Navy ship just like all the others he’s encountered.”
* * *
The ships were almost upon each other now and all of William’s men were in position. He’d instructed the helmsman to begin turning the ship and he could see that the enemy was doing the same. Now it was just a matter of time before they both reached firing position and luck would decide which of them would get there first. William was poised, ready to give the order to fire as soon as they were ready. It would only be a matter of seconds now.
Three. Two. One.
“Fire!”
William gave the order only a split second before the pirates did the same. Almost instantly he was robbed of most of his senses. The sound of the cannons left his ears ringing, the smoke prevented him from seeing further than a few inches in front of his face and all he could taste was ash and charred wood. He felt the deck quake beneath him as the enemy cannons hit their target.
“Riflemen, take aim.” He yelled, even though he could barely hear his own voice.
Their eyes were sharper than his, but they would still need to wait for the smoke to clear a little before they could fire.
“Wait for my signal,” William instructed, keeping his eyes on where the other ship was. The smoke was starting to clear now and William could see the outline of the vessel but little more. A minute more and they would be able to see enough to fire.
William spotted movement and realised it was the crew of the other ship.
“Fire!”
Once again the air was filled with the acrid smell of smoke as the riflemen discharged their weapons. William once again lost sight of the enemy. He could feel bullets from the enemy guns whistling past him and he could hear the cries of his men as they were hit. A second volley of cannon fire rang out and William carefully made his way to the edge of the ship. He barely heard the sound of splintering wood over the noise and only saw the mast toppling from the enemy ship seconds before it hit them. Thankfully no one was crushed beneath it and Lady Luck had now provided them with a bridge to the other vessel.
“Follow me!” William yelled to anyone who could hear him. “We’re boarding them.”
* * *
Angel had realised things weren’t going well for him when the mast on his ship had fallen. This was the most damage he’d ever taken and he could tell his men were getting nervous.
“Keep firing if you don’t want to find yourselves at the end of a rope!”
The men did as they were ordered, but there was a hesitation in their actions that hadn’t been there before. Angel knew all too well that hesitation cost lives – possibly his if the Navy ever boarded them. Well, he wouldn’t go down without a fight. He grabbed a rifle from the hands of one of his dead crew members and began firing.
* * *
William and his men had managed to safely cross onto the other ship, the smoke screening them for most of the way. Now they had to find the Captain. Once he was captured the pirates would most likely surrender.
It didn’t take them long to find him. He was dressed in an extremely fine suit made of silks and satins. No one but the Captain would be able to afford such luxuries. William pressed the barrel of his gun to the man’s head and the rest of the naval soldiers surrounded him.
“I’m arresting you in the name of King George!” William yelled, trying to make himself heard over the noise of the battle. “Order your men to stand down!”
The Captain turned to face him and William was shocked to see a smile on his face.
“Shoot me. ‘Tis a more honourable death than the gallows.”
William could barely believe what he was hearing. He shook his head. “I will not commit murder. Stand down.”
There was a pistol in the Captain’s hand before William even realised it.
“If you do not kill me, I will shoot you and force your men to return fire.”
A stalemate. William had no doubts that this man would shoot him, but even if he could bring himself to shoot first it would most likely stir the pirates into the need to avenge their martyred Captain.
The click of the pistols hammer seemed to be the only sound on the ship that William could here. He had a choice to make. Kill or be killed.
“Now, I’ll give you one last chance. Kill m-“
Suddenly, without warning the Captain pitched forward onto the deck and lay still. For a moment William thought he’d been caught by a stray bullet – then he saw her. It was little more than an outline in the smoke but it was clearly a woman. She was holding a rifle by the barrel and had obviously used it as a club to render the Captain unconscious.
Dropping her weapon she darted forward and threw her arms around his waist, holding him tightly.
“Thank goodness you’re here, sir. We’ve been held prisoner for so long.”
William smiled and gently stroked her hair. “Don’t worry, miss. You’re safe now.”
She pulled back to look into the face of her rescuer and both of them suddenly cried out.
“Elizabeth!”
“William!”
Their shock at seeing each other like this reduced them both to a stunned silence. All they could do was stand there while the battle still raged around them, completely unaware of anything except each other. Finally Elizabeth reached out and gently ran the tips of her fingers over his face.
“You’re real,” She breathed.
William gave her a soft smile but it quickly turned to a look of concern as Elizabeth fainted.