"Two Treasures: A Pirate Tale" (closed)

[PennySaver]

"Two Treasures"

A Pirate Tale

closed​

Beaufort Inlet, Province of Carolina
10 June 1718

As the tide continued to lower through the early evening hours, Edward Teach's grounded flag ship, Queen Anne's Revenge, began to list dramatically to port. For hours, the crew had been unloading the ship's most valuable cargos, transferring them by dinghies to a pair of other craft, Retribution and Adventure. The latter sloop had also found itself aground on the sandy barrier island, but its crew would kedge it loose soon enough back into deeper water.

These three ships, as well as six other vessels and 300 men on land, had for weeks been blockading the English port of Charles Town in what would one day be known as South Carolina. During that time, the pirates had been intercepting ships coming into or attempting to escape from the area, boarding them and confiscating the majority of their valuable cargos. Hostages had sometimes been taken and ransomed; the gold, silver, medicines, and other more valuable payments were always directed to Teach aboard Queen Anne's Revenge, while food, rum, and other goods were disbursed to all of the pirate leader's ships.

At the same time, Teach and the men serving him had been offered pardons for their years of piracy. Teach had toyed with the idea of taking the pass initially, but in the end he'd been unwilling to give up his piratical ways. That changed, however, upon learning that an English fleet was on its way to Nassau -- his fleet's home port -- to forcibly remove the pirate threat from The Bahamas and, if possible, from the Caribbean as a whole.

In the face of such a fight, Teach had decided he would take the pardon and use his amassed fortune to live out his final years in luxury. There was one thing standing in his way: the crew of the Queen Anne's Revenge. Per the Code by which he and his men lived -- the law that had enabled him and other pirate captains before him to build and maintain the confederacy called the Pirate Republic -- if Teach were to disband the crew of Queen Anne's Revenge, he would have to distribute a significant portion of the massive treasure currently aboard the Retribution with said crew. And Blackbeard wasn't about to do that.

Instead, he'd informed his crew of the approaching English fleet; he'd told them they would beach Queen Anne's Revenge and Adventure for careening, the removal of barnacles that could, if thick enough, seriously degrade a ship's speed in the open ocean; and he'd told them they would intercept and destroy or capture the English fleet, thereby extending and expanding their rule over the Caribbean with even more power and infamy.

That, of course, was total bullshit. Teach had no intention of engaging the English. Instead of navigating Queen Anne's Revenge onto the soft, sandy beach near Beaufort Inlet, Teach instead aimed it a mile to the west, toward a location which he knew to have hazardous, rocky crags hidden just feet beneath the gentle surface of the channel. The result was a surprise to the crew but just as expected by Teach: sharp rocks ripped into the hull of Queen Anne's Revenge, opening her to the sea, and within minutes Retribution and Adventure had been signaled to come near for transfer of the valuable cargo.

"How many know of what we've done?" Teach asked when he himself was finally aboard his new flagship, Retribution. "Were you able to keep this to only a handful of men?"

The man to whom Teach was making the inquiry was his Quartermaster, Robert Hastings. The third in command yet first in trust and loyalty answered, "Three men here on Retribution, Captain. Possibly four more aboard Adventure."

"And your wife?" Teach asked with a tone that once again revealed his disapproval of his Quartermaster having his woman aboard. "I'm sure she knows, too."

"Bonny is the reason this betrayal isn't more widely known amongst the crew, Captain," Hastings said with a challenging tone. "Without her, we would all have already had our throats slit, I'm sure."

The Quartermaster and his better half -- known as Belle Bonny or simply Bonny these days -- were 2 of the 6 crew who truly understood what had been taking place over the past few hours; the other four were Teach, of course, the Captain of Retribution, and the First Mates of this ship and the one slowly slipping over to its side on the beach. The rest of the crew had been so busy with trying to keep the ship afloat and simultaneously transferring cargo that they hadn't noticed that the treasure had been moved to one ship while the more common and yet still valuable goods had been transferred to the other.

"It was Bonny who figured out how to transfer the gold, silver, gems, medicine, and silk to Retribution without undue attention, Captain," Hastings pointed out. "This is just my opinion, but I think she is due some praise for being a loyal crew member … not condemnation for having a slit between her legs where cocks dangle for the rest of your crew. Those dangling cocks have caused you far more trouble in the past than--."

Hastings wasn't able to finish what he wanted to say as Teach burst out in laughter. The pirate leader slapped a hand upon Hastings' shoulder so hard that the latter teetered a bit before returning to a stable upright position. "Your words are possibly more true than you can imagine, Robert. Thank your slit for me, sailor."

Blackbeard turned, looked about, found Retribution's Captain, and began barking out orders. Within minutes, the sloops sails were filled with air and the vessel pulled away into the darkness, with Adventure falling quickly in behind it as well. On the sandy shore of the barrier island, the remainder of Teach's crew -- over 200 men who had been waiting for the dinghies to fetch them -- could only watch in confusion and then in anger as they realized they'd been abandoned … and thus cheated of their share of Blackbeard's treasure.

#################​

Ocracoke Island, Outer Banks, Province of Carolina
22 November 1718

A sailor burst into a small rented room above the Ugly Gull Tavern, causing Edward Teach to rise from between the naked whores currently in his pay and level a loaded pistol toward the door. The intruder's eyes grew, his mouth fell open, and his hands went out wide. When Blackbeard finally realized that the man was his new Quartermaster and lowered the pistol, the latter man moved forward and quickly made his doubly disappointing report.

"The English are here, right now, in Ocracoke!" he began, further explaining that two sloops had entered the harbor and were engaging Adventure. Then the pirate leader asked the man for the other half of the bad news, the Quartermaster more reluctantly told him, "We don't know where Retribution is."

Teach took a long moment to consider the situation. For so many months, his life had been just about as grand as he'd hoped it would be. He'd accepted the pardon from the English and retired to Ocracoke Bay to eat, drink, and be merry … with as many whores as possible. But during that time, he'd spent enough time entertaining men who'd continued their piratical ways as to make the English think that he, too, would soon return to attacking and looting ships traveling up and down the Southern Seaboard of the English colonies in America.

Just 10 days earlier, Teach had instructed Robert Hastings -- the only man for whom he now had full trust and confidence -- to relocate the treasure still held aboard Retribution to a more secure location. Teach had sat there in a rocker on the third floor balcony of the Ugly Gull watching his flagship sail out of the harbor as he was getting his cock sucked, believing that his fortune would be safer if it was hidden in a more secret location.

It was the last time Teach saw the boat or his treasure. He would see Robert Hastings a week later, though, as the man's bloated, crab- and gull-nibbled body was brought to him for identification. The Quartermaster who'd sailed away with Blackbeard's treasure had been found face down on the beach less than six miles from the mouth of Ocracoke Harbor. Before Teach could organize a mission to track down Retribution, though, the English attacked Ocracoke. Teach heroically boarded the intruding English vessel, but he and most of his men were killed in a bloody ambush by the English sailors who had pretended to abandon their burning vessel.

By the end of the month of November, the Republic of Pirates was gone. The English pardoned hundreds of pirates, captured and executed the rest, and regained permanent hold of Nassau and the rest of The Bahamas.

#################​

East of Madagascar
20 January 1720:

The fall of the Republic of Pirates was only one of the reasons Belle Bonny had sailed the Retribution almost 9,000 nautical miles to the eastern coast of Mozambique. The other reason was that while Edward Teach was dead, many of Blackbeard's former, still loyal crew were looking for his ship and his treasure -- or as they saw it, their ship and their treasure.

It had been over a year since Bonny and her barely-sufficient crew had sailed Retribution from the Caribbean. Along the way, they'd changed the name on the stern to Victoire and swapped out the English flag for a French one. Shortly after arriving in Maputo at Mozambique's southern end, Bonny had made a straight across trade of her 98 foot long sloop to a Portuguese merchant captain for his 74 foot long ketch. She was trying to distance herself, her crew, and her treasure from the history of Retribution and Edward Teach.

Four days later, to further widen this distance, Bonny used her ketch -- newly named Andrea -- to attack her previous vessel. They caught it in the dark of night just 12 hours after it set sail from Maputo and boarded it without a shot being fired. They pillaged the Retribution -- now called Catalina after the Portuguese Captain's daughter -- of its cargo and badly needed guns; the Andrea had previously been armed with only 6 small cannon, which had necessitated the silent, night time attack. Then, to further verify her right to be considered a true pirate Captain, Bonny ordered the crew killed and thrown overboard. Andrea sailed away at dawn as the former Republic of Pirates flagship burned and eventually sank behind them.

Through her actions in the Caribbean and now here in the Mozambique Strait, Bonny had accomplished what only a handful of women would do during this era: she'd risen to become an honored, respected, and -- to some -- feared pirate captain. Over the weeks to come, Bonny would lead several successful attacks on European merchant vessels making the transit between Europe and the East Indies. On four occasions, she'd skillfully navigated them away from war ships that had spotted and then pursued them; on one of those occasions, again during the night, she'd aimed Andrea to skirt past an unsuspecting British war sloop, firing a broadsides round that would do serious damage to the vessel and leave it adrift for several days before an English merchant ship spotted it and came to its rescue.

Andrea and her crew would ultimately find lasting refuge in a small port on Madagascar's Northwestern shore. It's local name was Soalala; Bonny's crew mixed Spanish and English to call their new home Nuevo Nassau. Andrea wasn't the only vessel using the port for piratical uses, but it was the largest and most heavily armed; she now had 16 cannons and 8 scatter guns, as well as an arsenal of hand held firearms and blades that its crew wasn't afraid to show off any time they felt threatened by the crews of the other pirate ships and boats working out of Nuevo Nassau.

Soalala Bay was the perfect location for the Andrea. Its mouth was narrow and rocky; its seafloor was shallow with ever shifting sands; the terrain surrounding the bay was rocky and steep with thick forests and scattered swamps. All of this made attack from the larger ships or the foot bound marines of the European nations upon whom Bonny and her men preyed unlikely. She felt more comfortable here in Nuevo Nassau than she ever did in the town for which it was named.

Bonny was rich beyond belief, of course, with control over Blackbeard's secret treasure, which -- except for a small chest she kept close -- had been divided and hidden. She could have done as Edward Teach had intended; she could have bought a little tavern and inn and sat back to enjoy her remaining years, surrounded by the long dead pirate's gold, silver, pearls, and jewels. But Bonny knew that if word of an ultra-rich female ship captain reached Nassau or even London, the English would find a way to get to her here in Madagascar, even if that meant buying or building dozens of small boats to attack by water or marching dozens or hundreds of soldiers through the mosquito, snake, and crocodile infested swamps.

So, Bonny pretended to be eternally in need of new pillage, and she and her crew continued their active piracy. They spent most of their time in the Mozambique Straight, but sometimes they ventured as far north as Yemen or as far south as Cape Town. They didn't often find the need to exchange fire and draw a great deal of blood, but occasionally the captains of the preyed upon ships would light off their cannons and force a fight. Bonny sometimes obliged them; other times, she turned Andrea away. She had no need to risk the lives of her men for cargo of lesser value than her own secret and personal treasure.

But attack and pillage they continued to do, and today was one of those days when Bonny put Andrea and her crew in action. They'd sailed north from Nuevo Nassau two days earlier, heading for the salt raking town of Ghubbah on the island of Socotra, at the mouth of the Gulf of Aden. Salt wasn't typically the most valuable of cargos the pirates could seize, but currently it was in great demand here in Soalala, and Bonny liked to give the locals what they needed as a way of showing them that she was more than just a vicious, thieving pirate.

Long before it got near the distant island, though, Andrea happened upon a merchant sloop flying the English Standard. Bonny ordered a course change to intercept, and with favorable winds they were upon the vessel in less than three hours. When they got close, Bonny ordered her signalman to run up a series of flags announcing their intention to board the vessel. The result was in the negative, her man told her. That didn't really surprised Bonny; most merchant captains began such encounters with an attempt to prevent such intrusions.

"Open them," she called to her First Mate. Her second in command hollered down to the gun deck, and a moment later the gun ports slid aside and the cannons from the long ago sunk Retribution poked out through the portals. She called to the Signalman again, "Reiterate our intentions."

The line of flags lowered quickly halfway to catch the attention of the other vessel's officers, then quickly rose up the mast again. Bonny smiled a bit as she waited to see what the Captain's response would be now that he was staring at the dangerous end of six 8 pound cannons, two 6 pounders, and four shot filled scatter guns.

 

[BeachBum25]

Captain Billy had taken control of the Swan just six months ago. William Murray had worked for the East India Trading Company from the time he was 12; having been turned over to the company by his father in order to settle a debt. William had been on a number of merchant ships since then; usually doing the dirtiest of jobs. He grew up on the sea, and he had learned how to protect himself. It was not an easy life for anyone on a merchant ship, and it was even harder for a boy growing up on the ship; one who had nobody to look out for him.

One thing William learned on his many journeys was loyalty. Loyalty was the key to survival on the open seas, and lack of loyalty was certain to get you and others killed. William displayed loyalty to the captain of every ship he was on, whether he liked the man or not. He did not object when one of the captains told him that William was not an appropriate name for someone on a merchant ship, and took to calling him Billy. The display of loyalty earned him favor with many of the captains, and he had even earned the distinction of becoming a first-mate on the Minerva when he was only 21 years old.

Now, here he was at the age of 28, and he was on his first voyage as a Captain of his own merchant ship. The trip to India had been a long one. He had managed to navigate the tricky currents around the Cape of Good Hope, and was able to get through some dangerous waters without any interaction with pirates off the east coast of Africa. Once he arrived in India, he picked up items that had come from China along the Silk Road. China had closed its doors and items coming from China were becoming more and more scarce. This made Billy's cargo even more valuable, and he dreamed of how much he was going to make once he got his cargo to its intended destination. He certainly would be well rewarded. His crew, despite the fact that he was much younger than every man on the ship, had faith in him and his abilities. It was just their first voyage together, but they were supporting him at every turn.

The beginning of his return voyage was uneventful. The weather was good, the seas were calm. That all changed suddenly as they approached Socotra in the distance off the port bow. A ship approached, and Billy became concerned. The way they approached had the Captain believing it was a pirate ship. He remained calm. His first mate and signalman relayed the message the flags on the approaching ship sent. Billy's terse response was simply, "denied." The reply was sent by the signalman, and the response from the approaching ship was shocking. The guns now pointing at the Swan would make the captain of any warship jealous. Billy paused and looked at the First Mate. "We will all die." Then, after another brief pause, Billy commanded, "prepare to be boarded." He was not afraid for himself, but he did not want his crew to die unnecessarily. They could surrender their cargo, and live to work another day. He had to protect them.

 

[PennySaver]

Belle Bonny smiled as she watched the pennants rising upwards from the merchant ship's deck, granting Andrea permission to board her. She looked to her First Mate, then her Quartermaster; they were smiling as well. She spoke to the former, then the latter: "Keep the guns trained in case they try anything … and go get your book, because I feel lucky about this one."

Bonny began barking out orders to the men who ran the various crews; those men, in turn, barked out their own orders to the men below them; and suddenly the smaller than normal crew of 30 was in full action preparing for the boarding. Very quickly, there were two men above the main sail in the Main Top platform with over a dozen and a half already loaded long rifles; another dozen men were in similar shooting positions along the starboard railing; and the four scatter guns had a pair of men each to facilitate quick firing and reloading of each of the giant shotgun like weapons. This was, of course, all in addition to the cannons poking out from the side of Andrea.

There was no similar show of force from the merchant ship, however, which put Bonny at ease. She knew that ambush was always possible. But Bonny saw no signs of subterfuge in the merchant ship's crew; instead, they were actively tying up their ship's sails to slow its movement or simply standing about awaiting more orders from their own Captain. The ships continued to near one another, with Andrea only slightly more forward than her prey.

The other ship was at least another 30 feet longer than Bonny's, which put her position on the aft Quarterdeck pretty much near the merchant ship's middle. Bonny had a clear view up and down the port side of the vessel, and soon enough she caught sight of the man she presumed -- correctly, it would turn out -- to be the vessel's Captain. She studied him for a long moment, wondering whether or not he was thinking They bring their whores with them? Could even for a moment contemplate that she -- a mere woman! -- could possibly be in charge of this piratical rabble. She decided to make him aware of her position aboard Andrea, turning to look down the railing at the men awaiting her orders.

"Our prey has chosen to surrender herself peacefully!" Bonny hollered loud enough that even the crew of the other vessel could hear her clearly. She continued, "Any man of mine who fires his weapon without being ordered to do so will find himself hanging from the Arm with his cock and balls stuffed into his throat."

She turned her head just a tiny bit to port to prevent the Merchant Captain from seeing the smile that spread her lips a bit. Bonny's threat was more for the benefit of the opposing crew, not hers; this wasn't the first time she'd made this threat and it wouldn't be the last, though, honestly, Bonny doubted she would every have to follow through on the horrific act.

After giving both crews a moment to visualize her threat, Bonny verified her position aboard Andrea to the other Captain by asking, "Is that understood?"

All down the starboard side of the ketch and where ever else there were pirates awaiting the attack, men called out loudly, "Aye, Captain!"

Belle Bonny looked across to the presumed Captain of the merchant ship, hesitated a moment, then called out, "Hooks!"

Grappling hooks filled the now-30 feet of air between the two ships. Most caught the ship's railing for a secure hold; some caught the rigging as well. Pirates in numbers of two or three or four pulled at the ropes at the same time that others were pulling Andrea's sails up to be tied.

It would take about five minutes to fully the two hulls together and then lash the ships together for boarding. Bonny kept her eye on the presumed Captain, waiting for and simultaneously hoping against any violent action from him.

 

[BeachBum25]

This was billy's worst nightmare. His first voyage as a merchant Captain and he has his cargo commandeered by pirates. All that, and he didn't even put up a fight. His men quietly let him know that they would fight to the death for him. It was a true sign that he had already gained their trust and loyalty. He could not sacrifice them. They had very little in the way of arms to use to do battle with, and the guns the pirate ship had pointed at them, would have the Swan sunk in no time.

Seeing the female on the bridge of the attacking ship had Billy surprised. Why was there a woman on a pirate ship. It must have been one of the captain's wenches. Then Billy heard the female voice shouting orders and telling the men of the pirate ship what would happen if they fired a shot. Billy looked down at his men and saw fear emanating from some of them. He told his First Mate to make sure the men stood down and cooperated. "We will make up for the lost income."

Billy watched as the crew of the pirate ship tossed their grappling hooks and expertly pulled the ships together. He watched the female captain revel in her conquest while telling her men to be cautious of an ambush. Billy wished he had the weaponry to conduct such an ambush. He also wished he had waited the extra week until the British Naval ships were sailing back home and he could have had an escort.

As the ships came together, Billy saw the pirates begin to board the Swan. He watched carefully to see who it was that was being sent to him. He knew from previous experiences that there was always someone sent to question the captain, and, usually, to take the captain prisoner. He watched the pirate captain directing her crew. They were highly efficient. He saw one man come aboard the Swan with purpose and make his way to the bridge. He had a feeling this was the man with the pirate captain's orders.

 

[PennySaver]

The rush of pirates across the brow laid between the two ships was intentionally raucous and frightening. The pirates knew that -- after pointing cannons, scatter guns, and rifles their way -- the best way to scare potential trouble makers into submission was to appear animal like and blood thirsty. Of Bonny's crew of 30, 24 men were quickly aboard the merchant ship; the other six were those behind rifles or scatter guns with even the cannon crews taking up swords and pistols and joining the boarding.

The Merchant Captain was on the spot when it came to his immediate future. Bonny's First Mate -- a man named Connor Read but who the others called Red Beard for his habit of smearing his chin fur with the blood of his vanquished foes -- led a pair of pirates directly for the other ship's quarterdeck, knowing they would find any captain worth his name there. Under Connor's direction, the pair of sword-armed men took hold of Billy and hurried him down the ladder, across the plank brow connecting the vessels

Billy was brought aft aboard Andrea as Bonny herself was moving forward. They two met near the ketch's aft mast, where she looked the man up and down for a long moment before speaking.

"Your men will not be harmed so long as they continue to show no resistance, Captain," she began with a friendly tone, continuing, "as is the case with you yourself. We will take from your holds what I find worthy of our time and effort ... leaving you with the rest. The call me Belle Bonny, and this is the Andrea. If you don't mind, may I know the name of your vessel and your name as well, Captain?"

Bonny had no fear of giving the Captain her real name; back in the Caribbean, no man beyond Edward Teach's crews knew her by that name. She listened to the man's response and was about to further greet him but hesitated as one of her Quartermaster's men rushed up. With his back to the Merchant Captain he leaned in close to Bonny and began to give a preliminary report of what they'd found in the holds of the Swan.

As the pirate listed the items already found, Bonny studied the other Captain … and she couldn't help but notice that he looked her up and down, too. Her lips spread a bit as she wondered what was going through his mind. Belle Bonny was not your typical Pirate Captain, obviously. First and most obviously she was female. Bonny knew of other female pirates, of course; she knew one by her name, another by her face, and yet a third by her body, against which Bonny had discovered a physical pleasure much different than that which she'd enjoyed with her husband.

But female pirate Captains...? Bonny knew of none alive at this time in history.

Beyond Bonny's gender, though, there was more for the merchant Captain to view and contemplate as the pair stood before one another. To put it plainly, Belle Bonny was a beautiful woman. She was dark skinned, dark haired, and dark eyed; her lineage included people of African, Spanish, French, Italian, and Native Caribbean blood lines. She stood a mere 5 feet, 2 inches tall, yet appeared much taller due to her knee high, leather boots with thick soles and heavy heels that lifted her head an additional four inches higher. The boots weren't worn out of some sense of fashion, as were the high heeled shoes worn by so many brothel whores who knew of their male patrons' delight in leggy women. No, the purpose of Bonny's boots were to make her look less tiny and vulnerable to men only were only just meeting her. Bonny's crew already knew their Captain was anything but vulnerable, of course. More than one of them had been justly punished for his words or actions toward Belle Bonny in the past, mistakes that none of them would every make again presuming they were still breathing.

In addition to the boots, tight fitting leather pants showed off Bonny's legs, hips, and ass. A belt around her narrow waist supported a sword, dagger, and pistol; all three were smaller than what most of her pirate brethren carried, in part -- an in all honesty -- because Bonny didn't have the strength to brandish the larger swords and even the heavier pistols her crew typically carried. It wasn't always about strength, though; Bonny was quick and nimble, and more than once during her pirating career she'd moved on an enemy so quickly that she slit his throat with her little sword before he was able to even contemplate drawing his more significant blade.

Bonny's upper half was what typically drew the glares of most men. She was petite but well curved, emphasized by the clothing she typically wore. By her Nassau dressmaker's numbers, Bonny's 5 foot 2 inch, 115 pound figure measured out at 35-25-35. Her firm B-cup breasts were boosted up and in by a black, lacy bustier; it was worn outside a long sleeved, also lacy blouse with a lower hemline that left much of her shapely ass well displayed.

As the pirate finished his report of the merchant ship's contents, Bonny's eyes widened and her smile slowly mutated into an expression of slight surprise; if the man was right, Andrea had hit the mother lode with this ship. She sent the pirate back to work, studied the man a moment longer, then smiled broadly.

"Let's take a walk," she suggested softly before passing by him. "I have to see this for myself."

The two pirates holding the Captain turned and then urged him forward, back across the brow, and down into the cargo hold of his ship. Bonny spent a good couple of minutes slowly wandering about; some of the lids of the crates and barrels had already been removed by her men and more were still being opened up. Bonny was amazed; putting aside the treasure she'd stolen from her husband -- of course, after Robert Hastings had stolen it from Edward Teach -- the contents of Swan's holds was likely the greatest cargo she'd ever seen in her nearly 10 years at sea.

Bonny looked to the Captain with a smile of delight, then stepped up closer to him. She gave him a long up and down ogle; she wouldn't say this out loud, of course, but Bonny actually got physically excited -- sexually excited, to be specific -- at the sight of things of great value, which was probably the reason she'd gotten involved in piracy in the first place.

"Take the Captain to my quarters on Andrea and watch him," she told the men restraining him even as her eyes were steadily upon his own. To the man she asked, "Who would you like to put at the wheel of your vessel while you are in my care, Captain? It seems we won't be taking a portion of your cargo and sending you on your way … but will instead be taking your entire ship. I hope this won't become an issue between us...? Disturb our thus far peaceful interaction...?"

 

[BeachBum25]

Billy kept his head held high as he was escorted off of his ship to the pirate ship. He stood tall, all 6'1" of him proudly walking toward the female captain. He pushed his light brown hair off to the side as he was brought in front of the top pirate. He looked at her with his hazel eyes; moving over her.. evaluating her in every possible way.

He listened as the pirate captain introduced herself and her ship. Belle Bonny was very obviously a woman who maintained strict control over her men, and she carried herself with an incredible air of confidence. "My name is William Murray, my men call me Billy, and I am proud to be the Captain of the merchant vessel Swan. I am not a warship and carry very limited weapons, which is why we have surrendered to you peacefully. If we were going to fight, it would have been right from the beginning."

Noticing a commotion on his ship, Billy focused on the movement of several of Belle Bonny's men. He watched as a man approached the female captain, and was, obviously, giving a report on what they had found. Billy knew that the cargo would be found; there was nothing they could do to hide it. He only wondered what they would be left with. There was no way that Belle Bonny could get all of the cargo that was being carried on the Swan onto the Andrea. He knew the silk would be confiscated. What would be left?

When Belle Bonny told him to take a walk, his heart sunk. Was it possible that she was going to find a way to seize all of the cargo? There was no way she could do it, or so he thought. The two men restraining him, forced Billy to follow Belle Bonny back to the Swan. As he followed, his eyes moved over the pirate captain. He had never seen a female pirate captain before, and it had been a long time since he had seen any female who was as beautiful as Belle Bonny and had a body so spectacular.

Once back aboard his ship, his thoughts were quickly refocused to the issue at hand. Belle Bonny loved what she saw in the cargo hold of his ship and it had Billy worried. He knew she couldn't get it ll on hers, so, how.... and then she said it. She was going to confiscate the ship and all of the contents.

"We are not going to disturb the peaceful interactions we have had thus far, but, may I plead for you to leave us our ship. Take as much, or all of the contents in the hold, but leave us our ship so that I may help my men feed their families." Resisting a bit as the two men begin to pull me away from Belle Bonny. "Just leave us the ship." Staring at the female captain.. not in fear.. not out of weakness... out of a desire to provide for his crew.

 

[PennySaver]

"Just leave us the ship."

"Hold!" Bonny commanded the men who were urging Billy forcefully onto the ladder that would take him back upwards to the main deck of the Swan. "Bring him back."

The pair turned the Merchant Captain back to face her. She studied him for a long moment yet again; Bonny had always sensed she could judge a man better than most by the expressions of his face and the tone of his words. It was part of what made her a good leader of men, despite being of the fairer sex. There had been many times when looking deep into a man's eyes and speaking to him face to face had shown her things others might have missed; two times already during her year of command Bonny had rooted out planned mutinies before they'd begun; another time, while on shore in Nuevo Nassau, she'd headed off a planned gang rape of herself simply by holding a short but intimate conversation with one of the conspiring crewman.

"I will do you one better, Captain Billy," Bonny began her offer. She asked him the estimated retail value of his entire cargo once it reached England. Then, she asked with a slight smile on her lips, "And for spending six to nine months on the sea … each way … to deliver this fortune to your employer … a man who is likely sitting back in a plush chair on some Sussex County country estate, drinking tea and eating biscuits while some young Chamber maid sucks his cock … just how much are you getting paid to deliver that fortune to such a man? What about your men? Do they think they're being paid a fair wage for spending a year of their life, even more, out on the high seas while their employer back home..."

Bonny let the thought fade; she'd made her point. She gave Billy a moment to respond, not knowing whether he would or not. Once he'd said what he wanted to say -- or simply stared at her feeling whatever emotion was in his mind and heart -- she presented her proposal: "If your men, under the command of my First Mate, will sail your ship to my home port, I will pay them their voyage rate upon arrival … and … if they will unload and deliver the cargo to my warehouses, I will pay them a second time."

She smiled a bit wider, adding, "And you, Captain Billy … you will fare even better than that."

Bonny stepped to within arms reach of the Merchant Captain and offered out her hand. She asked him with a broad smile, "Deal?"

 

[BeachBum25]

Billy struggled as he was dragged toward the ladder that would lead him off of his ship. He did not like the idea that the pirates were going to not only take the cargo, but they were also going to seize the Swan. That would leave him and his men stranded somewhere unknown, at best, and dead, at worst.

When Belle Bonny ordered that he be brought back to her, he looked straight into her eyes. His men had to know that he was fighting for them, and he could not show any signs of fear when confronted by the pirate captain. He pulled one arm away from the pirate holding it and stood before his captor, listening to her questions.

"I am the Captain of a merchant ship, I have no idea what my employer will make on the cargo I was intended to deliver, I have been on merchant ships since I was 12 years old and have never seen that end of the business. My men make around 7 shillings a month plus all of their provisions. As for my pay, I was to receive a percentage of the value as established by the merchant, out of which my men's wages would be paid, and I would keep the remainder."

Billy listened to her proposal. His men would make out very well. In essence, they would receive double their wages. That would be a great deal for them. For Billy, the compensation wasn't clear, but he was confident that things would be okay. The most important thing to Billy was that his men were going to be taken care of.

He did not respond right away. He made it appear that he was contemplating the offer, despite already knowing he would accept. After all, he wasn't in the best bargaining position. He nodded his head. "I think that is fair. I just have one question. What happens with the Swan.

 

[PennySaver]

"I think that is fair."

Belle Bonny was pleased to hear Captain Billy's answer. Her lips spread a bit, as he asked, "I just have one question. What happens with the Swan.

Making a sweeping-through-the-air wave with one hand, she answered, "She'll sail away into the sunset ... or the sunrise, your choice ... with you at the helm and all your men … and their pay once again safely aboard."

Bonny hesitated just a moment to observe Billy's reaction, to look for signs of whether he trusted her words or not, then added, "I have no interest in your vessel, Captain Billy. It's draft is too deep to enter the mouth of my home port. It is too lightly armed and would require significant modifications to install the requisite gun ports. It requires a crew larger than that which I wish to lead."

Her lips spread a bit wider again at the realization that she had fallen into what Robert Hastings had called her Big Words mode. Her lover had been the last person on this Earth to know that Belle Bonny had grown up in a noble family with money, prestige, comfort, and -- most importantly, she believed -- education. By the time she was 13 and left England, bound for the newly formed English colony on the coast of Nicaragua, Bonny was better educated and more knowledgeable about the world than was even her father, who had been assigned Governor of said colony.

They never reached Nicaragua, and Bonny -- pretending to be a boy and later a young man -- bounced around from one ship to another, first as a simple seaman and ultimately as a full fledged pirate. One day she might tell Captain Billy about her previous life, but that day wasn't today.

"Take him to his First Mate," she told the men watching over Billy. She gestured them to stop manhandling him, the politely instructed, "Assemble your crew. Relay my offer to them. Those who refuse to participate, please lock them in your brig or chain them appropriately. They will not be harmed by my men for not cooperating, but I cannot guarantee their safety if they attempt to … foil our agreement. When Swan is ready to once again set sail, inform my men. You will accompany me aboard Andrea. My First Mate and a few men -- armed of course -- will remain aboard Swan to ensure nothing untoward occurs and your ship suddenly disappears over the horizon."

Bonny stepped a bit closer to Billy, smiled a bit wider, then told him, "I have only one other request. Well … let's call it a demand. Please show these two men to the Swan's treasury. They will bring it to Andrea … where you can ensure that it remains safe and sound near you."

Bonny knew that every ship carried a certain amount of coin, to purchase fresh food, water, and drink during its voyage and to give the crew a bit of spending money at the taverns and brothels of the ports in which they drop anchor. She didn't know how much Swan had, but it was surely a substantial amount considering the size of her crew and the fact that she was only a quarter or even a fifth of the way home to England.

She finished with a smile and polite tone, "Shall we?"

 

[BeachBum25]

Breathing a sigh of relief when Belle Bonny agreed that his ship would sail away with him and his crew aboard, Billy listened as the pirate captain went into detail about why she would not be keeping the Swan. Listening to her, Billy was surprised at how much detail that she went into and she didn't just say she had no use for it. He was also convinced that, if the Swan was able to enter her home port she would keep the ship and find some use for it.

Nodding his head in acknowledgement of her directions to speak with his crew, Billy stood tall as his other arm was released. He moved confidently to where his First Mate, Charles Hall, was being held and he told Charles to assemble the men at once.''

While waiting for the men to be assembled, Billy led the men of the Andrea to the treasury. He had hoped to be able to salvage the treasury, but Belle Bonny was on her game and made sure that it was confiscated before it could be hidden. Billy turned it over to the Andrea's smiling pirates, who immediately took it to their Captain.

Once the crew was assembled, Billy went through the details of the deal he worked out with Belle Bonny: All men would be paid double wages if they accompanied the ship back toward her home port and helped to off load the entire cargo. Once all of that happened, the ship would be turned back over to them and they would be free to go about their business.

He told the crew that he had a guarantee from the pirate captain that none of them would be harmed unless they physically resisted. Billy shared that anyone that did not agree would not be harmed, but they would be placed in the brig until the conclusion of the unloading.

The loyal crew trusted that Billy had worked out the best possible terms. In fact, they were shocked that he was able to get any terms at all. The agreement would only strengthen the loyalty they had toward their Captain.

He nodded to them. "Just so you understand, I will be aboard the pirate ship until the unloading is complete. She hasn't said it in so many words, but it is my feeling that I am the collateral to make sure things get done according to her plan. Her First Mate and several of her men will take command of the Swan, temporarily."

Once he was finished with the men, he was led to the ladder that would lead him aboard the Andrea. He turned back and took a long look around. For some reason, he had a feeling this would be the last time he was aboard her.

 

[PennySaver]

As she ascended the ladder from Swan's hold to her main deck, Bonny looked for and found her First Mate, Connor Read. She gave him a knowing look before glancing back to the now unrestrained Captain of the merchant ship. Red Beard knew what that expression meant; he casually walked away from his boss and her new partner until he was hidden by the big schooner's main mast.

There were other pirates still aboard, of course, but Connor knew that Bonny wanted him to hear both Captain Billy's speech to his men and the reaction of the men to that speech first hand. Connor listened closely, observed what he interpreted to be a rather accepting reaction, then turned away to feign being involved in other activities.

Billy explained that he would be aboard Andrea for the duration of the voyage, at which point Connor curled around to join the two pirates who had also been waiting for this moment. To the merchantman, Connor gestured for the brow and said politely, "If you'll follow me, Captain."

Billy was led to the smaller ship, down the ladder to the lower deck, and aft toward a pair of doors. A tired looking sailor who could have been 24 or 54 sat there on a small keg, rising at seeing Connor approaching. After being told that the Captain would have a guest -- something the sailor understood to mean hostage -- Rolly opened the twin doors, proceeded ahead of the others, and politely gestured the guest to a chair currently on its side by the bulkhead.

"Make yourself comfortable," Rolly invited Billy before looking to Connor and asking, "Shackles?"

Connor looked to the other vessel's Captain, contemplated what his own Captain would want, and answered, "No, I don't think that's necessary. In fact, I want this man treated with the utmost respect, understand?"

Rolly nodded so deeply that his gesture might almost have considered a bow. Connor ordered the man -- who Billy would learn was Bonny's personal cabin boy, despite his advanced age -- to produce a hot meal and drink, adding, "Not the swill you all drink, but from the Captain's own cabinet … and if I find out you've drunk it yourself, I'll cut your tongue off like the Captain did your cock."

Rolly acknowledged his orders energetically, and as Connor left and the door closed behind him, he quickly began making inquiries of what the guest might want. He would set about serving Captain Billy almost as eagerly as he would serve Belle Bonny.

#####################​

Over the next ten minutes, a never ending series of orders and responses from the men aboard both Andrea and Swan were likely audible even down in Bonny's stateroom. Suddenly, there was unmistakable evidence of the boat getting underway: the creaking of wood and iron, the slight but obvious swing of the craft to port, and the also slight and yet still noticeable listing to starboard, as further evidenced by the surface tilting of the wine in the carafe Rolly had brought Connor.

The cabin boy or -- when he was fetching things for Billy -- one of the two guards who had taken station beyond the stateroom's doors would remain with the merchantman continuously. Bonny had had an empty, smaller-than-standard Log Book given to Billy, along with a quill and bottle of ink, should he decide he wanted to begin a journal of this new and unexpected portion of his career. Connor had assured the Captain that his own log was safe with Andrea's Captain and that -- when she finished reading it -- the log would be returned to him.

It was three full hours before Bonny herself returned to her quarters. She looked her guest over, asked if he was comfortable and if he'd been given all for which he'd asked, then called for Rolly to bring them a hot meal. Even as the cabin boy was asking details of what she specifically wanted, Bonny walked to one of the wardrobes bolted to the bulkhead and began undressing; she shed her belt of weapons, her bustier, and then her blouse. Although her back was to Billy, Bonny was in profile to Rolly, offering him a clear view of her now-bared bosom should he wish to look. He didn't; his eyes went to the floor even before the last button of the blouse was loosed.

"That'll be all, sailor, she said dismissively after she'd answered Rolly's last question. "Maintain the guard, but you are relieved."

She donned a clean blouse as the cabin boy left, closing the door behind him, then turned to face Billy even as she was only just beginning to button it; the lacy, ruffled collar and front panels were open enough to reveal the inner curvatures of young, firm, pert breasts, nearly but not quite showing off Bonny's nipples as well. Before she began buttoning it from the bottom, if the man sitting just 10 feet away took a peek, he would have noticed the edge of a tattoo on the upper inside of her left breast, as well as the ugly scar that crossed at least four inches of her lower right belly.

"We are underway, Captain Billy, as you are obviously already fully aware," she told him as she finished fastening the blouse. Moving to the table and the carafe of wine, she added, "Swan is to our starboard under full sail. I have to say that I am impressed with your vessel, Captain. I almost wish I hadn't made our deal. Although she would never serve as a raiding ship, she would be valuable in landing raiding parties up and down the coasts of Africa, Madagascar, and to the north … Yemen, Arabia, India, Persia. Perhaps, when this is all over, we might rethink your desire to return to the merchant marine."

Bonny knew there was no chance of that, of course … was there? Billy seemed too dedicated and honest to simply turn pirate on a whim. She listened to his response and was about to reply when one of the guards knocked, entered, and delivered the tray of food Rolly had prepared before returning to his other duties.

 

[BeachBum25]

Billy watched as Belle Bonny changed her blouse right in front of him. He was certain there was an ulterior motive in what she did; other than to give her cabinboy a show. He looked intently as she turned toward him after dismissing her servant. He thought he caught a glimpse of a tattoo on her breast, but he was certain that he saw a scar on her stomach.

"I am glad we made such a deal Captain. I was concerned that you would see what a great vessel the Swan is and try to find a way to use it. That would have been disappointing to me, because I have worked since I was 12 to get her."

He maintained eye contact with Belle Bonny and he knew there was something racing through her mind. "You are not thinking of going back on our deal, are you Captain?"

 

[PennySaver]

"My word is my bond, Captain," Bonny said without hesitation, sitting at a chair not directly across from Billy but to one side of the table, almost within arms reach of him. "The only thing that will alter our deal is if you ask for it to be altered … or there is treachery from you or your men."

She raised her wine glass before her for him to clink it with his own if he so cared, declaring, "When our business is done, if you have no further use for me, you will be allowed to go on your way, unharmed and with more coin in your pocket than you had expected previous to our meeting … which, by the way, Captain, I am thankful we have had."

 

[BeachBum25]

"I truly respect you Captain for being a lady that keeps her word. I have been on merchant ships since I was sold to a merchant at the age of 12, and it is my experience that prates do not generally keep their word."

He allowed his eyes to move over her. She was extremely beautiful and she knew it. There was no doubt that she used her beauty to her advantage. Was this her attempt to lull him into complacency before finding a way to undo their deal.

"So, Captain, tell me, how did you come to get such a nasty scar on your abdomen? It is a shame to have such a mark on your body." He kept to himself, for the time being, that he had seen part of her tattoo.

 

[PennySaver]

Bonny smiled a bit wider, knowing now for certain that Billy had indeed taken the time to ogle the bareness she had, of course, intentionally presented him. She reached one foot between his calves, pressed the sole of her boot against the crossbar of his chair, and caused her own chair to tip onto its own back legs. The movement exposed her torso a bit more as she raised the lower hem of her blouse upwards, exposing her flat, fit, somewhat muscular belly nearly to the lower roundness of her right side tit.

"This little thing?" she said with humor as the jagged, eight inch long scar was revealed. The wound ran from a couple of inches above her belly button -- which was decorated with a gold stud featuring a diamond nearly 3 carats in size -- almost all the way to her right side. She explained as she ran a finger about the mark, "When I was 16 … or was it 15 … yes, 15 years old … the second raid in which I participated against a Spanish sailing ship. Not my second raid in total, of course. By that time, I'd partaken in the boarding or -- when necessary -- the attack of at least a dozen and a half merchant vessels by that point."

She lowered he chair to all four again and refilled their wine glasses as she continued, "One of the Spanish Officers had fled to below deck during the fight. I thought he was going to scuttle the ship by igniting the powder keg, so I followed him. It was stupid of me."

She drank from her glass. "I hurried and didn't allow my eyes to properly adjust to the dark. Next thing I knew, he was cutting a swath across my gut. Hurt, of course, even more so when he sliced through the air a second time, catching me in almost the same spot."

Bonny stood before Billy, putting her belly just inches from the man's face as she again pulled her blouse up to reveal the wound. She traced her fingers over it as she distinguished between the two wounds that were parallel at times and crossing at others. Then she snatched his hand and pressed his extended fingers against the scar. "See...? You can feel the different cuts, as well as the stitches. Nearly bled out. Would have if the Spanish hadn't had a doctor on board who put my gut back together."

Bonny studied Billy's reaction to having his hand pressed against her in what might have seemed a bit more intimate than their current relationship deemed appropriate. She wasn't in any hurry to have his touch end … but … she wouldn't hold his hand there any longer than he himself felt proper either. When finally they were no longer in contact, Bonny lowered her blouse again, sat, drank, and smiled.

"And what about you, Captain?" she asked suggestively. "Do you have any scars you'd like to show me?"

Bonny's lips spread wide in a devilish smile.

 

[BeachBum25]

Watching Belle Bonny reveal not one, but two scars, Billy shifted in his seat a little. He could see the bottom of her firm breasts as she lifted her blouse up to show where she had been practically gutted.

He made no attempt to pull his fingers away from her scars. He slowly moved his fingers along them feeling where each stitch had been, and marveling at how impressive the surgeon's work was. When she removed her hand from his, he kept his fingers in place a moment longer; thoroughly enjoying the feel of Belle Bonny's flesh.

Watching her wicked smile as she asked if he had any scars to show her, Billy pulled back the collar of his shirt revealing a scar that ran from the base of his neck all the way to his right arm. "Got this when I was 12. I had been placed on a ship as payment for my father's debts. One of the men did not like that I was actually being fed the same food the rest of the crew was. While I sat at a barrel on the deck, he walked up and slashed me. I got lucky. He didn't. The captain didn't appreciate that he tried to take me out since I was payment on a debt... had him thrown overboard."

Billy stood up. "I would have to lower my pants to show you the other scar." He undid the buckle of his belt, and paused to see if she was going to stop him. After all, he was her captive and she was the one calling the shots.

 

[PennySaver]

"Got this when I was 12.

As he described the history behind the wound, Bonny reached out and traced her own fingers along Billy's scar, very much as he had along hers; she employed the same level of soft, investigative touch that -- even in this setting -- was a bit inappropriate. But, just as she hadn't care about this man touching her, he didn't seem to mind her touching him, so Bonny took her time to track the remains of the old wound.

When he stood and began to unbuckle his pants, though, Bonny laughed loud, planted a hand in the middle of Billy's torso, and pushed him back into his seat. She turned away toward the entrance of her quarters telling him, "Maybe when we get to know each other better, sailor … if we ever get to know each other better."

Bonny pulled open the door and called one of the guards inside. The man couldn't help but glance toward his boss's cleavage, displayed differently than it had been earlier but no less alluring to most men of their ilk. She instructed, "Set up a cot for our guest. Use my own spare mattress and bedding … make him comfortable."

The guard looked a bit confused and asked, "Here, Captain...? In your stateroom?"

"Yes, here in my stateroom, sailor," she said with a chastising tone. "I am responsible for this man's safety. He will sleep here. Where's his kit?"

The man turned and exited, and a moment later he and the other man returned with Billy's personal trunk. They set it in the forward corner that was furthest from Bonny's bed, which was in the port aft of the stateroom. She gave them more instructions, looked to Billy, and told him, "I'll be back soon. Make yourself comfortable..."

She glanced to the trunk, then back to Billy. "I could have had my men search your kit for weapons, but I chose to respect your privacy. If you have anything in there that you would like my men to store in a save place for you..."

Bonny left it at that as she returned to the main deck for a report. Swan was exactly where she'd been earlier in relationship to Andrea; the crew of the former had the larger, slower craft near to its top speed with favorable winds, while the crew of the latter had been adjusting their ship's sails to maintain a similar speed.

"How long to Nuevo Nassau if these winds hold up, sailor," Bonny asked the veteran sailor currently standing Officer of the Deck.

"If the winds keep up … six, seven days at this speed, Captain," he answered. He nodded off to starboard at Swan, adding, "If we didn't have to wait around for that beast--"

"We won't," Bonny cut in. "Two days and we'll start pulling ahead. I don't want any surprises when we reach Soalala … so … we'll pull ahead to get there first … check for warships."

She looked to the sails, to the skies, to Swan, and back to the pilot. "Have the Signalman alert Connor that we're pulling ahead to signal distance now but no farther."

"Yes, Captain."

Bonny returned to below deck, this time stopping at the door that led into the ship's brig. It was larger than what would normally be necessary for a merchant ship of this size. But then, this was no merchant ship; the original 4 foot by 6 foot brig had been expanded to 3 times that size with a thick wood wall dividing it in half. In the starboard half sat Swan's treasury chest, and in front of that -- with quill pen and paper in hand -- was Bonny's Quartermaster.

"How much were they carrying, Pinch?" she asked the man. Bonny had once known her Quartermaster's real name, and if she thought hard enough she could probably recall it. But his knack for managing money -- with involved a great deal of stinginess at times -- had resulted in the man being called Penny Pincher, which, of course, had shortened. He handed out the sheet of cotton paper, telling her that was an estimate. Bonny's eyes and lips both widened. She said with obvious happiness, "We'll be able to pay Captain Billy and his crew out of their own treasury … and likely still have half as much as that left over."

She handed the sheet back, telling Pinch to get an accurate count, down to the last coin. Bonny contemplated increasing the offer she'd made to Captain Billy, having read a bit of doubt in his expression earlier when she'd verified his deal. She snapped her fingers at the Quartermaster and gestured to a small leather purse sitting empty on the floor. She gave him instructions, and when he'd completed them she left.

Back in her own quarters, Bonny was happy to see the preparations for Billy's sleeping area completed. As directed, the guard had strung a line that would allow for a blanket to be hung, giving the merchantman some privacy. After the guard stepped outside at her direction, Bonny tossed the heavy bag of coins to Billy.

"An advance," she said as what amounted to half their agreed amount coming into Billy's hands. She half turned toward the door and asked, "Would you like to go topside for some fresh air … maybe check on your ship. If you'd like, my Signalman can put you in contact with your crew … make sure all is well."

Before they left, though, Bonny caught Billy by the arm. When he looked to her, she told him with a sincere tone, "I'm not a fan of slavery. Your story of how you ended up at sea … I just want you to know that I would never do something like that to another person..."

She smiled wider, adding, "Even an English merchantman, whether Captain or common sailor. I … I just wanted you to know that."

Bonny pushed open the door after Billy either did or did not respond, asking, "Shall we?"

 

[BeachBum25]

He thoroughly enjoyed her running her fingers over his scar. There had been others, including other women, who had touched his scar in the past, but none had sent tingles through his body like those that were initiated by Belle Bonny's touch.

Billy chuckled as Belle Bonny pushed him back into his chair. "I had no intention of dropping my pants in front of you without your permission. I just wanted to know if you wanted to see my other scar." He smiled as he looked into her mesmerizing eyes.

After Belle Bonny left to check on how things were going, Billy went into his trunk and took out his pistol. He handed it, butt end first to one of men guarding the Captain's stateroom. He was not going to do anything that would jeopardize their agreement.

He organized some of his things over near where the cot had been set up, and sat down to ponder the events of the day, and how things were going to go in the near future. He didn't know exactly where they were going, but he figured it was somewhere on or near the African coast. Knowing the Swan he figured it would be at least four days, if not more, until they reached their destination.

When Belle Bonny returned to her stateroom and tossed him the bag of coins, Billy caught it effortlessly. He looked at the pirate Captain, and shook his head. "This was not part of the deal. I get paid when my men get paid.. not a minute before." He placed the bag on the table and stood up.

"I would very much like to go topside. I would like to see my ship and my men. It isn't that I do not trust you Captain, but seeing is believing." He smiled at her and followed her out of the stateroom and up onto the deck.

Looking out at the Swan Billy was happy to see that things seemed to be going smoothly. The Andrea had pulled ahead of his ship, which wasn't surprising considering the size difference of the two ships and the cargo the Swan was loaded down with.

He was more than happy to accept her invitation to dine on the quarterdeck. It was a beautiful evening and the were sailing into the sunset. The meal they were served was far better than any meal he had ever had while on a ship. As they ate, Billy tried to gain some information about where they were headed, but Belle Bonny was not sharing any information, and simply changed the subject.

Once the sun had set, they made their way to Belle Bonny's cabin. There was always a guard a half step behind him; as if Billy was going to take a chance and put himself and his men at risk. Belle Bonny obviously took no chances, and her men were very protective of her.

 

[PennySaver]

"If you wouldn't mind waiting outside a moment, Captain," Bonny asked politely when they reached the door of her stateroom. She stepped inside, smiled back to him … and then waited for Rolly to enter her quarters as well. She told him before closing the door, "It won't be long."

It was, however. Nearly an hour passed before the door opened and Rolly invited Billy inside with a polite wave. The room was far warmer now than it had been the last time Billy had been in it. A fire still crackled in the small cast iron stove near the port bulkhead, and near it the half-barrel bathtub -- which had been empty earlier -- now had soapy water gently splashing back and forth against its oak walls.

Bonny was standing at her bulkhead mounted wardrobe again. She was wearing a simple, rather plain looking night gown of thin woolen cloth. It fit her loosely, and yet somehow it still managed to show off the delicious curves of her ass, hips, waist, and bosom, particularly when -- after Billy had entered -- she turned and made her way across the deck, allowing the lanterns mounted behind her to silhouette her figure through the cloth.

"If you wish to bathe, Captain," she told him as she ran a brush through her slightly dampened hair, "the water is still relatively clean. I'm sure my cabin boy would be more than happy to scrub your back and behind … as he has for me the last few years. Isn't that right, Rolly?"

Bonny's tone when she spoke of her personal servant seemed to stress that there was a story behind her offering of him and her questioning him about his service to her. Rolly for his part nodded to Bonny, then gave Billy the same nod, saying, "It would be my pleasure to serve."

"That's okay, Rolly, you're excused," Bonny said before the other Captain could respond either way. "My usual breakfast in the morning and the same for our guest."

Rolly nodded -- almost bowed -- and hurriedly headed for and out the door. Once he was gone, Bonny began a slow walk toward Billy as she explained, "Three years ago, the man to whom I had essentially been a wife since I was 15 was lost during a sea battle. Oh, he was found … four days later, near death, floating on a section of debris of the Spanish warship with which we had engaged. The warship's gunpowder magazine had caught fire. The explosion was..."

Bonny drew in a breath, causing her bosom to swell and her pert nipples to become a bit more obvious through the white gown. She exhaled and said with a tone of awe, "...un-believable. Men aboard the galleon were tossed into the sea, of course, but then so were some of the men upon our ship … including my man."

Without asking permission to do so, Bonny reached out and pulled Billy's collar outward just enough to view his scar again. She traced one fingertip a few inches, released his shirt, and turned away to retrieve her wine glass from a holder near her bed. As she walked barefooted across the deck, the thin wool moved with her tight ass.

"Without Robert aboard to protect me, the other men began to look on me less as a fellow crew member and more like a woman," Bonny continued. She turned back to Billy, sipped, and went on, "One night, three of them attempted to rape me, because … what other use is there for a woman aboard a pirate ship, yes?"

She sipped again, her gaze directly on Billy's own eyes. She smiled again -- that devilish smile for which she was famous -- and continued the tale, "They didn't suspect that I was expecting them, however … that after going below deck, I was lying in wait for them rather than taking to my hammock. I waited until the three of them had descended the ladder … then killed the first man by sinking my sword through his back and out his rib cage. The second heard the first's scream … turned."

Bonny once again sipped from her drink; she was now near enough to Billy to reach out to him again, although she didn't. "I shot him in the forehead. The blood and brains and bone splattered all about the berthing area. It got into the eyes of the man who'd been the first one down the ladder … the leader of the rape attack … the third man … Rolly … my cabin boy."

Draining the last of her glass, Bonny went on with her story, "I hit him in the face with something heavy. Oh, I don't recall what it was. He fell to the ground, unconscious. I knelt down beside him … unbuckled and opened the front of his trousers … tied a leather thong tightly around his manhood … so as not to kill him by bleeding him out … and then..."

Bonny made a slicing gesture through the air, accompanied by a fffff-i-t! sound. And then … she smiled. "I was actually going to cut loose the thong after he'd woken up and was able to see me holding his cock before his eyes. But Edward … Edward Teach, my Captain at the time … you might know him better as Blackbeard … he thought a better lesson would be learned if Rolly was to live … to spend his days serving the crew member he'd attempted to wrong."

Bonny took a step back, turned, and headed for her bed as she asked, "Have you noticed the little leather purse Rolly wears around his neck...? The one that appears to be just about big enough to hold a severed cock...?"

She looked back to Billy and simply raised an eyebrow with a knowing expression. "I tell you this story, Captain … Billy … because I want you to be aware that while I may only be a woman … and while most men believe that the only use for me is to provide them with a warm, wet place to put their cock … I am a woman who chooses for herself the man who will be allowed to put his cock inside my warmth … and my wetness."

Standing before her bed now, Bonny reached over to turn down the lamp on the port bulkhead. She took a few steps to starboard and repeated the gesture there. She was now standing in only the dim light of the last lantern, on the forward bulkhead behind Billy.

"One day … perhaps one day soon … I might decide you are that man, Captain Billy," Bonny said as she untied the bow between her breasts, pulled open the front of her sleeping gown, and let it fall off her shoulders to the deck around her feet. She was suddenly and thoroughly naked; even in the near darkness Billy would surely be able to see the curves of her pert breasts and her narrow waist, the now chill-hardened nipples that decorated the former, and the neatly trimmed bush of black just below the latter. Before pulling back the covers of her bed and slipping inside them, Bonny finished, "But tonight … you're not."

Snuggling in and fluffing her pillow, Belle Bonny ended the evening with, "Sleep well, Captain."

 

[BeachBum25]

When they reached the cabin, Billy was instructed to wait for a minute. This must have been another way for Belle Bonny to make sure he knew that she was the one in charge despite the deals that they had made. If this was how she measured minutes, a day would last forever.

Over an hour later, he was finally permitted to enter. What he saw when he entered was nothing short of amazing. What Belle Bonny was wearing did nothing to hide the incredible form of her body. As she moved in his direction, the lantern behind her cast a light that showed off just how incredible her body was.

When she mentioned that Rolly would be willing to wash his back and ass, Billy cringed, but just as quickly, Belle Bonny dismissed the idea and dismissed Rolly. The idea of a bath was interesting to him, but once she mentioned her cabin boy, the idea shrunk from his head.

Listening to her story, Billy stood quietly and looked into her eyes. The story she told was captivating; the loss of her man, the attempted rape, the dispensing of justice to those who had intended to violate her... the continued punishment of Rolly.

All the time she told the story, Billy felt that Belle Bonny was putting on a show. There was the way she looked at him, the smile that she gave, the "costume" that she wore. It all seemed to have a purpose with her story. It was Billy's belief that the pirate captain was laying the groundwork for something.

"Captain, if your story was a way of sending me a message that I should not attempt to take something that I have not been invited to partake, then your words were unnecessary. You have two things going for you in all of this. First off, I am, in essence, your prisoner as are my men. I will do nothing to jeopardize their safety or the deal that we have in place. Secondly, I respect women. To me, women are not an object to simply be used for a man's pleasure. I would never consider attempting to force myself on a woman."

As she dropped her robe to her feet, Billy got to see her perfect form, unencumbered. It was... is amazing. He sat on his cot and watched her as she slid into bed and covered herself with a blanket. "Goodnight Captain. Sleep well"

Billy wondered how well he would sleep. The image of Belle Bonny's naked body was burned into his brain. He laid down and tried to sleep. It wasn't easy with the image on his mind, but he did manage to get a little sleep.

When he knew he could no longer sleep, he slid out of bed. No sooner was he standing than one of the guards opened the door to check to see what he was doing. "I would like to go up on deck," he whispered. "I do not want to wake the Captain."

The guard escorted him up onto the deck, and as he looked out over the stern to see the sun, Billy noticed that there was significantly more distance between the Andrea and the Swan. He knew that the pirate ship was much faster than his, but he wondered why the pirates were allowing so much distance between the two. What if another pirate ship attempted to attack the Swan? Would the Andrea be able to get back in time to prevent it?

 

[PennySaver]

Belle Bonny had always slept well at sea; the wind, the waves, and the gentle rocking of the ship had always been hypnotic to her. After a minute or so of considering the man laying just yards from her, the interactions they'd had today, and the dealings they could possibly have in the near future, Bonny drifted peacefully into a slumber that could have lasted deep into the next morning.

The pirate captain had a standing morning wakeup call with the Officer of the Deck, though, so that she could watch the sunrise. Rolly was sent in to gently rouse her, tempting her back to consciousness with the wafting steam of a large, hot cup of tea. She rose as easily as she had gone down for the night, pulling back the covers and standing before the cock-less man so that he could help her back into her robe. He gave her a quick update of the ship's conditions, which hasn't changed during the night with the exception that Andrea was at the near-horizon distance from Swan upon which she'd insisted; he then informed her that Captain Billy was already on the main deck, also with a hot cup of tea, and that breakfast would be ready for the two of them shortly.

"Thank you, Rolly," she told him with a sincere tone, a smile, and a gentle pat to his face. "Help me get dressed, and I'll let you get back to your duties."

He nodded to her and set about gathering and then helping her into a similar set of clothes as she'd worn the day before. If Billy were here to see this, he probably would have wondered even more about the pair's relationship. Bonny had been relatively cruel to the man after he'd been given to her by Teach as a slave, a status of service which -- of course -- Bonny had told Billy the day before she despised. But over the weeks, months, and years to come, Rolly had been … what was the word Blackbeard had used … conditioned to be entirely faithful to his new mistress.

He was almost a pet to Bonny now, so much so that she was able to engage him in helping her bathe and dress or -- as had happened several times in her life -- to watch over her at night when she was ill with fever or food poisoning, without ever fearing that he would suddenly lash out at her over the memory of what she'd done to him so many years ago. Bonny still used him as she wished, but she had ceased abusing him so long ago that she almost forgot she ever had. Sometimes, when she saw the little leather purse hanging around his neck, those memories came back. Bonny had contemplated having him dispose of it; he no longer needed it as a reminder. But there were others who would sometimes see that pouch and think of the now shriveled up piece of man-meat within it, how it had gotten there, and who had caused it to happen … and -- like Captain Billy -- they would remember that women deserved more than to simply be a place for them to empty their balls.

"Good morning, Captain Billy," Bonny said when she arrived on deck and he turned to make eye contact with her. She was again dressed nearly identical to how she'd been the day before: long sleeved blouse that showed off her cleavage, bustier that made said cleavage even more dramatic, tight fitting leather pants that showed off that tight, rounded ass, and those same knee-tall boots that made her just a little less child-like in size than being barefoot would. "You slept well, I hope."

They spoke a few minutes about the night passed, about the trailing Swan, about their destination -- which Bonny still only described as being home and to the south -- and then, just as it began to occur, about the sunrise itself. "I've always loved watching that big, beautiful orb rise from beyond the watery horizon. Back home, as you'll see soon enough, it rises from over the land to the east of town. It's still beautiful, but … to watch it over the sea … without the land and buildings and lamp lights obscuring the view … it's … magical … don't you think?"

As Billy was responding, Rolly announced that breakfast was ready. Bonny told him to bring it up to the quarterdeck, and after it was set up, the pair of them climbed the ladder from the main deck to sit and eat. Bonny studied the other captain in silence for most of the meal, tearing her eyes away occasionally to look to the sails or some other item or activity taking place below them.

"I don't want you to think that I was teasing you last night," Bonny suddenly said as Rolly was refilling her cup of tea. She thanked the cabin boy, dismissed him until it was time to deal with the dishware, and turned her attention back to the man with whom she sat. "It was not my intention. I..."

Bonny hesitated a moment, considering her words. She continued, you and I will not be lovers, Captain."

She hesitated again to sip at her tea and -- more than that -- to further mull over what she wanted to say to him. Bonny went on, "You and I will not become lovers … not any time soon, anyway. However … last night … I did wish for you to know what I had to offer you … what you could expect … should that day ever come."

Bonny hesitated again as she listened to the Deck Chief chastise a sailor for some sloppy sheet work. Looking back to Billy, she confided, "I have not been with a man since my husband's death … more than a year ago."

She considered for a moment telling Billy that it was she who had killed Robert Hastings and ordered him thrown unceremoniously overboard. But after the tale of how Rolly had lost his cock, Bonny didn't think such a story would help the two of them move their relationship closer love making.

"This is not because I do not have men with whom I would like to lay, Captain," Bonny continued. "Many of my crew would be very happy to find pleasure between my thighs. Many more back in--"

She hesitated, realizing that she'd very nearly shared their destination with her hostage. She smiled slightly before going on, "Many men in my home port have wished to be with me … many have made the approach … many have, very forwardly, told me what they want … and then told me what they would give me for just one night in my bed."

Bonny sipped at her tea again, then filled both of their cups again herself. She sipped once more, staring into Billy's eyes. "In all that time … over a year … I've never wanted to be with a man as much as I do you now, Captain Billy. But … it cannot be … not here anyway … not out to sea, after having only met you yesterday. The effect on my crew … on my leadership over them … would be devastating. I would lose control … I would lose command … and I would lose my life."

She raised her cup to her lips once more, staring into the eyes of the man who she was certain would soon enough be the one to once again show her what it meant to be a woman. Soon, she thought to herself. Soon enough.

 

[BeachBum25]

Billy loved being on the ocean. Of course, it was the only thing that he could remember. He stood on the deck and thought about how poorly his first voyage as the captain of a ship was going. He couldn't believe how bad his luck was. First voyage and not just was his cargo lost, but his ship had been seized.

Thinking about what he would do in the future, Billy contemplated how he could better defend his ship, his cargo and his men. It was certain that other pirates would not be as accommodating as Captain Belle Bonny was.

"Good morning Captain," he replied as the commander of the pirate ship approached him on the deck. "I hope I did not wake you as I left your cabin. I just wanted to come up and check on the Swan and to make sure that I saw the sunrise."

"I love to see the rising sun. For as long as I can remember, I have made it a point to be up to watch it lift up over the horizon. It sets an incredible tone for the day." He smiled at her as she looked out at it.

After they were seated up on the quarter deck with breakfast served to them, Billy listened as Belle Bonny spoke about last night not being a tease. "Captain, I am a guest on your ship. You have afforded me the best of accommodations. It was me that was intruding on your routine."

Billy was trying not to let on that he believed that everything the pirate captain was doing was very carefully planned and intended for some specific purpose. He was not sure yet, what that purpose was, but there was no doubt in his mind that Belle Bonny was a very calculating woman.

When she talked to him about the men who wanted to be with her, there was no doubt that the line of men who wanted to crawl between her thighs was extremely long. He remained quiet and listened as she talked; catching that she almost revealed their destination.

When Belle Bonny told him that she wanted to be with him, Billy did not change his expression. He knew she was probably looking for a reaction from him, and he would not give her one. This was probably part of her master plan.

Although he did not change his expression, and he maintained eye contact with Belle Bonny, Billy's thoughts drifted back to the sight of her naked the night before. There was no doubt that, if given the chance, that he would thoroughly enjoy slipping between her legs and engaging in hours of pleasure. He would love to give her what had been lacking in her life for many months.

"Captain, you are certainly an incredibly attractive woman, and any man that was allowed to be in your company would indeed be one of the luckiest men alive. I would not wish to engage in any activity that would put you in any peril, nor would I allow you to do something with me that would endanger you."

He stopped there. He knew his options in all of this were limited, but he continued to wonder what the beautiful pirate's master plan really was.

 

[PennySaver]

Bonny studied Billy for a long moment after he swore his vow to protect their agreement and -- more importantly -- her command and, thus, her life. She responded with a sincere tone, "I appreciate what you have said, Captain."

She looked to the table and what remained of the wonderful breakfast Rolly had provided them. She began a conversation about the pleasures of fresh foods at sea when proximity to ports-of-call afforded such things. She was being careful speaking about the proximity of such ports to her own home port. She had read much of the log from Swan last night before joining the ship's captain in her quarters, so she knew that he was a good pilot and -- given enough clues -- could easily determine her home port as being in Northwestern Madagascar

"Sails!" the Main Top Watch suddenly called out interrupting their friendly conversation. Bonny sprang from her chair and snatched a spy glass from the nearby Officer of the Deck as the man 20 feet above them specified, "Two points to port … ten … no, eight miles."

"Captain Billy, would you be kind enough to join the Signalman," Bonny barked out as if he were just another member of her crew. "Please let them know we're not alone."

While all sailors of the Western World used the same International Signal System, Bonny knew that many crews had their own sort of shorthand when it came to important events such as spotting a nearby ship when it was better to be alone on the see. She wanted Billy to communicate with Swan in the most productive and prudent way possible.

Bonny searched the sea to the north-northwest and after just a dozen seconds or so found what the Watch had seen. It was a gaff-rigged topsail schooner, a beautiful style of boat that -- by her own experience -- Bonny knew to perform well as a fast moving warship, be it a national warship or a pirate vessel. That last distinction there was, of course, what was of the greatest interest to Bonny at this moment: if the distant ship was simply a merchant vessel, Andrea had little about which to worry; if it was a pirate ship, it would most certainly head this way but -- in all likelihood -- turn away once Bonny identified Andrea, which was very well known hereabout; but if it was a warship from one of the European nations, it would be duty bound to head this way to investigate, then challenge, particularly after it spotted Swan and its captain presumed Bonny's ship was shadowing the heavy merchant ship for the purpose of piratical acts.

"Deck Chief!" Bonny called out after a few minutes, her voice just loud enough to ensure the man heard her. She kept her eye to the looking glass, studying the vessel as she ordered, "All crews to their stations. Man the guns. Ready the rifles."

Suddenly, Andrea sprung to life. Bonny handed the scope back to the Officer of the Deck and told him to keep an eye on the vessel. She wanted to know who and what they were as soon as possible. But she wasn't waiting for that news as she watched over the crew bringing her warship to life.

"Captain Murray," she called out to Billy, using his surname for the first time since she'd used it during their introductions. When he looked to her, Bonny asked, "If our friend is an English warship … and I have to destroy it … are you and I going to have to rethink our agreement?"[/I]

 

[BeachBum25]

Billy listened intently as the pirate captain talked. He continued to hope she would give him enough information to determine their destination. It wasn't like he could do anything with it, but the more information he had, the better off his crew and he would be.

He watched her jump up and spring into action. Billy was impressed by the way Belle Bonny took control of her ship and made plans before it could be determined whether the ship was a threat or not. She was a true professional... her sex had no bearing.

Moving to join the Signalman, Billy tried to determine if there was a secret code to their messaging. The Signalman did not share any information, but began the process of preparing to send the message that the Captain deemed necessary.

Looking back toward the Swan, Billy worried about his ship. It could not defend itself, plus, the Andrea's First Mate was now in charge of her, and there was no way he could do anything to maneuver her to safety.

Belle Bonny observed her men as they prepared for a battle. They still weren't certain the ship was a threat, but they would not be taken by surprise. Billy strained to see the ship, but without the use of a looking glass, he could make no determination on whether it was a threat.

He heard the pirate captain refer to him by his last name and turned to her. Billy gave a look of disgust to her as she asked whether her actions would impact their deal. "Captain, we have a deal. I am offended that you think I would go back on it. I am not a member of the Royal Navy. I am a merchant Captain. If you sink a Royal Navy ship, that is none of my concern."

Billy once again looked back to his ship. He was certain that the pirate captain could defeat another pirate ship. He wasn't sure about their ability to defeat a warship, although, the Andrea was well armed. "Captain, what do you need me to do?"

 

[PennySaver]

"Captain, we have a deal," Billy responded to Bonny's question, further explaining how he felt about her going into battle against a warship from his home nation. She showed her pleasure with widening lips. He asked, "Captain, what do you need me to do?"

Bonny's most skilled pilot -- possibly even more skilled than herself -- was her first mate, and Connor, of course, was now aboard Swan. She looked out to port again at the sails which were only just barely visible to the naked eye and contemplated the man's offer.

"I may need a pilot," she said turning back to meet his gaze. She would pitch the orders as Captain, but the pilot was responsible for turning those orders into actual action by the sailing crew. She knew -- at least hoped to hell -- that the reason Billy was called Captain Billy was because he understood how to maneuver a sailing ship. While it might not have been necessary, she informed him, "She maneuvers a great deal quicker and sharper than your own great ship, Captain. I'm sure you'll--"

"Colors!" the Main Top Watch called from high above, interrupting the conversation below.

Bonny snapped her fingers for the looking glass and a moment later was looking at that about which the Watch was alerting her: the distant ship was unfurling a massive flag of white with a red cross design. She murmured to herself just loud enough that Billy likely heard it as well, "Spanish warship."

She handed the scope back to the Officer of the Deck, with whom she chatted quietly for a moment. The man glanced to Billy with an expression of concern, spoke softly to Bonny again, then stiffened and said formally, "Aye, Captain."

The man took a sort of ceremonial step backward, and as she turned to Billy again, Bonny called, "Captain Murray...! You have the Conn'. Take us into battle, please, sir."