Sea Change (Closed)

[KiwiD82]

1721. Near Tortuga.

Captain Samuel Cornelius realised just how much he hated storms as he used the handrail to help him ascend the few wooden steps from the corridor that linked his quarters to the deck. His sloop, the Vengeful Bounty didn't like storms either, and it tossed the sailors around as if to make that clear.

Planting his feet atop the wooden surface of the ship, Samuel watched his crew busily guide the vessel between the heaving waves of an angry ocean. If the sea bothered to look back, it would have noticed two things that made this pirate captain different from his peers.

Firstly, in his mid-to-late twenties, the man was young to have his first command, which meant the brashness of youth and the excitement of adventure had not yet fully escaped him.

And secondly, he cared about his appearance. Instead of trying to impress or intimidate with scars, tattoos, and threats, Samuel was relatively clean cut. 6ft 2in tall with a medium build, dark brown hair, blue eyes, and a smile that could be warm when he wanted it to be, Captain Cornelius considered himself the gentleman pirate - hard but fair to those under his command, and generous with his prisoners.

Putting on his tricorne, Samuel turned to climb the steps to the quarterdeck when he heard the cry from above.

"Ship ahoy! It's a shipwreck, sir!"

Samuel looked up towards the crow's nest as he reached the top of the steps. How the lookout could see anything in this weather was beyond him, but perhaps this storm wasn't such a bad thing after all.

"Look for survivors first," the captain spoke calmly to his first mate who then relayed his instructions to the relevant crew members. "We might find someone worthy of a brief stay on the Vengeful Bounty. After the storm passes, we can look for goods to sell in port."

The ship swung to the right and towards the wreckage and rowboats that only now were coming into the captain's view.

 

[Jupiter0]

Anna Louise Coleman was the daughter of a wealthy merchant and had recently moved to the Caribbean to make a new life with her father. She was promised to the son of the Govenor of one of the port towns. She could care less for that life and had regarded her father in a very negative light for making her endure the months-long journey on a ship to get there. After a few weeks living in the Governor's house, she was bored out of her mind. She missed her country house in England. It was to hot here, and she wasn't allowed to leave the property due to the dangers in town.

Well as soon as she could devise a plan, Anna had dressed in rags, pulled her hair up into ha tattered cap and snuck aboard a ship to gain passage back to England. She had made it a few days unnoticed in the galley of a ship and was figured she was in the clear until one fateful night a storm ravaged her ship, killing most of the crew and leaving them stranded.

Anna figured she was already dead. Or was soon going to be. When she felt rough hands drag her onto a study, yet still rocking, surface. Gathering her bearings, she sat up and was thankful to see that her hat was still on her head, hiding her long brown locks. She didn't want anyone to find out her gender, especially her identity.

 

[KiwiD82]

The sailors mostly found bodies. There was nothing Samuel's crew could do for the deceased and he despised the thought of stealing possessions from the bodies of dead men.

The few they could see were still alive got hauled aboard: four in all. Two burly looking men claimed to be gunners. Another said he was a deckhand. The fourth seemed like a young lad and had a confused look about him as Samuel approached.

"Cabin boy, I presume?" he stated, but the nervous confusion of the other men piqued his interest.

The new arrival who sat next to the young sailor - the deckhand - shook his head.

"I ain't never seen 'im, sir," the man volunteered. "I was reckonin' 'e was one of yours."

The captain turned to the young lad again, silently waiting for an explanation.

 

[Jupiter0]

Anna felt everyone's eyes on her. She was found out and knew she had to come up with a good explanation. And fast. She straightened her had, nervously as she tried to muster up her deepest voice.

"I...erm." She said, coughing a bit, her throat rough from all the saltwater she had probably swallowed. "Stowaway." She mumbled. "Needed to get away."

Hopefully she could continue in this ruse. Anna figured she was in the hands of pirates, after looking around a little. She didn't want to know what would happen to her if they found out who she was.

 

[KiwiD82]

Samuel took a few moments before he responded, as he considered what to do.

"Gunners, I need plenty of," he eventually spoke. "And deckhands are always useful. But stowaways?"

Samuel bent down and pulled Anna to her feet so as to get a closer look at her.

"Stowaways usually serve no purpose but to take up space and consume food."

The captain gently cupped her chin, then turned her head side to side as if doing so might help him decide what to do next.

"You shall have to serve a purpose if you're to stay on this ship. I'll have the bosun assess your worth and find some suitable work for you."

Samuel stepped back, then addressed all four new arrivals.

"My name is Captain Samuel Cornelius. The vessel you now find yourselves on is the Vengeful Bounty. We are bound to no nation or allegiance, and you will follow my orders to the letter. But if you prefer, you can choose to return to your previous ship?"

Several of the crew watching on laughed, then turned back to their stations as the storm began to abate. The bosun approached the group to guide them to their new stations, and Samuel turned back towards his quarters.

 

[Jupiter0]

Her heart was racing in terror as this pirate held her face and looked her up and down, knowing he would surely see through her ruse. Thankfully it didn't seem that way as he announced that she would be given a job to do on board. Anna breathed a sigh of relief as people started to move about and the bosun headed towards her and the other shipwrecked survivors.

"Alright lemme take a good look at ye." The brutish man said, eyeing her up and down. She was scrawny due to the lack of nutrition these past couple of days, and her breasts were bound with a strip of linen, so she appeared to be a young boy fresh off the streets.

"Yer a bit thin, but surely scrubbin the deck will be good fer ye." The man said as he pointed her towards the bow of the ship.

Suddenly a gust of wind tossed the ship, knocking everyone about. The rain was dying down some, but the wind still blew and Anna was knocked off her feet. As she recovered, coughing some sea water out of her mouth that had splashed over her. As she stood up a few gasps around her made her realize that her cap had been lost and her hair was now curtained around her face. Surely there was no way out of this now.

 

[KiwiD82]

Samuel was halfway back to his quarters when he heard the call.

"Cap'n! You might wan' to see this!"

He turned back towards the bosun's voice and saw a gathering crowd.

Approaching the scene, Samuel's presence was enough to part the crowd and he saw the young stowaway, long hair flowing.

"Well, I'll be," the captain spoke. "It seems we have a lady in our presence."

He bowed slightly, raising his tricorne hat. Some of his crew laughed, thinking the sight of their captain tipping his hat to a stowaway was somewhat comical, but they were quickly sent back to work.

Samuel offered Anna a helping hand, then added: "Walk with me."

 

[Jupiter0]

Anna's heart stopped as the captain came toward her and bowed. Unsure of what to do she just stood there, frozen, hearing laughs boom around her. She had no choice but to take the offered hand of the captain and follow him, knowing full well what was in store for her. She decided silence would be her best weapon until she could explain who she was, maybe she could bribe her way back using herself as a ransom.

 

[KiwiD82]

There had been rumours from time to time of female pirates, though Samuel had never met one. And this stowaway didn't seem very piratical.

"I apologise for my crew," Samuel began as he led Anna towards his quarters. "They're red-blooded men who haven't seen a woman in the flesh for months. The sea can be a dangerous place for a lady."

Samuel guided the unwitting interloper below deck and opened the door to his quarters, beckoning Anna inside.

The room itself was as comfortable as one could be on a ship. A large desk greeted visitors, with ornately carved wooden chairs on either side. Paintings adorned the walls, a chaise longue sat against one wall, and at the back of the room, almost out of sight, a large four poster bed looked comfortable.

Samuel took a seat at his desk, and invited Anna to sit opposite.

"I've no doubt you must have an interesting story to take such a risk. I'd like to hear it - and you can start with your name."

 

[Jupiter0]

Anna knew very well the dangers of being a woman on a ship. Not only was it considered bad luck, but she had been told that most men would rape her as soon as they figured out she was a girl.

She was intrigued to see the inside of a captains cabin, and was amazed at all the decorations and how...well homey it looked. It seemed that he conducted his business here as well as slept here. Sitting timidly where he beckoned her, she stared at the floor, too afraid to answer him. But she figured she might as well use her only bargaining chip. She looked back up at the captain, her courage returning to her.

"My name is Anna Louise Coleman. Daughter of Marcus Edward Coleman, famed merchant of the Caribbean. And promised to Jonathan Chambers, future governor of Kingston, colony of England. If you return me to my father unharmed, you will receive a handsome reward and a pardon by the Governor."

 

[KiwiD82]

Samuel listened patiently to Anna's introduction. He admired her boldness.

"Aye, I've heard of your father," he replied quietly in contemplation.

Then he stood and moved to a chest that sat at the foot of his bed. He picked it up and carried it over. Whatever was inside was much lighter than doubloons and jewels.

He placed it at Anna's feet and opened it to reveal an assortment of fine garments - both male and female.

"If you're a lady, you should dress like one. And if I'm to keep you safe, you'd best stay in my quarters when possible - I fear the men would let their passions run wild otherwise."

Samuel classily strolled around the desk and returned to his seat.

"But you'll need to explain something to me, Anna - if you're a wealthy merchant's daughter and have been promised to a governor's son, why were you running away in the first place?"

 

[Jupiter0]

Anna's eyes lit up as she saw the garments, desperate to change out of these filthy rags and wear something fit for her stature. Surely he didn't mean for her to undress in front of him. So she stayed where she was sitting, unable to move out of modesty. She was glad to hear that he was going to keep her safe, and thankful he seemed to be able to keep his passions tamed.

"I don't need to explain myself to you, Pirate." She said, embarrassed that her plan didn't succeed and that she was now on her way back to where she was trying to run away from.

 

[KiwiD82]

Samuel chuckled lightly at Anna's defiance. She was feisty - he liked that, and he wondered if it had anything to do with her running away.

"Very well, milady," he grinned as he stood once again. "But for someone who stowed away on a ship and not ten minutes ago said she needed to get away, you seem decidedly eager to return."

Samuel took a moment to look Anna over. She wasn't bad to look at, but she was dirty and probably underfed.

"I'll have a bucket of heated water brought here so you can wash, and I'll ensure you get a generous serving at each meal. You can consider yourself a guest here, and if you change your mind about Kingston, you need only say where you'd prefer to go. In the meantime, pick a few dresses and if you find something you like, you can keep it."

Dresses weren't exactly his most prized possession. Seeing them go to someone whom society deemed worthy only made sense.

Samuel offered Anna a warm and polite smile, then left his room to attend to other matters - and the stowaway now had full access to the captain's quarters.

 

[Jupiter0]

His offer to take her anywhere took her by surprise. Did she really want to go back to England? There was nothing really waiting for her there. Maybe this was a chance to start over. But how? With no money or means, should couldn't possibly have a suitable life anywhere other than Kingston.

Anna figured she'd have at least a few days to think about it. She doubted the Captain was going to stop his current route to take her back, regardless of the reward for her safe return.

As he left she thanked him for his generosity and started shifting about the chest of garments. She dreaded wearing a corset or a full-length dress again, it would only constrict her and make her ill on this ship, as it did when she crossed the ocean the first time.

She found a suitable bodice that wouldn't be too constricting, however it did push her breasts in, as was the fashion in these days. Not wanting to wear a dress, she found some suitable men's breeches that matched in color. She looked at herself in the small mirror she found by the bed. It wasn't bad, but it was far better then the rags she had lived in for weeks.

She also found a decent nightgown that she slipped on, while waiting for the water to be brought in. When it did, she scrubbed her pale skin raw with the rough cloth, attempting to get rid off all the grime and salt that had covered her body. She didn't succeed fully, knowing that she would remain on this boat for a while and have plenty of time to get dirty again. But it was nice to be able to feel at least somewhat clean.

 

[KiwiD82]

After having organised the bucket of hot water, Samuel made sure to take his time. A woman had nothing if she didn't have her dignity, he decided, and he doubted she could get up to too much trouble in his quarters by herself.

He passed the time by assessing the work of his sailors, meeting the new crew members, and ensuring the bosun was preparing to set down the anchor as they waited for a break in the weather and an opportunity to search the wreckage for valuables.

Samuel would normally have eaten with his crew, but as captain, that was his prerogative. So when the cook eventually made the dinner call, Samuel ensured he got twice his usual serving, and he returned to his quarters, taking the unusual step of knocking on his own door.

"Milady Coleman? I have your dinner."

 

[Jupiter0]

Anna had passed the time looking at the various trinkets and pictures around his room. She supposed as a pirate he would have things from around the world, and she was pleasantly surprised to find out she was right. She was sitting at his desk, trying to make sense of some charts when there was a knock at the door.

Standing up, for fear he wouldn't like her snooping, she moved around to one of the lounge chairs and sat there, as gracefully as she could.

"You may enter." She called back to him, her heart racing.

 

[KiwiD82]

Samuel nudged the door open, grinning that Anna already felt comfortable enough to tell him when he could enter his own quarters.

That grin faltered when he saw his guest, donning a bodice and relaxing on the chaise longue. The stowaway he'd met earlier in the day had been replaced by a gorgeous woman. She would definitely get too much attention above deck...

"I don't know what kind of food you were eating on the last ship," Samuel spoke, regaining his composure. "But on the Vengeful Bounty, we like to spoil our guests."

The captain placed both servings on the desk and took to his usual seat, oblivious of Anna's snooping.

On each plate rested a hot and steaming serving of lobster, mashed potato, beans, and a small glass of rum.

"The crew has soup tonight," Samuel added.

 

[Jupiter0]

Anna was sure her stomach could be heard growling on the opposite end of the ship. She hadn't seen food like this in a week.

"Thank you for your generosity." She said to the captain, remembering her manners. It took her everything not to dig in and eat like a pig. She placed her hands in her lap, waiting for him to begin eating, not wanting to seem rude.

 

[KiwiD82]

Samuel cocked his head slightly in bewilderment at Anna's patience.

"Please, milady, don't wait for me - you must be starving."

The poor woman was probably used to eating well, and she appeared thin. Samuel was confident that with a few good meals, she would return to her fuller figure before too long.

The captain lifted his glass of rum and held it up in a toast.

"To new beginnings, should you want one," he grinned, swigging the drink and then taking his cutlery to the lobster.

 

[Jupiter0]

Anna raised her glass to his toast and took a sip. It was definitely a liquor, not the wine she had become accustomed to. After the second sip, she figured she liked the taste. She reached for her utensils and began dining on the lobster, thankful for such a delicious meal.

"Thank you, Captain." She said again, hoping she could regain composure and eat like a lady was supposed to. But frankly she was starving. Digging into the mashed potato, she almost let out an auditory moan at how delicious it was.

 

[KiwiD82]

Samuel grinned to himself as Anna began to devour the meal in front of her. It didn't bother him in the slightest. If anything, it was refreshing to see a lady eat like she was hungry, rather than trying to maintain appearances.

The whole display was oddly attractive. Anna was clearly a beautiful woman - and would become moreso as she recovered her strength - and she was acting like a pirate.

"I'm pleased you found clothes to your liking," he offered. "Please feel free to take other dresses if they feel comfortable."

He took another mouthful of lobster as he continued to speak.

"We'll wait for the storm to calm down overnight, then plunder the ship tomorrow. From there, we'll go to Tortuga, and perhaps to Kingston later, if you insist."

 

[Jupiter0]

Anna was a little startled to hear him speak. She looked down at the clothes she had chosen and then back to him.

"Thank again for these. It's refreshing to be out of those rags." She said, trying not to wonder how it was that he came to have all these dresses. Starting to feel full, she slowed down and sipped on her rum, a buzzed feeling starting to spread through her.

"I've never been to Tortuga." She mentioned, not saying anything about Kingston, knowing that it would be at least a week before she had to make the decision of her going back or not.

Anna took this moment to really look at the captain. He was younger than she first assumed. He was surprisingly clean, for a pirate. She admired his physique, noting his handsome features and his captivating eyes.

 

[KiwiD82]

Samuel chuckled quietly when Anna spoke of Tortuga. Her ignorance was evident.

"You haven't missed much, milady, I assure you," he grinned as he tore apart another piece of lobster. "Tortuga is a pirate haven and it can get rough if you're new to the place. I'd suggest you stay aboard the Vengeful Bounty, where you'll be safe."

The captain took one last swig of rum, emptying his glass.

"Unless," he added, "you'd like someone to show you around."

He grinned again, warmly this time, curious to see how she might react.

 

[Jupiter0]

"Well I'm sure with you around, I'd be very well protected." Anna said, drinking some more rum. She was sure if she were to stand, she wouldn't be able to walk very well, especially with the wind moving the boat around so much.

"That is, assuming you would still want the heavy ransom you're sure to get when you return me to Kingston." She said, sure he was determined to see her safely back to her father. Not only will there be a significant amount of gold, she was sure he'd be able to grand this pirate ship a pardon, giving them free range over a great amount of the Caribbean.

 

[KiwiD82]

Samuel considered Anna's words, mulling them over as he contemplated his response.

"I encountered you by sheer chance, milady," he began. "Your ship was wrecked by the weather, not me. Three new crew members and whatever booty we find on the morrow is reward enough."

The pirate captain knew what was potentially on offer, but as nobody on his ship knew of Anna's true identity, they wouldn't get upset if there was no payment.

"I shall still return you to Kingston if you wish to go there," he added. "But I'll not ransom you in the process."

As far as Samuel was concerned, his beautiful new guest was an unwitting participant in the piracy situation - she was no enemy of his and she shouldn't be treated as a commodity to be sold or traded for freedom.