One

She awoke to the smell of the salty air, the sound of the water caressing the side of the ship, and the gulls off in the distance. Ah yes, the life of a pirate, how she enjoyed it. They say women are bad luck on a ship; she proved them wrong. The number of ships she had commandeered was far greater that that of other pirates or those left of them. The number of towns and cities she had over turned and robbed were countless. She stretched out her arms and felt the warmth of the sun kiss her skin. Every morning it was the same routine, she'd wake, bathe, eat and make her plans.

She clicked her tongue and her monkey came to her at once. She stroked his head and gave it a piece of fruit. The monkey chirped and rubbed its head against her hand.

"Dolores?"

She didn't answer; she only lay on her bed playing with her pet. She was trying to ignore all other sounds

"Dolores?" again he called. Still, she did not respond. He entered her cabin and found her upon the bed, her thin gown nearly falling off her shoulders. She sat up, her hair like a black river of silk embracing her body. She only glared at him, disappointed that he had disturbed her morning.

"I beg your pardon," he apologized as he bowed, placing his hat over his chest. "But you are needed on deck."

She sighed and nodded her head at him. He took his leave and shut the door, allowing her some privacy. She didn't move from her position until she was sure that he had gone away from the cabin. Clearing her throat, she began to undress.

On the outside, she was known as a cold hearted woman, heeding to none, without any mercy at all. She was skilled with weapons, quick in both mind and words. Her voice persuaded many, smooth and sweet like honey. But when she was angry, she commanded with such demand that few could disobey her. But within, she was a gentle woman, merciful and kind. No one knew her true self. There was one, however, one man that had touched her heart and turned her harsh ways into loving. A pity he was gone now.

"My lady," Aaron, a man that stuck out of the crew like a diamond in the rough, addressed her as she exited her cabin. He was basically her guardian. A man of loyalty and commitment, Aaron had hardly any flaws. He was broad in the shoulders, muscle framing his entire body, and tall, much taller than she was. In fact, he was the largest man on board.

Dolores dipped her head towards him, acknowledging him. The more she looked at him, the more she thought him beautiful. He was exquisite. His long apricot colored hair, his incomparable eyes that matched the color of the ocean waters were only a morsel of what could be explained. For over ten years, Aaron had stayed by her side, defending her. He had found her half dead upon a shipwreck, a young daughter of a noblewoman whose ship had been attacked by pirates. He was one of them. Out of pity, he took her for himself, and cared for her. Over the years, he taught her many things. But he had never ordered her to do any of his bidding. He appointed himself as her protector. And she took to the seas, becoming a pirate herself. They were partners, a lady and her sentinel, but never lovers.

"Captain, we are only a few short hours away from shore. Have you decided upon a raid or just a simple pleasure trip? If it is a raid, can we attack quietly? I adore the ambushes. If not," he said disappointingly, "we must find you a lovely gown to fit into, and the variety is great." His name was Thatcher, the same man that had awakened her that morn. He was aged, the years of memory shaping his face. He had come to work under Dolores after she had decided not to kill him after a battle with his previous band of pirates he was involved in. He was devoted and true to his word; a heavy drinker, however.

She hadn't spoken yet. She stared off into the distance, where the shoreline was just a little more than a blur upon the horizon. She fingered the ring on her right hand and shook her head.

"We will take to the wharf and enter the city," Aaron answered for her. "We must not reveal who we truly are just yet."

Thatcher rolled his eyes, still not used to the fact that Aaron responded for her most of the time. He sighed and said, "Aye, captain." He turned and shouted orders to the crew. He walked down the steps and pointed at certain people to do certain tasks.

"Is it really necessary to have him answer even the most simplest of questions?"

She needn't turn to see who it was. Lysander had a very distinct voice; one could recognize it hidden among a clash of noise. It sounded like silver hitting a crystal glass. He was young, youngest out of all the crew. He was no older than twenty, but he did not seem like it. From a line of warriors, he had the face of a young prince, though he was not of any royal blood. He was one of the six men that protected Dolores. Out of them all, he was the swiftest, being also the smallest in height and build. But his speed was his advantage; he could avoid even the most brutal of attacks. His attacks and moves were quick, but it could not compare to his mouth.

"Honestly, you have a mouth for a reason; it won't hurt to use it."

Dolores glanced at him, "It won't kill you to keep your mouth shut, that's for sure." She crossed her arms and stared off into the distance. "It's been proven as a fact that you can breathe through your nose as well, Lysander. You won't die from sealing those lips of yours."

He smiled, flashing his white teeth, "Well, at least we know you're still sane, having not spoken for the past three days." He leaned against the railing, his head tilted in the same direction as hers. "So," he began. "Care to tell what you're looking for at that place?"

She looked at him, not moving her head but only her eyes in such a way that it made Lysander wince. She looked back and her eyes narrowed. Together, she and Aaron spoke, "None of your business."

Then Dolores grinned, interest filling her face, "Not just yet, Lysander."

He shrugged and went to attend his duties, "Aye, captain. I might as well help the others." He chuckled, pulling up his sleeves to aid anyone.

"Don't mind him, Dolores. Lysander is only a boy who cares nothing but his vows," Aaron said as he stood closer to her. "He is young, but he will learn his manners soon."

"It's all right, Aaron. I understand his type. He's carefree, wanting nothing more but a good time." She brushed the hair away from her eyes and carefully observed the distant shoreline. Even though they were quite a few miles away, she could see the vast white sails of several ships and the fading sound of a bell. She let the wind brush past her face, just barely touching her ivory skin.

"What are you thinking?"

She closed her eyes, remembering. "What to wear when we get to shore, and I'm trying my best to be patient."

"Patient? Are you eager?"

"Oh, very eager, Aaron," she admitted to him as she opened her eyes. "I can't wait till I get the chance to do my favorite things. I'm sure that we will be getting the greatest pleasure out of this."

Aaron laughed quietly to himself. "Don't you always?"

"But the other times will not compare to when I will get my hands on what I want. Trust me, Aaron; if you could feel my emotions when it happened to me, you would be angry as well. We were only lucky to find the trail."

She began to unbutton her blouse and return to her cabin to change out of her clothes into something more elegant. Ah, the attention she would receive, being a foreigner and of a totally different fashion. Sometimes she loved being different, but other times, she loathed it.

"Aaron," she said to him before entering the cabin. "Make sure that everyone dresses decent, enough to make them look wealthy. And yourself of course."

"Yes, my lady," he said as he bowed. "I will have them ready in an hour's time for you to approve."

"Good. And one more thing, Aaron."

"Yes?"

"Make sure you bring a whip. I wouldn't want to miss the chance of hurting him. I would hate that. You of all people should know."