So this story is like Shakespeare meets Zorro aboard the Black Pearl. It is told with an Old World feel.
Summary: Have you ever wondered what Eric's life was like? What he did? Who he met? Here is a look at Eric from the fourteenth century all the way until present day. It's a story of war, betrayal, loss, allies, enemies, and finally leading to his one true love.
Oh Captain, My Captain
Year: 15XX
Setting: In the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
Entry from the Captain's Log
When one has eternity to contend with, life turns into a sea of monotonous events - droning on, one day blending into the next until they are all the same. The one constant, the sounds of the sea rocking my ship hither and thither. The euphoric salty sea air reminded me of days past, buried like treasure long forgotten. When one hath lived so long amusement becometh a thing of the past with only the brief of moments given a second thought.
Pirating reminded me of love and life. My love for the sea was the only way to spend life, quoth my father, a Viking King, so many centuries ago. Pirating indulged my basic vampiric needs to feed, fuck, and conquer swiftly with the tip of the blade. But, without worthy opponents, battle was swift, unsatisfying, and completely unmemorable. Until tonight….
Walking down the darkened hallway fueled by screams of terror, no one left alive in my wake, I came upon an ornately carved closed door with a detailed crest above the frame. Upon lifting the latch of the heavy oak door I discovered that 'twas bolted securely from the inside. Intriguing. The door gave way with a loud crack, the frame cowering in submission, as I applied pressure with only the palm of my hand.
I had expected a fearful peon on their hands and knees, quaking, praying to their God, clutching a Rosary, asking for their life to be spared. I hath seen and heard it all- the begging, the futile promises, but it all ended the same- my fangs into their fleshy neck as the breath of life and blood bequeathed into my possession.
It had been days since I fed and was looking forward to quickly satisfying my hunger. But, naught had prepared me for the bountiful vision set before me.
She was illuminated with golden light; every bit as angelic as my Norse Goddess Freya. As if my eyes hath deceived me I blinked a few times at the shimmering aura that surrounded her. The soft glow of the candlelit room enhanced her beauty as it coruscated every curve of her body through the flimsy fabric of her nightdress. Her golden locks fell in soft waves down her back flowing freely over her taut breasts. Her eyes mirrored the most sought after sapphire as they focused on me with a furious fire. This beauty exuded spirit, and feared naught. She stood ready with her sword unsheathed to defend herself and her own. A smirk coursed my lips as nothing personified betrayed her confidence. But, the smell of her fear permeated the air like a tightly woven blanket.
My eyes glowed with anticipation, my fangs pulsating in my mouth eager to be satisfied. Licking my lips, I focused on the figure before me beckoning with my call, "Come hither to me and let me taste thy bounty."
She seemed to shake herself, releasing her eyes from mine. Her eyes blazed with the fury of a thunderstorm brewing in its wake. Her voice was commanding, defying me and she said, "Leave my ship at once!"
Confounding by her for breaking my glamour and amused by her defiance, I decided to entertain myself by taunting her. "Your ship? I was unaware that a Lady would own such fine possessions! Where is thou protector? Or is a woman of such means beyond protection?"
"This is my father's vessel and in his absence it is my duty to fulfill his wishes," she responded gripping her sword tighter, "So, I will ask thee once again Sir, remove yourself from this ship. You have what you came for, raiding me of its riches. Now go! Leave us be so I can carry out my commission and not disgrace the memory of my father."
The force and tone with which she spoke intrigued me, stirring my long-dead heart for I loved such fire. Laying my eyes upon the woman, I saw, for the first time, more than the satisfaction of my hunger or a means to calm my loins. Making up my mind, I knew I shalt not feel loneness anymore. She had not perceived my intensions, and I would receive the reward of her bounty.
"You buried thy father?" I asked curiously, in a softer tone.
Her voice softened as well, "Yes, and I must fulfill his last request."
"What was it, for thou art filled with mystery?" I mused.
"Before his passing he besought a marriage contract for me. If I do not fulfill the terms of the contract I lose all I have. I have a duty to my father and to my betrothed. So I ask you again Sir, take what you wish, but leave me with this vessel and crew so I might find my way safely across the sea."
Her voice quivered at the mention of her father, but all weak emotions were lost as her resolved firmed.
It almost pained me to crush such spirit, but after finding such a treasure as she, I was not prepared to let her depart from my sight.
"Madame, you seem misinformed. I am Captain Northman, Pirate of the Seven Seas and I do not let captives live. You have but two choices- you shall surrender to me peacefully or I shall remove thee forcefully from this vessel. What is thy wish?" I commanded with an air of confidence.
She surprised me once again by her foolish bravery as she chocked her grip on the hilt of her sword and declared, "Those shall not be my only options, Monsieur!"
She lunged forward with her blade. Amused by her speed and courage I decided to entertain her and myself for a spell with a show of sword play.
As she danced forward, I parried back. The clang of steel on steel echoed through the room as I matched every one of her full force mighty strikes with only an ounce of strength of my own. The game of predator verses prey would have been over before it began if I had struck her with the full force of my mighty swing.
The sweetness of victory was when the opponent never anticipated the final blow until 'twas too late. I hath not felt such amusement for some time and continued our elegant dance across the planked floor.
She swung left and I dodged to the side catching her off balance as she sidestepped to the right almost losing her footing. Seizing the opportunity I swiftly grazed my blade across the gown which covered her right thigh exposing her shapely flesh without even marring her with a scratch.
She looked up in disbelief as her expression turned to outrage and her eyes burned with the fiery flames of hell. She swung her blade high with new vigor.
Clanging my blade against hers, I pushed back on her. She stumbled backwards allowing yet another swift stroke of my blade, this time tearing the fabric on her left thigh.
Briefly in my mind I calculated every angled cut that I needed to make in order for her garment to fall to the floor on its own accord. Mischievously I marveled at the idea of her standing in all her fleshly beauty before me. Tempting as the idea sounded she was more than a wench in a nightshirt. Something about this beauty captured my attention and I wanted to discover exactly what 'twas. Somehow I did not think her mysteries would be revealed if I disgraced her, provocatively cutting her garments into shreds so that my eyes could look upon her naked flesh.
But, this game of cat and mouse hath cometh to an end. The predator hath played with the prize long enough.
With a swift upward motion of my blade I dislodged her sword from her delicate hands. Her sword flew into the air only to be caught by my left hand. Using vampire speed I circled around behind her. Drawing her body close to mine, I crossed both blades in front of her creating a scissor beneath her neck. She was trapped betwixt the blades and my wanton, ready body.
Bravely, or foolishly she struggled in my grasp wiggling her barely covered derrière into my engorged manhood, causing a hiss to escape from my lips. For an instant, instinct took control pressing her soft, curvaceous body into mine grinding her bottom into my erection. Shaking myself free of need I brought my lips to her ear, breathing in her delectable scent of sweat and lilac.
I warned, "If I were you, I would stop struggling at once unless you want your clothes torn away and your body surrendered under mine." I rolled my pelvis into her backside, emphasizing my words so she would understand. Her body stiffened like a plank as meaning caught up with her. I felt her body heat against mine and though my words stirred in her a measure of fear I distinctly smelt her arousal from our erotic interlude.
"Do you yield?" I asked huskily, my voice filled with unquenched desire. I needed to know that if I freed her from my grasp she would not fight, for the fight fueled the heat in my loins and the instinct to chase.
"Yes," she spoke clearly, "I yield."
"Good," I stated with triumph in my voice. I threw her sword down and loosened my grip, spinning her around to face me, I stood in front of her with my blade outstretched letting her know that I was now in complete control. "What is thy name?"
"Mademoiselle Catherine of the House of Ber Ghent, and I need not ask yours Sir, for you have already made it known."
"You may call me Captain… Ber Ghent, such an unusual name for a French Noblewoman." She did not make an acknowledging reply. I continued with my orders, "You will board my ship either as my guest or as my prisoner- thou must chooseth."
"And what would be required of me as your guest, Captain?" she inquired intelligently. Bargaining with the Devil could be dangerous, for pirates were notorious for finding loopholes that only benefited themselves.
"Thy wisdom confounds me. Thy father prepared thee well," I stated complementing her. "As my prisoner, you would reside below deck in a cell and every sailor aboard would take a turn with thee, for the seas are rough and the nights are long and lonely. Your body would be used until the crew either had their fill or you run cold, and hence be dumped overboard for the sea to claim. As my guest, you will reside in my chambers and no man will touch you." My lips twitched, for I was no man.
Her anger flared as fire danced in her eyes, "You mean no man but you!" she stated defiantly as her chin jutted out and her hands flew to her hips.
"I promise that my hands shall not touch thee unless asked. You will not get the same offer from my crew. If you are declared mine than no man shall touch thee without meeting the swift edge of my blade. What say you?"
"What about off your ship?" she countered.
I was impressed with her forethought as she looked for holes in my words. "I swear, no one shall lay hand on thee. Do we have a deal?"
"What will becometh of my father's ship?"
"Most of the crew hath been slain. The ship will be sunk to the depths of the ocean," I answered without emotion. I was tired of this game for no one ever dared to question me. It perplexed me on why I humored her to do so.
Tears welled in her eyes, "All the crew are dead?" she asked. It wasn't in her usual spirited tone, but spoken softly as her voice cracked.
"Anyone aboard in my wake perished."
"What about off the ship?" she asked.
I peered around her room noticing all her finery. "Where art thine attendants?" I asked stepping closer to her with my blade extended.
He voice quivered as she answered, "When we spied thou ship I sent them off to row ashore. Please….please leave them be. I beg of you," she declared with her head hung and hands clasped together.
This woman further perplexed me. She loved her attendants so much that she sent them away without regard for her own safety determined to defend her father's honor on her own. She was either too proud or too foolish to go with them.
I never left survivors. Survival depended on being careful and if my face was recognized my safety could be in jeopardy. A name was one thing, for one could fear such a name, but a face could be hunted and removed from existence. After thinking the situation through, I reasoned that since those off the boat had not seen my face, they would not perish.
"I will not kill them if you board my ship as my guest." I knew that I had this woman trapped. If she cared so much for their lives she would agree to my terms.
"Then we have ourselves an agreement. How do I know that thou wilt keep thy word? For what is the word of a pirate worth?" she challenged.
I should have been infuriated as she called my honor into question, but I was more flabbergasted by this creature who challenged me. In reply I stated, "Thou cannot be certain until my word is called into question. Your god hath taught ye faith as mine hath taught me honor."
"Thou dost not believeth in the God of Abraham?" she asked curiously, though not truly alarmed by the prospect.
"No, I do not believeth in him. I do not believeth in a god that has forsaken his people."
Instead of arguing her point, she responded with a question. "Has not your pagan god forsaken thee?"
Without even a thought to my answered I stated, "My gods are always with me. Enough, time has wasted on idle talk. Quickly pack what thou needest for dawn approaches." In actuality dawn was two hours away, but I was anxious to have her settled upon my ship.
"I must change my garments for I cannot board a ship full of sailors in tattered undergarments."
I was about to answer with a quick retort about looking her best for my fleshly deprived men, but decided against such banter. Her vanity was part of her regal charm and her upbringing would not allow such immodesty. For now, I appreciated that. I did not wish for her bountiful assets to be flaunted in front of my crew. I did not need the temptation of her beauty to cause discord aboard my ship.
"Very well then," I stated not making any effort to move.
"Would you please excuse me so I may change my clothing."
"My Lady, I agreed not to touch thee, but I did not say anything about not looking," I replied tauntingly.
To my utter surprise, she remained silent. Instead, she turned her back to me and slipped her nightshirt over her head letting her long golden locks cascade down her sculpted back. I stood in awe of this creature, firmly planting my feet on the floor. Her exquisite, elongated neck was ripe for the sucking; the crevice between her shoulder blades was primed for my lips; the curve of her back was made for my hands; and the roundness of her bottom beckoned for my shaft to taste the sweetness that resided between her thighs.
Yes, looking would be my downfall. To avoid further temptation and betrayal of my own flesh, I forced myself to turn around and face the opposite wall. Trying in vain to turn my attention away from her I listed all that must be done before the dawn. But, every time I tried to redirect my thoughts, the shimmering of fabric against her velvety soft skin or the low humming noises coming forth from her lips would distract me. Several times I scolded myself as my hands found their own way to the evident bulge in my britches.
Glancing over my shoulder I surmised that her frock was in place and the grunting noises that caused my manhood to twitch were actually frustrated struggles as she futilely tried to lace her own dress.
Her hands fell to her side stiffly as mine took over. Carefully, without touching any part of her or dwelling too much on the way the fabric hugged her bosom, I meticulously laced the back of her dress, starting at the top and working my way down.
After several long seconds of silence she broke it by saying, "Thank you…for assisting me."
Now was not the time for scorn, but to warm her to me. "You are welcome," I stated, without a hint of sarcasm. As an after thought I added, "We have several wenches aboard to keep the men….entertained. I shall assign one to thee so she may attend to your dressing, food, and drink while aboard my ship."
I finished tightening her gown and reluctantly removed my hands. Needing to draw my attention elsewhere I asked, "What else dost thou require?"
She sashayed over to her trunk, opened it and began filling it with trinkets and frocks hanging in a nearby wardrobe. I picked up her blade off the floor, and upon extending the hilt to her I stated, "Tis a fine blade, you might wish to pack this."
She spun around and asked in disbelief, "You wish me to be armed aboard your ship?"
"My Lady, I do not fear you catching thee unaware; but, I do believe you could benefit from a few sparing lessons," I stated with mirth. She did not need to know that I could bend her blade with my bare hand.
With a huff she mumbled, "My swordsmanship skills were not the problem." I chuckled at her spirit. She took the blade briskly from my hand, replaced it within its sheath, and packed it amongst her things.
When all was done I closed the trunk and lifted the oversized wooden carrying case over my left shoulder. Motioning with my sword, we exited the room. I noticed that her eyes never strayed to look behind.
A/N: Thank you to my fabulous Beta BathshebaRocks. Any and all mistakes are mine. I do not claim to be an expert on the language, but if anyone is proficient in Elizabethan English and would like to be a reader please let me know.
I hope to post one a week on Friday.
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