Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the authors. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. This is just a tribute.


After that fantastic response, how could I not post another chapter? :)

Thank you to willowbae for being an amazing beta and a great friend.


Chapter 2.

Overboard

As Renesmee climbed over the ship's rail, the captain charged forward to stop her, but he was too late. The vision of perfection slipped away from him before he could touch her, and he reached the rail just in time to see her disappear beneath the surface of the waves.

Several other men were close behind him, including the crewman who had been standing on the quarterdeck. They shouted in dismay as the young girl vanished from sight. The man from the quarterdeck leaned over the rail. He looked absolutely appalled.

"I don't know what happened… she wouldn't listen…" he gasped. "She just jumped…"

The captain gave no reply; his mouth was drawn into a hard line, as his eyes scanned the rough water. His frown was so deep that his eyes were lost in shadow. Then, without a word, he threw down his sword, climbed onto the wooden rail and dived into the ocean.

He was a strong swimmer and resurfaced quickly, instantly looking around him for the fallen girl. She was nowhere to be seen. He called up to his crew, his voice giving only a hint of the extreme anxiety that he was feeling.

"Do you see her?"

"She's there, Captain…" One of the men pointed frantically. "Over there."

The captain quickly turned his head and spotted her some distance away, coughing and gasping as she resurfaced.

Renesmee could swim, but she had never before attempted to do so in waters such as these. The waves were much bigger than they had appeared when she was watching them from the ship's deck, and the sea was stunningly cold. The sudden shock of being immersed in the freezing water had knocked all the breath out of her, and she had swallowed a large amount of saltwater, which burned in her throat and choked her.

By the time she had fought her way to the surface, she was already in serious trouble. Her soaked dress and petticoats were weighing her down, and her tight corset was making it even more difficult to breathe. She looked around frantically, with no idea of what to do. Jumping off the ship had been an instinctive move, it had constituted the quickest way to escape her pursuers, but she had thrown herself into a perilous position.

Renesmee could not see the land over the waves, she could only guess which way she should swim, not that it really made much material difference; the sea was so cold that she could barely move, and so rough that she could only just keep her head above the surface. She knew that the likelihood of surviving such a swim was fairly non-existent, but she would not give up and struggled hard to keep her arms and legs moving.

The only thing she could see was the Cruiser as it loomed above her; she glanced up at the ship and saw the Quileute men at the rail. They were shouting and pointing, but she could not hear their voices above the crashing waves. Her desperation to escape from these fierce buccaneers returned, and she turned away from them and threw all her energy into swimming in the opposite direction, without giving a second thought to what it would mean for her.

As soon as he caught sight of Renesmee, the captain started swimming towards her with powerful strokes. When he realised that she was actually swimming away from the Cruiser, he was astounded. It seemed that this girl would rather drown in the open sea, than risk returning to the ship. If he hadn't been putting all his attention into reaching her, he would have been cursing his crew for frightened her so badly.

She was not making it easy for him by swimming away from the ship, he could only be thankful that she was making very slow progress. As a large wave broke over her head, he felt a fresh surge of anxiety. Would he reach her in time? She survived the wave, but the captain was sure that she could not endure many more. He doubled his efforts, cutting through the freezing water with surprising speed.

Renesmee did not realise that he was following her until he was no more than a few feet away. It was only when he called out, that she glanced over her shoulder and caught sight of him. The instant she saw the pirate, she cried out in fright and attempted to evade him. But she did not get far, with a couple of swift strokes the captain caught up to her. He reached out and grabbed hold of her arm, circling her dainty wrist with his huge hand.

"Wait!"

Renesmee panicked and tried to break free, just as another wave threatened to engulf her. The water broke over them both, and he kept a firm hold on her arm, lifting her above the surface once the wave had passed. She arose sobbing and choking, and he drew her towards himself. As she felt herself being pulled through the water, she raised her fearful eyes to his.

He glanced down at the terrified girl and at that moment their gazes locked. The captain's eyes were very dark, almost black, and as she stared into them, Renesmee saw a look that she had never encountered before; a warmth and depth of feeling which was wholly new to her. She was unable to tear her eyes away from his, as a feeling of safety and comfort stole through her. For a second she could hardly remember where she was – or even who she was.

He continued to hold her gaze as he slipped a protective arm around her. "It's alright, I've got you." He gave her a brief smile and added in a steady tone. "Trust me."

Renesmee nodded wordlessly, hardly understanding why she found his voice so reassuring, or why she was consenting to anything that he suggested. She did not even realise that she had stopped struggling, until she found her slender waist encircled by his steely arm. She gave a small gasp of surprise as he drew her close. But she was no longer afraid; the look in his eyes banished all her fears. She did not doubt that she was safe with him.

The captain was still treading water, keeping her well above the surface as the waves rose around them. "Hold on to me," he said calmly, and before she knew it, she had wrapped her arm securely around his neck. He gave her a gentle squeeze as she clung to him and rested her chin on his broad shoulder.

Apart from her family, Lady Renesmee had never before been in such close proximity to a man. She had danced at numerous balls and parties, but none of the men she had danced with had ever held her like this. The captain pulled her so close that she could feel her temperature rise, in spite of the freezing water. His big body seemed to be radiating heat and she felt her lungs relax enough to take a proper breath.

She timidly raised her other hand to slip around his neck, passing it over his powerful chest and shoulders. The closer she got to him, the safer she felt. He held her tightly as he started to swim towards the Cruiser, using his free arm. They made steady progress towards the ship, under the gaze of the waiting crew. It was only then that Renesmee turned her wide eyes back to the men on deck.

The captain glanced down and saw her frightened expression. "You needn't be afraid. No one will harm you."

She said nothing, and did not try to resist as he towed her closer to the ship. As soon as they were within reach, his crew threw down a rope ladder from the lower deck and one of his men climbed down to meet them. The captain swam alongside the ship's hull and grabbed hold of the ladder, keeping it steady as he helped Renesmee gain a sure footing. The crewman caught hold of her hand, pulling her up onto the ladder in a rough-and-ready fashion.

Her strength was almost spent as she scaled the side of the ship. She was exhausted from the shock of the attack and the terrifying swim, and her saturated clothes were dragging her down, but she did not stumble, because the captain stayed close behind, guiding her feet and steadying her on her climb.

When the crewman reached the top of the ladder he climbed onto the deck, turning immediately to assist the lady over the rail. Lady Renesmee pulled herself up to the rail and shrank back as soon as she caught sight of the huge men who were awaiting her on deck.

When their captain had dived overboard, a number of his crew had crowded against the rail to watch the drama unfold. So when Renesmee appeared at the top of the ladder, they jostled forward to get a good look at her, staring and passing loud comments. Paul, her previous captor, was at the forefront of the men, wearing a forbidding expression.

Renesmee did not want to place herself at his mercy again, so she lingered fearfully at the top of the ladder, unwilling to proceed. It was then that the fierce voice of the captain rang out behind her, making her jump.

"Stand down, you fools!"

The men instantly fell back, and a second later, the captain climbed round behind her, catching hold of the ship's rigging and throwing his leg over the wooden rail. He kept a secure hold on her waist, to stop her from falling, as he swung his other leg over the rail and landed neatly on the deck. Before she knew it, he had lifted her over the rail.

He gently set her to stand on the lower deck. Her strength was waning and she swayed on her feet, unable to find her footing, but she had no chance to fall, because the captain supported her arm and steadied her.

He did not seem to be suffering from any ill effects from his swim, he was soaking wet, but seemed neither cold, nor tired. Renesmee, however, was not so hardy. He looked down at her with no small degree of concern. She was shivering with cold. Her dress was sopping wet and clinging to her slender form, her long hair was dripping down her back, and her mouth was turning purple against her freezing, white skin. He glanced around him and spotted the Rabbit's quartermaster, Mr Embry Call.

"Mr Call, give me your coat."

Renesmee recognised the crewman who stepped towards them as the man she had seen on the quarterdeck. He wasn't as big as the captain, but just like the rest of the Quileute crew, he looked very tall and strong. His straight black hair was tied in a ponytail, and he had the same tanned complexion as his shipmates. He had pleasant features and his expression was not hostile, but she still retreated nervously, as he stepped forward and pulled off his coat.

The captain would not let her go far; he kept a firm hold on her, and spoke in a low tone as he took the thick garment from his friend and handed it to Renesmee.

"Here, put this on."

She did not argue, but obediently slid her arms through the sleeves, grateful for the fact that the coat was already warm. The captain watched as she wrapped the coat around herself. She was completely dwarfed by its size and he gave a slight smile as she tried to find her hands in the long sleeves. It was to her advantage that the coat was so much bigger than she, because it acted like the perfect blanket. The warmth it provided gave her body a chance to recover. The cold ache in her limbs started to ease, as the life slowly crept back into them.

Seeming satisfied that she was recovering; the captain turned his gaze from Renesmee and fixed his eyes on the crew of the Cruiser, who were still tied to the starboard rail. He looked again to his quartermaster.

"Do you have my sword?"

"Of course." Mr Call held out the sword with a smile. "You left it lying on deck."

Lady Renesmee glanced up in time to see the captain's face transformed by a sudden, wide grin. He had a very attractive smile, which seemed to light up his handsome features from the inside. His eyes held a humorous gleam, and she noticed the rows of perfect teeth, which stood out as very white against his tanned skin.

He reclaimed his weapon and looked towards the captured crew. His expression instantly became harsh, and he drew Renesmee forward. She glanced up at the captain, but he was speaking to Mr Call and did not notice her hesitancy. His eyes flickered only briefly towards Renesmee, before he handed her to his quartermaster.

"Keep hold of her and follow me. Don't hurt her – but don't let her go."

Mr Call nodded and took Lady Renesmee from his captain's hold. He tried not to grip her arm too tightly, but he could still feel her flinching at his touch.

Renesmee would have preferred to stay with the captain. Something about his presence reassured to her, and she was afraid to be taken away from him and placed into the care of another man. She could only feel thankful that when the captain crossed the deck, she was gently pressed to follow him. Her instincts told her that she would be safer if she stayed close to him. She was pleased to notice that the crew of the Rabbit stepped back as she passed and made no further attempts to apprehend her. As she moved through the men, she caught sight of her maid.

Miss Weber had suffered an extremely traumatic half hour and was weeping copiously. She had found herself unceremoniously marched onto the lower deck, just in time to see her beloved mistress surrounded by fearsome pirates. She had watched helplessly as those beasts leered at the darling child, and then proceeded to have a terrifying brawl practically on top of her.

The final torment was watching Miss Renesmee being chased across the ship by the monsters and throwing herself overboard. That was quite possibly the worst moment of Miss Weber's sedate life, and definitely the most shocking. She was not naturally inclined to public displays of emotion, but she could not hold back the cry of anguish that escaped her lips, or the heartbroken sobs which followed it.

When Miss Renesmee reappeared at the ship's rail, Miss Weber felt as if every prayer she had ever made had been answered. The young man, who was still holding Miss Weber by the arm, allowed her to move towards her mistress. She was worried that the girl looked so cold, but was relieved to see that she was given a dry coat to wear. By the time Lady Renesmee spotted her, Miss Weber was looking seriously overwrought.

They did not have a chance to speak, because Renesmee was led past too quickly, but Miss Weber was determined to remain as close as she could to the girl. She rapidly dried her eyes and hurried behind her mistress, before her young captor, Brady, had any chance to object.

The captain seemed oblivious of this minor drama as he strode across the lower deck, towards the crew of the Cruiser. He immediately found Captain Newton, bound to the rail, alongside his men.

"You." He drew close, holding the tip of his sword just inches from Captain Newton's throat, and spoke in a stentorian voice. "Why are you in these waters?"

Captain Newton turned slightly pale, but answered him bravely. "I was ordered to take this route."

"Who ordered you?"

At this moment Lady Renesmee arrived on the scene with her guard. She heard the threat in the captain's tone and was filled with alarm. She did not want any harm to befall Captain Newton because he had bowed to her grandfather's autocratic will. She wanted to defend him, so she stepped hastily towards the Quileute captain, but Mr Call still had her arm in a firm grip and she found herself unable to move forward.

This did not stop her from trying to speak to the pirate. She tried to keep her voice from shaking as she interrupted the captains' exchange, which was no mean feat, considering that her teeth were still chattering from the cold.

"Sir, this was not Captain Newton's doing. My grandfather ordered him to travel this way."

On hearing her nervous voice, the captain turned his head in surprise. His dark eyes met hers and his expression softened slightly.

He raised a quizzical eyebrow. "Your grandfather?"

"The Duke of Forkland," she explained hurriedly. "He wanted me to reach Sol Duc as quickly as possible. I'm going to stay with my father, who lives there."

"Who is your father?" His eyes narrowed suspiciously.

She raised her wide eyes to his. "Lord Edward de Cullen."

For a second the captain looked utterly confounded, but then he gave a short laugh. "Do you mean to tell me that one of your grandfathers is the Duke of Forkland and the other is the Prince of Sol Duc?"

She heard the uneasy murmurs of his crew and she let her eyes fall. "Yes."

He was quiet for a moment, before saying. "So you are Lady Renesmee de Cullen?"

Her startled eyes flew to his face. "How did you know?" Renesmee was surprised to discover that this buccaneer knew her name.

He gave her a slightly sardonic smile. "You cannot expect anonymity when you are the offspring of two such powerful families."

Lady Renesmee did not reply, she frowned thoughtfully and considered his words. She had spent most of her life in the Duchy of Forkland, raised in the Duke's castle, as his only grandchild. Her upbringing had been a sheltered one. She was aware that she had a certain status in Forkland, but she had given very little thought to her connection with her father's family and the Principality of Sol Duc.

But the captain's words made her understand that both her parents' families conducted their lives under the watchful gaze of their subjects and their neighbours. It seemed that neither the Swans, nor the de Cullens, had anything approaching a private life.

The captain did not ask her any further questions. Instead he turned back to Captain Newton, towering over him with a fierce expression.

"Your master took a foolish risk with such a valuable prize." His voice hardened. "We may not be at war with Forkland, but it was an arrogant move to sail so coolly through our waters. We do not appreciate foreign vessels so near our shores – especially in these uncertain times."

Behind him, his men muttered their agreement and the crew of the Cruiser looked increasingly nervous.

Captain Newton answered him with an earnest expression. "Forkland has no hostilities with La Push, we meant no harm. If we have offended the Quileutes then we give our most humble apologies."

"That is all very well, but we want no repeat of this impudence. You will steer clear of our waters from now on, or pay a higher penalty. Tell the Duke that if he gives such an order again, we will take the whole ship. He should be thankful that this time he only loses his cargo."

At this point he turned to his watching crew and gave some sharp orders, sending them back to work. Within moments the men were dispersed over the Cruiser, plundering everything that was worth taking and carrying it across the boarding ramps to the Rabbit. The captain ordered that Captain Newton be cut free of his bonds.

"You will return to Forkland at once and give your master my message." A slight smile played on his lips as he added. "You can also tell him that his granddaughter will be escorted to Sol Duc by the Black Pirate."

Lady Renesmee had been standing silently beside him, but when she heard these words she gave a sudden start. "What?"

The captain glanced down at her unsmilingly. "I am taking you to Sol Duc."

She met his gaze with a horrified expression. Renesmee had believed his promise that she would come to no harm, but she suddenly realised that she had made a dreadful mistake in trusting this stranger. She had been a fool to return to the ship, drowning suddenly seemed like the more sensible option.

She tried to pull away from Mr Call. "No," she cried. "I won't go with you." But her guard had her in an iron clasp and she made no headway whatsoever.

Captain Newton took a hasty step forward, but found the point of a sword resting against his heart. This did not stop him from speaking in outrage. "Sir, do you think that we would relinquish any female to you, or your crew? You cannot have her."

"You have no choice. You have been beaten," was the grim reply. "You can't stop us from taking her. We could kill you all now, if we chose to. Just be thankful that you will escape with your lives."

"We will not let you take her," replied the older captain, valiantly. "We would rather fight to the death."

"That would be a noble, but wasted, gesture. If you attempt to follow us, we will throw the girl overboard." The younger man spoke in a cold tone. "And rest assured that no one would try to rescue her again."

The captain's threat stunned his prisoners. Lady Renesmee felt as if her legs were about to give way as her fate was spelled out. She might have fallen, had it not been for the fact that the quartermaster had her in such a tight hold. Captain Newton was absolutely appalled.

"You must be mad," he gasped in disbelief. "If you were to do such a barbaric thing, both Forkland and Sol Duc would wreak vengeance on La Push. It would mean war."

The young captain raised his eyebrows arrogantly. "It would. But we do not fear war." He then added with a mocking smile. "I do not think that you would want to take such a risk with her life, or the lives of your crew, by following us. If you do as I say, she will be taken in safety to Sol Duc, and you will leave our waters unharmed. No one will suffer any unnecessary injuries and there will be no need for war. After all, does either the Duke, or the Prince, really desire such a conflict?"

Captain Newton was confounded. He knew perfectly well that no one wanted to risk an open war with La Push, but he could not agree to leave the lady with these men. The Quileute captain seemed to sense his uncertainty and he added in a firm voice.

"The word of the Black Pirate carries much weight on the sea; you would be a fool to doubt it. I give you my oath that no harm will come to the lady, so you need not fear for her safety."

Renesmee raised her apprehensive eyes to his face and saw the grim determination in his expression. His dark eyes were unyielding as he made his vow. He seemed to think that he had said enough to convince Captain Newton, because he turned away from him and added over his shoulder, as an afterthought.

"Word will be sent to Forkland to inform the Duke of Lady Renesmee's safe arrival in Sol Duc. If it does not arrive, then you may have your war."

"But…" Captain Newton tried to follow him, but was blocked by two of the Quileute crewmen.

The pirate captain ignored him and turned his attention to the cold and frightened lady by his side. He noticed that she was still shivering and turned briskly to Mr Call.

"Take her aboard the Rabbit, before she freezes to death. Ben can prepare a cabin." He glanced across the deck and spotted Miss Weber waiting nearby, with a fraught expression on her face. He questioned Renesmee. "Is that your maid?"

She glanced at Miss Weber, who met her gaze with an agonised look. A lump appeared in Renesmee's throat as she nodded wordlessly. Her eyes filled with tears and she dropped her gaze, the thought of leaving her maid on the Cruiser and travelling alone on the Rabbit filled her with dread.

She tried desperately to think of a way to avoid this doom. She was reluctant to jump overboard again. Having already nearly drowned that day, she was not entirely keen to repeat the experience. And Lady Renesmee did not think that the quartermaster would let her get that far, even if she did attempt to escape him.

The captain, who was watching her face, gave a small frown, but before he could speak his crew called his attention. He turned away from the lady and hurried across the deck, leaving her in the care of Mr Call.

Lady Renesmee would have been surprised to discover that the quartermaster was almost as anxious as she. He was now faced with the task of taking her aboard the Rabbit, without hurting her. He had no desire to inflict harm upon the girl, and he was well aware that if she suffered any injury – even by accident – then he would face the full wrath of his captain.

He hoped very much that she would make life easy for him by allowing herself to be led quietly onto the Rabbit. But having witnessed her extreme behaviour on the quarterdeck, he had already gained the strong impression that she was volatile and unpredictable. He gave an inward sigh and gazed down at his charge, speaking in his most firm tone.

"It is time for us to leave."

Renesmee looked up, and the quartermaster realised at once that his sense of foreboding had been justified. Her general appearance at that moment was not imposing. She was wet and shivering, and her oversized coat made her look like a child in adults' clothes. But the look on her face was another matter. As her eyes met his, the fear left them and her expression became truculent.

"No."

He tried to nip her rebellion in the bud. "That was not a request."

He wondered if she could sense his weakness, because her chin jutted out and she tried to tug herself away from him. "I don't care. I won't go."

He decided not to waste time with arguments – which he would probably lose – and started walking towards the nearest boarding ramp, pulling her along with him. At that point she started to wrestle her arms away from him and scream.

"Let go of me… you monster!"

The situation was fast spiralling into the kind of embarrassing scene that he had been most dreading. He could already hear the discontent of the Cruiser's crew. He could only be thankful that, apart from Captain Newton, they were all still tied to the ship's rail. If the lady continued shrieking this way, they would be sure to follow the Rabbit and damn the consequences.

It was all very well for his captain to decide to abduct the beloved granddaughter of the Duke and the Prince, but if he did not watch out, they really would go to war. The captain might not care, but King Samuel would probably take it very much amiss.

To add to Mr Call's woes, the crew of the Rabbit were also watching him and he could hear their laughter. He would never be able to hold up his head again, if he was unable to control one frail female. It did not help that he felt as if her insults were actually justified. Forcibly dragging a young woman aboard the Rabbit could hardly be described as chivalrous behaviour.

He tried to ignore his feelings of guilt, and reminded himself that his captain must have had a good reason for giving such an unexpected order. In the years that he had known the captain, Mr Call had frequently been surprised by his actions, but he had never seen him make a false, or foolish, move. So if his commander chose to take the girl now, then he was sure to have a plan.

With this thought in mind, Mr Call decided to ignore Lady Renesmee's cries and take drastic action. As they reached the boarding ramp, he tried to constrain her, but she managed to free her hand. With an unexpected burst of spirit, she turned on him and swiftly dealt him a hard slap across the face, making him wince.

"Let me go!"

He was surprised that a girl of her size could deliver such a stinging blow – particularly as she must have been weakened by her swim – and he quickly caught hold of her free hand, before she could give him another one. By this point he was feeling thoroughly exasperated, but the final disgrace was when he heard one of the crew jeering loudly.

"Maybe he needs Paul to show him how it's done."

The quartermaster flushed angrily and gritted his teeth, wishing that he could make the infuriating girl obey him without having to resort to threats. It was fortunate for him that at that moment his captain happened to glance in their direction and correctly appraised the situation. The captain gave his final orders to the crew, before striding towards Mr Call and his unruly captive.

Before either of them realised what he was going to do, the captain swept Lady Renesmee's legs from under her and lifted her clean off her feet. He completely ignored her cries of protest, as he carried her across the boarding ramp to the Rabbit. Glancing down at the furious girl in his arms, he found his hold on her tightening, and as he caught sight of her outraged expression, he could not quite repress a smile.

"You're coming with me."


Author's notes:

First off, I have to say a really, really BIG thank you for all the reviews and additions to lists. Wow, I'm still recovering from the shock!

I was totally blown away by all the lovely messages, and the idea that there might be people (other than willowbae and me) who want more of Pirate Jake!

willowbae was also really pleased (probably because she's the one who's been egging me on).

Just a quick thank you to Joujou21, jazzmatazz, addcleric and Lissy, because I couldn't PM you for your really nice reviews :)

On the subject of new chapters, I will try to make regular updates, but they probably won't be as speedy as this one. I am always working to get chapters written or edited, and I am currently posting another story too, so my time is a bit divided. I am not the fastest writer, but I always try my best. So updates will be forthcoming :)

And of course, if you like this story, please, please review – if only to encourage me to work harder!

Thank you for reading, have a really great weekend,

Mad :)