Chapter 3: Swashbuckling Adventures
After her return from the Dalish camp that summer Rhianna looked and felt like a wreck, heartbroken and humiliated. Fenris raged helplessly when she cut off her long hair. Caitlin sighed and spent hours sitting with her, hoping she would talk. But she just shook her head and withdrew further, her unhappiness almost tangible. Nothing seemed to interest her any more, nothing could pull her out of her misery.
On a hot summer day, Isabela turned up. Zevran had gone off on some unspecified errand to Orlais and she was feeling lonely. Rhianna's face lit up at the sight of her, and the two locked themselves into her room, chatting for long hours. She didn't tell Isabela everything, but she gave her a condensed version, and the pirate could easily put together the rest of the story for herself.
"You know," Isabela sighed finally, "why don't you come with me for a while, pet? See the world, get something else on your mind."
Rhianna felt a huge weight lifting off her chest. Yes, she needed to leave. Here in her parents' home she would never get over her sorrow. Caitlin and Fenris took some persuading, but a week later Rhianna and the pirate set off toward the coast and boarded the Hawk's Wing.
It took Rhianna a few weeks to find her sea legs, but she enjoyed the salty air and the freedom of the high seas. Isabela insisted she make herself useful, so she learned the basics of sailing and did her share of the work on deck. She also spent time sparring with Isabela each day. Her face lost some of its sadness, but she was still fretful and rarely smiled.
After several weeks at sea, they made port in Cumberland on the Nevarran coast. Isabela let her eyes wander over the ships docked in the busy harbour until her gaze fell on a small brig anchored not far from them. "It's the Dragon Queen," she cooed, pointing at the fanciful carving on the ship's prow.
Rhianna looked at the small ship and shrugged. "She doesn't look like much to me."
Matteo, their old helmsman,grinned at her. "She may not look like much, missy, but the Queen packs more cannons than many a frigate, and she's a lot faster! A lot of merchantmen have made the same mistake as you, trust me. Besides, her captain is a fine sailor!"
"Who is her captain?" Rhianna was curious.
Matteo cackled and pointed out a dark-haired man who was just then jumping over the Queen's railing and approaching the Hawk's Wing with a huge grin on his face.
Rhianna held her breath for a second. The man was the living embodiment of every pirate fantasy she'd had as a young girl. Tall, broad-shouldered, his skin deeply tanned, clad in black leather pants and a red vest that left his muscular arms naked, he looked dashing and exotic and dangerous. White teeth gleamed in his handsome face, his dark eyes fiery and his expression commanding. His naturally curly black hair was cut very short, and he wore several golden ear-studs. He looked to be about thirty, maybe thirty-five.
"Well, well, who have we here?" Isabela was waving a greeting at him, a pleased smile on her face. She hadn't seen her fellow Rivaini captain for more than a year, and she was glad of the opportunity to catch up. Glancing over at Rhianna's fascinated face, Isabela grinned. This might be just what the girl needed to get over her stubborn elf.
With easy grace, the captain jumped on board, embracing Isabela heartily and kissing her on both cheeks. "Isabela! You look ravishing, as always!"
"Diego!" she exclaimed. "How fortunate to see you! I have some business to discuss with you later. But first," she motioned to Rhianna, "meet my young ward here. Rhianna, this is Diego Montoya, captain of the Dragon Queen. An old friend and drinking companion of mine, and one of the most fearless buccaneers I know. Merchants all over the Waking Sea turn tail and run when they see his flag."
The captain grinned. "You flatter me, Bella." He turned his attention to Rhianna and she felt his gaze rake all over her body, his eyes not so much undressing her as carrying a clear promise that he would get around to it later.
"What an exquisite creature!" His voice was deep and velvety, with just the faintest hint of an accent. "Maybe I could show you around the city? A pretty young lady like you shouldn't go out alone."
Rhianna bristled at this. Did he take her for a helpless little damsel? "I can take care of myself, thank you," she replied coolly, indicating the two daggers strapped to her slim back.
He whistled softly as he took a closer look at the blades. "A fine set of weapons, indeed. But do you know how to use them?"
Isabela chuckled. "You'd be surprised, my dear. She has had some excellent teachers. And she is also pretty good with a bow."
His gaze wandered over to her Dalish longbow, propped up against a crate not far from her. "An archer, eh? Such an unwieldy weapon to carry around on a ship. A knife would serve you far better here."
Before she could reply, he moved, his hands almost too quick to see, and she heard a whirring noise as something buzzed past her ear. She turned to see a throwing knife that he had produced from Maker-knew-where on his person buried in the mast behind her, precisely in the middle of a knothole.
She twirled back to look at him with excited eyes, her earlier irritation forgotten. "Teach me."
He laughed softly at her determined tone and gripped her chin, his calloused fingers tracing along her jawbone. "Why not? Of course, it would depend on my reward..."
She held his gaze and, to her own surprise, felt her lips arch up in a smile. "I'm sure we can work something out."
Isabela was grinning like a cat. Diego stepped back, considering his next move. "Why don't you come over to my ship in the afternoon for a little... weapon practice? There is much that I could teach you." His hot gaze swept over her once more, then, with a brief nod at Isabela, he was gone.
Rhianna leaned back against the railing with a sigh, smiling crookedly at Isabela. "I am not sure this is entirely wise."
Isabela shrugged. "You're far too young to make only wise choices, sweet thing. I know Diego, though, and I don't think you'll regret this."
Rhianna closed her eyes, feeling a brief flash of pain when she thought of Rael's handsome face, his cool grey eyes, his long, gentle hands. This is over. Get him out of your head! she scolded herself even as she felt a flutter of excitement spread inside her at the thought of what might happen this afternoon.
When Rhianna approached the Dragon Queen later that day, the ship was almost deserted, the crew no doubt enjoying the pleasures of a day of shore leave. Diego was waiting for her, stretched out lazily on a pile of ropes and sailcloth. When he saw her, he jumped to his feet and gallantly helped her aboard.
There was a set of throwing knives neatly laid out next to him. So he was going to keep his promise. Good. She smiled up at him. "Show me what to do."
Diego took his time explaining, correcting her grip, showing her how to place her feet and move her arm. He was surprised at her eagerness and concentration as she tuned out the intoxicating sound of his voice and focused on the lesson. For more than an hour, they were all business, and his respect for her grew when he realized how quickly she picked up his hints, how nimble her hands were, how precise her aim.
Finally Diego dropped to his seat with a satisfied smile, pulling her down next to him. "That is all you need to know, really. The rest is just practice, practice, practice, and you'll have time enough for that once you're at sea again. Now, belleza," his hand trailed down her spine in a subtle caress, and she became acutely aware of his proximity, of his musky male scent, the warmth of his body. "What do you say to a little... relaxation?"
Rhianna swallowed. His eyes were hungry, and he moved closer for a second, clearly deliberating if he should kiss her. Then he changed his mind, jumped to his feet and took her hand. "Come!"
His cabin was as different from Isabela's as it could be, surprisingly clean and orderly, but with a decidedly male atmosphere. Navigational instruments were neatly arranged on a small desk next to a beautiful cabinet made from dark wood. The bed looked almost austere, without cushions or throws, but it was big enough for two.
He followed her in unhurriedly, locking the door behind him, then walked over to the cabinet to pour himself a glass of dark red wine. She declined his silent offer with a shake of her head and wandered over to the bookshelf instead. There were books on navigation, astronomy, poisons and sword fighting. No surprises there.
She turned around to find that Diego had sat down on the edge of the bed, watching her, trying to read her mood. "Come here."
Rhianna obeyed without thinking, letting herself be drawn into a loose embrace. He was in no hurry, it seemed, as he pulled her down onto his lap, her legs straddling his, and began to kiss her, slowly, methodically. His lips were rough, a little chapped, and he tasted of salt, of the sea, of wine. Rhianna let her tongue run experimentally along his lips and gasped when he responded, taking her lower lip between his teeth and sucking on it before he deepened the kiss, plundering her mouth thoroughly.
She was panting when he let go of her, but he immediately found her lips again, kissing her more forcefully this time while his hands began to work on her blouse. She took this as a sign to strip him of his vest. When he pressed her body to his and she could feel his hot skin all along her torso, she moaned aloud.
He laughed and lay back, his hands grabbing her hips, then moving up to trace slow circles around her firm breasts. His movements were relaxed, almost lazy, even though she could feel his growing arousal. She leaned down to let her lips wander over his chest, her tongue lapping against his hard, dark nipples, and was rewarded with a groan and a ripple of muscles under his dusky skin.
Rhianna hesitated for a moment, but then she rolled off him, stretching out next to him on the bed, and quickly slid out of her pants and smallclothes. He followed suit, and for a few minutes, they both lay there naked, without touching, just looking at each other.
Diego was lean, with the graceful long muscles of a dancer, not an ounce of fat on him. His skin shimmered like dark satin, a richer colour than her own golden brown and several elaborate tattoos adorned the flat, hard planes of his chest. He was running his hand through her hair, admiring the exotic contrast between the short red-golden strands and her tanned face, set off further by her large green eyes.
His fingers stroked along her ears, softly teasing and his eyebrows shot up in surprise when she swallowed a high-pitched cry. "Are you part elf?"
She stiffened slightly. "My father is Elven. Why do you ask?"
He shook his head. "No particular reason. I used to live with an Elven woman for a few years. She taught me about the ears." Again his hand played with the tip of her ear, and she bit her lip to hold back a sigh. There was no holding back, however, when his mouth moved down to her breasts, finding a pert nipple and his tongue flicked briefly against it. She bucked up against him with a small cry and he looked up at her, a smug expression on his face. "You like this?"
Her voice seemed to have deserted her for the moment, but she was determined not to let him get too cocky. She ran her hands over his hard body, exploring, eager and curious, and his breathing became quicker, his eyes half-closed now with lust. His fingers were busy between her legs, spreading her, opening her for him, finding her hot centre and caressing her expertly until she was wet and ready for him.
When he thrust inside her, she cried out, and he kept still for a long moment, waiting for her to adjust. He was experienced and skilled, yet the look of intense concentration on his face showed clearly how much effort this act of patience cost him. Finally he took a deep breath and pushed deeper, stretching her, filling her, and Rhianna couldn't believe how good it felt, couldn't believe how her body was screaming in pleasure even as her mind kept insisting that she didn't care about Diego, didn't love him and thus this should leave her cold.
Love had nothing to do with what she was feeling, it dawned on her. This was lust, sheer unadulterated lust, and she was enjoying it with all her senses, with every fibre of her body. With each of his movements, her excitement grew and every nerve in her body was tingling with arousal. Diego was moving faster now, pounding into her, and she kept up with his thrusts, moaning loudly, knowing instinctively that it would drive him wild. His grip on her hips grew firmer, more frenzied, and they were both close now, so close... Rhianna clung to his shoulders, held on to him, using him as her anchor when she felt her climax hit, propelling her over the edge, and she was falling, hurtling deep into the abyss, only dimly hearing his ragged cry as he spent himself inside her, shuddering hard.
The look in his eyes when he pulled her close afterwards was tender and affectionate but wholly devoid of deeper feelings, and she breathed a sigh of relief. And when she saw those eyes darken with renewed desire a little later, she responded eagerly, hungry for more.
When Rhianna returned to the Hawk's Wing at dawn, Isabela was still up, waiting. The sight of the girl's happy satisfied face made her break into a huge grin. "Well, pet, did you fall in love with our handsome corsair?"
Rhianna shook her head. "No, not really. But I could get used to this, I believe."
Isabela's smile widened. "Good for you. We'll be here for five more days. Make the most of it."
And they did. Diego was insatiable when he had found something he wanted, and Maker, how he wanted her! In the nights that followed, he took care of her needs in every way she could ask for and some others that she couldn't even have imagined. Each night was different, each time they made love showed her another side of him, another side of herself.
When they said goodbye at the end of the week with a long and passionate kiss and a casual promise to meet again some day, Rhianna was no longer the unhappy young girl that had set out on this voyage. She was a woman; she knew her own desires and would no longer hesitate to find fulfilment. And if there was still a hint of sadness in her eyes, if she still couldn't quite forget, that too might pass in time.
"What's next?" she asked Isabela who was standing next to her at the ship's prow, looking out over the wide-open sea stretching before them.
"Val Royeaux," the pirate answered. "I think you'll like it there."
Many thanks to zevgirl! I don't know what I'd do without her help and encouragement.