Felicity: An American Girl ROMANCE Part4, Ch9: Lady Pirate

This chapter is dedicated to saintsinthesea, whom I envy for going on vacation! :D

Felicity and Elizabeth were as quiet as humanly possible as they crept slowly up the narrow steps that were almost like ladders up to each deck, taking care to keep their loaded pistols close to them and their eyes sharp for sudden movements out of any cabins and berths. They were tensed and ready for anything. Moving as fast as Lettie had, the mysterious dark girl was probably on her way back down to them. Felicity hoped they would meet her on the way to the passengers' deck.

"Lissie," Elizabeth began uncertainly, when the both of them had paused on the stepd going up to the deck their cabins were on, "are you...all right?"

"What do you mean?" Felicity turned back to look at Elizabeth, to see her friend's worried eyes upon her. "I am fine."

"Well...I just can't help but feel this whole entire, horrible situation has affected you so violently. Not to say that I think you were really enjoying being violent down there, but I-I just want to know that you are well, and that everything that Ben and I and the Forsythes put you through has not made you...wrathful." The last word came out hesitantly, like Elizabeth was afraid felicity would react angrily to her confession.

But she didn't. Felicity smiled, turned to Elizabeth fully, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Beth, I know you're worried about me, and it gladdens me to know that you care so deeply. I will tell you that if Reginald and his cousin had succeeded in having their way with me, I would be far from all right; I would be a wretched mess. Lettie has suffered far worse at their hands than I, and she is the strongest person I know. I am trying to put the past to rest now, Beth. I don't want to think of that horrible day that you found me and Arth-" She stopped, sighed, and continued more softly, "I just don't want to think about it anymore. We were all made victims. Granted, Ben did not make the situation any better with his lack of faith in me, but time is helping me get past that now."

"Can you, Felicity? Can you truly get past everything that has happened to you?" There was fear in Elizabeth's voice, mingled with her still-nagging guilt of her own behavior that day. Worry that her best friend was changing, or had changed, in a way that she and Ben could never atone for, or that Felicity could never recover from.

"I'm doing my best. I can tell you that I still want to marry Ben. His own guilt is still eating him up inside and watching it has been hard, even if I did find it to be a deserving punishment at first. I want the past to die and be buried, Beth. When we get home, I want to start anew. Does that sound good to you?"

"It sounds wonderful, Felicity!" Elizabeth exclaimed, her eyes tearing up with joyous relief.

"Now, what say you we go rescue our men?"

"Let's!"

With their energy and determination renewed, the two of them continued up to the passenegers' deck, and nearly collided with Lettie, who had been trying to hurry back down to the cargo hold. Both young women gasped, Lettie popping a hand over their mouths to quickly stifle the screams that had nearly errupted from them. "I know what we must do now," Lettie told them in a hushed, urgent whipser.

Felicity recovered from her shock and exhaled deeply. "Whew, Lettie, my heart almost stopped! Please, tell us what you want us to do!"

Ben Davidson's face was set in such a tight clench that Arthur Pratt considered the possibility that it might just get stuck that way. Just like Ben, however, he was worried so much for the ladies that his breathing could no longer be controlled. Some sort of boiling point had been long been reached, and if Ben was ready to rush Fleetfoot, Arthur himself was ready to go right along with him! One of Fleetfoot's remaining men was trying to summon more men from their pirating vessel, which would make things far worse than they were if the man was successful. God only knew what was happening below with poor Elizabeth and Felicity, which was all Arthur and Ben cared about. Let every pirate in the North Atlantic come as long as he and Ben could be united with Felicity and Elizabeth!

Fleetfoot's wide face had taken on the appearance of a thundercloud in the past fifteen minutes. He had come to the conclusion that he himself would head a party of seven just as soon as he could get his remaining men over from his ship. This, in all of his years at sea, just beat all. He had never had men who could not perform simple tasks before, and of these were men that he had sailed with for nearly a decade. Why now could they no longer do anything correctly? The answer was simple; they had encountered a problem. The problem needed to be dealt with. His closest man was trying to holler over at the gunner, but no one was on deck. Probably because ninety percent of his men were over on this ship instead!

The crew of the Mercury Queen were indeed getting tired of just standing around waiting for something to happen. Murmurs among the men were low confessions that they would be willing to risk getting shot in order to end this indignant waiting. And then there was Flem, the ship's bosun, who noticed out of the corner of his eye that there was movement on the deck floor, the edge of a barred hatch coming up ever so slowly. He managed to make out clear, black eyes set in the familiar dark face of his friend Lettie, who made eye contact with him and put a finger to her lips. Flem made just the slightest nod of his head, undistinguishable to anyone else who may have looked at him. Pretending to merely shift his weight, he edged closer to the hatch.

Lettie's voice was just barely discernable ovet the sound of the ocean and the yelling of one of Fleetfoot's men to their pirate ship: "Stand close to this hatch, I am coming out. Move the men in front of me so that my movements will not get attention until it is time."

Flem nodded curtly. Unnoticed there at the back pf the gathered crew, he nudged another fellow close to him and made small gestures with his eyes to Lettie, and then showed him what to do via example; he stepped back in front of the hatch. The crewman understood right away, as if thoughts had jumped from Lettie's head into his. He backed up as well, hands clasped before him casually, looking just as miserable and outraged as before. Behind him and Flem, the barred hatch was coming further open and Lettie was slinking out of it. Both men could not help but feel the tide was about to turn in their favor.

And indeed it did, for even as more men form Fleetfoot's ship were crossing over on a plank, Lettie kneeled behind her friends, drew her loaded pistol out of her breeches waistband and gave a silent count of one-two-three...then she rose fast, pushing Flem aside and aiming the pistol at the closest of Fleetfoot's remaining men. The pirate standing on a barrel didn't have the chance to lift his gun. Lettie shot him square in the chest and he toppled over-too close to the gunnels-and fell overboard. There was a flurry of activity as the crew of the 'Queen leaped into action; beginning their fight with the pirate crew. Fleetfoot's men were not many, even with those who had just come over, but there were enough to cause a melee of fighting.

Ben and Arthur had looked for their chance to get past Fleetfoot and get down into the ship to Felicity and Eliazbeth, but not only was Fleetfoot's wide frame fully blocking the entryway, but he had Captain Crisp by the collar and was holding a pistol to his head. The pirate captain had backed up as well, so that it could be plainly seen by all that he could easily put a big hole into 's noggin if anyone dared to try and assail him. even if Ben, Arthur and Lord Eric had rushed Fleetfoot, he could still do away with Crisp before any of them reached him.

So they chose to fight Fleetfoot's men instead. Even Arthur, who used to be adverse to fighting, but for the sake of his love he would fight to the death with his own fists.

But he needn't. Before Fleetfoot could gather the breath to yell the order to kill, a thin shiny blade whipped around in front of Fleetfoot's thick neck and pressed against its flesh threateningly. The pirate went rigid as though poked in the spin with abrupt severity. "Call them off," a female voice said low and lethally. "Call your men off right now or you will be shot through as well as beheaded."

Fleetfoot's black eyes went wide. He gulped, although with trouble due to the blade pressed against his throat. "Who the 'ell-"

"You will find out soon enough," the voice of Felicity Merriman oozed craftily. "Now call off your men or they will be without their captain." But before the startled man could shout a word, Felicity put Ben's cavalry pistol to the sky and fired. It's loud bang did indeed halt all the fighting and make heads turn. "ALL RIGHT, ENOUGH!" she shouted loudly, making Fleetfott's ear ring. Without taking her eyes off of the side of Fleetfoot's head, she handed the pistol to Elizabeth, who was standing close to her but still behind the big pirate. "Reload it."

Elizabeth was quite adept at loading a pistol now, and proceeded to so so with amazing accuracy.

"Felicity!" Ben cried in joyous relief, having seen the beloved redhead through the crwod of fighting crews. He winded his way up to her with Arthur and Lord Eric right on his heels. He was bleeding a bit from a corner of his mouth where a flailing pirate-arm had caught him, but a quick glance told Felicity that he was all right. "Lissie! Are you-?"

"I'm fine, Ben, we both are." Then louder, to Fleetfoot's men, "Anyone of you lackwit pirates who tries to rush us will get a ball in the head for your efforts!" (This oath was reinforced by Elizabeth appearing on the other side of Fleetfoot with her own pistol aimed at the crowd. Her blue eyes were stony and her small chin set firmly) "Lettie! where are you?"

"I am here," answered the dark girl reassuringly, emerging from the crowd with a sly smile, Though her turban was still on her head, it had been knocked crooked and her clothing rumpled, but it was clear to everyone that she had been getting some good licks in during the fighting.

"By God, isn't Felicity magnificent?" Ben breathed in awe, grinning while resisting the manic urge to take her into his arms and kiss her to no end.

"Aye!" breathed Arthur Pratt in reply, although his gaze was locked on Elizabeth.

Felicity moved in front of the astonished Fleetfoot and said, "Release Ccaptain Crisp at once. Now! Don't make me kill you in front of your men."

Immediately Fleetfoot relenquished his hold on Crisp's collar and Elizabeth snatched the pistol from the pirate leader's hand. "You certainly won't be needing this anymore!" she snapped savagely.

Felicity held Ben's reloaded cavalry pistol in one had at Fleetfoot's head. Her other had held the silver blade to his gut. "And now you will hand over control of your ship to us. Do not look so surprised, Flatfoot, you've been bested by witches."

Elizabeth grinned. "I think it is 'Fleetfoot'."

"I-huh-what?" Fleetfoot's wide eyes went even wider. "You-you...What did you do with my men?"

"They are bound and gagged in the cargo hold below to be used in our rituals on the next full moon. Now, you will do as I say or you will join them in the same fate."

"Witches?" cried Fleetfoot in such alarm that it seemed to Felicity that he was deeply regretting his actions this day.

"Aye," confirmed Felicity smoothly, with a cocked eyebrow. "How else do you suppose mere women could take over two ships?"

"Two ships?" the big pirate looked like he was about to choke on shock alone. "Ye mean-"

"That's right," Felicity told him matter-of-factly. "The men of Mercury Queen here are under our command. Isn't that right, Captain Crisp?"

The startled captain had been staring in sheer fascination at Felicity and Elizabeth, too stunned for words. But now that he had been called upon, he scratched the back of his neck curiously and cleared his throat. Flabbergasted as he was, he still was able to pick up on the redhead's wild tale, for the effect it was having on Fleetfoot was rather comical. "Eh? Oh yes, that is right! Witches they are, man1 They distract you with their terrible beauty, then only after they have cast their spell of insanity do they reveal their wickedness!"

"Oh yes," chimed in Elizabeth, "we are but nasty hags!"

"Blimey!" one of Fleetfoot's men exclaimed where he was being held by some of the 'Queen's crew. "Do ye suppose they're Anne Bonney and Mary Read come back from the dead?"

Felicity had no knowledge of the legend of the female pirates, but upon seeing the horror effect upon Fleetfoot's men pleased her, so she considered the man's question a complement. She and Elizabeth exchanged a grin, then Felicity turned her domineering glare back on Fleetfoot, who simply continued to gawk. "As I said, we are taking your ship, Fleafeet, so-"

" 'Tis 'Fleetfoot,' Ma'am," he interrupted, suddenly subdued.

"Whatever! We are taking your ship and all that she has!" Before the pirate could utter a word of outrage, Felicity turned to the available men of the 'Queen who did not have a pirate in their grasp and yelled, "Their ship is ours! Take what you will beofre we bring her into the port authorities!"

Cheers and the thrusting of fists into the air were the replies. Eager men of the 'Queen scrambled for the planks connecting the two ships. Lettie gave them the weapons she had collected from the pirates so they could go over armed for protection. It amused Felicity how readily Captain Crisp's men took to her orders. She turned to the astonished Captain and said with a grin, "Sir, would you like control of your ship back, now?"

"Eh? Oh certainly, certainly!" He scratched his stubbled chin wonderingly and said rather sheepishly, "I never could make 'em mind that fast!"

"Must be the spell that they are under," said Ben amorously as he put an arm around Felicity's slender waist. he could no longer endure a second without touching her. "I know I am completely taken." Nor could her resist kissing her fully there before the pirate Fleetfoot, who shook his head and looked stumped. Arthur had flown to Elizabeth and had her feet off the deck in a wild embrace. Those of Crisp's men who had decided not to go over (which was a scant five), took hold of Fleetfoot securely.

"How is my Clementine?" Crisp asked of his wife.

"Ha!" laughed Felicity robustly despire being squeezed by Ben. "She is holding nine bound and gagged pirates at bay with a musket and one very brave future duke of Bel Hastings!"

"I know my son is safe." Lord Eric strode over from where he had just finished wrapping the cut arm of one of Crisp's men. "I spoke with Lettie about him and she assured me of his well-being. My son is indeed a brave little soul."

"Yer a duke?" Fleetfoot gaped, the notions of holding Lord Eric for a magnificent ransom flared and died right there upon his face. "With a son?"

"That's right, Flitwood," said Felicity snappily. "Most dukes do have sons, you know."

" 'Tis Fleet-foot, ma'am."

"Whatever! I tire of you, blackard. Someone take this fool below and tie him up along with the rest of his ilk. We shall turn his ship and his crew over to the port authorities once we reach New York."

Fleetfoot gaped at her in horror. "What? We're goin' to the colonies? Why, the entire coasts are swarmin' with..." Then he rememebred. "Witches! They're goin' to kill us all!"

"Not before we're done with you," said Elizabeth pleasantly. Arthur stifled a laugh.

"What're ye gonna do with me?" Fleeetfoot demanded to know.

Felicity answered right away."Put you below with your baboons, as I've already said. There you will remain until I think of something. Better yet, until Captain Crisp thinks of something. As for now, I would very much like to retire below decks with my handsome fiance and rest." She looked at Ben. "Take me below."

"Yes, temptress," Ben replied very, very willingly. He gave Felicity his arm, sidestepping around the bewildered Fleetfoot.

"And I shall go see about my son," said Eric, trying not to look so amused by the pirate's stricken expression.

"Let us eat!" exclaimed Arthur, who's stomach growled.

"I have just the perfect brew in mind, my mortal darling," cooed Elizabeth, enjoying the terror effect upon Fleetfoot.

Captain Crisp just chuckled, shaking his head and stepping up to Fleetfoot once again. "C'mon, you! Turn about so you can be bound properly!"

Ben and Felicity disappeared below deck. Lord Eric passed them with a happy grin on his way to young Thomas. As soon as the corridor was deviod of people Ben swiftly turned Felicity around to face him, then (seeing as how she was clad in breeches) grabbed her up so that her legs wrapped about his hips and her arms about his neck. She laughed softly, seductlively, but then if she had sneezed Ben would have found that seductive, too. "I love you in breeches," he murmured as he walked them to their cabin door. Neither one particularly cared if they were seen this way. The energy of the whole situation emboldened them considerably.
Felicity nipped his chin playfully.

"As a matter of fact, when we are married, I insist that you wear them as often as possible. When you go riding, when you are doing nothing in particular..."

"And when I am seen riding around in breeches, what shall I do when there are complaints?" she asked slyly.

"Well if they do not have anything better to do than to criticize my beautiful wife, then you tell them that your horrible, slave-driving husband demanded that you wear breeches so that you may ride a horse comfortably, the ass, and that if you defy him he whips you."

This time she laughed wildly as he pressed her against the door. "Then what will you do if they confront you about it?"

"Then I will settle the matter permanently!" He kissed her good and hard before she could say another word.

She opened their door and Ben closed it with his boot foot. Without setting her down, he sat down on the edge of the skinny bed and kept her stradling his hips. Right away they were kissing intensely, a clash of tongues seeking dominion over the other's mouth in a quest for mounting pleasure. His hadns clenched her buttocks amorously, as her hands raked thorugh his lush brown hair, loosening the queue. She used her own body to force his to lie back on the bed. Not that he needed much forcing. The continued to kiss deeply and passionately, until Ben panted, "I just can't stop kissing you. It is like I just cannot get enough of you to satisfy me!"

"I hope you never do," Felicity breathed in reply, her face over his, hands on either side of his head to prop herself upon.

"I was so afraid something terrible was happening to you and Elizabeth when Fleetfoot's men did not return. They kept going down but they did not come back up, so-"

"Sshhh," she soothed senuously, kissing his lips gently. "I am fine, Elizabeth is fine, we all are fine. We were not about to let anything or anyone delay get in the way of our weddings. They have been delayed long enough. We are going home now, nothing can stop us from being happy, I will not let it. There has been too much sadness and stife already, do you not agree?"

"Aye!" Ben agreed readily. "Lord, Lissie, I do not deserve you, but I would certainly die without you. I love you, lady-pirate, always and forever. We shall never be separated again, mark my words!"

I do hope you still think that, Ben, when I tell you all that is in my heart! But she merely smiled mysteriously. "Hmm, is this not your 'knee' that I am sitting astride?"

Ben's handsome face reddened but he grinned up at her playfully. "Indeed it is not, my bride, it is that which reacts to just the mere thought of you."

"Interesting!"

"I hope you still think so on our wedding night."

Felicity kissed him lightly again and murmured, "Kiss me to sleep, Ben. I am exhausted and it is just barely noon now. I want to sleep awhile, and I want you close to me."

"Never could refuse you, little seductress," he murmured back, turning her so that they were both on their sides facing each other. Ben began a slow, gently kissing session upon her face and neck, saving each kiss with quiet delight. Felicity closed her eyes dreamily and sighed, letting sleep take her within a matter of minutes. She was very much wore out by the morning's events, adn so was he for that matter. So when he felt her arms about his neck go slack, he too began to drift off, hugging Felicity to him protectively, as if daring the universe itself to try to take her away from him again.

Indeed, they were headed home now, and nothing was going to prevent him form taking her for his wife.