A/N: So here is the next chapter, I hope you all like it despite the warning posted below. Just keep in mind that this is a romance/adventure fic and I promise it will get there and the tides will start to change eventually. I did warn you all in the chapter 1 AN that I tend to develop my stories slower then most lol. On the plus side that will leave you all more to read in the long run ;)
Enjoy my pretties. Remember to Read and Review!
Warning: This chapter touches on the concept and notions of rape. You have been warned.
Posted: 10/5/13
Part of His World
By: Morgansgurl
The infuriating blond man had carried Ariel over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes all the way towards the Captains Quarters as ordered, and all the way up until they entered a room and he kicked the door shut behind them. Once she heard a lock click into place she finally felt him set her down on her feet, which were still aching something fierce, and the contact with the ground caused her to take in a sharp breath. She was so irate with this entire situation, how dare he handle her as he did! Even if walking on her own would have proved difficult and painful for her until her new legs adjusted, it was still so demeaning to have been carried away like property instead of treated as a person. Even if they didn't view her as a person per-say she was still a living being and since she had found herself on this blasted shift she had been treated in ways she never imagined. Who did this blond pirate think he was to treat her in such fashion?
The whole situation was just plain aggravating and as her emotions welled up inside her she immediately raised and pulled her hand back in an effort to slap him across the face same as she did to the Captain earlier, as much deserved as well - only to have him catch her small wrist in his hand before she ever made contact. This caused a little huff of agitation to escape her lips as she glared. If she had still been a Mermaid her strength would have quickly overpowered his, as it was though she was now weakly human.
She was seething with her anger. John on the other hand simply looked bemused, not a hint of anger in his eyes as he looked down at her, her wrist still caught in his tight but not painful grasp. When she went to raise her other hand to slap him with that one he caught that offending wrist as well and let out a booming hearty laugh that filled the space around them, his head leaning back a bit as he did so.
"Cap'n wasn't kidding 'bout you one bit was he, you really are a feisty one." He noted out loud. His words just made her glare at him harder. If looks could kill John Smith would have been scorched alive in the boots he was currently standing in. As it were, now that she had legs and was human…..she was very much not a mermaid and didn't have much in the way of defenses. This fact only served to infuriate her more. This experience as a human was so different than her first, when she had been filled with innocent wonder and joy, when she had washed up on the beach and like the silly new human girl she had been as she wrapped herself in a dress made of sails and rope.
Eric had called her endearing the way she had to learn everything about human life and eagerly soaked it up like a sponge. He was patient and kind and so tolerant of her ignorance and sometimes even her stupidity. She had been welcomed and adored as a Princess and future Queen, and when the time had finally come the masses had loved her as Queen. Her first experience as a human she had never had anything or anyone to fear – she had never found herself in such an abominable situation as she was in now.
Everyone who had known her back then would have balked at the way these dirty disgusting Pirates were keeping her prisoner and handling her. If this had been those times the Royal Navy would be hot on the Jolly Rogers heels and every man on this ship would have been hanged in a public gathering, their rotting bodies left up for days as warning – at this moment she wouldn't have minded one bit, in fact right now she would love to see them all swinging lifeless in the breeze. She had allowed herself to be taken care of in the easier times, but she hadn't been a push over. She had come into her own. Still though, her experiences at the castle were vastly and distinctly different than that of what she was dealing with now.
As it were she was no longer a Princess nor a Queen, not on land or from the sea anymore.
How the times had changed.
When she finally let out a deep sigh or resignation some of the fight left her and the tension in her arms dissipated and she stopped trying to pull herself free from John's grasp, she was going to have to become more creative in dealing with her current unpleasant situation. She obviously wasn't going to be able to fight or slap her way out of this or past John. Maybe she could try diplomacy at some point? There was the hint of a possibility that could maybe work, though she doubted it.
"Can I have my hands back?" she asked, her eyes refusing to leave Johns stormy grey ones, in her gaze there was just a hint of her defiance left. "Please." She added in a stressed voice when she tried to pull them away again and his grip tightened and he gave her an untrusting once over.
"If you can agree to stop being petulant?" his tone was wary with one blond eyebrow quirked up as if he wasn't sure she could manage such a seemingly simple task. When Ariel nodded her head curtly in acquiescence he slowly eased his grip, when they were lax enough Ariel snapped her hands back as if he had been burning her with his touch. She rubbed them as if he had hurt them, even though that wasn't the case at all. One thing she was grateful for was that the Genie's transformation had not only healed her wounds but rid her of the heavy shackles that had been latched around her wrists prior.
She almost had the mind to try and slap him again. Almost.
Ariel instead took a few tentative steps away from her makeshift guard and further into the Captain's room, it was as if her posture was questioning and uncertain at first that he would even allow her to step away from him at all. She eyed the man suspiciously but he seemed content in allowing her to move away for now – as long as the direction was further into the room as opposed to trying to get out. His gaze was certainly suspicious and cautious, but there were the tell tail signs of amusement as well. As if this entire situation were the most entertaining thing to happen in his lifetime. It was so aggravating that these pirates found this all funny. She didn't see a damn thing funny about it.
She decided she was sick of looking at the blond Pirate and glanced around the room slowly, her original intent had been to scan for an exit or a weapon, anything useful really – instead she found herself enraptured with the richness of the room. It was obviously lived in yet still so crisp and clean, not what she had expected from a Pirate at all, regardless of status. One of the walls was nothing but the elegant large windows accented by a padded window sill seat lined with a mixture of red and gold throw pillows. In one corner there was an expansive dark oak desk, some business supplies resting atop such as that of an ink well and black quill feather with a few pieces of scratch parchment and documents spread about its surface.
On the walls were various large maps of so many different lands and worlds, when it wasn't a map there were a few paintings, some of different scenery and some of people. One that caught her eye was behind the desk, it was a large painting of a woman with fair skin and long dark curly hair, and there was a devious smile on her red lips and a glint of adventure in her eye. The woman was beautiful and looked very much like a Pirate Queen – she probably had been. She even noticed a few wanted posters stuck up on the walls, the picture of the Captain's face drawn or inked on them and somehow they even managed to get his smirk just right, as if even his image was declaring that the poster was a badge of honor to behold.
Next to the desk was a very large globe that looked like it was painted on old aged parchment with its faded tan color that sat in what looked like a large circular coffee table designed just for it. She walked over to it, glancing over her shoulder at John Smith tentatively a few times but he simply stood there with his arms crossed in front of the exit, watching her with what looked to be a hint of a smile pulling at his lips. She let her fingers run over the globe gently before giving it a light spin, watching as the inked lands and seas glided by easily.
Her fascination was evident. When she had been at her Kingdom she had yearned to travel and see the world and for a little while Eric had been the same and they had gone a few wonderful places when they were first married but nothing too exotic or too far from the Kingdom. Eventually though their status and life caught up with them and despite her desire and begging they hadn't left the Kingdom again on any pleasure travels. It was always `we have duties to the people Ariel, we can't go running around the world when we have to run this Kingdom and protect those in the realm`. Eventually as the months turned into years she had stopped asking if they could go and see the world, the only visits they took out of the Kingdom being that of official business in other nearby Kingdoms such as royal weddings or treaty's.
She wiped a singly small stray tear away with the palm of her hand that had managed to escape down her cheek. What was it about this blasted globe that had made her so sentimental and sad at the same time? She turned away from the globe and from John's ever present gaze toward another wall. This new wall was lined with carved out cabinetry, one set of doors large enough to be that of a wardrobe, the rest were much smaller and in the center of the cabinetry it gave way to rows of wooden shelves that were stacked with books upon books and various other knick knacks like a daisho display and small telescope.
Next to the cabinets was a larger door set in the wall that she assumed lead to the bathroom. Curiosities getting the better of her she wandered over and pushed open the door lightly. She spied a porcelain four clawed tub like the one she had been originally placed in in one corner and a large oak vanity pressed against the other wall. Small female trinkets were laid off to one side neat and organized and a few male looking care items set in a disorganized mess on the other, a small red velvet cushioned stool pushed under the table since it wasn't in use. She let the door close gently and turned to face her quote on quote guard and the other side of the room, which contained a fairly large four poster dark oak bed, the bedding made of reds, gold's, and blacks. It was hard not noticing a theme, the Captain had exquisite taste and apparently rich style for a man - much less a Pirate, Captain or no. There were a few wooden trunks stacked around the end of the bed, a grandfather clock, and a glass case filled to the brim with different looking containers and bottles for what she could only assume were wines and alcohols.
She realized with a small intake of breath that the Captains Quarters was a very intimate and personal place to be. It was like she was invading his personal space, and she supposed she was. It was an odd feeling because she was the captive being held against her will, she shouldn't feel any ounce of guilt for feeling like she was prying on the Captain's privacy. Especially not after all the ill will he had shown her thus far. What she should be doing was trashing his room, throwing his things around in a protest of rage.
Instead Ariel just wondered over to the window sill seat and sat down, one leg stretched out on the seat in front of her and the other dangling off the side as she pressed her fingers lightly to the frosted glass and looked out at the sea. The night was calm and clear, and she could see the reflection of the moon and the stars on the gentle waves below. This ship was nothing like the royal ships she was accustomed too, with their tiny portholes to look out of. It was nice to be able to sit inside with such a grand view without having to be up in the cold of the night. It was soothing.
"I don't understand," John's voice caught her off guard and she glanced over at him, noticing him still posted in front of the exit door with his arms still crossed over his chest. His expression was soft though as he spoke, and for some reason Ariel found him almost a comforting presence. She could tell he didn't have the hot temper or cruelty she had seen from the Captain with his almost bipolar nature of being sultry one second and irate the other. "Did you want to be human?" he asked, his tone clearly betraying the fact that he was genuinely curious.
Ariel let out a soft sigh and turned her gaze back out to the ocean beyond the glass windows. She had wanted to be human her entire mermaid life, she had defied her father Triton, the King of the Sea for the opportunity to be on land. She made a deal with the wicked Seawitch Ursula for the chance, and though she had come so close to losing her voice, she had won. Even when Ursula tried to thwart her by becoming Vanessa and trying to swoon Eric from her. She had become lucky – for once love and good had won out in her favor. However she lost her family, all her sisters. She hadn't thought about her sisters in so many years that it was almost a shock to think about them now.
Sometimes she would wonder if what she had given up was worth it, and each time she decided it was. Even now, locked in this room and stuck on this ship, just watching her toes wiggle at her mental command made her know that this was right. This was who she was. She had always wanted to be human.
The Captain had been right; she wouldn't throw herself to the depths of the Ocean. Even though she was still very much a prisoner on the Jolly Roger at least she was alive. At least she was human. She could figure out an escape later, they had to dock at land again eventually. For now she could bide her time and enjoy the fact that she had almost everything she ever wanted again.
"I'll answer your question if you answer one of mine?" she proposed after a long pause that made John think she was simply going to ignore him completely. For some reason she felt slightly more comfortable around this blond man than she did the Captain or any of the other pirates she had met thus far for that matter. Something about the Captain was unsettling and intimidating even if she wouldn't admit it aloud. When she glanced over and saw John contemplating her offer, she shrugged her shoulders and turned her gaze back to her view of the sea.
"What's your question?" he asked after a few long beats of silence.
"Is the…Captain" she struggled saying the word aloud, as if it were poison ready to kill her by simply rolling off her tongue. "Do you think he is going to kill me?" she asked. It was a question that had been on her mind since she was first captured and she had been expecting death ever since. He had ordered her to the brig and left her there till she was sure she would starve and go mad. She was tired of the anxiety of not knowing - it was like she was constantly on pins and needles out of the fear of losing her life. If the answer were yes she supposed she really could just push open the latch to the large window and jump to a more welcoming death. At least then it would be quick, she was sure she could do it before John could cross the room to her as her fingers grazed across the latch in question.
An uncomfortable silence stretched out between them until finally he answered.
"I honestly don't know," he told her sincerely, "I think….if he intended that, he would have done so already." He answered. Something in his voice was strained but she didn't question it. She figured that was fair enough, even if it didn't settle her nerves, so she let out a deep sigh and tried to relax her shoulders. No reason to be on edge for the time being, she wasn't really currently under threat. Though she was sure that would change.
"I've always wanted to be human." She said a hint of sadness in her voice when she finally answered the question he had originally asked her. She kept her answer as brief as she could, drawing lazy patterns into the condensation of the glass with her index finger. "For as long as I can remember. The Genie simply granted that wish." she purposefully left out how this was her second stint with legs. He might not make her feel threatened, but they certainly weren't buddy buddy and she wasn't going to confide in him.
They didn't talk after that. Apparently he didn't have any more questions for her, or if he did he didn't ask them, and she wasn't offering up information. The silence between them went from uncomfortable to easy to ignore. She stayed perched on the window sill seat, her pirate guard stayed at attention in front of the door the entire time. Every once in a while she would glance over and a small grin would tug at her lips when she noted that he was still at his station, he didn't even pull up a chair to sit on. He kept his eyes on her and would meet her gaze every time she looked over at him, she noted that he kept his stance firm and steady. He would have made an excellent and loyal guard for her in another lifetime.
It wasn't until the sun was rising over the horizon that she heard the door open, jolting her up. She hadn't even realized that she had at some point fallen asleep on the sill. She looked over towards the offending noise that had disturbed her and noticed that John was still there but had stepped aside and turned around, and then the visage of the Captain stepped inside.
Her body immediately tensed and that familiar fear from earlier gripped her lungs making it hard to breath as her fight or flight adrenaline spiked. She hadn't felt really threatened from John Smith, unlike how she did from the Captain – it didn't help that he had a weapon for a hand. The Captain stepped in with that same lazy smirk she had seen on his face countless times, looking a little disheveled and tired, running his hand through his hair and down over his stubble before shutting the door behind him. Her eye's stayed glued to him like a hawk, the hair on her body standing on end as she pulled herself up into a full sitting position and pursed her lips tightly as her heartbeat started to increase its pace. Thankfully the rest had allowed her legs to mend themselves so that the searing pain from earlier was now just a light tingle – almost a forgotten memory.
"I hope our little minx didn't give you much trouble?" he drawled out, the sound of his voice suddenly filling the room sent an involuntary shiver down her spine. The Captain didn't even bother to glance over at her even while talking about her, which for some reason only served to irritate her. Was she now not even worth his attention –not that she wanted it directed at her, but were they really going to just talk about her like she wasn't even there in the same room. It was demeaning to anyone, much less someone that was used to at one time having everyone's attention when she had walked into a room.
"Not so much Cap'n" John replied dutifully, and for a second she thought she saw disappointment flash across the Captains face at that response.
"Not even a lick?" he prompted quirking one brow as if he really didn't believe it.
"Didn't say that Cap'n" John answered with a low chuckle, remembering the time she tried to slap him, twice, and failed at both attempts. "You said much trouble, not no trouble." He clarified and both men shared a brief chuckle as she watched the Captain clap the man on the shoulder to show is gratitude. These two men certainly seemed more relaxed around each other; it reminded her of Eric and Robin and the way they had interacted. Best friends and colleagues. She wondered if these two men were the same way, though she couldn't fathom anyone being friends with that blasted Captain.
"Thanks mate." The Captain acknowledged, bowing his head just a little bit. It wasn't hard to pick up on the fact that the Captain treated this man with more regard and respect then the other members of the crew she had seen him interact with, and it made her curious as to why. "I have Tilly at the wheel and Cedric cleaning up all the lovely goat droppings scattered 'round my ship. I think we could all use a good night's rest, or in this case day's." he added conversationally, but she could hear the exhaustion in the Captains voice, even if he did a good job of not looking it.
"I agree Cap'n, it's been a interesting but trying night." John agreed, and only now did she recognize the tired features of his face as he too ran a hand through his gold locks, pushing them back. "Bridie keeping watch in the nest?" he asked. That sentence puzzled her, why wouldn't a bird be in a nest? And why would it keep watch over a Pirates ship? why would it even matter if the bird was in the nest or not? She decided she wasn't going to come to any logical conclusion so let the issue drop from her mind. It would be pointless to be bothered by something so insignificant, especially when she had more pressing matters at hand to deal with.
"As always." The Captain responded with a brief nod of his head to accompany his affirmative words, shucking out of his long leather jacket, moving over to the desk to rest it over the back of the chair sitting behind it. This left him in just his red button up vest, black undershirt, leather pants and tilted sword belt sitting low on his hips. For the briefest of seconds she realized the choice color of his attire also matched that of his room and felt bemused. However her reverie was broken when the action of walking his coat over to the desk to drape it across the back of the chair brought him to pass closer to her person, causing her to instinctively bring her feet up to her chest in a protective manner, but still he didn't pay her any heed. "I trust you can see yourself out." He dismissed John with a wave from his good hand.
"Night then Cap'n." John said bowing his head slightly; taking his cue and turning to leave, not even venturing a last glance at Ariel as he shut the door quietly behind him on his exit.
She realized that she had felt more protected in John's presence, not necessarily safe but now that she was alone in the room with the Captain by herself – well she found herself missing John. She kept her eyes wearily on the Captain as he walked over to the door and locked the dead bolts. She could feel her stress level going through the roof as her heart threatened to beat an escape through her ribcage. Even though the Captain wasn't even looking at her she still felt like defenseless prey being hunted. It was nerve wracking waiting for the other shoe to drop because surly he wouldn't ignore her forever. Her luck wasn't that lucky.
Ariel continued to watch him, frozen to her spot as he walked across the room towards the glass cabinet and picked out a bottle and walked it over to the desk, setting it down before opening a desk drawer and setting a glass tumbler down. She watched as he seemed to ignore her, reaching for the bottle and pulling the cork out with his teeth and spitting it across the room, the sound making her jolt and jump in her skin. Part of her wished he would end this torture and just say something, or hit her or anything other than ignore her and leave her mind to wonder about all the horrible possibilities that could come. Pay me now or pay me later – she would rather just get this over with but she wouldn't dare utter the first word. She watched as the amber colored liquid was poured liberally into the glass.
He tilted the glass back and swallowed the contents quickly in one go, letting out an audible sigh as he slammed the glass back down on the desk and began refilling it again. The sound of the glass hitting the table also made Ariel jump in her seat due to the unexpectedly loud noise – this only proved her notion of pirates as heathens. Never had anyone in her court slammed glass in such a barbaric way, nor had they ever slammed a drink back in one go.
This tension was going to kill her before anything else did.
She thought she couldn't get any more on edge until she watched his fingers move up to the buttons on his red vest and start to undo them one at a time, revealing the black cotton shirt underneath one inch at a time. Her mind must be playing tricks on her because she swore he was doing it with purposefully slow exaggerated motions. He pulled it off and also set it behind him on the chair he was seated in. She watched him then lean back in the chair and kick his feet up on the table crossing one over the other, dirt still on the bottom of the soles of his boots– another mannerism a civilized man would never be caught doing. At that thought she had the urge to slap his boots from the desk back to the floor, but she wouldn't dare.
In his new position he picked up the glass and swirled the amber contents around, this time raising it slowly to his lips and taking a much smaller sip before bringing it back down to rest on his upper thigh as his elbow perched on the arm of the chair.
"That's three time's now you've attacked my ship love." He finally spoke, brining his eyes to meet her gaze. She sucked in a quick breath, having not even realized she had been holding it while watching him and waiting in anticipation for him to do something. Well now he had, and she didn't like the accusation nor the connotation. "What do you suppose we are to do about that hmmm?" he asked lazily, taking another sip from his glass as if he hadn't a care in the world.
"I never attacked your ship, Captain" she said tersely adding his title begrudgingly, but it was a self preservation tactic if he was already angry with her she didn't want to incite more upon herself.
"That so?" he countered, taking another sip from his glass before resting it on his thigh once again. "Let's see, there was that unfortunate mermaid attack where Patches died," he said lifting his index finger from the glass, "You nearly choked Kamal to death before trying to eat Eustace," he added lifting his middle finger from the glass ticking off each incident "Oh, and your little blue friend turned me and my crew into goats – fun as it was I still count that as an attack, even if loosely defined." he lifted his ring finger from the glass leaving him holding it with only his thumb and pinky. "I would say that makes three darlin'".
Ariel pursed her lips and was the first to break his accusatory gaze, instead opting to look out the window towards the sea again. Her legs still pressed against her chest, her arms wrapped loosely around them with her hands resting on the tops of her feet. What could she possibly say that would make the man think otherwise then what he already believed? Besides he did have a point about Kamal and Eustace, of course now she could put names to the faces. Both seemed fitting for the two separate and completely different pirates.
"So what now?" she asked softly, her voice strained. She didn't want to hear the answer. She didn't want to know what was next after this. She imagined he would punish her for her perceived transgressions and that thought was terrifying. She heard him let out a deep sigh and for some reason that made the tension in her muscles tighten further. When she didn't get an immediate response she reluctantly glanced over at him, watching as he filled his glass to the brim for the third time. "Will you lock me in the cell again?" she asked, trying a different question, she wasn't sure if she really wanted a reply or not. Her voice broke a bit this time, her fear evident at the thought he might actually do it. She would have no chance down there in that filth as a human. She would rather jump out the window now if that were to be the case.
The laugh that her question elicited from the Captains mouth startled her; it wasn't quite the response she expected. "I put you down there in your current state sweetheart, I would have no crew to man the ship." he told her casually taking another sip, the meaning of his words not lost on her and it was a thought that hadn't crossed her mind until he spoke it aloud. "However, that would be a fitting punishment." he added after a brief pause. Her breath caught in her throat at the reality of his words. She could feel her fingers moving towards the latch on the window – there were far worse fates then death. One of them being gang raped until you died.
"I- I thought I was off limits to your crew…." she trailed off, her voice breathless with her fear. It wasn't lost on her that he had only said she was off limits to his crew and not to him. The gruesome images her imagination was conjuring up in her mind not helping in the least to calm her nerves.
"I can always change my mind love, perk of being Captain." he replied, a devious smirk on his lips as he took yet another sip his hard gaze turning lascivious. She noted the change and again for the umpteenth time her breath was trapped in her lungs. "But the truth is I really don't like to share my toys." he told her seriously, his words a touch sultrier than before.
Ariel was torn, she was relieved that she probably wasn't going to be banished to the brig for a hearty round of gang rape, but she also didn't like the connotation attached to the Captain's last sentence either. She didn't want to feel like she was accepting the lesser of two evils.
"Tell me Ariel," the use of her real given name caught her off guard. "Are you a virgin?" he asked his tone serious. The question made her heart feel like it had stopped and she took in a sharp breath, her eyes widened slightly with her shock. She opened her mouth a few times to respond but couldn't find any words to say, really mimicking a fish out of water. She could tell her physical response to his words had him watching her in amusement. "Let me rephrase," he started, taking her silence for confusion "Have you ever been fucked before? You know, touched by a man?" his words lingered heavy in the air.
"I – I….." Ariel couldn't even form a sentence; it was like the cat had her tongue and her expression was that of a deer caught in headlights. What on earth was she supposed to say – she couldn't very well tell him that she had been human once before this, that she had once bore a child? That would bring a whole new series of questions she wasn't willing to delve into. If she said no however, she didn't want to begin to think about what consequence that response would bring. This was not the direction she expected this conversation to have headed. It seems she didn't have to come up with an answer when the Captain interpreted her sputtering shock of a response as an answer in itself.
"I'll take that as a yes then." he said with a Cheshire grin finding it pleasing that as far as he was concerned she was a fresh flower, taking yet another sip from his glass. She didn't want to know where this was going now; she didn't even want to contemplate it. She had heard the stories before. She never imagined she would be a victim of such intimate violence. She could feel her fingers running numbly across the latch. She was feeling exposed and vulnerable now even though her dress was fully covering everything but her shoulders. Were her only two options really drowning to death or being raped, neither was a promising option.
Yet she still couldn't say she would go back and do it over again so that she wasn't captured, because if she hadn't been she never would have received the gift of her legs. Would being bedded by the Captain be such a terrible price to pay for her ability to walk across land again? When the thought that it could always be worse, he could have looked like the bluberous Eustace briefly crossed her mind she became angry at herself. What kind of woman started to rationalize sex against their will!?
"Do you fancy keeping it?" he asked, his words serious despite the fact that his eyes were still dilated in desire. He was a man after all, no matter the end game Ariel was one of the most exotically beautiful women he had ever laid eyes on. Not nearly as beautiful as his Milah had been he mused, but pretty enough in her own way. It certainly wouldn't be a chore oh his part to take her to his bed many time over.
"Yes." she answered breathlessly (and not in the good kind of breathless), she could almost feel the tears start to sting her eyes and all they were doing was exchanging words. He was still lounging comfortably in his chair, his feet still propped up lazily as he sipped at his drink. He'd made neither a move nor motion towards her, despite his suggestive tone, and yet still she could feel the panic at just the thought of him following through against her body. "Please, Captain." she found herself begging and hated herself for it. This time there was no malice in her voice and she didn't even spit the word Captain out, her tone was simply honest pleading.
She never would have pleaded or begged as a Mermaid but as she had found out a few countless times in her short period with legs around pirates was that she was decidedly very human and sadly in no position to spitefully stand her ground. If she could placate him perhaps he would move on from this topic, find something else, anything else.
"Interesting." he noted to no one in particular, setting the glass down on the table softly before sliding his boots off the desk back to the floor, the sound of the two front legs of the chair hitting the ground again accentuating his movement causing her heart to feel like it had jumped into her throat. When he stood from the seat he took a moment to stretch his arms high above his head and out, twisting his back with the movements before letting them come down to his side then leaning his head from side to side, the bones popping and cracking with the movements.
When he finally stepped out from behind the desk with confident and purposeful strides toward her she felt faint and nauseous like she was about to pass out any second. She couldn't bring herself to watch him come near squeezing her eyes shut tightly and willing herself to be anywhere else but she couldn't get her mind to catch up with her limbs even though internally her mind was screaming at her to run, she felt frozen in place despite her will.
The feel of a cool metal point under her chin made her gasp audibly and the muscles in her jaw clench, when she felt her head being drawn upwards she swallowed hard anticipating the worst.
"Look at me." he demanded, though his voice was barely above a whisper there was no mistaking the authoritative tone. This was not a request. She did as asked and bit her lip when she saw he was leaning over her, his face mere inches from hers. When he leaned in close enough that she could feel the puffs of his breath grazing her lips she wanted to pull away, the only thing stopping her was the tip of his hooked hand pressed up tightly against the underside of her chin. Any sudden movement and it would easily pierce her flesh. "It seems little fish," he told her, the breath of his words sending chills down her spine (and again not the good kind) "that you have a choice to make….".
"Please don't." she whimpered softly, her voice shaking as she tried not to cry. The motion of talking resulting in a stray droplet of blood to meander its way down the curved portion of the metal hook until it pooled and dripped down onto her dress.
When she felt him lean forward she was sure he was going to force his lips upon hers, but instead she felt his cheek graze accross hers, the stubble on his face tickling her as he went and making her feel sick inside as he moved his lips close to her ear, using his good hand to brush her red locks out of his way. Despite how much she willed her body to move, to try and fight or flee, she was just frozen. She hated herself for just sitting there doing nothing, for allowing this to happen.
"Tell you what," another shiver traveled down her spine as his words were whispered in her ear, a clear mockery of a lover's passionate moment. "You can choose to stay here in this room willingly and I can reward you by not defiling you, despite my desire to do so, " he emphasized the last part of his sentence by grazing the back of his fingers across her bare shoulder and down her arm, chuckling when she instinctively flinched away from his touch "Or, you can attempt to escape…" he pulled back from her ear and sought out here gaze, wanting to make sure he had her attention and clearly understood his next words. "…and I will take every inch of your innocence from you before tossing you to my men to do with as they please."
There were tears streaming silently down her cheeks now, he reached up and brushed some away with the pad of his thumb, his hand caressing her cheek in the blasphemy of a lovers touch. He kept her head in place with the threat of his hook for a few long moments before finally drawing it back. "However I suppose you could always jump to your death." he straightened up and stepped back from her, his tone was challenging her to do just that when they both knew she wasn't going to. He'd already taken that bet and won; if she really wanted to commit suicide by jumping ship she would have done it already when she had the chance.
"Your move love." he said as he stepped away from her to lean back against the desk, his arm held out towards the exit symbolizing he wouldn't stop her if she tried to make a run for it. She looked out the window towards the vast expanse of ocean, then back to the Captain, and off to the side towards the door that lead out to the upper deck. Had they been docked she might have considered making a run for it, but she wasn't foolish. Running would only serve to get her punished fiercely and she was sure he would live up to his threat. Where could she run to when they were in the middle of the ocean?
He had her cornered. She knew it. He knew it. She knew that he knew it.
"I'll stay." she acquiesced followed with a shaky breath, brushing the rest of her tears away with the back of her hand.
"Perfect," he responded a little too chipper for her taste, like a cat that had finally caught the mouse and was enjoying his creame "Then I guess darling I'll be seeing you in the morning." he told her as he pushed off the desk and started in the direction of his bed while pulling his black cotton shirt over his head as he went, tossing it off to the side.
"That's it?" she asked shocked, unbelieving of the turn of events. She had been so sure that he would….well she didn't want to finish that thought. She watched as he removed the belt and sword and rested it on the floor next to the bed.
"Sorry lass, was that too anticlimactic an ending for you." he teased with a chuckle, starting to work the laces of his leather pants free causing her to flush deeply with embarrassment and look away. "I guess I could always amend our little agreement, make you sleep in my bed next to me if you like?" he said, and the small noise of panic that escaped her lips had him chuckling harder and grin from ear to ear even if she couldn't see it. "I should warn you though love, you'll find no modesty on my behalf seeing as I sleep in the nude." he added as he toed off his boots and slid his pants down and off his legs. He'd said it just to watch the way she shifted uncomfortably in her seat and started pointedly out the window.
"No thank you." she practically squeaked out, kicking herself for not keeping her mouth shut.
"Pity." he teased as he pulled the comforter and sheets of the bed back and slid in. "Would have been fun." he mused, taking great pleasure in her discomfort as he rested his head back atop one of his hands.
"Yeah for you." she retorted hotly without thinking, before slapping her hand over her mouth and cursing herself mentally.
"Kitten finally found her claws I see," he laughed deeply, turning onto his side to look at her and propping his head up with the hand he had just been resting it on. "Trust me sweetheart, I would have had you screaming my name in pleasure before we were through." back was his suggestive tone, complemented by his arrogance and confidence. It made her want to slap him with a tire iron. "Alas, I am a man of my word, now will you be so kind as to get the curtains."
The absurd candidness of this new conversation had her head spinning. She had to be dreaming. This man was so confusing and irritating. However she did as she was asked, standing up on weak legs to slowly walk over to the far end of the wall and grasp the thick red velvet curtain and draw it across the length of the wall covering all the windows. She was wary about what she should do next, but she could see that the Captain already had his arm thrown over his eyes and the covers draped over his torso.
Cautiously she laid down on the padded window sill seat, thankful that it was large enough to nearly be a daybed. She shifted to get comfortable, careful to move as little as possible. She wasn't sure the pirate's word could be trusted and that he would keep his agreement, but it was a gamble she had to take. There were no other options left. At least until they reached land
"Goodnight, my pet." he said gruffly as he turned over onto his side. He didn't expect a response and wasn't surprised when he didn't get one. Killian had never taken a woman against her will in his life. It was never his style nor a desire. He could understand the draw of it that some men had, the feeling of domination and power that accompanied it – and a few men on his ship had done it a time or two he was sure. He found it far more pleasurable and enjoyable when his lasses were eager and willing instead, especially if they were particularly challenging and he had to use every ounce of charm to convince them to his bed. He got enough power and domination fulfillment as acting Captain of the Jolly Roger. However – this was not information he was going to divulge to his lovely new pet. What she didn't know could certainly hurt her.
Part of being a truly good pirate when you prided yourself on having a certain code and being a questionable gentleman was being a damn good convincing actor.
A/N: All I can say is please don't come at me with pitchforks and flaming arrows. Killian will eventually be redeemed even in Ariel's eyes, that I can guarantee. Until next chapter - XOXO