Well I hope everyone who was waiting for it liked Chapter 9! It was hell to write, I couldn't seem to keep it under control! Well on with the plot.
To the Guest who reviewed, I'm glad you're enjoying my tale! It keeps me up some nights as well!
I still don't own Black Sails.
Chapter 10-Tea and Interrogation
They lounged about in bed for several hours, alternating between enjoying each others bodies and talking, Willa had told Billy of her childhood, of how kind Mary, Anne's mother had been. Treating her as her own. Of the hate her father seemed to have of both girls after Mary died. Moving across the sea to the new world, and her sadness when Anne had run off. The joy she'd felt when she herself had run off just days before her 15th birthday to seek out her sister. Billy told her of his childhood and being press ganged into the Royal Navy, his ship being attacked and Flint taking him on as crew. He truthfully told her of all the events of recent months, even his suspicions about Flint. They laughed that they both enjoyed gardening, working with the earth, Billy admitting if he survived his life at sea he may just settle on some island to grow sugar or something. Willa said she'd join him. Finally hunger drew them from their nest and downstairs.
"Bloody hell it's hot in here!" the stuffiness of the lower level wash shocking as they descended the stairs. Willa carried an armload of their clothes and embarrassingly the blood stained bed clothes, Billy was naked save for pants, which were actually Vane's, Willa had taken his clothes to wash them, he had tried to argue with her and she's told him to shut his trap. She didn't mind, though Vane's pants were extra snug across Billy's well formed ass and legs. "Well go open windows and doors, I'll start water for tea and the washing." Billy follows her instructions, the temperature begins to drop as the breeze blows through the house. He listens to Willa hum an old sea shanty as she moves about the kitchen, he settles at the table to watch her, she had put on a simple, light linen shift, with the morning light pouring through the windows it left little to his imagination. She sets bread and cheese out on the table, getting plates and cups from the cupboard. She pours them each a cup of tea before settling down across from him. The eat in comfortable silence, when they've finished, Billy stands, collecting the dishes he carries them over to the table with the wash pail on it. Willa collects the laundry and walks out the back door, Billy follows her and watches as she crosses to the well. He slips up behind her, moving her out of the way he drops the bucket down, filling it before lifting it back up. He carries it over to where she's set a large pot over an open fire. He repeats the process until the pot is half full, watching as Willa adds lye to the boiling water. She stirs the pot with a long wooden paddle, creating suds before tossing all the clothing in. "Will you fill those for me as well?" she indicates the two other pots a few feet away.
Billy does as she asks, enjoying the simple pleasure of watching her do woman's work. She continues to stir the clothing around in the boiling pot until she's satisfied its clean, using the paddle she carefully lifts a couple of items to the second pot. She makes quick work of grabbing a long rough board to scrub the clothing against, then tosses it into the third pot, repeating this until all the clothes AR in the last pot. Dumping the second pot she gives Billy a sweet smile "Will you fill that one again, please." he chuckles, but does as she asks. "This is why I very rarely wear clean clothes." She wrinkles her nose at him "I'll wash your clothes if you bring them to me." She uses the fresh water to rinse the clothes again, making sure they are clean, wringing them out she carries them to the wooden fence surrounding her kitchen garden and hangs them over it to dry. "There, in this sun and heat they should be dry quickly." Billy slips up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist he leans down to kiss her neck. "You don't have to do things like this for me." "No I don't, but I want to..."his naked chest pressing against her is ever so distracting "but I want to, it feels nice to feel normal." he doesn't miss the wistfulness of her tone "I wish I could give you normal Love." She turns in his arms, kissing him passionately "Then make love to me again." He growls and scoops her up, striding quickly toward the house. As they reach the door a feminine voice calls through the house "Willa, child, where you be?" Billy skids to a stop just inside the door, Willa's shift is bunched up around her thighs and there, standing in the middle of her cottage is Mistress Samara, the Voodoo Priestess of the island. The dark woman's lips curl up in a knowing smile as her odd golden eyes take in the scene. "Ahhh so our little girl has been playing, aye?" Willa blushes and wiggles, trying to crawl out of Billy's arms. "Mistress Samara! I wasn't expecting you!"
The older woman chuckles "Obviously girl. I brung the things you ask for" the woman holds up a basket with one hand, a cage with three chickens in the other. Billy sets Willa down, knowing the name she's spoken, he watches the woman with trepidation, her reputation is well known on the island. Willa surprises him by quickly crossing the room to wrap the woman in a warm hug. "Oh thank you so much. How is Siya? I was worried after he left, I made him promise to hide if he saw anyone." She takes the items from the woman "Please sit, I'll make some tea." walking quickly to the back door she lets the chickens loose into the kitchen garden before returning to put the food stuffs into her cupboard and start the tea. Samara settles her lithe frame into one of the chairs at the table "Siya is well, raving about your biscuits. You are one of the only people who treat him with respect outside of our little place." Billy notices Willa's somewhat sad smile "He's an amazing person, it's not his fault he's got a child's mind." "Wise words little one." She looks pointedly at Billy "And what of this one? I see nothing childlike in him." Willa blushes "Mistress Samara, this is Billy Bones...he's...well...Vane ask him to watch over me while he's gone." the woman throws her head back and laughs "Oh I can see, he has kept much more than his eyes on you child." Billy cocks an eyebrow at the woman, she returns his expression with a smirk "Anne may make you a eunuch*" "And Vane may gut me or Rackham stab me in the back. But they aren't my concern. Willa is, if she's happy that lot can piss off." Her smile returns "Him will do child, him will do."
Willa is slightly lost as she pours tea and sets out biscuits before settling at the table, Billy sits after she does. "So how have you been Mistress? I hope my being near hasn't brought you trouble." "If you mean the devil Ned Low, him come seeking my wisdom. How is it him knows what you are child?" Willa looks slightly uncomfortable "I guess a woman living alone out here is bound to be outed as a witch..." the priestess gives her a haughty look "Child you think me stupid? I know a siren when I see one." Billy stiffens beside her but the woman continues "You secret is safe with me, I told Low I know nothing of no woman in the woods. That sirens and mermaids are drunken sailors tales. Him ask if they was real, could one be controlled. I told him to ask the sea goddess, because voodoo is my gift. Him left mad, and threatened to bring blood if I lied." Willa's face crumples "Oh...I'm so sorry...I didn't think he would..." Her tears fall freely down her face as Billy reaches over to draw her from her chair and into his lap, stroking her hair "Child you stop. That man is power hungry, if not you someone else. Least you have people who will protect you. Our seer, she threw the bones on it, they say him be dead in a fortnight.** You know she don't be wrong often." Billy continues to stroke Willa's hair as he locks eyes with the woman "He can do a lot of damage in that time."
"Him could, but him to busy making enemies all over this island. The girls at from Rackham's place been to see me, him and his men are vicious with them. One girl, she never be the same. Miss Eleanor told him to get out of her place." She motions to Willa "Him thinks people know about you, people think him crazy, askin after the witch they send him to me. Him know you here in the woods though girl, him looking, but you put up strong wards, him would have to spill blood to find you." Willa looks at the woman with sadness in her silver eyes "That's what I'm afraid of Mistress." The woman pats the girl on the hand "Child, you are good to my people, you treat us as equal, you look out for Siya. We look out for our own, you may not be voodoo child, but you magical, just like us." With that the woman stands, giving Billy a pointed look "You Billy Bones, see me out." Willa jumps to her feet "Oh Mistress I..." the woman holds up a hand "I want to have a word with your Billy, I'll not hurt him." "Well at least take some biscuits back for Siya then." Willa quickly wraps four biscuits in a towel, she slips them into the basket Samara brought her supplies in and hands it to the woman. Samara smiles and draws the girl in for a hug, she whispers "There is a tin of my special tea with you're others, it will allow you and your man to play freely." Willa blushes as she returns the woman's hug "Thank you" They draw apart and Samara grabs Billy by the arm, all but dragging him toward the front door.
Once they are out of Willa's hearing Samara turns on Billy "If you hurt that child I will make your soul my toy. You be begging for the death Vane or Anne could give you." Billy looks the woman in her golden eyes without flinching "I will give my life for her. I know me loving her is a danger to her, but I am in love with her. Even if she's only in lust with me." The woman chuckles "You must be daft if you think she only lusting after you. I known her for a good many years, before she ever come to this island, she don't like men. Men are to be feared, men are to be hated. She may not know she love you, but I see it." She pats the stunned man's cheek before disappearing through the hedge. He stares at the empty space she'd just occupied and wonders if Willa does love him.
*A castrated man
** Two weeks