Meant to update for New Years but wasn't quite ready.
Chapter Eleven: Ahoy Me Hearty
Effy stretched out on the lounge and watched Katie toss and turn in the bed; between the rum, the injury, and how terribly their attempt to board the Lament had failed, the wild captain assumed she must be having terrible dreams. The redhead groaned as she woke up. Aside from the still throbbing cut on her forehead, the girl felt nauseous and her muscles ached. The events of the previous day were still hazy in her mind and she blinked as her eyes tried to focus in the dark room. As the captain came into focus, the memories from a mere ten hours ago came flooding back.
Captain Stonem walked over to the bed and looked down at her. "How are you feeling?" she asked.
Katie was up and flailing before Effy had a chance to step back. "You let them get away!" she screamed, swinging at the brunette and missing. "Some fucking captain! We'll never find them! You almost got me killed and you let them get away!"
The captain grabbed the girl's arms and stared her in the eye. "It's not over; we have get to port and repair, but it's not over—not by a long shot," She defended.
"Yeah right! You've fucked it! The Lament is twice the size of you're stupid little bloody whore and they know we are coming. They'll kill her! Now that they know we are after them, who knows what they will do to her!" The redhead struggled, trying to free her arms.
Effy fixed her with an intimidating stare. "When I let go…you won't dare hit me…" she said. "And don't insult my ship. It's not her fault there was a storm. Get yourself together, you're being pathetic." She released Katie's arms and turned around.
Something small hit the back of the captain's jacket and she turned to see a still seething Katie with her fists clinched. The necklace lay on the floor between them and she bent to pick it up and threw it back at the girl. She couldn't quite understand the feeling that was surging through her; it had been a long time since anyone had actually gotten under her thick skin.
"Oh love." she forced a laugh. "Let's not fight; you don't want to trifle with me…" she stepped closer to the angry girl, hoping to make her back down.
The redhead shook furiously, her brown eyes flashing, and her chin jutted out defiantly. "I hate you," she spat.
"Hate is just love in denial…" the brunette said, that familiar impish smile playing across her face.
Before she knew what she had done, Katie had slapped the captain hard across her perfectly pale face. Effy turned her head back to face her slowly, a dangerous look in her icy blue eyes. She opened her mouth to speak but before she could say anything, Katie had pounced, taking the brunette's face between her hands and planting a deep, if not clumsy, kiss on her open lips before pushing herself free again.
"I…I don't know why I did that…" Katie stammered, trying to rush for the door past the wild woman, who looped her stronger than it seemed arm around her waist. "Let go…I…I'm sorry…I don't know why I did that. Let me the fuck go now."
"No," was all Effy said, pulling her back to face her.
Katie was trembling with both rage and fear. Why had she done that? "I said let me go," she said, trying to sound more determined than she really was.
Captain Stonem could feel the girl's defenses slipping away. "No," she repeated, tilting the girl's face up with her free hand as she leaned down to kiss her again—a surprisingly soft kiss from the rough girl that sent a shiver down the redhead's entire body.
"Now I will let go," the brunette said as she turned the now dazed girl loose.
The captain bent to pick the necklace up again and gently fastened it around Katie's neck before heading for the door.
"Wait…" the redhead said in a faltering voice.
Effy stood in the open doorway for a short moment, trying to get the sudden rush of dangerous emotions under control. "No." she sighed as she pulled the door shut.
Katie slowly sank to the floor next to the bed, her hand lightly brushing her lips. What had just happened? And why did she want more than anything for the wild girl to come crashing back into the room so desperately?
Cook burst into the captain's quarters. "How is she? Is sh….shit."
Emily stopped kissing the blonde, falling off the bed as she did so, her face quickly turning scarlet at being discovered.
The first mate stood frozen for a few minutes as he took in the scene he had burst in upon.
"Oi! Nice!" He shook himself out of his stupor. "Don't stop on my account ladies."
"Get the fuck out Cook!" Naomi yelled.
"Awe Naomikins, it's nothing I haven't seen before," he said jokingly. "Come on then, I saved our asses, the least you two could do is give me a show…"
"Out! Now!" the captain yelled again, lunging out of bed and pushing him roughly out the door.
Captain Campbell locked the door and turned back to Emily, who still sat awkwardly on the floor, her face burning a bright shade of pink.
"I'm sorry," the redhead shocked her by saying. "I…embarrassed you…and made a fool of myself…but…it's true…I love you…" she said breathlessly. "Please don't make me leave."
"Leave?" the blonde gasped, rushing quickly over to the girl and joining her on the floor.
The captain took the girl's face between her hands and looked her in the eyes, "You really have no idea how ridiculously happy you just made me?" she said as she pulled Emily into a kiss. "I'm scared shitless…but still…ridiculously happy…"
The girl had tears in her warm brown eyes. "You mean…you're not…" She struggled to speak. "…you don't think I'm weird?"
Naomi laughed. "No!" she said, planting another more passionate kiss before adding, "I think I've been in love with you since the moment I saw you…"
She couldn't put into the words the fact that she had never dreamed the redhead could feel the same way about her; the fact that she had believed she would never feel this way—this was so much more than what she had felt before. It was scary to be hit by an emotion like this, but that just proved it was all the more real. The blonde could have died that very moment and have been perfectly happy. How could that be put to words properly? Her arms slid around Emily and she pulled her close.
The redhead trembled in her arms and buried her face in the blonde's neck as she let out a sigh of relief. She pulled back, reluctant to let go of Naomi, and brushed away her tears.
"What are we going to do?" Emily asked.
Captain Campbell shifted nervously and loosened her grip around the girl. "Whatever you want…I mean…anything you are comfortable with…it's not rush, I won't pressure you…" She stammered, turning a bit red.
The redhead couldn't help but giggle; she planted a light kiss on each cheek before explaining herself. "I mean about the ransom and my sister Katie…"
"Oh…" Naomi sighed. "Well, first we have to figure out where we are and then we can make our way back to port again. I'll pay a few crew members of other ships to keep an eye out for Captain Stonem's ship. When we get word, we will go after them…then…I don't know, I've never canceled a ransom…never done a ransom actually…not ransoming a person that is…"
"Really?" the redhead was surprised. "Why?"
The captain shrugged. "It just seemed…too cruel…"
"But obviously you changed your mind…" Emily stated.
"Well…it was a special circumstance…" Naomi explained. "…Enough money to get mum set up proper, so she could do what she wanted and not have to work…the way she does…"
The redhead looked shocked, confusion spreading across her face. "How much are you ransoming me for? My family does well…but…no better than most families…it's not like you would get a king's ransom from me…"
"I wasn't asking for money at all…" the blonde admitted. "Your family has an item I need."
Emily was suddenly silent; a puzzled look stuck on her face as she chewed her lower lip. Naomi eyed her nervously.
"Did I say something wrong?" the captain asked.
"No…it's just…" the redhead wondered aloud. "…you're really giving up something that important? Something that can do so much for you and your family…for me?"
Captain Campbell laughed. "You really don't know how special you are…do you?"
The brown eyed girl just looked at her—her face clearly showing that she had no idea what the blonde was talking about. Naomi guided her to the bed and gently pulled her down with her as she brushed a few strands of red hair away from her face. She stared into Emily's warm brown eyes and knew she was in love—real love—wonderful and terrifying love that was worth more than any treasure she could ever find buried on some island or locked away in a chest. The girl's blue eyes took in every detail she had tried to ignore about her captive for all these weeks—almost two months of pretending to herself that perfection didn't exist. She leaned in and placed a trembling kiss on the other girl's lips, making a tentative trail of kisses across Emily's cheek and down to her neck.
Captain Stonem had not returned to their quarters in days; when Katie had gone looking for her, intending to demand an explanation, the wild girl acted as though they had barely ever talked—let alone kissed. The men on board regarded the redhead differently; they no longer let out lewd whistles or brazenly undressed her with their eyes. Katherine was quickly beginning to feel like a ghost on the limping ship; something in the captain had changed and even the usually fearless girl was unwilling to push the subject with her. Instead, she seized an opportunity with the first mate the moment she saw Effy head below deck.
"Could you at least tell me what is going on?" Katie asked, batting her eyes at Thomas.
"We are headed for port. The wave didn't take us too far off course so we should be there soon," the first mate answered.
"I don't mean about that…" the redhead snapped, trying to keep her nerves under control. "I mean about Ef…Captain Stonem…Why isn't she staying in her quarters? Where is she sleeping?"
Thomas gave her a sorry look and sighed. "Why does it matter? You have more room; she is fine."
"She's not fine…" Katie sighed back. "She's not herself…"
"How would you know that?" he questioned. "What are you really worried about? She didn't get your sister for you…I am sorry about that…she won't expect any additional payment."
"It's not about the money!" the redhead said in irritation.
"Then what is it about?" Thomas said more than asked. He could imagine what it was.
Katie's cheeks turned red and she turned her back on the man at the wheel. "…it's nothing…I just…she could just…I just want to know…nevermind."
She retreated once again to the captain's quarters and paced for a while; it was infuriating. Katherine had always known what she wanted and that she would have it when she wanted it; now she didn't know what she desired anymore or what she would do if she actually did get it. If the captain came through one of the doors this moment to pick up where they had left off three days ago—what would she do? The redhead had always played at love; falling in and out of it as the mood suited her or the occasion dictated—but this was foreign. Could she even call it love? Infatuation? Insanity? She had heard of sailors going mad at sea; perhaps that was all this was.
"Why do I even care?" she thought out loud. "She's crazy and I'm just…confused…" she assured herself.
Despite herself, her heart skipped a little beat when she heard the captain's voice on deck and she shook her head angrily. She sat on the bed and crossed her arms for a moment to keep from fidgeting with the trinket around her neck. Let Captain Stonem ignore her; that shouldn't matter at all—she couldn't stand the sight of the wild woman a week ago and nothing had really changed—it simply wasn't rational.
Later that night, when she heard Effy descending the stairs, Katie waited a few minutes before quietly tiptoeing on deck to follow her. The redhead had never been below deck on the ship and she squinted in the dark as she tried to keep out of sight of the captain. A rat scurried under her feet and she stifled a scream as she ducked behind a stack of barrels; Katie didn't dare move for a while, sure that Effy must have heard her, she waited to be discovered and scolded, but it never happened. The minutes raced by and finally the redhead felt safe to move again, scanning the tight hallway as she tried to remember which door she had seen the captain go through. The brown eyed girl listened at the door to be sure; she could hear Effy's muffled voice. She took a deep breath and pushed the door open without knocking.
The captain was curled up on a very narrow cot with one of the crew members; her blue eyes looked hazy as she puffed on a strong smelling cigarette. The wild girl tried to look stern, but couldn't quite pull it off. There had to be six sailors in the small room, the smoke was as thick as fog, and Katie could smell strong alcohol on all their breath.
"Red's here…now it's a party." Effy giggled, giving the crew member a light kiss on the cheek as she pulled herself out of the bed, wobbling a little as she dropped a large bottle on the floor.
"What are you doing?" Katie spat.
"Having a laugh." The brunette giggled again, a wild look in her blue eyes, "You should join us! Take a tumble off the ol' pedestal and slum it."
Katie stood in the doorway with her mouth agape. "Have you been…sleeping here?"
The men in the room erupted with laughter and the redhead blushed angrily.
"Not much…" Effy said with a wink as she grabbed another of the crew members and planted a kiss on his lips.
"What the fuck?" Katie yelled, grabbing the captain's arm and pulling her away from the man. "I've been waiting to talk to you about…" She paused, her face turning even more red, "…finding my sister and you've been down there screwing the whole crew?"
"Don't be silly…" The captain laughed, pulling free again. "I haven't touched pegs or patchy yet…"
The room erupted with more laughter. The redhead couldn't think, she couldn't catch her breath; she had to talk to Effy before they got to port. For all she knew, they would leave her there and she would never see Captain Stonem again.
"Right! That's enough," Katie shouted, grabbing the captain's arm again and dragging her out into the hall. "I'm still paying you and you are…"
"I'm a pirate, not a prostitute," the brunette howled lewdly. "You'll have to wait for port for that. Now if you'll excuse me…" She brake free again and headed back for the door.
Katie pulled the door shut and stood in her way. "We're going to talk about all this."
"Fix the ship and set back out to find them again…there, we've sorted it," The wild girl said smoothly.
"Fine…fine…it's not just about that," the redhead admitted. "And you're not getting off that easy."
"Well if you don't get out of my way, I won't be getting off at all…" Effy said with a sigh as she swayed unsteadily in the hallway. "Now I'm captain here and I order you to shove off…girly…" she added as she slumped against a wall.
The captain had passed out and the redhead wasn't sure what to do; she was relieved when she saw the first mate come down to see where the crew had disappeared to. Thomas helped her carry the passed out brunette to their quarters. The girl looked deceptively peaceful as she slept in the large bed while Katie watched her.
"Well if you don't get out of my way, I won't be getting off at all…" Effy said with a sigh as she swayed unsteadily in the hallway. "Now I'm captain here and I order you to shove off…girly…" she added as she slumped against a wall.
The captain had passed out and the redhead wasn't sure what to do; she was relieved when she saw the first mate come down to see where the crew had disappeared to. Thomas helped her carry the passed out brunette to their quarters. The girl looked deceptively peaceful as she slept in the large bed while Katie watched her. She didn't know what to do. The redhead didn't like the idea of having feelings for Effy; aside from the obvious, this person was definitely not the right kind of person to love, but no matter how much she willed her brain to tell her heart that very important fact, it wouldn't listen. It beat angrily in her chest she was snogging them, she was sleeping with them it raged she can't do that, she's mine.
"She's not yours…mine…" Katie insisted to her heart, but it beat back painfully against her instruction.
Katie sighed and rubbed the stitches on her forehead; she was tired and arguing with herself. She rooted around under the bed for a few minutes to find the rum and took a few sips—and then a large gulp. The redhead climbed into bed next to the brunette and wrapped her arms firmly around the other girl before falling asleep.
