Yet again, usual disclaimers apply throughout this tale. If you recognise it, it probably belongs to the Mouse – else it is mine!
Chapter 2 – The Blessed Mae
"Mistress Reyes! Mistress Reyes!" Jesom burst into her cabin without knocking, his young eyes wide with fear. "Mistress Reyes, pirates! Captain says to get yourself and the children ready immediately and to go to his cabin for safety." She glimpsed outside of her cabin door, shocked at how much the ship had gained on them; they had gotten so close, so quickly. Their sails filled her view, her eyes drawn to the black flag with skull and crossbones that adorned the mast. For a moment she stood frozen with fear. "Mistress Reyes… please!" Jesom's panic was plain on his face and he was anxious to get her to the safety of the main cabin. "The men can defend you there!"
Quickly passing the sleeping Sarah to him she picked up James, running to the master cabin. Captain Gauny was there, bellowing orders to his crew as he waited for her. He handed her a pistol. "Do you know how to use this?" Catherine nodded, thankful of her brother's secret lessons as she turned to take Sarah back from Jesom. "There is just one shot so make it count!" he warned. There would be no time to reload, no chance for a second shot.
Captain Gauny strode out of the cabin, still shouting at his crew to prepare to repel boarders. She knew it was hopeless for the Lynn was old and slow and had only a few carronades. Catherine covered Sarah's ears as the first rounds fired at the pirate ship, then screamed herself as a cannonball smashed through the cabin just a few yards from where she stood. James clung to her skirts, crying in terror.
She felt the Lynn lurch sideways with the impact of the pirate ship's other cannonballs, the force nearly throwing her from her feet. One of them smashed into the deck below, taking out the rudder. Suddenly the sound of pistol fire and clashing swords filled the air, followed by the shouts and yells of frightened men - the pirates had boarded and the crew of the Lynn fought for their lives.
"James, hold your sister!" she urged, passing her to him as she readied the pistol, her hands shaking with fear. They hunkered down in the far corner of the cabin, pistol aimed at the door in the faint hope that they would not be discovered in the dim light. The screams of the dying filled her ears and the door burst inwards. She did not shoot immediately, but held the pistol in front of her, biting her lip as she hesitated. The pirate saw her and smiled, grinning widely as he approached, not noticing as behind him Jesom sprung from the shadows. But he did notice. His sword moved so fast that Catherine could not even see the blade, and Jesom fell down, clutching his stomach as he vainly tried to hold his intestines in. His eyes bulged in disbelief as he dropped to the deck.
James screamed. She fired.
A marksman would have counted it a perfect shot, straight through the temple, but it was pointless and she knew it. Four more pirates filled the doorway, their swords bloodied and the only defence she had was her nerve. She stood shakily facing them, still biting her lip uncertainly.
"Captain Bailie!" A tall figure filled the doorway behind the four men, broad shouldered, dark and swarthy, bleeding profusely from a cut grazing his cheek – at least one of the Lynn's crew had marked him, but it was small comfort.
"What have we here?" His voice was soft, viper-soft and dangerous as he approached, glancing at the body of the dead pirate. His lip curled as he spoke. "Nice shot!" He kicked the body aside and walked towards her, his boots echoing on the wooden boards.
Catherine stood her ground, saying nothing. She would have taken a step backwards, but she was already pressed against the bulkhead. Sarah bawled her distress loudly as James held her whilst he buried his face in Catherine's skirts, shocked beyond tears at what he had seen. She reached down to soothe him, but the pirate captain snatched her wrist. "I've never killed a woman before..." he sneered, dragging her out onto the deck, slamming the door behind him as she struggled. The children were left in the cabin, James pounding on the door with his free hand in panic as he tried to get out, screaming and calling for her.
Catherine would never forget the sight that met her eyes as she was forced from the cabin. Everywhere the dead bodies of the crew, all the crew, lay wherever they had fallen, blood pooling into darkening rivers in the dim light, soaking the hem of her dress, staining it. She took a step backwards in fear, only to find herself trapped against the pirate, his body blocking her retreat. She paled, but raised her eyes by force of will as she turned, making herself face him. "So what now then, Captain?" She was amazed her voice held steady despite her fear. "Will you spare the children?"
He grinned at her assumption that she too would be killed. "Like I said, I've never killed a woman before... well, not knowingly," he admitted "and I don't intend to start now." Her hopes rose, then plummeted far out of reach as he tore her dress from her, leering at her pale English skin. "But you can always give us some sport before you leave..."
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Bruised, battered and in shock, Catherine leaned against the rail of the ship for support as she tried to hold her ripped dress to her. Her lip bled from where she had bitten it as she had tried not to scream, but scream she had until her throat was hoarse from her cries. One of the pirates released the children from the cabin and James rushed to her, crying, his sister still held tightly to his chest. She crouched down in an attempt to comfort him, flinching as a shadow passed over them - it was the captain. He gestured to the small ship's boat as it was launched from it's davits. "In you get!" he ordered.
Catherine looked at the tiny boat now bobbing in the dark sea below. "Will you give food and water for the children?" Her voice was a mere whisper, but she had to make herself face the man who had destroyed her dignity, raping her himself before giving her over to his crew.
He drew his pistol and cocked it, aiming it at her. "I said get in. Don't make me say it thrice!" he threatened.
She handed James down into the boat, passing him his sister before clambering down herself. Her departure was ungainly, hampered by her skirts and her shaking hands, but to her great relief she made it without falling into the water. She forced herself to look up at the captain once more, her voice gaining strength in her desperation. "For pity's sake, Captain, will you give nothing for the children?" she pleaded. "Or will you leave the sea to do your dirty work?"
He stared down at her, eyes narrowing, before he turned abruptly. He did not answer her. "Take everything of value, fire the ship!" he ordered his crew.
Fearing to be caught against the flaming ship, she pushed off with the oars and rowed a short distance into the night. She sighed as the dark silhouette of the pirate ship sailed away and the amber glow of the flames spread throughout the Lynn. She watched the final moments of the ship, as the Lynn died and sank slowly below the waves. They were alone.
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Catherine had never liked rain. In England it had meant dreary, soggy days confined indoors, but now that rain was her lifeline. She forced James to open his mouth, trying to catch the precious drops as they fell. At first she had wrung the rainwater from their clothes, but it had not been enough. Days of struggling with the hunger, the thirst, the heat and her exhaustion meant that now she could barely rise. She knew that they could not survive much longer, she had lost count of the days they drifted aimlessly. They were at the mercy of the sea.
The storm the previous night had almost finished them. Huge waves had nearly swamped the small boat. Her hands were bloody and raw, but she could row no more for the oars had been lost overboard in the storm. Even if they had not, she still had no idea in which direction land could be found.
Sarah had died two days earlier, unable to survive without any milk. Her small body was wrapped in one of Catherine's petticoats and tucked safely in the bow. Catherine hoped that they would be able to give the child a Christian burial… but she feared there would be three burials and not just the one if they were not found soon. She lay next to James, mouth open, catching tears as well as rain before drifting into blissful unconsciousness.
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