Title: To Have & To Hold
Author: Squeezynz
Chapter: Four - Hide and Seek
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Wendy crouched down into the ferns as far as she could go. The birds had warned her someone was coming and their shrill cries snapped her out of the daydream she'd been in, her feet carrying her she knew not where while her brain tried to unravel the mystery of her arrival in Neverland. She could hear voices approaching and tried to hunker down further into the greenery. The ferns grew very tall and lush and she hoped the men, whoever they were, would just pass on by. The tramp of boots on the leafy trail were loud and she held her breath, willing them to pass her without noticing.
"We'll have to call it a day soon...the suns dipping fast."
"We have to find her..."
"Not much use trying to in the dark...unless..."
"Unless what?"
"The fairies?"
"I ask too much of them as it is."
"Just a suggestion Captain."
Wendy could hear their voices clearly from her hiding place, her brow wrinkling as she strained to hear more, never once considering that it might be her they were seeking. Lifting her head, she could just see through the fronds to the path, the men passing steadily, but not urgently. The one in front was a tall, broad shouldered man dressed as she's expect a Captain to be, his trousers tucked into tall boots while his brown stuff coat was over-slung with a wide belt from which a sword dangled along with a brace of pistols. His hat was pulled well down on his head and he appeared to be wearing a black bandanna tied over his hair, as well as over the top half of his face leaving only his mouth and clean shaven chin visible above the collar of his shirt. Suspecting that the bandanna hid some deformity, Wendy passed on to the man following. He was taller than the Captain, his clothes not nearly so fine, in fact almost ragged, his broad torso crisscrossed by leather straps carrying an assortment of lethal looking weapons, his thick arms bare and sporting a wealth of colourful tattoos down the length of each limb, ending in fists that looked big enough to fell an ox.
Behind the leaders followed an assortment of their pirate crew, all dressed in oddments of clothing that looked surprisingly clean for such a motley collection of humanity. A bird suddenly flew up from behind Wendy's hiding place and she quickly ducked down as the men all stopped and stared across the meadow of ferns to where the bird flapped noisily away, its alarm call fading into the distance.
Unable to see what was happening, Wendy could only strain her ears to get a hint of what the men were doing. She could here hushed voices and prayed that they were moving along. A sudden yell and a scuffled almost caused her to scream in fright but it was someone else that the men caught several feet from her own haven.
"It's one of the boys Captain!"
"Bring him here...he may be able to tell us something."
Trembling Wendy could hear a string of curses issuing from the captive, presumably one of the Lost Boys that she'd left back at the tree. Lifting her head once more she cautiously stared through the fronds and watched as one of the burly sailors carried the kicking child towards the Captain who stood with his arms crossed, still standing on the path.
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Fetter struggled against the arm holding him around his middle, leaving his legs free to kick impotently with his arms trapped against his side. Twisting his head he tried to bite the arm of his captor but couldn't quite reach. As his teeth snapped together with an audible click the man holding him suddenly tilted him upright and swung him around so that he landed on his bare feet hard on the ground. Two hands clamped themselves on his skinny shoulders and Fetter tried to shrug himself free, quite unsuccessfully.
"Wotcha mean, manhandling me like that...I'm not a bleedin' parcel!"
"What's your name boy?" Asked Stubbs, leaning over the boy in a threatening manner.
"You don't scare me, you big ape...go boil ya head!"
"Feisty scrapper...should we just hang him now, or have some sport first?"
Fetter swallowed hard and turned his head to face the man in the black bandanna, the Captains eyes boring into his own from behind the mask.
"It's Fetter...sir...and please don't 'ang me...I 'aven't had my supper yet."
The Captain let out a burst of laughter, echoed by his crew.
"Okay Fetter...I won't hang you this time. What can you tell me about any strangers in these parts?"
"Strangers?"
"A woman to be precise...long, honey coloured hair, blue eyes, pretty...have you seen her?"
"Oh...that woman...maybe I have, maybe I haven't...depends."
Fetter suddenly found himself hoisted into the air and turned upside down, his ankles gripped by the first mate who shook him roughly, the boys belongings raining down on the path like misshapen droplets as he yelled his surprise.
One article instantly caught the Captains eye and he bent down to snatch up a length of gold chain holding a curious pendant.
"Now where did you get this Fetter?"
"I didn't steal it...I'm not a thief?"
At a signal from the Captain, the first mate turned the boy over and set him on his feet again, Fetter swaying as he fought to regain his balance after hanging upside down.
"If you're not a thief then you'll tell me where you found this trinket."
"It's her's."
The Captain crouched down to bring him face to face with his captive.
"I know...now where did you find it?" Placing his hand on the boys shoulder, the Captain smiled encouragingly at him, Fetter finding himself smiling back. "I won't harm her, I want to keep her safe, but I can't do that if somebody else finds her first. Now where is she?"
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Wendy watched in horror as the boy turned his head and lifted his arm, pointing directly to where she was hiding in the ferns. The pirates also turned to look, all eyes on the patch of greenery hiding her.
Scrambling to her feet and not bothering to look back, Wendy took off at a run, her skirts hitched up around her knees as she sprinted as fast as she could towards the trees, jumping over clumps of the ferns, her breath rasping in her throat.
She managed to reach the trees and darted into the coolness of the shadows, her hair flying out behind her as she dodged around a fallen trunk, the leafless branches catching at her gown and hair. Behind her she could here the sound of boots pounding the ground in pursuit, her heart leaping into her throat as she frantically searched the woods for a hiding place. Darting a glance over her shoulder she saw the masked Captain vault a fallen tree and she almost shrieked in fright, her terror lending wings to her feet as she darted left and right, branches snatching at her as she pushed her way through a thicket and burst into a clearing. She could no longer hear the sounds of pursuit above the pounding of her heart and thought, for a few brief seconds that she had lost him.
A moment later she found out she hadn't when someone tackled her from behind, a hard male body wrapping his arms around her as she fell headlong, twisting at the last moment so that he impacted the ground first before rolling them both over, again and again, eventually coming to rest in the long grass.
Wendy lay on her back, winded, her breath heaving in her chest, her vision blurred with tears of fright and frustration. Beside her, her captor also lay breathing heavily from his exertions. Rolling on to her knees, Wendy tried to get up only to find his hand wrapped around her ankle, shackling her and preventing her from rising. She kicked out and tried to dislodge him, but he simply grabbed the flailing foot and stilled that as well.
"Let me go you brute...unhand me at once!"
Rising to his knees, her captor let go of her ankles and reached for his hat which had been knocked off in the fall. Wendy quickly scooted backwards but her gown became caught and she fell onto her side.
"Here...let me help you." The voice had a thread of laughter in it and Wendy felt anger start to well up inside her.
"Don't touch me...you...you...brigand!"
"Such melodrama...you should've tried for a career on the stage."
"Don't laugh at me!" Wendy shouted at him, her fear forgotten in the face of his mockery. Realizing belatedly that she must look an absolute fright, Wendy tried to straighten her night gown, embarrassed to be showing far more leg than was decent, her hair hanging loose around her shoulders.
"I wasn't laughing at you...well, only a little." He grinned at her, beating the dust off his hat before putting it back on over his black bandanna. "Give me your hand and I'll help you up."
"I can manage myself...I suppose I'm your prisoner now."
"You suppose correctly...will I have to bind and gag you?"
"That won't be necessary...once in a day is quite enough for anybody."
The young man looked at her quizzically, but Wendy only lifted her chin and stared back at him. Rising to his feet he held out his hand to her, Wendy hesitating before placing her fingers against his palm. With a quick yank he pulled her to her feet. She stumbled and fell against him her hands flattening against his chest as he steadied her.
Under her fingers she could feel his chest move as he breathed, the faint patter of his heart before she shoved against him and moved back.
For a brief moment she had stared into his eyes, her own clear blue meeting his shadowed green, a jolt seemingly jumping the short distance between their bodies like a current of energy and causing her heart to jerk before she moved away.
"Come on...my men will be wondering what is taking me so long."
Seizing her wrist he pulled her along beside him, his long strides causing her to almost run to keep up with him. The trip back to the path beside the ferns took no time at all and Wendy found herself the object of a dozen pairs of curious eyes, not least of which was Fetter standing grinning beside the burly first mate.
"I was about to send a search party for you," the first mate said, a smug smile curving his mouth.
"Stow it, Mister Stubbs," frowned the Captain, wiping the smile from his first mates face.
"We're for the ship," ordered the Captain, his men instantly turning back the way they'd come, gathering up the bundles they'd set down when Fetter had been caught.
Still holding Wendy by the wrist, the Captain signaled for Fetter to come forward. Bending down, the man spoke to the boy.
"I thank you for your service...if ever a life at sea lures you away from the trees..."
"I prefer dry land...thank's anyway."
"Then begone brat...before I decided to hang you after all!"
Not bothering to answer, Fetter took to his heels, the men laughing as he scampered out of sight with a cheeky grin and a wave.
"You wouldn't really have hung him...would you?"
The Captain turned to look at his captive, her eyes wide with horror at the thought that he would harm a child. He only shrugged and turned away, tugging her along without answering her.
Wendy pulled against his hand, her head twisting to see back the way she'd come, Fetter already lost to sight amongst the dense trees.
"I can always get Stubbs to put you over his shoulder...if you continue to slow me down, that is."
Turning back to face him, Wendy all but bared her teeth at him, her back straight as she held her arm out to keep him as far away as possible.
"I prefer to walk without your restraint. You've already shown you can catch me if I try to run, so please release me."
Despite not being able to see his eyebrows, Wendy knew that the Captain was surprised, looking down at their still joined hands, his fingers slowly letting her go as if only just realizing that he still held her captive.
"You haven't told me your name?" He asked suddenly, his hand now resting on the hilt of his sword.
"Why do you need to know it?"
"It would make conversation more comfortable...but if you don't want to tell me, I can always give you a new name." He turned away and started to follow after his men along the trail, the burly Mister Stubbs bringing up the rear. "How about Bessy, or Daisy or Buttercup?"
"I'm not a cow, for heaven's sake..." Wendy muttered, having difficulty hiding a her chagrin.
"What about Petunia, or Rose...Lily?"
"First a cow, then a flower...my name is Wendy. Wendy Moira Angela Darling if you must know." She stared haughtily at a spot between his shoulder blades.
"Wendy...Wendy..." Her name rolled off his tongue like a caress and she flushed angrily.
"Now you know my name...what is yours? I would now who I am prisoner of, if you please."
"And if I don't please?"
Wendy pressed her lips together and turned her head, studiously admiring the trees and bushes.
"I'm known as Captain Black in these waters...that should satisfy your curiosity...for now."
As if tired of the bantering, the Captain strode on ahead, passing several of his men to make his way to the front of the column, leaving Wendy with the looming presence of Stubbs at her back.
With him gone, Wendy slumped with tiredness, the long day taking its toll on her strength and her reeling senses. They hadn't traveled for more than half an hour before she stumbled, Stubbs catching her before she hit the ground, instantly calling for Captain Black to attend.
"What is it?" He called impatiently, marching back down to line.
"She's all done in...reckon she can't walk another step." Stubbs explained, gesturing to Wendy sitting slumped on a log beside the trail. Noting her pale face and tightly held mouth, he nodded to his first mate before divesting himself of his pistols and sword, handing them to Stubbs for safe keeping.
Wendy heard him coming and rose to her feet, expecting him to order her onwards. Instead she found herself swept off her feet and hoisted into his arms, her own automatically clasping his neck and clinging with surprise.
"What are you doing?"
Already walking, the Captain merely pursed his lips and glanced sideways at her, shifting her slightly in his arms to improve his grip.
Wendy looked over his shoulder, back to Stubbs, who was grinning like a madman, one eyelid dropping in a wink as Wendy caught his gaze. She quickly looked away.
Being held so close she could feel the hard muscles in his arms shifting against her back and legs, his own covering the ground in an effortless stride as if he was carrying nothing more taxing than an armful of feathers.
She supposed she should really complain and ask to be put down, but in all truthfulness her feet hurt appallingly and every limb seemed to ache with tiredness. After the first few steps, when she was sure he'd drop her, she started to relax, her head dropping to her arm where it rested on his shoulder.
Feeling his burden relax in his arms, her body molding to his own, Captain Black smiled to himself with smug satisfaction, his eyes gleaming behind the concealing black silk of his hasty disguise.
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
"The Nymph's been sighted Captain...berthed in Castle Rock cove."
Hook shifted his double cigar holder from one side of his mouth to the other, his eyes finding the cove on his map, the tip of his hook tracing into the interior of Neverland.
"So Smee...the hunt is on. Tell the helm to set a course for Sea Gull Bluff, we'll anchor there behind the headland overnight. If he's found her, we'll set an ambush and take what we want."
"Won't he be expecting that?" Smee asked, shifting from one foot to the other.
"Of course...this is an old game, just with a new prize. Get about your business Smee, and send Grant to me."
"Yes sir, Captain sir." executing a shaky salute, the old man left Hook to his plotting, conveying the message to the quartermaster before heading for the bridge and the helmsman.
Hook tapped the ash from his cigars before clamping the holder once more between his teeth, a cloud of pungent smoke curling around his dark head.
"Whatever you have, I will take...prepare thee well, Peter Pan."
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
They made camp before full dark, Captain Black seating Wendy on a log covered with a thick blanket, his men well organized and quickly creating a secure campsite for the night. A small fire burned near to where Wendy sat and she welcomed the warmth now that the sun had dipped below the trees, plunging the forest into gloom, chill air seeping through the thinness of her nightgown. Unbelievably tired, Wendy wanted nothing more than to find herself back in her comfortable bed and being fussed over by her Aunt. Thinking of that dear lady brought tears to her eyes and a lump to her throat, a wave of homesickness making it hard to bite back the sobs threatening to break free. She stared into the flames and fought for control, not noticing the activity around her or the man watching her.
"You'll be aboard the Nymph tomorrow, a mite more comfortable than sleeping under the stars."
Wendy started at the sound his voice, her hand coming up to scrub at the wetness on her face.
"Is that your ship?"
"Yes."
"This is all so odd...I think I must be dreaming, but I've never had such a...a vivid dream before."
"This is no dream Wendy...you're here in Neverland, it's now night and I have food for you."
Looking up from her contemplation of her hands, Wendy saw him holding out a bowl that steamed in the cool air.
"Thank you." She sniffed appreciatively at the meaty broth before taking a cautious sip. Captain Black seated himself with his back against the log and drank from his own bowl, his hat discarded but the mask firmly in place.
Cradling her bowl in her hands, Wendy licked her lips and braced herself before speaking.
"You're not treating me much like I'd expect pirates to treat a prisoner."
"You mean with manacles and whips, rapine and pillage?"
"Something like that...you were looking for me...why?"
"I didn't want you to fall into...let's say, the wrong hands."
"You mean Hook, don't you?" She saw him nod his head. "But surely he's dead?"
"Not even close."
"But the crocodile?"
"Ah yes...the poor ol' croc. He didn't live long enough to enjoy his last meal."
"Oh." She drank some more of the cooling broth, her eyes once more staring into the flames. "Can I ask you something?"
"Certainly...although I give no guarantees I'll give you the answer you want."
"What happened to Peter Pan?"
"Haven't you already met him?"
"I met a boy named Tomas, who said he was Peter Pan...but he's not the Peter I knew when I last visited this island."
Staring down into his bowl, Captain Black swirled the contents before speaking again.
"What do you remember of this Peter Pan that you knew?"
Wendy smiled to herself. "Oh he was brash and arrogant, full of his own importance and unbearably smug."
"He sounds a scoundrel."
"He was, but he was also brave and courageous and could handle a sword very competently."
"You knew him well?"
"No...hardly at all, really...but he liked my stories and brought me here to be a mother to the Lost Boys."
"What did you want?"
"I was but a girl then...I was flattered that he wanted to hear my fairy tales, and it was exciting...exhilarating to be able to fly."
She paused, staring at the flames of the fire, remembering her last visit. "We fought pirates, saved a princess, danced with the fairies." She sighed heavily. "But he never came back...now it seems that he's gone from here...I just wanted to know what happened to him."
"He's still here...somewhere. Maybe you'll get to meet your Peter Pan again."
Wendy turned to regard the Captain as he tilted up his bowl to drain the dregs.
"Why were you looking for me?"
"I told you...to prevent you falling into the wrong hands."
"What does it matter to you...what possibly importance am I to this place?"
"Lets just say, I like to hold on to what is mine."
Before Wendy could reply to his puzzling remark he had risen to his feet and stalked away, tossing the bowl to one of his men to refill it. Shivering slightly, Wendy watched him hunker down to enjoy his second helping, his back to his prisoner.
"Here miss...wrap this around you, it can get cold at night."
Wendy looked up gratefully and took the blanket held out by the burly Mister Stubbs. Wrapping it around her shoulders she stared once more into the flames, the warm meal and leaping fire lulling her to sleep. Her head jerked up when the first mate spoke.
"He'll not harm you miss."
"Then why am I his prisoner?"
"To keep you safe, is all."
"Safe from what?" Wendy asked, frustration making her voice sharp.
"There are things you don't...can't know."
"Tell me."
"Not my place miss...the Captain'll bring you up to date in good time."
"Oh really...you're worse than him." She jerked her head in the direction of the Captain. "It's like pulling teeth getting anything useful out of either you!"
Stubbs chuckled, infuriating Wendy more. Getting to her feet she pulled the rug off the log and settled it on the ground before laying down on it and pulling the blanket around her ears.
To her surprise she fell asleep almost instantly, not feeling the extra blanket laid over her exposed feet by the man with the black bandanna.
Crouched beside her he watched her sleep, his hand reaching out to brush back a strand of errant hair that threatened to fall across her face.
"How long are you going to keep your identity from her?" Stubbs voice made him jump.
"Until I'm sure of her...until I'm sure of myself."
Stubbs snorted in amusement, grunting as he turned over in his bedroll.
Rising to his feet Captain Black checked on the night watch before finding his own bedroll and turning in for the night.
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
The noise of the men packing up their temporary camp woke Wendy, the sun already well up. Folding her bedding neatly, she handed it to a sailor who came for it, watching as the fires left burning through the night were extinguished, the men disappearing into the bushes then reappearing after taking care of their morning ablutions. Wendy felt a pressing need herself but felt embarrassed drawing attention to herself.
"We don't have far to go, but you might want to...er...freshen up before we start?" The Captain's voice made her jump and she turned to face him.
"Thank you...that would be appreciated."
He indicated for her to follow him, a path leading them to a small brook and a stand of sheltering bushes.
"I'll be just down the path, call when you're...um...ready."
She watched as he spun on his heel and walked down the track, swallowed up by the trees almost at once.
Bending down she splashed her face and washed her hands before finding a convenient spot to relieve herself. Once more comfortable she performed a hasty toilette, shaking her skirts to get the worst of the dust of them. She heartily wished she had something more substantial than her nightdress to wear, despite its practical design and sensible coverage. Sighing, she tucked her hair behind her ears having nothing to brush it with, hoping that it didn't look too disheveled.
"Um...I'm ready." She called, the Captain appearing almost at once.
They arrived back at the camp to find everything read to go, the men standing waiting for their Captain to give the signal to move off.
"Do you want to be carried again?"
Wendy blushed and shook her head. "I'll walk thank you."
Shrugging, Captain Black turned away, Wendy biting her lip to quell the urge to call him back and ask to be held in his arms again. Angry at herself for thinking such ridiculous thoughts, she tilted her chin and stared straight ahead, falling in behind the sailors, Mister Stubbs behind her as before.
They reached the beach before the sun had time to clear the trees, the sound of the waves clearly audible before they could see any water.
Wendy held up her hand to shield her eyes, staring out at the ship anchored in the bay. Two boats lay pulled up on the sand clear of the surf, the sailors already turning them over and preparing to haul them down to the water's edge. Wendy squinted up at the sky, the sun warm on her face after the cool night, her hair blown back by a stiff breeze that molded her nightgown to her figure. Unaware that she was revealing more that she would have wanted to, had she known, Wendy stood on the sand, eyes closed as her toes burrowed into the soft surface, her lungs breathing deeply of the clean sea air. Captain Black stood looking back up the beach, his eyes drinking in the sight, the breeze plastering the thin gown to Wendy's legs and body, revealing her shapely limbs and enticing figure.
Wendy opened her eyes and instantly became aware of several appreciative male eyes turned in her direction. Captain Black stood a little way off, his hands on his hips, a grin stretching his mouth wide. Feeling her gown flap about her legs, Wendy looked down and only then realised how revealing the wind was making her clothes. Blushing in mortification, she turned, the wind billowing her nightdress and once more clothing her in decency. The men turned back to their work, but Captain Black remained where he was, waiting for Wendy to join him on the beach. She did so reluctantly, still burning from the heat of his admiring gaze.
"Would it be asking too much to find out why you were wandering around Neverland clad only in your nightgown?"
"I wasn't given a choice in garments...I don't suppose you have women's clothes aboard your ship?"
"As if so happens...I might have something you'll find more suitable."
"I doubt is it could be any less." Wendy muttered, plucking at her gown as the wind caught it and threatened to lift it above her calves.
Leaning forward, Captain Black, still grinning, snagged a strand of her hair and wound it around a finger, holding her near as he spoke in her ear.
"I think what you're wearing has a charm all of its own."
Drawing in a sharp breath, Wendy turned her head to retort but found herself instead almost nose to nose with the Captain, his eyes glittering behind his scarf, his mouth relaxing from its wide grin as they traded stares, suspended in time until someone coughed and broke the spell.
"We're ready for you to board Captain." Mister Stubbs announced.
Wendy saw Captain Black open his mouth to reply but never heard him speak as she was thrown to the sand, yells and the report of pistols suddenly filling the air around her.
Pushing her hair out of her eyes, Wendy stared upwards, finding herself shielded behind the Captain and his first mate, their booted feet shifting in the sand as they fought off a swarm of attackers, the sailors from the boats joining the fray as more of the enemy appeared from the trees. Wendy struggled to her feet, ducking when a pistol ball whizzed past her head, her hands clapped over her ears to blot out the sounds of the fighting as swords clashed and men screamed. Someone grabbed her arm and she screamed, finding herself dragged backwards towards the water.
"Get in the boat!" The Captain yelled at her, pushing her towards the long boats as he turned to fight off a fierce attack from two sides. Wendy stumbled then righted herself, picking up her skirts and running to the waterline. The sailors of the Nymph were starting to beat back the ambush, Stubbs roaring as he punched pirate, after pirate, laying his enemy on the sand as he fought to aid his Captain.
Black found himself hard pressed, two pirates taking his attention from Wendy, their blades slashing the air and causing him to duck to avoid losing his head. He heard Wendy scream and turned, narrowly avoiding a knife thrown by the nearest pirate. A pistol discharged and he felt something burn against his side. One of his attackers pitched forward and his first mate stepped over the body, turning to draw off the other as his Captain turned to find Wendy struggling to fend off another pirate, already half tossed over his shoulder she continued to kick and punch her abductor.
Ignoring the pain in his side, Captain Black lunged at the pirate, knocking him over, Wendy rolling to the side as the two men traded blows, the fight taking them both into the surf. The pirate decided he'd had enough and landed a blow that felled the Captain, then the brigand took to his heels and fled, leaving his victim to drown.
Wendy, sobbing with fright, staggered into the surf and tried to drag the Captain free of the waves, her arms barely able to keep his head out of the water as she screamed for help. Suddenly men were all around her and willing hands lifted the Captain from her grasp, someone wrapping a blanket around her and pulling her from the sea to sit, wet and shivering on the sand.
"Get everyone in the boats and let's pull for the ship!" Stubbs ordered, the men lifting their fallen Captain into one of the long boats, Wendy gathered up and lifted into the other. Then with a mighty push the two boats were launched, the beach left scattered with the bodies of injured and unconscious pirates, the Nymph's crew taking their wounded with them.
Wendy sat huddled in the bottom of the boat, her teeth chattering as she pulled the sodden blanket more closely around her. The men strained at the oars as they breached the surf close to the beach, the occasional pistol shot still peppering the air as the boats pulled away from the shore. Once past the breakers the men kept up their rhythm, the sun beating down on Wendy's unprotected head as the ship out in the bay came closer and closer.
As the dark side of the ship bumped against the first long boat, Wendy watched as the sailors lifted their wounded into a net lowered over the side. With men to stop the net bumping against the planking, the injured were lifted over the rail and on to the deck. Wendy refused when the same mode of transportation was offered to her, and gamely negotiated the rope and wood ladder that hung over the side. By the time she reached the rail she was shaking with reaction and strain, someone scooping her off her feet and carrying her out of the burning sun and into a cabin below decks. She lay shivering on the bunk listening to the sounds of the ship being prepared to sail, the thud of feet on the deck, the clank of the anchor chain being winched aboard, the snap of sheets filling with the wind. Feeling the ship move, she decided to sit up and see what her prison was like. Sitting on the side of the bunk she found herself in a neatly appointed cabin as unlike a prison as it was possible. As the shaft of sun from the small porthole shifted across the floor with the turn of the ship, Wendy stared at the few items that adorned her accommodation. In the corner stood a small chest of drawers, its top bordered by a brass rail to stop anything falling off. Screwed to the bulkhead was a round mirror with a delicate filigree frame. Next to the chest stood a metal framework wash stand with a large porcelain bowl set snugly in the top, a chamber pot underneath and a side holder for a jug. The bunk fitted the length of the cabin with only enough room to stand up between the bed and the chest and washstand. It was tiny but neat and clean.
Shrugging off the wet blanket, Wendy stood up to investigate the drawers. The first revealed an assortment of women's undergarments in different styles, shapes and colours. The second drawer revealed a selection of skirts and blouses, all tidily folded and sweet smelling with lavender strewn between the folds. The third drawer was compartmentalized and held brushes, pins, bottles and jars of all description.
Slightly overwhelmed, Wendy staggered a little on her way to the door. The ship was riding the swells and she still had to find her sea legs, putting out her hand to steady herself when they hit a particularly large wave. On reaching the cabin door she tried the handle and found it unlocked. Pulling it wide she stuck her head out, finding the corridor empty, a lantern swinging back and forth from the low ceiling outside her door.
Puzzled, Wendy went back into her cabin and shut the door. Finding it all to much to sort out, she decided to get rid of her salt stained nightgown and finally become decently dressed. A bucket had been left outside and she poured this into the basin, more than happy to wash off the sand and salt before stripping off her ruined nightgown and using one of the small towels to dry herself. A quick rummage found her a selection of underclothes, along with a skirt and matching blouse to wear. With dry clothes and once more decently covered, Wendy felt some of the strain leave her, humming to herself as she dragged a brush through her hair in a familiar routine before pinning it up as neatly as she could with the aid of the pins and the small mirror.
Feeling much more able to cope with whatever fate, or Neverland had to throw at her, Wendy once more opened the cabin door and stepped out.
Seeing a door at the end of the companionway, she headed towards it, her bare feet noiseless on the smooth planking of the deck. Pulling open the second hatch, she found herself out on the main deck, the men swarming up into the rigging as Mister Stubbs bellowed orders from above and behind her. Keeping within the shadow of the doorway, Wendy watched as the crew unfurled more sail, the ship fairly leaping over the waves as the wind filled the sheets, straining the rigging. Keeping to the cabin wall, Wendy made her way to the railing and stared out at the sea, the ship cutting through the waves as she rounded a headland. Turning her head to let her hair whip free of her face, Wendy stared back at another ship apparently following them some distance behind.
"Excuse me miss." Stubbs voice at her elbow made her jump and she stared apprehensively up at the first mate.
"I was wondering miss...have you had any experience with nursing?"
Wendy stared at him blankly. "Well...no. Don't you have a ship's Doctor?"
"Yes we do...but there were several men injured in that fight. I was hoping..." She stared as Stubbs, a man that topped her by at least a foot in all directions, shuffled his feet.
"Can I help in some way?" She finally said, putting the big man out of his discomfort.
"If you would...it's the Captain see..."
Wendy felt her heart pound. "He's not...I mean..."
"Oh no...nothing fatal."
"Thank goodness."
"If'n you'll come this way..?" Mister Stubbs indicated for her to go back through the hatchway she'd come through.
Halfway along the passage they could hear someone calling out.
"STUBBS!...you blackguard, where the hell are you!...STUBBS!"
The big man squeezed past Wendy and opened the door first, ushering her into the room which proved to be a much larger cabin with a bed on which Captain Black sat on the side attempting to take off his shirt which appeared soaked in blood. Not noticing Wendy off to the side, he cursed roundly, his breath hissing between his teeth as he eased the cloth unsuccessfully away from the wound below his ribs.
"Get the Doc, Stubbs...this is worse than I thought." Black groaned, his fingers shaking as he tried again to ease off the shirt.
"Mister Stubbs, I'll need a bowl of water and some cloth for bandages. And please send the Doctor when he's free from tending the other men."
Wendy's voice made the Captain jump, his mouth twisting in a grimace as it wrenched his side. "Dammit!"
Shooing the big man out of the cabin, Wendy approached Black.
"You need to get out of your clothes if we're going to clean that injury, they're soaked and you'll likely catch a chill."
For a long moment Wendy stared calmly into the still masked eyes of the Captain, her heart pounding as she strived to overcome her nausea at the sight of so much blood.
"Under different circumstances..." He gave her a lopsided grin which quickly faded as he leaned over to the side and quietly passed out again. Wendy darted forward and struggled to lift his legs onto the bunk, easing him onto his uninjured side, his head on the pillows, still covered in its black bandanna. Shifting his arm she pulled up the lined shirt to uncover the injury. At that moment Mister Stubbs returned with the requested items and sat them on the washstand beside the bed.
"Can you get his boots off Mister Stubbs...and I'll need something to cut this shirt off with."
Without hesitating, Stubbs handed her a dagger, watching as she sliced up the back of the shirt and along the arm, cutting away the material from the unconscious man's wound. Ripping off the cleaner parts of the shirt, she dipped it in the water and proceeded to clean up the Captains' torso which was gory with blood. Several rags later she had revealed the extent of his injury, a pad of clean linen quickly pressed against the hole to prevent it bleeding further. Stubbs had removed the Captains' boots and his socks, along with his breeches when Wendy turned her back to rinse out the cloth. Now he lay without a stitch, a sheet preserving his modesty and only the black bandanna on his head.
Wendy had hardly paid much attention to the expanse of sun bronzed skin laid bare for her inspection she'd been so intent on cleaning away the gore and discovering the nature of his injury. She was quite familiar with youthful male anatomy, having several brothers of her own, but when he was finally clean and ready for the doctor to inspect she stood back and found her breathing a trifle erratic as she stared at the first naked adult male she'd ever seen. Forgetting that the first mate was still in the cabin, she let her eyes wander over the broad shoulders and well muscled arms ending in strong hands with long, sensitive fingers. His legs under the concealing, if thin sheet, were long and tapering, the feet nicely proportioned. The sheet lay across his abdomen, just below his belly button, the white material showing off the golden colour of his skin, the tight muscles of his belly leading up to his ribs and chest, the skin stretching and moving with each breath, a pulse beating strongly at the base of his throat. All this Wendy took in as she moved to remove the still wet black bandanna covering his face and head.
Mister Stubbs opened his mouth to protest but then shut it without saying a word as Wendy reached behind his Captains' head and undid the knot securing the scarf. Pulling it forward and off, Wendy clutched it to her chest and stared down at the young man revealed to her startled gaze. His face was unmarked, the full mobile lips parted above the strongly rounded chin. A straight nose leading up to darkly curved brows above the closed eyes, thick dark lashes resting against his cheeks. Dark blond curls swept over his forehead, almost reaching his brows, cut back short over his ears, the back barely reaching the nape of his neck.
"There's nothing wrong with his face...in fact he's...he's.." Wendy almost found herself saying beautiful, but stopped herself in time. She stared at the black bandanna in her hand and turned a questioning look on the first mate who appeared to find the roof of the cabin inordinately interesting.
Before she could question him further, the door opened and a rangy young man stood framed in the opening.
"Ah good, you've got him cleaned up...now if you'll let me do my job, we'll see about getting him back on his feet again."
Finding herself bustled out of the room along with the first mate, Wendy didn't have time to protest, the door shut firmly in their faces before they could do more than turn around.
"The Doctor?" She asked, glancing up at the man beside her.
Stubbs nodded and turned to leave her, his arms full of the dirty rags she'd used to bathe the Captain.
"Mister Stubbs..." Wendy began but the first mate only stopped long enough to give her a quick grin before ducking out of the door at the end of the passageway and leaving Wendy on her own.
Abandoned and apparently of no further use, Wendy walked the few steps that would bring her to her own cabin door and opened it. Inside someone had taken away her damp nightgown and the wet blanket, leaving a tray of food and drink for her in their place.
Sitting on her bunk she stared out at the sea, surprised to see the sun starting to dip towards the horizon already.
Suddenly tired beyond belief, she ate sparingly of the meal and drank some of the sweet wine before laying down fully clothed and closing her eyes.
For now Neverland, with its surprises, shocks and secrets would simply have to wait.
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
tbc...