*Hah – this story was spawned by the book Camille is reading before bed in O/P's story 'The Case of the Dead Commissioner' over on the AO3 website. I don't think it would induce sleep but it was just too good a book title to pass up. BTW, this title actually exists but it's a youth book about a mermaid**
Mistress Of The Seven Seas
Part 1 of 4
The little wooden box atop its wooden post has been part of the scenery for months now, a pop-up library, the latest scheme of the head librarian, Mrs. Hellman. Each day on the walk to the station, the colourful book covers had caught the attention but there was never enough time to stop and browse.
Today there is. Time, time to dawdle, time to admire the scenery, and time to open the glass-fronted case and scan the titles. Mostly children's books, of course, with the odd Reader's Digest Condensed Books thrown in for good measure. Just as the door is swinging shut, a tattered paperback falls out onto the cracked sidewalk. Stooping to pick it up and turning it over, the cover is revealed, battered and worn almost to scuff.
Tsk, the usual, a scantily clad figure leaning away from an ominous shadow, one arm thrown up and face turned away as if in deepest shame and alarm. Typical bodice-ripper. Judging by the gossamer blouse, it's a historical effort. Yep, faintly visible through the creases and abrasions is the screaming banner… 'A Story for the Ages! Torrid Romance and Mad Passion on the High Seas! The brave Captive determined to resist! The lusty dusky Captor determined to conquer! Who will win and who will have their wicked way? Don't miss this best-selling story of Love, Revenge, and Conquest!'
A scoffy snort is heard. Oh, what tripe, I'll just shove this back and be on my… but then a detail surfaces just as the book hovers above the shelf. The book is drawn back out. A closer inspection is made. Yes, the subconscious is right again. This isn't a woman on the cover, it's a man. Eyebrows fly up. What kind of book IS this? I can't believe Mrs. Hellman would allow such a thing. Perhaps I should take this right back to the library and…
A page slips free and wafts innocently towards the ground. It is caught and examined. Huh, page 11, what's so special about page 11 that… but the eyes are captured…
"… young Captain Snow awakes in darkness. The heaving floor beneath him, the slap of waves all around him, and the sound of full canvas above tells him he is at sea… and making fair headway if the song of the canvas tells him true. He tries to sit up, to make sense of where he is, but his hands are bound, his ankles too! With an oath, he jerks and kicks but it is useless, he is trussed good and proper, a helpless prisoner of the… the… pirates!
His head snaps up like a hound that has caught the scent of the fox. Yes! The pirates! His ship, the good 'Queen's Sword' had engaged the maggoty blaggards yesterday at four bells. A fierce battle had ensued with no quarter given and no mercy shown. The tide of conflict was just swinging to the 'Queen' favour when an explosion had thrown Snow overboard. Something had stuck him senseless and he remembers no more.
Now, sitting up in the dark, he wonders if his valiant crew thought him dead? Lost at sea? Is anyone looking for him? He shivers. If not, then he is a dead man… for everyone knows dead men tell no tales.
Just as Snow is consigning his soul to heaven, he hears a sound without and the darkness is pierced by a lantern as a door swings open and his doom appears. Hearing the bold boot steps of his tormentor approaching, Snow growls, "Do your worst, you fiend. I shall never submit so you might as well kill me now. I am a true British naval captain and will never reveal my secrets."
He is startled to hear a soft feminine chuckle as the lantern is set down onto a table and a plate of something wonderfully beefy smelling is laid down beside it. "Oh, so I'm a fiend, am I? That's news to me. And here I was thinking you might be hungry and needing some tender care for that reefing great bump on your head."
The booted figure steps into the light and now Snow can see for himself that this is not a slovenly rum-soaked criminal but a slim trim neatly dressed woman, albeit in trousers. His mind blanks out momentarily as something deeper within notices that she fills out those trousers remarkably well, as does her upper half in a linen shirt. He shakes his head, no time for nonsense! He must escape! "Where am I? Who are you? Why am I tied up?"
She puts hands to hips and saucily announces, "You, good sir, are aboard 'The Dark Maria'. I am Captain Fairechild, Scourge of the Seven Seas. You are my captive since I netted you out of the ocean and decided to keep you for two reasons; you will be our passport to freedom and open waters..."
At her ensuing silence, Snow's logical mind demands he ask, "You said two reasons. I understand my usefulness as a hostage but what of the second reason? Surely you don't expect me to aid you in piracy?"
She steps closer, looks down at him with gleaming eyes as her hand brushes over his exposed chest, "No, my pretty, I do not expect you to aid in my profession but I DO expect you to show me all your secrets, right here and right now. Your beauty caught my eye the moment I saw you so bedraggled and helpless upon my deck. The crew believe the hostage story and will not interrupt me as now intend I 'interrogate' you briskly."
Snow jerks away from that overly-familiar hand, his voice raised in manly outrage, "Madam! You cannot be serious! No lady would threaten a gentleman so! You must be…"
Her hand snakes inside his tattered shirt to stroke him most indecently, "I think, sir, you will find I am no lady. Although," she pauses to lift an eyebrow, "I certainly hope you are a gentleman. I've never had one of those before. This interrogation may have just doubled in duration. I do hope so."
Whatever response Snow could possibly make to that blatant threat, it goes unsaid as her mouth slams down upon his and…"
Page 11 is carefully slipped back into its proper place and the book is slipped into a briefcase.
END – part 1