AN – Oh my gosh you guys! You won't believe how hard this chapter was to write! I've been working on it for about 4 days now, and I hope it makes up for the last cliffhanger! But watch out, you might hate me again at the end of this one! Enjoy!
Shades of Crimson – LOL I aren't I an evil person? What would you say if I told you I also sabotaged your computer! Mwahahahaha! No, just kidding! I'm not that mean! As always, thanks for the compliment! It's the driving force behind this fic and all my other one's, and I appreciate it just as much as all of my reviewers! I got the Absolom thing not only from the Bible, but because my dad has a truck that is nicknamed Absolom! (such a typical guy to think that of their car, ne?) I almost used Adonis, but that is just a little over used, besides I like that name better!
hinia – Thanks so much for the update! If you got my email, I'll get on it right away! It is so nice to have someone who is native to the language edit it for me! Thanks so much, I very very very much appreciate it!
SilverWing145 - Thanks for taking interest! That's what I was going for! Thank you so much!
PANDORA001 – Ha ha, you lost your place! LOL! Don't lose it again cuz who knows what might happen? Anyway, yeah I loved writing that part. Romance is definitely my forte', as you may or may not be able to tell in this chapter ^^;;; Hurry and read! Someone might beat you! LOL! Thanks a lot girl! You're reviews mean so much I can't tell you! I love ya not matter what place you get!
Desta – I love your name! Thanks for the review! It's kinda obvious to tell who it is, ne? Hope you enjoy the pirate in this one!
maz2 – Wow! What are you, psychic?! You need to stop predicting! You're gonna ruin it for everyone! LOL just kidding, I love ya! Thanks again!
Chapter III
"Bulma," James began his orders to her in a calm yet stern voice. "I want you to get down below deck and stay there."
She knew that it was the wiser thing to do, but below deck housed all of the filthy rats, and all other sorts of foul creatures, not somewhere a lady like her belonged.
"Sir James! I must protest! Below deck is highly filthy and the cargo smell of foul things and..."
"But it's where you are safest! I would rather you alive and dirty than dead and smelling of lavender. Now hurry!" the urgency in his voice prompted her to move, but running and hiding seemed like the cowardly thing to do.
" I can't just…but what if they decide to burn the ship up! What if…" suddenly, he grabbed her shoulders, and pressed his lips to hers. She was stunned for a few moments, but before she could react, he pulled her away and looked in her eyes.
"Then you will jump overboard and stay afloat on a piece of wood. We're not far from the shoreline. But if anyone here must live, it's you." An unreadable look passed on his face, but it was gone just as fast as she noticed it. The look he held in his eyes though, was enough motivation for her to follow his instructions. A pulse of fear still beat in her heart, but sensing her fear he smiled reassuringly.
"Don't worry. They're just pirates." His cocky tone was none to reassuring, but his attitude and smile, plus the speech before were enough motivation. She smiled in return, and ran from his arms, to the dark door that led to the bilges of the ship.
"May God be with us." James whispered as he put his hand on the handle of his sword. Fighting would most definitely be an option against this pirate, but he was going to try to avoid him first.
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It was just as she had imagined, except worse. She could hear the captain and the boatswain shouting their orders to the crew and she could feel the ship being turned and whipped as they turned the ship. This was not good.
She tried to steady herself on the ladder with the shaking of the ship, but to little avail. The child in her wanted to jump backwards, but she had no idea what she would land on so she continued to slowly climb down.
Once at the bottom, she tried adjust her eyes to the darkness. In the corner, she could vaguely make out shapes. It was mostly boxes, and she decided that the larger the box, the better the hiding spot. Choosing a spot behind a box not bigger than she, she quickly hid. Even though she was safe, she couldn't help but be afraid.
Calm yourself girl! James is right, they're just pirates. There is nothing to worry about. James has got it all under control…
Musing herself on these thoughts calmed her somewhat. She would be out of here in no time at all, and when those nasty brigands were defeated and shown who's the better man, then she and James would sail off into the sunset and finally have their second kiss, the way it's supposed to be.
BOOM! *Splash*
A large thundering noise startled her to stand upright.
"What the hell was that?"
Her blue eyes darted about the black room in search of what caused the noise. Then, like the next cannon that splashed into the water, it hit her.
"Oh my God, we're under attack! They're attacking us!"
Bulma darted back behind the box once that thought totally registered. Pirates were really attacking them! Fear pulsated through her once more, and she quickly ducked behind the crate. Part of her, her annoying curious part, wanted to run up and see what was going on, the other part remembered what James told her, then another part wanted to scream and just make it all go away.
She squeezed her eyes shut, and hoped that James would just hurry up and get rid of the filthy blackhearts already. Being down here for only 5 minutes was enough. Again, she heard another screech of a cannon falling, and another splash.
"Either these are some amateurish pirates with really bad aim, or they're not trying to hit us."
Her curious nature, thanks to her dad, overcame her, so she perked her head up above the crate to see. Through the tiny bit of light at the bottom of the door, she saw shadows, the shadows of the legs of the men bustling about to avoid the piratical attack.
"Oh, c'mon James! You must win!"
The bustling hadn't stopped, but it only got louder. A loud yell rose from the upper deck, and she knew that they had landed on the ship. The pirates had landed, and were now at battle with the ship.
Scrunching down behind the crate and squeezing her eyes shut was all she could do. She prayed to any God that was listening for their safety and for hers because none of the valuable cargo was on the upper deck.
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It was just as he had feared only a hell of a lot worse. It was the most black-hearted pirate to ever sail a ship, the Black Dragon. His evil lot attacked the crew by surprise, greatly decreasing their numbers. He had fought off pirates before, and was one of best swordsmen in England, but if there were only more of him to work with. He couldn't be thinking too much right now, these pirates were fast. One lunged at him from behind, and James barely had time to react. But he twisted around and slashed the sword across his chest, even though he was aiming for his neck. A yell from behind James signaled that another attack was coming, so he jutted around just in time to move out of the way of a man trying to attack him from above. The man fell to the ground, then bounced back up, and ran at James with his dagger. James made a lunge pose, then when he got close enough, he thrust the sword though the pirate, making him drop his dagger.
"Thanks." James said sarcastically, picking up the small tool and putting it under his belt.
These were especially skilled fighters, not only using swords but fighting techniques as well. One by one his men fell, only the best of them held their own. Even their musicians put up a fight. Good, they needed all the help they could get, even if the weapons were just bows and cellos. He continued to fight anyone he could find, hoping to at least shove a few overboard, but no such luck.
Then, a deadly silence crept over the ship. All of the men stopped fighting, even his own, as a dark shadow in the shape of a man was cast across the ship. The man connected to the shadow stood on the deck, dressed in a long black coat with matching black boots that seemed to shake the earth when he walked. His coal black eyes scanned the scene before him, then an amused smirk crossed his lips.
"It's their captain. It's the Black Dragon."
James stood on the upper part of the deck, staring just as everyone else was. Then, in a frenzy of fury, he jumped down landed in front of the dark captain. The man stared at him, unimpressed by his heroic trick and seemingly was waiting for him to say something. James pointed his long sword at the captain.
"I want you and your crew to leave this ship now."
This order seemed to amuse the pirate, as his smirk only turned into sinister laughter.
"Boy, I don't think you totally understand who you are dealing with here." His tone was mysterious, yet regal, as if he were a king speaking to a peasant. But James stood unafraid. He would protect his treasure with his life.
"I know exactly who I'm dealing with. A filthy bunch of pirates who need to get off of my father's ship now."
This statement seemed to amuse the captain more, and he laughed once more. This only fueled the flame of James' anger, and he ran after the captain, sword blazing. He raised it into the air to slice somewhere on his head, but he never saw his own cut coming. Fast as lighting, the Dragon whipped out his sword and sliced James down the center of his chest. It wasn't a flesh wound, it went deep, and James fell to the ground, grasping his sides and letting his sword fall to the ground.
"You're menial little sword tricks don't scare me boy. Now, as I said before, you have no idea who you're up against."
James looked up at him, his face twisted in pain and blood falling from his lip. The ice-cold gaze of the dark captain met his eyes. He also felt the shocked eyes of the crew. What were they to do with their captain down?
The Black Dragon bent down and picked up James sword. James wanted to protest, but the stinging pain from his abdomen held him back. Smirking, the captain held the sword vertically, as if studying the weapon. Then, with a twist of his wrist, he flung it behind him into the sea.
"You bastard!" James shouted, reaching for the dagger in his belt and charging at the captain. That was his sword made especially for him. How dare he toss it over the deck like it was trash!
Before James could attack him, he was grabbed by his collar, and pulled close to the captain with a blade to his neck.
"Not a wise decision, boy."
Even though James was being threatened, he just gripped the dagger even harder, but the cold cutlass was pressed even deeper into the skin of his neck.
"Drop it." James golden eyes met with the cold black ones, and they locked, both challenging the other to make a move against him. But James knew the pirate had the upper hand. Growling, he let the dagger clatter to the floor, putting a smirk once more on the captain's lips.
"Good boy."
He threw James down harshly, and then picked up the dagger, and chucked it out to sea.
Smirking down at the fallen boy once more, he turned his attention to the rest of the crew.
"Search this tub for anything of worth, once you have, burn this creaking tub."
A thunderous roar leapt up from the men, then they continued to battle the men, easily bringing each down, one by one. It was treasure-hunting time.
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The feeling of fear wrenching in her stomach only got worse. Even though she couldn't see, she knew that they were losing. Whether or not James was still alive was also still debatable, but she was attempting to be optimistic.
When the door to the bilges was tossed open, her heart nearly jumped into her throat.
"They've found me! Oh il mio dio, I'm done for! Che cosa sono io che vado fare?"
She sunk behind the crate and held her breath. She was silent as the grave, but was afraid that her throbbing heart would give her away.
Bulma gnawed on the inside of her lower lip to try and calm herself down.
" I don't think there's anything here worth stealin', boys."
"Yeah. I'm lookin' 'round and I ain't seen nothing."
"Please stay away from me. Leave! Go! That's right, there's nothing here so go!"
The brigands started to move boxes around and opening boxes with crow bars to see if they could pillage anything of worth.
"Only useless fruit and food!"
"Well gather some to take abroad the Dragon! I hear tell we're runnin' short on supplies."
"Aye."
"The Dragon? As in the Black Dragon's ship? Oh il mi dio, we surely are all dead."
The tales of the Black Dragon were so gruesome and horrifying, that when she heard them, for years she forbade her father and his crew from going out to sea for trade or anything else. Survivors of his attacks were left brutally scarred both mentally and physically so much that the sound of the ocean drove them mad. She prayed to the fates that she could escape with her life without such scars.
"Aye, fellas! Lookee what I found here!" Bulma was suddenly yanked up by her wrist and pulled around her refuge and in the middle of the room where 3 other rugged men stood.
"Looks like there's more treasure on this ship than we thought!"
"Take her to the captain!"
"Aye, let the cap'n decide what she'll do!"
All three agreed, and two of them grabbed her wrists and literally drug her all the way to the upper deck, kicking and screaming to be free.
"Release me this instant you big apes! I demand you set me free! Let go this instant!" her cries and struggles got her nowhere, except in the presence of a crowd of the same men who were dragging her. Wolf-whistles and hollers rose up from the crowd as she was brought around port side.
"Captain Vejita!" the one that wasn't holding her wrists stepped out front to address the man in the long black trench coat. She assumed this man to be their captain because he turned around to the man who addressed him. He arched an eyebrow in a 'what do you want now?' manner.
" We found this little dove down below deck hiding behind some boxes, like she were afraid of us gents." The 3 men broke out in soft laughter. Bulma suddenly found her voice, and in the moment, spoke up.
"I was trying to avoid you monsters!" she shouted, hoping that he wouldn't slice her neck for that. But instead, the captain merely smirked.
"Us? Monsters?" they broke into laugh again.
"I'm just being nice." She hissed at the man again, and again hoping he wouldn't kill her. And she thought that she did, because she received a frown from him.
"Watch your tongue, woman. If you want to keep it, you will learn respect."
"I have no respect for thieves."
The captain smirked at her, and stepped closer to her, and held her chin on the tips of his fingers.
"I like her. She will live. Throw her down in the bilges of our ship until I can deal with her."
"The BILGES?!"
"Not again!"
Bulma began to curse and protest in Italian, as the captain just smirked and crossed his arms.
" I think I'm going to enjoy her company very much." The captain thought, licking his upper lip.
"Cap'n!" his attention was turned from the wiley woman to the man at his side.
"What is it?"
"I think there's something here you should see."
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AN – Again I hope that you enjoyed the fruit of my labor! I worked hard on this and I hope it shows! I love ya'lls reviews, and you all are so great! I love all of you! Cookies for all!
I have a question too for you guys (PANDORA001 excluded): What do you think of the summary? Does it have enough of a hook to it? Did it attract you? Is it uber corny? If you could put that in your review, that would be so great! Thanks!
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All my love,
Griffyn ^_~ (you should copyright your signature wink, Pandora!)
