Hey guys I know it's been almost 3 weeks, but I have lots of projects going on! I can't promise a set schedule for each chapter, but I will do my best to try to get at least 1 to 2 chapters out a month. I recently had to cut down my streaming schedule to 3 days a week as I'm dipping my toes in other ventures, like podcasts and YT. But, I still really want to write. I had been stuck the last couple weeks, because the first version of this chapter wasn't resonating with me.

There is going to be a lot of back story for Iona and I want to make sure I set everything up properly for that and her character growth. So, if you're enjoying this so far I hope you'll stick around for Iona's future adventures and endeavors.

Trigger Warning! Contains acts of sexual (but not explicit) violence that may make some readers uncomfortable.

Chapter 2. The Stowaway

Iona was nearing the dock about an hour after making the agreement with Red and Blue. They had told her to meet them there at 4 and it was 10 minutes till. Tia had followed her to say goodbye, but not before trying to change her mind about going with the pirate crew. Pointing out a lot of things that didn't really bother Iona.

She mentioned how they were known for their cruelty or how she might become mistaken as a pirate and arrested herself. Iona didn't care though. They were both pures, so it didn't matter how they conducted themselves and since they wanted her ring she was positive they weren't much of a threat to her.

"So both guys are pure huh?" Tia asked almost mimicking Iona's thoughts.

"Yup! Red and Blue. Blue isn't much of an issue. Even if he's ruthless, he's levelheaded and his loyalty will make sure he keeps Red in check."

"You know Iona you should probably stop calling that guy Red. It seemed to really rub him the wrong way. You're going to make him angry." Her friend warned

"I know! Reds are amazing! So passionate and because of that they can be pretty temperamental, but it's worth it to see that determination and passion at work. Plus they're passionate in more ways than one!" Iona exclaimed and winked at her friend.

"Woah! You're not seriously considering sleeping with him are you. Iona that's crazy!"

"I don't know. Maybe. Guess I'll see where this new adventure takes me. He's not bad to look at you know, plus he's Red. Red has always been the best lovers I've experienced."

"One! You've had one Red lover according to you. That's not a lot to go off of. You need to think things through more logically Iona!"

Iona waved a dismissive hand at her friend when a mans voice whispered right next to her ear. "So you want to sleep with the Captain, do you?"

Tia jumped at the sudden appearance of the masked man who was bent over talking into her friends ear.

Iona on the other hand didn't seem phased at all. "Oh hey Blue!" She said as she took a step back and turned around to face him. "No one said anything like that. You must be hearing things" She poorly attempted to lie.

"Oh good! You're a bad liar. That could make things easy, and just about. Kidd is checking the storage rooms to make sure we didn't miss anything on our list. Since he's busy with that I decided to wait for you here so I could show you to the room you'll be staying in while you're with us."

"Ahem." Tia sounded to get the other two's attention. "That will be, while we stay with you. I'll bunk with Iona."

"We didn't agree to that. The agreement was for one passenger not two." Killer pointed out.

"Ah! Tia! You're coming with me!? It'll be so much fun! Oh, but won't that make your brother mad at you? Did you tell him?" Iona asked

"I left him a note and he'll get over it. I already let the bosss know. Since I can't talk you out of this then it's my responsibility to make sure my future maid of honor makes it to her destination safely. You're too reckless and act without thinking, so someone has to do the thinking for you."

Killer didn't know what to do as the two women talked back and forth. He couldn't agree without Kidds approval, but something told him that letting the tall dark skinned woman on board was going to be his Captains saving grace. He also noted the two womens relationship felt very familiar to his own with his Captain. There had been a lot of times they avoided big trouble thanks to him reeling in Kidd.

"You're going to have to convince the Captain to let you go with us. It's his ship and his crew. He might be a hot head but he takes his responsibilities seriously. One more mouth to feed is a burden." Killer informed her. "I'll take you to him now...it would probably be best if you talked to him without her there." Killer pointed at Iona.

Tia looked over at her friend that was now pouting at being left out. "I think you're right. The Captain doesn't seem like the type that can handle being around Iona too long. Sorry Iona, but I'll be back soon."

They all walked onto the deck of the large vessel. Killer and Tia walked off after instructing Iona to stay put, much to the young womans dismay.

Killer brought Tia to the second level at the back of the ship and led her to the storage areas Kidd was currently in. He was easy to find with all the grumbling he was doing.

Kidd was checking the last storage area. So far they had everything they needed, but the crew had been lazy about putting it away. Crates and barrels were haphazardly placed in each storage section. No sense of purpose or order, making it take longer for him to check each item off his list.

As he was organizing the last room he was muttering to himself, "You guys are in so much trouble. Extra duty for the whole damn lot of you."

Kidd heard the distinct sound of his first mate clearing his throat to get his attention. Kidd turned around to see not only Killer but the busty bartender from earlier by his side.

"What is she doing here?" He asked Killer

"She has a request and I think you should hear her out before you make any snap decisions." Killer told the red head. He turned to Tia and finished. "I'm going to go get Miss Iona and show her to the room, so she can get settled in. I'll come back for you after that. Good luck."

With Killer now gone Kidd finally asked. "What do you want?"

"I'd like to go with Iona. I will stay in the same room as her. I'm a damn good cook and I'm not adverse to cleaning. Also if you are worried about the food I'll use I can pay for my share. I may not have 100,000 like my friend, but I have enough to cover myself."

"Not gonna happen. It's bad enough I let the crazy woman on board, but I don't need the headache of dealing with two of you. Plus that Iona chick will be our new temporary cook. She bragged enough about her food before we left you guys earlier that I decided she could replace Wire."

"Do NOT let her cook! She will kill you all with food poisoning or the taste alone will make you all starve yourselves. Iona thinks she's a good cook, but she is the worst I have ever seen. How she can eat it, is beyond me." Tia sternly informed Kidd. "Also, I thought you'd be happy to have someone on board who could keep Iona occupied. Someone she could talk to. I mean if I'm not here then she's going to seek out someone else and she seems to be a little infatuated with you at the moment."

Kidd took a mental note to keep the small woman out of his kitchen and to never try anything Iona made. He also couldn't help but see the logic in the tall womans statement. He was already dreading a trip with the hyper ball of smiles. Having a buffer on board might not be such a bad idea.

"Fine work out how much you'll need to pay, with Killer, for food. If you can't keep paying for your meals or you don't pull your weight we'll drop you off at the nearest island. Keep that woman in check and the same rules I gave her apply to you. If there is danger, you're on your own."

"Deal! Thanks a bunch Re...err I mean Captain!" Tia exclaimed as she waved and turned around to head back to the stairs to get to the main deck of the ship.

Iona was in her new room for what could be the next several weeks or months. She wasn't quite sure. Killer had already brought Tia in earlier, before he had taken Tia away again, to show her where the kitchen was, since she was going to be their main cook. Iona was a little jealous that not only did Tia get to cook for everyone, but she already had a job.

They had already set sail an hour earlier and Iona was almost done tidying up their room and putting hers and Tia's things away. She knew she should have been suspicious of the large shoulder bag her friend had been carrying on their way to the docks, but Iona wasn't one to put much thought into the things other people did. She just shrugged it off as it was full of something Tia had to deliver somewhere after she had seen her off. Either way Iona was happy. Her friend was coming along. Tia was Iona's first real friend and it made the brunette happy to have a friend that cared about her enough to leave her home for her.

"Tia. Jake is gonna be so mad at you." Iona giggled to herself at the thought of her tall friends marine brother getting her note about sailing away on a pirate ship.

The quarters would be a little tight for her and Tia, Iona noted, but it wouldn't be too big of a deal. The bed was a bit small as it was a full, but at least it wasn't a twin so the two women could make due. There was a small 3 drawer dresser and a stand with some coat hooks. The women hadn't brought a ton of clothing, since Tia was in a hurry and Iona didn't own very much, so there was enough room for their things.

Getting warm Iona took off her coat and hung it on one of the hooks. Her attire was one of her favorites. She wore a short black skirt that poofed out and had frills at the hem. Her t-shirt was like almost all the ones she owned, cropped short so her mid section was showing, but the neck line reached all the way to her collarbone. This one was pink, but she had 4 others like it with varying colors based on her favorite aura colors.

Iona had finished putting her things away, so she began to hum one of the songs her grandma used to sing to her as she began working on Tia's bag of belongings.

She was so focused as she began refolding her friends clothing and humming, that she didn't notice someone had entered the room with her until their hand clamped over her mouth and a strong arm pulled her into a mans chest.

Iona looked down and could see the dark green aura emanating from the mans hand. She tried to scream out, but the man used more force and partially plugged her nose with his large hand as he tightened his grip.

"Shhhh Iona it's just me. Marco."

She could feel her heart start pumping out of control the moment she heard his voice. Somehow he had snuck on the ship. His possessiveness now so out of control that he risked being a stowaway on a notorious pirate ship. He had to be out of his mind.

"You shouldn't have left Iona. You don't get to leave me, and what's mine should stay where they belong." He whispered into her ear as if what he was saying was perfectly normal.

She felt his other hand snake out from behind her caressing her now exposed mid section since she had taken off her coat. His hand moved down and to the side grasping her hip He pushed her hips back making her back side press into his crotch. She could feel him even through the layers of clothing that separated them and she knew what he was planning to do.

She tried to scream out again, but that only made him tighten his grip on her face. It was getting harder to breath and she knew she had to do something quick to get away. She couldn't scream for help so, she struggled.

Iona kicked her foot out kicking the small dresser making it topple to its side noisily and the picture frame that held a photo of her granny shattered on the ground. As this was going on, her hands were still free so, she reached up and began clawing at Marcos face and neck.

He released her mouth to attempt to stop her assault. Iona quickly gulped in the fresh air and then bit his arm as hard as she could causing Marco to scream out.

"You fucking bitch!" He yelled at her forgetting he was trying to be quiet

He spun her around to face him and slammed her into the wall where the dresser had once sat. He grabbed at the top of her skirt and began pulling at the fabric making it tear away from her body.

His brown eyes looked crazed and his blonde hair was wild from the struggle. He wasn't a big man by the world's standards, but he wasn't small either. Marco stood at an even 6 feet tall and he had a lean muscular build. He was more than big enough to over power Iona's small 5'5" frame and 125 poinds

"You can't do this Marco. You need to stop." She pleaded.

"I can do whatever I want with you, YOU belong to me." He growled at her

Iona threw her head forward and felt the crunch of his nose as her forehead made contact. Marco held firm, but for a short period she had hope, when his expression became unfocused. His eyes couldn't seem to find a focal point, but it quickly passed and he took a hand and wiped it under his nose to inspect. She had broken his nose and it was now bleeding, a lot. His face contorted in rage and he brought a hand back. She felt the force of the back of his hand as it hit her and then everything went black.

Kidd stepped out of his room feeling refreshed after a shower. Moving all the crates and barrels below hadn't been a strenuous task, but it had left him feeling grimey.

His room sat on the top deck and he had made his way down to the main deck below. He stood there enjoying the feel of the breeze, finally free of the stale air that cities and towns seemed to dwell in, when he got a weird feeling that something wasn't right. He looked around, none of his men up above seemed to sense anything. Still something unsettled him, so he decided to do a full pass through of his ship. Deciding to start from the bottom up he went to the access point that lead below deck and descended the stairs.

As he started making his way down the long corridor he heard something from one of the rooms on the far end away from the stairs, though he wasn't sure which room it was coming from. The noise sounded like a piece of furniture knocking over and possibly broken glass. Then came an irritated voice. It didn't sound like one of his men, but he was still farther away, so he wasn't sure. Something told him to hurry, so he quickened his pace, but refrained from running.

Moree noises could be heard now as he grew closer. A womans voice, it sounded distressed. The mans voice again, this time Kidd was sure it wasn't one of his guys. The distinct sound of skin hitting skin and a loud thud, he recognized as a body hitting the floor, caused Kidd to begin running the final half of the corridor.

He stopped at the end and listened for any new sounds to give him a clue as to which room. His eyes settled on the door of the new womens room. He knew the one named Tia was already at work in the kitchen, so was the voice he heard the smaller Iona's voice?

Kidd heard a low grunt and the sound of something being dragged on the other side of the door he was focused on. He reacted instantly, foot thrusting out and kicking the door inward.

There right in front of him was a crazed looking blonde man with scratches all over his face and a newly broken nose with blood dripping down passed his chin. He wasn't small, but the look of fear that crossed his face when he looked up at Kidds even larger frame, made it clear that he knew he was screwed.

Kidd was ready to bring a world of hurt to the stowaway, but the scene below the beat up man made Kidd pause.

An unconscious Iona lay beneath the stranger. Bare legs spread out with the man in between them, a large welt on her jaw, her shirt was still on, same for her underwear, but the mans fingers were looped in the fabric of her undergarment. A clear sign of guilt for what he had intended to do. Kidd looked to the side and saw a discarded skirt laying on the ground. It might as well have been a pile of rags now, the ripped fabric making it no longer wearable.

Kidd was not one to shy away from violence, but this was much more than that. It made his stomach churn. The sick feeling quickly began to boil with rage.

Kidd took two steps to close the gap and brought his fist down on the mans face. The stranger crumpled to the floor, but Kidd wasn't done with him yet. He bent down and grabbed the man by the throat. Lifting him off the ground he brought the blondes face up to his. The man was on the verge of losing consciousness and his attempts to get Kidd to lessen his grip on his windpipe were as weak as a small child. Kidd threw his arm out sideways and flung the man out of the room. His body made a loud cracking sound as it came in contact with the wall on the other side of the corridor.

Kidd was about to go after the man who was probably blacked out by now, when his foot caught on something on the floor. He looked down to see it was Iona's leg.

The sight of the battered woman on the floor brought him back to his senses. He still wanted to inflict more pain on the man who thought he could sneak on his ship and assault someone under his roof, but he knew what his priority was at that moment.

He grabbed a blanket off the bed and threw it over her body before scooping her up in his arms. He was more aware of how small she really was as he held her, the crates earlier having weighed significantly more than the tiny woman now cradled to his chest.

As he headed to the door he saw two of his crewmates run up. They looked at the stowaway and then at their Captain.

Wire was the one to ask. "What's going on?"

A pointless question given the stranger and condition of Iona, but Kidd knew what he was really asking.

"I'm going to take her to the Doc. Do something with him and I better not see him on my ship still breathing."

Wire and Tim nodded their heads as Kidd took Iona back down the corridor in the direction of the stairs where the doctors infirmary was located for easy access.

As he carried her he felt her shift slightly. He gazed down at her and saw her face scrunch up in pain. It seemed she was coming to. Her eyes fluttered open, without moving her head that was tucked into his chest she looked up with those big violet orbs. "Hey Red. You smell good."

"That's what you have to say after I find you beat up with a lunatic over top of you?" He asked. If he had had any eyebrows one would have been raised higher than the other as he looked back at her confused.

"That's why I don't like dark green." She responded reclosing her eyes and her face contorted in pain again.

"You're turning into more trouble than you're worth." He grunted at the weird response.

"Mmmm" She nodded in agreement.

With that they had reached the Doc's lair. The woman freaked Kidd out a bit, but she was good at what she did and he couldn't deny that.

He leaned close to the door carefully not to let the woman slip as he awkwardly turned the door handle and then stepped inside.

"Doc! We need some help here!" He shouted out to get the Ships doctors attention.

A tall blonde woman, nearly 6' tall stepped through the door on the other side of the room. She wore her usual tight black leather pants and bright green tank top that left no room for the imagination. She pulled on her white lab coat as her dark brown eyes scanned over Iona in Kidds arms.

"Place her on the bed right there." She instructed while pointing at the only bed in the infirmary.

Kidd placed the unconscious Iona down and stepped back making room for the woman who was skilled, but had made him uncomfortable on many occasions.

"So this is one of our new guests huh? Who did she piss off? I'm guessing it wasn't you; she'd be in worse shape, and Killer would have been the one to bring her here in that case instead of you." She observed.

"This is Iona, and we had a stowaway, who apparently had been stalking her." He answered avoiding any extra conversation than was needed with the doctor.

The womans eyes narrowed at his words as she examined Iona's face. "You took care of him I assume."

"I left him breathing, but gave Wire and Tim orders to finish the job. I figured bringing her to you was more important."

The doctor raised an eyebrow and turned her head to give Kidd a coy smile. "When did Captain Eustass Kidd start thinking so level headed? You have a thing for this poor girl?"

"Pfft poot girl? Lorraine if you had met this girl a couple hours ago you'd feel pity for me." He shot back sounding a little too defensive for the joking question the Doctor posed.

"Hmmm," Lorraine hummed with an I don't believe you tone. She turned her focus back to Iona. "Alright well leave us be. I need to examine her properly without leering eyes." She smirked at that last part.

Kidd decided not to defend himself with that last comment and stormed out of the small infirmary.