Paranormal Parallels
Introduction:
This "story" is an anthology of all the different AU stories that have come to mind. There is one finished (posted here and in the next chapter) but there will be more to follow. The story will always be marked as "complete" because I will only post completed stories. However, feel free to follow as there will be updates whenever a new story idea comes to mind. (Feel free to make requests!)
The Sea Ghost
AU: Pirate (arrr!)
He came to slowly, his brain feeling unclear and slow. Before even opening his eyes, he could feel the roll of the ocean beneath him and heat of the sun baking into his skin. The next realization he made was stiffness and discomfort. He was seated awkwardly, his hands restrained behind him creating a strange curve to his back as further restraints brought his back against a hard, curved surface.
Deciding that he would get no further information with his eyes closed, he began to peel them open only to wince his lids closed again as he found the full glare of the sun shining directly down. Frustrated, he was grateful when, moments later, he could feel movement before him and a shadow covered his face. Taking advantage of the opportunity, he once again opened his eyes and tried to focus on the figure before him. Backlit against the sun and silhouette obscured by the clothing, it took him a moment to recognize the individual. As soon as he did, his features fell into a scowl and hers curved into a smile.
"Mai."
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Shibuya Kazuya first ran into the woman as he was reviewing paperwork on the docks. It was an unusual sight to see a lone woman standing with a somewhat ragged parasol and equally worn dress at the end of the busy pier. At first sight, he made a mental note of her, but continued on his business. An hour later, he noticed that she was still standing there, seemingly without moving. A quick glance around told him that no one else was paying her any mind. For a moment, he wondered if she was a ghost – it wouldn't be the first time – but then a particularly strong breeze blew through the area, nearly tearing her parasol from her hand. The resultant laugh caught the attention of some of the dock workers who spared her an affectionate grin before returning to their work. Not a ghost and not in danger. So noted, he went on to his work once more.
It was close to dusk when he finished sorting through the mounds of paperwork in the office and was ready to return to his quarters. Instinctively, he glanced over to where the strange figure had been standing, fully expecting for her to have disappeared only to be mildly startled that she was still there, face turned towards the sea. Turning to leave, he stopped in his tracks with a deep sigh. Already, he could hear his mother's voice in his chiding him on leaving a woman alone who could be in distress. Thus, turning on his heel, he found himself approaching the figure in order to not disappoint a woman thousands of miles away.
So as not to startle her or put her ill at ease, he stepped up next to her and looked out over the water alongside her stance.
"Are you here to rescue me or chase the crazy woman away from a dangerous place?"
While the comment was argumentative in nature, the tone was amused and he found himself more curious than irritated at the disruption to his plans.
"I was taught to assist a lady in need."
Laughter met his comment. "I don't think I have ever been called a lady, sir. And, as we are not in jolly ole England, I doubt you will find many women who would have that distinction."
A smirk curved his lips. "I never cared much for ladies. They tend to have to little use for their minds."
"Mmm, far be it for me to criticize my betters, but wouldn't you say that has more to do with the lordly types telling them that brains in a woman is unattractive?"
He paused for a moment, considering her counterargument. "Perhaps. That does not make them any more tolerable, just more pitiable."
A burst of laughter escaped her. "How brutally honest! How am I doing so far? Pity or intolerance?"
"For the moment, you have sparked my curiosity. As you have dismissed any need to act the gentleman, once that is satisfied, I shall be on my way."
He could see her nod, her face obscured still by her parasol. "I would hate to interrupt your plans so, please, how can I satisfy your curiosity?"
"The question would be why a woman would spend her day at the docks seeming only to care about the view of the ocean."
"Ah, well you must have noticed me at odd times. I also look around. I like to watch the ships come in and the cargo unload. I like to watch them made ready and sail away. I also do enjoy the ocean. It is rather close to my heart, you might say."
"Not an unusual sentiment for one living on an island. It is however unusual for a woman who is not a lady to have the free time for such pastimes."
"Even working women have the occasional day off," she laughed. "How I choose to spend it is my own business."
"That is correct," he agreed. Turning then to face her, he made perfunctory bow to her in farewell, pausing only to note her features as she turned to return the gesture.
As she glanced up at his face, her eyes widened marginally, her mouth slackening in surprise.
"Is there something the matter?" he bit out, tired of how women fawned over his features.
"Oh! I apologize. With your accent, I had not expected you to have mixed Oriental heritage. I was just surprised."
He narrowed his eyes at her. "Now who is being brutally honest?"
Coloring rapidly at his comment she bobbed a curtsey again as she apologized. "You are right. That was quite rude! And I meant no offense. As you can see from my own features, I am not one to judge."
Nodding his head curtly, he waved away any further apologies. "I understand. I must be on my way. Be careful not to stay out too late." Turning on his heel, he made his way down the docks, slightly surprised that she had keyed on to his heritage over his looks, but content to dismiss the encounter entirely.
"Blast! Me and my mouth."
The quiet mutter made his lips quirk upward at her outburst. Curious indeed.
~~~~~~~~~~O~~~~~
The next time he ran into her was well into the night in a muddied alley behind one of the more popular pubs. He had been cutting through to avoid people thus making his initial reaction to sounds of humanity an irritation. For a moment, he was tempted to turn back until the distinct sound of a slap rang through the space followed by a clearly irate feminine shout.
"I told you to take your hands off me!"
"Come on, lass. You can't be playing coy when you kept giving me all those smiles," a clearly inebriated voice replied.
"I was being polite you arseworm Borachio!"
Instincts took over, sending him towards the conflict quickly. Instantly, he recognized the woman from before despite the fact that her face was mottled by irritated fury. As he drew close, the man reached for her again and he was quick enough to grab his wrist, confusing the drunkard long enough to make him pause.
"I believe the lady said no," he threatened icily.
"What did I say about calling me a lady?" the woman grumbled.
Turning to look at her, largely to question her need to argue at such a time, he too was stopped short to find that she had somehow managed to produce a small pistol and was currently leveling at her would-be rapist.
"Now," she began, voice cold and calm, "I said you will not be putting your hands on me or any sad bits of your manhood around me. If you misunderstand, let me know so I can do every woman on this island a favor and remove some of your anatomy."
As she trailed off, she lowered the gun to point at the man's reproductive anatomy causing the drunkard to wince and pull at where his wrist was still being held behind him.
"I-I, um, beggin' your pardon miss. I think I, um, over did it a bit tonight. I, uh, will just be goin' now."
The woman nodded and moved her gun away so that the lout might run off, doing so only when he remembered, absently to release him. The two watched as the fool ran down the alley, falling at least once, like the hounds of Satan were behind him. Once he was out of sight, the woman turned to him again.
"Thank you, sir. Your timing was excellent."
"It appears that you had matters well in hand," he remarked wryly, eying her still drawn pistol.
"Maybe, but you showing up when you did allowed me to arm myself more quickly." She looked down at where her dress had been disheveled by the other man's amorous pursuits. "At least he didn't tear anything. I am not very handy with a needle and after the last dress ripped, I don't think my friends will be doing me any favors."
"You seem to have other…talents," he commented. "Now, do you need an escort home?"
"And I thought you were a gentleman! Trying to find out where I live, really!" She laughed as she said it, barely bothering with modesty as turned away to stow the pistol back under her skirts. "I will be fine, sir. Thank you for the courtesy. It is rare to see an actual gentleman type in this area. Maybe we will see more of each other."
He gave her a brief nod which she took as a dismissal, bobbing a quick curtsy before moving quickly out of the alley. It was only as he was readying himself for bed that he thought to question why she was there in the first place.
~~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~~~~~~~\~~~~~~
The next time they met, she sought him out during intermission at the theater. He had been surprised thus far by the quality of the performance and was surprised further by the noticeably high quality of her clothing when she approached. Her hair styled back once more into a bun at the back of her head, she had found pearls to adorn it with despite previously indicating that she was not from the wealthier class. Though her mode of dress might have been classier, no other part of her appeared to have scaled up to match as she made no move to act coquettish or shy.
"I seem to be seeing you everywhere. And in a fairly short amount of time. You must both be fairly new to the island and quite busy."
He narrowed his eyes at the knowledge that she had been able to understand even that much about him while he still knew next to nothing of her. And chose to say as much.
"While I, on the otherhand, cannot quite understand yourself. Judging by our interactions, you certainly are busy but doing what I could not gather. Nor can I say that you sound quite like a local."
She grinned up at him, openly friendly. "Let us just say that I do a little bit of everything when we are on land. Outside of that, I am often on merchant ships."
"In what capacity?" he pressed.
"Mmm, family I would suppose," she responded. She glanced around. "So, Mr. Shibuya Kazuya, are you here as part of your brother's entertainment group or on your own?"
"I do not recall introducing myself to you," he remarked, irritated.
"Well, it's not everyday two handsome brothers come to town. Women, as they say, gossip. As you are clearly not the performer, the assumption must be made that you are Kazuya. Am I wrong?"
He shook his head, a smirk fighting its way to his lips. "You are not. Though, if pressed, I do have abilities of my own to assist my brother's farcical shows. However, it seems that you now have the advantage over me."
"Oh!" she blushed prettily. "I guess that is pretty rude. I figured that you probably heard somewhere. I am fairly well known around these parts." Offering an elegant curtsy, she bowed her head and introduced herself. "I am Taniyama Mai. Miss Taniyama. Not Lady Mai. In case you forgot again," she laughed, eyes dancing with humor.
"Do not worry. I have learned not to extend courtesy to you that you don't merit," he replied coolly, watching as she pieced through what he said. Instead of anger, she laughed, though he could tell that it had been a close call between which emotion won over.
It was at that moment that his brother chose to join him. His twin had always been one for the ladies.
"Well, what's this? Have you been holding out on me, little brother?"
Meanwhile, Miss Taniyama was looking at both of them thoughtfully. "You really are identical, aren't you? I mean, I had heard the rumor but…."
"Yes, it has proven to be entertaining at different times," his brother replied with a ready smile. "Shibuya Ichiya at your service," he introduced, bowing.
"Taniyama Mai," she returned with a curtsy.
"I had not thought to find another from the motherland here," Ichiya commented.
"It was a bit of a journey. But, judging from yourself, not exactly unbelievable," Taniyama replied.
He narrowed her eyes at her answer to his brother's subtle curiosity. Some of the goodwill had left her face at the inquiry and he filed that away mentally as something of note. Then he reprimanded himself. Despite their frequent meetings, the woman had nothing to do with him so there was no need to remember anything about her. She, too, would be forgotten all too soon.
"How did you come to know my brother?"
"I would hardly say we know each other. How can you be sure that he did not just approach me to be social at this social event?" she laughed.
"You clearly don't know my brother then. He would be more likely to actively walk away from you rather than engage in any sort of conversation with a stranger."
"Really?" she asked, eyes bright with curiosity as she looked over at him. "I would not have guessed. To answer your question, he attempted to save me on two separate occasions."
"That is rather surprising," his twin confirmed, giving him a disbelieving look. "Perhaps you can enlighten me to these tales as we take a turn about the room?"
Typical. Always trying to find another lady to woo.
With a soft laugh, she shook her head. "I really must rejoin my party. You should, perhaps, just ask your brother."
With a quick bob to both of them, she turned and made her way quickly away. While his older brother began to tease him about the acquaintance, he could not help but notice that she seemed to be heading out of the theater instead of towards another party.
Not that it was his business.
oOoOoOoO
The rain was coming down harder than he had anticipated and there was a general mood of irritation throughout the streets as he made his way across town. His investigation kept running into walls and soon he would have to look through other venues. It didn't help that he had other duties to complete which slowed things considerably. Part of him wished to push those matters on to his brother, but he knew that it would just end up being more work for him as he would have to go back and correct everything his brother didn't bother to do right the first time.
He was ready to be done with the island and return home. The hotter weather was unpleasant and the ambient atmosphere of society more annoying. Though he could admit that the views were rather nice, in general he was not looking forward to what was most likely be weeks more time spent in the colony. The only redeeming quality of the entire island seemed to be the fact that his brother was highly entertained by everything and was quite content to explore on his own rather than irritate him unnecessarily.
Glancing over at a window-front building he paused.
Maybe not the only redeeming quality.
Making his way into he building, he crossed the small teashop to a table where a lone woman sat, staring thoughtfully into space.
"May I join you?"
His voice seemed to startle her out of her thoughts. Looking up, an easy smile transformed her features and she gestured for him to take the seat opposite and beckoned the serving girl to come bring him tea. He placed his order and the girl scurried off to bring over the pot and tea before leaving the two alone once again.
"I was surprised to notice that there was a teashop out here in the colonies. I had not expected to find one," he commented as he prepared his preferred beverage.
"Tea is fairly popular here even if it is only catching on in London," she confirmed. "Though coffee also common. I always preferred tea though. It reminds me of-."
She suddenly broke off with an awkward smile.
"Of home? You were born in Japan then?"
Hesitating for a moment, finally she nodded. "Yes."
"How did you end up here then?" he pressed, equal parts curious to the answer as well as why she seemed so reluctant to share it.
"So curious!" she exclaimed, forcing a laugh. Then her eyes narrowed and her lips curved into a knowing sort of smile. "Of course, you would have to be as an investigator for the East India Company."
Startled, he stared at her for a moment before narrowing his eyes. "What gives you that assumption?"
Cocking her head to the side, she pretended to think. "Well, you suddenly show up from England, are constantly looking through records, seem to be focusing mostly around the docks but also look at the town as well…." She trailed off leadingly. "Plus, on top of being handsome, you seem to be intelligent and far more serious than your brother."
"Strange that you never questioned that you had ever mistaken us," he commented.
"Confuse the two of you? Well, I can see how it could happen. However, after seeing him perform and then talking to him, I can tell that the two of you are very different." She paused to think. "It is sort of like he is the sun, smiling on everyone. You are more like the moon. You come and go and shine when you want to."
He let out a small snort at the comparison. "That is one way of thinking of it I suppose. However, none of what you said should have led you to the conclusion that I am from the Company."
"I guess that is true," she shrugged. "I didn't put it together myself. My friend did. He is very good at that sort of thing. He can pull information out of thin air sometimes, I think. However, if he says you are an investigator, I would be willing to bet my life on it."
"That is a good deal of trust."
"With good reason," she smiled. "So, now that I have uncovered you, what are you investigating?"
He noticed that she had leaned forward with genuine interest. Looking at her, he could tell that some of that interest came from genuine simple curiosity while the rest…the rest had its own motive.
"Now who is the curious one?"
She huffed at him. "Oh, come on! Maybe I could help you? As you may have noticed, I know quite a few people in town and, as an investigator, is it not your job to follow all leads?"
For a moment, he looked at her and considered taking her up on her offer. He had been frustrated by his lack of leads. However….
"I doubt you could be of much assistance. It is financial issue that requires understanding much of the documentation of trade that I doubt you have had any chance or inclination to learn. Nor do I suppose it would be the topic of gossip."
"You came all the way to the West Indies to chase down financial documents?" she asked doubtfully.
"Few things matter more to people than money."
A touch of bitterness entered her eyes at that before she shook it off and shrugged. "I allow that to be true."
For a moment the two just sat in silence, sipping at their respective drinks. He watched her with a measured eye as she lost herself in thought looking out the window once more. Again, he was struck by curiosity as to what exactly her occupation was. She had said she was associated with merchant shipping, but did not act like either the daughter of a wealthy or struggling merchant. Something about her did not quite add up. As he watched, her face took on a humorous expression and she peered back at him through the corner of her eye.
"Your brother mentioned that you are not the type to approach others."
"This is true."
"Yet you came in here and sat with me…."
His first instinct at being put on the spot was to lie about empty seats, but as there had been and still were empty seats available, he would not be able to get by with that one. With an internal sigh, he opted to be honest.
"I still find you to be a curious oddity. You have indicated that you have an occupation but seem to have endless time for idleness. You also have not shown any particular skill to indicate that you are able to fetch a high price for little labor. Furthermore, you act apart of every other social group on this island so I am unsure where you fit in."
When he finished speaking, she was giving him a slightly surprised look. As he continued to meet her eyes, a blush crept over her features in a way that made her objectively more attractive.
Objectively.
"I guess from a strange outside perspective you might see it that way. I do have some abilities. For the most part, I am very good at talking to people. I might not be the mastermind of my group, but I am very good at getting information from people. It is handy."
"Perhaps I should hire you as an investigator after all," he quipped.
"I did offer," she smiled. "You could say that my most useful ability though would be my instincts. I'm good at being able to sense if something is wrong. It is not a precise thing, but it has proven to be very useful."
"It did not seem to be working when I found you in that alley," he pointed out.
She winced. "Just because I am good at recognizing bad situations does not mean I'm smart enough to stay out of them all the time. Besides, it was either have him chase me, who can take care of herself, or chase Yumi, the pub owner's daughter who is too young to fight him off."
"Mai, savior of girls," he smirked.
A gleam flared in her eyes, but was quickly pushed away. "You could say that. And who told you to call me by my first name?"
"As you seem to have no care for social graces, why would it matter?"
Laughing, she agreed. "True. Most people call me Mai anyway. You just don't seem like the type to want to relax any sort of social rule that lets people get close. You are always glaring at people!"
"Always?" he prodded. "I don't remember glaring at you particularly often.
"Oh," she blushed again. "I may have seen you around time a few more times than you've noticed me. You always looked very grumpy so I didn't approach."
He offered a small shrug. "I do not find the society here to be of the quality that I endure well. This is more…Ichiya's type of world. Plus, many of the women are less inhibited so they are constantly encroaching on my time."
"It must be awful to be so good looking," she laughed chidingly.
"You are the one who keeps bringing it up," he commented slyly.
Blushing once again, she stuttered for a moment before finally crying out, "It's not like you ever denied it! You just seem to agree!"
"I do have to eyes to see myself in the mirror," he smirked.
"Narcissist!" she laughed.
He was on the verge of opening his mouth to reply when the shop door opened again and a voice called out, "Mai!"
Turning to look, he found a man, some ten years or so older than himself, standing and looking over to them. His sun bleached hair was pulled back messily from his face and his outfit seemed to be a mix of quality, seemingly assembled more for comfort than a particular style.
"Oh! I'm sorry," Mai exclaimed, hurriedly getting to her feet. "I did not notice you waiting." So saying, she scurried over to the shop owner to settle her bill before returning to pick up the small bag she had left on her seat. "Farewell, Inspector Narcissist. I imagine we will meet again."
Standing, he gave her a curt nod and another to her companion. As they left, he noticed that they switched languages as the man began to tease her.
"Getting yourself a new beau, Jou-chan?"
"Bou-san! Like he would ever…."
Her sentence trailed off as the door closed behind them and he was left once again curious as to what the woman was about. It was then that he decided he had another mission to complete, even if only to satisfy his own curiosity.
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..\_/ ┘-
The following weeks were exhaustingly monotonous. While his research into tax certifications and shipping logs was going well, his primary investigation was stagnant. The traces of information that he had all seemed to dry up quickly. He could tell that some people he spoke to had more to tell about the incidents, but were not going to share it with him. It was at those times, when he was leaving a particularly stubborn interview, that he thought about bringing Mai into the investigation. His comment had been made offhandedly and in jest, but there was something to the idea of bringing in someone who was more familiar with the community.
He had even spotted her a few times as he made his way through the city. She never noticed him and was at far enough distance from himself to make it cost more time than he had to greet her. Yet, the passing meetings made him even more curious. When she spoke to him, she smiled, teased, and laughed. He had noticed signs of a temper and of some seriousness, but they seemed to be quick to pass. In the brief instances of that week, though, he had seen a new side to her. Once he saw her speaking to the same man who had come to the teashop, her face mottled with fury and impatience. Their body language indicated that the man was attempting to calm her down, but whatever had upset her was not easily forgotten.
In another instance, he saw her speaking to a small group that he could only see from behind. Even without hearing them, he could tell that she was speaking to them with some authority and they were listening. After they had departed, she had taken out a notebook and looked through it, face clearly searching and showing a cleverness that he had not previously thought she possessed. Each time he saw her, he found himself becoming more and more interested in the mystery that she posed. He had thought of…, but no that would violate her privacy for just his own curiosity.
Nor was he a fool. Even without his brother's teasing, he understood that his increasing interest in the woman was atypical. In his life, few individuals made it to the point where he would consider them closer than acquaintance. Fewer still made the ranks of family. Everyone else was either an idiot to be ignored or a tool to be used and then forgotten, used without malice and left behind just the same.
Yet here there was this woman who had no part in his life, was not family or work associate. She had no part in his investigation and seemed to be just another of the idle masses. And still…she ran around in circles in his mind uninvited, content to stay in perpetuity.
For once, he missed the inanity of his brother's company in the evenings. The idle chatter and nonsense kept him distracted enough from his thoughts to allow him to focus on more important matters. Yet, his twin had apparently fallen for some other Oriental that told fortunes or some other thing. He would not be surprised to find that there were plans to run away together or other romantic nonsensical notions. Indeed, sooner or later he would have to make an intervention, but for the time being, his absence just left too much time for thinking, a concept he had never thought to be negative before.
It was a further week into this solitude that he ran into her again at the end of the docks. Without hesitation, he joined her, ignoring the hustle and bustle of activity behind him. When he stepped up beside her, she peered over at him briefly before looking back to the sea.
"I will be off again soon," she murmured quietly. "The ship is nearly out of drydock repairs. It's the only reason we have been ashore for so long."
The thought of her leaving struck him harder than he knew it should. Frustrated at himself, he just nodded to her.
"I imagine the next time we dock here, you will be long back in England."
"Most likely," he agreed softly.
"Is it strange that I find that sad? We have spent very little time together, yet I find you in my thoughts frequently. You seem to have taken up residence in my mind." She laughed softly, sadly.
"Ours has been an interesting acquaintance. But, perhaps, we shall meet elsewhere. As a member of the Company, I do get around."
"Maybe," she agreed before looking at him curiously. "Do you enjoy it?"
"I enjoy the work. I enjoy solving puzzles and finding evidence to prove my theories." He paused. "I also enjoy the freedom. London society can often be…stifling. Too many people placing expectations or rules on you. Travel takes me away from that."
"I can understand that," she smiled, looking back out at the sea. "That is why I sail. To me that," she gestured to the water, "represents freedom. Freedom from…all the people who would…trap you."
"Few would try to trap you, I imagine," he smirked.
"You might be surprised," she replied, the warmth gone from her voice. Then, she turned to him once again. "This is probably farewell, Inspector Narcissist. I hope we meet again. But, if we don't…."
Before he could react, she moved her frayed parasol to block the view of the rest of the docks and reached up to press a kiss upon his cheek. Face red when she pulled away, her eyes still shone with triumph at her small victory before she scurried quickly away.
For the next several minutes, all he could do was stand and stare, his mind unable to make sense of anything at all.
~~~~| .|~~~ | |~~~~~~~~~
"I may have a lead."
At the words, his head snapped up and he focused on his twin who had burst into the room.
"What is it?"
"I was with um," his brother trailed off.
"With your lady friend?"
"Yes, and she mentioned something about missing girls."
"What did she say, exactly?" he pressed as his brother faltered.
"She didn't really say anything about it directly. She made some sort of comment about how there had been girls going missing. But then…she stopped short, as if she regret saying it but had no way of taking the words back. She usually is rather hard to read, but I could tell she was clearly panicked and frustrated that she had said anything."
"From what you are telling me, we have yet another person who does not seem willing to give any information out. How is this a lead?" the Investigator asked, pressing his fingers to his forehead where he could feel a headache growing.
"The thing is, she didn't sound worried. Her comment almost sounded…amused. I think she knows more than she is letting on. I thought we should approach her together. Maybe if she sees how serious this is, she would be more willing to talk?" His tone took on a tone of begging. "She really is a lovely woman, Noll."
He narrowed his eyes at his brother's slip. "Watch what you call me, fool. But you may have a point. I will be ready presently."
"Sorry. I've been pretty good about it though," his twin grinned. "I've even answered to my own 'name' without faltering since we've been off the ship."
"I am not going to compliment you for meeting the bare minimum," he sighed, donning his jacket and gathering his notebook and pencils. Straightening, he looked over at his twin. "Lead the way."
The lateness of the hour made the trip short and it was less than half of an hour later that they were knocking on the door to her rooms. As they stood on the worn stoop, he heard the sounds of motion behind the door, more than would be accounted for by one individual. He looked over to his brother who looked confused. After a few moments, the door opened to show a petite woman in traditional Oriental clothing. Her eyes widened at the sight of the two of them before her face fell.
"Oh…you fool," she sighed before opening the door for them to enter.
A sense of wrongness fell over him as he entered the small room. Something was not right about the situation, but he could not place exactly what it was.
Not until the blow came and the world around him sank into darkness.
zZzzZzz
For a moment, he continued to eye the familiar yet changed figure. Her skirts had been replaced by distractingly well fitted breeches and worn leather boots that reached to her knee. Her upper torso was still covered in a feminine corseted bodice that looked familiar, as if it had been detached from one of her other gowns. Despite his present situation and irritation, he could not help but note that her appearance was attractive, even down to the tri-corner covering her head.
"This is not what I had in mind when I said we might meet again, Mai," he sighed, closing his eyes again. Judging from her clothing and the glimpse of the ship that he had before shutting his eyes again, he and presumably his brother had been abducted by pirates. He could not grasp how her occupation had been so completely outside of his analysis. The rational part of his mind argued that she did not fit the profile that the East India Company had drawn up for piracy, but that was not an excuse for his mistake.
"Nor mine," she answered wryly. "Typically, we aim for smaller targets than His Majesty's agents. Or am I wrong Lord Oliver Davis?"
Eyes widening, Oliver sat up as much as he could until, with a sigh, he leaned back against the mast. "Please tell me my fool of a brother did not give us away."
"Hey!" Gene cried out from behind him, clearly offended.
Mai laughed.
"Not directly, no. But we had good reason for investigating the two of you. It is not often that the Company sends investigators out and when they do, the little dalcops spend more time in the record rooms and whorehouses than either of you ever did. Plus, you were always poking about in random places."
The statement came from a new, yet slightly familiar voice. Oliver looked as the man who had come to collect Mai stepped into view.
"And you would be?"
"Takigawa Houshou," the man answered. "I am partially responsible for identifying you," he added apologetically.
For a moment, Oliver cast about in his mind to come up without how when it struck him. "You read my treatise on identifying and confronting supernatural phenomena wherein I stated that I worked with the Company and His Majesty thereby allowing me to have wider exposure in my investigations."
"Yes," Takigawa confirmed. "I also went to the lecture you gave at Cambridge. John and I were interested as…followers of the field."
"Pirates…?"
"You would be surprised what sort of people become pirates," Mai commented, kicking his foot with little force, clearly irritated that the conversation had taken such a turn. "And we prefer the term Buccaneer or maybe Free Agent."
"I've always liked Privateer," another voice chimed in from behind.
"Regardless, I would like to say that it was not our intention to kidnap you."
"I had certainly hoped you possessed more sense than that," Oliver sighed.
"You just came at a really bad time," a foreign feminine voice commented. Glancing over, he found the woman from the night before standing in the slightly shaded area of the deck.
"Yeah, we had been about to set sail with our…cargo when you two stumbled in," Mai sighed, her exasperation at the timing clear. "I couldn't have you reporting back on what you saw so easily so it just seemed like a better idea to take you with me, us."
"Perhaps you should have just made up an excuse rather than assaulting the two of us," Oliver offered.
"Yeah, Masako," Gene grumbled from behind him again. "It isn't like you had any reason to think I would just haul you off to the authorities or something!"
"You are the authorities, Eugene," Mai sighed.
"Gene, please. Only my mother calls me Eugene and only when she is upset with me."
"Which is frequent," Oliver sighed.
"That aside," Masako broke in, "we couldn't risk it. Besides, we had to react quickly and perhaps somewhat impulsively."
"Somewhat?" Gene groaned. "My head still aches."
"The material point of the matter," Oliver interrupted, unwilling to listen to Gene whine while his own head ached, "is our situation. Are we to be held prisoner indefinitely?"
"That depends on you, really. As stated, we do not really wish you ill and are content to treat you as passenger or crew until we go ashore at a place you deem best. If you are willing to behave and not attempt a mutiny or any sort of violence, that is," Mai added, eyeing his undoubtedly displeased face.
"And should we make such an attempt?"
"Oh, we have two very nice cells for our less cooperative guests," she grinned, going down on her haunches to look him in the face. "As I said, the choice is yours."
Oliver sighed. The part of him that had wished for a swift return recognized that it was a foolish hope. Meanwhile, the oft ignored part of him that had been wanting less responsibility and monotony felt oddly pleased at his current circumstances.
"I am sure that we can both behave," he agreed.
"I know I can!" Gene offered.
"I would, however, request a private interview in which we could discuss some of my more pressing questions."
"Jou-chan! Your purity!" Takigawa gasped.
Mai rolled her eyes. "I am sure we can manage that. Yasu, if you would be so kind as to untie them."
"And ruin the opportunity presented? Think of what could happen to handsome men tied up on a ship," the previous voice replied, questionable intentions laced through.
"Oh, thank Buddha, another target," Takigawa grinned. "For that alone, I will untie you."
"Unfair," the other man, Yasu, exclaimed. "You know you will always be my own, Bou-san!"
"Please, please, find a woman at our next port," the older man begged as he worked on the bindings.
"Oh, I have plenty at each," the younger grinned.
Ready to be free of such nonsense, as soon as he was unbound, Oliver stood, reaching behind him to gain his footing. In addition to the roiling waves, there was an extra sense of disorientation, probably from the drugs they must have administered to keep them unconscious long enough to board them and tie them up.
"If you will follow me," Mai said, turning towards the stern. Stepping inside, he paused a moment to allow his eyes to adjust before following her down the narrow hall to the Captain's Quarters. The interior was moderately luxurious with a desk in front of the wide windows and an ornate bed tucked to one side. When she noticed him observing their surroundings, she blushed. "Let us just say that I came upon these quarters secondhand and the previous owner had their priorities."
"Secondhand?" he asked.
She gestured to the chair opposite before taking a seat at the desk. "Yes, secondhand. Now, before I begin answering your questions, are you going to use them against me?"
For a moment, he just considered her. It was a valid question. While they might not be on antagonistic terms at present, their respective occupations made it likely for that to change. Still….
"As much as I am able to, no. However, I have already stated my curiosity towards yourself. While some of it has been answered, I would be grateful for the opportunity to have some of my other questions answered."
"Like what the connection is between this ship and the missing girls?"
"Precisely."
"Can we begin by my asking about your investigation? It would help me explain," she smiled.
"As I am subject to your good will, that is acceptable. A few months ago, word reached England that a number of prominent West Indies merchants had daughters who mysteriously went missing. It was reported that the local authorities had no leads on what might be happening as it did not follow any set pattern of kidnapping for ransom, elopement, or even homicide. The girls just seemed to vanish without a trace. At the time of the report, eleven girls from five families had gone missing, the youngest at thirteen years of age. Since, several more have gone missing. Unlike most missing person's cases, the only individuals that seem to be upset are the family members. There is a strange sense of calm from the community which gave rise to a lot of suspicion in the authorities."
"So they sent you and your brother to investigate," Mai nodded. "Does Gene do much? Not to question his abilities, but he doesn't seem…."
Oliver sighed. "Like you, he is good at getting people to talk. He does not participate in all of my investigations, especially when it comes to sorting through financial documents. However, he said that people were particularly unwilling to talk, which again made us suspicious."
"They are not very trusting of outsiders," she agreed. "Now, please, ask whatever questions you have."
"Are you taking the girls?"
Mai laughed. "That is blunt! Yes and no. We are taking them with us, but we did not kidnap them."
"Would you elaborate?"
"Of course," she agreed, settling back in her chair. When she saw him reaching for the notebook he had stowed, she frowned. "I would appreciate if you do not take notes. While I cannot stop you while you are alone – and I am sure you have an excellent memory, as we did not have parental consent, what we did is still illegal, just…not heinous."
With a sigh of exasperation, he nodded and put the notebook away again. When he looked back to her, Mai's gaze was unfocused, looking towards the beams that crossed the ceiling of the cabin.
"The first girls were twins. They had just turned sixteen and their father had arranged their marriages."
"Not uncommon," Oliver commented.
"No, of course, but they were still worried. They went to Masako to get their fortune told. Oriental fortune telling is a great novelty to them, you see. The girls explained to her that their father had practically sold them to two brothers, both over the age of fifty. While neither had ever married before, they littered the Caribbean with bastards, but white and mulatto, and had a reputation for…not treating their women kindly."
"Unfortunately, that is also not particularly uncommon either," he commented quietly. "How did circumstances go from weeping women to kidnapping?"
"Masako…I'm not really sure why, but she just felt so bad for them so she actually told them that we might be able to help. Most of the area knows that we only dock for about a week or so at a time and then are gone for a few months, like most merchant ships. We keep quarters in the city for ease with a few side businesses that get us some information on…our main business," she grinned mischievously.
"I shall have to ask about those at a later time," Oliver stated.
"You should ask all of them about it. They all do something different. I just act as a center to their network," Mai commented dismissively. "That aside, while initially I was irritated that she was willing to risk our freedoms, I also did appreciate where the girls were coming from. So, we 'booked' them passage and helped them to just disappear overnight."
"Where did you take them?"
"We have an associate who works with the church in London. He found places for them. I believe both of them are still working in the city."
"That explains two of the disappearances. They cannot all be the same," Oliver pressed.
"No," Mai agreed. "The next three were also from the same family. Their situation as slightly different. The eldest was twenty and still unmarried as she helped to run the house and, as we found out, her father's business. She came directly to me as she had been a particular and trusted friend of one of the twins and understood what we did for them."
"A dangerous thing," he pointed out.
"Yeah," she sighed. "It is what it is though. To summarize, the girls' father had been an insufferable drunkard for the better part of his life. When the girls were younger, he was still able to manage his merchant business, but once he found out that his eldest had a head for business, he pushed most of the work onto her shoulders so he could continue to overindulge. To make matters worse, he had a temper and would frequently take it out on her."
"Thus she wanted to flee?"
"Originally, no. She was willing to take the abuse to make sure her sisters were safe and had at least some guidance in their life. However, he began to take out his anger on the youngest, the twelve-year-old you mentioned previously. That was the end of it. She decided she was taking her sisters and her business skills elsewhere. Through correspondence, she obtained employment with an open-minded merchant in one of the other colonies but needed safe passage and secrecy. That is when they came to us."
Standing, she turned to walk to the window. "I am in the unique position to offer help to these women so I decided to offer my services. The other women have similar stories. Some are not so serious and only want to escape a life that they do not like. A couple have even joined in this crew." Turning back to him she smiled, leaning against the windows, her miniature figure framed by light. "So, Investigator Narcissist, you have come to the end of your investigation. Unless you were tasked with finding the girls themselves."
"Not directly, no," he replied. "The authorities were simply concerned that there was some sort of mad serial killer targeting the wealthy young girls."
"Then do you have any other questions?" she asked quietly.
"I have several about you, personally," he stated calmly. "I believe I indicated that before."
"Mmm," she sounded, tilting her head in thought. "I will give you two. After that, you have to start answering questions about yourself."
The grin that accompanied her condition was strangely satisfying to Oliver. He could tell that she, too, was genuinely curious. However, despite her willingness to speak to him, she had never indicated that she was interested in him personally, beyond his occupation which he now understood were vital to her own survival.
"For the time being, I will ask my allotted questions. Perhaps at another time, we can discuss others."
She huffed and pouted as she sat down somewhat heavily in her chair once more. "Spoilsport."
"The most pertinent question would be what sort of danger we might find ourselves in. Insufferable though he may be, I do not wish to see my brother drown."
"Well," she considered, "there is always some danger on the open seas. However, if you are asking about our 'merchant activity', I would say that you are relatively safe. Yasu has been investigating a cache of Spanish gold rumored to be on one of the smaller islands and Bou-san thinks he found a charter for a smaller sla-, a smaller trading vessel that he would like to intercept. However, as we have passengers other than the two of you, we do try to keep the voyage safe." She grinned again. "Believe it or not, we are more concerned with maintaining our freedom than mountains of treasure, despite what others of our profession may be up to."
"I see," he responded crisply, curious about what exactly their piracy involved and why they were attempting to attack what would appear to be a small slave vessel. Few ships were more heavily armed than those of the slave traders. It would be foolish to try.
"What is your other question, my Lord Davis?"
"Who are the individuals that must be heeded? I do not which to be a nuisance."
Mai cocked her head to the side. "Are you an able-bodied sailor?"
"In a pinch, both my brother and I know our way around a ship. It was a condition of taking the profession placed upon us by our father. He did not raise us to be idle."
"Hmmm, well then I think a short tour is in order," she smiled, rising to her feet.
She quickly led the way out of the room and out on deck again, signaling to another to ring the bell and call for all hands. Looking around, Oliver found Gene was already talking to one of the other sailors and helping out in a minor capacity. A few minutes later, once the motley crew of individuals, a surprisingly high number of which were female, Mai stood on the Quarter deck, leaning on the rail.
"It appears that our esteemed guests are more than just pretty faces," she grinned. "Our visiting Lords have some training on a boat and will be helping out around here. To make things easier, we are going to go through quick introductions and those of you who need help can claim their services."
"To do as we like to them, Captain?"
"Down, Yasu," she laughed. "Now, pay attention you fancy types, I will not be wasting time."
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Oliver soon learned just how ill timed their intrusion had been when they explained that their next port of call was in the New England colonies. Typically, they ferried their 'passengers' to other colonies in the West Indies or to England proper. The former would have guaranteed a shorter trip while the latter would have been at least his homeland. Instead, they were to spend more than twenty days sailing in the wrong direction.
"You are welcome to get off in Boston," Mai grinned when she saw his frustration.
"I shall decline."
"Good thing. If you did, I am fair sure you would have to abandon your brother. He is absolutely smitten with Masako."
Her comment just made his scowl deepen. When not being put to work by various crewmen, Gene followed the woman around like a lost puppy. Nor did it appear to be for a lack of variety as there were a number of comely women aboard, many of which who seemed all too happy to keep the prisoners turned guest company. His own unsocial behaviors put most of them off within the first two days, but a few still made their attempts to flirt.
As it was, he had little time for idleness. Lacking the official status of either passenger or official, he was pulled by various individuals to discuss different matters. Takigawa, the Quartermaster, was just as likely to discuss his thesis due to his surprising background as a Buddhist monk. When Oliver inquired why he left the profession, he cut the conversation short with a pathetically transparent excuse. A similar occurrence happened when he inquired how Yasuhara, the brash yet intelligent Sailing Master joined the crew over his previous academic career. Gene reported similar levels of closed mouthed attitude amongst most of the Oriental crew. Many of the others were more talkative, but still declined to speak of their crewmates.
Finally, nearly two weeks into the voyage, he found the Captain leaning against the starboard railing on the quarterdeck well into the night. She stood, a shadow against moonlight crested waves, as the first shift crew quietly went about their business. It had been the first time he had seen her unoccupied since they boarded when he, too, was free. More than once, he had been gratified to look up and see her admiring his figure as he completed some manual labor task or another. When their eyes met, she would always blush and look away, a smile still curving her lips. And, despite having little interaction with Mai, he still found his mind swirling around thoughts of her as he lay in his hammock below deck.
Without thinking, his body moved him towards her until he stood next to her at the railing.
"I should throw you off the ship for being on the Quarterdeck without permission," she smiled, still looking at the open sea.
"You did not strike me as that sort of Captain, Mai," he replied calmly, choosing to settle his arms on the worn wood. Physical labor was not something he was accustomed to and even two weeks of practice had not taken off the soreness and exhaustion.
"I am not, which is lucky for you. All the same, what pushed you to risk my wrath and come up here unannounced?"
The question was asked with humor, but also traces of tiredness and a touch of something else he wasn't quite sure he was ready to identify. Moreover, he was not entirely sure he had an answer. Sometimes, he found himself moving towards her without realizing it. Just two days prior, he had instinctively moved to shield her from a strong wave despite the rampant stupidity of the action.
"I am…ready to exchange questions, if that is still your wish," he finally stated, his voice thankfully still even.
With a small laugh, she turned her head to grin at him. "You sure pick interesting times! I guess. Let's move a little though. I do not want to broadcast your secrets." As she spoke, she moved towards the rear of the deck, leaning against the railing as she eyed the ship.
Oliver knew at that point that she did not need to watch over the crew and so he turned opposite her, content to once more look over the water, the roar of the water happy to eat all sounds of their conversation.
"So, what piece of curiosity has been eating away at you?" she smiled, turning to face him. Glancing over, he couldn't help but take a moment to watch the way her hair whipped around her face. While most of it was pulled back, the strands around her face seemed immune from such restraint and danced merrily around her features.
Blast, he was beginning to sound like Gene.
Shaking himself from his thoughts, he began bluntly. "Where are you from? More specifically, how did a group of Japanese natives come to be in control of a pirate ship in the middle of the West Indies?"
"Ah," she smiled sadly. "I guess that would be what made you most curious. There aren't many of around these parts, are there?"
"My brother and I have been hard pressed to find many others beyond the Asian seas."
Nodding, she, too, turned to lean on the deck. For a long moment, she just looked up at the moon before sighing deeply. Taking in a large breath she answered equally as blunt.
"We were slaves."
"Pardon?" he asked, brow furrowed. "I was under the understanding that the Emperor had outlawed the slave trade with Portugal some eighty years back."
"He did," Mai confirmed. "He even demanded that the thousands of slaves taken out of Kyushu be returned to the islands."
"With little success," Oliver commented coldly.
"But he still allowed some to be made into slaves if their families had been executed by the state," she finished quietly.
"What happened?"
The softness of his voice seemed to help her relax and she spared him a small smile. "To me? My father's lands were seized since he could not pay his taxes. They offered to accept payment from my mother in trade. Father refused. Violently. He was killed in the incident and mother was executed."
"How old were you?" he prodded.
"Seven," she answered succinctly. "In general, people in Japan found slavery to be distasteful so I was taken to a farm far away from my home. It was there that I met the others. Takigawa's family ran a Buddhist temple that defied the local lord, so his parents were executed and he was sent over to the same place I was. He was 16. Ayako," she continued conjuring the image of an auburn haired surgeon who was particularly flirtatious, "was training under her father to learn medicine. The local lord wanted to marry her and her father refused. She was 17. Masako has a similar story, she was 15. Yasuhara was smarter than his teachers and made them look bad. The man must have been very powerful to get him sent away into slavery without being punished himself. He was 19. He was also the last to arrive at the farm before a man from Portugal made a very illegal trade deal with him for the lot of us."
"What happened then?"
"You have asked three questions already! My turn!" she smiled, blinking away some of the sorrow that had grown in her face.
"That is…fair. What is it you wish to know?"
"Mmm, three questions. Though, I suppose some of those were just follow-up questions so I'll be fair and just ask two…." She delayed for a moment, seeming to think. Though, by the creeping blush he could see in the moonlight, he doubted she needed that much time.
"Um, how did you end up an English nobleman if you are Japanese?"
"A well phrased question," he ceded, recognizing that it asked a lot with just a few words.
"I'm cleverer than I look," she replied cheekily.
"To answer, my own family history, as you undoubtedly suspect, is also rooted in slavery. My great-grandparents had been brought over during that initial trading boom between Portugal and Japan. My maternal grandfather was well educated so he was placed in a good position within the household of an ambassador and his wife was allowed to work in the same house. On the paternal side, my grandmother was a common laborer who had been sold several times until she ended up suddenly freed in Ireland. It was there she met my paternal grandfather, a laborer himself."
"So that is where you get those beautiful eyes," she murmured quietly before going stiff with embarrassment as she realized what she had spoken.
"Glad to know you enjoy them," he smirked.
"Back to your story," she begged, hiding her face.
"Neither my father nor grandmother were ever particularly welcomed in the rural Irish countryside so, after my grandfather's death, they both moved to London. As for my mother, she had been allowed to accompany the ambassador's daughter as her handmaid on a trip to London. Once there, the staff explained to her that England did not tolerate slavery and so she ran away. From there, she met my father by chance and the two married."
"That is rather fortunate. London is not a small place. For two people descended from the same race and from slavery to meet in one large city? It seems rather fated."
"Perhaps," he shrugged. "I do not remember them well. Despite having two young children at home, neither of my parents were home much. My father spent most nights out drinking and my mother wandering the streets. We probably would have died if the woman in the building across the way did not check in on us regularly. It was through her that we learned to speak English and life skills. Regardless, in our seventh year, one day neither of our parents came home. After two weeks, someone reported us to the watch which dumped us in a foundling home. From there, because of some of our…talents, we were adopted into the Davis household."
"I am sorry, Oliver. I had not intended to bring up so much…awfulness."
He stilled, momentarily pleased at the usage of his name, before shaking his head. "I am not a particularly emotional individual, Mai, as you have no doubt noted. Nor do I care much for the fate of people who chose to abandon us. Our adoptive parents have been caring and supportive." Oliver paused for a moment. "I do not think I have spoken of our birth parents in some ten years they matter so little to us."
"That is…good, I suppose." She trailed off, biting her lip slightly. "Umm, let us try for a more lighthearted question to break the moment shall we?" Mai paused to think for a second before her face broke out into a grin.
"Your face speaks of my future discomfort."
"No, its not directly about you. Just…has Gene always been that way?" she laughed.
"To which way do you refer?" Oliver prodded, not having realized that she had spent much time at all with his twin.
"Overly friendly? He asks a bunch of questions about things that do not really seem to matter. He also seems to flirt with anything that moves. He and Yasu…they should not have met. I would be afraid for Masako but he clearly is not serious about anyone but her." She paused. "Oh, and sometimes it seems like he is talking to himself."
"To answer broadly," he sighed. "Yes, he has always been like that. I have had to more than once stop him from making some idiotic promise to someone or another. As for his talking to himself, that is related to one of his talents so you may feel free to ignore it. It is not a sign of insanity."
"What talent?"
"I believe that would be a third question," he smirked.
"Fine. I guess you want to ask how we went from slaves to buccaneers?"
"Yes," Oliver confirmed.
"It is a fairly simple answer, actually, though not a pleasant one." She smiled sadly, looking back over the sea. "This is not a large boat, even if it has made its way through many of the seas. The trader was foolish and thought that his limited experience with slave trading would be enough. He had heard how much Oriental slaves were prized for their intelligence and hard work. He stupidly assumed that he would not need to guard us well."
Looking up, she sighed. "Takigawa and Lin were the ones that made the plans. We met Lin onboard, traded from a family on an island off the coast of China for being…strange. He had experience with sailing and Takigawa is good at strategy. Together, they planned for most of the long voyage around the Southern coast of Africa. It was as we were travelling back northward that they struck." Pausing again, she gave him a look of deep sorrow. "It was quick. You would be surprised at what you would be willing to do to keep your freedom."
When she finished, the two sat in silence for a few moments, just looking over the water. It was not the first time that Oliver cursed his lack of social abilities. He felt the need to say something but could not find the words. After a moment, he placed his hand over hers where she clutched the railing. The touch was brief, but it drained the sorrow from her features and her lips curved so slightly upward.
"Now, all of that drama aside, what are these abilities that you and Gene have that are so special?"
Pulling himself up, he turned to face her, hip still leaning against the rail. He gave her a measured look before deciding to take a gamble. The chances of her being devout Christian and scared of witchcraft seemed slim given her origins.
"Many would call it magic. Gene can…communicate with the deceased and lingering spirits. I have some ability to understand their thoughts and to make things move without touching them."
"Oh? Really? That must be why Bou-san is so interested in your studies!" Mai grinned.
Nonplussed, Oliver blinked at her for a moment. Even within his own society, he had to be careful how to describe the abilities he and his twin possessed lest they risk being burned at the stake. While it was less likely to happen to men, he was not particularly willing to risk it.
"You seem…familiar with the idea," he stated slowly.
Nodding, Mai looked over at one of the crewmen before looking back at him. "We are a group of misfits. Bou-san and Ayako have received religious training that allows them to exorcise spirits. Though," she commented with a sly smile, "Ayako isn't very useful on the sea. Lin also has some abilities, but you would have to get the man to speak long enough to ask what. Oh, and Masako can also speak to spirits. Even I have started to be like them, but I think that is just their influence and my imagination." She shrugged her dismissal.
"I imagine piracy makes it easier to keep yourselves safe with these abilities."
Mai shrugged. "Most Westerners seem to think that all Orientals are capable of some sort of sorcery. Not quite evil, not quite good. For the most part, when someone finds out about someone, they just dismiss it as Oriental madness and move on."
"I had not considered that," Oliver admitted. "Many on the Continent are less…open minded."
"I've heard," she commented. "Now, as it is late and sleep is drawing me in, I will allow one more question."
"How did you end up as Captain?"
The query made her laugh loudly. "Well, no one wanted the responsibility really. Originally, we didn't have one. But, after we took on more crew, they elected me to be captain. We are not exactly the fiercest group, so it helped that I was the friendliest of the lot. Also," she sighed, "I'm fairly sure some of them like it because the Captain is less expected to do the fighting so is safer. Bou-san and Ayako attempt to be my parents whenever they can."
"I can understand their thinking. You seem to court danger."
She rolled her eyes and then hesitated, chewing on her lip as she thought. Finally, having decided to speak, she turned to face him and looked straight into his eyes, a faint blush dusting her features.
"Last question: Oliver, you are a trained officer and sworn to His Majesty. We are criminals and thieves. We may not be widely hunted by authorities, but criminals all the same. Why," she paused, glancing down as she bit her lips once more, "why are you not ready to turn us in? Why aren't you in our cell downstairs cursing us to perdition at every opportunity?"
He looked down at Mai, her insecurity screaming up at him. He knew what she was asking, what she was not quite sure how to ask. As he looked down into her fathomless honeyed eyes, he cursed himself for the truth of his own answer. One he was not quite willing to give just yet.
Instead, he raised his hand to brush a strand of hair from her face. "I wonder," he murmured.
The air felt almost electric between them. As he watched, her eyes darted down to his mouth prompting his own to drop to hers. The space between them seem to lessen and time slowed to a crawl. Then, he blinked and time resumed. He stepped away and nodded his farewell before turning away.
His exit was abruptly stopped as she grabbed hold of his sleeve and pulled him back around. Before he could protest, she went up on her toes and pressed her lips against his. It was awkward and unpracticed. Just as he was beginning to react, she pulled away, eyes shining with mischief and determination.
"You should learn, Narcissist, to never tease a woman. You aren't in London with your proper ladies. We are pirates. We take what we want."
Statement made, she turned on her heel and sped away, posture screaming embarrassment over authority.
"I will keep that in mind."
Note: I created some AMAZING text art with ships and tea cups and islands and...it was all deleted. I kept the remnants cause I was lazy. If there are any scene jumps I didn't notice, please let me know so I can fix them.
Also, the request was made for a swashbuckling pirate adventure. Which I wanted to do. But I'm a historian so that was ruined. I had to ask myself the question of how a bunch of Asians would be in the Caribbean and the answer was not pretty. Thus the impromptu history lesson on a side of the slave trade that most people forgot about. Yeah. Hopefully things are still okay though?
Conclusion in the next chapter.