The Sea's Rough Magic

by Alicia C Graybill

  "I have," Abigail answered pointedly. "I wish to make some arrangement with the Captain--Stern, is it?"

  "Aye, Stern 'tis," The youth responded. "That would be me."

  Abigail Robbins raised her head and glared into the eyes of the pirate captain. He had to be close to her own age and he was very handsome. But there was a set to his jaw, a gleam in his eyes that frightened her. She refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing he scared her but she wasn't about to take any unnecessary risks. He walked around the group of five women, eying them appreciatively before stopping immediately in front of her.

  "What's yer name?" He said it casually.

  "My name is Abigail Robbins," She answered, meeting his gaze levelly.

  "Robbins?" He seemed to grow thoughtful and a little smile formed on his lips. "I seem t' recall meetin' a gov'nor by that name. You any relation t' him?"

  A tiny glimmer of hope appeared to Abigail at that moment. She smiled slightly. "As a matter of fact, he's my father."

  "Is he?" The pirate seemed pleased and Abigail felt a bit more at ease. "Governor Robbins of Port Royal. He seemed t' be a proper fellow."

  "Yes," Abigail responded, inching forward. "He's a good man who takes care of his people--."

  Without warning, the pirate backhanded her hard, knocking her to the deck. He grabbed her by the throat then and pulled her face up to within inches of his own.

  "Thanks t' him, I lost someone very special to me. Want t' guess what I think o' yer 'good man?'"

  "I-I'm sorry; I didn't know," Abigail gasped. "Please . . ."

  The pirate shoved her away angrily then stood and turned to his men. "Have at 'em, jus' keep 'em alive. Corpses don't sell, savvy?"

  "Wait!" Abigail tried to scramble to her feet again but a threat of the back of Stern's hand kept her on her knees. "Please, don't do this. My father will pay a ransom to have me back, I swear it! Send him this and he'll know the truth."

  She tugged a broach from inside the lining of her dress, a fine piece of silverwork in the shape of a bird in flight, and placed it into Stern's hand. He looked it over briefly then turned contemplative eyes back on her. "I suppose he'll want ye back 'unharmed,' eh?"

  Abigail nodded tentatively. "I believe so. I-I've never been married."

  Stern sighed and stared at her for a few minutes then turned to his men and spoke. "I s'pose there are other ways t' make use of her. Pete, take this one t' me cabin--an' keep yer hands t' yerself."

  "What about the others, Cap'n?" Abigail glanced up at the speaker to see he was gazing lustily down Abigail Bramwell's cleavage.

  "My previous orders stand," Stern said softly, an unpleasant light coming to his eyes when he saw Abigail's face go pale. "Corpses don't sell."

  )O(

  The pirate tied Abigail in the captain's quarters by both hands and feet to a bed-post. It didn't take long for her extremities to start to go numb and the hard wood under her to become uncomfortable. But that wasn't really of concern to Abigail. What really worried her was the fates of everyone else aboard the English Rose. The fact that this pirate captain didn't honor the Code frightened her immeasurably. The cold anger in his eyes didn't improve the situation. She knew what "have at 'em" meant as far as her female companions were concerned. She'd heard the screams of pain and fear and, despite her own disgust at her cowardice, felt relieved. It wasn't long after she heard those outcries that she heard the explosion. There was only one thing she knew that would make a sound like that: they'd destroyed the English Rose.

  But that was hours ago. Abigail found herself nodding off in spite of the fact that she was hungry, cold and uncomfortable. It was growing dark in the cabin and she heard the squeak of a rat from somewhere nearby, which woke her immediately. She was about to try screaming for help when the door opened and two men entered bearing food, wine and a lantern. She smiled, suddenly grateful.

  "Thank you!" She spoke quickly. "If you'll just untie me so I--."

  One of the men chuckled and dug his elbow into the ribs of his companion. "She thinks it's fer her! Got a lot o' guts, missy, don't ye?"

  "But--," She never got another word out as the men exited as quickly as they came, leaving her to sit in a nicely lit room and smell well-cooked food while the hunger rumbled in her belly. "Oh, please!"

  She was certain she was about to pass out when the door opened again, this time admitting the handsome pirate captain. He paid her little heed as he dropped into the chair and began eating the food the men had left. Screwing up her courage, Abigail spoke.

  "Captain Stern, I'd be most obliged if you would--."

  He grabbed her hair and yanked her head back so hard, she thought her neck would break. "Don't speak 'less yer spoken to, savvy? I'll not stand fer it! Ransom or no, I'll let ye join yer friends in providing the men some entertainment."

  He released her with a shove that bounced her forehead off the post she was tied to. When her vision finally cleared a few minutes later, he was cutting the ropes off her wrists and ankles. She opened her mouth to thank him for the kindness but he caught her by the hair and dragged her, still on her knees, over to the chair where he resumed his seat.

  "Now, lovely little Abigail, let's see how good ye are at swallowing, hmm?" He had a smile on his face but it wasn't at all comforting. When he began to undo his breeches, Abigail realized what he meant for her to do.

  "No, I will not!" She yelled and tried to rise, though her feet and hands were still like blocks of wood.

  He slapped her hard three or four times until her head rang. Her cheeks still burned when he pulled his cock out and ran his hand up and down its length. "Now, let's try that again, shall we?"

  Abigail winced at the movement of his hand toward her. When both his hands dug into her hair and dragged her closer to him, she went as willingly as she could. Best to get things over with and hope he would leave her alone.

  )O(

  Chapter 52:

  The Stranger and the Mirror

  Why do I do these things to us? James asked himself as he stood in the parlor and made idle talk with some of the local landowners. Still, the Governor and his wife had been very good to the Dunbars; it was only fitting they attend Sarah Edwards' birthday celebration. Aaron was somewhere nearby though James wasn't exactly certain where. If Winston Edwards had been there, he wouldn’t have let Aaron get two feet from him. Since the Edwards brat had been sent off to the army a week or so ago, James reckoned Aaron was safe enough. He cast another glance around for Elena Wendover but she didn’t seem to have come tonight. A mental sigh of relief allowed him to return to the conversation at hand. It seemed the sugar crop last year had been the best in a while.

  When James noticed that Aaron had disappeared, he had to rein in his runaway fears. If Aaron had been too frightened, he would have sought James out. Though he no longer grew so frightened that he couldn’t function, he did still find certain situations troubling. Excusing himself, James went in search of his “wife.”

  He covered the first floor of the mansion then asked one of the serving maids if she had seen Aaron. The girl’s reply was that she had seen Mrs. Dunbar go upstairs with some of the other women. James found that puzzling and decided to investigate.

  As he took the last stair, he could hear the sound of female voices discussing something. There was a quick burst of laughter then more conversation. James followed the sound and knocked quietly on the door.

  “Ladies, may I have a word with you?” James kept his voice light and pasted a smile on his face when the door opened.

  It was Charlotte Edwards. “Why, Commodore! How very delightful to see you here. May I help you?”

  Keeping the smile on his face, James responded, “I believe you may, Miss Edwards. I was informed that Erin was last seen accompanying you up here. May I speak with her?”

  Charlotte smiled. “You do realize, Commodore, that it has been mentioned more than once how lovely your wife is. If I were you, I would keep a closer eye on your charming la
dy. Erin?”

  She turned to the others as if expecting Aaron to be there. James could see over her shoulder, though, that he wasn’t. Charlotte turned back to him.

  “Wherever could she have gotten to? She was there but a moment ago,” Charlotte’s face grew worried. “Do you think something has happened to her?”

  James, despite his own thudding heart, shook his head and grinned. “No, no, it’s probably nothing. You must understand, Erin wasn’t so much raised by her parents as allowed to grow. She has come a long way in the time we have been together but she is still a wild creature at heart. Do you mind if I search the rest of the house for her?”

  Charlotte gestured to the other young women behind her. “We’ll all help you look, won’t we?”

  “Absolutely not!” James managed to keep his voice jovial but the tone was pure command. “Erin will not ruin your evening’s entertainment. Please, continue making merry. I’m sure I’ll find Erin momentarily. Your pardon, milady?”

  Charlotte’s cheeks turned a delicate shade of pink when he took her hand and kissed the back of it in his most courtly manner. James walked away and heard a burst of giggling as the door shut behind him. He rather liked Governor Edwards and his family. They were decent, sensible people for the most part. James started down the hall, poking his head into all the rooms that had open doors. He saved the two rooms with closed doors for last. He knocked on one door and there was no response from within. Gathering his courage, he turned the knob and glanced inside.

  “Oh, pardon me,” He muttered suddenly at sight of a very attractive man standing before the oval mirror. It occurred to him just before he shut the door that the hair was very long and very black, not to mention that the man looked very familiar. He pushed the door back open then stepped rapidly inside. “Aaron, what are you doing? Have you gone mad?!”

  Aaron glanced back over his shoulder at James, “Maybe, but it wouldn’t be th’ first time.”

  James seized a chair from the writing desk and wedged it under the door-knob. He stepped up behind Aaron so that he could see him in the mirror. Erin’s dark blue silk dress lay on the bed, her shoes abandoned on the floor nearby. James found himself breathless again at the sight of Aaron in the silk and brocade finery of a governor’s son. The coat was of a burgundy with silver brocade and buttons. The shirt was pure white, the breeches a cream. The waistcoat Aaron had chosen was a deep blue to contrast with the greatcoat. Aaron smiled at him sadly in the mirror then held up a finger. A quick step to one side and he had seized a black tricorn with lovely white feathers along the edge. He made a deep bow to Dunbar’s reflection in the mirror then stood and seated the hat on his head. Aaron examined himself in the mirror with a serious demeanor then caught James’s eye.

  “Ain’t seen ‘im in a long time,” He barely got the words out then had to wipe a tear away. “’Fore the—‘Fore the Lash ‘left’ me, I used t’ wear all kinds o’ frippery. An’ now I ain’t even a him no more.”

  “That’s not true, my love,” James snapped. He could sense just by the look in Aaron’s eyes that he had come to a breaking point. “You are still the same man I fell in love with all those years ago.”

  “But ye married ‘her,’” Aaron replied, stroking the tips of the fingers on his right hand along the glass to trace the contour of the reflection of his face. “Not sure I can do this no more, Jamie. I’m--I think I’m losin’ meself.”

  “Nonsense,” James lied without reservation. He slid his arms around Aaron’s waist and pressed his face against Aaron’s cheek. “You are still Aaron Johnson, the Captain of the Saucy Maid--.”

  Abruptly, Aaron pulled away, looking up into James’s eyes. “Aaron Johnson’s dead. I saw his grave with my own eyes, Commodore. An’ the Maid’s been gone—a long time. Who th’ hell am I, Jamie? I ain’t ‘her’ and I sure as hell ain’t ‘him.’ What am I goin’ t’ do?”

  James gazed into the stricken eyes as long as he could bear then, tenderly, pulled Aaron in close to kiss him. When he broke the kiss, he just held Aaron while he waited for a response. When it came, he thought he was going to be sick.

  “I think I mus’ leave here, Jamie,” Aaron’s voice shook.

  “All right. I’ll make our excuses while you put your clothes back on,” James said, giving Aaron a gentle smile.

  Slowly Aaron shook his head, pushing away from James. “’Snot what I mean, love. I mean I cannot stay here—with you—anymore. ‘Tis time I paid an’ old, old debt.”

  “An old debt?” James pretended ignorance. “Just tell me who it is that you owe and the amount. There is no need for you to concern yourself with something so petty--.”

  Aaron just stared at him for several seconds then said, “The Lash is who I owe, love, and there ain’t no amount o’ swag in the world to repay his life. Only one thing fer me t’ do.”

  James sighed and his mouth drew into a grim line. Finally, he released Aaron from his embrace and stepped back. “Very well. You are free to go. I only ask you one favor.”

  Aaron shook his head, a sly smile relieving the misery on his face. “Ye never quit, darlin’, do ye?”

  James scowled. “It’s not in my nature, anymore than it is in yours. Will you grant me my favor?”

  Aaron bowed his head, “What is it ye wish of me?”

  “Let me have one last night with you, a night spent as if it might go on for eternity. If you do that, I will provide you with money and a ship to go anywhere you like. What say you?” James could barely believe that he was able to speak the words.

  “Aye,” Aaron muttered after a moment. “But I’m keepin’ these clothes, savvy?”

  James shook his head. “They aren’t yours, Aaron.”

  “Neither are those,” Aaron nodded his head toward the dress and shoes.

  “Of course they are,” James argued.

  “The name’s Aaron, A-a-r-o-n, not Erin. Want me t’ show you?” Aaron offered to open his breeches and James seized his hands.

  “Point taken,” James sighed. “I could buy you clothing just as fine--.”

  Aaron shrugged. “Pirate.”

  James had to smile at that. “How will you leave? Mrs. Dunbar entered. It would be surpassing strange should she disappear.”

  “Tell ‘em Mrs. Dunbar spooked, like a fine horse, an’ went down the rose trellis, savvy?” Aaron grinned, revealing his gold teeth, and headed for the window. “’Twon’t be that far from the truth.”

  James acquiesced. “As you wish. I will meet you at the carriage.”

  To James’s disappointment, Aaron didn’t answer, just opened the window and disappeared into the night. His final glimpse of his lover was the ludicrously white feathers on the top of the tricorn. He turned and scooped up the dress and shoes. Tucking the shoes into his pockets, he stared at the blue silk while he tried to figure out what he would do with it. At length, he wadded the dress into a ball and tossed it out the window after Aaron. Straightening his shoulders, he strode out the door to go speak to his hosts.

  )O(

  Chapter 53:

  The Ring

  Aaron melted into the darkness with a sigh of relief. The night sky was brilliant with stars and he spotted Polaris immediately. He didn't know how he would tell James that neither money nor a ship would be necessary for him to repay his debt to the Lash. All it would take would be a sharp knife or a high cliff. He walked past James's carriage, head held haughtily, and the driver nodded to him politely. He was just a squire out for a walk. It was only a mile or so to James's home. The walk would do him good.

  But instead of taking the shorter way home, Aaron found himself wandering down to the shoreline, the sounds and smells bringing a certain night many years before to him. He first met Henry Stern the night he'd brought the Saucy Maid--the only thing he'd ever legitimately acquired--into Lisbon to find more pirates for his crew. Purportedly, his father had been an honest merchant who had purchased a battered old Spanish galleon and rebuilt her into the beauteous lady that
became the Maid. It cost him nearly everything and he died penniless before he saw her off on her first voyage. Aaron inherited the ship and decided he would turn pirate. Henry Stern had swiftly made his way from being Aaron's friend to his lover then to his matelot in only a matter of weeks. He still remembered the night they had cut their palms and joined hands while vowing to protect each other in all ways. Though he knew Henry had a wife, it didn't matter to Aaron all that much. He had come to understand Henry pretty well by then and knew that the Lash would always be his.

  The moonlight off the water of the bay reminded Aaron of the emerald ring Henry had given him at the time. He tried to ignore the sheen of gold around his left ring finger. Gone now, that skull-bearing ring was, along with almost anything else he and Henry had shared. Ike was the only remainder. And it gives me the chills to even think about the lad, Aaron mused, wishing he’d thought to steal stockings and shoes from the Governor’s boy. He wondered where Ike was now. The last he had heard, Ike Stern was fast becoming the British Navy’s most wanted. He dreaded the day James came home to tell him that Ike Stern had been captured and hanged. Worse, he feared the day Chambers would come to him to tell him that James--. He shut the thought off abruptly, unable to tolerate the agony it caused in his chest.

  The tide lapped up and splashed across his feet but Aaron didn’t move except to take a step or two forward with the backwash. He was up to his knees, the fancy buckles on his breeches making little breakwaters in the ocean, when he saw the head rise above the water. A moment passed during which he could draw no air. Whatever it was, it was swimming now steadily towards him. Another wave, more powerful than the previous, swept his feet out from under him. He went down into the water.

  Confused, he had no way of knowing where the surface was. He suddenly drew in a breath and caught water instead. He felt the undertow seize him and pull him down, the surface now seemed impossibly far away. He kicked, suddenly terrified, and clawed at the water above him. He wanted more than anything now to see James again. If he hadn’t been underwater, hadn’t been fighting for his life, hadn’t been drowning, he might have wept.