Justified Treason
Endless Horizon Pirate Stories
Book 1
CRISTI TAIJERON
Copyright © 2013 Cristi Taijeron
All rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
ISBN-13: 9781490338477
ISBN-10: 1490338470
Edited by Stacey Coverstone
Staceycoverstone.com
Cover Artwork by Megan Dinsdale and Cristi Taijeron
Megandinsdale.net
Interior design by Cristi Taijeron
Endlesshorizondesigns.com
To Shaun Taijeron
My Solid Rock
Thank you for listening to my ideas, inspiring adventurous twists,
and providing insight into the mind of a man.
Though you only speak your love as sweetly as a salty pirate,
your heart of gold is the greatest treasure
I could ever dream to plunder.
Thank you for supporting my creative vacation to the Caribbean.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This story came along with the help of many creative and knowledgeable minds.
I want to thank you all for being the wonderful people you are and
for helping my biggest daydream come true.
My parents, Joe & Kim
For always supporting and inspiring the creative whirlwinds of my artistic mind.
Mom, your love for history has taught me to appreciate the story behind the scenery, and Dad, your adventurous spirit has inspired me to try
new things and “make things happen.”
Thanks for sharing your true life sea stories about the storms and the whales, and for raising me with the courage to stand up in life and pave my own path.
You are a true buccaneer at heart.
Also, I cannot thank both of you enough for taking me to visit the Caribbean
when I was fourteen. I will never forget the scenery or the history of that majestic wonderland and could not have written this story without
the inspiration of that experience.
Stacey, Rachel, Jackie, and Isabella
For the hard work and patience that it took to edit my work.
I am a creative dreamer but far from a proper writer, and you all have helped bring my poetry closer to the ground without taking it out of the clouds.
Olivia
For listening to the most intricate details and diving into the depths of the characters. My imaginary friends have been just as real to you as they are to me,
and you have been a blast to daydream with.
Tori
For always being willing to daydream and for sharing your
knowledge of novels in general.
My ‘mommy’ friends Kim and Tasha
For supporting my insanity on a daily basis. Kim, for the romantic persuasion.
Tasha, for always saying “When” instead of “If.'”
Mabry, Sarah, and Chelda
Mabry, your support in the very beginning inspired me to keep writing.
Sarah, your inspiration along the way has been as much of a joy as a help.
Chelda, you are my Anne Bonny, and our mutual love for adventure and imagination have always been one of my favored enjoyments in life.
Cheers to my desert buddies
I have always seen us as pirates of our sea of rock and sand.
Our wild nights in the dunes have inspired the pirates’ drunken behavior,
last minute wit, and outlandish humor.
Megan Dinsdale,
Author of Finding Eden
I could never thank you enough for bringing my artistic vision to life on the cover.
Capt. Nikko Lorenczi,
Commodore of the Left Coast Privateers
Thank you for so generously sharing your knowledge of the seas, the ships, and the commands of a pirate captain.
Will Smithy King,
Owner and Master Blacksmith at Kings Forge and Muzzle Loading
Thank you for sharing your extensive knowledge on weaponry of the times.
The pictures and descriptions you have shared with me helped to
paint a vivid picture of this time long past.
George Roland Brown
I always look forward to your inspiring and humorous pirate expressions.
Your poetry takes my breath away, and your crude sea dog insults always make me laugh out loud. You have been a joy to dream with.
Sam Ryan Bellamy, Composer of Return
Your music so vividly expresses the true history of a tale so similar to my own, and the beautiful sound will play in the background of my mind during
many of my writings to come.
All my friends in the pirate community
Though the term piracy technically means an act of robbery or criminal violence at sea, those of us who have ventured to delve deeper into the era
understand there is much more to the soul of a pirate.
The audacious lifestyle represents an air of freedom
and expresses the courage it takes for one to claim life as their own.
Coming to find this community of likeminded rebels has been a great plunder for my inspiring soul. It seems we have all found our way in the world on our own terms, and through our various artistic expressions we have managed to keep this
vibrant part of history alive. Thank you for sailing my pirate journey with me.
CREDITS
In researching the history and information for this project, I want to give credit to the following books, authors, and websites:
Books
How History’s Greatest Pirates Pillaged, Plundered, and Got Away with it. By Benerson Little
Under the Black Flag. By David Cordingly
A General History of the Pirates. Daniel DeFoe,
Caribbean. By James A. Michener
The Pirate Ships 1660-1730. By Angus Konstam
Pirate (DK Eyewitness Books Series). By Richard Platt
The History of Pirates: From Privateers to Outlaws. By Allison Lassieur
Pirate Gear: Cannons, Swords, and the Jolly Roger. By Liam O'Donnell.
THE HOLY BIBLE
Websites
http://whydah.com/
http://kingsforgeandmuzzleloading.com/
http://www.loyalistarms.freeservers.com/pirategoods.htm
https://www.facebook.com/iamafreeprince
http://www.cindyvallar.com/pirates.html
http://thepiratesrealm.com
http://privateerdragons.com
http://caribbean-pirates.com
http://www.gentlemenoffortune.com
http://thepirateking.com
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid
AUTHOR’S nOTE
Endless Horizon Pirate Stories is a fictional series based during The Golden Age of Piracy. For almost a century, the beautiful Caribbean Sea was tormented by vicious and bloodthirsty pirates who dressed the part of kings and royalty. They took to the seas with the salty air whipping their harrowing black flag in the wind, plundering Spanish gold, and pillaging civilian ports with little regard for life beyond their own flashing desires. Yet, somehow these men have marked their place in history with an alluring label of power and freedom, enticing the minds of dreamers and romancing the hearts of lovers.
&
nbsp; Since my visit to the Caribbean as a teenager, the beautiful landscape of the islands and the freedom of the pirates at sea have set the backdrop for many of my artistic creations. The evening I began writing this story, I had a brief understanding of the pirates' way of life, but as the plot developed, I realized imagination alone would not be enough to portray the vivid details of this time long past. I began my research and found the history to be more alluring than I had ever imagined, and as an artist, I combined my poetic daydreams with the true history of the era to begin the series of Endless Horizon Pirate Stories.
Justified Treason tells the tale of a forbidden love affair between a buccaneer and a nobleman’s daughter. Over the centuries, the law of man has divided people between social status, skin color, and religion, yet the power of love has struggled, suffered, and prevailed against these manmade divides in the most beautiful and unexpected ways. Walls collapse and worlds collide within love’s will to conquer, and with no way to tame the rebellion it sometimes inspires, it seems that perhaps, love is the greatest pirate of all.
I
MOONLIGHT AMOUR
1
Something More
2
Mystic Allure
3
Forbidden Plunge
II
CHARLOTTE WETHERBY
4
Assure
5
Asunder
6
Aflame
III
STERLING BENTLEY
7
Freedom of the Sea
8
Power of the Storm
9
Cost of the Freedom
IV
WIND OF GLORY
10
Hellish Blaze
11
Wayward Immersion
12
Painful Imposition
V
SHEER PIRACY
13
Shameful Arrangement
14
Glorified Deceit
15
A Master of the Sea
16
Only a Mask
There is no fear in love
True love casteth out all fear
1 JOHN 4:18
Port Royal, Jamaica
1667
PART I
Moonlight Amour
Chapter 1
Something More
As told by Charlotte Wetherby
The warm evening breeze brushed through my golden curls while I stood on my veranda to watch the sunset. I adored the way the rich scent of the sea mingled with the aroma of tropical flowers, and through the swaying palms I watched the pinkish orange clouds roll across the sky. The warm hue of daylight followed the sun into the turquoise horizon, leaving the glistening shades of the scene to fade into the darkened shadows of the starry night.
As enchanting as my evening ritual was, it was much more than the natural beauty that I treasured. From my veranda I could see the harbor of Port Royal, and watching the ships come and go lifted my spirit with the greatest of pleasure. I anticipated the appearance of the tall wooden mast to pierce the bubble of my everyday horizon, and I would watch in breathtaking delight as the wooden ships slowly rolled over the tide, bringing with them wonder and promise. I daydreamed of the treasures the ships carried and the countless tales those aboard them could tell, knowing they had seen and endured so many adventures while I waited quietly in the peace of my mundane routine.
At eighteen, I had spent my entire life on the Caribbean island of Jamaica. My father, Wallace Wetherby, was sure to keep me safely sheltered within the sturdy walls of The Royal Poinciana sugar plantation. Within the grandeur of his stately mansion and sprawling acres of coastline property, my father saw to it that I was exceptionally well cared for. I was busy and well-dressed; I had a private tutor, a personal harpsichord instructor, and my own dedicated servant. Looking in, one would think I had it all, but I felt detached from the life I led, and I was sure the world had more to offer.
That evening, as the moon shined on the ocean and the lantern lit my porch, something more finally showed up for me. I heard the sound of footsteps on the roof to my right. At first I was frightened, but my wicked curiosity overrode my fear, and I braved my urge to look over the ledge. I was startled to see a man walking across the ground level rooftop with his back against the wall. He was shuffling in my direction.
The mysterious man must have seen me first, because before I could panic he quickly assured, “It’s alright. I won’t hurt ye.”
He looked startled as well, but strangely I trusted the calm in his voice and instead of screaming I quietly inquired, “Who are you?” I had intended to sound firm but my fluttering curiosity was rather apparent in my voice.
The man loosened his posture and stepped away from the wall as he chuckled, “My name is Sterling, Sterling Bentley. I was running from a blaggard ol’ dog and jumped up on this roof just before he ate me. I haven’t yet found me way down.”
I couldn’t help but laugh about the awkward position he was in, but I also felt sympathetic for his frustration, for I knew exactly which dog he spoke of.
“Was it the large black dog with the short tail? That’s my neighbor’s dog and he is quite wretched. He sees me every day, but when he busts out of that gate he still wants to eat me.”
Sterling laughed as well, and as he came into the light, I got a better look at him. He wore a cavalier hat with a feather in the band, and beneath the shadow of it I admired his attractive features. His hair was light brown with sun streaked shades of blond flowing across the disheveled locks of his ponytail, and his golden skin was evenly suntanned. I saw that his cheeks and upper lip were recently shaven, leaving only a long goatee on his chin and sideburns running the length of his well-defined jaw, and as he smiled at me, I admired the fullness of his lips along with the way the left side of his upper teeth crookedly overlapped.
His smile was warm, his laugh was inviting, and the light in his mossy green eyes stimulated my senses. I was already enthralled with his rugged good looks, and the tattered look of his long emerald coat and scuffed leather boots only intensified my sudden attraction. It was quite apparent that he had been out to sea and I longed to hear his stories.
Removing his hat, he politely asked, “Can a mate like me ask the name of a beauty like ye?”
I smiled sweetly and responded with delight, “Of course. My name is Charlotte Wetherby. Would you like to stay and talk with me?”
Sterling appeared surprised by my offer, and the way he looked me up and down reminded me that I was only wearing my blue satin nightgown. I covered my hand over the low chest line of my dress and wondered if I was off mad for asking this stranger to join me, but he flashed me with a sideways smile that comforted my concerns.
While shrugging my shoulders, I waved him over.
As he hopped over the rail of my veranda, I caught a waft of the sandalwood oil he was wearing. The way the scented oil mixed with his personal aroma caused my senses to whirl off into a world traveling daydream. During my sensual stun, he walked right passed me, peered into my bedroom, and mumbled something about making sure no one was waiting to attack him. While he scouted out the scene, I noticed his hand tense over the hilt of his sword, and though seeing him look into my home in such a manner alarmed me, it somehow deepened my vast interest in him as well.
Pleased to see the coast was clear, Sterling relaxed and turned to face me on the veranda. He smiled at me as if to apologize for his suspicious behavior, and I felt my heart skip a beat as I took in the sight of him standing in my doorway. He was dangerously handsome.
Aside from my attraction to his face, I was also awestruck by his solid posture and stunning attire. He was almost a foot taller than me, and his shoulders and chest were broad beneath his long extravagant coat. The velvet fabric of the coat was emerald green, and the wide collar and cuffs were accented with gold embroidery. He left the golden fasteners undone and beneath he wore a dark
leather waistcoat and an ivory colored shirt that laced up the front. His sword hung from a leather baldric he wore across his chest, and his waist was wrapped with a red satin sash, along with a leather belt that boasted an ornate buckle. Though his attire was regal, it was tattered from the weather and lined with various weapons, leaving him to look far more threatening than refined.
The moment my eyes locked with his, my breath became short and my mind filled with the heavy reality of the forbidden moment. Sterling Bentley was not just a sailor…The overbearing thrill of realization rushed through my heart, and my eyes grew wide as I gasped, “Are you a pirate?”
Sterling chuckled before he scrunched his bold nose and smirked, “I’d rather be called a buccaneer.”
My nerves flushed with an exhilarating surge of fear and excitement. Dangerously handsome indeed. I had been warned about the treachery of these types of men, yet I had always been intrigued by the power they possessed and the freedom they expressed in their reckless way of living. I took a moment to debate the possibilities of the verboten encounter, but the levity behind Sterling’s terribly enticing smile easily resolved my deliberation. I dimmed the lantern and suggested that we sit down on the porch together where no one would see us.
Justified Treason (Endless Horizon Pirate Stories, Book 1) Page 1