The wind whipped against his face, mixed with rain that bit into his flesh. He held no pride of being the captain of an escape raft. Longing filled his soul to be back on his ship as captain of the Sea Mirage again.
Would Rowen ever find out what his old crew did to Brody? Brody would be sure to tell him if he ever made it back to the mainland alive.
The ship came into view, but fog was settling over the water making it hard to see. From what he could tell, it wasn’t a large ship. It didn’t look to be a cargo ship but rather a vessel used for fishing. It didn’t matter. They could take him back to the mainland. He wasn’t choosy at a time like this. Once he stepped foot on solid land again, he’d be able to hunt down and kill Old Man Muck.
The rain pelted down and a cold shiver ran up his spine.
The wind felt relentless against his body. He tried to tuck strands of hair back under his headscarf so he could keep a close eye on his target. He did all he could to hold on to the raft and sail it directly over to the fishing ship. But with the fog rising from the water even thicker than before, it made it hard to see. He had to catch the ship, or he was naught more than shark bait. This was his only chance to survive.
Gwendolen Fisher reeled in the fishing lines, trying to help secure her father’s boat before the storm hit. Dressed in breeches and boots instead of a gown, and with her hair covered with a head cloth and hat, she fit right in with the rest of her father’s crew.
Ever since the death of her mother, Gwen had wanted to stay as close to her father as possible. She was his only daughter and also his only child anymore as far as he was concerned. Her three older brothers, Aaron, Tristan, and Mardon, had left and no one knew where they went.
At one time her brothers had helped her father fish. Together, they’d sold their catches to townsfolk, merchants, and even nobles. It was a simple life, and they were far from wealthy, but the business kept food on the table and a roof over their heads.
As her brothers grew older, they had their minds set on so much more than just a handful of coins a week, or a boatload of smelly fish. One day they decided to go their own ways. They were looking for more in life than their father could ever give them.
They wanted fame, wealth, and excitement in their lives. Gwen only wanted her family together again – something she would never have.
“Gwen, get inside the cabin,” called out her father, lifting a bottle of whisky to his lips. He’d started to partake of the drink right after her mother died. Cato Fisher was a proud man, and could not accept the fact he’d lost not only a wife but three strong, able-bodied sons as well. Nay, he was hardly ever sober anymore since he drank to ease the pain of losing so much. Her heart went out to him. She decided she would take the place of the sons he lost.
The sails whipped in the wind and cold rain fell from the heavens. The swells of the waves kept getting higher. Their little fishing ship was naught but a victim on the turbulent sea.
“I’m all right, Father,” she yelled into the wind. “I’m just as capable as the rest of your crew. I want to help.”
“Gwen, listen to him,” shouted Leo, the eldest man of the crew. He was her father’s age and also his best friend.
“Get off the deck before you’re blown overboard,” called out Flann, always being so bossy. Flann never liked the fact her father had brought her along on the fishing trips in the first place. The other two men tolerated Gwen and, at times, even treated her as if she were their daughter.
“I’m going to help, so we don’t lose our catch.” She yanked at one side of the net filled with fish, while the quietest of the crew, Gilroy, helped her to haul it aboard. Gwen was a small woman and hadn’t the strength at seven and ten years of age to do the work of a mature man.
Although she tried her hardest, her fingers slipped. The ropes cut into her hands making her cry out. If she held on any longer, she risked losing a finger. Without another choice, she loosened her hold, and with it went the net as it fell back into the water. Her heart sank when she realized because of her; they’d just lost their entire catch of fish.
“Dammit, Gwen, I told you to let the men do that! Why don’t you ever listen?” Her father tied the wheel to keep the ship on course and then hurriedly made his way across the wet deck toward her. His step wavered more from the drink than from the tossing of the ship. Still, he clutched the bottle of whisky in his hand, not willing to put it down. “Get below deck before I have to tie you to a mast,” he growled.
“Nothing can stop me from helping, and you know it.” Gwen looked over the rail to see the hoard of fish they’d caught swimming back out to sea. It was an unfortunate accident that would cost them a day’s work. As she watched the turbulent sea take on a life of its own, the fog parted momentarily giving her a glimpse of something on the water.
Making her way closer to the rail, she held on tightly, straining her eyes to see what was floating toward the ship. It was dark and mysterious and almost looked like a man aboard a raft. “Father, Look! I think it’s a man.” She pointed anxiously to the object, eager to share her find. Her father didn’t look. Instead, he reached out and yanked her away from the sidewall.
“If you don’t start listening to me, I’m going to leave you ashore next time.” He dragged her toward the hatch that led to the bowels of the ship.
“Nay, there’s something there I tell you,” she said again. Before her father could ignore her a second time, someone called to them from down in the water.
“Ahoy! Can you hear me?”
“What was that?” Flann stood up straight, his eyes darting back and forth. “I think my ears are playing tricks on me in this storm.”
“I heard it too. It sounded like a voice,” surmised Gilroy.
“It’s a man, I tell you. A man on a raft.” Gwen broke free of her father’s hold and ran across the deck. She slipped and almost ended up falling over the edge. After making it to the rail, she held on tightly and called out to the man in the fog.
“We hear you. Do you need help?” She waved one arm over her head.
“Of course, he needs help,” spat Flann, pushing her aside. “Leo, give me a hand pulling him aboard.”
Gwen shivered in her wet clothes as she watched the men pull the drifter aboard. From the foggy mist emerged a bare-chested god of the sea. He wore a red headscarf over long, black hair. A dark, short beard and mustache outlined his pear-shaped face. He was soaked from the storm. His broad chest looked hard, and so did his nipples. He had to be freezing in the cold weather, especially since he was dripping wet. How had he come to be out on the sea all alone?
The crew reached down to help him. The mysterious man took a white tunic off a tall pole on the raft and extended his free hand to Leo. When his feet hit the deck of the ship, she could see he wasn’t as tall as her father’s crew. Still, he held an air of confidence about him. Dark brown eyes looked over from under thick brows. He seemed to be in his early twenties.
“What happened to you?” asked her father, rushing over to join them.
“Thank you for helping me,” said the man, relief echoing in his words. His skin looked tanned, and there were dark circles under his eyes. She wondered if he was ill. His thin lips were dry and cracked from the elements. He probably hadn’t had fresh water in a long time. As she surveyed him even closer, she realized his body shook slightly.
“You’re shivering,” she said, causing the man to look right into her eyes this time. In the round, brown depths of his orbs hung a hint of sadness that couldn’t be masked. This man had been through something horrible, she was sure of it. She longed to find out more.
“You’re a wench,” he said in astonishment. He donned the white tunic over his head without even wavering on the rocky ship. That told her he was used to being on the sea.
“I’m not a wench – I’m a girl,” she retorted, sad to see him don his shirt and block her view of his enticing naked chest.
“This is my daughter, Gwendolen,” said her father. “
I’m Cato Fisher. This is my crew, Leo, Gilroy, and Flann.”
“Thank you, once again,” said the man, being ever so polite. “My name is Brody.”
“Where’s your ship?” asked Flann.
“Did you have an accident at sea?” asked Leo.
“You could say that,” he answered. A shadow crossed his face. “I’m afraid I’m now a captain without a ship. However, I hope to recover the Sea Mirage again someday soon.”
“Sea Mirage?” Gwen’s father’s spine stiffened, and so did his grip on the bottle. “I’ve heard of that ship. It’s said to be the fastest ship on the sea.”
“Aye. That would be the one.” Brody smiled slightly, nodding his head proudly.
“It’s also said to be a pirate ship,” growled her father. He turned his head and spat on the deck in disgust.
Gwen gasped. Was this man a pirate? Pirates upset her father. So much so, that she knew this man’s presence here was going to end up being a bad situation. Brody’s dark gaze skimmed over her before returning to her father.
“I’m trying to get to Whitehaven,” he said. “Can you help me?”
“Whitehaven?” asked Flann. “We’re going to Cornwall.”
“Then I’m thankful for anywhere you can take me that is dry land. On the mainland,” he added as an afterthought, making Gwen wonder if he’d been on an island recently.
“No time for talk,” said her father. His eyes bore into Brody. Disgust and anger washed over his face. “This storm doesn’t look to be letting up. We need all the help we can get. Are you in any condition to work? We need to secure our ship.”
“Aye, of course,” Brody said with a nod of his head. “I’d be more than happy to help. It’s the least I can do.” He headed to the other side of the ship to grab a loose line flapping in the breeze.
“Gwen. Men,” her father said under his breath, his eyes never leaving Brody. “Be careful. He’s a bloody pirate and can’t be trusted.”
“A pirate?” Gwen asked, speaking a bit too loud. The man named Brody lifted his face as he worked, watching from the sides of his eyes.
“Shall we get rid of him?” mumbled Flann. His hands balled into fists. Flann couldn’t be trusted either. Gwen did not doubt that if her father wanted Brody gone, Flann would strangle him with his bare hands if need be.
“He’ll never know what hit him.” Leo’s hand covered the hilt of his long fishing knife at his waist.
“Nay. Not yet,” said her father, eyeing up the man and then the sky. “We’ll let him help get us through this storm first. Then we’ll dump him back into the sea where cutthroats like him belong. I’m sure there was a damned good reason why he was out there in the first place. Just watch your backs. All of you. I don’t like him being aboard the ship.”
“How can you talk about him like that when you don’t even know him?” asked Gwen.
“You stay away from that pirate,” her father warned her, his teeth gritting as he spoke. “Do you hear me, Daughter? Men like him want one thing only.”
“To rob us?” she asked with a cocky smile, knowing what he meant, but ignoring her father’s warning.
“To rob young girls like you of something you will never be able to replace.” Cato lifted the bottle to his lips and took a long draw.
The boat relentlessly rocked back and forth in the wind. Even with the amount of alcohol in him, her father managed to maintain his sea legs about him. Gwen held on for dear life. Storms frightened her. Even more than pirates.
“You need to shorten the sail,” the pirate called out from the opposite side of the deck. His face turned upward. He surveyed the large square sail filled with air. In the strong wind, it was ready to burst.
“It’s too dangerous at this point,” said Cato. “The lines are tangled up near the top. I’m not going to risk the lives of my men asking them to climb the rigging in the storm to fix it.”
“I’ll do it,” offered the man named Brody. Before Gwen knew what was happening, the pirate was climbing the rigging like a monkey with his dagger clenched between his teeth.
The ship tossed back and forth in the high waves, taking massive amounts of water on deck. The full sail billowed out, pushing the boat across the turbulent sea much too quickly.
“We’re going to capsize,” Gilroy shouted into the wind. Gwen could feel his fear. The ship had never leaned so far to the side as it was now. It did look like they’d capsize. Fear coursed through her and she wished they were all safely back on land.
“Man your stations. Now!” yelled her father.
“Gwen, get below deck,” scolded Leo as he hurried past her, trying to make his way to the bow.
“I’m going,” she said, feeling sick to her stomach. Lightning slashed across the darkened sky, and thunder reverberated in her chest. This was the worst storm she’d ever been in, and it frightened her worse than any of her nightmares. It was a night just like this when her mother passed away. Storms had terrified her ever since. Her father knew it and had tried to keep her close. That’s why he’d been so protective of her through the years. Her brothers used to watch over her as well, being older than her. She missed them and never understood why her father had never gone after them and brought them home. They’d left in a storm one night. Aye, she hated storms in more ways than one.
She looked up to see Brody above them, shortening the sail, which miraculously managed to slow down their travels. If not for him, their boat would have broken apart in the storm. He was on his way back down to the deck when a huge swell hit the side of the ship. She held her breath as water sloshed over the sidewall and covered her head. The wave crashed upward into the rigging hitting Brody full force.
“Nay!” she cried out as she saw him lose his footing, only holding on by one hand from a loose line. “He’s going to fall,” she called out to the others. “Someone, save him.”
“We can’t,” answered Leo, trying to secure the rest of the lines and fishing equipment before it was all washed overboard. “We have all we can do to save the ship. Now get to safety, Gwen. Hurry.”
“Father, help him,” she called out, holding on to things to try to make her way to the pirate without falling. Her father was having a hard time steering the ship and just shook his head.
“He’s a pirate, Gwen. Just let him go.”
“Nay! How can you say that? He just risked his life to help us.” Without another word, she turned and ran to the rigging, holding tightly to the lines as she started to climb, trying to help him. If no one else cared about the man’s life – she did. No matter if he was a pirate or a king, he deserved to be helped since he’d risked his life to save them.
“Go down, sweetheart,” she heard Brody call out to her. “This is no place for a lady.”
“Nay. I’m going to help you.” She liked the fact he’d called her a lady, not to mention sweetheart. No one had ever done that before. She was naught but the daughter of a poor fisherman. Plus, she dressed and acted like a boy. Sometimes, she thought even her father considered her a boy. Or perhaps, he only wished she was one of the sons he’d lost. But she could never replace her brothers, even as hard as she tried to fill that void. She’d always wanted to ease her father’s pain and make him happy again - the way he used to be so many years ago. If only she’d been born a boy, perhaps her father wouldn’t have taken to the bottle so hard.
She neared Brody, but by the time she did, he’d managed to secure himself in the rigging. The cold wind blew against her wet clothes, and she shook like a leaf on a tree.
The man’s tunic was torn open, flapping around him in the wicked wind. She couldn’t even imagine how cold he felt. Then a flash of lightning split the sky, and simultaneously she heard a deafening noise. The hair on her arms stood on end, making her feel numb. Lightning had just struck the main mast!
“Gwen!” cried out one of the crew, but she could barely hear him since there was such a loud pounding in her ears. Was it the sound of her heartbeat and the blood rushing thr
ough her body? Was she going to die? Her head dizzied and her grip loosened on the lines. Then the ship listed hard to port. She heard the sound of splintering wood above her. To her horror, the main mast was falling – with her on it.
“Help!” she cried out, tumbling toward the water. It was almost as if it happened in slow motion as her body, as well as the broken mast, fell toward the angry sea. Her life flashed before her eyes.
Brody had managed to drop to safety and was standing atop the sidewall. Her gaze met his when she fell past him, silently begging for his help, but no longer able to speak. The last thing she remembered before being covered by the turbulent black waters was Brody diving into the sea after her.
Chapter 2
Gwen was having a horrible dream and wanted to wake up. She felt the weight of the world pressing against her chest, and could barely breathe. It made her wonder if she were trapped under the broken mast of the ship. Thankfully, she wasn’t under water. Still, the taste of salt water burned the back of her throat and made her eyes sting. The sound of gulls screeching from above her, intermingled with the lapping rhythm of the waves hitting the shore.
She needed to wake up from this horrible nightmare. Something warmed her face, and a bright light burned the insides of her closed lids. Slowly, she opened one eye and then the other. Seeing the sun and a blue sky above her, she realized she was in a prone position. The awful weight on her chest made her look down toward her feet. When she did, she screamed. The pirate was on top of her!
“What is it? Why did you scream?” His head lifted. Big brown eyes stared into hers as his long, loose hair spanned out around him and lifted in the breeze. “Are you all right, sweetheart?”
Pirate in the Mist_Brody Page 2