Mermaid's Gold Ch. 02: Captain Flint

Mermaid's Gold

Chapter 2: Captain Flint

By Periculum Fabula

Set in the golden age of piracy, the story features a female-dominated alternative universe where the men are the fairer sex and women crew the ships that sail the seas. The tale follows a servant girl, Jane, in the indentured service of a Countess as they make their way across the Caribbean aboard a lightly armed merchant ship.

In the first chapter, Jane's ship was surprised at anchor by pirates, boarded, and captured. The story picks up as the Countess is desperately trying to hide her gold and jewels by ripping a bedsheet into three strips filling each of the strips with 1/3^rd of her wealth and tying one of the gold laden strips of sheet about Jane's, Beth's (another servant), and the Countess' own waist. Clad only in pantaloons and a thin chemise, Jane is terrified that the Countess' hidden gold tied around her waist will be discovered by the pirates and she'll be killed.

Neither the photos nor the story is as sexy as some; it's more adventurous than erotic. I apologize that have so many other stories to update that I struggle to keep up but I had the photos and wanted to write at least one swashbuckling tale, just for the fun of it. It would help the reader's understanding of the story to read the first chapter before this one.

All characters are 18 years of age or older. The story, names, characters, places, and incidents portrayed in this story are fictitious. No identification with actual persons is intended or should be inferred. Any similarity with the names of real people is only coincidental. This story is intended as entertainment only; it's pure fantasy. It's not written to be morally, historically, nor ethically, correct. If such offends you, please don't read it.

Thanks for reading.

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BOOM! I yelped as the pirates blasted a huge hole in the hatch above us, shredding the lashings, sending splinters flying everywhere, and filling the ship with gun smoke. Throwing open the hatch, an angry pirate with a smoking blunderbuss came down the ladder, followed by a couple of pirates armed with cutlasses.

In a panic, the Countess began throwing a handful of shillings, pounds, and other common currency in her strongbox as well as her watch, her less valuable jewels, and some silver. It wouldn't do to have an empty strongbox in your cabin. The pirates would be right suspicious. As the pirates started to round up the passengers, the Countess slammed the strongbox back shut, locked it, and then threw her nightgown overtop it in a weak attempt to act as if she were trying to hide it.

"Scupper ye tongues knaves and get ye ars's on deck," a gnarly pirate said as she menaced her cutlass at us.

I cringed as the pirate pointed her blade right at my stomach, only inches away.

"And, if'n any of ye 'nbreed 'nrates give me trouble," the pirate growled, "then I'll cleave ye ta the bone. Savvy?"

Seconds later, I was driven up the ladder at the point of a sword and forced onto the deck dressed in just my flimsy nightclothes along with the rest of the passengers. I had to press hard on the coins and jewels with one hand as I climbed to keep the gold coins wrapped around my middle from rattling. All I could do was pray that none of the pirates noticed but that seemed impossible -- they were sure to catch me.

I wondered what the pirates would do to me when they discovered I was hiding gold from them, hang me, run me through, shoot me, drown me, or maybe even keel-haul me. I'd heard dreadful stories of their depravity and shuttered in fear as I contemplated about what excruciating savagery probably awaited me.

On deck, the pirates were rounding up Captain Smollett and what was left of our defeated crew; huddling them together on their knees with their hands clasped behind their heads just in front of the quarterdeck. Quaking in fear, the terrified sailors were a most pitiable sight; their youth and nudity only adding to their defenselessness.

The battle had been most unkind to our ship's crew. It appeared their numbers had been reduced by at least a third and the pirates busied themselves clearing the deck of our dead and wounded; throwing them over the side, including the wretched girl who'd been stabbed above me.

"No, please, I beg of you," the wounded sailor pleaded as the pirates drug her to the railing.

"Ahhhhh!" The stricken woman screamed bloody hell as the pirates tossed her overboard until the splash cut silent her scream and then there was an eerie quiet. The only sound heard was the waves and the creaking of the ship. It was a horrible thing and it was all that I could do not to cry. Maybe the pirates suffered a casualty or two in the battle but I didn't see any.

Suddenly, the pirates stopped what they were doing and looked to the quarterdeck where a bold figure of a woman slowly walked down the stairs cleaning the blood off her sword as she went. Better dressed than the other pirates, she wore a thin white shirt, massive gold necklace, red sash, black pants, and shiny black boots.

"Silver, find me a noggin of rum," the mysterious pirate ordered as she glanced towards the gnarly brute that'd forced me on deck.

"Yessum Capt'n," Silver said before scurrying below to find the rum.

"And Billie, procure me the manifest; let's see what this tub hath that be worth plunder'n."

"Aye," the pirate named Billie smiled as she headed off to Captain Smollett's cabin.

Then, the pirate captain shot an angry scowl at what was left of our crew.

"Now, which one of yas be da damned idiot capt'n who dared fire upon Capt'n Flint and me crew?"

There was dead silence for right near 30 seconds. Finally, as all the crew started looking at her, Capt'n Smollett was forced to speak.

"I am ma'am." Captain Smollett said nervously. "I be the capt'n of this here vessel."

"And who be ye mate?"

When the entire crew turned and looked at her, timidly, our first mate raised her hand. So nervous was she that the mate visibly shook.

"I meant no disrespect ma'am." Captain Smollett pleaded. "It twas but an accident. In the dark, I swear, I couldn't see yar flag, not at'll. Ya gotta believe me governor, I had no idea it twas ya. I'd have never fired on the great Capt'n Flint, never."

In the meanwhile some of the pirates started drilling holes in our gang-plank and nailing it to the deck. The plank lead through a door in the railing and off into thin air; a gangplank to nowhere. Rudely grabbing Captain Smollett along with our first mate, the buccaneers dragged them to the plank, and nudged the terrified women out onto it at the point of a sword. There our hapless officers dangled perilously over the water as they fearfully awaited their wretched fate.

"They be corpses yet they breathe," Beth whispered to me.

"Why?" I whispered back. "They've surrendered."

"There be no greater disrespect to a pirate than fire'n on her flag. If'n Capt'n Smollett had struck her colors and yielded without a fight just as soon as the black be raised, the pirates would'a let her live. But, as she chose to fight, now both Capt'n Smollett and her first mate must die."

"I beg ya governor," Captain Smollett beseeched, "for all that tis holy and decent in ya, I pray ya take mercy upon us. We'll do ya bidd'n without nary a complaint, whatever ya say governor and we'll cause ya no trouble ma'am. Noth'n at'll."

Unmoved, Flint started to draw her sword and finish the business but Silver returned with the rum.

"Yar rum Capt'n," Silver said as she handed Flint a bottle.

"Much obliged matey."

Captain Flint grinned as she paused to inspect the rum. It was a most expensive libation, the type reserved only for the wealthy. Flint licked her lips.

"A thousand pardons ladies," Captain Flint said to Captain Smollett and her mate as she lifted the bottle, "but I beg ye spare me a moment. Ye see, I have business of some importance which requires me attention."

The pirates laughed. Uncorking the rum, Captain Flint took a couple of hard swigs, grimaced, and then shuttered as the rum bit her, before turning back to Silver.

"Matey," Flint said as she looked at the bottle, "that there be a mighty clap of thunder that'll nock ye on ye ugly ars."

Captain Flint gave the bottle to Silver who took a swig herself and winced mightily.

"Aye Capt'n," Silver said, smiling broadly. "That it tis."

"Send women below and have um fetch rum enough for all." Flint said to Silver, "I be in a mood for celebrat'n."

"Yessum Capt'n," Silver grinned. "Right away ma'am."

The pirates cheered. Smiling and laughing, the pirates were having a party while the crew and passengers shivered in fear, worrying what'll become of us.

When Silver tried to return the bottle of rum back to Flint, Captain Flint shook her head no.

"Nay Silver, I pray ye hold me rum for a moment matey while I trouble da waters with these fools."

"Aye Capt'n."

"Governor, with all due respect ma'am," Captain Smollett pleaded to Flint as she drew her sword and approached, "if'n we be forced to walk this plank, we'll drown."

"Me doubts it," Flint said. "There be an island nary even a quarter of a mile away. If'n ye be careful with da current, strong lasses such as yerselves ought make the swim alright."

"But we'll be marooned with neither food nor drink. We'll starve."

Genuinely amused, Captain Flint laughed, "Nary ye worry yourselves none about food, I'm sure the locals will be much obliged if'n ye'd join um for dinner. I assure ye, meat twill be plentiful, 'nough for all. Ye see, those there islands be inhabited by da Caribe and da Caribe be cannibals. On that island, ye won't be need'n no food cause ye'll be da food."

Smollett looked frightened to her very core, "Ya mean they'll be eat'n us."

"Aye," Flint said. "Da two of ye imbeciles twill make fine muttons for their stew."

Stunned, Captain Smollett wasn't ready as the Flint prodded her off the plank with the point of her cutlass. No sooner than Captain Smollett fell, relieved of her weight, the plank snapped upward and launched the first mate into the sea as well. I could only watch helplessly as our officers, bobbed in our wake. The pirates just laughed.

"Line em up," Flint said to Silver as she turned back towards the passengers.

"Ya heard da Capt'n," the pirate Silver shouted at us as she scratched a line along the deck with her cutlass. "Line up yar filthy ars's. Get ya toes on da line an' be right lively about it."

Quickly, I took my place on line beside Beth, the Countess, and the rest of the passengers. Frightened beyond rational thought, my heart was pounding so hard, I'd swear people could hear it. Consumed of thoughts of my imminent death, I was sweating profusely, had trouble catching my breath, and felt dizzy.

"And it'd be right smarts of ya bitches not to be sass'n da Capt'n none," the pirate Silver continued.

"Avast ye wenches, listen up," Captain Flint barked. "I be Capt'n Flint of the pirate ship Walrus and ye be me prisoners. Give me ye valuables and ye'll live, otherwise," Flint paused for dramatic effect, "ye'll die."

"I'll give you my coin," a lady said as she threw her coin purse on the deck in disgust, "but don't expect me to give you pirates my respect."

"Watch ya tongue wench; that be Captain Flint ya be talk'n ta," Silver said.

"Huh," the lady scoffed arrogantly, "never heard of her."

Stunned, everyone just stopped what they be doing, held their breath, and stared at the lady. The smile slowly eroded off Flint's face, leaving only a frightful scowl. For pretty near ten seconds, dead silence followed.

"Never heard of me?" Flint said coldly.

"No." The lady said. "Not at all."

With that, Flint shot a quick glance at Silver and gave a slight nod of her head to the gunwale.

"Grab da stupid cow," the pirate Silver ordered. Immediately, four pirates snatched the haughty aristocrat and dragged her forcibly to the railing.

"Ahh," the lady yelped, screeching and squirming, "what are you doing? Let me go you filthy scum."

Although the wealthy noble was kicked and fought, the pirates each took a limb and dumped her head first over the railing and into the sea. They didn't even bother with the plank.

Flint calmly walked to the railing and looked over at the wealthy woman foundering in the waves, "Heard of me now?"

The lady didn't reply. All we could hear was her squealing and splashing. Then Captain Flint turned back to the rest of us with a homicidal scowl.

"There be anyone else that nary ever heard of Capt'n Flint?" Flint asked.

"Oh no ma'am," I said, despite the fact that I'd never heard of her either. "You're famous."

"The most notorious pirate err to sail the seas," Beth said.

The rest of the passengers and crew of our ship all quickly blurted out exclamations Flint's infamy and the pirate captain seemed pleased.

Then Flint began to inspect us passengers. Everyone held their breath and kept completely silent as Captain Flint walked down the line looking at us up and down one by one. To my horror, when she came to me, Flint came to an abrupt stop and her eyes went straight to my belly. In an instant, my heart stopped. It was as if someone had reached inside of me and was squeezing the hell out of it. I'd never been more frightened in my life. I tried not to tremble but failed. It was all I could do not to piss myself.

"What have we here?" Flint smiled eagerly as she looked at my middle. "Girlie, me thinks there be more ta ye than God intended."

As Flint moved toward me, Beth, older than me, who'd been in the navy in her younger years, and who had considerably more life experience, stepped forward and gave Flint a quick naval salute.

"Aye captain," Beth said as she threw off her shift and untied the gold-laden sheet about her middle. "Ya'll be get'n no trouble from none of us ma'am."

To her horror, the Countess could only watch helplessly as a third of her wealth clanked on the deck at Flint's feet. Beth then stripped me of my chemise and tossed it aside; leaving me naked in front of everyone but for my drawers. Feeling my face flush with embarrassment, I covered my bosom as quickly as I could with me hands, causing the pirates to laugh.

Untying my sheet and Beth threw it on the deck as well. Everyone on the ship gasped in unison as my sheet broke open and gold and jewels spilled out everywhere on the planks. The pirates lost all interest in me and seemed mesmerized by the gold.

Though it grieved me terribly to lose all my master's coin and jewels, I was so thankful to Beth for having saved my life that I could have kissed her and I started breathing again.

The gold spilled everywhere. Instinctively, being a servant girl, I knelt down to clean up the mess.

THUNT! I squealed and fell backward as Captain Flint's sword embedded itself deep in the deck only inches before me, nearly impaling my hand as I reached for the gold.

"Touch me booty and feel me blade," Flint warned as she pried loose her sword and pointed it at me. "Ye'd best be stepp'n away from me gold lassie."

"Yes ma'am," I said in earnest as I scrambled backwards.

Wide-eyed and overjoyed, the pirates brought several torches over and hurried to recover the gold and jewelry. As I looked the Countess, she be looking at Beth and me as if she could kill us both on the spot. I looked away. If we ever got out of this alive, the Countess was sure to have both Beth and I thoroughly thrashed for what we'd done but it was better than dying.

"If'n any other of ye slimy bilge rats got anyth'n ye want'n ta show me, now'd be da time," Captain Flint warned as she ran the point of her cutlass along the loins of a well-dress woman.

Reaching in her bodice, the terrified aristocrat wasted no time in finding her hidden purse and handing it to Flint. Several other women followed suit but the Countess didn't budge. I gritted my teeth.

Beth looked to the Countess in desperation, begging the Countess with her eyes to surrender her treasure but the Countess gave the slightest shake of her head no, still determined to stay a wealthy woman, even if it killed her.

"That be all ladies?" Flint asked.

No one moved.

"Last chance lassies. I shan't be ask'n ye nicely ag'n."

A couple of more women reluctantly sat watches, purses, and jewelry on the deck. One of them sobbed uncontrollably as she surrendered her life savings. Still, the Countess didn't do anything.

"Very well," Captain Flint said. "Now strip."

A frantic murmur shot through the passengers. The Countess looked terrified.

"Silence!" Captain Flint barked. "Off with um, all of it, and be quick about it."

Reluctantly, Beth, myself and almost all of the other passengers undressed while the pirates snickered at our humiliation. In horror, I looked at the Countess. Still fully clad in my simple servant's dress, she couldn't have looked any more frightened but still, she seemed determined to hide what remained of her treasure. Unfortunately, she was the only one of the passengers still wearing any clothes and such quickly garnered the ire of Flint.

"Are ye deaf woman or do ye just wanna die?" Captain Flint said as she came face to face with the Countess.

With the air still ripe with the stench of gun smoke and the decks wet with blood, it was no idle threat and, when Flint started to draw her cutlass, the Countess had nary a choice but to pull my dress over her head and drop it on the deck. It was only then that it hit me that, underneath, the Countess had worn her finest corset. Elaborately embroidered, laced, imported from France, and made of the finest materials. She'd probably paid for it more than she'd paid for me.

The pirates whistled and cackled in delight. It was the corset of a very wealthy woman and they knew that they'd just hit riches. A moment of silence followed as everyone just stared at the Countess as she stood there trembling, clad only in her corset and a pair of short ruffled bloomers.

"My, my," Captain Flint said as she gave the Countess a good look up and down. "That's a mighty frilly little foundation ye've got there girlie."

"Tis noth'n ma'am," nervously, the Countess bowed her head in deference and tried her best to act like a servant but she was clumsy and unconvincing. "Tis just a worn-out hand me down from me mistress, tis all." Instead of her normal voice and perfect English, the Countess was attempting a cockney accent along with a commoner's mispronunciations.

"Nay," said Captain Flint, "don't be try'n ta sell me no dog wench, tis a finery da likes of which these eyes nary have seen before."

The Countess started to say something but Captain Flint interrupted, "Take er off."

The Countess seemed frozen in fear for a moment, "What? Surely you jest ma'am."

"Ye heard me bitch," Captain Flint said sternly. "Take er off."

"I'll do no such lewdness ma'am. I have you know that, despite my low station, I'm yet an honorable woman."

"Ye about ta be a dead woman," Flint said as she angrily jerked my lady by her hair and tried to reach inside her corset.