Revenge On The Sea

"My Cap'n's made everything happen so far," said Tomwise.

"Aye," added Arthur.

She looked at me. "Why ask me? You can't lack for choice, not with your reputation."

"I asked the same thing," muttered Tomwise.

"Because I trust you," I said after silencing Tomwise with a glare. "And whatever you think of me personally, I owe you. If you hadn't taken me in and let me learn the ropes of piracy on your ship, I'd never be where I am today. There's a debt to pay to you. My personal debt to you Cap'n Cold Eyes, and the promise I made you and your crew. I will pay it. Then we can go our seperate ways and you need never see me again if that's your wish."

She's wavering. I know it. For all her cold nature and anger at me, she knows I'm right. Knows Lawrence is right. And I can't help but wonder if part of he hasn't missed me as much as I miss her. "Damn me for a sentimental fool," she snarled under her breath before looking up. "Alright Cap'n Sanfino I will help you. For a fifty-fifty split."

"Done," I said holding out my hand.

Tomwise was aghast. "Cap'n, the crew will have a fit! Anything more than seventy-thirty with the seventy to us and they'll-"

"They'll shut the fuck up or they can find a new ship," I growled. "I keep my word and my promises Tomwise. And my word and promises to this woman and her crew predate my current crew. I'm not a faithless pirate like Charles Vane or Solomon Kane! I honor my word! This is the deal I'm making as captain! Which is my right AS captain! Our tight schedule doesn't permit me to haggle. You were all for speeding things up half an hour ago! This is that happening! So enough!"

He subsides. I feel bad since he's been nothing but a friend but I won't let him sabotage this deal. Cold Eyes icy gazes softens for a moment as I mention honoring my word. Then she reached out and shook my hand.

On impulse I lean forward and kiss it.

That causes her to jerk her hand back. "When do we sail?" Lawrence asked before she could speak.

"Tomorrow at dawn."

"Alright then! Cap'n let's go tell the crew the good news!" Lawrence stood up. She did so more slowly, staring daggers at me.

"M'lady the Cap'n of the Defiance," I said tipping my imaginary hat.

I swear she almost smiles. Then she turns and leaves. I watch her backside all the way until she's out of sight. "I think I understand why you waited for her," said Tomwise.

"Do you?"

"If you're not in love with her then I'll eat my pistol!"

"I hope it tastes good," I said before standing up. As usual, Tomwise proves how wise he is by guessing the truth. But I can't confirm it. Not yet. "McGaragle, go round up the boys. Tell 'em we set sail at dawn."

"Aye Cap'n."

With that negotiation over my mind turned to something that I've desired for even longer than I've desired Brianna Cold Eyes (I'd mentally decided against letting her know I knew her real first name) my oldest desire even if it was no longer my strongest.

Revenge against my father.

Chapter 8: Revelations Of Caring

Against all the dammed odds we made it back to Boston in time to intercept my father's letter. The crew of my ship had accepted leaving Nassau with good graces (though the promise of two whole weeks on the island after the raid had softened that blow) Captain Cold Eyes had managed to sell my idea to her crew and they had unanimously agreed. And so we set sail for the north. By the time we'd reached New York territory we'd seen our first snow. My crew was made up of Boston natives and so they weren't bothered by the cold, but Cold Eyes crew, having operated in the warm Caribbean for their entire time pirating, they suffered. As a gesture I sent men into the city (despite Tomwise yelling at me that we hadn't the time) and got some warmer clothing for her crew and the woman herself. Another bit of ice broken, they now looked at me as a savior. I had to watch it though. If any of her crew defected to mine, I'd have nothing but problems on my hands. I couldn't afford her stiffening against me. Not when she was softening up so well.

Having Lawrence on my side was wonderful. I knew every time she thought of abandoning me he stepped in and stopped it. Tomwise was certain I was in love with Cold Eyes and wasted no time telling me I was letting my heart guide my head. The stopping to get her crew warm clothing was something he still wouldn't let go. So now McGaragle, Patrick, and old Arthur all knew that he believed I was in love with her. And their reactions were exactly what I had silently predicted back in Nassau. Arthur took Tomwise's side. Patrick shrugged it off. McGaragle didn't give a shit. I was getting really good at figuring people out.

So in spite of all of the delays we had made it. The Death's Hand and the Defiance were both waiting offshore on the way to Boston for my father's two ships to sail into view. Our man in Boston had reported that my father had done exactly as I'd predicted and my dear stepmother had said he would. He was on his way with two ships, both stuffed with all his life's work and riches. Intending to set up shop in the New World and take advantage of the growing fur trade.

My stepmother and her son were still in my brig. Aside from my stepmother being gang-raped by my crew and Donnie's lashing, I hadn't done anything else to them. I fed them and made sure they didn't freeze in the north Atlantic winter chill. My stepmother hadn't said a single word out loud to anyone since I'd given her to my crew. McGaragle (who had pulled rank and used her first) reported that she'd been struck dumb after being ravaged. She was still broken. Good. Donnie was silent. I couldn't feel sympathy for either of them. I was keeping them alive so I could pass my revenge on my entire family together.

So now we wait for the prize. Hopefully it's not too much longer. Arthur thinks a snowstorm is coming and we don't want to be in the middle of it.

Tomwise came into the captain's cabin. "Cap'n Sanfino?"

"Yes Tomwise?"

"Hail from the Defiance. Cap'n Cold Eyes wants to speak with you."

She hadn't said a word to me since Nassau aside from her thanks for the warm clothing. I wonder what she wants. "Tell her to come aboard then," I said.

"She's insisting you come to her instead."

Ah I see. A little show of power. Despite my reputation, my ship, and the fact this was MY scheme, she still wanted to show me she was in a higher position. Asking for me like I was still her crew. Taking me out of my comfort zone by bringing me to her ship where her crew, my old crew, could glare and sneer at me for deserting them. Which they'd do despite me delivering this upcoming haul. Pirates were sensitive about former crewmen that jumped ship and turned up elsewhere. Giving them warm clothing hadn't earned me enough goodwill to keep them from giving me a piece of their minds. Or a clenched fist aimed at my pretty face. And any kind of fight would cause friction between both crews and potentially blow my careful planning to hell. I couldn't afford that, not when it was so close to paying off.

Now I had a dilemma. I can go to her, which will let everyone involved on both sides think that she's still superior to me. Or I can sit here and force her to come to me, which will not make her happy and decrease my chances of winning her heart. I don't even need to look at Tomwise's face to know he's bursting to say exactly what the crew will think of me if I go to her. 'It's YOUR plan, YOUR scheme, she should come to YOU Cap'n, no matter how much you love her!' he'd say.

I love her. But I won't be shown to be jumping to her when she calls. Not when I have my own crew's respect to maintain. "Tell her if it's truly urgent and warrants a face-to-face meeting when we're likely only hours away from our prize, then she can come to me," I said.

The relief on Tomwise's face is obvious as he nodded and left. If she came, she'd no doubt be more than a little irritated that I'd called her on her supposed show of strength and then made her bend to my show of strength in response. Which wouldn't help me much. But on the other hand, if she didn't come I wouldn't be able to talk to her at all, which wouldn't help me either. A no-win situation.

After twenty minutes my door opened and she strode in. Wearing fur and the thicker clothing I'd gotten for her in New York. Made her look no less attractive. I offer her my hand.

She smacked it away.

"That was rude," I said.

"So was kissing my hand when I didn't want it."

"I suppose I deserve that. But you're a guest on my ship, so you shouldn't slap your host."

"Or what Sanfino?"

Her tone is angry and hostile. I'm getting sick of this. Everyone is angry with me when I work so hard to keep people happy. So I walked around my desk and got offensively close to her face. "Or I'll have you fucking keelhauled!" I snarled into her shocked face. "I'm not that prisoner anymore, the boy you took in a raid that you were able to threaten if he did something you didn't like. You don't control me anymore Brianna! You'd do well to remember that!"

Her cold blue eyes widened at my use of her name. I hadn't intended to tell her I knew it. I wanted her to trust me and tell me herself, but I was too angry right this second to remember that. I glare for a moment then turn and go back to sit down in my chair. "Since you came, there must be something you wanted. What is it?"

"How'd you know my-"

"Solomon Kane said it as you two were walking away from my beaten body months ago. It was the last thing I remember before passing out from pain and humiliation. And by the way, I think it's a beautiful name."

"Don't you dare tell-"

"If I had wanted to tell someone I'd have done so the moment you came to see me in Nassau! Now please, can you drop the icy hostility and get down to the reason you came here when you obviously don't want to be here!"

She glares for a moment and I wonder if she's about to storm off. But she then sat down. "I asked you to come to me."

"And my crew would have lost respect for me if I'd agreed."

"So my crew losing respect for me doesn't matter as much?"

"We both know the answer to that, M'Lady Captain Cold Eyes. I must think of my own security as captain before anything else. You should be able to understand that. The fact that I owe your crew and you a score, the fact that I care for your crew and you a great deal will only go so far. I've already endured Tomwise lecturing me about getting your crew warm clothing."

"So why did you?"

"Because it was the right thing to do tactically! If half your crew, unused to Boston's winter climate, freezes before we take my father's ships then our chances of success go down drastically!" And it also was a kind gesture to your soft side, I think to myself but wisely decide not to say aloud.

"And they all thank you for it. As do I."

"Is that why you came? To say thank you?"

"No."

"Then if it pleases M'Lady the Captain Cold Eyes, please get to the point! My father could appear on the horizon at any moment."

She shakes her head. That long beautiful fiery red mane looks like silk, even in the cold. "Why did you leave us?"

I was wondering when this question would come up. I was expecting it to be back in Nassau. "Surely you must have been able to guess that for yourself."

"I'm asking you."

"Solomon Kane humiliated me. First with his words. I won't be called 'boy' by anyone. Especially not now. Then he humiliated me in a fight. And yes I know, you did talk him down," I say before she can interrupt. "But the fact remains that you let him go ahead and do it anyway. If an outsider had assaulted one of MY crew in such a fashion, I would assemble my entire crew and teach the son of a bitch a lesson. Instead of sticking up for me, my captain booted me in the face and then walked off to go fuck the man who'd just gotten done beating me senseless! My Cap'n not only didn't care enough to stop the attack, she went and fucked the man who'd done such to someone on HER crew, that she was responsible for! In doing so, M'lady my former Cap'n, you showed me that I didn't matter enough to you for you to stand up for. In spite of being your prize schemer. So that's why I left."

By the end of my speech, my courtly manner is gone and my voice is filled with painful emotion. I don't bother hiding it. Her icy hostility is gone. I think she's hurt. She looks genuinely surprised. "That's why?" she asked.

"Yes M'Lady Cap'n Cold Eyes, that is why I left. And in spite of the humiliation inflicted on me by both you and Solomon Kane, leaving was still the hardest thing I ever did."

"Leo, never for a second did I not care!"

"It didn't seem that way to me."

"It might not seem that way to you, but I told you Solomon Kane wanted to-"

"Kill me outright. I suppose fucking him convinced him otherwise?"

That made her mad. Damnit Leo, after all this time that glib tongue of yours still betrays you! "As a matter of fact, yes it did," she said coldly. "Before we retired he said he was going to kill you. I asked him not to. He told me he would tolerate no insult like you gave him. No challenge to his status. You just told me you have a better understanding of that! You just lectured me in the very subject a moment ago! I had to fuck the bastard to save your fucking life! And then what do go and do? Abandon us!"

Now I'm the one who's hurt. I never once thought of it that way. "M'lady, I never once thought-"

"That I would go to such lengths to protect my crew? I'd die for my crew! Especially you, you dammed daft idiot! Nobody on the Defiance was more liked that you! Do you know what they wanted to do to Solomon Kane when they'd heard about him and you? They wanted to rush his beachhead in Nassau! Never mind the fact we'd all be killed by either Kane or the other pirates in Nassau! No one, not Lawrence, not even me has ever inspired that kind of loyalty in my crew in all my time as Cap'n! I whored myself to save your ungrateful life! So don't you ever suggest to me I didn't care enough about you again!"

I have no words. She's glaring at me with painful hatred. The kind of pain that says 'I don't want to hate you'. Think very carefully on how you respond Leo! Your next words could drive her away forever.

"I'm sorry Cap'n," I said to her. "I never took any of that into account. I was drowning in my own humiliation and pain and I couldn't care about anyone else's. Since Tortuga I thought I had some special relationship with you," I admitted. "And when you didn't stick up for me at once, I took it for you not caring one bit for me when in fact the opposite was true. If I'd taken a few extra seconds to stop being a selfish idiot, I'd have seen that. Well it may be too late, but I see it clear as day right now. Captain Cold Eyes, I said in Nassau I didn't expect you to forgive me. But I'm asking you to forgive me anyway. Please."

"No."

Her one word answer, spoken flatly in a tone that brooked no argument might as well have been a gunshot through my heart. "Lawrence was right," she said standing up. "That night in Tortuga was a mistake. Hormones got the better of me that night. It was never anything more than that. So forget whatever special relationship you have been hopping for from your mind. I went to humiliating lengths to save your life and repaid me by abandoning me. Then you waltz back in with another one of your grand schemes and expect me to forgive and forget? You really are a dammed fool. I cared for you as dear crew. Solomon Kane humiliated both of us that night, just in different ways. But like every selfish man, you only saw your own side of the argument. I have only myself to blame. One lack of judgment, one night where I decide to partake in my base desires, and you think we're something together. So understand this, Captain Leonardo Sanfino. This will be the LAST time we ever work together! No matter how many schemes you have! No matter if Lawrence is on your side! After this raid, take the Death's Hand and sail into a fucking hurricane for all I care! We are done!" She turned her back.

"It wasn't just fucking I wanted with you!" I sputtered. "I became a captain in hopes it put me on equal footing with you!"

"Why?"

Damn it all! "Isn't it obvious? I am in love with you Brianna!"

She spun around and had a pistol pointed at my head. "Use my name again and you're dead! Declare love for me under any circumstances and you're dead! Do you understand me?"

"Shoot me dead!" I said, hopping over my desk and walking closer. "Because if you hate me, then I have nothing to live for!"

"Stop coming closer!"

"I don't care about any of this!" I gesture to the cabin. "I only ever wanted you! Even revenge against my father doesn't matter without you!"

"One more step Sanfino! I warn you!"

I step closer. Her pistol is now touching my forehead. I stare directly into her furious cold eyes. "Shoot me dead Brianna. Because without you, I'm already half there. I love you woman. And I'll never give up! Shoot me if you really don't care!"

She cocked her pistol.

I refuse to step back.

"Don't make me shoot you," she warns.

"I love you."

"Stop saying that!"

"Shoot me or forgive me Brianna, those are your only options. I love you."

"Shut up!"

"Cap'n?" called Tomwise's voice knocking.

I ignore him. "Give me a chance or send me to Davy Jones Locker."

She is torn. I can see it in her eyes.

"Cap'n!" called Tomwise again.

I won't answer him. "Well?" I ask her.

"I should have just let McNally kill you."

"You have to the count of five to shoot me. Or I'm going to kiss you Brianna."

"You do that boy and-"

"Five."

"I'm not afraid to-"

"Four."

"Don't you-"

"Three."

"I will kill-"

"Two."

"Don't!"

"One."

"No-"

I knock her pistol away and kiss her hard. She hit me several times but I refuse to let go. Then she completely relaxes and kisses me back. Our mouths are both open an our tongues dancing in seconds. Her pistol falls to the floor and she throws her arms around me. I lift her off of the floor and push her against the wall. My hands manage to slip through her furs and find her large breasts. We both moan into each other's mouths.

"Cap'n! Ship's on the horizon! Your father's ships! It's time!" Tomwise calls pounding through the door.

That causes both of us to freeze mid-kiss. Damn it all to the depths! I break the kiss and set her down on her feet. "We both need to get to our helms."

She nodded without speaking.

"After the raid, we will talk," I said.

She nodded again without speaking.

"I love you."

No response at all.

"You'd better get to your ship."

Without a word she walked past me, unlocked my door and made for the deck.

"Cap'n?" asked Tomwise.

"Not now Tomwise. All hands to stations! Time for the prize!"

Chapter 9: Raiding Together

I ignored Tomwise's gaze as I took the helm of the Death's Hand. Sure enough, there was my father's ships. Two frigate class ships. Exactly as predicted. Well armed as well. But the Death's Hand and Defiance had surprise on our sides.

Using my spyglass I took a quick look at Captain Cold Eyes. She was back at the helm of the Defiance, looking her usual beautiful deadliness. Hopefully she wasn't in such a state that she forgot the plan. No, she was too good a sailor and captain for that.

I had to prove that I was too. The conversation moments ago had gone in a direction neither of us could have anticipated. I needed to shake that off.

"Cap'n?" asked Tomwise.

"Proceed as planned. We take my father's ship, leave her to take the other one. As before, have the gun crews aim high so we don't damage the cargo. Full sail to the targets! The prize boys!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

The crew yelled in response. A cold north wind filled our sails. Knowing the crew was nervous, I decided to lift the tension. I began singing. Once I got to the chorus, they all crew began singing with me.