Born Of The Sea

Born of the Sea

By: Dear HopeIHelpedyou,

The French galleon Le Soleil Royal sat on the horizon like some plump, arrogant prize, pregnant with New World gold for the king of France too far away to ensure its safe passage.

Captain Isabella Vance, The Scarlet Harpy was a legend in these waters, she put fear in the hearts of sailors and pirates alike. She'd spent 15 years fighting and building her reputation. If any ship caught sight of her sails their cargo was as good as lost. Her copper curls still caught sunlight like a wildfire despite the grays that had become more frequent in recent years.

At 38 years old Isabella's beauty hadn't faded and her smile was still as wild and beautiful as an ocean storm. Her waist had filled out and her breasts had become heavier but she was still as vicious as a sea squall, and as pretty to look at as the dawn sky on the Caribbean sea.

She wore a red and green sailors blouse faded from her years out to sea with her sleeves rolled up. Her riding trousers were teal and her leather boots shined like spilled oil. Her tri-corner cap was a faded tan and a long cassowary feather jutted out of it to the left.

Her banner twisted and fluttered against the tropical blue sky. On it  was emblazoned a faded scarlet red serpent with wings and fangs bared.

Her arm shot up as she gave the order from the deck of The Sea Serpent. "Bring her alongside, Elias! Let's show these powdered wigs what real steel looks like!"

Her son, Elias was nineteen years old, a fierce warrior and her newly promoted 1st mate. He grinned handsomely, his green eyes sparkled in the late evening sun and his unruly red hair, so like her own, whipped wildly across his face.

"Aye, Captain!" he roared over the chaos. She marveled at how fast he was, how strong he'd become.

His sword fighting skills have grown so much over his time away. He'd grown up on her ship alongside her, something quite unusual for a pirate.

She'd had little choice really, after his father had died and they were shipwrecked on that desolate island off the port of New Grenada.

They'd almost starved but she found a way to create a makeshift raft and sail to the nearest Spanish outpost.

When they'd finally made it off of that god forsaken place she could only find work in brothels or as a nurse. Elias was still so young, and she knew she couldn't raise him and some stranger's child at the same time so she took a billet as a wash-woman on the only trading vessel that allowed women as crew.

She'd refused to leave him behind so she convinced the master at arms to bring him aboard as the captain's cabin boy.

From there they'd gone from ship to ship until he was 9 and the supply vessel they'd gotten work on  was attacked by a pirate ship.

That day was terrifying. The crew had been tied up and shot except her, her son, who'd hidden from them in the gun-decks and the captain's maid.

The pirates raped the maid that day on the deck and she'd gone mad and tossed herself into the waves below.

She was beautiful, and she knew that men desired her. She hadn't taken another man since her husband's death and she'd kept a dagger on a small belt tied to her thigh below her dress.

But none of the men tried her... she didn't know why, until she saw the captain for the first time.

He was a tall, achingly handsome raven haired man with a thin beard,  ice blue eyes who spoke with a Portuguese accent.

He looked at her like a panther watching a cappibara. She knew that he'd claimed her.

They hadn't found the blade on her thigh yet. Maybe she could cut his throat and... but no Elias was still somewhere on this ship, she had to find him.

She had been dragged to the Captain's quarters on the pirate's vessel, The Plucked Rose, and chained to his bedpost. Two tall and thin effeminate pirates stripped her naked.

They took the dagger from her leg sheathe and scrubbed her down with lye and cold seawater. Her naked thighs, plump and pale, were scrubbed red and her skin felt raw, her breasts shook wildly and her nipples darkened from the cold sea air.

Three of the pirates who'd been assigned to guard her leered at her but they did not assault her. One of the effeminate pirates put her in a dress which she had assumed they'd stolen from one of the cargo ships they'd waylaid. It was a thin pink frilly thing that barely covered her breasts and hugged her waist tightly.

They dragged her to the Captains bed and tossed her onto the soft red satin covers. She could feel the cool ocean air from the open porthole next to the bed and the soft velvet of the captain's bedding and despite her fear she found herself drifting off to sleep.

She'd been lying there for hours by the time the captain entered the room

His sudden presence frightened her and she struggled with her binds. He moved slowly and spoke in a soft tone and a thick accent.

"You weren't harmed were you?" As he inched closer she could smell his sweet cologne. His dark swarthy features made him look both trustworthy and roguish all at once.

"I will not let you have me, I will bite it off!" She screamed at him and tried to kick him. He slowly undid her chains and she kneed him in the chest for his trouble.

He flinched but held her down to the bed, and whispered into her ear. "I don't want to harm you, when I first saw you I knew that I wanted you." he smelled her hair. "You're fiery red hair, your emerald green eyes, your soft lips... Lonely is the life of a sea captain."

"A pirate!" She spat as she struggled to pull away from his grasp and her left breast spilled out of the dress that had been far too small for her.

"A free-man is often a lonely man..." He said, his blue eyes reflected the pain he didn't dare share with her.

"And will you set me free? Or are you a hypocrite, slave runner like the rest of your kind!" It was more of an accusation than a question.

"Like I said, I will not take you against your will, I am a thief, but not a brute." He let her sit up and she pulled the dress back over her exposed nipple.

"Your men are brutes... they brutalized Elise! And drove her to suicide!" she covered herself with the soft velvet blanket, her only shield from his swarthy Latin stare.

"Sadly, most men's actions are as low as their station in life allows." "I will not make excuses for them, nor will I ask for apologies. They are freemen and can take whatever hasn't already been claimed by their comrades."

"And I suppose you have claimed me?" She pulled the blanket tighter.

"Not yet, I told them that you  are to be returned to the nearest port... which is a British mining colony." She winced, those were notorious for their press gangs.

The last thing she would want is to be accused of stealing something and be forced to mine for copper for the next 30 years. He saw her reaction and added "There is the french colony on Hispaniola, or you could be my guest on this vessel, I could show you the world, adventure, riches, and a home and discipline for the small boy that resembles who has been sneaking around the lower decks and stealing bread from the quartermaster." Her eyes went wide in shock and fear! "My son! Don't you harm my son!"

He put his palm on her cheek to catch the tear that had begun to fall from her eye. "I won't harm the boy either," "Listen to what I am telling you; show me tenderness and I'll show you a home"

His roguish features caught moonlight from the porthole next to the bed. She frowned, dropped the blanket and slowly pulled her dress down. Letting her heavy pale breasts fall to her sides as she laid back and spread her legs revealing the tangled soft red hair that crowned her nether lips.

The Captain growled like a tiger and slowly bent his head down to place his mouth on hers. He kissed her deeply and she pushed him away.

He smiled and said "I said I will not take you against your will, but I also told you that I am a thief, and I couldn't help but steal a kiss from the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on." She closed her eyes and tried to picture her husband, the first man she'd ever loved and the only man she'd ever taken into her bed. He kissed her neck and down to her breasts. It sent a shock wave directly to her lower lips. And to her surprise, she could feel herself growing wet.

He bit her left breast lightly and gazed back up at her. Isabella gawked at him, surprised by her arousal. She'd expected to feel fury, she'd expected to fight, but she felt her arousal growing with each nibble.

Her heart rate went wild and her breath became heavy and her toes began to curl.

He continued to kiss his way down her body, towards her...  No, it can't be, she'd heard rumors that Latin men did that kind of thing, but she'd never believed it, her husband had never...

Her breath caught in her throat for a long moment as his lips touched her navel.  She let out a loud moan of pleasure as his soft mustache reached her cunt and his tongue spread her slick lips apart. She had never felt anything like this before... His breath was so hot and she was so wet! It was so, so filthy!

The captain began to vibrate his tongue on the little button he'd found in her forest of copper curls and her eyes shot open and she screamed with pleasure.

But as she did her heart stopped in her chest, in the portal hanging by the ledge was her son! Elias hung there from the bulkhead, his eyes wide and stunned at the sight of his mother naked in a way that he never knew she could be, completely vulnerable and the man who'd kidnapped her between her legs attempting to eat her alive.

She leaped up and covered herself as her son pushed his way through the portal and leapt on the villain and tried to pummel him with his fists.

The captain after his initial surprise spun the boy around and tied him the chains he'd freed his mother from.

Isabella screamed, "Don't harm him, he is the only one I have left!"

The captain said, "Calm down, calm down. I won't harm him" As his mother slipped the dress back on Elias spat at the captain's boots.

"Like I told you before, I will find a home for you, and your son too." He turned to the boy and smiled at him, "I am Captain Mauricio DeSilva, I am not harming your mother, you are a very brave lad to try and save her."

Elias growled at him "You leave my ma be, or it'll be the last thing you do!"

Mauricio turned to Isabella, "Go to him, unchain him and I will meet you on the main-deck and we can talk about where on the crew to place him."

He bowed and turned away then strode out of the door.

Isabella untied her son, and ran her fingers through his tangled copper hair, "My Elias, my little Gingerbread Boy, thank you for saving me."

Elias hugged her tightly and said, "Mummy! I thought he was killing you! I won't let anyone ever harm you!"

Her embarrassment was buried under her relief at seeing her son alive and unhurt.

She hugged him back, "My brave, brave son, I've spoken with the captain, and he has offered us a place on his ship." Her son looked at her confused.

She continued, "It will be like our last ship, you will be a hand, learn all you can and never trust these men. It won't be forever but it is our only option to be free, and find our own way in this world.

She kissed his forehead and then his nose like she did when he was a baby, "Just know, that I love you more than anything in this world, and we will be together wherever the ocean's breeze takes us."

"Ma, why were you... naked?" his mouth was pursed suspiciously, "Why was he biting you?"

Her face turned red "I'm so sorry Elias, he wasn't trying to hurt me he was... inspecting me. To make sure I was... healthy" Her lie fell flat and Elias' face told her he didn't quite believe her.

She knew that this would be something that she would need to address one day but she was completely unprepared for that this evening.

She changed the subject as quickly as she could and hoped that he would still be able to respect her as his mother when he got older, and understood what he had seen.

"Come Gingerbread, we need to get you a hot bath and something to eat."

The captain had kept his word. He put Elias to work with the men, and she became his confidant and his lover.

Eventually he would teach her how to sail and to chart the sea. He'd let her go on raids and trading runs. And like Elias she would become a valuable member of the ship's company.

Even now she remembered her time on that ship, with Mauricio. She'd learned to love him after a fashion, but eventually he was captured and hung by the royal naval fleet and she and Elias had to find a new ship.

She never took another lover, maybe she loved the captain more than she'd admit to herself, but eventually she'd saved up enough money to buy her own ship, The Sea Serpent, and she had gained a reputation as a fierce killer and a good captain and all while she watched her son grow.

Then one day he left.

She'd thought she'd never see him again. It had been after their last big argument. He hadn't said goodbye or written her a note and just like a warm breeze that swells the top sails, Her son was gone.

He'd taken off to find his own way on the ocean.

He'd always told her that he wanted to join the navy and have his own crew, be his own captain, but she'd brushed them off as teenage ramblings.

How could he join the navy!

The British navy whose chief duty was to go after pirates? What if he'd come across the Sea Serpent? Would he sink her? Would he capture the Scarlet Harpy and hang her?

He hadn't answered her and she couldn't tell if she'd really wanted him to. She just felt the ache of the hole in her heart, she'd lost a piece of her soul.

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3 years later she'd found out that he'd joined the royal navy outpost in Jamaica, hoping he could follow in his fathers footsteps and get a commission in his majesty King Edmond's navy.

For a long time she'd tried to keep track of him. The other pirates gossiped and spied but she lost word of him.

She feared he'd died fighting some Spanish galleon. Until one day she'd heard he was in prison and due to be hanged.

She spared no time and set sail to rescue him from the hangman. She found him just before he was due to be executed in a prison in Haiti.

She'd blown up half of the fort and killed every man she could see until she found him and on their way out to sea again, the smoldering wreckage of the fort behind them, she finally hugged him tight. He had gotten so tall and big that it was tough to get her arms around.

They'd never talked about what he'd done to get arrested or the fight they'd had before he left. But he was back and her heart sang again.

He was more skilled and more dangerous than ever, and the crew welcomed him back with no hesitation.

Elias raised his arm and motioned to the boarding party, his cutlass was a silver arc in the sun. Isabella watched him with fierce pride in her chest.

Elias wasn't her little boy any more, who's scraped knees she would kiss all better, who she'd tuck in at night as she sang him lullabies, her baby had grown up.

He'd become a dangerous copper haired tornado of sharpened steel and musket fire.

As they swarmed the French deck, Elias fought like a storm, abandoned to the violent dance of battle that made Isabella's heart hammer. He took on two French marines at once, parrying a bayonet and disarming the other with a swift kick. He was graceful and lethal and it was beautiful.  When a French officer aimed a pistol at Isabella's back, Elias was there. He didn't shout a warning; he simply threw his dagger, burying it in the man's throat. He turned to his mother, his chest heaving, his eyes alight with a fire she hadn't gotten used to seeing in her son. He didn't say a word, just gave a slight nod, his gaze lingering on her for a moment too long.

They secured the gold and tied the crew up leaving them adrift at sea.

The crew of The Sea Serpent celebrated. Isabella sat at the head of the table in her quarters, a heavy gold chain with rubies glinting at her throat. She was laughing, her huge breasts spilling slightly from her low-cut green blouse as she slammed her mug of ale on the table. Elias sat beside her, his chair closer than necessary. His hand rested on the back of her chair, his fingers occasionally brushing the curls at her neck; a small, possessive gesture that she was becoming increasingly aware of. The crew had begun to notice as well, but they'd thought it best to mind their business and enjoy their new wealth. Had they seen the way his eyes followed her, the way he'd place a protective hand on the small of her back as she moved through the ship? Elias' glances lingered too long and his hugs too close that seemed to hint at a deeper feeling, a bond deeper than captain and first mate, a bond that made the rough sailors shift on their feet and mutter into their drinks.

Later, alone in her cabin, the air thick with the smell of rum and sea salt, the unspoken tension finally snapped. "You were brave today," Isabella said, with her softest most matronly tone, a voice that only Elias knew, it was too soft for a pirate captain. Too womanly for the lower decks. She was standing by the window, looking out at the moonlit sea.

Elias stepped behind her. "I protect what's mine," he said, his voice low, his breath warm on the back of her neck. His hands came to rest on her wide hips, his touch firm and confident.

She turned in his arms, looking up at him. He was so tall, so much a man. The boy was gone, replaced by this powerful creature who looked at her like he owned her. "The ship will be yours when I retire my son." she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"I wasn't talking about the ship, mother" he almost growled.

"Ah my son gets promoted and now he thinks he should keep a larger share of the booty!" She smirked uncomfortably as his closeness began to warm her against the breeze from the portal.

He didn't answer with words. He lowered his head and kissed her. It wasn't the chaste, motherly kiss of goodnight. This was a kiss of hunger, of possession, a man claiming his woman. His lips demanded everything of her, his tongue explored hers with a boldness that made her knees weak. She melted into him, her hands tangling in his hair, as he pulled her closer. The world outside their cabin ceased to exist. She was no longer the Captain of this ship at that moment, she'd relinquished all authority to this man who looked like her son but behaved like her master. There was only the heat of his body, the taste of ale on his breath, and the shocking, thrilling realization that this was the beginning of something forbidden and irresistible.

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The Sea Serpent put into port at Tortuga, a riot of a port town, a cesspool of pirates, merchants, and pleasure seekers.

The crew, the coin burning a hole in their pockets, scattered like chaff in the wind.

Elias forced a grin that didn't reach his eyes and followed a group of his shipmates towards a notorious brothel "The Painted Lady".

The sign  for the notorious brothel was painted with a figure so lewd it'd probably get you hung in Singapore. Inside the air was a thick stew of cheap perfume, stale sweat, and spiced rum.

Laughter and the sounds of a badly played fiddle filled the hallways.

A pretty bar maid with dark eyes smiled at him. She'd still had most of her teeth and her hips were full and enticing. She wore a light pink gown with her small breasts mashed up toward her neck and her dress tight and short, with tassels she swished around as she approached.   "Looking for a good time, handsome?" she purred and rested her hand on his arm.