The Queen of the Waves

33: Canon Fire

Mara smiled as Bas pressed a gentle kiss to her a temple as they laid in each other's arms on the bed.

"How much longer till we arrive?" Mara questioned for the one hundredth time over the past two months.

"Three more weeks, angel. Three more weeks and then I promise I will find a new captain of the Golden Promise."

"Really?" Mara sat up and clutched at the sheet so her breasts remained covered, "but won't you be bored staying at home wit me all the time?"

"Bored?" Bas finished doing up the buttons and then sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at his Mara.

"Well, yeah." Mara mumbled, playing with her fingertips awkwardly.

"Mara," Bas huffed as he pulled her hands into his lap, "I want to spend my life with you and I don't know what I have to do or say to prove it to you."

"It's not you," Mara reassured, squeezing his hands tight in hers, "it's just me. I've never been in a relationship before, I've never even been allowed to consider it before."

"I know." Bas sighed and nodded his head in understanding.

"I just need to keep working on it."

Bas shook his head slowly, "no, my Mara. We will keep working on it."

"Thank you." Mara leaned up and kissed his stubbled cheek, "now get to work you lazy bones."

Bas chuckled and gave her one last kiss before leaving the cabin. As soon as she heard the latch click back down, Mara got out of bed and dressed herself. As she did up her corset something caught her eye in the mirror. The garment felt tight, and yet she still had two rings of straps to do up.

Living in the peaceful, world with Bas, eating full meals three times a day and finally not training every waking hour seemed to have had a positive impact on her body. For years she had been malnourished and skinny, but now Mara had breasts and curves over her hips.

She loved it and so did Bas.

Once Mara was dressed, her chest always covered in sapphires and diamonds, she followed Bas out onto the main deck of the ship and gasped in the fresh air.

Her stomach was uneasy and cramping, she stared down at the greenish water and felt nausea roll over her. She had eaten a strange meat in the stew last night, it was very likely she was now serving her punishment.

Heat flushed through her chest and the overwhelming sense that something was wrong hit her.

Another stomach cramp hit her and she groaned, hunched over the edge of the boat as she waited for the pain to pass.

"Mara! Mara! Mara?" Bas shouted as he wildly looked for her on the boat.

A ship had appeared on the horizon, a ship that was headed directly towards the Golden Promise. It was a ship with a black flag.

Bas had heard about the pirates who stalked these waters, they had been lucky enough to avoid them last time, but it seemed like this time they wouldn't be so lucky.

"Mara!" He found her hunched over and taking in deep breaths.

Bas cursed the fact that he let her eat that suspicious cured meat in the stew yesterday, it had clearly upset her stomach.

He pulled her into his chest and Mara could immediately feel his heart pounding.

"What's wrong?" She stared up at him with nerves gnawing at her lip.

"Pirates. They will be within range of attack in less than five minutes."

"What?" Mara stared up at Bas fear creeping in and around her.

She couldn't face more blood on the ship's deck. But more than that, she couldn't face loosing Bas again.

"We'll be fine." Bas reassured Mara as he led her somewhere where he could keep her safe.

"We're all well trained against common pirates."

Mara heaved a sigh of relief even as the panicked shouts grew on the Golden Promise.

"I'm sorry, Mara." Bas said as he lead her down a corner Mara hadn't stepped foot on since Bayen's death.

"What! No! No!" She screamed and bucked against Bas' grip on her wrist as he lead her towards the captain's cabin.

"Bas no! You can't!" Her scream was drowned out as the first canon whipped past the ship.

"I have no choice." He unlocked the cabin and held Mara firm even as she frantically tried to escape.

"No! No! No!" She pleaded as Bas dragged her into the cabin.

"I'm so sorry, I have to keep you safe." He slammed the door shut behind Mara and locked it.

This cabin was the safest place on the boat and Bas had to keep his Mara safe. Even as Mara's screams filled his ears, he firmly walked away from them and drew his sword ready to fight.

As much as he knew Mara could handle herself, he himself couldn't handle the fear of losing Mara. He needed to know she was safe so that he could focus.

Mara staggered away from the place where Bayen bled out, she was gagging. Another wave of pain had Mara bent double as she stared at the wood.

Even though the blood stain was gone, Mara could still see it staring at her. The smell of his blood choked her.

Outside the cabin, Bas stood defending his ship from attackers. His sword was drenched in blood and his face was sprayed with it too.

Only a few minutes had passed but the pirates were either dead or retreating, but Bas wasn't finished.

"We board!" He yelled to his men and they threw boarding planks onto the pirate ship and crossed over.

They had threatened his boat, his crew's lives and his Mara. He would make them bleed and beg for a mercy he wouldn't give them.

"Bas!" Mara screamed as agony gripped her until her mouth felt like it was ripping from her screams.

Groaning, Mara listened to her body and knelt down on the floor as more pain rolled through her.

"That bloody meat!" Mara cursed as more and more waves of unending pain crunched in her belly.

"Bas!"