"Slow down!" She said as she stumbled yet again.
He paused and she bumped into him. She was breathing hard. Sweat pebbling her forehead. They had been walking for what felt like forever. The bottom of her feet was raw. Her legs ached from straining to keep up.
Before she could be glad that they had stopped he pulled her along again. She gritted her teeth, limping after him. "Emile...please my feet are so sore."
He continued to ignore her pulling her into a store. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled the hat on her head down low, covering her caramel colored eyes and long lashes.
"I need a pair of work boots, my cabin boy always seems to ruin his." Emile suddenly said, his story almost convincing.
The store clerk merrily chuckled, "You got to keep your crew in check! But needn't you worry, I got myself a pair of boots that'll last your cabin boy years!"
Jewel tried to lift her head but Emile pushed it back down. She frowned but she didn't feel like fighting again. The clerk owner returned a small pair of black laceless boots in hand.
"These was the smallest pair I got, your cabin boy's feet just look too small."
Emile shook his head, a smile on his lips. "They're fine, truly they are."
He took them from the clerks hand and handed him the money he priced them as.
With that Emile pulled her from the store and immediately got down on his knees. "Lift your leg."
She did as he said, surprised at his sudden gentleness. He slid the boots onto her bare feet before standing up. "No more complaining now." He scolded.
She stared up at him from beneath her long lashes. How could he be so terribly mean one moment to extremely gentle the next? She did not know but chose to defy him nonetheless.
"I have rights...and if I choose to complain than I shall, " she mumbled defiantly.
He raised a brow, "That mouth of yours..."
She raised her chin. Her eyes meeting his head on. A steely glaze in her glare.
He sighed, grabbing her hand again and pulling her forward.
"Where are we going?" She asked curiously, breathlessly.
"To get information."
His answer was vague and it left her filled with confusion. She furrowed her brows in thought but before she could delve further into his words, they were suddenly in front of a tavern. Her eyes widened and she looked up at him. There was determination on his handsome face, his eye gleaming with a firm resolution.
"You can't take me in there!" She shouted, catching his attention.
He looked down at her, tilting his head. "Why not?"
"It's a...it's a tavern!"
"And?"
"You wouldn't dare take me into such a place!"
"Wouldn't I?"
"Have you lots your sanity! I've heard awful stories about drunken fights and half naked women...dear, god...have you no wits!"
He shrugged, "What would you have me do with you then?"
"Take me back to the bloody ship, I don't care but don't take me in there!"
"Maybe I should take you to an inn, would that please you, angel?"
Her eyes grew hopeful...if she could just get him to leave her she could find the police station. Contact her father and go home. The thought was enough to have her eyes sparkling with renewed resolve. "Yes, that would please me!"
He chuckled darkly, small beginnings of anger surfacing underneath his laughter. "I'm sure it would. You think I would be stupid enough to take my eye off you after the last stunt you pulled? I won't hand the opportunity for escape to you."
Her face turned red with anger and she lunged at him. Her smalls hands itching to wrap around his neck. He saw her coming, she was short after all and he towered over her, grabbing her wrists in one hand. She screamed in utter frustration.
"If you take me in there I'll hate you more than ever! I'll scream like a mad woman as soon as we walk in! I'll tell everyone that you're after Jacques! I'll scream that you're a thief and a murderer!" She snapped.
He pulled her close, his voice laced with ice. "I dare you to." His eyes narrowed down on her.
"You know how many men are in this tavern? How many of them have never seen a woman as beautiful as you? You draw attention to yourself in there and I won't be able to protect you from all the drunk men that make a beeline for you. As for Jacques...Do it. Scream the truth into the crowd. Because I want him to know that I'm coming for him. That he's the only name on my list." His voice was absolutely frightening and she swallowed nervously.
"What are you saying..."
"I'm saying, ma Cherie, that I will gladly throw you to the hungry wolves, no matter how much I want you, if you ruin my chance to gather what I need."
She paled at his words, not doubting them.
He released her wrist, pulled the hat from her head, mused her hair, making it worse than it was before and slapping it back onto her head. He pulled the hat low on her head, hiding her face, and wrapped a hand around her arm. He stepped through the tavern door and pulled her along behind him. The place was filled to the brim with men singing merry songs. The smell of rum pungent as if danced through the air. Women walked around with nothing on but shift's and undergarments, their faces painted heavily with makeup.
Jewel blushed as she witnessed men pulled women close and kiss them mercilessly, their hands touching places that shouldn't be seen in public.
If her brother saw her in a place like this...he'd kill her.
She stumbled forward as Emile pulled a chair back and pushed her into it. "Stay put and don't say a word to anyone."
With that he walked away, moving through the crowd. Her heart dropped, he was leaving her alone in a place like this? Her eyes stayed glued on him as he moved through the crowd. He was suddenly talking to a group of men with women on their arms, he glanced her way for a brief moment before continuing his chat with them.
"Are you lookin' for a good time, handsome?" A throaty voice asked from behind her. She turned in her seat and stared wide eyed at the woman before her. The woman had dark brown hair, huge breasts that spilled from her tight corset and large red painted lips. Jewel pressed herself against her seat. She wasn't sure what to do.
"No...no thank you." She stuttered.
The woman merely laughed at her. "Oh, I know...you've never been with a woman before, have you hun?"
Jewel swallowed. "I...I'm really not interested."
"Oh, nonsense. I promise I'll make sure you enjoy yourself." The woman grabbed her by the arm and pulled her up. Pulling her through the crowd and up a set of stairs that lead to a hidden row of bedrooms.
All the while, Jewel had been struggling, trying to wrench herself free from the woman's grasp. "Wait!" She shouted at the woman as she pulled her along.
Why were people constantly man handling her? Pushing and pulling her along behind them without listening to her?
She finally managed to snatch her arm away from the woman's grasp and snapped, "I said I wasn't interested!"
The bar maid flushed in embarrassment. "I'm sor-," she was cut off as Emile appeared up behind Jewel. The bar maids eyes widened as she took him in.
"Are you looking for a good time, sir? I'd be more than happy to oblige." The bar maid said on a husky note.
Jewel scowled at her. For some reason the thought of this woman or any other woman touching Emile made her upset.
Emile didn't answer her, he turned Jewel around and lifted her chin, kissing her square on the mouth. The bar maid gasped, thinking Jewel to be a man in the garb she had on. Emile pulled away and looked up at the bar maid. "You could never fulfill my needs but thank you for the offer." He grabbed Jewels hand and pulled her back down the stairs, leaving the bar maid with a deep blush on her cheeks.
"You never listen! I told you to stay put!" He barked at her as he pulled her out the door.
"I was trying to stay put but that woman was much stronger than me! What would you have me do? Scream at her?"
Emile didn't answer but instead continued dragged her along behind him, and as she began to stumble and trip over her own feet he tossed her over his shoulder. She shrieked in surprise. He was angry and she knew it. She also knew that his anger would soon lead to a lustful challenge of wills.
Emile had been walking for what felt like forever, her lower stomach slowly beginning to ache where his shoulder poked into it. He suddenly slid her down his body and grabbed her hand. He pulled her into an inn and requested a room.
Everything to seemed to happen in a blur because the next thing she knew they were in a large room, a long, wide bed staring at her from across the room. She swallowed anxiously. Half expecting him to throw her onto it and proclaim that he was in the mood to make love to her.
But to her surprise he asked, "Would you like to take a bath?"
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