The dark and foreboding ship grew closer and closer as the men rowed slowly and quietly so as not to draw attention from shore. My skin was chilled and my body shook in fear the moment the ship was revealed fully in the moonlight once there was a break in the clouds. We pulled up alongside of it and quickly and deftly I was pulled up and onto the ship's deck.
Other men who were already on the boat gave me curious looks and stepped back in surprise the moment my hood was yanked off. My heart was beating furiously and I felt ready to faint.
"What have we got here? A little wench to keep us company?" A man called out, touching my face and then reaching out for my waist.
Jerking back, I ran into someone and his arms grabbed my bound wrists, pulling me away from the man who touched me.
"She's not here for pleasure men. Keep your hands off her or you'll be thrown overboard." The Captain announced to the whole crew. "Liam! Take her to a cabin."
"Aye Captain!" The man who appeared to be Liam stepped forward.
As the Captain handed me off to him, I nearly stumbled and fell as I felt weak and terrified. I mumbled unintelligible words through the gag and whipped my head around, staring at all of the pirates surrounding me. It was my worst nightmare.
Escaping one cruel master only to be thrown into the arms of another? What could be worse? Liam held me by the arm and walked briskly through the crowd until he came to a door and opened it up, shoving me through and making me walk with him. The narrow corridor smelled of sea air and rotting wood and I swear I saw a rat. My hair was falling out of the ribbon I had tied it up with and strings were falling in my face.
Liam turned a corner and we came to a small door. He took keys out of a pocket and unlocked the ancient door, kicking it open and pushing me through. Then he slammed it shut and locked it right after.
Whimpering, I struggled to get off the dirty floor, which was extremely difficult to do with my hands still tied. He hadn't even had the decency to take the gag out of my mouth. What was I going to do? Scream for help when no one who could hear me would help?
It was then that I noticed an absence around my waist. Panicked, I looked down and didn't see the money bag. I felt a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. The one essential thing my future depended on was gone. It must have fallen off during the tussle in the tavern. Without money, I'd be on the streets again; that is if I ever escaped these pirates.
Tears ran down my cheeks as I caught sight of a filthy cot in the dim light. The room was unnervingly small; only five by six probably and it was dark and cold. Climbing onto the cot which was at least better than the floor, I brought my knees to my chest and hid my face between my them, uncomfortable with my hands behind my back. What were they planning to do with me?
A short time later the door rattled and then opened again. A pirate I'd never seen before came in. He wore a leather vest, buckles and designs adorning the front. He had unruly blond hair and an unsure expression as he stepped inside holding some lace fabric. "I've strict orders from the Captain. I'm going to step out and give you two minutes to put this on. If I come back inside to find you haven't even started to undress, I'll put it on you me-self. Got it, wench?"
Taken aback by his surprising rudeness, I could only nod anxiously.
"Good." He tossed whatever it was onto the cot and moved toward me. When I jerked away and squeaked fearfully, he sighed in annoyance. "I'm only going to untie you. No need to be afraid. My name is Niall."
Calming my frantic breathing, I froze as he took a dagger out and sliced the ropes that bound my wrists. He took the gag out of my mouth and then paused to look at my tear stained face. "Aye, its a pity you're so beautiful, little lass. It'll be difficult for the men to keep their hands off of you."
"What's going to happen to me?" I whispered, hugging myself for protection. In these trousers I felt even more vulnerable.
Masking his feelings, he didn't answer. He simply stepped out and raised an eyebrow. "Two minutes." He reminded me and then shut the door.
Not wanting him to dress me himself, I quickly picked up the lace fabric and held it up. Gasping, I dropped it in horror. It was a short lacy nightdress, not fitting to be seen by anyone but by a husband. The pirate on the other side of the door couldn't expect me to put it on and let him see me in it did he? What would happen after I put it on? Fresh tears pouring from my stinging eyes, I shook my head in denial and backed into a corner. Perhaps I could simply refuse or knock the man out when he came back in. There was no possible way he would be making me wear that scandalous piece of clothing.
All too soon, the door opened again and I heard a disappointed sigh. Not wasting a second, I kicked him where it counts and bolted right past him, but not before he grasped my tied up hair and yanked me back into the room.
That didn't work as well as I'd thought it would.
"You little wench!" He hissed, shoving me harshly onto the cot and slamming the door. He picked up the nightdress and turned to me, fists clenched.
"No, don't!" I pleaded, cowering in the corner and wiping the tears from my eyes so I could see him clearer.
"I told you in plain words what would happen if you didn't put it on. You've brought this upon yourself." He shook his head, reaching out to me.
I slapped his hand away and begged him, "Please don't make me wear that! Please. I'll die of humiliation."
"Undress before I have to make you." He ordered, sounding less and less forceful.
"I don't want to. Please, don't make me wear it." My voice softened and trembled.
Sighing, he stopped and gave me a condescending look. Grabbing his hair in frustration, he stood back up to his full height. "Oh, dash it all. I can't force a little girl like you to undress. The Captain will have to do it."
Growing more afraid, I certainly didn't want the Captain to make me put it on. "Please...Niall. Help me. I don't want to be here."
He ignored me and took my arm, pulling me to my feet and opening the door again, leading me out and the opposite way I had come from. I jumped and stepped closer to Niall when I definitely spotted a rat scurry along the corridor. He only softly chuckled at my fright.
Shortly, we came to an ornately carved door that was made of neatly polished wood. The words, "Captain's Cabin" were etched into the boards above it. I tried in vain to pull away, but Niall held me firmly and knocked on the door.
A muffled, "come in," could be heard and Niall opened the door, pushing me in first. I was swiftly getting tired of being pushed around so roughly.
The cabin we entered was quite beautiful from an artist's perspective with the velvet curtains and rich colored bedspread. Tables and desks covered in charts and maps sat here and there. A colorful bird sat perched on a stand clearly made just for it and it squawked at the sight of me. But what made my stomach turn and my legs grow weak was the sight of the captain in full light. He sat arrogantly on a sturdy chair and looked over at us, a scowl on his handsome face.
"Why is she not in the clothes I gave you?" The captain wanted to know, hardly giving me a glance. "Are you purposely making this day worse?"
"That piece of fabric cannot seriously be considered clothing!" I cut in indignantly, surprised at the sudden burst of courage.
Niall yanked on my arm in warning. "No, Captain. She refused and so I'd rather you be the one to convince her to wear it."
"I knew I should have told Liam to do it. He wouldn't have hesitated." Captain Louis groaned and held his forehead as if he had a headache. "Fine. Just get out and leave her."
Fear filling me, I grabbed onto Niall in desperation, now believing he was safer than this powerful man before me. But Niall shrugged me off him and tossed the "clothes" onto the Captain's bed before leaving swiftly.
Standing with my arms crossed and my hands hidden in the long sleeves of the over-sized men's clothing I wore, I glanced at him from under my thick lashes.
"So. There're two ways we can do this, wench. I suggest you choose the easy way, unless you'd rather take the hard way which I highly doubt you'd like." He said gruffly, not moving from his chair. "Put the nightdress on without a fuss, or I'll put it on you myself."
Gulping, I hugged myself and peered over at the practically see-through lace. How could I get out of this? "Sir, I don't mind sleeping in the clothes I have on now."
"I guess you've picked the hard way then. Tonight is definitely not the time to be testing me." He growled and stood to his feet, making his way across the floor.
Backing away, I attempted to run to the door, but he was quicker. Snatching my arm, he slammed me against the door and took out a small dagger. Holding it up to my throat, he teased me by touching the blade to my pale skin.
I sucked in a breath and stared into his blue eyes. This man was ruthless. "If I don't obey, are you going to stab me?" I scoffed shakily, keeping my hands at my sides.
"No, I'll just cut these clothes off your body." He grinned at my horror.
"Why must I wear it?" I whispered, ceasing my struggling as he continued to gaze at me, unmoving. It took several moments of silence before he answered me.
"I want you to feel vulnerable. If a woman like you feels insecure or too exposed, you'll also feel helpless. It'll help me keep you in line." He said, every bit of his tone completely serious. His hand began to play with the strings that held my tunic shut over my front. He mockingly tugged at them and the very top became unlaced.
Disgusted, I held my hand over the laces for protection. "But I'm not a woman. I'm just a girl."
Frowning, he loosened his grip on me and breathed deeply. The hand that wasn't clutching the dagger moved up and he stroked the side of my face and played with a loose strand of my hair, simply to scare me, which worked. "How old are you anyway, lassy?"
"Seventeen. And my name is Indira." I answered quietly and looked down, unable to look into his eyes any longer.
He hummed, his demeanor changing somewhat and he stepped away from me and lowered the dagger. Looking down at my smaller form in curiosity, he scowled. "Go ahead then and I won't do it myself."
Deciding reluctantly that I should simply put it on before he threatened to cut off my clothing again, my body relaxed somewhat, but my voice still shook as I requested, "C-could you please...turn around?"
I thought I heard a low growl erupt from his throat, but he turned away anyway after giving me a stern glare. With his back turned, I looked over at the nightdress and panicked. Without thinking, I grabbed a heavy candlestick sitting on the table next to me and ran at him, holding it up to strike his head. But he spun around just in time to snatch it right out of my hands, seconds before it would have made contact with the back of his head.
The bird began squawking in worry. Louis hurled the candlestick to the ground and his nostrils flared, anger flashing in his eyes dangerously. He grabbed my hair roughly and dragged me over to his bed, throwing me down onto it. He took the nightdress and shoved it into my arms as I started to cry.
"You've drained every last ounce of patience I possess. Obey me now or I'll take you up on deck and whip you!" He shouted in my face, still gripping my hair viciously.
Letting out a sob, I nodded my head and clutched his hand so he'd stop pulling my hair. He let go and stood back, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm not turning around this time."
Unable to contain my cries, I hung my head and took off the coat I was wearing and then began to unlace my tunic. Standing, I turned away from him and finished unlacing it. I had nothing protecting my chest underneath the tunic. Would I have to show him my naked back? Holding it closed, I looked back at him. "Please, can you at least look away?"
His dark expression not changing, he obligingly turned his gaze to the floor.
I was surprised.
Desperate for any kind of courage, I held my breath and slipped the tunic off my shoulders, frightened to death of feeling so exposed in the presence of a man and then I quickly took the nightdress, slipping it over my head. Then I quickly removed my shoes and stockings. Emptying my mind of the voices screaming at me to stop, I bravely pulled down the trousers and stepped out of them, finally standing in nothing but the lacy fabric that barely stopped mid-thigh. The sleeves came down to my elbows, but my upper arm was completely visible through the lace. The neckline was lower than anything I'd ever worn.
The nightdress felt exposing and humiliating on my body. At least it wasn't fully see-through where it counts.
"Finally." The Captain sighed in irritation once he looked up at me again. I noticed him take a quick survey of my vulnerable body with a satisfied look of approval, before he cleared his throat. "You'll wear this every night from now on, and if you ever resist as much as you did tonight, I won't hesitate to make you sleep bare."
My breath hitched in fear, as I knew he was dead serious. As he drew near me, I stepped back until my legs hit the edge of his bed. "A-am I going back to that room now?" I refused to call it my room, but I'd rather be there than with him.
"Oh, no. You'll be sleeping with me, so I can keep an eye on you." He shook his head, pointing to the bed.
Shocked, I was left speechless. This...brute expected me to sleep in the same bed as him?
Then he paused, eyeing my tied up hair. He suddenly fell silent, curiously tugging at the ribbons which held it gathered at the back of my head. Pulling the ribbons out, he watched my hair fall down to my waist. Distracted, he ran his fingers through the long thick strands for a moment before pulling his hands back and picking up some rope from his bedside table. Snatching my wrists, he forced them together and tied them securely.
Crossing his arms again, he ordered, "Get in the bed."
When I opened my mouth to protest, he exasperatedly moved past me and pulled back the covers, gesturing for me to get in. "Unless you'd rather sleep with my men."
Feeling utterly defeated and without any other options, I allowed myself to sit back on the bed and crawl all the way to the wall while trying not to let him see any more of my bare legs than necessary. I got under the covers and turned to the wall, silent tears slipping onto the pillow.
But the Captain rolled me onto my back and raised my arms over my head, holding more rope.
"Please, I can't sleep like this." I begged him, knowing my arms would fall asleep quickly in this position.
Glancing at me, his expression remained hard and emotionless. "If you're a good little girl tomorrow, I won't tie you to the bed frame tomorrow night."
When he was finished, he let go and got off the bed, removing a few articles of his clothing. He stopped when he got to his trousers. After blowing out the lamps around the room, he came back over to me and slipped into his bed beside me. He didn't touch me, but all I could think about was how close he was to me and how wrong it was for me to be in his bed dressed like this.
I felt powerless. This man could easily take advantage of me or make me do anything he wanted. That night was terrifying as I struggled to fall asleep, knowing there was a ruthless, cunning, and deadly pirate sleeping right beside me. Yet, he didn't touch me even once. I was left alone to imagine all of the things that could possibly happen tonight.