Violet awoke after fortifying himself with a few more hours of sleep aboard ship. Betsy slept as the dead beside him, her mouth open slightly, a soft snore escaping her lips.
Violet smiled, as he thought that she would smack him if she knew he were gazing upon her thus.
He chuckled softly and moved gently away from her. His sweet, little Puritan had worn herself out the night before.
Violet smiled as he used the privy, he smiled as he washed his hands and face, he smiled as he shaved, cleaned his teeth, and dressed. He smiled as he pulled his hair back and tied it off tight.
He smiled down upon her once more, before he exited their cabin and entered the hallway, where he managed to whistle and grin at the same time.
His ship was at sea, and he had a hankering to sail her.
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Katy and Ellie were sewing in the galley. They each worked on the remaining pieces of the King's bribe gift.
Paulie and Jonah sat further down the same table with Phillip and Zach. They were entertaining themselves, creating with the clay, teaching Jonah to make turtles of all different sizes.
The ladies sat towards the galley, where Violet appeared, looking quite pleased with himself as he grabbed a mug. "Morning, ladies, gentlemen." Violet nodded towards each group, a huge grin upon his face. "A lovely day, is it not?" He went about pouring coffee.
"Yes, Violet, a lovely day, if you do not mind the cold air and a grey, cloudy sky." Katherine raised a brow at him and laughed. "Have you even been topside yet, son?" Katherine wore Marcus' longcoat and Ellie had a short fur coat she wore over her dress. Violet then noticed Paulie and the boys had added sweaters to their attire. He had not even noticed the cloudy day nor the cold air.
"Not yet, but I am heading that way." He downed his coffee and then poured and swallowed another. Picking up a scone from the counter, he retraced his steps as he ate, heading to his cabin to get a jacket.
Betsy had not moved in the slightest. This renewed his grin, along with his manly achievement in his eyes, and he made his way topside a well satisfied man.
"Yo Brutus, how are things going?" Vi stepped lively up to the helm deck, taking the wheel from Brutus, he lifted his face into the wind.
"Just fine now that the grade school population of young girls has been left behind." Brutus smacked Vi's arm, as Violet grinned mischievously.
"What?" Violet asked, innocently.
"The eldest of their bunch, got a bright idea and decided to compromise me and force my hand is what!" Brutus punched Violet in the arm this time.
"Ohhhh, well, I can not be blamed for that, mate." Violet acted injured. "I can not take credit for the whim of a woman." Violet demurred, as if he had nothing to do with it.
"It was said, that the captain said, I was bride shopping. I only know of one captain, Captain!" Brutus hit him again.
"Alright alright, enough." Violet laughed, even as he rubbed his arm. "I am guilty, just do not hit me anymore."
"I should throw you over the side, after the scene her father made!" Brutus growled.
"It was directed at her, I hope." Violet cringed, as he wondered what exactly had happened after he and Betsy had left the wedding party.
"Not at all, Violet, he chased me all the way back to the ship. I almost did not stay ahead of him." Brutus glared, as Violet threw his head back and laughed.
"Oh, 'tis sorry I am to have missed that." Violet moved swiftly to avoid Brutus' fist this time. "I said I was sorry."
"Sorry you missed it! You said you were guilty, but sorry you missed it!" Brutus said petulantly.
"Well, I am." Violet continued laughing, as Brutus gave him a glare and then strode off to get himself a mug of brew.
Baboon, ass, donkey's uncle....all these and more, Brutus heaped upon his best friend's head as he made his way below.
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Marcus stood on the main deck against the rails, listening to Brutus and Vi. He chuckled when Brutus took himself off below deck. "I knew better than to approach him all day, after what happened to him last night." Marcus admitted, calling up to Violet.
"He is getting old, it used to be he could easily outrun an outraged father, I have been a party to that with him a few times in the past." Violet grinned and enjoyed the feel of his ship under his hands. She did behave nicely once you got her going.
He took his bearings and called out to Pete, asking for the depth. Pete assured him they were fine, and could hug the coast for a while, that he would keep him apprised as needed.
Violet sighted sails in the distance up ahead of them, coming their way, and he double checked that they flew only the English flag now.
They were well under way, it would not be too long before they reached London and the King.
Two days, three at the most, would see them at their destination. Even the thought of arriving to a hearing could not dampen Violet's spirits.
He had been given a gift last night, and he planned on enjoying it for many years to come. Whether it be delayed by incarceration or not, he did not really think they would hang, and he could only wonder at God's plan in all of this.
Pete lowered his glass and walked over to the helm deck railing. He looked up at Violet through the rails and informed him of the approaching ship.
"She be the King's ship. One of his fleet, anyway. Do ye think she will just pass us by?" Pete squinted up at Violet, as Vi decided what he thought.
"I do not know, should we head out to sea a bit, ye think?"
"It may be a good idea Cap'n, just avoid her if we can." Pete answered.
"Then amend the sails, mate, let us take her out to sea." Violet would not let this dampen his mood either, it would simply add a bit of time until they arrived, but not by enough to be annoyed with the change in direction.
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Betsy roused herself and wiped the drool from her cheek. Judging from the puddle on her pillow she had been doing so for a while.
She frowned and flipped her pillow over to lay her head back upon it. She was sore all over, and tired, still. My Lord, what a husband I have, she thought, as she smiled a feline smile and stretched her sore body out as far as she could reach, her fingers and toes splayed open.
"Ahhhhhhh......rrrrgggggg." Was the sound that escaped her aching body as she splayed across the bed.
She lay there quite a few moments, willing herself to rise, yet it was very slow going once she got about it.
She used the privy and washed up in the bucket of fresh water next to the washstand. After completing her toilette, she donned her breeches and shirt, socks and boots, and strapped on her belt. She brushed her hair over her shoulder and plaited it in a braid to hang down her front side.
She was coming out of the inner cabin when a sight in the outer cabin window had her frozen in place. There was a ship approaching them, guns drawn, and she thought she could see armed men on it's deck.
Betsy gasped, as she recognised the color of the King's navy on the tiny men's coats she could see from here.
She looked around her one way, then the other, a bit cloudy headed from just awakening, and not having had her tea yet.
She stumbled forward to Violet's desk and came face to face with his weapons. She stared at them for a moment, before running back to the window to see the King's ship still approaching them, and coming on quickly.
She grabbed two pistols, tucking them into her belt, and she lifted a bag of shot, then ran for the top deck.
However, when she reached the hall down from the galley, she could hear Violet speaking, and she stopped to listen.
"Just stay here and someone will come and tell you when it is safe to leave the galley, we will not put up a fight, but neither will we let them fire upon us."
Violet was speaking to Katy, Ellie, Marcus and Paulie. He then spoke to the boys.
"Keep yourselves below, boys, and when Elizabeth wakes, have her stay here with you." It sounded as though Violet were finished, and Betsy panicked.
Betsy glanced one way then the other, seeing no one, she ran up the stairs to see all above deck watching the approaching ship. None of the men were looking her way.
She stayed low and scrambled to the mast, climbing it swiftly, to draw her legs up quickly into the bucket.
She did not know that Davey had not gone below yet and had seen her.
Davey glared up at the nest, just what did she think she was doing?
Davey was torn between finding and telling Violet, or climbing up there and making her come down before Violet found out.
Violet made the choice for him. "Harp, ye needs to get below, son. You know the drill." Violet stepped across the deck to ruffle Davey's hair. The boy looked worried, and he was usually not of that nature.
"Cap,n, I hast ta tell ye, she be up in the crow's nest Cap'n, an she be armed." Davey looked at the ground as he spoke, risking a glance at Violet's face as he finished.
"She be, huh?" Violet looked up to the nest, just in time to see his beloved's eyes widen upon being seen by him, then she ducked her head down and hid from him.
Violet shook his head as he watched the approaching ship come closer, they were almost within gun range of the Wench, yet Violet did not plan on firing upon them.
Violet was hoping a peaceful conversation would have them on their way once again.
"Do ye be wanting to get below?" Violet asked Davey.
Davey looked up to the nest and then back at Violet, shaking his head in the negative.
"Then get up there quick as ye can and tell her to stay out of it." Violet had not even finished speaking before Davey was scrambling up the mast.
Betsy hunkered down in the bucket, just waiting for Violet to come and drag her down, yet Davey popped up beside her and scooted around the mast to her other side.
Davey glared at her and whispered loudly, "Cap'n says yer ta stay outta it!"
Betsy nodded absentmindedly as she crooked her finger for Davey to join her in looking out the slots to watch the approaching ship.
Betsy did not know what to expect, but she did think Violet should know better than to try to keep her below. At the very least she felt a need to know what was happening, he was her husband after all. There was no way she could cower below decks and not be here if he needed her.
The crow's nest was lined with iron, short of a cannonball taking out the mast, she would be safe there, Violet thought, as long as she did not involve herself in the negotiations.
The Omega came in at an angle, then she swung broadside to the Wench slightly, as her crew grappled with the Wench's rails.
Betsy peeked down and saw Violet standing a few feet from the rail, he was calm and collected, his claymore lay on the deck, flat in front of him, slid up against the rails. Pete and Sam had moved to either side of him, armed and at the ready.
This made Betsy wary, why would they be armed, if they did not intend to fight the other crew?
Violet just wanted to be ready in case, he had not known if the King's ship would fire upon them, or if the other crew be a bit overexcited at the chance to bring in a pirate crew.
Vi was hoping there would be no confrontation, yet one should be ready just in case.
"Ahoy there, identify yourself, Captain." The first mate of the Omega called across to Violet, assuming he was the Captain, due to the two giants who flanked and protected him.
"I am Captain Violet Petals, of the Saucy Wench."
The other crew sniggered as his name was revealed.
Betsy was offended, t'was a lovely name, and these men were being most rude. Her hackles raised at the lack of respect for her husband. Her eyes moved back to him and she sighed, at least he was used to it, she guessed.
Violet rolled his eyes and continued by stating his purpose. "We mean no trouble to you, Commander," Violet addressed the man in full uniform dress that identified him as the man in charge. "We are on our way to London with information for the King, and it would please me if you let us be on our way."
Violet waited while the first mate spoke to his Commander aboard the other ship.
The Commander, Eli Fleming, was an elderly gent, hard of hearing, and a little hot tempered. "What did he say?" Eli whispered to his first mate.
"He said he is Violet Petals," The first mate waited while his Commander chuckled at that.
"We have finally run across the Saucy Wench have we?" The Commander was excited, it had been a while since his crew had brought in any pirates.
Due to the Commander's age and hearing, the King had ordered him shackled to the coast, where the pirates tended to avoid sailing in full sight.
"He says he has information for the Monarch, and is headed to London, what do you think we should do?" The first mate waited while his commander thought on this for a moment.
"We should escort them in, by all means. If he truly has information for the Monarch, I would think he would appreciate our help in the matter." The commander pulled his pistol and trained it on Violet.
"I will guarantee your safe passage, only if you agree to give yourself over to us until we arrive."
The Commander did not know that Betsy had taken offence to him pointing a weapon at her husband, and she saw an opportunity to do away with the threat to her husband's person.
She heard him demand Violet's surrender, and realised an attempt was being made to arrest her husband.
She sighted her pistol and took a clear shot, nicking the pistol in the Commander's hand.
The other crew jumped, and looked around quickly, to see which of their men would fall, or to see where the shot had come from.
The pistol went flying out of the Commander's hand. He shook his hand furiously, trying to lessen the jarring, ringing effect this had brought upon his wrist.
He looked up furiously, "I will have that man in chains now!" He took a step forward and Betsy let another shot fly, the adrenaline and threat to her own person, now spurring her on.
This shot was aimed to the side of the commander's feet, where it took a chunk from the deck, before ricocheting back, into a water barrel.
The commander froze. "Enough! My men will shoot to kill if another shot is fired."
Betsy glared at the man then risked a glance at Violet. He shook his head at her, and she stood down, she could not disobey a direct order twice.
The commander shook his hand quickly and repeatedly as his wrist still stung from the blow. Then his face took on a curious mien and he looked down. Much as a man might if a dog were reliving himself on his leg, he jumped back from the stream of water wetting his boots, as the hole in the water barrel drained onto his leg. His crewmen, and Violet's, tried to hold their chortling laughter under their breaths.
Now he was really angry. "I will have that man brought aboard my ship, and you also, Captain Petals, now!"
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Eleanor, Katherine and Marcus jumped, looking at one another furtively, they all stood as one upon hearing shots fired.
"Enough of this, I am about seeing what is happening." Marcus stated, as he moved to the galley door, the ladies right behind him.
Marcus stalked to the steps that would take him top deck, then stopped at the bottom to listen. Katherine ran into his back and Eleanor stopped short on Katherine's own backside.
Katherine and Eleanor cowered behind Marcus as they all heard the Commander's demands.
Marcus vaulted up the steps, striding to stand beside Violet. "What is happening?" Marcus spoke out the side of his mouth to Vi as he watched the Commander of the King's ship.
The commander had his eyes trained on their crow's nest and his face was mottled purple.
"She shot at him." Violet stated.
"She, who?" Marcus looked around and noticed Katherine tip toeing up the steps, cowering behind Eleanor, who stepped more purposefully onto deck.
"Whatever is the meaning of this, Sir!?!" Eleanor puffed up to her full height, which was not much, and took on a regal bearing. "Fleming, is that you?" Eleanor demanded to know.
The Omega's first mate shot a glance at his Commander, as the old man recognised the Duke's sister. "What did she say?" Fleming asked his man.
"She asked if it be you, Sir." The first mate informed him.
Eli's face calmed a mite, as he called back to her, "Yes, my Lady, 'Tis I, Eli Fleming, why are you aboard a pirate ship? Are you being held hostage?" Eli's eyes narrowed upon Violet, the man who stood next to him, and the two giants that flanked him. "Did you kidnap a cousin of the King?" Eli was appalled to find Lady Eleanor aboard their ship, this was a most strange occurrence. He must save her, or the King, not to mention the Duke would have his head.
"I must now insist that the Lady be released to me, and you and your man will enter into my custody immediately." Eli nodded at Eleanor.
Eleanor fisted her hands onto her hips and hollered out across the water. "You shall do no such thing, Eli Fleming, I am a passenger aboard this ship, on our way to see the King!"
"What did she say?" Eli turned again to his first mate.
Jack Lentil had become tired of being his Commander's earpiece, he sighed heavily and answered the man.
"She said she is a passenger, and they are headed to the King." Jack waited impatiently for the conversation to continue.
"Honestly, my Lady," Eli replied, "I cannot in good conscience let these known pirates escort you to London, I must ask that you come aboard and retain safe passage with me. I also need the Captain and his man, who shot at a King's man," He glared at the nest again, "To come aboard and enjoy my hospitality." Eli continued glaring up at the crow's nest, he still had yet to see the man who had dared unarm him.
This renewed his anger, he was glad the Lady Eleanor had not witnessed that, or the other, he thought, as he looked down at his wet pant leg.
"We will gladly accept your escort, Commander, but there is no reason to take anyone into your custody." Marcus stated, his hand on Vi's arm to keep him calm.
Violet was worried for Betsy. She had committed an act of aggression against a man of the crown and he was not sure the commander would let that pass.
Violet shot a look up to the nest, he could see her big eyes, looking at him through the slot in the side, and he sighed, "Lord, Ye know my needs." He prayed, even as he returned his gaze to Eli Fleming.
"What did he say?" Eli asked Jack, as he stared down Marcus Medeiros.
Jack huffed impatiently, "He said they would take our escort, but none needs to be retained, Sir."
"Who are you? Sir?" Eli directed his question to Marcus.
Marcus did not like using his title, it was not much and the only benefit to having it, was that the estate came along with it. "I am Baron of Shelly, Lord Mederios, the Marquess of Moonhurst's younger brother. I too am a passenger aboard this ship, on our way to see the King." This was getting redundant, when would this man understand there was no reason to arrest anyone?
"What did he say?"
Eli asked Jack again.
Jack ground out a bit testily, "He is a Baron, also a passenger, on their way to see the King. Must we keep yelling across the water such as this?" Jack begged to be released from his position as the commander's ears.
"I, and my man would like to board. This is not a problem, I assume." Eli looked at Violet, as he was the Captain of the ship.
"Fine." Violet waved them on.
The hooks were reeled in, the ship's met sides and Jack helped Eli across the boarding plank to the Wench.
Eleanor approached and stood next to Violet, her arm linked through his.
Violet looked down upon her white, coiffed head and smiled. She was small, but determined.
Eli and Jack came to stand in front of Violet, Eleanor and Marcus. Katherine sat on the helm steps, not sure what to do.
"You are both peers of the realm, under no duress, willing passengers upon this ship?" Eli inquired.
Marcus and Eleanor assured him this was correct. "I would speak to Lady Kent alone." Eli hoped she would tell him they were really being held against their will, as he wanted to arrest the whole ship. The wind was blowing coldly and the lower half of his leg was freezing. He wanted to be done with this and change his trousers.
"Of course." Violet stepped back and ran right into Pete.
Pete steadied Violet, as Sam did the same with Marcus. Violet turned to glare at Pete. "The sword." He mouthed. He indicated the deck with his eyes, as Pete moved around to stand in front of and hopefully block the Claymore from their view. His heel held the sword in place as he squatted down to retrieve it.
Pete hid it behind his leg as he walked to where Katherine sat. He turned and held it behind him in front of Katherine.
Her eyes widened on the massive blade, before Brutus stepped down from the helm and used Pete, and her skirts, as cover to slide it up top deck with him.
He then leaned up against the railing to see what happened next.
Eli and Eleanor moved a short way away from Vi and Marcus while this was going on, and Eli questioned the validity of her statements.
Eleanor assured him all was well and they had stated their true purpose.
"Good, good, now if the Captain and his man in the nest will come with me, we shall all be about getting to London." Eli acted as though they would be his guests, but all knew better than to believe that.
"There is no man in the nest," Violet stated, "'Tis only a young boy and my sister, who must have feared for my safety and did not follow my orders to stand down. I take full responsibility and will gladly come with you."
"Not good enough, I would have the party guilty of my attempted murder also, there will be no wavering on that." Eli wanted his revenge against the one who had shot at him, it was a major crime to attempt to kill an officer of the crown.
"They were not trying to kill you, Commander, believe me, if she had wanted you dead, you would be."
"She? Your sister tried to kill me?" Eli was dumbfounded, "What sort of woman is she that she would shoot at an officer without provocation?"
"Without provocation my arse," Betsy yelled down from above. "And I am not his sister! I am his wife!"
Violet cringed, he did not know why he had said that, trying to keep her safe, he supposed.
Eleanor shot her gaze to the crow's nest. It was Elizabeth, oh heavens, she was the one they had heard shooting....oh my, this......this could be trouble.
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Ha! Hope you like it so far :)