Pirate EnglandxReader: On the Gales of Time Ch.2

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         England?  Your mind churned at the absurd thought.

         “Ma’am,” you called, waving at the woman that hooked on tightly to her son.  Like a shot they were running back towards the harbor town that sat in the distance.  “Just perfect. This is just too perfect!” you sputtered in anger at the situation, stomping your foot in the sand.

         Tossing the device onto the beach, you cursed everything.  Yourself, your mother, your brother and anything else that you could think of at the moment.  Sighing, you picked up the device, dusting off the sand and slipped the object into your back pocket.   There was no need to lose your cool, you needed to keep a level head and placing blame wasn’t going to do it.

         Rubbing your temples that throbbed in circles, you shut your eyes.  The waves of the ocean lapped onto the land and the tern’s squawked in the sky above, which was surprisingly calming.  Shifting your weight from bare foot to foot, you found the pounding sun on the sand made it unbearable to stand upon.

         Opening your eyes, you walked over to the edge of the water.  You knelt down and scooped up a handful of the salty water, splashing it on your face.

         Looking out onto the horizon that seemed never ending you knew it wasn’t you that had startled the woman.  It was the ship that sat menacing in the water out yonder.  

         Standing on shaking legs, you turned but fell back at the man that loomed above you.  You hadn’t seen or heard him coming up behind you.  Gulping hard on the sandpaper like ball in your throat, in scratched the way down, and made it uncomfortable to breathe.

         Tipping his tri-corner hat back, he showed his face that had been shadowed. A pair of thick black eyebrows greeted you, along with gleaming green eyes. Brushing his red coat the side, he reached to the belt and pulled out the pistol.  Cocking it, the sound rang through the empty beach.

         “What a terrible place to be.  A terrible place indeed.”  He coolly said, all the while a twisted grin remained on his face.  “Are you up for a little sport?”  He laughed and pointed the firearm directly between your eyes.

         “Arthur?” You squeaked out.  He looked like Arthur, that was true, but he sure didn’t act like the English gentleman that you knew.

         “You might be new around here,” he sighed and pulled the gun away once you didn’t scream or run in a panic.  “But usually you run, I chase, it’s great fun and all that.”  He motioned you to your feet with the pistol.

         “Arthur, it’s me.”  You stumbled to your feet.

         “Me, who?”  The blond sighed, and rolled his eyes.  “You’ve got to give me a little more than that, love.”  Slipping his pistol back into its holster, he muttered something about women being the most daft creatures he ever met.

         “(f/n)!  I don’t know…let me go!”  you cried, as he pulled on your wrist and yanked you to him.  Smashing your body into his, he snaked his hand down to your backside.  His nimble fingers fumbled with the button on your jeans, huffing in frustration at the trouble they gave him. The warm breath, hot and heavy on the side of your neck.

Your protest was useless, and fell on his deaf ears. “Not used to seeing a lady in pants.” He chuckled.  “But never mind, I’ll get the job done either…”

         Your hand stung suddenly as Arthur drew away.

         Drawing your hand back, your bottom lip trembled at the red mark that blemished his skin.  He rested his hand on the mark that you left and his eyes turned to small slits as he looked you over.

         Spitting out a bit of blood, he removed his hand and bent over and picked up his hat that sat on the sand.  Reaching again, he pulled out his firearm.

         “On second thought, you might want to run.”  He hissed, examining the weapon for powder.  “I will admit, you’re the first woman that dared to hit me, and you will be the last.”

         Running was probably a good idea. Actually, it was an excellent one.  Even if you had no clue where you were going.  

         Yeah, I should run, you thought as you saw him examine his gun. Humming to himself, made the task at hand seem perfectly routine from him.

         You backed away a few steps and then took off as fast as you could. You knew he would follow you; this guy was angry. And he was armed!

         Running down into the town, you found yourself in the action of the port.  Men quickly worked on loading and unloading items to and from ships around them. Most glanced at you, a little confused on the ensemble you had on.  

        Then a bell rang three times.

        The men around you looked panicked, knocking into each other.  But all said, or more cried, the same thing...pirates.

        This just turned sour, even more so for you.  There was no doubt in your mind that this pirate that was coming to find you would blame you for having this town know his arrival.  

        Stopping at the crossroad of the street, you looked to the left, then to the right.  Needless to say the dark alleyway didn’t look like it would be a good first choice, so you took to the right.  

       Your bare feet hit a puddle of water, and you slipped on the cobblestone that made up the street.  Your foot ached, but that wasn’t going to stop you.  Not when you could hear his heeled boots echoing behind, each step he took reflected off the buildings.  

       Skidding behind a lean-to shed, you moved to the door.  You tugged and pulled and rattled the latch, all to no avail.  You sank down and drew in a breath, holding perfectly still.  The soft pitter patter of rain started.  It would rain of course. Somehow you hoped that this would deter him, but he was a pirate!  He dealt with water, a little sprinkle of rain wasn’t going to ruin his day.  

      “Are we going to play hide and seek, kitten?”  He asked.

      His voice gave rise to a stomach-churning fear.  Still, you struggled to not give away your position.  You couldn’t believe that your life was going to end by the hand of your friend.  Damn it all to the end and back again!  Drawing your legs up to your chest, you buried your face in your hands.  

     “Are you trying to hide from Arthur?” Someone asked, and poked you in the arm.  

     You looked up from your hands, and your mouth hung agape at the young boy in front of you.  

     “Alfred?”

     “Found you, kitten...blast it!”  Arthur growled, and threw his hands in the air.  “Alfred, I told you...”

     This might be your only opportunity to try to get away.  

     “Where the devil do you think you’re going?”  He reached for you.  You eluded him, swooping under his arm and darting down the street.  Quick as you were, he was quicker, even bickering with the young Alfred.  Grabbing you from behind and whirling you from your feet.  

     But you were incensed.  You fought for all you were worth, flinging your arms wildly.  Then there was thunk as your elbow connected with something hard.  A painful shot zinged down your arm, but you paid no mind.  That hit only made you determined to land another blow.

    It was impossible.  The next thing you knew you were toppled back, into a wooden wall.  You gasped as a long, hard body followed yours into the wall, pinning you from moving.  

    Held in place, but hardly beaten, by the weight of Arthur’s body and strong fingers curled around your wrists, you toyed with the notion spitting in his face.

    Raising an eyebrow, he must have sensed your idea.  Gritting his teeth, he warned, “Do not dare!”

    Slamming your body hard into the wall, you winced.  When did Arthur become so strong?  

   “Lord, you’re a bloodthirsty thing, aren’t you?”  

   “Let me go!”  

    You looked over his eyebrow to see a glistening red cut above.  A little satisfaction to know you had caused the smug pirate some pain.  Snapping your eyes back down as he cleared his throat.  

   Cool green eyes stared directly in yours.  “It is no use to fight. And now that I have your undivided attention, I feel it only fair game to inform you, my little kitten...”

  “Don’t call me that!”

   He shook his head.  “It’s never wise to underestimate your enemies, kitten, and I do believe you should take my warning.  I’ve more experience than you at this kind of thing.”

   “You won’t hurt me.”  Your blood ran cold as he chuckled.

   “What makes you so certain?”

   “Arthur?” A small voice spoke behind the both of you.  There stood the young Alfred, holding onto the tricorner hat in hand.  “What are you gonna do with her?  Don’t hurt her.”

   Arthur grunted and weighed the options.  You could see the wheels turning slowly in his mind.  He knew that his cover had been blown by the bell.  Even if his crew was most likely ransacking the town.  You did happen to raise an interesting change, even if he didn’t like to take prisoners.  

   A sharp blow to the side of your head, and you slid down the wall.  

   Cradling the now unconscious girl in his arms, he started back to his ship.  Certainly, this wasn’t what he’d come here for.  His stride was surefooted down the alley.  At least he wouldn’t have to listen to you prattle as it seemed that you’d be taking a bit of a nap.  

   But there was something about you, whatever it was that made him curious.  And if anything, you could always be a bartering chip at a later time in the game.

   Oh, how he soon would wish he’d left you there.