Chapter 3

Howard watched as the men finished cleaning the deck, and lights began to dim. Giving a nodding approval he walked to his cabin. Looking around he found that Diana had not eaten her food and sighed. He looked around closer to try and locate her, he found her asleep in the corner of the room. He found this as the perfect opportunity to shackle her to the bed so that she wouldn’t try to run. Reaching the shackles on the bed he tied them to the bed post and as quietly as possible shackled Diana’s ankle.

Diana stirred and opened her eyes slowly; she gasped as she felt the cold shackle touch her bare skin and tried to get away. Howard grabbed her arm instantly and pulled her towards him.  

“I don’t think so querida you are mine now and I will not let you escape” He said softly.  

“Let me go, you despicable pirate you are nothing but a worthless sea dog” she said and spit in his face. 

“You are going to pay for that” he said softly and pulled her into a kiss.            

Diana felt his lips on her, rough yet gently at the same time. Her eyes wide open in surprise, but something in her stirred. Why did she feel this way? She could feel her eyes close as he held her in his arms the kiss long and soft. Opening her eyes in realization she kicked him in the shins and without warning pulled his sword from it protective sheath. She held it to his neck her eyes full of anger and fear. Her lips trembled.  

“Don’t come near me or I’ll slice your throat” she quivered.  He laughed at her.  

“You wouldn’t dare, you don’t have the heart to kill me” He said and pressed his neck against the sword.  

Diana Stood her ground and looked deep into Howard’s eyes, she did not expect to see what she saw in his eyes, hurt and pain. She took slow deep breaths, lowering the sword, she watched as he grabbed it quickly and tossed it across the room.  

“Now you are on my ship querida and you will like it” he said 

“Why?” she whispered 

“Why, What?” He said and turned to her. 

“Why did you take me from my home?” She asked angrily. 

“Because……… you were there for the taking and I always get what I want” He said and gently touched her cheek.             

Diana turned her face from him and tried to walk out of his reach. But no use she was his captive and he made sure she would not escape. The only thing she could do was turn her back from him. It helped but she could still feel those eyes staring at her. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest, she felt her cheeks flush. Suddenly his hands caressed her shoulder and she shivered at his touch, why was her body betraying her? He hated this man, for taking her away from her home, yet at the same time, she had yearned for an adventure. She felt so confused, her eyes stung with tears, she turned slowly and gazed at him her eyes full of tears. That caught him by surprise; this once strong willed girl now quivered and began to fade. He saw her tears and began to feel guilty, but as a pirate he had to keep his rough exterior. Taking a deep breath he composed himself and smiled evilly. 

“What’s this I see? The tiger is finally being tamed” he mocked her and laughed. 

 “I will be getting ready for bed you can feel free to sleep on the floor but I warn you it can get drafty in here” with that he began to undress.             

She gasped and turned away quickly this man was getting undressed for bed. She took a peek to see his naked bottom and blushed away. This man slept in the nude; she sat on the floor facing away from him and laid down her back to him. She could hear him shuffling around and putting away his things, she heard key’s jingling and turned to see the key to her shackles around his neck. She turned quickly before he found her staring, but she couldn’t help but blush at the sight of his manly chest, tanned by the sun’s rays and full of muscle from hard labor.             

Howard had felt her eyes on him a couple of times and smiled to himself. He glanced over at her form on the floor and sighed. Walking up to her He picked her up in his arms; he heard her gasp and laughed. Without saying a word he placed her on the bed and covered her tightly. Walking to the other side he slipped in and turned lay on his back. 

“I am not going to have you catch a cold when it gets drafty in here” He said softly and closed his eyes.             

 Diana could only stare into the darkness of the room now; she could feel her eyes close slowly as slumber pushed to take over. She heard his soft steady breathing and sighed. She was his captive and there was nothing that could be done. All she could do was pray that the cosmos had a plan for her.  

***

In Kevin’s cabin he sighed as he thought of the past events. In his hand he held a gold locket with a faded initial on it. It belonged to his daughter, one who lived back in Tortuga managing a pub and married to a buccaneer like himself. He thought of the way Howard had captured this girl and thought about her father how heartbroken he must be. He knew the captain had been through hard times but, why go through the trouble to kidnap a woman who he’s never meant before. Kevin closed his eyes and searched his eyes to the many conversation he and the captain have had.  

“You know Kevin I’ve been having this strange dream for months now” Howard said on the shore of Tortuga.  

 “Really? What about?” Kevin asked as he took a sip of his rum. 

“there is this girl, a gypsy she dances and calls to me, sometimes I see her on a cliff looking out at the ocean and she say she wants an adventure;  she calls to me” he whispered and laughed.  

“Well then she must be the girl of your dreams” Kevin said softly.             

 His eyes snapped open and he took a deep breath.

‘Was this the girl from the captain’s dream?’ Kevin questioned the thought.

How could he have missed this, in retrospect the girl didn’t give much of a fight except for when her father was in danger. He looked once again at the locket and held it close to his heart. Howard was his best friend and if this is what Howard needed to do, then as a Pirate he would respect his Captains wishes.

***

Diana’s father cried frantically as the Kumpaña (Gypsy camp) mourned the loss of Alejandro. The elders that tried to rescue him failed. He noticed the fortune teller looking at her cards and sighed. He never went to her for anything but; he couldn’t help but ask for help from her.  

“If you are here to ask me about Diana, then I will tell you before you ask” She said not looking at him. 

“She came to me before the sun set about a dream she had” She proceeded to tell him about the dream and heard him gasp.  

“What do we do?” Diana’s father asked.          

“We do nothing, this was in the cards to go against them is dangerous and you know it” She said as she looked at her tarot cards laid on her table. 

“I cannot just let my daughter defend herself from that descarado (one who behaved shamelessly), who knows what he has done to her” He said and spit at the ground.

“Demitriou, No te atrevas (Don’t you dare)” Tia said as she glared at him.

Demitriou gave a small growl as he kicked the dirt. He felt helpless as he walked to his wife Carmen and held her in her arms.

“No te preocupes cariño (Do not worry my love)” He said and kissed her temple.

Wrapping his arm tighter around her, Demitriou walked Carmen to their tent. He helped her into their bed and sang her a song to help her sleep. Once he was sure she was deep asleep he walked out to the clearing not far from the camp and looked up at the sky. He hoped that wherever Diana was she was looking at the sky and finding away to escape and return home.

***

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