Girls Can't Be Pirates {TortoiseShell & Fate}

Desiree sounded more at peace with her death than Reese. While her courage was admirable, it was also somewhat unnerving. More disconcerting was the fact that Reese suspected their was more to that coolness. A free spirit such as Desiree hardly struck him as the type to resign herself to something of this nature. Indeed, it was far more likely that she had a contingency plan for just such circumstances.

Her words did strike home though. Releasing her would bring forth more terror upon the world, more lives lost. but who exactly did she attack? Who died at the end of her sword? Words to consider. Reese would have to watch this woman closely, see where her heart truly lied. Seductive and appealing or no, if she truly was a creature of malice and evil, she would have to be put down. Something about her suggested otherwise though. Even in his rose colored delirium, Reese thought as much.

But he banished such thoughts as he felt her soft lips grace his own again. She kept moving, snuggling close, nestling her body into hers. At that moment, the woman looked wholly like a creature in need of protection, instead of the violent one her words proclaimed. For now, Reese would think of her as such, as a woman he'd loved upon. darker thoughts could wait for another day.

"Gentle as you are at making love? I shall be a bloody mess," teased Reese. He returned the kiss, his eyes ever upon her. The dark veil of her hair cascaded over them. He marveled at yet another piece of her, wondering if truly such a woman could exist. Perhaps he would wake upon the morn to find her vanished into the mists of the sea.

He shifted as she did, feeling their bodies begin to intertwine. One hand went to stroke her back, shifting her dark mane as he traced lazy circles. "I believe I have, to some extent. I shall have to get to know her better to know for certain. I tell you though, I have never bedded a finer woman," he leaned forward, taking her lips in the sensual kiss offered.

Her taste was addicting.

Desiree laughed at his comment. She was like a wild tiger - agressive, passionate, yet just like any cat she could be convinced to remain loyal. Of course the problem with cats was in the frivolous loyalty of those - it came and went when they thought it necessary. One thing he did accomplish, however, was making her comfortable with him. She showed him emotions she would have never showed anyone - unless she killed the said someone right after.

"I can be soft," she murmured with a pout, kissing his lips briefly. She didn't consider herself to be an evil person, no. In her eyes, there was never black or white. Every bad man had a hint of humanity to them, including herself. She didn't kill unless she had to, and only robbed certain ships unless there was famine on hers. She stole from the rich, finding the regimes revolting everywhere.

His words almost caused her to blush, a faint hint of blood appearing on her cheeks although she hoped it would be mistaken for the remaints of color gained during their intercourse earlier on. She looked away briefly, seeming almost embarassed before looking back at him with the same childish, toothy grin. "My oh my," she murmured, kissing his lower lip. "I am a lucky woman," she smiled, resting her head across his shoulder.

"But I hope you decide that you are mistaking," she continued, stroking his cheek with the back of her hand, something close to pain flashing through her eyes. She knew that she would have to betray him one day, or fail trying. "I don't want you to get hurt when I'm gone," she purred, tilting her head to kiss him once again, enjoying his kisses as much as he enjoyed hers.

"Parts of you most certainly can," agreed Reese. He let his hand travel to just grace the bottom of one of her breasts. As if that weren't enough, his lips pressed upon hers as well. Parts of Desiree could be sinfully soft, the type of soft that made a man forget his entire world, if only for a few moments. You had to remember that this woman had so many sides to her. That very fact, though, it aided Reese's affections for the woman he'd barely known.

"we are both mutually blessed with great luck," countered Reese. He moved once more to stroke her, reveling in his momentary connection to such a woman. Better yet, she apparently was as fascinated with him as he her. The difference being that, for now, she kept herself firmly planted in reality, or at least her perception of it. Reese would cling to his delusions that somehow things would work out in the long run. he would hold them as long as he could, much as he would the woman in his arms.

He let her words remain for now. Yes, perhaps he would be hurt in the future. Doubtless she would betray him, stay true to herself and break away. Or else be taken from him, drawn away to the next world.

"You need to stop worrying yourself over the possible futures, Desiree," he insisted. Still he kissed her, never passing a chance to draw lips over the sweetness of her. He would kiss her till their lips were bloody. "Take what you have while it lasts. Relish this moment, and the ones that trail directly after. I certainly am."

He took her lips again, letting his hands slide over her body. His touch spoke of affection, of love, and of a touch of ownership. He would hold her, while he still could.

Desiree smiled at his words, shaking her head. "You're a smart yet silly man, Captain," she laughed, kissing his nose. She could spend the rest of her existance pressed against him that way, kissing his sweet lips until they couldn't move anymore. His kisses thus didn't bother her in the least. "You have your life before you," she stated, sadness filling the large orbs.

She had to make her act believable. "I have a few weeks. It's selfish of me, I've had riches, freedom..you," she smiled, stroking his cheek. "There are no possible futures when I know when I will die," she continued, sighing. "I've brought enough pain to this world, you are the last person I want to hurt," she whispered, kissing neck almost hungrily, nuzzling against him.

"Let's not speak of this. It is quite depressing," she cooed light heartedly, her expression returning to that mischief filled light. She rolled off of him and rested next to him once again, curling up against his side. "Hold me tight, don't let go until the morning breaks," she demanded softly, her hand sliding down to his, intertwining with his fingers once again, never letting him go.

She rested in silence for a while, thinking about the situation, and what the next day could bring. She needed to find out where exactly they were, what the wind's direction was to calculate the amount of time it would take to the port and plan her actions accordingly. She had most of her plan laid out already, yet some preparations were requested nonetheless.

She leaned forth to kiss him briefly again, studying the male. "So what are my other tasks on the ship, my Captain?" She wondered, resting against the pillow comfortably.

Desiree sounded quite sincere. sounded as though she was perfectly at peace with her death, had accepted her fate, and fully expected to die in a few short weeks. Yet, once more, Reese couldn't quite believe those words. A woman like this didn't give up this easy. No, she had some plan, and that was becoming more evident the more she spoke. What bothered Reese most, however, was that he would have to be the one to foil said plan. He'd have to deny this woman her freedom. Yes, someone was certainly being quite cruel with them.

Reese was about to call Desiree out on her nonsense, but her kisses made him change his mind. It wasn't that the press of her lips drove out such thoughts, so much as he realized that it was time to let such talk rest. He would at least accept that for now, and it could possibly even be the truth. He could certainly swallow such nonsense if it bought him more time with this woman.

He took her hand in his, threading his fingers. Once more their bodies drew tight, embracing. Once more she filled his senses. He could feel her pressing against his skin. Feel her breath upon him. Smell her wonderful scent, not only amid her luscious mane, but her sexual scent. Sight, smell, touch, hearing, he could even taste her still upon his lips. Ah, to be filled with the sense of a woman.

"Other tasks?" repeated Reese. The question struck him as odd, but he was willing to go along for now. "Well, you shall be my personal valet. Preparing and carrying things for me and such. I think I'll have to introduce you to a friend of mine as well. I might very well subtly suggest that he list out duties for you as well. Oh, and naturally you will be expected to bed me at least nightly. For now that I've had you once, I fully intend to take you as often as I feel necessary."

He kissed the top of her head again, smiling in anticipation of her reaction.

Desiree frowned at his words. Oh, how she loathed captivity. When he finished his words, she couldn't help but laugh. "Naturally," she nodded with a grin. "I suppose I could live with that," she smiled slowly, her teeth trailing over her lower lip. "But if you think that I will obey you, you are mistaking," she added defiantly, the life returning to her despite the fact that she seemed completely worn out by that point.

She kissed him again, unable to get enough of the man. He was so addictive in every way, which made her complicated relationship with him that much more complicated. They were enemies, yet acted like lovers. It made so little sense in her head that for a moment she thought that it could possibly work out. Perhaps she could get him to help her out...She crossed that thought out. She could only depend on herself and her crew - time proved that. Not to mention she didn't want to put his credibility at stake - she did fully intend upon playing the game of cat and mouse with him, only she wouldn't make the same mistake as earlier.

She had been to sure of herself, it was the thing that brought her down. Next time she would make sure to elaborate a better plan, prepare her crew for surprise attacks and in a few years, when she left the Port Royal, the world would whisper her name once again only this time it would be worse than ever. Women would whisper her name to their children, warning them that the pirates would come for them if they weren't to get to slip. She shivered at the thought, excitment building up in her mind.

"I'm tired," she whispered, turning around for her back facing him. "Goodnight darling," she whispered, tugging on his hand to slide it around her waist, her fingers remaining around his ones as she tried to get him to commit to his comment about holding her until they were separated by his men.

Reese's smile widened at her laugh. Naturally she would find that amusing; hence why he'd bothered to say as much. "Well, I fully intend to make you desperately want me to bed you every night. I assure you that tonight was only a sampling of my many talents. You'll not know what to do with yourself after a week of sharing my bed."

Yes, Reese fully intended to show Desiree his affections on at least a daily basis. He would admit that his manhood relished the thought of taking a beautiful woman to his bed every night. He would live up to his word. It was once said to him that you could almost get a woman addicted to you, should you care enough to learn about her. Already Reese was learning more about Desiree than he believed she suspected. The difficulty would therefore lie in keeping up with her own learnings.

"I can't imagine why you would be tired," drawled Reese. He too could feel the effects of the day upon them. Not only was he drained from their wonderful love-making session, but he had fought a hard battle, in addition to his normal work aboard ship. He now laced his arms about the woman, pulling her close to him. Her back pressed against him, nearly conforming to his body. His arms drew about her, holding her close, protecting her for a moment. Surely she must have dropped part of her guard to even allow such a position.

Leaning down, he kissed her cheek once more, whispering a goodnight to his sweet, before letting his head reach his pillow. His heavy eyes were yielding, giving over to the tiredness. That he could also feel her steady heartbeat, her warmth, and know that she was his, for at least the night, only made it all the better.

The woman almost instantly drifted to sleep in the warmth of her lover's arms. She simply adored the sensation of being held, especially in that fashion. It made her feel vulnerable and small yet extremely protected. She slept tightly that night, not doing as much as shifting about until the morning came.

Used to waking with the break of dawn, she opened her eyes when the sun was setting up above the skies. The pair of eyelids slowly fluttered, parting open. She yawned lazily and glanced around, confused. She had expected to be in her cabin, yet instead...She glanced down at the arm surrounding her and frowned, realizing that everything that happened the previous night was in fact real.

She sighed softly, stroking the arm around her waist. She felt comfortable with him by her side, almost as though she has known him all her life. Turning around, she pressed her forehead against the man's chest, her hands sliding along her side. She kissed the skin gently, looking up at him. "Wake up, Captain," she whispered, assuming that he was still asleep. Her muscles were fairly sore, giving her the impression of fatigue, yet her mind was wide away already.

She didn't quite look forward to the day of servitude, yet supposed he wouldn't be too hard with her after the following night. Of course he was a fairly cruel man in his own way, so she had nothing but a vague idea of what to expect. "Have you slept well?" She questioned, a grin curling upon her plump lips.

It took Reese somewhat longer to fall asleep. He wanted to hold onto the moment for as long as it would last, for he knew it to be a fleeting one. True, they might and probably would bed one another again. Yet it wouldn't quite be like this. Still, as stated, he gave into his exhaustion, drifting into a heavy, contented sleep.

Reese, too, had grown accustomed to rising with the sun. His natural clock told him to move, to awaken and reenter the world of the living just as that ball of fire crested the horizon. He watched, half-amused, as Desiree adjusted. It had been real. They had actually made love, or at least passionate sex, last night. Both were still as bare as they had been from birth. And their skin could still touch. Indeed, Reese's arm remained around her waist, continuing to hold her close. His eyes closed as he enjoyed the sensation, opening once more as he heard her words.

"It is like wakening unto a dream," he insisted, smiling once more. He moved to kiss her lips softly, again marveling at the tender connection. He then shifted, adjusting to her, almost wishing they could begin anew the more physical side of their relationship. Yet he knew that they would have to resume their charade, and all too soon.

"I slept very well indeed," he agreed. Now he reached to stroke her gently, wishing that he could somehow stretch this moment in time. Do something, anything in order for this to last as long as possible...

Desiree smiled against her captain as he leaned in to kiss her, enjoying the tenderness and warmth between them while it lasted. The morning was fairly hazy up to that point, or so she tried to tell herself. Otherwise, why in the world would her desire and gentleness toward him persist instead of fading away?

“I’m quite pleased to hear that,” she replied sheepishly, her hands sliding around his neck as she slowly made her way up to rest on top of him, her soft breasts pressed against his hard chest, her lips a mere inch away from his. “Well then, Captain…,” she started in her sexy, sensual voice, her hand trailing down his body slowly and her fingertips caressing his shaft.

“It’s time to leave the dream,” she finished with a taunting grin and in a quick movement she was standing up, lazily stretching out. Her back faced him, a long scar stretched across her back showing from underneath her mane.

Quickly looking around, she pulled up her bandages, quickly wrapping them around her breasts to make them quasi inexistent. Wincing from the pain, she sighed, unconsciously brushing her fingers over her neck where his marks were. She then quickly pulled on the rest of her clothes aside the trench coat, arranging them in a manner that disguised her supple forms. Taking a seat on the bed, she looked over him with a grin. “So, Captain, will you feed me?” She wondered, her fingers trailing over his chest lightly.

The woman would do that to him. Desiree just teased him with her body, letting him again recall her soft curves, the sensual beauty barely hidden under a shell of hardness, before she elected to dump him back into reality. It was something akin to being dropped into cool water. Reese's blood had risen into his shaft the moment her fingertips touched, and it had quite a difficulty subsiding as she left him.

"You are quite vexing, captain," said Reese. He sighed, running his fingers through his short hair as he admired her back. The scar, of course, caught his attention. Perhaps he'd ask her how a woman of her skill and reputation earned such markings. they almost looked like what one would expect of a slave. At least they appeared to belong to someone who'd borne up under the lash. Had Desiree suffered such a fate? Was that, perhaps, what had driven such a spirited woman as herself to a life of piracy?

Reese forced such thoughts from his mind, rising to actually aid Desiree in her dressing. He kissed her lightly at the wince, wishing that there was an easier way to deal with such a thing. Perhaps aboard her own ship, she did not have to take such precautions. To do so must be a quite physical reminder of her captivity indeed. A fierce hawk trapped in a gilded cage.

"Feed you? What made you think I would feed my captives? We of the Royal Navy let sea-dogs starve," insisted Reese. He reluctantly moved to his own clothing. Just looking at the tight pants and starched collar made the man wince. Knowing Desiree, she'd endeavor to make the entire day hellish for him. He couldn't reciprocate, more's the pity. He sighed again.

"Food should be coming to us shortly," he said, slipping into his undergarments. "That friend I told you about, the higher officer, he generally likes to bring in my breakfast. Knowing him, he's probably already figured that you'll be eating with me, and he'll have food ready for you."

Mostly dressed, his jacket hanging about him and collar undone, Reese took a seat next to Desiree. "I'm afraid if you had a different meal in mind, you'll be sorely disappointed."

A knock sounded at the door, and the familiar smells of breakfast began to leak in. both were accompanied by a sharp rasp of "Breakfast for you, Captain."

Sighing, Reese looked to Desiree, making certain she was ready before going to unlock the door to his captain and let reality inside.

Desiree laughed at his comment, shaking her head. “Oh, by no means. I am truly hungry, Captain,” she cooed, studying the door with the air of a tiger ready to pounce on its prey. She was hungry – devastatingly so. While the lifestyle taught her to endure such things, the close to complete absence of fat on her body didn’t do much to help the poor woman out. The previous day she made the mistake of not getting breakfast, and before she knew it she fought the Navy men, ended up in the arms of one and went on without food for about thirty six hours.

She laughed softly as she thought about it. She likely seemed silly, yet the thought was genuinely amusing to her. ‘Always eat your breakfast, Desiree,’ her mother had always said, informing her about things she heard from doctors around the world. The mother had been quite odd, back when Desiree still knew her. At that point, she had no idea where her parents were. Either way, the mother told her that good nutrition kept her father well at sea. It was quite ironic; perhaps the lack of a healthy breakfast truly was the source of her defeat.

Finally, the man came and Desiree stood up, staring at the door with an indifferent air, the darkness and vehemence in her eyes appropriate to those of a cold blooded killer. It was that cruelty printed all over her expression that led men to forget about the fact that Desiree was a woman – or not notice it. Their society didn’t think that a woman could have such murderous intent on her pretty face. She remained silent through the affair, not quite eager to get compromised, waiting for the male to leave.

Reese chuckled along with Desiree's mirth, still pleased that she retained her good humor. If he had known about her lack of food, he would most likely have fed her even before bedding her. He moved quickly enough now, as his own stomach burbled at him, demanding to be filled with whatever the ship's cook had come up with today.

The door opened, and Reese faced the officer. A man of equal age wearing a uniform almost identical to Reese's own stood, holding what looked to be a small covered tray of food. He easily strolled into the room, pausing once he'd come halfway in.

Unlike the captain, this man was almost... pretty. There was a bit of a feminine cast to his face, and his eyes seemed almost light. They flitted about the room, studying it as if he'd never seen it before. When they at last came to rest on the pirate girl, they stared for several seconds. Then the man smiled slyly, moving to set the tray down on the table.

"Your food, captain. I'm sure that you and your... man will require a good deal of sustenance after such a difficult day. I will tell the men to begin readying things for your inspection, captain," the man nodded toward Reese, before glancing over at Desiree once more, "and I'm to assume that I shall be issuing order to our prisoner? I think I might have some clothing to fit him..."

Indeed, the slight young man's form would work well for dressing a female. Again he smiled, before hurrying over to the door. He paused once reaching it, saying, "You might want to open a window, Reese. It stinks like a whore house in here," before leaving.

Reese licked his lips, moving to open the window. He really should have thought of that before letting someone else come in here. At least the other man wasn't likely to talk. And they hadn't given away the worst of Desiree's secrets either. Soon enough the smell of breakfast would replace the odor of sex, and all would be well.

"Feel free to eat first," offered Reese, waving toward the tray. His whirring mind needed tending to before he could focus on his body.

Desiree completely ignored the person’s words, cocking her eyebrows as she studied the young man. Her expression grew darker by the second – friend or not, a subordinate was not meant to speak to their superior in such a fashion. Disrespect eventually led to havoc and chaos, and at times even mutiny. Her men never dared to do such a thing, especially in the presence of a prisoner.

“Your man’s attitude undermines your authority,” she spoke dryly as the man left, thinking. That pretty face was not something she quite liked. Truth to be told, she hated it. While Reese was by no means her property despite the marks, she was extremely territorial. She didn’t want anyone to touch him if it wasn’t her, and she was aware of things that sometimes went on in the open sea.

“Why does he call you by your first name?” She pursued, seeming almost nervous for a few moments. “Why was he staring? And he was a man, wasn’t he?” She crossed her arms under her chest studying him in silence for a few moments, trying not to look annoyed. She turned her attention to the breakfast as a distraction.

She walked up to the tray, picking up some of the food on it to satisfy her hunger. She quickly ate, graceful yet quick. It didn’t take her long to fill her stomach, the woman taking a seat on the bed once she was done. She stretched out slightly, a lazy expression on her face. All the blood rushed to her stomach, making her feel tired and warm.

"It's said that the Caesars had a man standing behind them every step of the way, telling them that they are human. Westley serves that position for me," explained Reese. He waved at the door, indicating the man who'd just retreated. He'd turned from thinking to the food, realizing that his body was certainly ready to eat, even if his mind was still in turmoil. Perhaps he could nibble on something while he contemplated.

"As for his using my first name, he's a friend of mine. We trained together and have been fighting together for years. And yes, he is a man, though a rather pretty one," Reese finished by arching a brow. Could Desiree be... jealous? They'd only had one night together, and they both knew that somewhere in the future they'd be forced to part ways. While Reese had to admit to wanting to possess the girl to himself, he was rather taken aback to seeing such feelings on her. She'd been the one being rather sensible and grounded about the whole relationship.

"You seem oddly anxious," commented Reese. Now he moved over to her, taking a little of the food. You had to eat when you could aboard a vessel, as they'd both certainly learned yesterday. He still focused his eyes upon her as she moved, watching carefully. Had she indeed spoken out of a possessive leaning? It pleased Reese to think as much, even as it niggled at his mind to know the true answer behind it all. This woman seemed to like being a mystery wrapped in an enigma.

The time it took her captain to answer was beyond sufficient for Desiree to inwardly tear herself to shreds. What in the world was she thinking? Jealousy was a sort reserved for the pitiful, not for people who respected themselves, especially ones like her. She has never felt that way prior to it, what was it about that man? She glared at him, shaking her head. He had no right to make her feel that way. She sighed, taking another piece of food, slowly eating it in silence.

“I see,” she replied, trying to chase away the awkward feelings. She stood up, walking around the room slowly, her gaze occasionally trailing toward the windows. The sight of the sea reminded her about where she was, and the hatred she was supposed to feel toward him, instead of the odd sense of infatuation, if that was what she felt.

“Why would I be anxious?” She smiled pleasantly, her usual collected appearance returning. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing the reason for the way she acted. He expected her to die in a few weeks; their relationship had a very clear expiration date printed upon it before it even started. “You are no Caesar, Captain, things are different in the sea. You must have recently assumed your position,” she spoke with a mocking, taunting grin, cocking her eyebrows. Hurting him was the only way for her to displace the anger she felt toward herself.

“I dislike being unoccupied, what are my tasks?” She questioned, decided to conserve her pride even as she worked for those dogs.

For a while, Reese ate in silence, his eyes simply wandering the room. There was something there, and for once Desiree was doing a poor job of hiding it. Best not to point it out to her, lest she shy away from it. Far better to simply note the reactions for now, remember that she actually did have feelings, and put such information away for later use. For now, he had food to consume and a ship to start running.

"I have recently assumed my position," he admitted. His eyes flicked to her now. How long had she been captaining? To have her ship finally taken by someone with as relatively little experience as he. Come to think of it, he didn't even know how old Desiree truly was. By her build and her body she had to be within a few years of his own. Another tidbit of information that Reese would have to store away for a later date. Perhaps it wasn't the best of ideas for him to be sharing his own skill though, as there was still a chance that Desiree could escape. He had to remember that she was still a pirate; he still a naval captain. Their love-making wouldn't completely stop their game playing.

"Your tasks?" repeated Reese. He raised a brow, waiting a few moments before continuing. "As you are my personal," pause, "man, I believe it would be best for you to spend the day working exclusively me for me. Perhaps tomorrow I shall assign you to Westley. But, yes, for today I believe you shall aid me in my tasks as captain."

He rose, moving over to the desk. He brushed aside some leavings from his own time spent there, and waved her over. Again, he thought, this would be an excellent time for the pirate captain to gain valuable information. But he still had little intention of actually letting her use it. Besides, it would be foolish not to utilize a resource while he had it.

"I need to continue plotting our course. Seeing as you should be well aware of your own travels, you should be able to handle something like this without a problem. There's various paperwork and ledger business to take care of . I suppose I should ask this before I continue: are you as educated as you seem? Or are you merely wickedly intelligent?"

Desiree paced around for a brief while, silent. She came to a halt at a chair, taking a seat as far from the man as possible. Her eagerness to be next to Reese faded, replaced by a desire to stay as far from his as she could. Letting out a soft sigh, she shut her eyes for a moment. In a matter of instants the worry and anxiety in her face faded away, replaced by her usual poker face – completely unreadable, her eyes devoid of all emotions, other than the faint fire that always burned in them.

Hearing his remark, she laughed softly, bitterness filling her tone. She lost to a man with no experience as a captain, she who ruled for many years and was a natural born killer – something she discovered around the time she turned twelve, the year she took her first life. After she turned twelve, her life was that of piracy, progressing from the Captain’s favorite sailor to a Captain. A damned good one, at that. She has had the time to study under the wing of her second father figure, learning many things to be able to serve her crew on missions ranging from pretending to be a lady to impersonating a scientist’s assistant in the foreign countries with a different mindset toward women.

She turned her head back to the Captain, nodding. “As you wish,” she simply replied, thinking. She needed paper, a walk outside and perhaps a map, although the latter was merely an accessory. Whether Reese suspected it or not, an elaborate plan of action was formed in her mind, all she needed now was a time at which to put it into place, his heart and confidence and, finally, some work on the minor details. His legal proceedings, despite what he could think, would change little in her course of action. She didn’t need paper; she needed to know how the crew worked. The plotting was the only thing he offered to her that would be of use.

“Make a wild guess, Captain,” she replied with a bemused smile at his comment about her intelligence. She studied the table in front of her, sighing. She hated paperwork. “Yet would you really trust me?” She questioned, cocking her eyebrows.

Yes, there was the bitterness that Reese had expected. It nearly caused him to sigh and rub at his face, though he did manage to resist the urges to do both. This woman was certainly a wild one, and proud as well. Yet more details that he'd have to keep reminding himself to remember. She just kept making him realize how very much on alert he needed to be around her. Just knowing that made him respect her all the more, and like her all the more for it too.

"Not the most thrilling of work, I'm sure. but it will force you to stay out of the sight of the crew for most of the day, which is what we're hoping for. The only one who would take even a passing interest in all this is Westley, well, maybe Willows. But both avoid indoor work like the plague," he chuckled. At least that was one more thing they didn't have to worry about. He couldn't keep her locked up in here forever, of course. Not least of all because she would kill him for it. But at least it would do for the short term.

"If I had to guess, I'd wager that at some point, you were a woman of some means. It would be interesting to hear of how such a beautiful, learned girl as yourself wound up in a life of crime, but I doubt you feel like sharing," said Reese. He gave her a wolfish grin. "As for trusting you, of course I don't. I'm smitten; I'm not a fool. But if you don't do this, I can always hand you over to the crew. They'd love to watch you back your back in the hot sun doing physical labor. So, it's either actually do my ledgers correctly or scrub the decks for the day."

Reese shrugged, moving over to lean against the desk and watch her. There might have been just a hint of challenge in his tone to. A little 'you're mine to do with as I will.' Indeed, part of Reese wanted to make clear once more just who was the captive and who the captor... even as he marveled at her spirit and beauty.

Desiree smirked at the comment about Westley and Willows. That was one thing the three had in common. Despite her love for books, maps and so forth Desiree loathed writing down reports with all her might. Nevertheless, after each raid her and the ship’s appointed treasurer would count the results and write them down, creating book and books of merchandise and gold. The amount of raids exceeded anything the Navy could imagine – she didn’t limit herself to operating in Europe. Each time she felt she had enough in one continent she ventured to another, instead of merely disappeared as some thought.

It was quite amusing when she returned – the people, used to peace, let their guard down and all of a sudden another raid took place. She loved the looks on their faces when they discovered that she was still very much alive. “Mhm…,” she nodded slowly, thinking. She made so many mistakes that she was giving herself an internal lynching. Letting him know that she was smart was a wrong move. Emotions, emotions, emotions. For some reason, she felt like she needed to play fair with him, to make him like her the way she truly was and defeat him with him fully aware of her intelligence.

Suddenly, he mentioned her past, causing the supple form to grow rigid, murder written all over her large eyes. She looked at him slowly, her expression deadly serious until she laughed softly. “You’re right yet again, Captain,” she simply said, not about to discuss the past she chose to forget about with him of all people.

“Oh, the threats,” she smiled at his words, standing up. His attempts to show her that he owned her were driving her crazy with rage – it reminded her of her past, touching her a lot more than he could have imagined despite the fact that she didn’t show it. “I can work outside with your crew, although that would imply quite the lonely night for you,” she shrugged. “I am only human,” she teased, tilting her head. She glanced outside, longing for the sun against her skin. She felt like she was about to die like a flower left in the darkness. “I can clean the deck, it won’t make me less of a captain,” she stated, tapping her fingers against her hip. It would also let her determine where exactly they were.

yet more mental notes tabulated. Don't bother threatening her, because it simply wasn't going to work. Don't talk about her past, because it was going to make her grow angry enough to forget anything. It might help him in the longer run to let her emotions run wild, to play them for her benefit, but Reese didn't quite want to play dirty here. They had enough troubles without one or the other of them taking unnecessary digs.

He sighed, rubbing at his face. "you really are determined to make this difficult, aren't you? If you must know, I'm worried about them finding out about you," he confessed. "The more time I have to prep someone to make certain that doesn't happen, the better I'll feel. It's wholly tempting to lock you away in this room for the entire voyage. If I didn't think I'd wake up with my own sword pressing against my neck, I probably would.'

He paused. Now she'd made him be entirely too honest for his own good. Why did they have that effect on one another? It was foolish of both of them. Yes, they were lovers, but they were also rivals. There was a chance that they might be on opposite ends of a blade one day. What pained Reese most was that he'd have to admit that he'd rather throw himself upon the offered blade than fight back... yet he'd do it all the same. Such confusion.

"Something tells me that I could burn your ship to cinders, kill all your crew, strip you naked, tied you to the mast for my men to toy with, and you'd still be a captain," he drawled, meeting her gaze. "So, shall we just agree to dispense with the veiled threats and ego measuring? I'd rather keep this as civil as possible.

The young woman smiled at his comment, nodding. “You are right yet again, it’s turning into a pattern,” she cooed about his comment regarding the sword. Despite the amusement in her features, she was taken aback by the honestly. “If it wasn’t difficult, where would be the fun?” She wondered, brushing her tongue across her lips. She loved games too much, it would one day get her killed. She just hoped it wasn’t any time soon.

Sighing, she walked up to him, pausing inches from the Captain. She was already missing his touch, the warmth of his body and the sweet taste of his lips. They were an addiction to her, almost more than the sight of blood and gold. Her fingers trailed over his chest slowly, her eyes fixated on his. Her expression remained relax, a light smile playing on her lips.

She shrugged at his comment. “You could try,” she murmured, thinking about how it would look. She chuckled suddenly, realizing that his words implied that her ship was still afloat. Oh, how great that was…If only she could find out where the ship was. She bit on the inside of her cheek, trying to come up with a way to hoax him into giving that piece of info away. “You are an intelligent man, Captain. I would bet anything that one day your name will enter history,” she whispered, her eyes trailing over his face to pause on his lips before making their target upward again.

“I believe that we are keeping it quite civil. I can be a lot nastier, and I am certain so could you,” she pointed out, tilting her head slightly, her warm breath breaking against his lips. Her eyes half closed, her pupils pointed toward his mouth as she leaned in, almost kissing him. “So what exactly do you want me to do?” She grinned and stepped back, turning away from him to stretch out and pull off her hat since nobody seemed to be around other than him.

She had a point. The difficulty in their relationship added spice. It made things all the more interesting between them. Mayhaps he wouldn't even be as attracted to Desiree if there wasn't that touch of forbidden in their coupling. It was said that such secrecy added spice to a relationship. Of course, that was assuming they actually had a relationship and weren't simply using one another to slake physical lusts.

Her touch nearly made Reese jump. It certainly send his veins aflame once more. Unfair that she could manage such a reaction with the briefest of physical interactions. Reese couldn't let her know that, else she would doubtless use it against him. Which meant, of course, more subterfuge.

"now you flatter me," he replied, smiling, "for we both know that it is far more likely to be your name in the books. Captain Desiree D'Aether, famous female corsair. Sinker of a thousand ships. Terror of the Carribbean. And those are just the names I can call you in mixed company."

There was laughter in his tone as he said it. He himself had called her several unsavory things before actually meeting her. Naval men had a tendency toward... not liking pirates and piracy. Call it a professional rivalry.

"Hmm, I'm not certain that I wouldn't prefer to see how you would behave if you were nastier. Yes, that even seems to match up with what I actually want you to do," admitted Reese. She'd almost kissed him, and was now flouncing about the room. Next she'd be stripping down and staring him in the eyes with her own sultry gaze. That smoldering look would melt him upon the very floor. Reese had to cough and shift, struggling to put such thoughts from his mind. Unfortunately, his uniform did not lend itself to secrecy when it came to personal arousal.

"We really must tend to our duties," he attempted, managing to sound only a little strangled.

[ Hey! I'm SO sorry for disappearing. I was moving, and it entailed a disconnected internet for a while. I really hope you still want to continue the RP! <3 ]


The woman studied him, trying to figure out what the man was thinking. She noticed the subtle tension in his muscles whenever she touched him, and it didn’t take a genius to understand the effect she had upon him. It flattered her on one hand, yet kept her drawn to him on another. It was quite odd – she was used to hopping from one conquest to another, be it at sea or in hearts or bodies, yet despite the knowledge that he wanted her, she refused to move on. It must be the fact that he’s the only free man on board who doesn’t want to kill you, she told herself.

“Well, you and those who swim with the sharks, along with the few men about to die are the only ones to know my name, or my gender,” she shrugged with a bright grin. She knew of their rivalry, and the faint realization that she was bedding a Navy dog was making her sick to the bone. “Though once the world knows about it, it is a fact that I will be remembered,” she nodded proudly.

His following remark made her laugh. “Oh, darling. That is the only reason I am so sweet,” she murmured playfully, her gaze meanwhile trailing over all the papers. She needed to find something useful, a backup plan if her old one didn’t work. “Besides, if I were nasty, you’d be quite severely injured,” she stated, noting the strangled tone with a chuckle. If he thought that his ability to remain calm would prevent her from teasing him, he was as far from the bull’s eye as he could have been.

Her fingers subtly slid to her shirt – a gesture unseen from his angle, quickly undoing the top button of her shirt, to show off the swelling of her cleavage above the bandages. Turning on the chair, she leaned against her arms, the little of her breasts remaining uncovered showing. “Yes, of course. I have not the slightest idea how your ship works though,” she stated innocently, the large eyes meeting his. “Shouldn’t you provide me with an explanation of my duties, hm?”