by Sophie Stern
Julianne did not need to be noticed, no matter how uncomfortable she was.
The rest of the room was unimpressive and dull. In addition to supplies, Wade stored many of his treasures and favorite items here. Anything he wanted to keep and hold onto, but didn’t quite have room for in his chambers ended up here. There were other places for cargo on the ship, but this was the captain’s private bounty room. It was small, but carefully kept.
There were many unusual artifacts and treasures here, but nothing delighted Julianne quite as much as a small gold owl that rested on top of a small table. She spent some time each day touching it and holding it, wondering who had owned the owl before Wade plundered it. Maybe a princess, she dreamed, or a fair maiden from a faraway land. Someone had given that owl to one lucky girl as a gift, Julianne knew, long ago. How wonderful must it be to be loved so deeply that someone gave you gifts just because they wanted to?
At night, Julianne slept on a soft blanket on the hard wooden floor. Though it was nothing like her bed at home, it gave her plenty of time to be thankful for all the pleasures she had enjoyed during her short life. And while Nelson couldn’t get away from his duties often to spend a lot of time with her, he managed to come by every day to bring her some food and water. When he brought her meal – and it was usually only one per day – would vary. Nelson had to be careful when he sneaked around. If he raised suspicion, he risked Julianne’s discovery, and no one wanted to be the lone woman on a ship.
By far the most interesting aspect of life as a stowaway, for Julianne, had been the many times that crew members sneaked down into the hold for some quick fun. Anytime the ship stopped at a port, women were inevitably brought on board to be entertainment for the crew. While most of the men brought their women to the crew’s quarters, some wanted more privacy, and would sneak into this store room to play.
Julianne always tried to remain quiet from her hiding spot, but it was hard when she was so desperate to see exactly what was happening. She had been intimate with a man before, long ago, but never with Vince. She wouldn’t. He had tried and she had refused, claiming she wanted to be pure for the wedding.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Now, being witness to so many indiscretions, Julianne found it almost impossible to keep herself hidden away. Maybe she was wrong in hiding from all the men on the ship. While some of them were crass and unpleasant to look at, some of them weren’t. Some of them were handsome and rugged. Some of them were strong and stunning.
During the days when the sailors brought their whores into the storage room to fuck and play, Julianne would silently touch herself behind the trunks, hidden away. She wondered why she herself didn’t wander onto one of these shores and begin a life of prostitution herself.
Judging from the moans and screams of everyone involved, it seemed like a quite wonderful line of work.
It seemed like something that made everyone happy.
2
When the ship stopped at port, Nelson kept good on his promise to bring Julianne ashore. After the rest of the crew had left The Dark Lovely, he grabbed his sister and dragged her through the tiny ship. Julianne did her best to be quiet as they made their way down the narrow hallways and up the tiny staircases.
Once, they were almost caught by the cook, but Nelson pushed Julianne quickly against the wall and pressed his body against her. He ducked his head near her neck so that anyone walking by would think they were involved.
“Sorry,” he murmured against her, but Julianne was just glad that Nelson was keeping her safe.
He always kept her safe.
Though they had very different upbringings, the twins had always been close. While Julianne had to spend her days learning how to cook and please a man, Nelson had gone to school each day until he was old enough to quit, which, to their parents utter dismay, he promptly did.
Both of their parents were quite disappointed in how their children had turned out: as dreamers. Neither one of them had any desire to stay in Gunthry, which is the plan William and Margaret Rye had laid out for their children.
Now, trying to escape from this pirate’s lair long enough to get some fresh air and some fresh food, Julianne felt crazy. Maybe it was selfish to want off the ship, but she wanted to see the world. She wanted to see the port. Most of all, she wanted to see the whores.
Maybe she could join them.
She would never tell Nelson, never admit to her sinful desires, but she wanted something more than just being hidden away. Neither one of them had talked about what would happen when Wade stopped chasing whatever secret he was pursuing, but Julianne knew a pirate could not last forever. Most lived short, passionate lives that ended in gruesome deaths.
She had no intention of becoming a captive.
No, if Julianne was going to serve a man, it would be because she wanted to. It would be because she desired to. It wouldn’t be because one had taken her.
She was not a toy to be kept.
“Come along,” Nelson gripped her hand and yanked her across the main deck. Though it was early in the morning, the sun was already rising and she hadn’t seen such brightness in weeks. She squinted as he tugged her across the deck, urging her to be silent and stay close. She knew Nelson was taking a risk in letting her free, but she had to get off the boat, even for a little while. She had been locked away for so long she almost forgot was freedom felt like, but as they stepped off the ship and onto dry land, Julianne remembered how wonderful walking on the solid ground really was.
**
Wade leaned against an old palm tree and smoked. It had been too long since he’d had a good pipe and a good fuck. He was working on the first now and would soon be buried hilt-deep in one of the beautiful women that Port Darnial had to offer, satisfying his second desire. Oh, he would take care of business first, but if he finished talking with the innkeeper quickly enough, the old man would certainly give Wade some time with one of his fair ladies.
After all, it was just good business.
Being a captain was a lot of work: a lot more work than most people imagined. Not only did he have to find and hire the best crew he could afford, but he had to keep them in line. He had to keep them fed and clothed. He had to keep them healthy during lengthy excursions. Most of all, he had to keep them happy enough that they wouldn’t mutiny, but disgruntled enough they wouldn’t grow lazy.
It was a tedious balance: one Wade was growing weary of.
Not that he could let his crew know any of that. Should they sense that he was becoming tired, or worn out, or bored of his sea days, they would be quick to take his ship and his reputation that he had worked so hard to procure.
No, what Wade needed was a distraction, one that came in the form of a slender waist and long brown hair, one that was walking close to Nelson Rye as the boy left the ship.
“Oi,” Wade called out to Nelson as the boy tried to sneak away from The Dark Lovely undetected.
Nelson immediately turned toward Wade’s voice, then blushed fervently. Was the boy ashamed to be caught with a woman? Wade stifled a chuckle. Nelson was many things. Naïve was one of them. Though the boy had only been sailing with him for a short year, Nelson had become more and more comfortable with the life of the old sea dogs, but he was still rarely seen with women, much to the amusement of the other sailors.
Now, here he was, caught red-handed with a beautiful woman. Wade couldn’t miss the opportunity to tease him a little.
“Having fun, mate?” Wade quipped. Nelson, blushing, looked fervently from side to side, as if trying to find a place to hide. Seeing none, he sighed and gripped the hand of the lady with him. Then Nelson made his way over to Wade.
“Good day, Cap’n.” Nelson said quietly.
“A good day indeed,” Wade said, puffing on his pipe. “Enjoying some quality time with your lady friend, I take it?”
Nelson nodded.
“Well, get her back to the brothel in one piece, lad. Can’t have you getting in any
fights before we leave.”
Nelson nodded again, saying nothing.
“I’m sure he’ll get me back safely,” the woman spoke up, surprising Wade. Rarely did he hear the whores at Darnial say anything, much less anything so polite. “Nelson has been nothing but a gentleman.”
Wade met her eyes and stopped smoking for just a moment. She knew his name? Strange that Nelson would freely give that information to a whore, then again, Nelson was young and reckless. The girl was beautiful, Wade would readily admit. He could see what the young sailor saw in her. Her long hair fell over her shoulders in waves. Though she looked dirty and unwashed, there was a sort of raw beauty beneath the dirt and sweat. With a good bath and a good dress, Wade imagined she was quite the beauty.
Before he could continue oogling, however, Nelson gripped her hand and pulled her away, leading her down the narrow path to the town of Darnial.
As he disappeared around the corner, Wade felt a quick sense of unease as he wondered how Nelson had managed to sneak past him and pick up female companionship, then leave the ship again so quickly.
Wade must be losing his touch, he realized with a soft laugh, if Nelson was already about to start in on his second woman of the day.
3
“What was the meaning of that?” Nelson hissed once they were out of ear shot. Julianne rolled her eyes. She wasn’t one to listen to her brother’s complaints. In her opinion, he was possessive and kept her under wraps far too much. Yes, she was a stowaway, but so what? Did that mean she didn’t get to have any fun?
“He’s handsome,” Julianne said, shrugging. “Besides, wouldn’t it have seemed stranger if I hadn’t said anything at all?”
“No!” Nelson told her. “The girls here don’t speak to men who haven’t paid them.”
“How do you know?”
Now it was Nelson’s turn to fall quiet.
“I just do,” he muttered.
“Oh, that’s how it is, then.” Somehow, Julianne suspected that her brother was neither as pure nor as innocent as he would have others believe. She didn’t mind. He was her brother and she loved him no matter what his pleasures might be. It wasn’t as if she herself didn’t have dark desires, ones she would not readily admit to.
“Listen,” he said, pulling her out of the pathway and into the darkness of an alley. “I’m going to go buy some food and, uh, get some other things. Here.” He pushed several coins into her hand. “Do whatever you want. Meet me here at nightfall so we can get back on board before the other men come back.”
Julianne nodded and watched Nelson scurry away. She wondered if he was going to find himself some pleasurable company before the duo returned to the ship. She hoped she wouldn’t run into him. She hadn’t been able to really stretch her legs and move around in weeks. This might be her only chance for a very long time to actually be around other people, and she didn’t feel like wasting it with her brother.
Not that she didn’t appreciate him, of course, but Julianne was a grown woman who had certain needs. And her current need was to be filled, both in belly and in body, and to figure out if living in a port was a life she should consider. Without Vince to force her into marriage, she could do anything, she realized. She didn’t have many skills, other than housekeeping, of course. Still, how difficult could it be to learn how to please a man? Perhaps that type of position would be its own reward.
Once Nelson was out of sight, Julianne scurried back onto the path, turning in the opposite direction. Though it might seem strange to some, she was tired of feeling like a walking pile of filth, so after she bought a quick meal at one of the inns, she found the nearest bathhouse and handed over her money. The keeper led her to the shared bathing area and handed her a clean towel. Julianne thanked the woman and, as soon as she was gone, stripped down and stepped into the warm water.
The bathhouse had several large rooms, each with a round pool in the center. The pool in this room was at least 10 feet in diameter: large enough for a group of bathers, though Julianne had the space to herself. At the front of the pool were stone steps leading into the water, but there was also an underwater bench around the exterior wall of the pool. This enabled bathers to move to the center of the pool for deeper water or to sit idly around the outside, relaxing against the stone walls.
She let out a soft moan as she sunk into the bath. Darnial was known for its hot springs and loose women, both of which made Julianne feel right at home. She wondered, as she soaked in the water, whether she should tell Nelson that she wanted to stay here or someplace like it.
Maybe not today, but sometime.
She was far away from Vince and her parents. She was far away from anyone who had ever known her. Most of all, she was finally in a place where she could be and do whatever she wanted.
What would she do?
Julianne knew that she liked sex and freedom and exploring. Now she had seen more of the world than she ever had living in Gunthry, but what next? She leaned her head against the side of the bathing area and closed her eyes. The open bathing area was more like a pool. She had never seen anything like it and wondered if she was actually supposed to be completely nude in the water, but something told her no one would complain.
What would it be like to be with someone from Darnial? Julianne began to daydream as she soaked. The dirt and sweat washed away and with it came a fresh awareness of her body. Her nipples peaked beneath the warm water and she felt her entire body become warm and heated. It wasn’t just from the springs, she knew.
There were rumors back in Gunthry that the women of Darnial were freer than women anywhere else in the world. Sometimes they were with a man whose name they didn’t even know. Sometimes they were with two. Sometimes, Julianne had heard, they were only with other women.
What would that be like?
She closed her eyes as she thought about it and her hands began to wander.
As Julianne touched herself, she felt her body respond to her own touch. She didn’t masturbate nearly enough on the ship. Though she was fairly certain she wouldn’t get caught, she was nervous about the idea of someone – especially her brother – walking in on her in the midst of orgasm, so she tried to keep herself under control.
Most of the time, she failed.
Now that she was alone, however, Julianne felt free to let her hands roam across her body in the warm, bubbly waters. She cupped her breasts and pinched her nipples. The tiny shot of pain went straight between her legs and she felt herself growing even wetter than she already was. Her hands went up to her and played with her locks, then back down to every part of her body, finally settling between her legs.
“Enjoying yourself?” A familiar voice sounded from behind Julianne. She turned around with a start and her mouth dropped when she saw the captain of The Dark Lovely standing next to the large bathing area. He was completely nude and had a smirk on his face. She knew that he had been watching her, though she wasn’t sure for how long. Despite the water, Julianne felt her body growing hot and wet in response to seeing him.
“Quite a bit, yes,” she managed to squeak out. It had been a long time since she’d seen a naked man, and she’d never seen one who looked quite as manly without his clothes on as the captain did. His cock was large and surrounded by thick curls. A splash of dark hair filled his muscular chest. His shoulders were broad and quietly begging to wrap around her body.
The man walked to the other side of the bathing pool and stepped in, visibly relaxing when the warm water began to cover him. He sat on one of the small underwater seats a few feet from Julianne. The water was warm and bubbly, and though it came up to his chest, she could still see his cock beneath the water.
She knew that he could see her, too.
“You’re the Saucy Devil,” she said.
“I am,” the man seemed neither surprised nor upset that she recognized him by name.
“Did you follow me?” She asked quietly, curious. Though Darnial was a bustling city, it wasn’t very big. She wasn
’t sure how many other bathing houses there were or what the odds were that Wade should find himself in the same one as Julianne.
“Perhaps,” his eyes twinkled as he looked at her. “Would you mind if I did?”
Julianne shrugged and looked away, biting her lower lip. The two of them were alone for now, but another patron could join them at any time. What were the rules for bathing? Could she scoot closer to him without seeming too forward? Then she wondered, for just a second, why she was worried about what other people would think.
No one knew her here.
Even Wade didn’t know her.
She scooted closer.
He looked pleased.
**
Wade leaned back against the side of the bathing pool, relaxing into the water. His eyes never left the woman in the water. She was the most beautiful creature he’d seen in a long time: possibly ever. Though he knew she was a whore – he had seen Nelson with her just hours earlier – he couldn’t help but think she was the strangest whore he’d ever seen.
Something about her seemed shy, almost innocent.
Something about her seemed timid.
When she scooted a little closer to him, his cock instantly grew harder. He wasn’t sure if she was on the job and working him or if she actually found him attractive, but he had only a short bit of time before he had to return to his ship and his crew.
Wade wanted to make the most of it.
“How much?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.
A look of confusion crossed her face for just a second, then the woman got her bearings.
“No,” she said. “I’m not working right now.”
“Apologies,” Wade mumbled, looking away, embarrassed. He had misread the situation.
