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333creolelady · 4 months

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Lady Of The Blue Bakunawa Chp. 2

Afab! Black OC X Roman Reigns (pirate au)

Warnings: mentions of past discrimination, talks about body image.

Note: We’re still easing into things as our characters are only just getting to know one another. Things will pick up a bit more in chapter 3.

Story playlist link here <-

Alternative Playlist Here <-

Next -> chapter 3

<- Back to Masterlist

Songs this chapter : opus 36, opus 23, End title.

Alternative songs this chapter: King of Sorrow, No surprises.

Dove

“ Breakfast!”

The girl jumps from her sleep and steps out of her bed. It takes but a moment for her to remember the last few days.

“ It’s Caden M’lady”, the boy calls from behind the door.

The girl opens it and he comes in to set the breakfast down at the vanity. Her food was accompanied with water and hot coffee with sugar.

The girl shakes her head. Caden wondered why she hadn’t spoken to him yet. He wondered if she couldn’t speak or maybe something else was going on. He didn’t want to ask.

“ We eat breakfast in the mess hall and some of us eat out on deck. We eat three times a day. I’m usually on the top deck so feel free to join us ”. Caden walks to the door, stopping just at the threshold. He decided it better to leave the invitation open in case she changed her mind. He had a feeling she wouldn’t come but he didn’t want her to feel left out. “ By the way. The physician has you on 3 meals and 3 snacks a day. Says’ you need to get your strength up. If you want something you can write it down if you don’t feel comfortable talking”, Caden pulled a pin and paper from his pocket and sat it on her bed. The girl eyed it. She acknowledged him with a nod, trying her best not to be rude. He left quietly, leaving her to indulge in her food. And indulge she did.

Truthfully she felt a bit guilty eating the full hearty helping that Caden made for her. Living in Britain meant conforming to every standard the best way that she could. She didn’t have the exact same body shape of the women around her. Where she came from the women had hips and breasts—and even the ones without it were never shaped like the women in Britain. Women in the Caribbean simply carried their weight differently than European women. There wasn’t one singular look where she came from. She’d come to realize that a girl who looked like her had to make herself as small as possible by eating less, wearing constricting clothing, or adding more layers. A dress too tight and she could be accused of purposeful seduction by the wrong man. She had to take up the least amount of space possible. She bound her breast, concealed her hips and did whatever possible not to draw attention to her hair. She’d wrap it, or pull it into a bun. Wearing her hair down afforded her too many looks from curious men and glares from their wives. It was dangerous to be seen. All attention was bad attention. Yet she was weak and starving—starving enough to be put onto a meal plan. The thought alone made her reconsider if she should feel bad for nourishing herself.

Her meal filled her up just enough. The only problem was that she had nothing to do. She explored her room, looking out of the small window. The ocean was so blue here. She wondered if they were still in England and just how far away she drifted from the wreckage. Her room was quite plain so she started searching drawers. Inside she found two books. Moby dick and A modest proposal. She knew she probably shouldn’t even have shown interest in the book. Women weren’t allowed to read but her grandfather taught her in secret as a child.

Before she knew it, she was lost in moby dick. Caden had come back to find out what she wanted for lunch and saw her holding the book. She quickly threw it on the floor and sat up straighter on the bed. Caden eyed her warily.

“ You know I’m not going to arrest you for reading. We’re pirates—we’re the last people to judge”, Caden chuckled.

She wrote down what she wanted and Caden brought it to her. Apples, grapes and assortments of berries were her absolute favorites. She assumed fruit was likely limited due to their current location so she saw the meal as a real treat. Seeded breads and cheese were even better. She hadn’t eaten so plentiful in a very long while. Caden brought her more books when she wanted a break from moby dick. On the third day of her stuffing herself and reading, Caden noticed she was almost done with the three extra books he brought her.

“ You know…. We have a library. It’s small but it’s got a lot of books ”, He suggests hesitantly. The girl popped her head up in interest at that. She’d never heard of a pirate ship having a library. Maybe all the years Roman spent in his prison palace made him high maintenance.

“ The black jewel is the second largest pirate vessel on these waters. We’ve been afforded a lot more privileges since we have more space. Most of us aren’t really readers but Roman is. The doctor also keeps his medical books there. I can take you to it during dinner if you like M’lady ?”, he asks hopefully. He was really curious about this girl. He figured if he showed her more books it would push her to speak.

She nodded enthusiastically. She didn’t have the chance to read often. Most of the books in her old home were from her grandfather and uncles. Pretending she couldn’t read wasn’t really hard because most people assumed she couldn’t. Women of her status and color were told what they were supposed to do anyway.

Before dinner she freshened up and changed into another set of hand me downs. Caden came for her and showed her around. There were four levels on the black jewel. The bottom level held storage, water, supplies, ice boxes, cannon, and other miscellaneous storages. The third level held the kitchen and dining hall. The second level was the crew’s sleeping quarters. The weather deck held the captain quarters, the infirmary and the library.

When she left the crew’s quarters on the second level of the ship, she realized she was in a private room. Most of the crew had bunkbeds or hammocks with privacy curtains if needed. She must have been staying in the quarters of an officer. Many of the men whispered amongst themselves, eyeing her curiously. None of them approached her and Caden seemed to notice the way she grasped his arm tightly as he led her through the ship. Although the lower levels of the ship were narrow and cramped, it was a cleaner than she imagined. She’d heard of stories of pirates as a girl. Stinky, smelly, forceful with barely any teeth. Some of the men fit the description in some ways but most were mostly just shaggy, sun kissed, hard looking men. The ship didn’t smell like fresh roses but it wasn’t the worst she smelled. The top deck was freshly mopped and wet with salt water. This ship was twice the size of the ship she was on just a few nights ago. It was also very long.

The library was very small with a sun room, two wall to ceiling bookshelves with a protective glass case. There was a large couch and a small coffee table. There was only enough room for two people—maybe three. It was cozy and smelled of old paper and leather. This had to be the most comfortable place on the ship. Caden closed the door and she noticed notes of oak and sandle wood. This would definitely be her hiding spot. The sunlight shot rays into the room, spotlighting the dust particles in the air. She didn’t mind it.

“ Help yourself. I’ll bring you your dinner”, Caden left her to explore the book shelves.

She noticed Roman seemed to be a lover of the more philosophical books. As for her, she’d read any genre she could get her hands on. Reading was her escape. She loved to escape and think of a better world for herself. Life happened as it does and she became aware of the soul crushing weight of reality. There likely would be no great love or some grand adventure. There would be no man that would understand her as she understood herself. There would be no riches. If she was lucky there would be simplicity—a gentle husband, children and land. That’s why she agreed to leave London. At least she had her books.

She snapped out of her thoughts as Caden placed a tray of beef stew and bread on the table. There was even wine this time with her typical pitcher glass. It smelled delicious. She dug in immediately. Caden and her ate in silence. There wasn’t much he could say to a girl who refused to speak. She read dangerous liaisons as she tried to savor every bite of stew soaked bread. The wine acted as a bitter palate cleanser and the book was getting good. She nearly forgot Caden was there.

“ I’ll take your dishes and leave you to read. I have some cleaning to do anyways. I’ll come back for you in about 2 hours…sound good ?” She nodded and went back to reading her book. About an hour into her reading she book marked her page switched to another. A tap on the door startled her.

“ It’s just me. Mind if I have a seat ?”, Roman stands in the door way, hunched down to avoid hitting the ceiling.

She moves over as an invitation. She’s still tense but no longer panicked. The last two days gave her no choice but to calm down.

Roman moves his hulking frame under the door and moves into the room, closing the door behind him. He takes the lantern he’s holding and hangs it on the hook beside the door illuminating the room. He sits beside her on the couch and places what looks to be a bag of Chenet or Spanish limes beside him. They were her favorite fruit growing up and she hadn’t eaten one in over a decade. Roman noticed that she perked up when she saw them.

“ Are you going to talk to me tonight ? ”, he raised a dark brow at her. She looked at him warily.

Roman

The mousy thing in front of him eyed his fruit with determination. He found it funny how food motivated she was. Then again, she was likely starving well before her shipwreck. Lack of food variety in Britain had to be rough for anybody.

“ You answer a few questions and the whole bag is yours. I swear it ”, he smirked down at her. Her eyes shot him daggers before she nodded and leaned in for the fruit.

“ Ahp—not before you answer my first one ”, he held the bag away from her. She sat back and folded her arms.

“ What’s your name?”, he asks. He’d desperately wanted to know days ago. And now he’d finally have a name to the face that had been plaguing his every thought. She’s quiet for a moment and the irritation drains from her face. He sumizes that she might just be painfully shy, as she plays with the hem of her shirt.

“ Jane…”, she whispers. She’s so quiet he can barely hear her melodic voice. The girl looks around the room anxiously.

“ What’s that ?”

She clears her throat. “ Jane….Jane Ramlal”, she says louder. Her voice is pure honey. It’s ridiculously sweet. All the times he called her Dove was fitting.

“ Jane”, he tries the name on his tongue. He notices she becomes a bit squirmy from his voice. He assumed it to be nerves.

“ And where are you from…Jane ramlal? ”, he says quietly. He decides to match his whisper to hers. Whatever it takes to make her comfortable.

“ I’m from England…”, she says. He notices a laxness in her accent. Her mouth shapes around her words in a way that is different and peculiar. He could tell she purposely hid it, most likely because of where she was living before.

“ You’re from the Carribbean?”, He asks. Her eyes light up with questions.

“ I was born in Trinidad. How…did you..”

“ It was the way you lit up about the the Spanish limes. When I would sail into Caribbean the children ate it like candy. I was hooked the moment I tasted one. They’re my favorite and a rarity in other places”.

“ Ah….” She nods, her gaze softening at the fruit net in his hand. He gracefully hands her the bag. She immediately digs in and begins to peel one, bringing the fresh fruit to her lips and sucking. Her eyes close in contempt at the sweet yet tart flavor. Roman watches her and he can see the relief wash over her face. This might have been the happiest he’s seen her so far. As she giggles to herself as she chews with her eyes closed, he realizes he wanted to see it more. He’d never wanted to do so much for a stranger in his whole life. She eats the first fruit in just a few short minutes. She picks up another.

“ How did you end up here ? We’re you on a ship before this one ?”

She pauses for a moment, placing the fruit back in the bag. She looks down at her hands and her expression becomes pained. For a moment he regrets asking.

“ If I don’t say why will you—take away the food ?”, she asks. The expression that comes over her face is so fearful it stops his breathing for a moment.

“ I—no of course not. I would never. You may eat whatever you like on this ship. Consider the fruit a gift. Caden told me how fond you were of fruit and so I thought ….”, he trailed off. Jane rubbed her neck nervously.

A beat of silence passes.

“ There are no judgements here. If you did something wrong I’m not going to—I’m not going to punish you or anything. I just need more information. I doubt you want to stay here “, Roman explains with a fluster. He felt the need to emphasize the word “ Punish” because it seemed she expected it.

Dove

“ I was on a ship headed for America but there was an accident. It happened so fast that I can’t remember. I just remember struggling to breathe, being put on a boat and then floating”, she pauses for a moment. Oh she remembered everything. She remember everything that happened on that hell boat. She knew better than a tell a man the pain another caused her. They were known to inflict that same pain again. A woman’s pain was their fuel and permission to be the most vile monstrous things to her. They figure she's accustomed to cruelty. Why be any better?

“ I was going to a colony called Jamestown. I signed up for indentured servitude. I would serve four years as a cook and then I could be given land. I could marry…start over. At least that’s what they told me.”

They were taking people in droves from Africa and sending them to other places, one of them being America. They’ve exclusively been forcing African people to work as servants for some time. No pay, no breaks. They worked them like mules and forced them to have children. She’d rarely heard of something so horrific. Even worse—she missed that fate by the skin of her teeth. Europeans occupied Trinidad and her family were no strangers to the struggle of forced labor. She moved to England for a better life. A life of servitude—though not far removed from the atrocities of the British monarchy, it was better than chains—or so she told herself.

Roman

He noticed how she skimmed over the extreme bruising that littered her body. He figured she wasn’t ready to talk about it. He wouldn’t push any further. But that word…

Indentured…

He’s heard of that before. Some of them worked the garden grounds at the palace he grew up in. Indentured servants were convicts of some sort who spent their sentence in service.

“ And why did you sign up for it ? ”

“ I….”, she huffs in embarrassment. He peels her another lime and pushes it towards her. She takes it gratefully.

“ I was accused of stealing…”, her voice wobbles.

“ ….and did you..?”

“ No. I was accused by Lord Williams wife. She never really liked me. I stood in court. She framed me. Even when I begged and explained—it didn’t matter. None of it mattered ”, her words were rushed as if she was on trial again. Her breathing was quickened and Roman rested a hand on her shoulder. Her breath caught up enough to keep her from hyperventilating again.

“ I believe you Jane” he whispers. Her eyes soften in relief. Apart of him wonders if people not believing her was a common theme in her life. It seemed a weight was lifted off of her from those words.

“ Thankyou”, she rasps.

Roman and Jane stare at one another for a moment before she clears her throat and looks away.

“ Do you have any family ?”, He asks.

“ They’re all long gone. I have an aunt but she’s married with four children in England. It’s really just me. I live in a unit with other girls around my age. We all work for the wealthier people in Britain”, She shrugs.

“ Aaaanddd because of your sentence I’m assuming you can’t go back to England?”

“ No. My only choice was indentured servitude or jail. The prison in England was not something I wanted. But I can’t go to America either. Someone on the boat told me of what they do to people who look like me there. It was a set up. My family told me stories about that life and I didn’t want it. They knew what they were sentencing me to when they sent me away”, a ghastly look spreads across her face.

“ Well it seems we’re in a bit of a conundrum then. You can’t go back to England….can’t go to America. I doubt you’d want to go back to Trinidad with all the British soldiers occupying the island”, Roman observed.

That sets something off in Jane. “ I have nothing to my name. Not a single article of clothing or heirloom”,Jane chokes on her words, feeling her eyes twinkle with tears.

“ Just give me some time. I’ll figure something out for you. I’ve got connections. People owe me favors”, he encouraged. He noticed a stray tear streak down the side of her cheek. He gently took the back of his pointer and swiped it away from her skin. They both freeze at their first touch. Now that he could see her closer she was even more breathtaking. It didn't surprise him that some odd mistress sent her away. She was likely jealous of her and undoubtedly prejudiced. Jane pulls away, looking at the book shelf.

“ So...where are you all headed?”, she asks. Her deamenour is distant again. He didn’t like that but he supposed it was most appropriate. Maybe she didn’t believe he would truly help?

“ What are all pirates headed for? Treasure—gold, riches. Money “, he chuckled. She turned back to him inquisitively.

“ Where is it?”

“ At the edge of the universe of course.”

“ How do you get to the “edge” of the universe ?”

“ Something tells me you don’t believe me little Dove. I’m slightly offended”, Roman smirks knowingly at her. People who weren’t familiar with the sea often expressed their doubts. There was always someone trying to squander the hopes of a pirate.

“ Well…I’m more so caught on the “ edge of the universe” bit. That sounds oddly magical. That’s just make believe. The stuff you tell children for a bedtime story.”

“ l don’t believe in much but I do believe in magic Ms.Ramlal. It is very much real. You just have to know where to look”, said Roman.

“ Magic isn’t real.”

“ Well I found you…surely that’s magic, yes?”, He whispered.

Jane

Jane stared at this handsome man incredulously. She wanted to hide her face at just how much that comment made her burn. “ A coincidence. A miracle. Divine intervention.”

“ All the same Ms. Ramlal ”, he chuckled showing his perfectly white teeth. This was one good looking pirate. He had all his teeth AND they were white.

“ So how does one find the edge of the universe?”

“ To find what’s hidden one must be…lost.”, he says gruffly.

“ That’s a very …philosophical take on it ”, she chuckled. He smiled even deeper.

“ To an extent yes. But I mean just as I say. We could be heading East or West and still meet at the same point. We have to keep moving forward. Though I’m not fond of setbacks, I figured a year or less should be more than enough time.”

“ That’s a really long time to be sailing”, said Jane.

“ Ay’... But the journey is just as important as the destination. At least that’s the way I view it”, he shrugs.

“ How will you know you’ve actually reached it?”

“ Oh dove…we’ll know. You can’t miss it.”

Jane covers her mouth with a yawn. Suddenly she realized just how long she’d been up. It was already dark out.

“ I see you’re tired. Just let me get the physician in here to give you a once over before I let you retire for the night. He’s been worried about you”, Roman insists. She gives in, even though she’s weary of interacting with so many people in one day.

Dr. Earl comes in a few moments later after Roman retrieves him. He felt her skin, pressing against her neck and abdomen. He asked her questions about her eating and energy. She was well on her way to a full recovery. Her neck was healing up already and the bruises were fading. Satisfied with how the checkup went, Roman walked her back down to her cabin.

“ Thankyou for walking me back.”

“ Well I just wanted to make sure you were comfortable. I know this situation might be intimidating. Caden has been keeping a close eye on you for me. I was hoping he would make you a little bit more comfortable.”

“ He has made it a bit easier. He’s been very patient with me through this …transition.”

“ Right. Well I hope that we can come up with a solution for this problem soon. I bid you a goodnight Ms.Ramlal.”

“….Goodnight..Captain Roman ”, she curtsies briefly and they stare at each other dumbly for a moment. She didn’t have to curtsy but it was done out of habit. Eventually she walks back into her room, gently closing the door behind her. She stands behind the door for a moment, hand to the wood as she breathed for what seemed like the first time in hours. He was disgustingly charming and wickedly handsome. She could see how he got away with murder and whatever else came with being a pirate. She doesn’t know that he does the same as well, gathering his bearings behind the private wall that separates the cabin quarters from the sailors. With an exhale they both step away….

Days later….

Jane wakes from the smell of food cooking. She gets up and asks for a bin of water to wash herself. She loved how hot Caden made the water for her. In London she only had enough time for a quick wash with a shallow bowl of lukewarm water and a hunk of soap. She dreamed of having one of those lavish bathtubs with opulent smelling oils and flower petals. For now, her medium sized tin tub would do.

She changed into fresh cotton pants with a pirate blouse and vest. She made sure to pull her hair back from her face as well. She finished her morning routine with a quick wash of her teeth with tooth powder—the expensive kind. Back in London she would brush her teeth with salt, grated orange rind and absinthe. It was good enough at keeping her teeth clean and free of infection and ache. Kept them relatively white too. Tooth powder however, that was an aristocrat's bread and butter.

“ Morning M’lady. Will you be having your breakfast in the library again?” Caden asks as he pushes her tin of bath water out of the door. Jane got up and grabbed the other end of the handle. He looked grateful for the help and they dumped it into one of the makeshift toilets that led to the water.

“ I- I have no problem getting my own breakfast”, Jane spoke quietly. Part of her felt guilty for waiting so long to speak. Caden lit up.

“ You talk!”, Caden grinned. His boyish features shined through showing just how young he was.

“ Sometimes”, Jane chuckled.

“ It’s a bloody miracle. Of course—I’ll show you to the kitchen. No problem at all!”

The kitchen was hot and the lack of ventilation made it pretty smoky. Two people worked in the kitchen. An older man who looked to be in his 50’s and another man who looked slightly older. She curtsied politely at the two.

“ John and Allen, this is Jane. She came down to grab her breakfast. Isn’t she most helpful? Would beg those lazy dogs out there to get their own breakfast any day of the week”, Caden jokes. The two men removed their chef hats out of respect momentarily.

“ Pardon their quietness. They’re tongues were cut out. They can’t talk.”

Right…she almost forgot. Most of these men were convicts and it wasn’t always for small crimes. If they were punished then a cut out tongue was certainly a possibility.

“ That’s no problem at all. I’ve been enjoying your meals very much. Thankyou”, she tried her best to smile politely. They grunt in appreciation and turn back to their pots and meat chopping. An awkward silence fills the room. Jane quickly grabbed one of the plates lined up on the counter.

“ I’ll catch up with you in a moment Jane. I’ve got to get this food loaded on the cart and get it to the crew. You know your way?”

Jane simply nods and sees herself out. Most of the men don’t bother to speak to her. Some tipped their hats as they walked around the second deck busily. As she got to the top deck she realized just how busy it truly was. She had gotten so used to the way that the ship moved in the few short days she was here. They were going pretty fast, fast enough for a breeze of salt water to lightly kiss her skin. It was windy today.

“Bring a Spring Upon ‘er!”, Roman yelled at the crew. He seemed royally pissed today but Jane didn’t want to bother asking why. They make eye contact and his gaze softens and then hardens again. He nods at her in acknowledgment and she does the same as she walks into the library and closes the door. She placed her scramble on the coffee table and sighed in confusion. Why was her heart beating out of her chest from just a look? She couldn’t afford to have feelings for a pirate—it was a heartbreak waiting to happen. Everybody knew a pirate adores nothing more than the sea. He was handsome. That’s all it was. That’s all it HAD to be.

She spent the day in the library. She noticed a lot of movement on the deck. The men were loud with each other. It’s not like she wasn’t used to it. The ship she previously came from was just as loud. During lunch Caden suggested they eat on the top deck and she took the invitation. Despite the occasional stares she felt fairly comfortable with him by her side.

“ Captain found a small village to dock in. It’s where you’ll get whatever you need ”

“ Really?” She perked up.

“ Yeah. He seems to want you nice and comfortable. Many lads would kill to trade places with you right now. He’s show’n a bit of favoritism. You’re lucky to be on his good side. Pirates aren’t the most polite people”, Caden snorted.

“ Well you’re a pirate. You’ve been quite chivalrous to me. That counts?”, she chuckled.

“ I’m not quite a pirate. Not yet. I’m a cabin boy. A pirate in training if you will”

“ Ah…how old are you ?”

“ I’m fifteen years of age M’lady”

“ And how long until you become a pirate ?”

“ Whenever Cap’n Roman thinks I’m ready. For most lads it’s about 17 ”

“ I can’t believe I’m saying this but I hope it happens for you Caden”, she chuckled. It seemed taboo to wish somebody good news on their pirate career. It wasn’t exactly the most morally balanced job. However, she had no space to judge. She’s been shown more kindness on this ship than back at her old home.

Caden asked her questions about herself and she kept it fairly vague. She didn’t mention that she was charged as a criminal. She didn’t say she couldn’t go back to Europe. All those things she told Roman were in confidence. She could have lied but she didn’t. She wanted him to know the truth at that moment.

Roman interrupts their small talk. “ I’m sorry for interrupting but I need to speak with you. Can you step into my cabin please?”

“ O-Of course”, says Jane. She strolls behind him to the captain's quarters. She noticed a pattern of Roman preferring to talk in private. She didn’t mind. She preferred to be on the receiving end of his softened gaze.

His quarters are sizable. His desk sat catty cornered to the entrance of the room. A large wooden bed with a plush mattress sits at the furthest point of the room. The door to his bathroom was left open. From the front door she can see that the bathtub is clawfoot and spacious. In the middle of his quarters sat a large round table with a map and figurines. Large shelving wrapped around the perimeter of the room that held many items that Roman owned. Large windows sat on one side of the suite overlooking the water and allowed light into the room as well as a skylight. She could tell that his time as a man with status rubbed off on his taste. She adored the cleanliness too. Roman seemed to like nice things and he knew how to take care of them. He pulled back the curtains on the windows attached to his door. It seems he did that purposely to give her some comfort. It felt like an invitation to exit whenever she pleased. She wasn’t trapped—not like before.

“Ms. Ramlal, how are you?”

Roman*

There was a brightness to her that wasn’t there before. She seemed just as timid and worried but less…frigid. Less stiff. He liked that.

“ I’m doing well and you ?” She asks.

“ I’m quite pleased since I’ve found a place to dock with a lot of merchandise. We can finally get you whatever you need and some proper clothes”

“ Oh right. Of course.”

*sqwacckk* “ Pretty lady, pretty lady”

Roman sighs when he realizes Pete woke up. The parrot flew over to the desk causing Jane to startle into a chuckle. He was colorful with a large yellow beak.

“ My apologizes about Pete”

“ It’s no problem”

*squakkkk* “ M’lady, lady ”

Roman burns up with embarrassment. He was most grateful for his tanned complexion otherwise he’d be as red as a beet. “ He must have been picking up what the crew has been saying. I can take him out”

“ Oh it’s not a problem really. Hi little Pete”, she holds her arm out and the bird climbs onto her arm looking closely as if to inspect her. She chuckled, rubbing his head with the tip of her finger. Her smile melted away years of tension from his shoulders.

“ He’s never met a stranger… as you can see”

Jane just smiled at him, petting him down his back.

“ We should reach land in the next hour”

“ Are you sure ? I’m fine with my clothes.”

“ Nonsense, a woman deserves her own clothes. It’s the least we could do in such an unideal situation”, he insists.

“ You’ve been most kind…”, she trails off looking down into her lap in deep thought. Pete nuzzles into her shoulder which gets her attention. Roman wondered where her mind went whenever she got quiet.

“ We’ll be going over by paddle boat. I don’t make it a habit of docking the ship on the edge of every island in case the law is snooping around”

“ That’s fine ”, she nods, scooping Pete into her hands.

“ And I have to warn you that there will be a storm tonight. We’ll try to get ahead of it but there’s a chance we’ll likely get caught in one. There’s nothing to worry about, we’re very experienced in navigating them. Like I said before I’m not very fond of setbacks”, said Roman. She was still so quiet. He wanted more from her—more dialogue. She owed him absolutely nothing and he knew that. He convinced himself that his enchantment had much to do with her womanhood. Maybe being around so many men became mundane. Still, the crew was no stranger to the sight or the touch of a woman. On occasion they would dock and do whatever with whoever was a willing participant.

Though the men never admitted it in front of him, her beauty was a constant topic followed by how she got there. She was a mystery. That mystery made him uneasy because he was running out of time. Soon they would find a home for Jane and he would be surrounded by the grit and grime of men again. In deep thought, It takes him a moment to register the fear in her eyes. Before he can say anything she just thanks him and excuses herself out quickly. He frowns in confusion.

Jane*

She can’t do another storm but where will she go? Images of the water pooling in around her flood her memory. Being pushed further and further to the back as people filled the boats in front of her. Left for dead.

She snaps out of it and heads back to the library, sparing Caden no mind. She locks herself in until Roman retrievers her. Earl, Caden, Roman and herself all sit in the paddle boat waiting to be hoisted down to the water by rope. It took half the crew to get them down into the water. The rock of the water bobbed their bodies roughly. Caden and Roman started turning the oars in the water, propelling the boat towards land. A small village with docks and resting ships sat in the distance. There was singing, dancing, drunken men, and the sound of music. She also saw many merchants looking to make a profit.

It took them about 10 minutes to reach the shore. Jane tried to steady herself as she stepped onto the dock but Roman grabbed her hand to help her up. She smiled appreciatively at him as she pulled away, missing the burning warmth of his hand already. Roman led the way, tipping his hat to the people who greeted him. Heads turned as his hulking figure marched down the dock. Eccentric men tipped their hats at her beauty. Women held up dresses, waving them at her.

She turns to Roman. “ Have you been here before?”

“ Maybe a handful of times, why?”

“ They seem to have gotten rather lively”

“ They know cap’n is most generous”, Caden chimes in with a goofy look. Roman scruffs the boys hair, chuckling at his antics. Her eyes light up at their dynamic. They were most similar to brothers in a way. She didn’t think pirates cared much for family to even recreate it.

“ Cap’n over ere”

“ Aye aye cap’n”

“ Dresses for the lady?!”

Merchants were shouting in all directions and it overwhelmed her a bit. Thankfully the bustling streets of London made her well equipped to navigate such an environment.

Gowns made of silk, cotton and vibrant gold trimmings sparkled in her peripheral. There was jewelry of all kinds from shells, pearls, silver and rubies. Gold earrings that looked like a centerpiece in the palace of Versailles. Then she saw it in the corner of her eye, it was a light green gown embroidered with light ruffles and a built- in bodice. It flared at the bottom and was the perfect mixture between elegant and casual. The type of gown a proper lady would take on a stroll to the market with her wealthy husband. She froze when she saw it. It was presented with a matching emerald and gold necklace with earrings. Jane stills as she looks at it. The merchant is patient and doesn’t attempt to approach her.

“ Quite the beautiful dress”

Roman appears behind her and startles her a bit, yet she doesn’t attempt to turn around. She’s here for simple clothes. She shouldn’t wear anything that would make her stand out. She should stick to a brown or even a grey color. Nothing fluttery or poofy. Something flat, dull, unassuming. Roman watches her try to pretend that she’s indifferent to the dress. .

“ We’ll take that one and any other colors you have”

Jane whips around and realizes just how close he was. His ribs were nearly pressed against her back. She looks at him incredulously.

“ Sir—-Roman. You surely do not- “

“ But I shall, Miss Ramlal”

“ I- I cannot afford this and you need not—-“

“ I would be happy to gift this to you for all your trouble. Besides, a lady shan’t walk around in clothes intended for pirate.”

“What I mean is…”, she looked wildly into his fiery eyes trying to get him to understand her panic. “What I mean is that I cannot afford to pay for this in other ways”, she whispers to him urgently. Her face morphs into something of embarrassment.

Roman’s eyes light up in realization and her’s settle into shame. He’s disappointed in her response for a moment and he turns his head to watch the vendor pack four different colors of the same dress into boxes. His silence scares her for a moment. Was he disappointed in her response? Or worse…did she anger him.

“ Jane….I would never expect anything in return for something done from the kindness of my heart. I have no desire to take what you do not Intend to give. I’m not that kind of man. You are safe…..here”. Roman turns to her again with sincerity watching her watery eyes glisten at his words. She looks down at her shoes to hide her sad relief.

“ You are — “

“ Most kind …yes—to you. Now I insist you buy more and if I’m not pleased or if I feel you are holding back we will be here even longer. So you’d best be honest with your needs. Pay no mind to the expense. Do you understand Jane ?” His voice is still gentle but he’s more stern. She immediately obeys.

“ Yes si—Roman” she quips. He grins at her slowly and slides a satchel loaded with shillings into her hand before turning away. It’s heavy in her hand and when she opened it she realized she was holding the most coin she’d ever had in her entire life.

With every alarm sounding off in her brain, she brought what she needed. Combs, brushes and hair pomade. Dresses and corsets. Beautiful jewelry and shoes. Perfumes that reminded her of the salty and sweet aroma of the islands and salt covered mangoes. Each merchant was most generous, wrapping the gifts in bows and walking them to the boat that awaited her. Roman watched in the distance at how overwhelmed she was. Every now and then she’d look back at him with a puzzled expression and he’s send back an affirming one. Roman approached her when it seemed she was done. She stood looking at the pile of gifts sitting in the paddle boat. Guilt etched her face but Roman’s warning expression told her not to voice such opinion.

“ I would gift you a chambermaid but we don’t have any spare rooms for her”, his tone so matter of fact. Jane scoffs in astonishment.

“ Let’s get you back ”, Roman gently presses a hand to her back and guides her to the edge of the boat. He helps her in as Earl finishes his medicinal purchases. Caden loaded the boat with food and supplies. Jane sits at the front with her chin in her hands staring out at the water. She flinches at Roman’s generosity in her mind. She didn’t want to come off ungrateful but he refused to accept her declines. As she stared at the beautiful boxes beside her, a small part of her gushed at the thought of obtaining such beautiful things. She’d bought things she could only dream of owning. She’d hold her breath and hope that he meant what he said to her.

—————

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