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hearts-hunger · 2 months

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Chapter Three: A Woman Aboard {Series Masterlist | Series Playlist ♫}

Series Summary: You’ve been called the Jewel of the Bay, a lady born and bred in one of the Royal Navy’s most profitable ports of call. On a fateful summer night, taken aboard the pirate ship Starcatcher, your world is turned upside down. To survive, you must put your faith in the honor among thieves and learn to trust the devotion of a pirate to his most precious treasure.

Pairings: Jake x Reader, Sam x Danny, Josh x Reader | Chapter Word Count: 3k | Warnings: none? allusions to AU-typical violence and innuendo, I suppose

A/N: Pirate Jake is back! Mirador and Josh's pirate birthday pics have reignited the fire of this fic. This one's just a short chapter to get back into the swing of things, but I'm hoping for a longer installment soon. I hope you like it! ♡

You stood with your hands on your hips as Jake left, watching as he scaled the rigging to half-mast with perfect ease. The sheer athleticism of the act astounded you; as nimble as a cat with eight lives spent, Jake climbed until he was perched on the yardarm, one hand gripping the rope as he leaned out to survey his men. He shone in the firelight, bronze and wild and beautiful atop his magnificent ship. You couldn't have torn your gaze off him for all the gold in the world.

One of the pirates jostled you from behind, brushing past you in his hurry to attend to the task of making sail. Skirting out of his way, you noticed with a flash of fear his blood-stained shirt; he joined his companions, many of them fresh from the throes of battle and gritty with gunpowder and blood, some of them laden with ropes of pearls and chains of jewels they’d looted from houses in the bay. You tried to stay out of their way, not least out of concern for your own safety, but there was nowhere on deck that seemed to be free from the frenzy of their work.

“Sapphire!”

You looked up to the deck where Josh stood, one hand on the wheel and the other glinting gold as he beckoned to you. You obeyed, holding your skirts in hand as you hurried up the stairs to his side.

“Funny thing to have a woman aboard,” he said cooly, seemingly unbothered by the hurried work of the crew below. One could even believe him to be calm, gold-bright in the light of the billowing fires from the bay, cannons ringing, curses and orders shouted all around him.

You smoothed a hand over your skirt, remembering with chagrin that you were out of place, and standing aboard a pirate ship in a state of truly indecent undress, no less.

“I dare say,” you managed. “It seems no fit place for a lady.”

Josh’s smile wasn’t entirely reassuring. “You’ll find your place, Sapphy. For now, stay here with me to save yourself getting run down by my crew.”

You were relieved to be directed, even if it was by a pirate who was all too keen to whisk you away from your home and your fiancee. You sat primly on a crate at the back of the deck, trying to comport yourself as properly as you could with no shoes, barely any clothes, and your hair unbound about your shoulders.

The view from the top deck provided ample opportunity to watch the crew at work as they ran about the deck to get the Starcatcher out to sea. The navy gave little chase to the two galleons; some of the ships in Kit’s precious fleet had been set aflame, and the others could not be manned nor sailed quickly enough to keep the Starcatcher or the Indigo Streak from leaving the bay. You marveled at how quickly both ships had come in, gotten what they came for, and left; little over an hour had passed since Jake had rescued you, and they’d gotten their man, their gold, and their revenge on Sapphire Bay and Kit Drake.

Out of the bay, The Starcatcher kept the Streak in its sights as both galleons cut through the waves with unparalleled speed. You watched as the bright fires of your island became smaller and more distant, quickly swallowed by the inky night as the ships sped onwards. Something like despair clutched at you, threatening to swallow you whole; you were well and truly kidnapped, party by your own doing, running from the King’s law and the King’s men to waters unknown. What was to become of you?

Your dismal thoughts were interrupted as Jake all but materialized in front of you, landing gracefully atop the deck.

“Did you swing down from the mast?” you asked, incredulous.

He raised a brow, the telltale rope swinging behind him as he let it go. “Aye. You thought I’d grow wings and fly down from there, did you?”

You flushed. “Hardly. It’s a wonder you haven’t broken your neck doing something like that.”

“He likes to keep his neck safe for pretty bruises from the occasional barmaid,” Josh said, spinning the wheel with a deft hand. “Isn't that true, Jacob?”

Jake frowned. “Hardly.” He looked to you, something daring in his expression. “I’ll teach you to swing from the yard, if you like. I promise I won't let you break your neck either.”

You touched a hand to your throat, feeling to far too exposed in your current state. “No, thank you. I’d be a fool to trust a pirate.”

Jake gave you a wicked grin. “As you say, Sapphy.”

Oh, but the name sounded so different in his voice. You crossed your arms over your chest as if to shield yourself, not knowing what exactly you were shielding yourself from.

He held out his hand. “Come. Joshua’s had enough lovers leave things in his stateroom for us to find you something more... suitable to wear.”

Your face burned hot, and you declined to take his hand as you stood. “Very well, then.”

You followed him back down the stairs and into the stateroom. Everything inside was as you’d expected from years of imagining a pirate captain’s quarters; gold and red and purple, king’s colors, predominated in fabrics of sensuous velvet and silk. A desk was strewn with maps and quills; opposite it, a tablestood laden with bowls of excotic, expensive fruit and wine. The wide bed in the middle of it all brought images to mind unbidden, and you could only imagine what sort of scandalous acts had unfolded behind the doors of the Starcatcher’s private rooms.

You shivered where you stood, more from cold than anything else. Even off the deck, it was cold out on the open water, and you watched hopefully to see what clothing Jake would produce.

He rummaged in a chest at the foot of the bed, pulling out articles that seemed a motley collection of sailor’s wear and bordello finery. He held up a gaudy red corset for your perusal.

“For heaven's sake,” you said, averting your gaze, mortified and shocked at such a thing. He grinned.

“Not this, then?” He tossed it back in the chest. “Too bad.”

He nodded towards the sideboard that held dozens of crystal decanters and amber bottles of liquor. “Have a taste of rum, lass, if you’re cold. It’ll keep a fire in your belly.”

You were surprised he’d noticed, and his attentiveness was at once embarrassing and touching. Pouring yourself a very small dose of what you hoped was rum and not some dread pirate poison, you took a sip and felt the fire he’d spoken of.

“There you are, lass,” he said as you sputtered and coughed, a laugh in his voice. “Never had such fine fare, have you?”

“No, I've never had rum before,” you said, trying to be scathing but managing only to sound vaguely weak. “No doubt you have it aplenty.”

He shrugged and pulled a lacy garter out of the chest. “All sailors have a proclivity for anything that makes life more enjoyable, Sapphire.”

No doubt that was true, judging by the articles that had been left behind on the captain’s floor. He finally unearthed a dark blue blouse and brown trousers, and you allowed yourself a breath of relief at something that could be worn with a little dignity.

“Here you are,” he said, handing the clothes to you. “I’ll look with the men to see if there’s any boots that might fit you. Come back out to the deck when you’re ready.”

“Thank you,” you said meekly.

He gave a slight bow. “I’m at your service.”

Alone in the stateroom, you felt for the first time since you’d come aboard that you had a blessed moment away from prying eyes and curious attention. You made quick work of your dress, but there was no way to undo your stays by yourself; resigned to wearing the tight and uncomfortable laces, you dressed quickly in the new clothes and felt a little more sure of yourself, if not nearly as decent as you would have liked. Never in your life had you worn trousers, but they were too big to reveal much of your figure, and with the blouse tucked in they fit well enough.

Not knowing where else to put them, you placed your discarded skirt and bodice in the chest. You found a colorful scarf to tie your hair back with, wearing it almost like a bandanna, and felt entirely unlike yourself when you stopped to look in the gilded mirror.

“You’re quite a sight,” you sighed to your reflection. You gingerly touched a hand to the angry mark Kit’s signet ring had left, wincing when it stung. The bejeweled Governor’s daughter who’d shown in the mirror at home was nowhere to be seen, replaced by an unkempt, wind-swept young woman who looked as unsteady as she felt.

Venturing back out to the deck, you found Jake standing by the railing with a pair of boots held causally in hand, a coat draped over his arm.

“I hope I won't see any of your men in stocking feet,” you said, trying for humor. The activity on deck had died down now that the Starcatcher was safely out to sea, but members of the crew still milled about the deck, attending to various tasks.

Jake shook his head. “They’re extra. They’ll likely be too big for you, but I'm sorry to say we’re a bit short on hand-stitched dancing slippers.”

“And you call yourself a pirate,” you said, slipping on the boots and lacing them until they were snug. “Tell your crew to loot them from wherever you’re headed next.”

He gave a doubtful hum as he looked out over the water. The Streak was a few paces ahead, cutting through the waves like a dolphin over the shining, moonlit water.

“We’re headed to the Cove,” he said when you joined him. “Caravel Cove. It's a safe haven, of sorts. The navy knows where it is, but no King’s man is brave enough to set foot on an island overrun with pirates.”

You’d heard Kit speak of Caravel Cove, heard him disdain its rebellion from the crown, hungry to plunder it and hang every living soul that found safe harbor there, pirate or no. The thought of it sent a shiver down your spine.

“Here,” Jake said, draping the coat over your shoulders. It was soft leather, redolent of gunsmoke and salt air. “In case you didn’t take to the taste of rum.”

You allowed yourself a smile. “It’s kind of you.”

“It’s my pleasure. No use to snatch a lady just to let her catch a chill.”

“Snatch me, did you?” you mused. “I rather think I helped you in your endeavor, pirate.”

“All the same. Did you find your clothes satisfactory?”

“Very much so,” you said truthfully. “I confess I was loath to wear so little as I arrived in where your men could see me.”

“You needn’t worry about them, lass,” he reminded you. “They’ll treat you with respect. Even if you were only half-dressed.”

His gaze drifted to the scarf in your hair. “That suits you,” he said. “Though the lady who had it first wore it an entirely different way.”

“Fond memories?” you asked, a teasing lilt to your voice.

He chuckled. “From what memories I do have of her, I should say so. Rum and women make for rather blurry recollections.”

It surprised you that you didn’t find him repulsive in his admissions of drink and lovemaking; indeed, to your shame, you found it made him alluring. Had Kit said anything of the sort, and he had, you would have scorned him. Perhaps the bracing sea air was getting to your head.

“What will you do with me when we reach the Cove?” you asked. You didn’t know what you wanted the answer to be; part of you wanted to secure passage home, and the other roused to the idea of adventure such as you’d never dreamed of. Surely there would be plenty to be found at Caravel Cove, if you hadn't gotten your fill on the voyage there.

He considered this, watching your face in the bright, silvery moonlight.

“I don’t know,” he said truthfully. “Perhaps we’ll find someone to take you back, some lesser known schooner who won’t be blasted from the water before Drake can see you waving your white flag.”

The thought of boarding some other ship hardly appealed to you, especially when the captain could not be expected to give you the same promises as Josh and his twin had. Despite your hesitance to leave earlier, you were overwhelmed for a moment at the thought of an undetermined end to your time aboard a pirate ship. In your wildest dreams you’d never expected to even set foot on one, let alone embark on a long journey aboard one. All of a sudden, you felt the weight of just how alone you were in this strange world, how utterly you would need to trust the word and honor of a man you barely knew.

A shadow of pity crossed Jake’s face.

“I know you can’t be too keen on the idea,” he said, and his voice was apologetic. “And it’s my fault for not taking you back sooner, or else finding a better place than the ship to keep you safe. I wasn’t thinking, lass. I’m sorry.”

You didn’t say anything for a moment. You looked out over the dark water, drawn to its dark and secret depths, the mysteries and magic it held.

“You might have saved my life,” you said, and it chilled you to know it was true. “I don’t know what Kit would have done to me if you hadn’t stopped him.”

“I’m sorry he hurt you at all,” Jake said, and there was an undercurrent of passion in the sincerity of his tone. “It’s a cowardly, wicked thing to hurt a woman. Especially one you claim to love.”

He spoke truly, and you wished you had the ability or even the desire to defend the man you’d pledged yourself to marry.

“What will you do?” you asked softly. “When you reach the Cove?”

“We’ll have to lie low for a while,” he said. “Give Daniel time to heal.”

“How is he?” you asked, the memory of the bloody first mate coming vividly with a wash of pity and regret.

Jake shook his head. “I don't know yet. I’ll go over tomorrow and ask after him.”

“How?” you asked curiously. “You won’t anchor somewhere and stop both ships, will you?”

“Nay, lass. I’ll swing over as I did from the yardarm. Perfectly safe if you have your wits about you.”

“Heavens,” you breathed. “You pirates are a different sort, aren’t you?”

He smiled. “I dare say, Sapphy. What sort are you?”

You didn’t know how to answer that. So far all you knew of yourself was a thirst for something beyond your life of parlor games and dinner parties.

He brushed your hair over your shoulder, and you found the touch intimate and yet entirely safe.

“I suppose you'll have time to figure it out, lass,” he said gently, somehow knowing something of the tumultuous ocean of your heart. “We’ll reach the Cove in four days time, if the weather’s fair.”

“And if it’s not?” you asked.

A look of smug assurance crossed his handsome features. “Still four days, though they’ll be a rough few on stormy seas. Josh and Sam could steer these ships through a hurricane and keep a steady course.”

“I hope to merely take your word for it,” you said, though part of you thrilled at the idea of seeing a masterful sailor best a storm-tossed sea.

Still, despite the call of adventure, you couldn't help a yawn hidden behind your hands.

“Come, lass,” Jake said kindly. “I’ll show you to my quarters. Sleep for a while and get the wind back in your sails.”

You hummed. “Do all pirates talk in seafaring metaphors?”

He chuckled. “All the good ones do.” He held the door open and showed you into a simply furnished room with a view of the sea. “Sit here on the edge of the bed, lass. I’ll get some liniment for that cut of yours.”

You did as he said, though it was more an act of hopping onto the edge of the berth built into the alcove of the window. You brushed a hand over the plain wool blanket.

“Where do you keep all the treasure you find?” you asked. “It seems like your brother's gotten the lion’s share.”

He took a small tin from a box on his desk. “I have a few things here and there.” He dabbed some of the earthy-scented medicine onto his fingertips, then brushed his fingers gently over the cut on your cheek. “But I don’t entertain as much as my twin, so I don’t need quiet as much finery as he does.”

You couldn’t help but laugh, feeling a bit fuzzy-headed with exhaustion. “You’re entertaining the daughter of the Governor of Sapphire Bay,” you said. “Has your brother ever managed that?”

“Nay, lass. I suppose that makes me the better pirate.”

“Do you know, I believe it does.” You looked down, bemused, when he knelt before you. “What are you doing?”

“Untying your boots,” he said simply. He unlaced them quickly and set them at the foot of the bed, and you tried to remember the last time a man had treated you with such kindness.

He stood. “Sleep as long as you like. I’ll make myself easily found when you wake.”

You sank gratefully onto his bed, feeling almost like a child when he spread a blanket over you.

“Where will you stay?” you asked drowsily, already half asleep. “I hate to put you out of your own bed.”

“Don't worry your pretty head, lass.” His voice was as gentle and comforting as the steady rock of the ocean. “I’ll be fit and fair with a sailor’s hammock below. Rest now.”

You couldn't have disobeyed, and the last sound was his boots on the plank floor and the closing of the door. The cradle of the waves held you as closely as a mother’s arms, and you sank into a deep and dreamless sleep.

tagging you feral freaks who wanted this so bad the other night: @streamsofstardust @the-starcatcher @gold-mines-melting @runwayblues @spark-my-nature i love y'all <3

#if you want to be added to the taglist shoot me an ask :))#anywho i hope you like it!#fate of the faithful fic #pirate!jake #pirate jake kiszka #greta van fleet #gvf fanfiction #pirate gvf #pirate!josh #maddie writes stuff!#fotf fic

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