Introduction
The locations, major events and certain characters in these stories are taken from Theah, the setting for the 7th Sea role-playing game. These particular stories are based on logs from my own role-playing adventures in this exciting world (http://www.btinternet.com/~s.mci/7thsea/7thindex.html).
Theah is (sort of, but not quite) a fantasy version of 17th century Europe. It is filled with daring swordsmen, dashing pirates and dread villains. These stories are set in Montaigne (sort of, but not quite, France) and Avalon (sort of, but not quite, England). A Sea Dog privateer of the Avalon crown finds an unlikely ally in a Montaigne highwaywoman.
This story has kindly been hosted as a Friend of Jeb’s Adventure Bound (http://www.homestead.com/jebsadventurebound/files/New.html).
The bearded sailor from the isle of Inismore drew his cutlass left-handed and held it defensively in a reverse grip, gleaming tip pointing vertically down before him. He continued to menace the three thugs with the sharp, now bloodied, sailor’s knife gripped defiantly in his right hand. He was breathing hard and shielded his gashed side, but smiled wickedly as he pointed to the figure slumped on the floor before him.
"That’s one of you who won’t be keeping his dinner inside his guts tonight. Do you still want to make an issue of this?"
The two remaining brutes glanced at each other and down to their fallen leader. They shook their heads at Sean and began backing off towards the tavern door.
"Take your mate with you," Sean shouted after them, "Our host doesn’t need any more blood staining his floors."
He slumped back in his chair when they had left and lifted his ale. His pretty blonde companion for the evening wrapped herself around him and started mopping his wound with her long skirt. He enjoyed her ministrations while the tavern returned to its business. Sean had spent enough coins here this week for the tavern owner not to raise a fuss over the fight.
The ‘Triple Crown’ was a large, lively tavern positioned near the docks of Surluse on the southern coast of Avalon. It sat well back from the stench of the water front and was clean and well lit. It normally had a reputation for a friendly, open atmosphere and was home to the fairest female company that coins could buy. Sailors considered it the height of refinement and even a few nobles came down from the city when they fancied a night ‘roughing it’.
Sean O’Brien had been enjoying the tavern’s hospitality for about a week since leaving the coastal trader ‘Lady Jane’. His purse, never too full to begin with, had become lighter while indulging in fine meals, wine and local Jennys. A few of the residents had taken exception to the Inishman throwing his money about and taking advantage of their women. They might be united under one flag, but the natives of Inismore were often scorned as the poor country cousins of their neighbours in Avalon proper and the wild Highland Marches. A bar room brawl was nothing new to Sean - all part of a good evening’s entertainment.
The sound of heavy footsteps made him break off from nibbling the young Jenny’s neck. A massive man stood before him. The stranger wore black knee boots, a loose white shirt tied with a black waist sash and had his long hair held back in a short tail by a black ribbon. He stood confidently, booted feet braced wide apart and hands folded across a broad barrel-chest. He smiled down at Sean and nodded a greeting.
"You handled yourself pretty well just then."
Sean kept one arm around his companion and lifted his cutlass from the table to point it at the new comer, "Please don’t tell me I’m going to be using this again. It’s getting so hard to enjoy a quiet evening’s drink."
The man laughed, "No, no need for that. I’m interested in those who can hold their own in a fight. Tell me, do you know how to work a ship too?"
"Aye, well enough. I’ve sailed the waters of these three islands."
"Good. Are you looking for employment just now?"
Sean frowned, "I may be. What’s your interest?"
"My name is John Reynolds. If you’re of a mind to make a fine profit while enjoying a grand life of adventure in service to your country then report to the ‘Kingfisher’ at sun-up tomorrow. I promise it’ll be worth your bother."
The tall figure gave Sean a final appraising look before nodding to himself in satisfaction and heading out into the port. Sean’s eyes followed him until he had left the tavern and then the Inishman turned back to the lass at his side, "Do you know anything about him?"
The girl looked up from her tickling of the sailor’s chest, "Hmm? Oh, Captain Reynolds? He’s a captain with the Sea Dogs - one of the Queen’s privateers. He checks at all the inns when he’s ashore, but there’s only ever a few that find a berth on his ship. They say that he’s some great lord or other, that his family owns several counties inland. Don’t know if that’s so, but any who have sailed with him say they’ve never had a fairer captain."
A captain with the Sea Dogs? Sean was impressed. The Sea Dogs were famed throughout Avalon. Pirates of the Crown who raided their enemies’ ships and returned home as heroes. Songs and tavern tales told of their daring exploits and outrageous feats of high seas theft. This was the life of adventure he had imagined when he left home, not transporting a hold full of sheep on some poxy ferry like the ‘Lady Jane’.
The Jenny stretched an arm around his neck and nuzzled into his ear. Her tongue darted out and she whispered in a husky voice, "When are we going up to your room? I’m getting bored."
Sean grinned. He might be the paying customer, but it never did to upset a lady. He downed the remains of his pint in one swallow then grabbed the wench by the hand and dragged her towards the rickety tavern staircase. She followed with a squeal of giggles until they were standing before one of the many spartan bedrooms on the upper floor.
His slender companion danced into the room, spinning merrily with her arms outstretched. She stopped and pouted at the realisation that Sean had stayed by the door, "What’s the matter? I know you’re not shy, aren’t you coming … ulp!"
Her words were silenced when Sean pounced forwards. One muscled arm seized the girl around the waist and pulled her against his body, his other hand wrapped roughly across her mouth, clamping her jaws closed. He locked his eyes on hers and growled playfully, "You’re not with some simple sailor looking for a quick tumble. You’ve just been kidnapped by one of the Sea Dogs, a notorious pirate who has raped and plundered his way across the Seven Seas."
A spluttering giggle for--d its way past his hand. Sean stifled a laugh of his own and made himself glare sternly, "Nobody laughs at the Sea Dogs! I think you need to be taught a lesson, wench."
He stepped forward, his firm hold making his captive stumble backwards until her legs bumped into the end of the small bed. When Sean gave a shove, she fell back with a shriek and landed with her arms and legs outstretched. "Oh, sir," she laughed, "Whatever will you do with me?"
The ‘pirate’ grinned and joined her on the bed. He sat astride her splayed form, his knees by her sides, his bottom above her midriff. Removing the belt from his trousers, he grabbed one of her dainty wrists and dragged it to the corner of the bed frame, "First I’m going to tie you to this bed, and then I’ll use your voluptuous body in any way that pleases me."
With her left wrist securely bound, he tore the corded belt from the girl’s own skirt and used it to bind her other wrist to the opposite corner. He glanced down at her struggling body and was happy to see the smile still present on her pretty face. She had become his favourite this past week and it was good to know that she was enjoying the game.
He sat across her again and now restrained her twisting head between his hands. He bent forward and their lips met in a wet and lusty kiss. When tongues had finished their intertwining dance, he leant back and ripped open the seams of her bodice. This girl’s body was indeed magnificent. Freed from the restrictive clothing, he was able to enjoy the full glory of her bounty. His hands roughly fondled her breasts, forcing whimpers of desire when he bent to lick at her nipples. The scratch of his trimmed beard added to the building sensation of the girl’s pleasure.
"No, you must not steal my virtue, you cad." The writhing female brought her thighs firmly together to reinforce her mock protests.
"Such resistance does you no good, my dear. You must learn to submit to my will." Sean slid onto his side and moved down the bed. He took hold of her skirt above the hips and pulled it down her legs, pleased to note that she wore no slip beneath. With the girl now lying quite naked, he ripped two long lengths of cotton from the bottom of the skirt. Despite her enthusiastic struggles he soon had her long legs spread and ankles tied apart.
His hands ran along each of those supple limbs as he moved slowly back up the bed. The young Jenny strained to raise her head, shivering in eager anticipation as he moved up her calves and thighs towards the quivering centre of her being. A quick kiss and probing tongue left her gasping for more, but Sean stopped there. He sat up and quickly stripped off his shirt and trousers, hurling them across the room and then kicking off his boots.
"You are the very devil, sir." The Jenny remained in character, but her greedy eyes were fixed on his body and she licked her lips hungrily.
"I think you have said enough," Sean untied the large bandanna at his neck and twisted it into a thin band. It quickly became an effective gag, the red cloth contrasting brightly with her fair skin and blonde hair.
With the damsel now completely at his mercy, Sean turned his full attention to the delights of ravishing her body. His hands skilfully ran across her flesh, stroking, kneading and pinching as needed. His tongue moved from nipples to throat, before his beard and lips finally nibbled on one soft ear. The pleasure was felt by both captive and captor. The bound girl moaned past her gag and strained against her bonds, all the time trying to force herself more closely to Sean’s growing firmness. Her fingers clenched and she pulled in futility at the belts tied so effectively at her wrists. If her hands had been free they would have been clawing at his back by now.
Their bodies joined at last and the passionate love-making intensified. He pressed into her and raised himself to gaze on her flushed features. Her gagged head was turned to one side, eyes tightly closed as she panted past the cloth between her lips. The girl arched her back and gave a muffled cry as the peak of her excitement matched the young Inishman’s final thrust. He collapsed beside her, their trembling bodies coated in a light sheen of sweat from the shared exertions. He tugged the gag from her lips and they joined in another deep kiss.
The Jenny smiled and snuggled as close as her bound limbs would allow, "You’ll make a fine pirate. Feel free to plunder my treasures any time you’re in port."
Sean grinned and wrapped his arms tight about her. If the reality of life as a pirate was anything like the fantasy then he could hardly wait to begin his new career with the Sea Dogs.
