The Princess and the Pirate Chapter 5

The sun rose with a pink blossom as Anna stepped on sand and stared at the small village before her. It was like a stolen picture from a faraway land. It was filled with small houses built of bricks and orange rooftops. They were built so closely together that you could just walk on the roofs. She heard Maddy panting behind her as the older woman came up to admire the village. Anna took a deep breath and felt the sting of her back. It had been a long night for her and when she stirred from her painful back, she saw Jedidiah at her side asking if she needed anything. As much as she hated the man, she was surprised at how touching he was during her time in need. What surprised her more was that it was him who had ordered the beating to stop. She wasn’t sure confused her more; his charming ways or his teasing looks. But she had no intentions of finding out because once she was healed, she would escape.

            Anna took Maddy’s hand as the two followed Jedidiah and his men toward the village. But confusion struck her once again when he headed toward a thick forest of trees instead of going toward the village. She opened her mouth to speak, but Maddy stopped by her shaking her head. She for once took the older woman’s advice and kept quiet as they walked through a thick forest and then she was surprised once again when the forest opened to a large mansion built on a land surrounded by waterfalls. The water was crystal clear and the house was big enough to hold at least forty people. A few guards were standing outside of the gate and they nodded and bowed as Hank and Jedidiah entered. She assumed it was Hank’s house and smiled at the beauty that revealed itself.

            The front entrance was white with two large lion statues and a large fountain with roses surrounding it. The hall was filled with white curtains and a long table for dining. A spiral staircase led upstairs to the chambers and a large fireplace was burning fire as they entered. Anna was astonished at the beauty of it and she turned around to find Hank.

            “Your home is beautiful,” Anna said.

            Hank laughed. “It is not my home, milady. It is Jedidiah’s.”

            Anna felt her throat close up as she turned to find Jedidiah walking away to a private room. Hank followed and she turned around to stare at the house. How was it that a man like Jedidiah could have a place like this and still keep her captive? She turned around when she heard feet running and she saw a beautiful woman running down the stairs. Her hair was as black as night and her eyes were even darker. She wore a bright red gown that showed off her toned arms and brown skin. Anna felt jealousy bite her as she wondered who this woman was. But her jealousy died down when the woman came running into Hank’s arms and kissed him deeply. She suddenly remembered that Hank was married and this woman was probably his wife. The two walked off in chatter as Jedidiah appeared again.

            “Ma’am, you will find what you need in the chambers downstairs here. My servant, Melanie, is already waiting for you there. She’ll show you around,” Jedidiah said.

            Maddy obeyed and left as Anna stood her ground. He turned to her and took her hand. He led her up the stairs to a long hallway of chambers and then opened the first door to the left. The chamber was large with a fireplace and a large bed in the middle. A large chest was standing off to the side with a large mirror and a basin. Anna smiled and could feel the need to sit in a basin and take a bath.

            “You’ll rest here,” he said.

            “And where will you sleep?” she asked.

            He smiled. “Why here, of course, with you.”

            Anna swung around with shock. “You mean, this is your room?”

            “Of course.”

            She shook her head fiercely. “No, Jedidiah, you can’t share this room with me.”

            “What are you talking about? You’re sharing the room with me. Besides, I don’t trust you by yourself. You might escape.”

            Anna opened her mouth to talk, but he stopped her by holding up his hand. He gestured for her to enter. As soon as she did, he slammed the door and locked it. She let out a cry of anger and pounded on the door. She cursed him and sank to the floor where she covered her face with her hands.

           

            Hours later when Anna woke from her nap, she found Maddy inside her room taking out gowns from the chest to air out. She stood up and stretched as she walked forward and examined the gowns on the bed. They were of magnificent colors and were all in rich silk. She reached out and touched one, smiling at the soft fabric.

            “The captain told me to air these out for you, milady. He also made me head of the kitchen,” Maddy said with pride.

            Anna frowned. “Why are you so happy? Have you forgotten that that man holds us captive? He’s not to be trusted nor liked.”

            “I know, that, dear, but can you blame me?”

            “Just don’t forget it.”

            Maddy continued airing out the gowns and Anna walked to the window where she looked out. The forest trees were thick and she knew that in the springtime, it would bloom beautiful flowers. Fall was the season and the leaves were just about to turn crimson and orange. She turned back around to find Maddy holding up a beautiful blue gown with pearls sewn on the hem. She opened her mouth in awe and walked to hold the gown.

            “This gown is beautiful,” Anna said.

            Maddy smiled. “It is, isn’t it? I’ll bet you’ll look like a queen in this gown. You should wear this to dinner tonight. All eyes will be on you.”

           

            Jedidiah lifted the glass of ale to his lips and took a drink. He shifted his eyes to the stairs, wondering when Anna would come down for dinner. Hank was sitting next to his wife, who was busy eating her plate of strawberries. He reached for a piece of bread and stopped dead in the air when he saw her descending down the stairs. Dressed in his mother’s wedding gown, she looked like an angel coming from heaven to save him. Her hair was pinned up with large curls and she’d stuck the blue feather in the strands of her hair. Dangling on her lobes were the pearls that came with the gown. The blue gown fitted her perfectly, reminding him of how happy his mother had been the day she married his father. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she turned and stared at him with her dark eyes and the bread fell from his hand. It was only when he heard Hank chuckling that he got his emotions under control as Anna began walking toward them.

            “Good of you to join us, Lady Anna. Jedidiah here was starting to have a heart attack as to where you were,” Hank said.

            Anna didn’t smile as she sat down in a chair. “No need of you to wait for me.”

            “I hope that we can push aside our differences. I whipped you because you had hurt my closest friend. You’d do the same thing if it were you.”

            “I suppose you’re right,” Anna whispered.

“This is my wife, Petra,” Hank said.

            Anna smiled at the young woman. “Hello.”

            “You are so beautiful. No wonder Jedidiah keeps you for himself.”

            Both Hank and Petra laughed as Jedidiah stood up and left the table. He walked a few feet away, suddenly no longer hungry. If he was hungry, it wasn’t for food. He watched as she ate and chatted with Petra. He felt a longing in his heart deepen and he forced himself to look away. No woman had ever made him feel this way and he wasn’t about to let it start to delay his goal. But he found himself turning back to look at her, only she was gone. Fear entered his soul as he searched for her and found her walking to the garden outside. The moonlight shone on her and made her look exotic.

            Jedidiah took a few moments to recapture his emotions before he followed her out. When he neared her, she looked up and stared at him with her haunting eyes. He dipped his hands into the water from the fountain and felt its coolness calm his heat.

            “You didn’t eat,” Anna said.

            “I already ate,” he lied.

            She turned away. “Thank you for the gowns. I especially love this one.”

            “That was my mother’s wedding gown.”

            She swiftly turned her head toward him. “What? I must take it off.”

            He stopped her when she tried to leave. “No, don’t. You look radiant.”

            He bent down and kissed her lips gently. When he felt her start to respond, he deepened the kiss and pulled her closer to him. When their bodies melted into one another, he pressed his hands into her back, forgetting about wounds. She cried out and stepped away and he suddenly remembered.

            “I’m sorry,” he whispered.    

            She remained quiet.   

            “Do you like it here?”

            Anna turned around to face him. “This is like heaven, Jedidiah. How is it possible that a man like you could have a place like this and still want to hold me against my will?”

            “Little dove, you are so naïve. You don’t know the reason I hold you?”

            “I do. You want me…but for how long? You forget that I have someone waiting for me. I’m not one of those women who has many lovers. I only want one.”

            He reached out a finger and traced it along her jawline. “But you do have only one lover…me.”

            “You know what I mean!”

            Laughing, he kissed her cheek. “Anna, there’s nothing wrong with wanting me. I would be honored if you were to want me the way I wanted you. But then again, I am blessed, for if you deny me now, you refuse to deny me when you need me. Your Baron won’t be able to hold his fort against me.”

            She took a few steps back from him. “I’ll make a deal with you.”

            He crossed his arms, interested. “Go on.”

            “I’ll stay here with you if you agree to let me write my parents.”

            He pondered the thought. “No.”

            She scoffed, unbelieving him. “Why not?”

            “Why not? Because you’ll tell them I’m a wicked pirate who has taken you captive and you request to be saved immediately, that’s why not. Don’t think I’ve thought this through, little dove. There’s no chance I’m letting you go, at least not yet.”

            She uttered something he couldn’t hear beneath her breath and marched off inside the house. Jedidiah smiled and shook his head, loving the idea of being able to set her tempers hot and cold.

           

            Anna heard shuffling outside the door and held her breath. She could see a figure standing outside the door blocking light. She pulled the blanket up to her chin and kept quiet. Very slowly the door opened and she saw Jedidiah walk in holding a candle. He set the candle down and began to unbutton his shirt. She got off the bed and ran for the door when he grabbed her hand and pulled her back. Immediately, his lips crushed against hers and she felt his desire for her grow. When he pulled back, she placed her hands on his chest and shook her head.

            “I’m still healing,” she said.

            “I know you are, little dove. But that doesn’t mean I have to sleep alone. Get into bed.”

            “I’m not tired.”

            Laughing, he replied, “You were in bed when I arrived. You’re tired.”

            As she tried to argue, he began to drag her toward the bed. She shut her eyes as he forced her to sit on the edge of the bed. He cupped her face and bent down to kiss her. She turned her face away and he laughed as he shed the rest of his clothes off and slipped in between the sheets. He pulled her in and she lay on her belly, off of her wounds.

            “Jedidiah, where’s your mother?” she asked.

            “That’s for me to know only.”

            She stiffened. “Why won’t you tell me?”

            “What difference does it make?”

            She felt sadness enter her. “I’ve realized I don’t know you at all. You’ve taken everything from me, but I don’t know a thing about you. Is it wrong to ask of your life? You have no intention of letting me go soon so I might as well get comfortable.”

            He didn’t answer her and she thought he had fallen asleep. But when she lifted her head up to look at him, she saw that he was staring off into the darkness. It was then that she realized why he was so quiet. It was because she had said she was comfortable. He had told her he only wanted her, he didn’t love her. So if being comfortable meant forcing him to love, it would make him pause in his actions. A smile spread across her face and knew her plan to escape him. With that thought in mind, she drifted off to sleep and for the first time, slept soundly