A knock at the door at 4:30 a.m. brought Captain James Black out of his sleep. "Captain?" came the gruff muffled voice through the door. "Captain, it's time." Captain Black stretched and sat up. "Make sure all the men are up, Governor. I'll be right with you."
"Aye, I'll get them up if I 'ave t' shoot 'em in th' arse!" James smiled and looked down at Wyh, laying all cuddled up in their bed. He bent down and kissed her cheek. Her eyes fluttered open as she felt his lips on her cheek, and she smiled up at him. "Did I hear it is time to sail, dearest?"
He didn't want to get out of bed. He wanted to just stay with Wyh, but there was adventure and fortune to be had, so he kissed her again, this time on the lips. "Ye sure did, my darlin'. Time t' rise and get this ship in deep water." She kissed him softly, smiling as she moved to sit up. "I am so very excited to be sailing with you. I can think of no better place to be."
He stood there naked and reached out for her to help her out of their bed. "Th' voyage begins, love. It could be dangerous, even deadly. You sure you want to do this?" She took his hand in hers, and rose naked from their bed - determination sparking in her silver eyes. "I am sure I wish to do this. I could not bear to see you leave, and the thought of adventure thrills me."
He grinned, a mouth of perfect white teeth hidden by the shadows of early morning. "You're my kind of woman, Wyh. I'm a lucky man." He turned up the light in the lanterns and began to dress. She smiled as she also dressed - slipping into her black breeches, tucking her blouse into them, then sitting carefully to draw on her boots - which still gave her a bit of trouble. She managed, though - and pulled her royal blue jacket on, smoothing the front of it carefully. "I am still surprised how comfortable these are."
He looked at her and beamed, "Wyh, you are so sexy in that, I could attack you this instant if we weren't setting sail in a half hour!" He took her hand and they went onto the main deck. He was dressed completely in black, and put on a black tri-corner, leather hat; braided hair with multicolored beads hung down the sides of his head. Dark eyes looked over his crew as he began to shout orders and get things under control.
She managed to snag her own hat, settling it on her head as he took her out onto the deck, her icy hair a stark contrast to the black of the hat. Her free hand fingered the braid James managed to work in her hair the night before, the blue and silver beads he had thread along its length catching the dim light. She watched him in his element, loving him even more than before.
The men of the Sea Wolf were the most unusual crew to ever sail the seas, but they knew how to make a ship perform to perfection. There were men up the three masts, in the rigging, on the decks, and on the dock - all doing their jobs. Captain Black walked around the deck, pointing here or there, giving orders, answering questions, and showing just why he's the captain of the ship. It was not long before the ropes were loosed from the docks and the ship began to slowly pull away. Wyheree quietly walked with him, listening to the orders, learning exactly what her Captain does - and how his crew responded to him. As the ship left the dock, a smile brightened her face as she studied the crew as they worked.
The running jib and jib sails were unfurled and captured the light morning breeze. It wasn't much, but it was enough to bring the Sea Wolf safely away from the dock. Captain Black took Wyh's hand and brought her to the wheel and stood behind her. "Here's how we steer this Lady." His strong arms went around Wyh and grasped the wheel, and the Sea Wolf slowly made its way out into the bay, heading for the ocean.
She gently ran her fingers over the wheel, feeling it turn as her Captain steered his ship. Grateful for his closeness, as she understood that out here on the decks, he is Captain Black, and she does not want to hinder him in any way. "How long will we be at sea this time, Captain?"
"Well, love, about two weeks if all goes well. Months if it does not go well. Forever if it goes really badly, but I really don't expect that to happen." The further out from the harbor the more the wind picked up. He gave orders for the top mizzen sail and top main sail to be dropped. One by one the Sea Wolf exposed more sheet to the wind and soon she was making good speed through the waves of the ocean, just at the time the sun was rising in the east.
"Is there anything I might do to help you and your crew while we are at sea?" Memories of long ago stirred in Wyh's mind, and she easily kept her balance as the Sea Wolf gathered speed, one hand still lightly on the wheel. He leaned in to her and brought his lips near her ear, the breeze blew her hair against his face. "You'll be th' cartographer of course " and I've heard ye "ave a knack for soothing th' injured. How's about being our physician?"
She smiled, shivering a little as he breathed in her ear. "I would like that, very much." She then fell silent, secure and happy as Captain Black continued to steer the Sea Wolf around her.
"Aye, I'll get them up if I 'ave t' shoot 'em in th' arse!" James smiled and looked down at Wyh, laying all cuddled up in their bed. He bent down and kissed her cheek. Her eyes fluttered open as she felt his lips on her cheek, and she smiled up at him. "Did I hear it is time to sail, dearest?"
He didn't want to get out of bed. He wanted to just stay with Wyh, but there was adventure and fortune to be had, so he kissed her again, this time on the lips. "Ye sure did, my darlin'. Time t' rise and get this ship in deep water." She kissed him softly, smiling as she moved to sit up. "I am so very excited to be sailing with you. I can think of no better place to be."
He stood there naked and reached out for her to help her out of their bed. "Th' voyage begins, love. It could be dangerous, even deadly. You sure you want to do this?" She took his hand in hers, and rose naked from their bed - determination sparking in her silver eyes. "I am sure I wish to do this. I could not bear to see you leave, and the thought of adventure thrills me."
He grinned, a mouth of perfect white teeth hidden by the shadows of early morning. "You're my kind of woman, Wyh. I'm a lucky man." He turned up the light in the lanterns and began to dress. She smiled as she also dressed - slipping into her black breeches, tucking her blouse into them, then sitting carefully to draw on her boots - which still gave her a bit of trouble. She managed, though - and pulled her royal blue jacket on, smoothing the front of it carefully. "I am still surprised how comfortable these are."
He looked at her and beamed, "Wyh, you are so sexy in that, I could attack you this instant if we weren't setting sail in a half hour!" He took her hand and they went onto the main deck. He was dressed completely in black, and put on a black tri-corner, leather hat; braided hair with multicolored beads hung down the sides of his head. Dark eyes looked over his crew as he began to shout orders and get things under control.
She managed to snag her own hat, settling it on her head as he took her out onto the deck, her icy hair a stark contrast to the black of the hat. Her free hand fingered the braid James managed to work in her hair the night before, the blue and silver beads he had thread along its length catching the dim light. She watched him in his element, loving him even more than before.
The men of the Sea Wolf were the most unusual crew to ever sail the seas, but they knew how to make a ship perform to perfection. There were men up the three masts, in the rigging, on the decks, and on the dock - all doing their jobs. Captain Black walked around the deck, pointing here or there, giving orders, answering questions, and showing just why he's the captain of the ship. It was not long before the ropes were loosed from the docks and the ship began to slowly pull away. Wyheree quietly walked with him, listening to the orders, learning exactly what her Captain does - and how his crew responded to him. As the ship left the dock, a smile brightened her face as she studied the crew as they worked.
The running jib and jib sails were unfurled and captured the light morning breeze. It wasn't much, but it was enough to bring the Sea Wolf safely away from the dock. Captain Black took Wyh's hand and brought her to the wheel and stood behind her. "Here's how we steer this Lady." His strong arms went around Wyh and grasped the wheel, and the Sea Wolf slowly made its way out into the bay, heading for the ocean.
She gently ran her fingers over the wheel, feeling it turn as her Captain steered his ship. Grateful for his closeness, as she understood that out here on the decks, he is Captain Black, and she does not want to hinder him in any way. "How long will we be at sea this time, Captain?"
"Well, love, about two weeks if all goes well. Months if it does not go well. Forever if it goes really badly, but I really don't expect that to happen." The further out from the harbor the more the wind picked up. He gave orders for the top mizzen sail and top main sail to be dropped. One by one the Sea Wolf exposed more sheet to the wind and soon she was making good speed through the waves of the ocean, just at the time the sun was rising in the east.
"Is there anything I might do to help you and your crew while we are at sea?" Memories of long ago stirred in Wyh's mind, and she easily kept her balance as the Sea Wolf gathered speed, one hand still lightly on the wheel. He leaned in to her and brought his lips near her ear, the breeze blew her hair against his face. "You'll be th' cartographer of course " and I've heard ye "ave a knack for soothing th' injured. How's about being our physician?"
She smiled, shivering a little as he breathed in her ear. "I would like that, very much." She then fell silent, secure and happy as Captain Black continued to steer the Sea Wolf around her.