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deannawolTitle: The Highest of Seas, The Lowest of Men
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
deannawol
Artist:husariaagatka
Type: Historical AU
Word Count: ~ 101,000
Rating: Mature
Characters/Pairings: Adam Lambert/Kris Allen; David Cook/David Archuleta; Cale Mills; Brad Bell; Katy O’Connell;
Warnings Slash (M/M) relationship(s), oral sex, violence, graphic descriptions, language used in the 18th century (i.e. period specific terms which may be deemed racist), whipping used as punishment and in a non-BDSM environment.
~#~#~
12th June 1710
The Devil’s Dog Tavern, New Providence
Kris would never have found the Devil’s Dog tavern, never in a lifetime and he was glad that Adam was by his side as he walked the streets. Unscrupulous men lay in doorways, watching them pass, their hands clutching earthenware flasks and half empty bottles. Adam paid them no attention but kept his hand near his sword, and Kris did similar, only breathing a sigh of relief when he saw the tavern’s sign swaying in the breeze down the street a little.
Two men stood flanking the door, their arms crossed and showing off impressive muscles. Adam inclined his head to the men as he stepped up. They looked down on him for a second before their faces shone with recognition and they tipped their caps back.
“The lady of the tavern says that there’s to be no fighting under her roof,” one of them said, his voice gruff, “She’s not ordered you stripped of your weapons but she’ll have it known that anyone wishing to start a fight under the tavern’s roof will have the fight ended and his life will be forfeit. Do you agree to these conditions?”
Kris’ eyebrows were high. The lady of the tavern must know who her clients were to be tonight. That she would threaten the pirate governors so blatantly must mean that either she was playing a dangerous game or she had the means and will to enforce her rules. Either prospect worried Kris but Adam simply nodded.
“Tell her that we agree to her rules and leave our safety solely at her discretion this evening.”
The men nodded and pushed open the door, stepping back to allow Adam and Kris to enter. Adam entered first, removing his hat as he did and Kris did the same, tucking it under his arm as he went. Silence greeted them as everyone turned to look at the new arrivals. Kris held his breath as he noticed that their eyes slid past Adam and directly to him, taking in his uniform and bearing. Kris did not move so much as an inch, barely daring to breathe.
Adam stepped forward, smiling, “Good evening all, and a pleasant evening to you all. Allow me to introduce my companion for the evening.” He turned to smile at Kris, holding out a hand. Kris took it and stepped to Adam’s side, “This is Lieutenant Kristopher Allen, an officer in Her Majesty’s navy and an officer of the former Hawk. No doubt you were all admiring The Madness this afternoon. Lieutenant Allen, here, is the last remaining officer on board and is currently acting surety for his men. Be warned now that any man that insults him or otherwise intends harm upon his person will meet me at dawn on a duelling field and be staring at the sky at a minute past.”
Kris hid his shock at the introduction well but vowed to have words with Captain Lambert later about his chosen method of breaking the tension. Still, while Kris was not happy at the details that Adam shared, he did have to acknowledge that the tension had lessened greatly and many had returned to their conversations. A few still stared at him, but that could not be helped.
The tavern was like most taverns for the most part, a large room with a counter at the back manned by a rather large individual who could have been the brother of both men at the door. But in the middle of the room sat a round table. Some sat at it, drinks in front of them, but Adam skirted it leading him to the bar, buying him a drink that Kris only sipped at. They stood with their backs to the bar and watched the men and women of the room while Adam explained the complicated relationships that he shared with the other pirate governors. Most were unremarkable, a story of double dealing and mutual respect but there were two that stood out.
“That man there,” Adam said, gesturing with his cup to a well dressed man at the other side of the room, “Is Nathaniel North. You’ll no doubt have heard of him.” Kris nodded and Adam continued, “That man was my very first Captain. A good man mostly, but a damned good pirate and one that I do not hesitate to call friend.”
Kris did not doubt Adam's word and yet Adam had not so much as spared a glance in the man’s direction before now.
“They why do you not go over to him?” Kris asked.
“It’s complicated,” Adam smiled as he sipped at the rum, “No others here know of our relationship, or if they do, they do not comment on it. North and I have been allies since this council was set in place, and along with a few others, we keep the council from succeeding in doing most of the outlandish things they’ve thought of since the last meeting.”
“And the man in the other corner, glaring daggers at you?” Kris asked, keeping his eye on the man without appearing to.
“Ah, that is Benjamin Hornigold, a pirate of middling prowess, but determined,” Adam looked away from the man to study his drink, “He hasn’t made a name for himself in terms of the Navy yet, but no doubt he will. He served as my first mate before Brad and I believe he still feels hard-done-by on that score.”
As Kris watched, the man pushed himself out of his seat and started towards Adam. He carried a cutlass, highly polished, and Kris doubted that it had seen much use, unlike the pistol that sat tucked in his belt. To Kris’ surprise, he did not look at Adam, but rather at Kris, smiling widely in a way that made Kris cringe.
“A lieutenant, eh?” Hornigold leaned in close, and Kris had to lift a hand to his nose to guard against the smell of foul breath and not enough soap, “And a pretty one too. Adam always did like living dangerously.”
Kris smiled a tight smile but made no reply.
“Standing surety for your crew,” Hornigold laughed, “Is that what they’re calling it these days? Oh well, I’ve always found that pretty little officers bend over so easily and scream so sharply. Tell me, lad, were you grabbing your ankles for him before he took your ship? Did he seduce you in port and get you to go along with his plan, or were you just easy pickin’s?”
Kris’ eyes narrowed at the man’s accusations and he squared his shoulders, “What business is that of yours, sir? Or is it simply that none of the tavern girls will go near you so you must resort to filthy stories to fill your needs? The Good Lord created soap for good reason as you amply attest. So perhaps you should look for a bathhouse instead of pestering me.”
“A pretty bit of fire, you got there, Adam,” Hornigold laughed, jiggling his purse, “What’s his price? I’d go an hour or two with a buck like that.”
Kris was indignant, “You, sir, could not afford me were you the most successful pirate in the room, which you are not. Now return to your corner and sit there until you are called on by your betters.”
Kris heard the sharp intake of breath from the gathered crowd and was aware of the stares of the others in the room. Adam’s hand was at the small of his back, just pressing lightly but Kris’ ire was up.
“My betters? You think you are my better?” Hornigold’s voice rose.
“I think you’ll find that I did not specify,” Kris looked around the room, “But from what I can see, or should I say smell, even the pigs in the gutter are your better. Good God, man! Did you sleep in a latrine last night or is that just your character seeping through?”
“You little bitch,” the man ground out and his hand went for his pistol.
There was a loud click and Hornigold’s hand paused.
“We don’t want any trouble here, do we, Benjamin?” a woman’s voice asked.
“No ma’am,” he shook his head.
“Then why not do as the Lieutenant here suggested and return to your corner and take a seat. We’re due to start any minute now, best get to business.”
Hornigold was quick to comply, but continued to send dark glares in Adam’s direction. Kris knew that the man would want revenge later but better that than think that he was going to bow down and take whatever was shovelled his way. Adam deserved someone who could stand up for himself and Kris was determined to give it to him, no matter the cost.
Turning his attention to the lady standing there, he was surprised to see that she was dressed in men’s clothes, a neat shirt with a waistcoat over it and breeches. In her hand was a pistol, still cocked and well used by his guess. She was shorter than him, or would have been without the flame red hair piled high on her head.
“You’ve got an interesting way of making friends, Lieutenant, but perhaps you could keep a tighter rein on your tongue? I’d hate to have to put a bullet between your pretty brown eyes.”
Kris swallowed. He was completely convinced that the woman would do it and not lose a wink of sleep doing so.
She turned to look at Adam, a smile spreading across her face, “Adam, always a pleasure.”
He took her hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it, “And any day I see you is one to be treasured.”
“Flatterer,” she blushed a little and Kris could see dimples on her cheeks, “But plenty of time for that later. If you would, the table is awaiting your presence.”
Adam bowed to her and moved over to the table, quickly picking a seat. There were only enough seats for the governors and Kris took a place behind Adam, his eyes watching over the others in the room. It seemed that each of the governors here were similarly attended and that eased Kris’ mind a fraction.
The meeting itself was boring, with a half hour discussion on rates of taxation and the appropriate bribe that must be given if one is to escape charges. It was an education for Kris but he was careful to keep his expression neutral. Hornigold’s eyes followed each movement he made, and Kris ignored the man, while still watching him out of the corner of his eye. And so the discussions continued.
It must be midnight by the time they raised the subject of the Navy and there were several glances in Kris’ direction, all of which Kris weathered. The pirates knew that the Navy had started a campaign of routing out the pirates from the waters around the Caribbean and was dispatching more ships from England to help with the effort.
That was news to Kris. He knew of the mission that The Hawk had been part of and suspected that they weren’t alone in their endeavours but to bring in ships from England to mount an offensive, that suggested that the Admiralty was tired of the pirate raids on their colonies and was getting ready to do something substantial about it.
It was Nathaniel North who brought the issue to the table, swearing that some of the traders he dealt with in the northern colonies, James Towne and York mostly, had told him that the Admiralty was redeploying ships south to berth out of Charles Towne until the matter was resolved. With those, and with the ships from England, there would be more than enough to chase down any pirates patrolling the waters for vulnerable ships ripe for the picking.
“Yeah, well,” Hornigold said, drawing the attention of every person at the table, “We know who we have to thank for that.” He raised his cup to Adam and took a hearty drink. “If The Master of The Madness over there hadn’t been so keen to swap ships, we would have been free and easy on the waves. But no, he did it again, captured an officer and an engaged one no less. Did you know he was engaged to be wed, Adam, when you grabbed him? Was that his draw? Pretty wench she is too. Cries so nicely by the harbour every day as she begs the sea to bring back her love.”
Kris raised an eyebrow at that, not believing it for a second. Katy was not the type to sit and wallow at his misfortune. Nor did he see her traipsing to the docks every day to simply spend the time weeping away her day. She was far too practical for that and...
Kris trailed off as he noticed Adam tensing. He looked around to see the cause and then realised what it must be. Never during all their talks, had Katy come up. What must he think? Damn, he should... But Adam was already speaking.
“Hold your tongue, man,” his voice was harsh and Kris could hear the angry undertone, “Whether or not I snatched a ship out from under them is not the issue. The Hawk was already engaged to the task before she was taken, and I’d bet my fortune that the other ships out of Charles Towne were too. This is just an escalation. And we will survive it, just as we have any other time the Navy puts to sea in search of pirates.”
“Aye, we will,” North agreed, “They do it from time to time. It just means laying low for a while and living on our earnings rather than looting. We have summer berths for that reason.”
There was general nodding around the table, but Hornigold was not convinced, “And what luck do we have with Lambert’s little talisman there? He’s probably going to slip his leash first chance he gets and run back to the Admiralty. Lambert too, can we trust him?”
Adam pushed to his feet and glared down at the offensive man, “I will not sit at a table any longer with a man who stabbed me in the back and then goes on to question my trustworthiness. I let you live once, Ben, and I’ve regretted it ever since. I would be happy to meet you at dawn and we can settle the issue.”
“Aye, why don’t we?” Hornigold was on his feet now.
The red haired madam stepped to the table and tapped her pistol against the wood, drawing all eyes to her. She smiled and spoke, “Gentlemen, ladies, now looks like a good time to top up your drinks and powder your noses. Some time apart I think will cool the tempers here.”
And the meeting broke up, with people going to their separate places to think over everything that had been said. Kris put a hand on Adam’s shoulder but it was shrugged off. Adam turned to face him, fury visible in his eyes and Kris took a step back.
“We should talk, you and I,” Adam ground the words out and stalked off, going up the stairs.
Kris followed him, nervous energy collecting in the pit of his stomach. Adam opened one of the doors on the landing and growled something to the woman inside. She exited the room at speed, gathering her petticoats as she ran down the landing to another room. Adam waited until Kris had entered and closed the door behind him firmly.
“A fiancée? You have a fiancée waiting for you back in Charles Towne? And you never thought to tell me?” Adam stalked to him, looking down on Kris with anger in his eyes.
Kris cringed, “I never...”
“My God, you do!” Adam ran a hand through his hair and sat heavily on the bed and putting his face in his hands. “You do. Of course you do. How could I have been so foolish?”
Kris went to his side, reaching out to touch but Adam pulled away. Kris sat there for a second and in his mind’s eye, he saw everything start to slip away and he couldn’t, wouldn’t allow that. He loved Adam. God help him, he did, and while there was breath left in his body he needed to tell him that and make him understand that it was Adam that Kris wanted to spend his life with. Adam, not Katy.
Kris took a deep breath, “Yes, I have a fiancée. Her name is Katy, Katherine.”
“I care not a whit for her name,” Adam interrupted, looking up at Kris with wet eyes.
“She’s been a friend since we were children and truly that is all there is to our relationship,” Kris sighed, “She’s my fiancée through circumstances only.” Adam frowned at him and Kris pushed on, “When we were children and growing up I saw that there were times that she held her arm to her body or she limped when no one was around to watch. She never spoke of it, but I could tell that she was injured. When we were older, I asked her about it and she finally told me her story.” He shook his head, “I probably shouldn’t be telling you this, it’s not my story to tell, but I need you to understand. Her father was, is, a brutal man who takes out his frustrations on those less able to defend themselves. He beat her. He beat her sister and even her mother. He beat the servants. Anyone he could get his hands on who was not in a position to fight back.”
Kris looked down at his hands and ran a finger over the bandages that held his hand immobile, “When her sister was eighteen, her father sold her off to settle some gambling debts that he had. He gave her away and when she protested and made to run away, he captured her and beat her so badly that she died. Katy dreaded that fate, simply dreaded it, so she packed and made a plan to run away. She came by my father’s house to say her goodbyes to me, must have been close to midnight. She was crying, tears all down her face and well... I never could stand to see a lady cry so I brought her in and we came up with a plan. I would ask her to marry me. That would save her from her father’s matchmaking and keep her safe. With my father being quite the respected figure in the town, O’Connell would not dare to try something so crass as to break the engagement. Not without good reason and neither Katy nor I ever gave him one.”
He knew that Adam was watching him still but he could not bring himself to look at the other man, “I love Katy, truly I do.” He felt Adam move away and reached out to him, catching his arm, “but it is as a brother loves a sister, and nothing more. It has never been more than that. I swear to you, I have never felt even a fraction of the passion that I feel for you. Not for Katy. But I had no idea what was missing.”
He looked up at Adam. The man’s face was unreadable again, and only the wetness of his eyes gave Kris a clue to the man’s emotions. He was torn, and so was Kris but Kris knew that he couldn’t stop there. He couldn’t give in while there was still a chance to have this... this whatever it was between them. Call it love, call it lust, call it whatever you wanted, but Kris could not deny that he would do whatever it took to keep Adam.
“When we kissed, when we touched, when we...” he blushed, “made love, I felt something that I had never felt before. You awoke a passion in me that I have never thought could exist and one I never want to forget. Adam, I love you. With my heart, with my soul, I love you.”
Adam looked at him for a second, the ghost of a frown on his forehead, “Then why did you not tell me about her? Why do I have to find out from Hornigold, a man who would do anything in his power to hurt me?”
Kris looked down. He could feel the shame burn his face, “I haven’t spared her but a handful of thoughts since we left port. Before The Madness, there was La Rochelle and after The Madness there was you and only you.” He forced a smile, “Unless you count my trips to the surgeons' rooms.”
Adam laughed a little at that but the smile faded quickly, “Kris... I don’t know... I don’t think...”
Kris reached out and pressed a finger against Adam’s lips.
“Then don’t,” Kris said and leaned in, kissing Adam. “Don’t think, just feel.” He put a hand on Adam’s chest. “You know me, better perhaps than anyone else in this world. Do you honestly believe that I would have kept such a thing from you on purpose?”
Adam looked lost. A flurry of emotions flickered on his face almost faster than Kris could read them and this was possibly the least confident that he had ever seen Adam.
“I don’t know.”
“Yes you do,” Kris insisted. “You do, you just don’t want to get hurt and I know that feeling. Lord knows, I do, but Adam, I swear to you that I didn’t mean to hurt you. Anything, ask me anything and if I can, I’ll give you the answers.”
“I don’t want to ask anything,” Adam replied, “I don’t want anything. Just you.”
“You have me!” Kris insisted and reached out to caress Adam’s cheek, “I’d wager that you’ve had me since that first time we met.”
Adam’s lip curled up slightly, “We met a long time ago, Kris.”
“I remember,” Kris nodded, “A dark night filled with half-dead men. I remember. You were captivating.”
“And you were ferocious,” Adam’s fingers traced the line of Kris’ jaw, “Deadly with that sword.”
“And so were you.”
Kris leaned in, pressing his lips against Adam’s, “Forgive me?”
Adam kissed him, tender and slow and with the promise of many more to come, and Kris melted in his arms. Insistent hands pulled off Kris’ coat and pulled his shirt from his breeches. Kris quickly turned the tables on Adam and sunk to his knees before the other man. Their lovemaking was fast and furious, and filled with a passion that stole their very breaths from them. When they climaxed, they held each other, and only the strength and support of each other kept them upright.
“I love you,” Kris murmured, but the words were but echoes as Adam murmured at the very same time the very same words.
It was a heavy thump at the door and shouted words that pulled them from their shared world, “Gentlemen, the council is convening.”
Adam lifted Kris to his feet and righted his clothes and Kris returned the gesture. Everyone would know what they had been doing, but damn them all, Kris could not care less if the entire world knew. Adam smiled and pressed a final kiss to Kris’ lips before he opened the door.
His shoulders and back were straight and he walked proud, like he was the master not only of The Madness but of everything he surveyed. Kris walked at his side, their hands brushing as they made their way down the stairs.
Adam took his seat and they were about to resume their discussions, when the door burst open. A man, a sailor by his dress but not one Kris recognised, ran to North and practically collapsed beside him. North offered his rum without hesitation.
“Reynolds, what is it?”
“The British, sir,” the man had not caught his breath yet but the words were easily heard, “The scouts have seen their sails. Ten ships at least, moving in to barricade the port.”
Adam was on his feet in a second and looking to Kris. Kris for his part was already grabbing for Adam’s hand and making a break for the door, dragging Adam along behind him. They slipped through the door easily, with the rest of the governors on their heels, but Kris wasn’t about to be outpaced. This was going to be difficult enough without losing time to the clamouring of pirates he didn’t particularly know or like.
The town was on alert now and the gaiety that had been there earlier was buried under a thick cloud of apprehension and Kris dragged Adam on, ignoring the men armed with rifles who were running across to the garrison. Women and children were erecting barricades and Kris was forced to dodge around people carrying tables and chairs from their houses to help the efforts. The Madness was the closest ship and Kris dashed up the gangplank, shouting at the top of his lungs to recall the men.
Bell looked at him oddly and then glanced over his shoulder to Adam who echoed the order.
“Adam, I need to see your maps of New Providence,” Kris called over his shoulder, still running but now down to the ward room.
Adam was on his heels in an instant and opening his bureau to pull out the large scrolled maps of the region. Kris laid it down flat on the table and looked at it. Tactics flowed through his head from the many, many books he had been given to study for his Lieutenancy exam. A decent measure of personal experience knitted the whole thing together and Kris tapped the map.
“The navy will come from this direction more than likely, and attempt to barricade the harbour first,” Kris looked up at Adam and saw him nodding. “How accurate is this map?”
“Accurate enough,” Adam breathed.
“I truly hope so,” Kris murmured, studying the coast line. “The Madness is running heavy thanks to the cannon that were liberated from La Mort. Order Bell to have the men heave them up and dump them over the side as soon as you pull out from the port. Fast as you can. The water will be shallow here and you’ll need her to be light as possible if you don’t want to crash on the rocks and tear open her hull. The Madness is fast, but she’s heavy even with nothing but bare timbers. You need her to be light. If you can spare some of the other cannon below deck, you might consider tossing them overboard too.”
Adam looked from Kris to the map, his brow furrowing, “You mean us to run, to turn our sails and speed from the harbour while the other crews stand and fight.”
“Yes, damn it I do,” Kris looked to Adam, his hand cupping Adam’s cheek, “It’s your only chance to survive.” Kris sighed and straightened, dropping his hands, “The Madness...” Kris paused, gathering his thoughts and starting again, “The Hawk was the best ship to have this side of the Atlantic, the newest and largest ship to sail out of any colonial port, but if those ships are English, then you will be outmatched and easily. As it stands, The Madness has forty-four guns. If even one of the ships out there is from England, then you are looking at facing down eighty or one-hundred guns and every one of them will be trained on you, and you especially, because you stole the jewel from America’s crown. You took her flagships.”
Kris sighed, eyes dropping to the map again even though he was not looking at it, “They’re going to be out for blood, Adam, your blood and there is little that you can do to stop them. So yes, running will give you the best option.”
Adam made to say something but Kris was not finished, “Just a few days ago, you told me that I didn’t have it in me to be an officer on board a pirate ship, and as much it galls me to admit it, you are right, but I am an officer in the British Navy. I know how they think, how they move and what they plan. Let me help you in this. There is no other choice and though it may not sit well with you, the only other option is capture and death and I will not let that happen to you.”
Adam smiled fondly down at him, “Then run we shall.”
Sighing in relief, Kris turned back to the map, “You must hug the coastline here. It’s night time, so they’ll use the cover of darkness to crawl into place, to close the net. With your dark sails, you should slip by them, but the men must be silent. No noise because they’ll be listening for anything. No lights, nothing but men sounding the depths. Keep to the deeper waters when you can, but be prepared. Put your best man at the helm.”
“Aye, I shall,” Adam nodded. His smile turned to a frown and his hand found Kris’, “And where shall you be during this midnight adventure?”
Kris bit his lip, not wanting to answer. Damn the Navy for choosing now to strike. Damn them all. He’d just made his peace with Adam, with this lifestyle and they were here to snatch it away. Kris couldn’t speak, couldn’t even breathe and Adam was shaking his head.
“No, Kris. No. You can’t!”
The words were scarce above a whisper and each one drove a pain through Kris’ heart.
“I must, Adam, and you know it.”
“It doesn’t have to be... You don’t have to,” Adam was shaking his head violently, “I refuse to...”
Kris cupped his cheek again and drew Adam closer to press a kiss to his lips, “You cannot refuse and you know it. You bloodied their noses and they want to thrash you for that, but worse than that, you took their people. If they take the port and find us here, it will slow them down just long enough for you to slip by. It will win you a few more minutes, a crucial few minutes that will allow you to make good your escape.”
“But...” Adam tried again but Kris cut him off with another kiss.
“I love you, with all my heart, you know that, and I would be with you always if I could, but I would rather go back to the Navy and to Charles Towne than watch you walk to the gallows. Spare me that fate,” Kris begged, “Please, Adam.”
“I can refuse you nothing,” Adam’s eyes shone wetly in the lantern light and Kris kissed him one last time.
Kris lingered only a second longer, before turning on his heel and making for the deck. He couldn’t hear footsteps behind him and he didn’t stop to look. He simply didn’t have the strength. Every fibre of his being cried out to stay, to never leave, but he had to. He had a duty to perform, one final duty and he would see it through, even though it wrenched his soul, tearing it in two.
It was a walk of only two dozen steps but it took an eternity, each step taking him further away from his love, from where he wanted to be, from his rightful place at Adam’s side, and it cut like a knife.
The deck was in an uproar as men ran this way and that getting the ship ready to put to sea, but Kris cut through the maelstrom of activity and made his way to the gangplank. Archie stood there with Cook and Cale, and Kris nodded in acknowledgement.
“They say the British are moving to barricade the port,” Archie said, not quite making the words a question but Kris nodded anyway.
“So the scouts say, Archie. The Madness is running for it and I pray she makes it.”
Archie’s eyes widen at that but he wisely said nothing except, “And your orders, Lieutenant Allen?”
Kris shook his head, “I will issue no orders, Archie, not today.” Kris’ eyes looked over the deck and caught on Adam as he stepped out. “Tomorrow maybe, but for today, I’m not sure that I have heart enough left.”
He looked at Adam one more time, offering him a formal salute, holding it longer than he should, before he turned his back on the man and started down the gang plank. He could feel Adam’s eyes watching him, following him but he dared not look back.
“Faster, men,” Kris ordered the men running towards him, up and onto The Madness. “Start casting those lines off. Quickly now!”
“You heard the Lieutenant. We don’t have all night.”
It was Cale’s voice and Kris turned to see him heave the heavy ropes from their stays and cast them off. Archie and Cook were doing the same to the other lines, with others helping. Kris frowned as he looked at them, not fully understanding why they were there and not on board the ship. He opened his mouth to ask them but something came barrelling at him, slamming into him and almost casting him into the sea.
Kris fought, a flurry of fists and kicks and – God help him – bites and it was only when the man pulled back that he recognised Davis’ face looking down at him.
“Traitor,” the man cursed, “Sold us out to the British just like I knew you would.”
Fists rained down on Kris and even though Kris defended himself, the man had weight on his side and was using it to pin Kris to the ground. At his periphery, Kris could see Cale moving towards him, Cook too, but Davis fought on. Kris struck a blow solidly to the man’s back and Davis arched back. Kris was about to reach for his dagger, the dagger that Cook had given him all those weeks ago, when...
BANG!
A shot rang out. A pistol shot and Davis toppled backwards, a mess of blood and brains, and Kris was startled. He looked to Cale and Cook and even Archie but they were a puzzled as he. Finally, he looked up, to The Madness and Bell stood at the railing, lowering his pistol with a look of smug satisfaction on his face.
“That’s twice, I believe,” he called down and Kris could only nod, “Oh, and I’ll expect you to have my uniform freshly laundered when you return it.”
Kris blinked and looked down at the uniform, now splotched with red. This was Bell’s uniform? This? His mind simply could not comprehend that fact. He looked up again, and Bell was gone, only to be replaced by Adam. Kris crawled free of Davis’ body and stood.
“Tell your Katherine that I will expect her to take good care of you. I’ll expect you hale and hearty when I come for you. And I will come for you,” Adam promised.
“And I’ll be waiting,” Kris promised in return.
There was no time to say anything more. The Madness started to drift out into the harbour. Kris watched it go. Cale’s hand rested on his shoulder and Archie spoke soft words to him, but Kris did not hear them, every fibre of his being focused on the retreating sails.
As he watched the sails of The Madness disappear behind the corner of the harbour, Kris prayed, he cast up his thoughts like never before in the true and fervent hope that when next they crossed paths – for cross paths they would – that it was not under enemy colours, for in truth, Kris could not wish them ill intent.
Watching the horizon for a moment longer, Kris sighed and eventually turned towards to town. He straightened his shoulders and set himself the task of putting Adam from his mind, but it was an impossible task, for his heart and soul rested with the Master of The Madness and would forevermore.
Author:
deannawolArtist:
husariaagatkaType: Historical AU
Word Count: ~ 101,000
Rating: Mature
Characters/Pairings: Adam Lambert/Kris Allen; David Cook/David Archuleta; Cale Mills; Brad Bell; Katy O’Connell;
Warnings Slash (M/M) relationship(s), oral sex, violence, graphic descriptions, language used in the 18th century (i.e. period specific terms which may be deemed racist), whipping used as punishment and in a non-BDSM environment.
~#~#~
The Devil’s Dog Tavern, New Providence
Kris would never have found the Devil’s Dog tavern, never in a lifetime and he was glad that Adam was by his side as he walked the streets. Unscrupulous men lay in doorways, watching them pass, their hands clutching earthenware flasks and half empty bottles. Adam paid them no attention but kept his hand near his sword, and Kris did similar, only breathing a sigh of relief when he saw the tavern’s sign swaying in the breeze down the street a little.
Two men stood flanking the door, their arms crossed and showing off impressive muscles. Adam inclined his head to the men as he stepped up. They looked down on him for a second before their faces shone with recognition and they tipped their caps back.
“The lady of the tavern says that there’s to be no fighting under her roof,” one of them said, his voice gruff, “She’s not ordered you stripped of your weapons but she’ll have it known that anyone wishing to start a fight under the tavern’s roof will have the fight ended and his life will be forfeit. Do you agree to these conditions?”
Kris’ eyebrows were high. The lady of the tavern must know who her clients were to be tonight. That she would threaten the pirate governors so blatantly must mean that either she was playing a dangerous game or she had the means and will to enforce her rules. Either prospect worried Kris but Adam simply nodded.
“Tell her that we agree to her rules and leave our safety solely at her discretion this evening.”
The men nodded and pushed open the door, stepping back to allow Adam and Kris to enter. Adam entered first, removing his hat as he did and Kris did the same, tucking it under his arm as he went. Silence greeted them as everyone turned to look at the new arrivals. Kris held his breath as he noticed that their eyes slid past Adam and directly to him, taking in his uniform and bearing. Kris did not move so much as an inch, barely daring to breathe.
Adam stepped forward, smiling, “Good evening all, and a pleasant evening to you all. Allow me to introduce my companion for the evening.” He turned to smile at Kris, holding out a hand. Kris took it and stepped to Adam’s side, “This is Lieutenant Kristopher Allen, an officer in Her Majesty’s navy and an officer of the former Hawk. No doubt you were all admiring The Madness this afternoon. Lieutenant Allen, here, is the last remaining officer on board and is currently acting surety for his men. Be warned now that any man that insults him or otherwise intends harm upon his person will meet me at dawn on a duelling field and be staring at the sky at a minute past.”
Kris hid his shock at the introduction well but vowed to have words with Captain Lambert later about his chosen method of breaking the tension. Still, while Kris was not happy at the details that Adam shared, he did have to acknowledge that the tension had lessened greatly and many had returned to their conversations. A few still stared at him, but that could not be helped.
The tavern was like most taverns for the most part, a large room with a counter at the back manned by a rather large individual who could have been the brother of both men at the door. But in the middle of the room sat a round table. Some sat at it, drinks in front of them, but Adam skirted it leading him to the bar, buying him a drink that Kris only sipped at. They stood with their backs to the bar and watched the men and women of the room while Adam explained the complicated relationships that he shared with the other pirate governors. Most were unremarkable, a story of double dealing and mutual respect but there were two that stood out.
“That man there,” Adam said, gesturing with his cup to a well dressed man at the other side of the room, “Is Nathaniel North. You’ll no doubt have heard of him.” Kris nodded and Adam continued, “That man was my very first Captain. A good man mostly, but a damned good pirate and one that I do not hesitate to call friend.”
Kris did not doubt Adam's word and yet Adam had not so much as spared a glance in the man’s direction before now.
“They why do you not go over to him?” Kris asked.
“It’s complicated,” Adam smiled as he sipped at the rum, “No others here know of our relationship, or if they do, they do not comment on it. North and I have been allies since this council was set in place, and along with a few others, we keep the council from succeeding in doing most of the outlandish things they’ve thought of since the last meeting.”
“And the man in the other corner, glaring daggers at you?” Kris asked, keeping his eye on the man without appearing to.
“Ah, that is Benjamin Hornigold, a pirate of middling prowess, but determined,” Adam looked away from the man to study his drink, “He hasn’t made a name for himself in terms of the Navy yet, but no doubt he will. He served as my first mate before Brad and I believe he still feels hard-done-by on that score.”
As Kris watched, the man pushed himself out of his seat and started towards Adam. He carried a cutlass, highly polished, and Kris doubted that it had seen much use, unlike the pistol that sat tucked in his belt. To Kris’ surprise, he did not look at Adam, but rather at Kris, smiling widely in a way that made Kris cringe.
“A lieutenant, eh?” Hornigold leaned in close, and Kris had to lift a hand to his nose to guard against the smell of foul breath and not enough soap, “And a pretty one too. Adam always did like living dangerously.”
Kris smiled a tight smile but made no reply.
“Standing surety for your crew,” Hornigold laughed, “Is that what they’re calling it these days? Oh well, I’ve always found that pretty little officers bend over so easily and scream so sharply. Tell me, lad, were you grabbing your ankles for him before he took your ship? Did he seduce you in port and get you to go along with his plan, or were you just easy pickin’s?”
Kris’ eyes narrowed at the man’s accusations and he squared his shoulders, “What business is that of yours, sir? Or is it simply that none of the tavern girls will go near you so you must resort to filthy stories to fill your needs? The Good Lord created soap for good reason as you amply attest. So perhaps you should look for a bathhouse instead of pestering me.”
“A pretty bit of fire, you got there, Adam,” Hornigold laughed, jiggling his purse, “What’s his price? I’d go an hour or two with a buck like that.”
Kris was indignant, “You, sir, could not afford me were you the most successful pirate in the room, which you are not. Now return to your corner and sit there until you are called on by your betters.”
Kris heard the sharp intake of breath from the gathered crowd and was aware of the stares of the others in the room. Adam’s hand was at the small of his back, just pressing lightly but Kris’ ire was up.
“My betters? You think you are my better?” Hornigold’s voice rose.
“I think you’ll find that I did not specify,” Kris looked around the room, “But from what I can see, or should I say smell, even the pigs in the gutter are your better. Good God, man! Did you sleep in a latrine last night or is that just your character seeping through?”
“You little bitch,” the man ground out and his hand went for his pistol.
There was a loud click and Hornigold’s hand paused.
“We don’t want any trouble here, do we, Benjamin?” a woman’s voice asked.
“No ma’am,” he shook his head.
“Then why not do as the Lieutenant here suggested and return to your corner and take a seat. We’re due to start any minute now, best get to business.”
Hornigold was quick to comply, but continued to send dark glares in Adam’s direction. Kris knew that the man would want revenge later but better that than think that he was going to bow down and take whatever was shovelled his way. Adam deserved someone who could stand up for himself and Kris was determined to give it to him, no matter the cost.
Turning his attention to the lady standing there, he was surprised to see that she was dressed in men’s clothes, a neat shirt with a waistcoat over it and breeches. In her hand was a pistol, still cocked and well used by his guess. She was shorter than him, or would have been without the flame red hair piled high on her head.
“You’ve got an interesting way of making friends, Lieutenant, but perhaps you could keep a tighter rein on your tongue? I’d hate to have to put a bullet between your pretty brown eyes.”
Kris swallowed. He was completely convinced that the woman would do it and not lose a wink of sleep doing so.
She turned to look at Adam, a smile spreading across her face, “Adam, always a pleasure.”
He took her hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it, “And any day I see you is one to be treasured.”
“Flatterer,” she blushed a little and Kris could see dimples on her cheeks, “But plenty of time for that later. If you would, the table is awaiting your presence.”
Adam bowed to her and moved over to the table, quickly picking a seat. There were only enough seats for the governors and Kris took a place behind Adam, his eyes watching over the others in the room. It seemed that each of the governors here were similarly attended and that eased Kris’ mind a fraction.
The meeting itself was boring, with a half hour discussion on rates of taxation and the appropriate bribe that must be given if one is to escape charges. It was an education for Kris but he was careful to keep his expression neutral. Hornigold’s eyes followed each movement he made, and Kris ignored the man, while still watching him out of the corner of his eye. And so the discussions continued.
It must be midnight by the time they raised the subject of the Navy and there were several glances in Kris’ direction, all of which Kris weathered. The pirates knew that the Navy had started a campaign of routing out the pirates from the waters around the Caribbean and was dispatching more ships from England to help with the effort.
That was news to Kris. He knew of the mission that The Hawk had been part of and suspected that they weren’t alone in their endeavours but to bring in ships from England to mount an offensive, that suggested that the Admiralty was tired of the pirate raids on their colonies and was getting ready to do something substantial about it.
It was Nathaniel North who brought the issue to the table, swearing that some of the traders he dealt with in the northern colonies, James Towne and York mostly, had told him that the Admiralty was redeploying ships south to berth out of Charles Towne until the matter was resolved. With those, and with the ships from England, there would be more than enough to chase down any pirates patrolling the waters for vulnerable ships ripe for the picking.
“Yeah, well,” Hornigold said, drawing the attention of every person at the table, “We know who we have to thank for that.” He raised his cup to Adam and took a hearty drink. “If The Master of The Madness over there hadn’t been so keen to swap ships, we would have been free and easy on the waves. But no, he did it again, captured an officer and an engaged one no less. Did you know he was engaged to be wed, Adam, when you grabbed him? Was that his draw? Pretty wench she is too. Cries so nicely by the harbour every day as she begs the sea to bring back her love.”
Kris raised an eyebrow at that, not believing it for a second. Katy was not the type to sit and wallow at his misfortune. Nor did he see her traipsing to the docks every day to simply spend the time weeping away her day. She was far too practical for that and...
Kris trailed off as he noticed Adam tensing. He looked around to see the cause and then realised what it must be. Never during all their talks, had Katy come up. What must he think? Damn, he should... But Adam was already speaking.
“Hold your tongue, man,” his voice was harsh and Kris could hear the angry undertone, “Whether or not I snatched a ship out from under them is not the issue. The Hawk was already engaged to the task before she was taken, and I’d bet my fortune that the other ships out of Charles Towne were too. This is just an escalation. And we will survive it, just as we have any other time the Navy puts to sea in search of pirates.”
“Aye, we will,” North agreed, “They do it from time to time. It just means laying low for a while and living on our earnings rather than looting. We have summer berths for that reason.”
There was general nodding around the table, but Hornigold was not convinced, “And what luck do we have with Lambert’s little talisman there? He’s probably going to slip his leash first chance he gets and run back to the Admiralty. Lambert too, can we trust him?”
Adam pushed to his feet and glared down at the offensive man, “I will not sit at a table any longer with a man who stabbed me in the back and then goes on to question my trustworthiness. I let you live once, Ben, and I’ve regretted it ever since. I would be happy to meet you at dawn and we can settle the issue.”
“Aye, why don’t we?” Hornigold was on his feet now.
The red haired madam stepped to the table and tapped her pistol against the wood, drawing all eyes to her. She smiled and spoke, “Gentlemen, ladies, now looks like a good time to top up your drinks and powder your noses. Some time apart I think will cool the tempers here.”
And the meeting broke up, with people going to their separate places to think over everything that had been said. Kris put a hand on Adam’s shoulder but it was shrugged off. Adam turned to face him, fury visible in his eyes and Kris took a step back.
“We should talk, you and I,” Adam ground the words out and stalked off, going up the stairs.
Kris followed him, nervous energy collecting in the pit of his stomach. Adam opened one of the doors on the landing and growled something to the woman inside. She exited the room at speed, gathering her petticoats as she ran down the landing to another room. Adam waited until Kris had entered and closed the door behind him firmly.
“A fiancée? You have a fiancée waiting for you back in Charles Towne? And you never thought to tell me?” Adam stalked to him, looking down on Kris with anger in his eyes.
Kris cringed, “I never...”
“My God, you do!” Adam ran a hand through his hair and sat heavily on the bed and putting his face in his hands. “You do. Of course you do. How could I have been so foolish?”
Kris went to his side, reaching out to touch but Adam pulled away. Kris sat there for a second and in his mind’s eye, he saw everything start to slip away and he couldn’t, wouldn’t allow that. He loved Adam. God help him, he did, and while there was breath left in his body he needed to tell him that and make him understand that it was Adam that Kris wanted to spend his life with. Adam, not Katy.
Kris took a deep breath, “Yes, I have a fiancée. Her name is Katy, Katherine.”
“I care not a whit for her name,” Adam interrupted, looking up at Kris with wet eyes.
“She’s been a friend since we were children and truly that is all there is to our relationship,” Kris sighed, “She’s my fiancée through circumstances only.” Adam frowned at him and Kris pushed on, “When we were children and growing up I saw that there were times that she held her arm to her body or she limped when no one was around to watch. She never spoke of it, but I could tell that she was injured. When we were older, I asked her about it and she finally told me her story.” He shook his head, “I probably shouldn’t be telling you this, it’s not my story to tell, but I need you to understand. Her father was, is, a brutal man who takes out his frustrations on those less able to defend themselves. He beat her. He beat her sister and even her mother. He beat the servants. Anyone he could get his hands on who was not in a position to fight back.”
Kris looked down at his hands and ran a finger over the bandages that held his hand immobile, “When her sister was eighteen, her father sold her off to settle some gambling debts that he had. He gave her away and when she protested and made to run away, he captured her and beat her so badly that she died. Katy dreaded that fate, simply dreaded it, so she packed and made a plan to run away. She came by my father’s house to say her goodbyes to me, must have been close to midnight. She was crying, tears all down her face and well... I never could stand to see a lady cry so I brought her in and we came up with a plan. I would ask her to marry me. That would save her from her father’s matchmaking and keep her safe. With my father being quite the respected figure in the town, O’Connell would not dare to try something so crass as to break the engagement. Not without good reason and neither Katy nor I ever gave him one.”
He knew that Adam was watching him still but he could not bring himself to look at the other man, “I love Katy, truly I do.” He felt Adam move away and reached out to him, catching his arm, “but it is as a brother loves a sister, and nothing more. It has never been more than that. I swear to you, I have never felt even a fraction of the passion that I feel for you. Not for Katy. But I had no idea what was missing.”
He looked up at Adam. The man’s face was unreadable again, and only the wetness of his eyes gave Kris a clue to the man’s emotions. He was torn, and so was Kris but Kris knew that he couldn’t stop there. He couldn’t give in while there was still a chance to have this... this whatever it was between them. Call it love, call it lust, call it whatever you wanted, but Kris could not deny that he would do whatever it took to keep Adam.
“When we kissed, when we touched, when we...” he blushed, “made love, I felt something that I had never felt before. You awoke a passion in me that I have never thought could exist and one I never want to forget. Adam, I love you. With my heart, with my soul, I love you.”
Adam looked at him for a second, the ghost of a frown on his forehead, “Then why did you not tell me about her? Why do I have to find out from Hornigold, a man who would do anything in his power to hurt me?”
Kris looked down. He could feel the shame burn his face, “I haven’t spared her but a handful of thoughts since we left port. Before The Madness, there was La Rochelle and after The Madness there was you and only you.” He forced a smile, “Unless you count my trips to the surgeons' rooms.”
Adam laughed a little at that but the smile faded quickly, “Kris... I don’t know... I don’t think...”
Kris reached out and pressed a finger against Adam’s lips.
“Then don’t,” Kris said and leaned in, kissing Adam. “Don’t think, just feel.” He put a hand on Adam’s chest. “You know me, better perhaps than anyone else in this world. Do you honestly believe that I would have kept such a thing from you on purpose?”
Adam looked lost. A flurry of emotions flickered on his face almost faster than Kris could read them and this was possibly the least confident that he had ever seen Adam.
“I don’t know.”
“Yes you do,” Kris insisted. “You do, you just don’t want to get hurt and I know that feeling. Lord knows, I do, but Adam, I swear to you that I didn’t mean to hurt you. Anything, ask me anything and if I can, I’ll give you the answers.”
“I don’t want to ask anything,” Adam replied, “I don’t want anything. Just you.”
“You have me!” Kris insisted and reached out to caress Adam’s cheek, “I’d wager that you’ve had me since that first time we met.”
Adam’s lip curled up slightly, “We met a long time ago, Kris.”
“I remember,” Kris nodded, “A dark night filled with half-dead men. I remember. You were captivating.”
“And you were ferocious,” Adam’s fingers traced the line of Kris’ jaw, “Deadly with that sword.”
“And so were you.”
Kris leaned in, pressing his lips against Adam’s, “Forgive me?”
Adam kissed him, tender and slow and with the promise of many more to come, and Kris melted in his arms. Insistent hands pulled off Kris’ coat and pulled his shirt from his breeches. Kris quickly turned the tables on Adam and sunk to his knees before the other man. Their lovemaking was fast and furious, and filled with a passion that stole their very breaths from them. When they climaxed, they held each other, and only the strength and support of each other kept them upright.
“I love you,” Kris murmured, but the words were but echoes as Adam murmured at the very same time the very same words.
It was a heavy thump at the door and shouted words that pulled them from their shared world, “Gentlemen, the council is convening.”
Adam lifted Kris to his feet and righted his clothes and Kris returned the gesture. Everyone would know what they had been doing, but damn them all, Kris could not care less if the entire world knew. Adam smiled and pressed a final kiss to Kris’ lips before he opened the door.
His shoulders and back were straight and he walked proud, like he was the master not only of The Madness but of everything he surveyed. Kris walked at his side, their hands brushing as they made their way down the stairs.
Adam took his seat and they were about to resume their discussions, when the door burst open. A man, a sailor by his dress but not one Kris recognised, ran to North and practically collapsed beside him. North offered his rum without hesitation.
“Reynolds, what is it?”
“The British, sir,” the man had not caught his breath yet but the words were easily heard, “The scouts have seen their sails. Ten ships at least, moving in to barricade the port.”
Adam was on his feet in a second and looking to Kris. Kris for his part was already grabbing for Adam’s hand and making a break for the door, dragging Adam along behind him. They slipped through the door easily, with the rest of the governors on their heels, but Kris wasn’t about to be outpaced. This was going to be difficult enough without losing time to the clamouring of pirates he didn’t particularly know or like.
The town was on alert now and the gaiety that had been there earlier was buried under a thick cloud of apprehension and Kris dragged Adam on, ignoring the men armed with rifles who were running across to the garrison. Women and children were erecting barricades and Kris was forced to dodge around people carrying tables and chairs from their houses to help the efforts. The Madness was the closest ship and Kris dashed up the gangplank, shouting at the top of his lungs to recall the men.
Bell looked at him oddly and then glanced over his shoulder to Adam who echoed the order.
“Adam, I need to see your maps of New Providence,” Kris called over his shoulder, still running but now down to the ward room.
Adam was on his heels in an instant and opening his bureau to pull out the large scrolled maps of the region. Kris laid it down flat on the table and looked at it. Tactics flowed through his head from the many, many books he had been given to study for his Lieutenancy exam. A decent measure of personal experience knitted the whole thing together and Kris tapped the map.
“The navy will come from this direction more than likely, and attempt to barricade the harbour first,” Kris looked up at Adam and saw him nodding. “How accurate is this map?”
“Accurate enough,” Adam breathed.
“I truly hope so,” Kris murmured, studying the coast line. “The Madness is running heavy thanks to the cannon that were liberated from La Mort. Order Bell to have the men heave them up and dump them over the side as soon as you pull out from the port. Fast as you can. The water will be shallow here and you’ll need her to be light as possible if you don’t want to crash on the rocks and tear open her hull. The Madness is fast, but she’s heavy even with nothing but bare timbers. You need her to be light. If you can spare some of the other cannon below deck, you might consider tossing them overboard too.”
Adam looked from Kris to the map, his brow furrowing, “You mean us to run, to turn our sails and speed from the harbour while the other crews stand and fight.”
“Yes, damn it I do,” Kris looked to Adam, his hand cupping Adam’s cheek, “It’s your only chance to survive.” Kris sighed and straightened, dropping his hands, “The Madness...” Kris paused, gathering his thoughts and starting again, “The Hawk was the best ship to have this side of the Atlantic, the newest and largest ship to sail out of any colonial port, but if those ships are English, then you will be outmatched and easily. As it stands, The Madness has forty-four guns. If even one of the ships out there is from England, then you are looking at facing down eighty or one-hundred guns and every one of them will be trained on you, and you especially, because you stole the jewel from America’s crown. You took her flagships.”
Kris sighed, eyes dropping to the map again even though he was not looking at it, “They’re going to be out for blood, Adam, your blood and there is little that you can do to stop them. So yes, running will give you the best option.”
Adam made to say something but Kris was not finished, “Just a few days ago, you told me that I didn’t have it in me to be an officer on board a pirate ship, and as much it galls me to admit it, you are right, but I am an officer in the British Navy. I know how they think, how they move and what they plan. Let me help you in this. There is no other choice and though it may not sit well with you, the only other option is capture and death and I will not let that happen to you.”
Adam smiled fondly down at him, “Then run we shall.”
Sighing in relief, Kris turned back to the map, “You must hug the coastline here. It’s night time, so they’ll use the cover of darkness to crawl into place, to close the net. With your dark sails, you should slip by them, but the men must be silent. No noise because they’ll be listening for anything. No lights, nothing but men sounding the depths. Keep to the deeper waters when you can, but be prepared. Put your best man at the helm.”
“Aye, I shall,” Adam nodded. His smile turned to a frown and his hand found Kris’, “And where shall you be during this midnight adventure?”
Kris bit his lip, not wanting to answer. Damn the Navy for choosing now to strike. Damn them all. He’d just made his peace with Adam, with this lifestyle and they were here to snatch it away. Kris couldn’t speak, couldn’t even breathe and Adam was shaking his head.
“No, Kris. No. You can’t!”
The words were scarce above a whisper and each one drove a pain through Kris’ heart.
“I must, Adam, and you know it.”
“It doesn’t have to be... You don’t have to,” Adam was shaking his head violently, “I refuse to...”
Kris cupped his cheek again and drew Adam closer to press a kiss to his lips, “You cannot refuse and you know it. You bloodied their noses and they want to thrash you for that, but worse than that, you took their people. If they take the port and find us here, it will slow them down just long enough for you to slip by. It will win you a few more minutes, a crucial few minutes that will allow you to make good your escape.”
“But...” Adam tried again but Kris cut him off with another kiss.
“I love you, with all my heart, you know that, and I would be with you always if I could, but I would rather go back to the Navy and to Charles Towne than watch you walk to the gallows. Spare me that fate,” Kris begged, “Please, Adam.”
“I can refuse you nothing,” Adam’s eyes shone wetly in the lantern light and Kris kissed him one last time.
Kris lingered only a second longer, before turning on his heel and making for the deck. He couldn’t hear footsteps behind him and he didn’t stop to look. He simply didn’t have the strength. Every fibre of his being cried out to stay, to never leave, but he had to. He had a duty to perform, one final duty and he would see it through, even though it wrenched his soul, tearing it in two.
It was a walk of only two dozen steps but it took an eternity, each step taking him further away from his love, from where he wanted to be, from his rightful place at Adam’s side, and it cut like a knife.
The deck was in an uproar as men ran this way and that getting the ship ready to put to sea, but Kris cut through the maelstrom of activity and made his way to the gangplank. Archie stood there with Cook and Cale, and Kris nodded in acknowledgement.
“They say the British are moving to barricade the port,” Archie said, not quite making the words a question but Kris nodded anyway.
“So the scouts say, Archie. The Madness is running for it and I pray she makes it.”
Archie’s eyes widen at that but he wisely said nothing except, “And your orders, Lieutenant Allen?”
Kris shook his head, “I will issue no orders, Archie, not today.” Kris’ eyes looked over the deck and caught on Adam as he stepped out. “Tomorrow maybe, but for today, I’m not sure that I have heart enough left.”
He looked at Adam one more time, offering him a formal salute, holding it longer than he should, before he turned his back on the man and started down the gang plank. He could feel Adam’s eyes watching him, following him but he dared not look back.
“Faster, men,” Kris ordered the men running towards him, up and onto The Madness. “Start casting those lines off. Quickly now!”
“You heard the Lieutenant. We don’t have all night.”
It was Cale’s voice and Kris turned to see him heave the heavy ropes from their stays and cast them off. Archie and Cook were doing the same to the other lines, with others helping. Kris frowned as he looked at them, not fully understanding why they were there and not on board the ship. He opened his mouth to ask them but something came barrelling at him, slamming into him and almost casting him into the sea.
Kris fought, a flurry of fists and kicks and – God help him – bites and it was only when the man pulled back that he recognised Davis’ face looking down at him.
“Traitor,” the man cursed, “Sold us out to the British just like I knew you would.”
Fists rained down on Kris and even though Kris defended himself, the man had weight on his side and was using it to pin Kris to the ground. At his periphery, Kris could see Cale moving towards him, Cook too, but Davis fought on. Kris struck a blow solidly to the man’s back and Davis arched back. Kris was about to reach for his dagger, the dagger that Cook had given him all those weeks ago, when...
BANG!
A shot rang out. A pistol shot and Davis toppled backwards, a mess of blood and brains, and Kris was startled. He looked to Cale and Cook and even Archie but they were a puzzled as he. Finally, he looked up, to The Madness and Bell stood at the railing, lowering his pistol with a look of smug satisfaction on his face.
“That’s twice, I believe,” he called down and Kris could only nod, “Oh, and I’ll expect you to have my uniform freshly laundered when you return it.”
Kris blinked and looked down at the uniform, now splotched with red. This was Bell’s uniform? This? His mind simply could not comprehend that fact. He looked up again, and Bell was gone, only to be replaced by Adam. Kris crawled free of Davis’ body and stood.
“Tell your Katherine that I will expect her to take good care of you. I’ll expect you hale and hearty when I come for you. And I will come for you,” Adam promised.
“And I’ll be waiting,” Kris promised in return.
There was no time to say anything more. The Madness started to drift out into the harbour. Kris watched it go. Cale’s hand rested on his shoulder and Archie spoke soft words to him, but Kris did not hear them, every fibre of his being focused on the retreating sails.
As he watched the sails of The Madness disappear behind the corner of the harbour, Kris prayed, he cast up his thoughts like never before in the true and fervent hope that when next they crossed paths – for cross paths they would – that it was not under enemy colours, for in truth, Kris could not wish them ill intent.
Watching the horizon for a moment longer, Kris sighed and eventually turned towards to town. He straightened his shoulders and set himself the task of putting Adam from his mind, but it was an impossible task, for his heart and soul rested with the Master of The Madness and would forevermore.
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Date: 2011-08-14 12:39 am (UTC)Excellent, excellent job!!! Can't wait for the sequel. Loved your characters and how real and how much depth they all had. I can't even imagine all the time you put into this. Thanks so much for sharing all your work with us.
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Date: 2011-09-06 03:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-03 11:43 pm (UTC)Did I imagine reading a sequel? I was so sure that I read the story where Adam goes to find Kris... I've looked through your A03 & here & I can't find it - do I have a very good imagination, or is it written somewhere????
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Date: 2012-03-04 12:30 am (UTC)There's also going to be a Brad spin-off posted as part of History Big Bang which is due to go up on April 1st (I'm not joking I swear) which hopefully should fill the gap until the sequel is posted! :)
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Date: 2012-03-04 12:34 am (UTC)I've read most of your stories now (I adore your cyberpunk worlds) and I can't wait to read more of your historical world.
Thanks so much for so many hours of enjoyment :DDD
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Date: 2012-03-04 12:48 am (UTC)*hugs*