A Pirate's Tale

It took a few days hiding to repair the ship, and in that time, the crew started to wonder even more about Jin's sanity. The man had only been heard taking Kate once since they got her back. Stewart of course was quite willing to fuel the talk of how odd this was. "I told ye a woman on board was ill luck... the girl's taken his lust, ye can't tell me she is good.... an' she was doin' witchy things in the Captain's own cabin. Ye mark my words, I saw it with me own eyes." There were dark mutters among the group that had gathered to listen and much talk of the witch and other matters that had been draw to the groups attention. One voiced his opinion. "I tell ye, that woman has bewitched the captain, I've heard that he took his own cabin boy while he fucked the witch." Stewart couldn't believe his luck, it was easier to led them on than he had thought it was going to be.

Nathan worried, the repairs were going slowly and the rumours of muienty keep being reported to him by the most trusted among the rabble. It was hard to keep anything quiet among a group kept at sea for long periods so he was barely surprised when the reports of the goings on in the boat surfaced. Most of the men were like old women gossiping in a market square, Nathan didn't mind it kept them quiet most of the time but now rumour was having him taking his own daughter most every way and worse. The time had come to put a stop to it.

Kate stood by Jinadu's side on the deck, while he taught her the knots of sea. He'd promised to teach her what she'd need to know to sail with him should he gain his own ship. And it was a good way to distract them both from the enforced abstinence they had gone to since that first night. Jin wanted her broken from her addiction, and he wasn't about to find it elsewhere. That would have been a bad example to the 15 year old girl. They worked in silence which drew more dirty looks and whispers from the crew.

Van Leer brooded in silence as his crew crept about clearing the damage from the storm. He'd get that little witch and her father whatever it took, they would die for this slowly. They would have to stop for repairs, major ones, it looked as if a hope and prayer was keeping the mast up and some sails were in tatters. For the meantime, Nathan and Kate would have to wait for now but soon he would catch up to them.

Kate watched from her perch on the ship's railing as they approached land. This was a whole different world compared to what she had known. This was Africa. Jinadu's family would be waiting for them, sensing their son's return. Kate worried over what they would think of her. She wanted so much for them to be pleased with her, but she realized she had not proven herself worth such approval until recently, and even that was shaky. Nathan looked at his daughter, he knew she was nervous. "I'm sure they will like ye well enough girl." He said putting a arm around her and hugging her to him. Kate looked up at her sire, eyes wide with excitement and fear, "But will they wish me as a daughter... let alone take me in to their son's house."
"Lass, whatever they may think it's their son and they'll trust him." Nathan hoped his words would lessen her nerves a little, it seemed she had been a little worried of late. Her hand rested on her stomach as she leaned over on her shaky perch to retch over the side. The early morning sun framed the land ahead nicely, and gave sharp contrast to Kate's illness. She wiped her mouth with a rag she had with her and returned to the conversation without a comment as to what had just occurred. She had not told Nathan about being sick in the mornings these past moons, but she had become so accustomed to it, that she could squish the feeling to the back of her mind and not really register it when she retched. "I hope they will it would bring harmony back to your ship if I leave, da." Nathan raised a eyebrow.
"Aye may it indeed, and may I enquire daughter how long it is before the babe is due."
"Babe?..." It took a moment for Nathan's words to sink in. "Oh... babes... I'm nay sure, da... has been three months since we sailed from repairing" She shrugged, "Another half year?" Nathan smiled at his daughter. "Did ye think I wouldn't know on a small ship and I may like men but I'm no fool about womanish ways either."
"I didna give it a thought actually Jin and I discussed it briefly, but as he will nay be back for the birthing, tis a sore subject."
"Aye, everything is a worry to a women, birth is never easy and often dangerous." Nathan held his daughter tighter. "Do everything the women advise and I'll look forward to meeting ye children."
Kate pushed her father's arm affectionately, "Ye will not be saying' such when me whelps terrorize ye, Captain." Nathan grinned. "I know what they'll be like, you!" Kate stuck her tongue out and looked back toward the shore, "Ah, but I may na be here ta see it... so ye shall have to bare the brunt of such behaviour finally." Nathan looked out to see what Kate was looking at and saw a small group of boat heading towards the ship. Jinadu smiled, calling out to them. Taking advantage of Nathan's distraction, Kate stood up and walked, catlike across the railing to where Jin stood. The group waved and called back, and Kate answered them at a nod from her husband. Jin lifted her off the railing and perched her back in a sitting position there. Jin glared over at the captain, "Yer whelp shouldna be walking on the railing." Nathan shrugged and grinned at Jinadu. "Aye but you know what she is like."
"Much like my captain." The African said with an answering grin. Michael walked onto the deck, Nathan had let him sleep late after a engectic night. "What going on Nathan?" Grabbing a kiss as he asked. Kate smacked Jinadu on the arm to get his attention, "Quit harassing me sire and answer your kinfolk!" She had taken to speaking like some of the worst pirates of late, but she did not think anything of it. Jin rolled his eyes at the girl and spoke to the others now alongside the ship. With a nod he threw a rope down and helped the elder ladies up onto the deck. The younger women and the men all stayed in the boats. Nathan greeted them with the little of Jinadus language he had learnt. The women laughed at Nathan's mispronunciation of one of the words but greeted him warmly none the less. The younger of the two women addressed the captain, "I told you once that in payment for taking our son, you would give us something in return. Now we shall have our payment." The other woman sized up Kate and poked at the girl's rather muscle less form, clucking in disappointment and scolding Jin. Jinadu frowned at the woman and spoke quite tersely back, earning himself a smack. He snorted and waved toward Kate saying one more thing and holding his hands up in a gesture of helplessness. Kate was blushing quite red by now and looked at her father and Michael, "They think he's been starving me... that I'm sickly looking!" She looked down at herself,
"An' I thought me weight was gettin' too much..." Nathan laughed and grinned at Jin being hen-pecked by the
tribe of women stood on his deck. "Well, ye will lose it soon enough girl." The woman that had spoken in English laughed, "Nay, sir, she shall have to be fed up... she's much to thin." Kate looked horrified for a moment, "Ye must be mad..."
"And what do you call bring this lad back from near dead and heals his injures and then getting yeself fucked by him because ye nearly lost yeself." Michael blushed and leant into Nathan’s arms.
"Mere stupidity. AS I said... if I had been TRYING, I'd not be standing here." Kate crossed her arms and glared at Nathan, "And ye would have ta bring that up." Nathan sighed and hugged his daughter.
"Let us not part on bad terms girl, give this silly old man a kiss."
Kate snorted, "Yer not silly." She gave him a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek, "Yer demented." Kate retreated behind the Elders quickly, grinning impishly, as Jinadu was filling in the older Elder on what was being said. Nathan grinned at her and Michael ran over to hug her goodbye. Kate ducked a smack from the Elder by Jin and it hit Michael, "Ye should look before ye run, Michael, lad." She didn't care that he was older than herself by 4 years, it was too much fun to call him a lad. Stepping out of reach of Jin's mother, Kate hugged Michael and whispered in his ear, "If only the other babe was yours." She pulled away and put her finger to her lips to keep him silent on her secret. She had told him of the pregnancy before, but now he held the one bit of information she had not even told Jin. Michael smiled and whispered back. "I wish they were mine then at least Nathan would count them as his sons, not grandsons."
"They'll cause their grandsire much trouble... a shame I shall not be around to see it." And with that, Kate scampered down the rope and into the boat of Africans. The waiting family members quickly surrounded the girl and started fussing. Jin looked at his family and then back to the Captain, "Can we spare but a day, sir?"
"Just one Jin, we know not what Van Leer is doing and how far he be away from us."
"Thank you, Captain... You and Michael would break bread in my hut?" He had not had his own hut when he left, but Jinadu knew that his mother would have prepared one for Kate's arrival. "Aye, will the tribe disapproved if we make it known that we are lovers?"
"This is not the land of your fathers, Nathan. Here a man can be a wife if he is of that nature." Nathan smiled, it would be good to live freely even if it was for only one day.