Destiny's Pirate

A time-travel story by Kim Comeaux

Chapter 1

Okay...So it wasn't the most "thought-out" plan that I've ever come up with, Destiny thought with a sigh. Well, it was a sort of sigh, the best one she could make through the gag wrapped over her mouth!

When she'd received the travel brochure in the mail, it had sounded like a great adventure. "Pirate Cruises Unlimited!" The company's name had sparked her interest right away. The company boasted that it would be like traveling back in time. Costumes would be provided, shows would be performed, reenactments...that word made Destiny roll her eyes as she thought of it. That's what she was experiencing right now...a reenactment. But being tied to a pole and gagged in the middle of the Atlantic ocean was not her idea of fun. And considering the pirates were all Fabio look-alikes and were dancing around and singing YO-HO, YO-HO, it was not the most authentic either!

Finally after what seemed like an eternity...one of the "pirates" came and untied her hands and mouth. She was rubbing her aching wrist, when she noticed that he hadn't moved away.

He waved the bright colored scarves that had bound her earlier, in her face and leered in an awful accent, "Join me in my cabin and I'll show you what a pirate would do with a lovely captive like yourself!"

Destiny rolled her eyes and avoided his hand reaching for her arm, "And who are you suppose to be? Edward Teach?" she asked referring to the infamous pirate, Blackbeard.

"Who?" he asked, confused.

"Never mind," she said with disgust as she pushed past him.

Destiny went to the railing and leaned over, letting the ocean breeze drift over her face. She smiled as she looked down at the ice-blue costume she wore. The only redeeming part of the whole trip was that she got to wear the dresses of the eighteenth century. There was something so feminine about wearing all the lace under things, covered by a silk dress with a wide skirt and daringly low neckline.

What must it have been like, she thought, to really be living back in the eighteenth century, being at the mercy of a ship full of pirates. A shudder ran through her. It must have been terrifying!

Suddenly without warning, a loud crack split through the air and a fierce wind picked up, nearly blowing Destiny down. Everyone on the ship was yelling and running to their cabins. Debris flew through the air. Destiny wrapped her arms around the railing, trying to inch her way towards the covered part of the deck.

But, it seemed as though, something was pulling at her. Something more than the wind. An unknown force seemed to pull her towards the water. She couldn't resist it. Part of her didn't want to. Her arms let go of the railing, and she went hurdling over it. She fell but not into the water. It was like a bottomless tunnel, and she seemed to be falling in slow motion. The motion and the wind pulled at her eyelids and though she tried to resist, she fell into a deep sleep...

***

It was Jinx that found her. There he was, mopping the deck after that freak storm that had just hit, whistling a bawdy melody that he'd heard in a barroom once, when he spotted her.

His whistling drifted to a sour note and his mop clanged to the floor. "Cap'n! Cap'n come quick!" he yelled, not taking his eyes from the frilly heap on the deck of the ship.

Captain Spenser Kennington quickly secured the tattered sail and hastened to his first mate. Whenever he heard that worried tone in Jinx's voice, he didn't question it. He ran to see what was the matter. It usually meant trouble!

But as he came around the sail, he saw Jinx near the ship's bow staring down at something on the floor. There were no threatening ships on the horizon, no more storms brewing without notice...nothing...but a strange bundle on the deck.

"Jinx what is.."

Jinx made a shushing sound and pointed the blue heap.

Spence watched as the blue silk shifted around and slowly pushed back to reveal a head covered with wavy, blonde hair. A dainty hand came around and pushed the hair back. Spence blinked, trying to make sure he wasn't seeing things. The blue heap was a woman. A very beautiful woman.

Destiny's head was spinning when she came to. Pushing back her hair, she glanced around her, noticing the ships deck. She must have gotten knocked out during the storm. She could have sworn she fell over, but it must have just been a dream. Her gaze lifted a little more and she saw two pairs of black boots. She groaned and pushed herself up to her knees. She wasn't in the mood to deal with the "pirates!" But as her eyes kept traveling upward, she noticed that the costume was different. Where were the bright colors? These guys were wearing brown pants and white shirts. The shirt on the tall one was of a more full cut than the other, but they both seemed a little dirty and more than a little worn in places.

Shaking her head, to try to clear the dizziness, she complained, "Well, are you guys going to stand there, or are you going to help me up!"

"Holy Mother, it's a bloomin' mermaid!" Jinx proclaimed backing up a few steps.

Spencer stood gazing at the lovely creature, and wondered how she ended up on his ship. Did the storm bring her in? How? But as he reached down and took her arms, he couldn't help but feel like she was here for him. It was almost a feeling of...destiny.

"Not a mermaid jinx. See she's standing on two legs," he told Jinx. Then said to her, "'Tis, alright, my lady, I will help you to your feet."

Destiny clear blue eyes flew to the pirates face. THAT was no fake accent and she was sure she'd never seen this particular man before. Lord, he was gorgeous. Not the G.Q. guys kind of cute, but rugged, manly, handsome! Her gaze went from him to his friend, then to rest of the ship.

This was not the cruise ship. This ship wasn't like anything she'd ever seen outside of history books.

She looked back at the man who still held her arms and couldn't get over the fact that he looked so much like Mel Gibson only with longer, curlier hair. "Umm..Who are you?"

He smiled, released her arms and executed a smart bow. "Captain Spencer Kennington, at your service, my lady. And you are?"

"Destiny," she answered.. "Okay," she whispered uncertainly, her eyes still skimming her surroundings. "And where am I?"

"In the Atlantic ocean, sailing due east from the colonies."

Colonies??!! Destiny searched Spencer's eyes and saw that whatever he was telling her, he believed he was telling her the truth. He was either mad or a very good actor.

"And what year is this?" she tried on more time.

"Why, 'tis 1769, my lady," he answered, looking a little worried at the pale look on her face.

She shook her head. "No, it's not...it's 1997."

A gentle look came over Spenser's features and he said softly. "No, my lady, 'tis not. It's the fourth day of the month of August in year of our Lord, 1769."

She put a hand to her face and swayed. Spencer quickly scooped her up and held her to his chest. She looked up at him and smiled, thinly. "Jules Vern must have been on to something, after all." she told him, then promptly...fainted.

END OF CHAPTER ONE! Go to Chapter 2

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