04-09-2012, 06:25 AM
The captain motioned his first mate over, the girl in tow. She seemed to have accepted her lot and came quietly her head bowed. The first mate dwarfed the small girl but her slumping and bowed head made her seem smaller like she was hoping to sink right into the floor and disappear. “Ms. Rossi you say? Her father is Lord Rossi? The man who owns his own shipping company? My girl, no wonder they have the navy out searching the sea for you. Your parents must be able to throw up quite a pretty penny for your return” he eyed the chest a smirk sliding into place, he might be able to get more out of this then he thought.
Marie bowed her head avoiding the gaze of all the men, she felt like a total failure, she hadn’t even managed to get sort of on James’s tail instead she got caught and now was being bartered like a piece of furniture. She opened her mouth to say something but quickly closed it, nothing she said would amount to anything in the eyes of these men so why bother. The best she could hope for was to sneak off the navy ship. But no doubt they would keep a close watch on her all the way home and when she got home her parents would never let her out of their sight. Well she would just run away again and again until she found James no matter how many times it took. With renewed determination she lifted her head and looked at the men square on measuring them. She didn’t say a word merely watched surprised by the youngness of the naval officer in charge and handsomeness she thought surprising herself.
“The view?.... Oh yes, yes the view is beautiful” he amended cheeks a rosy pink, he hadn’t meant to say that out loud but at least he hadn’t overly embarrassed himself. Kicking off his shoes and leaving them on the beach he rolled up his leggings and wadded through the shallows towards her. Damn she even smells nice, the sea and something else he thought taking a deep whiff. “Hm stay here with a pretty woman or return to a bunch of smelly dirty pirates? Honestly I think the choice is clear” he said with a laugh. He settled down on the rock beside her trying hard not to stare. Up close she was even prettier if that was even possible. But he was hard pressed not to stare after all it wasn’t everyday one got to have a conversation with a mermaid. But then again he didn’t want to creep her out by staring at her. Fixing his gaze on the sea he sat in silence for a moment. “I didn’t think you would drown me, you had plenty of chances to do that yesterday and you didn’t. If you had really wanted to kill me why ask me to come all the way out here” he shrugged. “But if you feel like killing me now go right ahead I’ll die happy. The sea, the air, you, it’s all so beautiful and peaceful I can die content”
James leaned back on his elbows looking up at her, it was hard to feel anything but peaceful and content, something about her lulled him into a calm state it probably had something to do with her being a siren better to have the men compliant. But even that didn’t bother him “did I ever really introduce myself? Well I can’t quite remember my name is James Stewart.”
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