Nineteen Part Two

Katherine dreamed she was flying, up through the clouds and beyond, gliding across the blue skies with a bird's eye view of the hills and the ocean. She flew smoothly along, following the coastline, flying even higher than the birds that trolled the sea.

A bump in her flight brought her mind around to the fact that she dreamt, she forced herself to wakefulness, realising she was aboard the ship and it had been cutting it's way through the water as she slept.

She smiled and wondered what the day would bring. They were to follow the coastline up to their destination and she wanted to see the sights that would be all new to her.

She rose and hurried through her toilette, preparing herself for the new day and a better understanding of how her son lived his life.

She exited Brutus' cabin, making her way to the galley, there to find everyone who was not manning the ship and sails breaking their fast.

A chorus of "Good morn, Mama Katy's and Katherine's" greeted her, even as the boys rose and came to receive their hugs. Davey led her to a seat by Violet and Elizabeth, then went to fetch her a mug of coffee. There were platters of ham and eggs, a gift from Sissy's parents, and her own coffee cakes graced the table.

"Tis a beautiful crisp morn out there, Mama. Marcus is up with Brutus at the helm and I could not get him to leave. He said to inform him when you broke your slumber and he would join us." Violet grinned at her, the sight of Marcus laughing in the breeze, manning the helm, more alive than Violet had ever seen him before, had brought him a joy he had relished.

"I will tell him!" Davey ran out of the galley, as Katherine laughed at his exuberance and energy.

She sipped her coffee, barely able to not spill on herself, as her wide smile could not be contained. Not very often did she get to be a part of a large, boisterous group upon rising.

Davey came flying back into the room, Marcus sauntering in behind him, wearing the most illuminating smile Katherine had ever seen upon his face.

"Tis most glorious out there today Katy, let us eat then come up with me, I would have you see me sail this ship, we have passed cliffs and towns, and all the people on shore stop and wave as we sail by. 'Tis the most thrilling thing I have ever done, I did not realise how much I missed the sea." His excitement was contagious, Violet chuckled at his visage, which was lit up like a child upon Christmas morn.

"I will be glad to join you Marcus, come have some coffee with me first if you can sit still long enough." Katherine laughed the words.

"Oh, I cannot sit Katy girl," Marcus plucked a square of the cake, as Davey brought him a coffee, "I only await you to come with me."

Violet looked upon Marcus, the way his eyes sparkled at Katherine. Vi thought back to how he used pretend, picturing them together as his parents. He did not know when, or how it had came about, but for years he had thought there was love for one another there. Not just association love, or mutual caring for another person, but a deep, abiding love that he could not explain. Marcus had his own family that lived to the north, yet Violet could swear that Marcus and his mother were in love with one another. Vi shook his head, knowing it was a dream he had carried as a child. The dream that Marcus was a part of their own family. It was easier to imagine he supposed, never having seen his own father and mother together. Nor ever having seen Marcus with his own family.

He shook the thought out of his mind, turning to Betsy. "Brutus will be good for a few more hours, would you like to troll for fish?"

She loved being up on deck in the sunshine enjoying her husband's company, "Aye, let's." She finished her tea, then rose with Violet to gather their rods and go fish the sea. The boys would most likely join them when their chores were finished.

The boys were taking a break from their studies during this short voyage, while the ship would be stopping intermittently here and there. There was still cargo to sell, and a few of the prospective buyers were on the way north.

"I am going to get a sweater, Violet, would you like anything from our cabin?" Betsy's shining, molasses eyes looked up into Violet's, happiness residing all over her face.

"Not unless you want me to come with you." He wiggled his eyebrows, and she smirked contentedly at his insinuation. He was just so beautiful, her breath still caught on occasion as she looked upon him, and she wanted him always.

"I would never say you nay, my love." She flirted with him boldly, as he accompanied her down the hallway. It took them a bit longer than necessary to gather her sweater, but both wore very smug smiles when they finally did make the top deck.

Michaels kept the rods and hooks in fine condition, Betsy had learned to troll out in the open sea. Michaels had fashioned rod holders attached to the rail in the case they hooked anything big enough to keep them reeling and fighting for any extended amount of time.

Betsy had found she liked fishing, it was thrilling to hook a fish and bring it to the surface, then to see what different kind it was, and how big it was. Not to mention the fun she had just being with Violet.

He talked to the fish as he caught them, slipping into his pirate talk, yelling at the scurvy critters ta give it up already. "Oh ho, ye thinks ye can outwit me, I thinks not ye slippery bugger!" he would holler, amusing her to no end.

Then she found that she did it too, but her conversation was more serious, "Ye thinks to wear me out do ye, I...do....not...think..so!" She would reel and reel, very glad she had picked up the foil and the sabre, as it had strengthened her arm to where she at least stood a chance of reeling them in. If they happened to be very large, or extremely long fighters, she let Violet help to relieve her for a moment or two, while she shook out her arm. But then she wanted the rod right back to be able to say she caught it herself.

Violet loved watching her wrinkle her nose and fight them, telling them what was what, just as much as she enjoyed watching him. They had shared many a day at sea, laughing and trolling their lines.

Marcus and Katherine watched, listened to, and laughed at them and their antics, watching them from above on the helm deck.

The boys came up to fish with Vi and Betsy for a while, then Marcus and Katherine came down to learn, so Violet and Betsy washed up and then took over the helm, letting Brutus head below deck to eat and nap.

Brutus had risen before dawn to catch the early tide that morning and get them on their way. Yet, from now on, they would either dock the ship or anchor off the shore at night.

Betsy helped to man the wheel, with Violet standing up flush against her back. They waved at the people on shore as they sailed by them, enjoying the wind in their faces, tasting the salt in the air. The tangy spray of the sea they could taste on one another's lips during the occasional kiss.

The stark cliffs towered as they sluiced through the deep water next to them, the ship veering back out to sea when the water shallowed beneath them. Pete and Sam manned the sails, and chartered the depths as they traveled on northward.

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Betsy had left Lady Eleanor's with her own Lady, Arianna. Sneaking out one dark and blustery night, they had boarded a ship and Betsy was now, after these many months, coming home.

The home where she grew up, tucked under her Papa's wing, and then Lady Eleanor's. She mused on what the good Lady would say when she saw her. Did she know about her marriage to a pirate at sea? Violet thought that Drake certainly should have arrived in London by now, but had Lady Eleanor heard from them? The Lady could be in London herself if that were so. "Will we arrive this day, or on the morrow, Violet?" She squinted back up at him, as the wind was gusting across her face.

"We shall arrive this eve, Kitten, if it is not too late we can dock and disembark. You may see your Lady today." He smiled down at her, "I only wish we were seeing your Papa also." Violet held her head with one hand, turning it softly so he could kiss her brow.

"I shall take you to his marker and introduce you properly, though we both know he already knows all about you, I should like to leave some flowers if you will accompany me." She leaned into his hand, turning her head to kiss his palm.

This was their favorite place to be, as everywhere where they were together was their favorite place to be at any given time.

Marcus and Katherine left the boys to their lines and came up to join Vi and Betsy.

Marcus asked how they had come about acquiring the five children on their journey.

The women decided to go below to Betsy's cabin, as Katherine wanted to do a little sewing. They left the men as Violet started telling his father about Redbeard, and their interactions with the wretched and overly curious pirate.

Betsy and Katherine went below, Katherine gathered her things from Brutus' cabin, and entered Betsy's domain through the open door.

"The window is best for seeing your stitches, Mama Katherine," Betsy was rummaging around in the bedchamber, pulling out her dresses. She began to brush them out, making sure she would have one to wear, as to be presentable to Lady Eleanor. She had washed and hung them to dry long ago, yet had not worn them in favor of her breeches. She had rummaged in the trunk of Violet's and made an additional pair of breeches, also finding three old shirts of his that served as her shirtwaists. She had braided strips of leather to fashion herself a lighter belt and had found woolen socks that made her boots fit and not hurt her heels.

It would be slightly strange now to don a dress, and to try not to saunter when she walked. She giggled as she thought of when Violet noticed her changing stride.

"Mayhap I should not encourage your use of the weapon's m'lady, ye saunter about like a man these days, as a regular cock of the walk, ye do." He had grinned as he said it, his eyes raking her up and down with pride.

"Like a man, you say?" She had asked, as she had rubbed up against him.

"I take that back, as a woman with confidence, I would say." He grinned as her hand wandered his body. "Mayhap it is something else that has given you this cockiness?" He took her in a deep and thorough kiss, then raised his head, looking into her shining eyes that were filled with love for him. "I do appreciate the way you walk, woman."

Betsy knew what he spoke of, as she also liked watching him move, his confidence and grace of movement had caught her eye many times. She would catch herself sighing at this gorgeous specimen of a man. That he was her own man to love and cherish still caused her amazement at how she had been blessed. Her body warmed just thinking about him. Her teeth still chattered on occasion in his company, due to the overwhelming awe of being so very loved by him.

Katherine settled herself in the sunshine that spread from the window out into the room, "You were there when they rescued the children?" She inquired of her new daughter.

"Aye, it was a most enlightening experience to be sure." Betsy visibly shook herself remembering the scurvy men, "Pete was quite the hero that day, and you should have seen Violet, he becomes a different person around those men, it is something to behold." She went on to describe their flight down the stream, her own disguise, Violet's flamboyant behavior and the handling of Jonah by the pirates.

Katherine was sewing and shaking her head, she could only imagine Elizabeth's feelings at the time, as she heard the tale being told.

Betsy then went on to share the wonderful way Violet had with the children, their bath and story times. She told of entering the galley amid Paulie's cursing, that man's transformation, and how she had asked him to give her away to Violet when they wed again in the church.

Katherine was enthralled by Betsy's words, she had assumed Paulie had been transformed during the storm with the rest of the men. To think this sweet, young girl had melted that man's heart, seeing into his soul and recognizing his need was awe inspiring. Betsy also held a gift of healing, as Katherine liked to think that she herself helped to heal the children Violet had brought to her through the years.

"I was blessed to be raised by my Papa, it just worked out to God's plan that I could help this crew in ways that they needed, and they have made me a stronger, less timid person myself. Though it may have started with my Lady on the island, I now do not fear speaking my mind or acting upon my own instincts. Violet's love has also strengthened me. He likes me to speak my mind, to do the things I desire to do." She told Katherine about the sword and the shrouded desk, as Katherine laughed at her and Violet's behavior.

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Marcus was also laughing top deck, as Violet shared the same stories, from his own point of view. "Will you be able to leave this all behind, will you not miss the sea and her adventures?" He asked of his son.

"It would be different if I had no goal, and if I did not have Elizabeth, before I met her I thought I wanted a bigger, sleeker ship, and many more years upon the sea. Yet God has shown me that I only want to be wherever she is. If Elizabeth wanted to sail the seas, I would do it as long as she wanted, and be glad to do so. But there will be our own children to think about, and I know there are many on land we can try to help to make their lives better." He again expressed his desire to give the less fortunate a chance at life, a trade to carry them onward, and mayhap even a desire to help others themselves one day.

Marcus had nothing but respect for this young man of his loins, he decided in that moment to do something, to do anything he possibly could, to help him achieve this goal. It was the least he could do for his eldest son, he would strive to support him in his endeavors in any way he could. They only needed a pardon to be able to begin. One thing at a time, Marcus thought to himself.

Violet did not seem concerned for his own fate so much as Elizabeth's and his crew.

Marcus respected that also. He was holding fast to the knowledge of the good Violet had accomplished, trying not to think of the pirating he had committed against the King's own ships.

There may be some nasty repercussions from that business practice.

Brutus came back up after a short nap, and the men visited for a while before Violet suggested checking in with the women.

He and Marcus entered Violet's cabin, not even thinking to knock, as they were taken up in their conversation on their way down. Violet had quit knocking on his own door weeks past and thought nothing of it, until seeing his mother's mortified face, and Betsy laughing, saying, "I told you so."

Katherine dropped her skirts even as Marcus dropped his jaw. The view he had gained of her backside in breeches rendering him speechless. Katherine still had her trim form as she walked often and ate minimally.

Katherine blushed and sat down, appalled at being caught by Marcus and Violet at her final fitting.

Violet laughed uproariously at them both, as Betsy wore a smug grin upon her face. "She did not believe me, I tried to tell you." She chided Katherine.

"Yes, so you did." Katherine had not had a problem with the fact, until Marcus had caught an eye full. "You can pick up your jaw now, Marcus, 'tis not something I will be parading around, I can assure you of that." She said a little shortly.

Marcus regained his composure, "That is too bad, Katherine, you have a most fine figure, if you ask me." He still could see her backside in his mind, and he grinned at her, as she snorted and huffed her displeasure at being caught unawares by him.

"I mean to say...."

Marcus started, trying to assuage her uncomfortableness with more words.

"'Tis probably best if ye don't." Violet said gravely, trying to hide his grin as he turned to his wife. "An hour or two will put us at our destination for the day, I am hungry, would you like to join us for some food and coffee?"

"I would, I need to stretch my legs, I have been sitting here as they fell asleep under me." Katherine swung her legs as she sat upon the window seat, helping to get them moving again.

Marcus offered his arm, and she took it, her visage daring him to say anything else about his finding her revealing her bum.

He grinned sheepishly, and winked at her, as her glare softened and a smirk took up residence upon her face. "Letch." Was her only word for him as she pulled him out the door.

Violet and Betsy shared amused looks, and mutual chuckling, as they followed them to the galley.

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