Dawn lay tied to Charles' bed throughout the night, though she was vain to find the safe harbor of sleep within its finery, until the morning sun was warming the darkness of the cabin with its first yawning rays. As she drifted on the rolling tide of sleep, her mind was filled with dreams dancing on edge of her deep azure horizon. They were filled with the distant, translucent aromas of distant harbors and flashes of violence and power. Her empty palm clenched seeking the feel of the myriad of small diamonds of leather in the lash's grip once again. Her naked back flinched away from the soft, cool enveloping silks of Charles' regal sheets, as if they too were seeking the taste of harsh leather more preferred by her newly developed pallet. Her wrists strained at their moorings, more to simulate her own weight than in any desire for escape.
Out of the inkiness of her dreams she felt as if she had nearly found herself, but as yet was still lost; though she could feel that the gentle rolling of the waves beneath her were carrying her purposefully to herself. To a glorious freedom that she could not quite imagine, not quite grasp even while she restlessly wrestled it in her dreams.
All of this shattered instantly with a gigantic but ever tender caress of her cheek that snapped her gray-green eyes open. "Sultan's girl," the hulking moor whispered quietly through a pair of broad smiling lips, "I think you should eat something and recover your strength, we are almost there." With that, he slowly lifted his hand from her flushing cheek to her left wrist and began fumbling with the knotted curtain tie. Dawn gasped at his words, not quite sure if she had been awoken from her dream or if she had just fallen into one.
Her heart raced as her fingers tingled with the sensation of blood returning unobstructed to her digits. As her second hand was freed, Dawn moaned quietly and began rubbing her wrists with her tingling fingers. The large baldhead of the Moor darted from her ankle to her face then turned away without a word. Dawn sat up; realizing he had heard her and bowed her head, her fiery curls falling around her flooding cheeks.
"Do not be ashamed, Sultan's girl," Fazul said softly as he worked the knot loose freeing her ankle, "Sultan would be very pleased that his woman loves the feel of his bondage so. To have the freedom to offer yourself to another's every callous whim is a badge of honor, wear it proudly, Sultan's girl." With that, he patted her calf softly stimulating circulation with his massive hand and rose from the bed with a sorrowful creak as it begged for his presence upon it. Just as Dawn's flesh begged for the tyrannies of the cords upon her limbs. Dawn kept her head lowered as she fought with the Moor's wisdom within her own mind. Somehow, she understood, but had no idea of how she was capable of doing so. "Thank you, Fazul," She said haltingly though she was not entirely sure she was. The large man turned and bowed to her with a colossal smile before pulling the door closed quietly behind him.
Still rubbing the red dents from the curtain ties from her wrists Dawn glanced over to Charles' commanding desk. Upon it sat a platter of gold piled with fine fruits and hearty meats still steaming. A bottle of excellent wine stood beside it, the cork hanging loose on a short string about its tapered green neck. She smiled at the feast Fazul had left for her, he certainly was only so huge of chest because of the great heart that beat within it, and she smiled to herself.
Then her gray-green eyes fell upon Charles' chair and her mouth fell open. Draped over his carved wood chair was the most lavish gown Dawn had ever seen. It was made of sparkling silks, layers of transparent cloth spilled over the hidden shape of the chair. The cuff of one sleeve hung heavy to the just off the floor with a ring of pink pearls sewn into the dusty rose of the silk. There was a small folded parchment laid softly upon the billowing bodice's gilt drawstrings, sealed with a tiny drop of wax.
Rising slowly, Dawn approached the desk with caution, like a cat approaching a new bauble. She first plucked a slice of orange from the tray before she raised her curious gray-green gaze to the note once more. In an elegant pen across the folded parchment she read, "Misty Dawn." Sucking the orange wedge into her lips and feeling the citric taste of its delicate juices flood over her parched tongue she gingerly plucked the note from the dress and broke the seal.
Dawn,
What a good little toy you have been, my pet. I have a task for you that should come natural to one of your immense talents. As you know, I have bargained with Captain Olivia to regain her command. You, my sweet, have the lucky part of seducing her usurping captain.
Shortly we shall arrive in Port Royale, which is undoubtedly where Duval will be taking the Witch for refitting. You shall play the courtesan, Duval has a weakness for Venetian courtesans, and thus he shall have you. You, my sweet, must seduce him for the plan to succeed. Give in to him as if his touch were my own. I am sure you will have no difficulty with that, for he is a man led entirely by his maleness, and not at all by his brain.
Duval is a brutal and dangerous man; I pray I have prepared you enough for him. Once you have sufficiently sated, we shall strike for the Witch. All our plans rest with your success in this matter. Succeed and I shall see you rewarded as a full member of the undertaking. I should not have to mention what failure in this shall mean for your skin.
Now, eat hearty, and get dressed in this Venetian gown. Fazul will help ensure it fits you perfectly. He is so very talented. Olivia and I shall put you ashore this evening with Catherine as your maid and Fazul as your protector.
It is paramount that Duval be kept amused on shore while we press for the Witch!