The Pirate Queen

Davy paces his way towards Celeste's room. The image of Celeste tied up earlier still burns hot in his mind. While he has been intimate with Celeste countless times, he's never tied her up and played with her like that before. Normally, he's on the receiving end of her vicious, gluttonous libido.

He knocks on the door. "Captain, it's Davy."

"Come on in." Celeste's voice carries a bit of song.

Davy enters. "I brought the rope like you ask-"

Celeste sits spread-legged in her chair. The pungent scent of her arousal fills the room. "Close the door behind you, Davy."

"Right away, Captain!" Davy cannot help from allowing his eyes to drift to her pulsing, aching core. "I didn't know you needed this so soon."

"I didn't." Celeste squirms in her chair. "It's more like I forgot how incredible it is to have sex in my true form. Here. Catch!"

Davy stretches his hand out to take her blue opal necklace on its silver chain. When he looks back at Celeste, she has already shifted back into a mermaid. He can feel a growing intensity in his trousers as his fingers recall her slick heat. "Captain?"

"It's just us in my room, Davy. Call me, Celeste." She pinches one of her delectable, pink nipples with one hand and traces the plump lips of her tight depths with the other. "I want to finish what we started earlier."

All of Davy's garments and Celeste's necklace land on the floor as he walks over to his captain. He leans in to caress her warm, tingling flesh but Celeste brushes his hand away.

She gestures over to his clothes, where he left the rope he had brought with him. "Tie me up first. It wouldn't be fair otherwise."

Merpeople are very sensitive to touch. That was one of the first things that Davy learned about Celeste. Sex and even skin-to-skin contact generates a vicious craving within her similar to hunger or even thirst. It is part of why Celeste shuns clothing even when in human form - she finds fabric too irritating, too arousing. That and the feel of the sun and the rain on her bare skin is particularly energizing.

When the two of them had sex for the first time, her hands were especially voracious, claiming hold on every inch of his body. She easily outlasted him, but no one else in the crew was willing to go to bed with a mermaid. Eventually, Davy adapted and learned how to keep up with her libido. Though she is eccentric to her crew, they voted her captain for her ability to sink enemy ship along with their crews as well as her skill in retrieving the sunken treasures they contain. As her most trusted confidante, he became the first mate on the ship.

Celeste probably would not trust anyone else in the crew to tie her up like this, except perhaps Dorado. Davy slides the loop of rope up his arm to the shoulder and walks back to Celeste, who offers her wrists up to him.

"No. Not like that." Davy reaches under her tail and around her back and lifts her off the captain's chair. "I'm going to tie your wrists behind your back. I'm itching to finish what happened in my dream last night."

"Oh? I want to see how your dream ends." Celeste rubs the slick petals of her sweetest flesh. She wafts the scent of her excitement right in his face.

He sets her down on her front. He plants his feet on either side of her and squats just over her back. Davy pulls Celeste's wrists together over the small of her back and knots them together with the rope. He flips her, so that she can look back at him.

"What are you waiting for?" asks Celeste.

"This room is just above where we're keeping Brandon. He'll hear us go at it."

"I want him to hear us. I want him to hear a nasty pirate toy with his innocent captive mermaid."

"You're not really innocent here."

"Well?" Celeste's eyes gleam. "Make me see the error of my ways, Captain Davy."

"I don't know..." He pinches one of her sharpened nipples and tugs at her soft flesh. "I quite enjoy when you're as nasty as I am." Davy reaches down with his free hand and slides a few eager fingers into Celeste's slickness. She tightens all around him when he rubs her pink pearl.

"Ahh..." Celeste slaps her tail against the hardwood floor of the cabin. "You forgot how sensitive I am in this form."

"Trust me." Davy presses up against her core once more. "I could never forget that face you make. You said you wanted Brandon to hear us." He bows his head down and takes one of her nipples between his teeth.

Celeste twitches from a surge of electricity that travels from her trapped nipple down to her pearl. She wriggles her breasts out of his grip. "I remember when I first joined the crew and you'd try to harpoon me before your clothes hit the floor."

"Yeah, well, you've taught me a lot." He slides down until her nether lips are aligned with his drooling mouth. "You've taught me to appreciate the finer things in life, Celeste." Davy dives in tongue first, prompting more wild tail slaps that can easily be heard throughout the ship. Flicking her pearl with the tip of his tongue, he gets her to twitch and moan on command. He dips his tongue deep to taste her excitement.

"How much longer do you think you can hold out, Davy?" She nods towards his fully-extended manhood pointing back in her direction dripping and quivering with anticipation.

Davy takes a deep breath from eating her out. "Long enough." He shifts up to align his overeager flesh with her equally-overeager heat. He leans down to kiss her on the lips.

Celeste can taste herself on his lips. She grasps desperately onto his back as his resilient flesh dives into her treasured sea. He pounds into her with a gentleness betrayed by the hunger in his eyes. He does not say a word. His vigor just grows and intensifies. When his heat meets hers, Celeste lets out a stifled, whispered moan.

Davy pants as he softens inside of her. "I thought you wanted Brandon to hear us." He rolls and lays down beside her.

"I- It's been a while since I've been fucked like this." Celeste traces the still-tender lips of her slit. "That moan was just for you, Davy."

The red on Davy's face is unparalleled. "I don't know what to say to that."

Celeste props herself back on her arms. "Brandon probably heard more than he wanted to. Could you take me back down there once you catch your breath?"

"Of course, Celeste." Davy lies down for a few minutes before getting to his feet. "Let me get dressed before going out there."

---------------

Bartolome and Cidi stand guard outside the door when Davy comes down with mermaid-form Celeste cradled in his arms. Celeste holds her hand over her mouth to signal that she cannot talk to them at the moment. They direct their words, but not their gazes up to Davy.

"The prisoner has been kept in a barrel like the Captain requested," says Bartolome.

"Has he been trouble for you two in the meantime?" asks Davy.

"Nothing really," says Cidi, "though he is keen on muttering that mermaid's name."

Celeste maintains her silence while nudging Davy and shaking her fins.

"We're almost to port." Davy shifts his weight to the other leg. "Captain and me will stay behind to keep an eye on the prisoners. Dorado says you can leave your posts as soon as we've docked."

"Aye, Davy." Bartolome gives Cidi a look. "Will you be getting off at port? Or will you be getting off on the ship?"

Davy lowers his voice. "You heard?"

"The whole ship definitely heard." Bartolome nods at Celeste, who only smiles back. "Port Royal's not going to get any sleep once we dock in her port."

Cidi pats Davy on the back. "Try not to break the keel of the ship in the meantime." He opens the door for Davy and Celeste to come in.

The door shuts with a slam behind them. The room is dim with only sunlight from a porthole coming in. The slosh of water is just audible over the seagulls outside.

Brandon is tied up higher against a support beam with only his tail submerged in the barrel. He struggles against his bonds when he sees her. "Celeste! Did they hurt you?"

"I'm just fine, Brandon." She cups her nether lips and one of her breasts to try to hide the slight redness from Davy.

In silence, Davy ties Celeste to a support beam next to the barrel. Afterwards he scoops some water in his hands and drips it over Celeste's tail. He repeats this a few times before walking over to a corner, lighting a lantern, and staring lazily out the porthole.

For a while, Brandon does not say anything until he sees that Davy has fallen asleep. "Are you really just fine, Celeste?"

"... I am much better knowing they are taking care of you."

Brandon lowers his voice. "But what about you! I could hear them taking you just a short while ago. Your skin is still red where they were rough with you."

Celeste hold back tears at his innocent concern. "Don't worry. I'll protect you. No one on this ship will harm you will I'm around."

Brandon falls back into silence. "So what happens to us now? What do humans do with us?"

Celeste gazes darkly out the porthole. "There are ships out there that hunts us, not only that, they pay in gold to anyone who can catch us for them. So right now, it is likely we would be sold once these humans find one of those ships."

"Why would they hunt us?"

"There's a mage on one of those ships that believes that we are the key to immortality because we live much longer than humans and we also retain our youth for much longer than they do. That mage believes we have some magic within ourselves that are useful to him."

"Chieftain Cerulean made it a rule that we should not approach ships or the shoreline. When you disappeared six years ago, the whole tribe mourned you. Cerulean would watch the surface above the village every full moon hoping you would appear. He stopped three years ago."

Celeste feels a weight like an anchor in her heart. "How is my brother?"

"He is well. He is a strong leader, I'm sure you'd be very proud of him."

"And what of the villagers? I have a couple close friends, like Nerissa and Brooke."

"Brooke is my sister! She is well, she got herself a mate from another village, Kelp's Pass. She misses you."

"I remember that she had a little brother, but I never did learn your name."

"I spent most of my time training as a shark hunter, so I was not home too often." Brandon takes a moment to catch his breath in the dry air. "I did catch a glimpse of you every now and then. I- uh- your friend Nerissa also found a mate but she moved to her mate's village, Rift. It's very far so we don't hear much news about her."

"Do you have a mate, Brandon?"

"No, I don't. I was on my way to Kelp's Pass to find one when I spotted you..." He nods in Davy's direction. "... and that human taking you aboard this ship."

"Oh." Celeste thinks back on what Dorado had said about the lies she is starting up. "Hey, Human."

Davy stirs and glares back at her. "What do you want now?"

"Remember what we discussed on the way down here?"

"Yeah, I do." Davy gets to his feet and whips out a knife. "Were you able to make a decision, Mermaid?"

"Yes. And I am sure of it."

Davy gets up brandishing his knife. He walks over to Celeste and kneels before her, bringing the blade close to the skin of her neck.

"Hey!" Brandon slams the inside of the barrel with his tail, sending water everywhere. "Don't you dare touch her!"

"Don't worry about me, Brandon." She looks him in the eye. "Davy is just being overly dramatic."

"What?"

Davy puts his knife away and unties Celeste. From his pocket, he pulls out her amulet out for her to take.

Celeste takes the amulet and gets to her feet, which were a set of fins a few moments ago. "Sorry I had to deceive you, Brandon, but I've changed quite a bit in the last six years. When my crew caught you, I honestly wasn't sure how to deal with you."

Brandon holds still for a moment. "Your crew?"

"My crew." Celeste unties Brandon's wrists from the post. "They won't sell you to other humans. You- you don't have to trust me or a word I say, but as soon as we have arrived at port, I will make arrangements to return you to the waters."

"What about you, Celeste?"

Celeste looks to Davy, who appears to be trying to ignore their conversation. "I can't come back. I don't deserve to come back after disappearing without a word. There have been countless times where I could have just returned to Wake. Even just now, I couldn't be honest with you from the beginning."

"Cerulean would have been the first to forgive you and welcome you back. The same for Brooke! I'm sure everyone would be glad to have you back."

"I don't want to come back, Brandon. At least not until the danger hunting us has passed."

"The ships you mentioned? The one with the mage seeking immortality?"

"That one, yes."

"What if he catches you?"

"That would be unfortunate, but I'm prepared for whatever fate has my way." Celeste pulls away and walks over to Davy's side. "When I return, it will be to send you back to Wake."

---------------

Back on the deck, Celeste and Davy find the crew gathering up their things while the ship. Dorado is barking orders to make sure that everything is in order for them to disembark. With Port Royal in their sights, the number of ships running by increases. Dorado takes a torn sail from one of the open crates and drapes it over Celeste's shoulders. "Did you make up your mind down there, Captain?"

"I did."

"Well?"

"I will free our captive."

"And?"

"And what?"

Dorado strokes his beard. "I thought that you would want to return home after seeing a fellow Mer. So you still hold strong to finding this mage, no?"

"I admit that it was tempting, but I've taken this crew with me on this vendetta, so I want to see it to the end. Even if it means I get caught, I'll make sure no more will be taken from these seas."

Dorado glares at her. "If your family and friends know you are alive and well, they are sure to come looking for you, Captain."

"I know." Celeste tugs at her bangs. "I will send Brandon back with a message for my village. The chieftain is my younger brother, he will understand and respect my wishes."

"Hmph." Dorado pats her on the back. "Looks like being a leader runs in your family!"

"Davy and I will stay on the ship. We'll release the captive while you busy yourselves in Port Royal. It will be easier once the sun goes down and everyone is keeled over from drink."

"Why don't you come drink with us, Captain?" asks one of the deckhands.

"When you men drink, you like to sing a lot." Celeste smirks. "But I don't think you'd enjoy it if I started to sing."

The deckhand pats her on the shoulder with a laugh. "You've got a beautiful voice, Celeste. Though we rarely get to hear all of it over the sounds of a galleon smashing into the coast."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Celeste clears her throat. "The rest of you, I expect to see you all back on the ship by noon tomorrow, hangovers and new rashes be damned."

Ray, the boatswain, approaches from Dorado's side. "Captain, why don't you convince that Brandon to join us? He could help gather more treasure on your excursions."

"As tempting as that is, Ray," Celeste says as she grasps her pendant, "we only have one amulet, so only one of us can have legs at a time. And I don't want to involve more merfolk than I have to in what we're doing."

"Understood, Captain." Ray sighs before nudging Dorado. "Let's get going before the rest of the crew fill in all the taverns."

---------------

The harbor is quiet on this moonless night. Davy keeps watch while Celeste heads below deck to where Brandon is kept. Naked except for her necklace and a lantern, she enters the room to find Brandon still in the barrel. She left him untied earlier and he apparently did not cause any damage when left alone.

He looks up at her. "You really don't want to come back with me?"

"This is something I must do."

"Will you ever come back to us?"

"When it is done, I promise to come back to everyone, Brandon. The best I can do right now is return you safely to the ocean and to protect these waters."

Brandon stares at her under the warm light of the lantern. "I see there is no convincing you, Celeste. I hope nothing will get in the way of you keeping your promise."

"Of course not."

Brandon dips himself into the barrel and comes back up. "Can I ask about that human from earlier?"

She sets down the lantern. "What about him?"

"Why do you trust him so much?"

"What makes you say I trust him?"

"You would mate with him, while you had your tail, your arms were restrained, and you were cut off from getting to the sea." Brandon leans on the edge of the barrel. "You also allow him to wield blades while you're unarmed."

"That human, Davy, was the one who nursed me back to health after this crew saved me from some very vile humans." Celeste stares down at the flickering flame of the lantern. "I would have been killed if not for them. They could have thrown me back into the ocean as soon as I was healed, but they have been assisting me on this mission for years now."

"What do they have to gain from saving us from other humans, Celeste?"

"The humans that hunt us have been trespassing on their territory. My goal just happens to conincide with getting rid of their rivals and enemies. Even if not all of them view me as a fellow crewmate, they at least see me as a valuable asset and that's all I need."

"And this Davy is different, right?"

"No, he isn't. He's not without his flaws and problems, but he has put his trust and his life, usually reluctantly, in my hands more than I can count. Above the surface of the water, there is no one I trust more."

Brandon stares at her for a few silent moments. "So, uh, what about that human form?"

"You like it?" Celeste turns around and back. "It's not displeasing or anything?"

"I don't know if I like it or not, but definitely I like you with a tail more." Brandon points to her necklace. "How does that work?"

"This necklace is something the humans who first caught me. They chained it around my neck and it forced me into human form. It's a powerful amulet that only transforms mers into human form. I don't think it does much else, but it's easier for humans to keep human-shaped prisoners."

"What's it like to walk?"

"It's strange but you get used to it. It's the being out of water part that was the hardest." Celeste clutches her chest. "I didn't realize how much your body moves on these graceless legs. Anyway, I should help you back home."

"Let me pull myself out of this," offers Brandon. "I can do at least that much." He lifts himself onto the side of the barrel and slowly slides his tail out of the water.

Celeste drags over a crate for him to sit on. "Rest on this. It'll be easier for me to lift you from there instead of the floor." She brings the lantern close so that she can see him properly.

"Is there something wrong?"

"Just a bit of a something," she sighs. "It's just making me a little homesick just from the sight of you. I can kind of remember you from before. Everyone must have grown up so much since I last saw them."

"You've grown especially, Celeste. I do remember you from before." Brandon shifts around a bit. "You probably would have been a great leader for us if you never left."

Celeste sits down next to Brandon. "Thanks, but it appears like you're admiring more than just my leadership qualities." She points to his burgeoning erection.

"I- Well, I- That- that human form has done nothing to dim how stunning I've always found you."

"I'm touched, but now is not the right time for this." Celeste reaches around his back and under his tail to lift Brandon up with ease. "When I finish my work up here, I'll come and visit so that you can show me just how much you admire me."

---------------

Celeste and Brandon are met on the deck of the ship by Davy, who is staring at the unlit horizon. His ears perk up at the sound of Celeste's extra-heavy footsteps. He nods at them both. "Most of the ships in dock are drunk. They have no eyes on the water."