Fan Fiction ❯ Once a Lady ❯ Chapter Three ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter Three

 

 

Tyne twisted in his chair at the sound that came from the other side of the door and he looked to the man across from him an arched an eyebrow in question, “Are you expecting company Reed?”

The slightly older man shook his head as he moved to his feet, his shoulder length black hair shifting around his collar as he reached for the pistol on the edge of the table. Tyne moved to his feet and held a hand out before him, indicating he should wait,

“Keep that thing where it is, can't you have you shooting innocent people.”

“Why not? I doubt they'd be innocent anyway.”

“That's most likely true but it doesn't mean you have to kill them.”

Reed sighed slightly as he moved around the table, “I don't like what this new occupation of yours has done to you…”

Tyne laughed softly as he moved to the door and pulled it open; taking a step out into the ally, he was just in time to see three people run around a corner, a bundle over one of the men's shoulder. Reed glanced to his friend with a small smirk,

“Human Cargo?”

Tyne nodded, “I'm guessing so, you head that way, and I'll go this way.” Quickly the men split up. Tyne following the three men and Reed going down the ally so he would be able to cut them off, it only took Tyne a few minutes to catch up with the trio as they stopped near a carriage. Shifting his weigh Tyne crossed his arms over his chest and coughed softly, “Ahem, can I ask what you fine gentlemen are doing on a night like this?”

The one holding the cargo dumped it into the carriage and they quickly turned around to face him. Tyne's lips twitched slightly at the corners as he watched an array of expression flicker across their faces. The shorter of the men, the leader stepped forward with a smile though should have been charming, however, Tyne wasn't a man taken in by charm, not the charm of another man any. As the other man began to speak, Tyne glanced off to the left as a shadow passed by the back of the carriage, mostly likely Reed,

“Nothing much at all, just packing up some stuff to be heading home.” As the man talked, he seemed to twitch, his hand moving towards the edge of his belt. Frowning softly Tyne stepped closer to the man, lamp lighting up his features that had been hidden by the dark,

“Sir, it's quite obvious what you are doing now move aside, I'll have no such activities happening on my watch.”

The three men practically gasped as they say the man's face, he was roughly 6'1, black hair that fell just above his collar and piercing grey eyes. He was well built with a rugged look to him; most knew him on these docks. His name was Captain Tyne Connell, not only that but he was recently become Pier Master, the reason for the placement was unknown but some speculated that it had direct connections with The Queen. The three men all began to stutter at once and finally the tallest pulled out a gun and aimed it at Tyne's hand, “Now look here, we gots this bundle and it's ours, it's no concern of yurs. We'll just take it and leave and pretend it didn't happen, ya hear?”

Tyne arched an eyebrow at the man, his gaze taking in the gun. He didn't like having guns pointed in his face and he liked less being told what to do. Glancing behind the man he nodded to Reed, the man had gotten into the carriage without any of the three men hearing or seeing him, what a taste for Reed but then he could be proficient at something when he really tried. As Tyne nodded, his head Reed's feet shot out to kick at the back of the two unarmed men and while the third was, distracted Tyne pounced forward and brought his hand down onto his wrist, making the man release the pistol, which Tyne instantly grabbed. Sighing he pushed the men out onto the docks,

“I would have let you men get off easy but I really hate having to push my weight around,” This was almost untrue, a part of Tyne enjoyed a good fight though he would prefer a more worthy opponent then three burbling fools. Hand the pistol over to Reed who had gotten out of the carriage when the men had fallen forward he nodded, “Take them to the Constables office would you? I'll take care of the cargo.”

Reed grinned as he took the pistol and aimed it at the three men, “Get going boys, I don't have all night to baby-sit you.” The men glanced to the carriage, they seemed like they wanted to do something, perhaps fight back but Tyne was already unwrapping their cargo. Cursing softly the men turned and began to walk away as Reed poked them with the pistol, “Come on, it won't be so bad, if your lucky he'll just put you in jail and forgo the hanging.”

 

Tyne glanced for his shoulder chuckling softly at Reed and then looked back to the bundle, pulling the last fold of the blanket away from the person's face. What he saw shocked him and not to mention hurt like hell.

 

 

δ

 

Paige shifted against the hard floor, her vision was black but then she had noticed she seemed to be covered in something, something that didn't smell at all too pleasant. She also noticed the throbbing pain at the back of her skull and slowly it all came back to her, three men had attacked her outside the doorway to Jacks place. Had the man truly not heard her body crash against the door? At the sound of voices, she stopped trying to unwrap herself and then she heard it, a soft chuckle as someone began to pull away the blanket. Paige narrowed her eyes as she stiffened, did this person thing they could take advantage of her? She didn't think so and as he pulled back the last fold her fist shot out to crack against his nose and she yelped in pain as the main stumbled backwards. Quickly she moved to her knee's pulling the hair tighter onto her head as she held up her fist,

“Think it was funny to knock me over the head did you? Well have a taste of your own medicine!” With that, Paige sat down at the edge of the carriage and pulled back her two feet aiming to kick the large man in his groin; and she did, with great success. Watching the man fall to his knee's she hoped out of the carriage and ran for it, she didn't think of taking the bag that the Trio had placed in the carriage nor did she think about stopping. All she wanted right now was to get away from this foul place as fast as she could.

She thought she had been running swiftly, hoping that she could easily out run the man however it seemed like only a moment passed before an iron grip snagged her arm and caught her off balance, tossing her against the planks of the docks. Screaming slightly she rolled along it, her hand gripping her hat for dear life as she came to a stop inches away from the edge. Quickly moving to her feet she frowned deeply at the man standing there, he appeared extremely angry and didn't look at all like a man who would kidnap a person.

Growling softy Tyne wiped a bit of blood from his nose, his eyes glaring into the dirtied fast of the boy before him, “What the hell do you think you are doing? Is this how you re-pay someone for saving your life?”

Paige frowned slightly, her lips curling into a sneer as she spoke in her male voice, “Saved my life, you are the one that tried to kidnap me!”

The man shifted his weight as he continued glare that the boy, his groin hurt, a lot and he had a mind to make this little rat feel the exact same pain, “Are you kidding me? I saved your life, if I had kidnapped you I would at least two other people wouldn't I. Maybe a gun or…or maybe I would have killed off already.”

Paige winched slightly at the man's tone, it was clear by the simple angry and bewildered tone of his voice that he had not kidnapped her. Shuffling her feet, she glanced down at the soggy wood muttering softly, “Oh”

The man's eyes widened as he said, almost as if talking to himself, “Oh…oh. Is that it? Oh? Not I'm sorry for trying to snap your nose off or make you unable to reproduce? Just oh?”

Paige tilted her head to frown at the man, “You're being dramatic, I couldn't have snapped your nose off…or….or…” Her voice trailed off as her mind began to comprehend what making him unable to have children would imply and a soft blush moved along her cheeks. Quickly she tugged on the hat to try to hide her face, really that's all she needed was his burly man knowing she was a woman. Moving slightly to the right she spoke swiftly, “Look I'm sorry for that, I didn't know you weren't the one to kidnap me, thanks for the help, I have to be going.”

 

δ

 

Tyne stared as the boy tried to talk his way out of the damage he had inflicted upon him. To be honest Tyne was almost embarrassed that such a small boy could catch him off guard and actually draw blood. Reed was never going to let him live this down. Tyne quickly moved to step in front of the boy and blocked his exit, his hand moving out to grab the boy's shoulders, “I don't think so lad, and you'll be paying for what you've done to me that's for sure.” The boy began to twist in his grip and he tightened his hold as he began to drag the lad back to the carriage, “You should really learn how to treat people better.”

The boy suddenly let out a stream of curses as he began to pull at Tyne's hand; he wasn't a very strong boy that was for sure,

“Look I told you I didn't mean to do it! Just let me go!”

Tyne struggled with the boy until the little bastard sunk his teeth into his hand and he yelled, his hand coming up in an automatic reaction to punch the boy in the face. With a rather girlish scream, the boy let go of the bit hold he had on Tyne arm and fell to the ground. Cursing Tyne nudged him with his foot, “Come now, you're the one being dramatic, get up.” Sighing he bent down, tugged on the boys shoulder, and then realized that the boy was unconscious. Exhaling loudly he pulled the boy over his shoulder and turned around, there standing with a large grin on his face was Reed,

“Really what did you do to the lad? Punching him out already?”

Tyne grimaced as he moved around his friend, “I did nothing of the sort, and he's the one that started it all. I was just trying to get him to stop acting irrationally…”

Reed grinned as he followed Tyne, “And punching the lad in the face does that?”

Grunting Tyne moved down the docks and to the edge of a large ship, there he turned to Reed, “I didn't punch the boy, I only nicked him it isn't my fault he's so damn girly, damn rich brats…” Moving to a large board he paused, glancing at Reed, “I'd put him in the office but there's no beds or anything in there, I'll have to leave him on your ship until he comes too.”

Reed snickered slightly as they moved onto his ship and he nodded to the hatch leading down into the cabins, “Sure thing, are we going to stand guard as well?”

Tyne only muttered something underneath his breath as he went below and dumped the boy onto a bed, kicking at his legs to get him on the bed properly. Once that was done he moved back up top where he stood beside Reed, looking out onto the starlight sea, rubbing his hand slightly, “I don't think a lad is suppose to have a bit like that…I don't think any human should have a bit like that.”

Reed laughed aloud and smacked Tyne on the back, “Really it's what you get for becoming a Pier Master.”

Smiling slightly Tyne glanced sideways at his old friend; they had known each other since they were little kids and both had a reputation for being `questionable'. It's probably what made them good friends…and even better Pirates, “Not always a Pier Master…you know that.”

Nodding with a smirk Reed leaned closer to Tyne, “I hear Captain Hadden is going to be doing a shipment tomorrow…”

Smiling slightly he looked at his friend, “Is that so?”

Reed nodded, “You know where it's going doing you?”

“I can guess” Said Tyne with a small smirk. Captain Hadden was a rather unscrupulous man that decided he should receive more money then he deserves for his job and had taken it upon himself to horde shipments and either sell them and keep the money for him or just keep the cargo saying it was `pirated.' He was giving people in Tyne's profession a bad name; He and Reed had decided that it had to come to an end, even if Tyne had taken on the job as Pier Master. Tyne shifting against the rail as he turned his head to look at Reed, “I'll set out tomorrow, Jack can fill in for me while I'm away…I'll just say it's business.”

Reed chuckled and slapped his friend on the back and the two of them left the ship, heading back to the office, “What about the lad?”

Tyne snickered, “I think he's going to be out for the night, it'll do the little brat good for harassing his elders.”

 

 

δ

The morning seemed to come quickly and Reed was awakened by the harsh shoving a fist against his shoulder,

“Wake up, there's some trouble we have to set sail immediately.”

The man speaking to him was his first mate Charles or fondly known as

Charlie. Quickly Reed sprang up from his bed and began to shove on his clothing, he never truly enjoyed sleeping at port but it was something that had to be done now and again. A few moments later, they were on board the ship called `The Merriweather' and Reed pulled a few men aside,

“There is a boy sleeping in a cabin below, get him and put him over on

Captain Tyne's ship before we set sail.” The men quickly nodded and moved below, returning a few minutes later with a still sleeping corpse like body of the boy they left the ship. Reed's lips twitched as he shook his head, the boy had a rather ugly bruise on his face,

“Really going around hitting lads now is he?”

Reed glanced over his back as he waited his men to return, grinning at Charlie,

“Aye, I told him `tis an ugly habit he denies the fact though.”

Laughing Charlie moved off and instructed men in the preparations for setting sail. Once the two men had came back on board the crew quickly pulled up the ships anchor and moved away from the docks. The two men that had brought the boy over to Tyne's ship sat against the railing on a few barrels and seemed to be having harsh words with each other. Frowning Reed quickly moved towards them and stood there, hands on hips,

“Spit it out men…what are you arguing about?”

Reed in any pose was an intimidating figure but certain poses seemed to speak volumes to his crew. Hands on hips meant `spill the beans and now.' The two men shifted and stood up before their Captain, glancing back and forth to each other. Reed's frown deepened,

“Well?”

The taller of the two men named Richard nudged the smaller male and grumbled,

“Go ahead, tell `im!”

Stumbling over his words the man looked up at Reed, “Well sir it just that…you said bring the boy over to Captain Tyne ship right…?”

Reed nodded, “That's correct…the problem with that?”

“Well you see sir…that…boy…” The man paused for a moment, his hand moving to rub the back of his head, “Well sir…that boy ain't no lad, that lad's a girl…”

Reed stood there staring at the two mean, well it would really explain for the female like presences of the boy and how small and girly he was. A slow grin began to creep up onto Reed's lips; Tyne would wake up soon and set sail and never bothering to check for any extra cargo...he would think that it was a lad on his ship but it would really be a girl; a spitfire of a girl it would seem from her activities. The small grin became a full-fledged smile as he thought about it. Tyne had not been with a woman seriously since Melissa and…he could not finish the thought. The smile had become full-blown laughter and the men just stared at him. Cracking them on the back, he continued to laugh,

“Perfection men, Absolute perfection!”