Page 28 of Pirate's Intent
To stand by their side as they entered a whole new world.
To lead them into something they had all agreed upon.
“There she is, Cap’n.” Charles pointed north. “She’s Royal Navy and bearin’ down.”
“Lower our flag slowly,” Thomas called out, trying to meet each man’s eye. To let them know he stood by each and every one of them. “And set aside your weapons, lads. All of them.”
Dress askew, Rose flew up the steps stopping short when she spied the ship heading their way. Her eyes rounded. She looked from the navy ship to him and shook her head, panicked. “What are you doing, Thomas?” She kept shaking her head. “You need to turn around and flee. Right now! If not, you will be...”
The terror in her eyes told him everything he needed to know. She truly would stand by him no matter what. But that was not why he had come all this way. That would not be her ultimate fate if he had anything to say about it.
She crossed her arms over her chest at the chill in the air and peered off their port side, still shaking her head in confusion. “This makes no sense.” Her gaze returned to him. “We should be traveling south. Back to—”
“This,” he said softly and took her hand. He gestured that his men raise the white flag.
Her eyes widened all the more, and she whispered, “You truly are surrendering.”
“Yes, I am surrendering one way of life,” he said, “for another.”
“I do not understand,” she whispered, tears welling in her eyes.
“You will soon, my love.” He kissed her forehead and told her to return to his cabin. “If you’ve a need to eavesdrop at the door, I will not fault you.”
“You know I will.” She cupped his cheek and kissed him, fear and worry in her eyes, along with new strength and resolve. “I will stand by you, Thomas...I am not going anywhere.”
“I know,” he murmured, glad to hear her say it. To see the truth of it in her eyes. To know that she would stand by him to the end. Even if that end were hanging from a noose.
What she did not know, likely because she had been caught in the maelstrom of preparing to travel, was that on five September seventeen, seventeen, King George I of Great Britain issued the “Proclamation for Suppressing of Pirates.” This granted full pardon of all crimes to pirates who surrendered themselves to any governor in the colonies within the next year.
He nodded to Phillip and Charles as the ship drew closer.
The Pardon would apply just as readily to a sea vessel, governor present or not. Just so long as they gave the Royal Navy something they wanted in return, he suspected. He eyed his ship, one he dearly loved and nodded at his crew in reassurance. This was the step forward they had chosen the moment they put this plan into motion.
He leapt onto the bridge and roared that they requested a Royal Pardon on behalf of King George I and prayed the chips fell where he hoped.
As it happened, his King and country came through in the end, and they did.
“You cannot be serious?” Rose said a short time later, peering out the window at the navy ship following them. “They simply forgave you for all your crimes? They gave you and your crew full clemency?”
“By King’s order,” he murmured, very much enjoying her dress minus its undergarments. More so, he liked her in his arms as he leaned against his desk. “That is no small thing.”
“No,” she agreed softly. Her eyes met his. “But it does sound like a tremendously risky thing.” She shook her head. “What will you do now? Your men?”
“Start a new life,” he said simply.
Yet she knew nothing was so simple and called him on it. More pointedly, she rolled back the clock and focused on all her questions from before. “Everything you did yesterday was in preparation for this, wasn't it?” She cocked her head in question. “You knew what you intended to do?”
“Yes,” he confirmed.
“But why?”
“Because it was for the best.” He caressed her soft thigh, eager to be inside her again. To hear her throaty groans and cries of pleasure. “Times are changing quickly, Rose. Surely you know that.” He shook his head. “The Royal Navy has been after pirates more and more, and my way of life is becoming harder by the day.” He shrugged. “So when the proclamation was announced, I took notice.”
“Clearly.” She referred to his comment about being exhausted in general. “Based on what you said in your holding, you did more than take notice though, didn't you? You have grown tired of this life.”
“I have.” He cupped her cheek. “When we learned about what was going to happen to you and your sister, we had to take action.” He paused and considered. “But it was more than that...before that.”
“What do you mean?”
