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 Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2023 1:08 pm
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Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2023 1:31 pm
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Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2023 1:44 pm
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Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2023 1:57 pm
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Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2023 2:04 pm
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Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2023 2:11 pm
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Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2023 11:38 am
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Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2023 2:14 pm
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 Mary gently patted the side of her horse's neck as it shook its head and let out a snuffle of impatience.
"Easy, Odyssey, easy. I would love to go faster too but we can do that around this company. We've got to keep up appearances if we want to continue being in their good graces."
She had been traveling with the multi-wagon company towards the unknown lands of the West for the past few weeks. While she would have preferred to travel at her own pace and not be held back by the slow progress by the wagons and their large families crammed pack under the covers, Mary knew it was better to travel with the company for safety and to insure she had supplies to make the full journey.
"Miss Townsend," called a voice from behind her.
She straightened and looked over her shoulder at the man sitting on the bench of the wagon behind her.
"Are you sure you don't want to sit in the wagon with the rest of the ladies? I'm sure we can find room for you, so you don't have to spend so much time in the sun," continued the man.
Mary sighed mentally as she heard the words. It wasn't the first time they had spoken to her. While it may have seemed like words of concern, she easily recognized the tone indicating he saw it was odd for a woman to ride along the wagons instead of in the wagon like all of the other respectable ladies. She doubted her complying with their desires would make them accept her as one of their own; she couldn't wait until the next town when she could finally part ways with this company and hopefully find someone else to join.
"I appreciate your concern, Mr. Smith," replied Mary. "But I am no stranger to the sun. Plus Odyssey would throw a fit if he knew I wasn't utilizing him to travel all this way. I am sure with being a rancher, you are quite aware of horses' unique quirks."
"Very well, Miss Townsend," acknowledged Mr. Smith, somewhat disgruntled. "Do not hesitate to let us know if you should change your mind." |
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Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2023 11:00 am
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"If I may intrude, Lieutenant," said one of the sailors, surrounding Mary and the other individual who had appeared from the shadows of the room. She hadn't bothered to look behind her to get a closer look, just assuming it was so random townsperson who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. "Blackbeard is a legendary pirate of remarkable power and an infinite number of crimes. His head, I assure you, would be your crowning achievement."
"Besides which, many of us would be happy to see his career cut off, as it were, at the neck," confirmed Lieutenant Robert Maynard.
"This woman is the known consort of Blackbeard," said the sailor.
"Mary Anne Townsend is the consort of the pirate known as Blackbeard?" said Maynard, his eyebrows rising. He turned to her. "So, where is Blackbeard now?"
"I haven't the faintest idea," replied Mary Anne.
"Is that credible?
"It's true."
"You're the woman he loves," said the sailor.
"No, I'm not."
"She's lying!" exclaimed the sailor. Maynard raised a hand in reaction as if indicating the sailor should refrain from further outbursts.
"Blackbeard does not and has never loved me. I'm not lying."
"Impossible. This is a trick," said the sailor, receiving a stern look from Maynard.
"No, it isn't," retorted Mary Anne.
"Our information is correct. You are the woman who loves Blackbeard," said Maynard.
"Yes, I am. I've never denied it," admitted Mary Anne. "But whoever said he loved me back? He's Blackbeard. He doesn't go around falling in love with people. And if you think he's anything that small or that ordinary, then you haven't the first idea of what you're dealing with."
"Sir, I assure you, she is the perfect bait," said the sailor, give a wide-eyed pleading look at the Lieutenant. "When this woman is in danger, Blackbeard will always come."
"Oh, you are a moron," said Mary Anne, looking at the sailor as if he was some unwanted bug. "No, he won't."
"He's probably already here -" continued the sailor.
"No, he isn't. Of course he isn't!"
"Possibly in these waters," the sailor said, as if she hadn't interrupted him.
"Well, go on, search for him then. Go on, why don't you?" said Mary Anne, trying her best to contain her frustration.
"Mary Anne," whispered the figure behind her.
"Black beard, leather clothes, you can't miss him," continued Mary Anne, the walls holding back her feelings quickly crumbling.
"Mary Anne," said the figure again, trying to catch her attention.
"Go on, scan the whole ocean! He's not here. God knows where he is right now, but I promise you, he's doing whatever the hell he wants and not giving a damn about me! And I'm just fine with that."
"Mary Anne," tried the figure once more, stepping closer, barely inches away from her side.
"When you love Blackbeard, it's like loving the sea itself. You don't expect a sunset to admire you back. And if I happen to find myself in danger, let me tell you, Blackbeard is not stupid enough, or sentimental enough, and he is certainly not in love enough to find himself standing it with me!" said Mary Anne, before she finally acknowledged the man standing next to her.
Her eyes locked onto the man's dark brown eyes, taking in the silver-streaked black hair and black leather and cotton attire. The sunlight shining through the foliage above them, sparkled upon the green gem on the ring tied in his cravat. She tried to keep her composure as she recognized who was standing beside her. All she wanted to do was scream, laugh, and yes - even pull the bloody man standing beside her into a deep, sensual kiss.
The man smiled as he said warmly, "Hello, sweetie."
"You are so doing those roots," breathed Mary Anne.
"What, the roots of the sunset?" teased the man.
"Don't you dare."
"I'll have to check with the oceans themselves."
"Oh, shut up. I was just keeping them talking."
"What is this conversation? Explain," said Lieutenant Maynard.
"You keep out of this," snapped Mary Anne.
"We need to get to work," said the man, speaking only loud enough for her to hear.
"Okay, what have you got?" she asked, matching the volume.
"Four teams. Two concealed, one in the back."
"There's also one on their ship," added Mary Anne.
"I don't like it."
"Too close to the heart?"
"A bit too tight."
"Oh, I hope you're not being personal."
"Excuse me, what are you talking about?" asked the sailor.
"Hush, Mummy and Daddy are busy," replied Mary Anne, a hint of teasing coming through as she winked at the sailor before turning back.
The faint sound of wood creaking on the porch outside and safeties being pulled back from pistols came barely over the sound of the waves of the ocean coming through the open tavern windows. Lieutenant Maynard and his small group of sailors seemed to have not heard it; Mary Anne and her companion, however, picked up on it instantly as they had been waiting for it.
"There we are," whispered Mary Anne, shifting her stance. "Here we go."
"Cease this conversation!" commanded Maynard.
"Darling, in the event of a gunfight in a small tavern, where would you say is the safest place to stand?"
"Gunfight?" echoed the sailor.
"Behind the bar, I should think," replied the man.
"Do you know what that isn't? A coincidence."
"Your escape plan," acknowledged the man, realizing their placement in relation to the tavern's bar. They were standing directly in line to the opening, where they could easily run in seconds behind it with no obstacles.
"It's cheaper than a hackney."
"What gunfight?" asked the sailor again.
Suddenly, pirates from the front entryway and coming through the kitchen doors rushed into the tavern surrounding Maynard and his sailors, their pistols and swords pointed in their direction.
"That gunfight," answered Mary Anne.
"How could you know?!" exclaimed the sailor in shock, as he didn't know where to turn to look as they became surrounded.
"I'm the queen of the seas. It's what I do," said Mary Anne. "See you in Davy Jones' Locker!"
Mary Anne and the man quickly dived behind the bar as the pirates began opening fire on the sailors. |
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Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2023 11:15 am
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"A successful escape, I think," said Mary Anne. "And raid at that."
"Maynard still managed to escape," grumbled the man, as he thumbed through the coins in his hand.
The pirates had killed and wounded a good number of the sailors at the tavern. Mary Anne's own team she had snuck onto Maynard's ship managed to overcome the crew that was left there, transferred what goods they found back to the Odyssey, and set the ship on fire before Blackbeard's crew was finished at the tavern.
"He's a slippery one, that's for sure," confirmed Mary Anne. "But there's only so many times he can escape his fate. Plus he's now at a loss with his ship being destroyed. Bet that was a nasty shock when he thought he would be able to turn back around and try another swing at us."
"I don't know how you do it," said the man, looking up at her in awe. "Come away from something like that as if it was just a casual walk along the beach."
"Oh, but you like it," replied Mary Anne, smirking mischievously as she sauntered closer to him. "You know you do, Izzy."
"I appreciate that you don't shy away from a fight," acknowledged Izzy. "But I don't condone your way of risky your life to get what you want."
"Just making a life a bit more interesting, that's all," said Mary Anne, bringing her body up against his. She was taller than him, just a few inches shorter than Blackbeard himself; while normally she wouldn't have played with the idea of dating someone shorter than her, especially with being tall for being a woman, she found that thought was tossed out to sea when she met Izzy. There was something thrilling, a sense of power, being able to tower over him. Mary Anne smirked as she felt him shiver in response to their contact and the remaining coins in his hand sliding down to the table.
"Bored already?" breathed Izzy, his hands gently wrapping around her waist.
"Only when you're not with me," replied Mary Anne, placing a kiss upon the star tattoo under his left eye and then continuing down his face towards his neck. One hand weaved itself into his hair and the other snaked around to his back. |
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Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2023 12:01 pm
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NOTE: In this little scenario, Ed is female and Izzy is non-binary/transexual.
Ed watched as Izzy turned slightly away, the words they were speaking getting lost in the noise of the crowd. Not that she was paying much attention to them as her focus had zeroed on one particular thought, an impulse she was at war regarding. Finally, she silently growled at her indecision and deciding to just take the leap. Ed rushed forward, grabbing Izzy's collar and pulling them around to face her, and kissed them deeply on the lips. She felt Izzy's body freeze in shock before slowly melting into the moment. After a beat, Ed finally broke the kiss and took a deep shaking breath. She couldn't believe she had done that.
"Ed?" whispered Izzy.
Oh God! What have I done?! Ed started to panic, her sense of awareness returning to her. She couldn't bring herself to meet Izzy's eyes, instead focusing on the white stitching along the joint between the shoulder and sleeve portions of their shirt.
"Ed," said Izzy, slightly louder again, bringing a hand up to Ed's cheek.
Ed closed their eyes for a moment. Oh, why did it have to feel so lovely? Wasn't this what she wanted?
"Look at me, Ed," continued Izzy, finally shifting their hand down enough to cradle her chin and force her face upwards, so their eyes met. "It's okay."
"Z," breathed Ed, the tension melting away as she stared into their brown eyes.
"It's okay," repeated Izzy.
Ed nodded slightly but still didn't believe the words. How could it be? This wasn't how it was supposed to be. Not how others kept telling her anyway. She felt Izzy's rock as they chuckled.
"Come here," said Izzy, pulling Ed closer. They gently traced her face before their fingers found their way into her wavy black hair.
Ed eventually found herself getting lost in the moment again. She didn't realize how much she missed this feeling. Of being loved, of being held, of being that special someone. It didn't take long before Ed's lips found their way onto Izzy's again, this time not as desperate and rough. She wanted to take her time and fully enjoy it this time.
"Let me know if I have taken things too far," whispered Ed, briefly breaking their kisses. "I don't want to over step my bounds. Savvy?"
She glanced over seeing that Izzy was briefly lost in their own thoughts sparked by her kisses.
"Izzy?"
"Hmm?" replied Izzy, their eyes coming back into focus as they turned to look at her and finally processing the words she had spoken to them.
"Savvy?"
Izzy smirked at the pop culture reference. "Yeah, savvy."
Ed smiled before placing another kiss on their lips and slowly started placing kisses elsewhere. A kiss on the star tattoo under their left eye. Upon the inner part of their wrist that still reached up to her cheek. Within the soft part of Izzy's neck, just above the collar. It was at that point that Ed's thoughts got the better of her again and she halted her kisses.
"F*ck," said Ed, pulling abruptly away. "I can't do this."
"What?" said Izzy.
"I can't do this. You're married for f*ck's sake! I promised I wouldn't be that person. I can't be that person."
"Ed, wait!" called out Izzy.
Ed shook her head as she stepped away from Izzy, ignoring the pain in her heart as she did so. Better to deal with the pain now than have to go through another heart break. And any guilt for being a 'homewrecker.'
"I'm sorry, I can't," said Ed, before she turned and rushed away.
Izzy stood staring after Ed's disappearing form in shock and confusion. A tall figure in a striped shirt and red jacket stepped up to them.
"What was that all about?" they asked. "For awhile there, it looked like things were heating up pretty nicely. You didn't go and scare her away, did you?"
"Don't be ridiculous," replied Izzy. "She scared herself away."
"Scared herself away?"
"She's lost," explained Izzy. "She's finding herself in uncharted waters and worried that she's doing the wrong thing. The storm clouds will clear soon enough and she'll realize she was on the right path all along."
"You seem pretty confident about that."
"I've been there before. I understand where she's coming from." |
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