Mermaid's Gold

Mermaid's Gold

Set in the golden age of piracy, the story features a female dominated alternative universe where the men are the fairer sex and women crew the ships that sail the seas. The story follows an 18 year old servant girl in the indentured service of a Countess as they perilously make their way across the pirate strewn Caribbean aboard a lightly armed merchant ship.

Neither the story nor the photos are as sexy as some of the other stories, this being more of an adventure with nudity and a little sex thrown in. Chapter One is more about the action with the bulk of the photos and sex, including the mermaids, in later chapters. As a word of warning, the pirates in this story aren't very nice and there's some violence thrown in.

I apologize that have so many other stories to update that I struggle to keep up but I had the photos and wanted to write at least one swashbuckling tale, just for the fun of it. I've got an update of Marti 80% done.

All characters are 18 years of age or older. The story, names, characters, places, and incidents portrayed in this story are fictitious. No identification with actual persons is intended or should be inferred. Any similarity with the names of real people is only coincidental. This story is intended as entertainment only; it's pure fantasy and highly politically incorrect. It's not written to be morally, historically, nor ethically, correct. If such offends you, please don't read it.

Thanks for reading.

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Chapter 1 -- Pirates!

WHOOM!

I awakened to the sound of a cannon firing. It frightened me so that I nearly fell out of my hammock. The blast rattled our entire ship. Above me, on deck, there was the sound of frantic footsteps running about everywhere and panicked yelling amongst the sailors. The ship's bell started ringing furiously.

"You there, grab an axe and cut the damned anchor line," a woman on deck yelled.

"Fire in the hole," a sailor cried out just before another cannon blast shook the ship.

WHOOM!

THUNT, THUNT, THUNT, I could hear a smattering of musket balls hitting against the side of our hull like hailstones on a roof. THUNT, THUNT.

"More powder dammit. I need more powder," someone yelled.

"Quick, grab a musket and return fire," another voice cried out.

On deck I could hear someone madly chopping, there was a loud snap, a bit of a lurch, and suddenly the ship was underway.

"What's going on?" I asked my friend Beth.

Though, like me, Beth was just an indentured servant, a mere slave, owned by the Countess, she was ten years older than me and, in her youth, had been a sailor in her Majesty's Navy, giving her considerable knowledge of seafaring matters.

"Pirates," Beth said. "And it sounds as if'n we 'bout to be taken."

"I want to see it," I gushed.

"Are ya touched girl," Beth said, looking gravely concerned as more musket fire broke out but I was already headed for the hatch. "Do ya not hear all the musketry and cannon? We could get ourselves bloody killed!"

"But that's what makes it exciting," I said. "Besides, seeing a pirate attack is a once in a lifetime thing."

Beth looked worried, "Servants like us tain't even allowed on deck."

"You coming?" I said as I started up the ladder. Beth hesitated but then followed me up.

As we climbed out of the hatch, a wicked volley musket fire peppered our ship, causing Beth and me to dive behind the ship's longboat for cover. Naked and nearly naked women scurried about in a frenzy trying to unfurl the sails and crew the guns. Surprised by the pirate's attack, the sailors hadn't time to get dressed.

Though unthinkably lewd on land, at sea, below deck, in the sweltering heat of the Caribbean summer, sailors oft slept completely nude. With the Pirates bearing down on us, none had any time for modesty. So the fact that the sailors had been caught with their uglies showing when the pirates attacked wasn't all that surprising. Embarrassing and immodest as it was, the sailors were forced to crew their posts just as they were.

Clad only in her pantaloons, the first officer was frantically passing out musket and cutlass to all that applied while Captain Smollett, naked but for her hat, took the wheel and rolled it over hard, steering the ship away from our shallow anchorage and towards open ocean.

"Belay the cannons girls and crew the yards." Captain Smollett yelled at the sailors. "Get yar ars's aloft."

Abandoning the cannons, we only had but four of the great guns anyway, two per side, our small crew took to the rope ladders, scrambling aloft, scrambled out onto the yards, and started untying the sails. Like me, most of our sailors were young, barely 18, and some on their first voyage. You could see the fear in their faces.

"Unfurl the sails and be smart about it," Smollett shouted. "I need all the canvas ya can give me."

Then I saw her, the pirate ship looming out of a cloud of cannon smoke in the shadowy darkness. She was close, all but upon us, and with all her canvas employed and taught, the pirate was making good speed, coming up on us fast.

Caught at anchor, with our sails furled and most of the crew asleep, we'd been dead in the water when the pirates attacked. Even now, most of our sails were still furled around the yards while those that were in service were poorly set and flapped about, catching little wind.

"She's a hunter alright," Beth said looking back at the pirate, "a big one. And, at the rate she's mov'n, she'll be on us in no time at'll."

"For god sake, quit with that dammed bell," Captain Smollett yelled. "Everyone's on the friggin deck already. Do someth'n useful girl and load the swivel."

Mesmerized, I watched as our crew frantically set the sails but it seemed too late. By this time, the pirate had pulled to almost a stone's throw of us and the night was filled with the crackle of musketry and women yelling.

"Ya there, Smith" Smollett yelled at one of the nude sailors running across the deck.

Smith stopped and faced her Captain, "Ma'am."

"Douse all the lanterns lassie and be quick about it. I don't want nary a candle burn'n on this vessel."

"Yes ma'am," Smith said as she ran off and started dousing all the lanterns. Quickly, our ship went totally dark.

"We've gotta catch some more wind," Beth said, sounding worried. "Our only chance is to try to lose um in the darkness but we'll nary ever do such less'n we can get more canvas set real quick like."

I looked up at the moon; it was half-full, giving off a fair amount of light. With the pirate appearing to be a lot faster than us and fully rigged, I didn't see how Smollett could possibly pull this off.

On our current tack, none of our great guns could be put to purpose and there was but one of the swivel cannons that could yet be aimed. Only a little larger than a musket, the small cannon was mounted to the deck railing on a swivel. Though it was but a trifle of artillery, at the moment, it was all we had that could be brought to task. Despite a hail of gunfire, a couple of our sailors bravely managed to load it and bring the swivel to present on the pirates.

CRACK! The swivel gun went off with a small flash and a loud pop. Though more of a clap than a musket, it was decidedly less of a sound than the thunderous boom of our great guns and I couldn't see any affect the shot had on the pirate. To be truthful, I was fairly disappointed with the tiny cannon. It didn't seem all that frightening at all.

"That's it?" I said to Beth in exasperation.

Beth shrugged, "What'd ya expect? It's just a swivel gun."

"Well I was hoping for something at least a little more fearsome."

"Ya be expect'n too much," Beth shook her head. "A swivel might scare off a few goats but certainly tisn't noth'n that's gonna cause any pirate to wet her britches."

Nevertheless, to my astonishment, the pirate ship swung hard across our wake behind our stern, seemingly abandoning any attempt to board us and fleeing towards the open ocean.

"She's yeild'n," a youthful sailor rejoiced. "We be saved."

The younger sailors cheered but the old salts of our crew along with Smollett, and Beth still looked troubled.

"They're leaving," I said to Beth. "We've won!"

"Nay," Beth grimaced. "You dream. They're just com'n cross behind us to bring their guns to bear for a stern shot."

Sure enough, just as soon as the pirate got crossways with the back of our ship, their gun ports swung open and the pirates ran out their cannon, lots of them. In the darkness, I counted 12 of the great guns on her left side pointed at us. As Beth leaned over the railing and looked back at the pirate's cannon, she seemed concerned.

"Carronades," Beth said. "And they be right big ones. Real hull smashers. I reckon 18 pounders."

To my surprise, the pirates began hurriedly elevating their cannon until they couldn't aim any higher.

"What are they doing?" I asked. "They're shooting too high."

"Nay," Beth said. "That there be trouble. They be plan'n on rak'n our canvas with grape and chain shot."

Suddenly, as if struck with an epiphany, Beth shot a panicked look upward at our sailors aloft who were trying to set more sails.

"Oh dear god," Beth gasped.

I glanced up at the helpless sailors crewing the yards. Expecting the pirate to shoot at the deck, the shocked sailors were still aloft when pirate raised her guns to point at them. Wide eyed and trembling in terror, they'd been caught by surprise by the pirate's aim and no longer had time to flee. Naked and completely exposed, all the girls had time to do was redouble their grip on the yard arm, grit their teeth, shut their eyes, cringe, let out a frightened squeal, and pray.

WHOOM! WHOOM! WHOOM! WHOOM! WHOOM!

I cowered as the pirate ship fired a deafening broadside into our sails and rigging. All of their cannon seemed to fire at once. So great was the blast from the pirate's artillery that, for a moment, it seemed as if the entire pirate ship had exploded.

Instantly, the pirate's shot tore through our masts and sails. I balled up and covered my head as a most prodigious amount of rope, rigging, shards of timber, and shreds of sails came raining down amongst us and clanging on the deck.

I heard a woman scream and looked up just in time to see a sailor lose her grip on the yard arm, tumble from aloft, and splash into the sea. I gasped and turned away. Whether she'd been shot by the pirate's grape or simply lost her grip in fright, I can't say. Fortunately, the pirate couldn't aim her guns higher the pirate's cannon may have killed all of them.

The broadside had been devastating; our sails were strewn with holes and much of our rigging was cut and dangling. Even one of our yards had been shattered and some of our tackle lay on the deck. With neither sufficient rope nor tackle to govern them, much of our canvas fluttered about fecklessly. Those sails that yet grabbed some wind began tearing open because of all the holes and gashes in them.

Then, the pirates opened upon us with a volley musketry again and it seemed as if ten pirate musket balls be coming in for every one of ours going out. Beth and I ducked down as a couple of balls sent splinters flying from atop of the longboat. Sailors desperately attempted to reattach lines and tackle to our sails but it was no easy task, particularly when you're getting shot at like they were.

WHAP, WHAP, WHAP. As the musket balls whizzed past the sailors, they made a smacking sound as the balls hit the canvas, visibly popping the sheets outward all around our sailors and frightening the poor lasses mightily in the process.

"For god sake," Smollett yelled, "hurry women, hurry!"

Despite Smollett's chastisement, I couldn't see how the frightened sailors could have worked any faster or any braver but there was just too much to do. As the pirates ran out their guns again, our crew frantically slid down ropes and scrambled down the rope ladders. Now that the sailors knew where the pirates would be aiming, they fled form the pirate's line of fire in a frenzy.

WHOOM! WHOOM! WHOOM! WHOOM!

Another angry broadside from the pirate cut even more of our rigging and shredded more sails. When I looked up again, it seemed as if we had so little canvas catching wind that we were virtually adrift. With our sails in tatters and much of our lines shot to pieces, the crew desperately looked to their Captain for an order but Smollett appeared as if she had no idea what to say. For a moment, the captain just stood there in a terrified stupor staring at the ruins of our rigging.

"Forget the mainsail and the mizzen," Captain Smollett finally yelled out as she cut the wheel back toward the island. "There be no time for that. Just unfurl those sails that yet be untouched and give me what wind ya can."

"What in god's name is she doing?" I asked Beth, bewildered that Captain Smollett seemed to be trying to run us aground.

"Well, since our rigg'n's too shot up to outrun um," Beth said. "I think Capt'n Smollett's try'n to lose the pirate in the shallows."

"Will that work?"

"Not bloody likely. We look to draw a deeper draft and the pirate knows these waters better than Smollett."

"What if we get stuck on the shoal?"

"If'n we ground," Beth said, "We'll be meat on a stick. The pirate twill take us for sure. We'd neither be able to bring our guns to bear nor outrun um. They'll have us for target practice."

But, with bullets whizzing about them and with the pirate's cannon still a threat, only a couple of brave sailors scrambled back aloft and began swinging about on the ropes, climbing the ladders to the topsails and unfurling those sails that were still mostly undamaged.

"It taint enough." Beth shook her head as she examined what was left of our canvas. "There be no hope for us now. God herself couldn't save us."

"Then why aren't we surrendering?"

"Cause Smollett would make herself a handsome profit if'n she brings our cargo to Jamaica. But, if'n she yields without a fight, she'll be ruined. She'll get noth'n for this voyage and she'll be blackballed as a coward for the rest of her life. No owner twill ever trust her with their ship again. Smollett would be left on the beach with neither coin nor employment, nary to ever capt'n a ship once more."

"They're com'n back round," one of the sailors aloft yelled out.

By now, the pirate ship had completely crossed our wake and was turning back towards us. Coming up on our right, the pirate was quickly closing in. Even though our sailors aloft had managed to set a couple more sails, with the wind at their back and all their sails in good order, it seemed as if the pirate would be on us in less than a minute. Worse yet, the pirate was now on the ocean side of our ship with Smollett attempting to hug the shallows of a nearby island to our left.

"We're shoaling! We're shoaling!" The first mate yelled out in a panic as she looked out over the railing in front of the ship.

"I see it dammit." Captain Smollet said. "I see it."

"The pirate's gonna try to pin us up against those shoals," Beth said,

Beth pointed to some white-capped waves breaking over a shallow sandbar with a few big rocks. Ahead and just to the left of us, it was barely visible in the moonlight.

"It'll keep Smollett from be'n able to maneuver." Beth continued. "The pirate has us trapped between them and the reef." If'n Smollett trys to stay the course, we'll ground and if'n she trys a starboard swing, we'll run right into um."

Turning slightly to the right to line up her guns, the pirate ran out her guns again, this time aimed at our main deck.

WHOOM! WHOOM!

Blowing huge holes in our railing, a couple of the pirate's cannon balls sent wooden shives and chunks of wood flying out of the darkness right at me. I ducked down just as several splinters the size of chair legs ricocheted off the longboat and bounced up in the air.

WHOOM!

Instead of a full broadside, the pirate began pounding us with sporadic cannon fire. Each gun firing independently. I heard a deafening clang, as if the cannonball had hit metal. When I looked back up, one of our cannon had been hit and the barrel was knocked completely off its wooden carriage and laying on the deck. The other cannon had some of its lines and tackle cut as well as one of the carriage wheels smashed.

"Shit," Beth said looking at the damage, "so much for our cannon."

Ceasing fire, the pirate tacked back towards us. With a couple of lanterns on the pirate's stern illuminating its flag, the pirate's large black skull and crossbones was clearly visible fluttering in the breeze. Just looking at it caused a cold chill to run down my spine. Then the pirate began closing in.

WHOOMP!

The entire ship shook mightily when our hull bumped against the top of a sandbar as we bottomed out on a wave.

"Capt'n! For god sakes," the first mate said as looked back at Smollett, "we're grounding!"

"Jesus woman, ya think I didn't feel that," Smollett yelled back angrily. "I know what I'm doing."

By now, the shoals were so close that I could hear the sounds of the waves breaking over them. It appeared as if we were headed straight for the rocks. As I looked back at the pirate, they had reefed some of their sails and were slowing down instead of coming in for the kill.

"What are they doing?" I asked Beth. "Why aren't they boarding?"

"The pirate don't want to risk ground'n so she's just squeez'n us against them shoals and wait'n for us to either shoal or turn into um."

Although Smollett seemed to have no choice but to turn towards the pirate or risk tearing the bottom out of her ship, still she hesitated. Then I could hear a rasping sound as the ship scraped over the sandbar again.

"Capt'n, it's gotta be now!" the first mate cried out in alarm. "Right now!"

Nervous, Smollett looked at the reef and then back at the pirate, grimaced, and rolled the wheel over as far as it'd go.

"Boom about," Smollett yelled and the crew swung the boom.

I braced myself against the boat as our ship tilted slightly to the right and turned onto a collision course with the pirate. Immediately, the pirate decided to pounce and turned into us.

"Everyone down," the first mated cried out to the two women who were still crewing the yards and repairing the rigging. "Grab a weapon girls and prepare to be boarded."

Frightened women scurried about in every direction with no order to it at all. It seemed as if no one was quite sure what to do. Even the officers appeared panicked and bewildered.

CRUNCH! Our ship shuttered mightily as the pirate ship's bow banged hard against us. Even in the blackness of the night, we were so close that I could see the pirates scurrying about in the moonlight. They were dark, shadowy figures, carrying weapons, taking up positions and preparing to board. A few of them looked like they were trying to throw something.

THUNT! THUNT! THUNT! THUNT!

No sooner than when we'd struck the pirate, then there was a loud clanging as the pirates threw half a dozen grappling hooks on the deck. I was nearly struck in the head by one of the hooks as it bounced off the boat and I had to jump aside to avoid being skewered by the hook as the pirates reeled it back in.

"Heave to it women," a voice on the pirate ship cried out and the pirates began reeling the grappling hooks in and our ship along with it. "Put ye backs into it."

"For god sakes, someone cut them lines," Captain Smollett yelled out but it was too late. Though the first mate and a couple of sailors armed with an axe and a saber started towards the grapples, a murderous volley of musketry sent them diving for cover, abandoning any thought of cutting the lines. In just seconds, the pirates had us reeled in til our ships clanged against each other and were side by side.