UNCHARTED: Drake's Demise

"Cassandra, you have never known man, have you?" Francis asked gently. She only shook her head no in reply. "Well then, there are a few things for you to remember, my dear. The first and most important is that we can always cease our activities, even now. I assure you that I will not be slighted or insulted. Do you still wish to continue?" Biting her lower lip with arousal, she nodded in the affirmative. "Very well, then. The second thing to remember is that there will be some pain. However, the more wet you become, the more this pain should decrease."

As he finished speaking, Francis slipped a finger down to her beckoning entrance, feeling that it was already quite slick. Running his finger along her outer lips, Cassandra moaned with pleasure at his touch, her eyes rolling back in her head. As he reached her clit, however, her eyes popped open again, and she gasped at the sudden wave of pleasure she felt.

"Oh, dear God! That... is... amazing!" she heaved.

Francis could tell that she was becoming wetter by the second, both in feeling her stickiness and by its heavenly aroma. He continued his flicking of her clit, while simultaneously slipping a finger down to her entrance, gently stretching it out a bit. He surmised that this would make the initial penetration go easier as well; Lord knows this poor girl had experienced enough disappointment in her life. After several minutes of this stimulation, Cassandra could stand no more.

"Francis... I need you... I need to make love to you," she moaned.

"I am at your disposal, fair lady," he said with a grin.

Placing her hands firmly on his strong chest, Cassandra once again moved her entrance to the head of his member. She again felt the twinge of pain in pressing him against her, though it was substantially less this time, and she pressed onward, slowly beginning her descent down his length. Though she did gasp at first, feeling her virginity rip, that sensation was soon replaced with a feeling of extreme arousal as her lover filled her up. She paused about halfway down before returning back up, allowing her body to adjust to the welcome invasion, then reversed course to slowly take him in once more. After another twenty seconds, she finally had managed to engulf his entire manhood. Francis was nearly incoherent with pleasure, feeling her squeezing him in all the best ways. She was exceptionally tight, as was befitting for a virgin, yet the look on her face indicated that the pain had dissipated; all he saw in her eyes was enjoyment and desire.

"What now?" Cassandra asked softly.

Grinning, Francis replied, "Whatever you wish. Do as it feels natural to you; I shall enjoy every moment of it."

Cassandra seemed hesitant at first, as she was working to figure out exactly what felt natural to her. She first ground herself in circles, which was moderately pleasurable, though did little for Francis. More success was found when she placed her hands firmly on his chest and began to rhythmically raise and lower herself from his member. Cassandra's tunnel immediately began to twitch and convulse at her movements as she explored every inch of Francis' length. Through it all, Francis was exceedingly kind and patient, never rushing her and only providing gentle advice when she asked for it. Truthfully, it was an incredibly arousing experience for him, being able to watch a virgin dip her toes in the water, as it were, and slowly discover the joys of lovemaking.

All too soon, Cassandra was engulfed in her passions, flexing her legs to bounce smoothly atop Francis. Her golden hair followed wherever she went, creating a stunningly erotic vision for him as she rode him. She threw her head back in ecstasy, thrusting out her perky breasts in the process and causing them to jiggle with every movement she made. This reminded Francis of his mental note from earlier. Getting a wonderful idea, he tapped her shoulder to ask her to slow momentarily and propped his pillow up on the headboard behind him. He gently slid back, sitting up straight against the headboard, and allowed Cassandra to mount him once more. She immediately took a liking to this change in position, as she was now able to intimately kiss her lover all the while. As she continued to grind against him, Francis lowered his face to begin his inspections of her wonderfully nubile chest. Merely brushing his fingers lightly along her puffy nipples caused her to gasp in surprise and pleasure.

"My, we are sensitive, are we not?" he said with pride.

"Hah... oh, god... that... is... very nice..." she heaved in reply.

Determined to gauge just how sensitive she was, Francis took one of her nipples in his mouth, flicking it with his tongue as he suckled her. Cassandra breathed in sharply, stunned by this new sensation, and immediately increased the ferocity of her grinding. A strange new feeling accompanied this, almost as if her loins were going to explode. A part of her was worried, but something told her that this was something to be embraced, not fought. As she continued in her frenzy, Francis seemed to know exactly what was going on.

"Do not fight it, Cassandra," he whispered. "Women are able to experience the same wave of pleasure that men are, and I wish for you to have this feeling."

His encouragement was all she needed. Redoubling her efforts, Cassandra threw her arms around Francis' neck as he continued worshipping her incredible breasts. The more he pleasured her, the more passionately she loved on him, and the more passionately she loved on him, the closer both came to their final destinations. Cassandra could soon feel Francis growing larger and harder within her slick tunnel. As he then stopped suckling her and laid his head back with eyes closed, she surmised that he was experiencing the same feelings that she was. Kissing his neck, she never once slowed her actions, and began to whisper into his ear.

"I cannot thank you enough... for saving my life. You are so brave... so strong... I could not feel safer anywhere in the world than here. I wish you to love me... I wish you to give me... all... your... love..."

Her words were driving Francis nearly insane, as evidenced by his increasingly labored breathing. Gazing into her eyes, he spoke not a word, but nodded in affirmation. Understanding his meaning, Cassandra placed her hands firmly on his shoulders and began to pound his manhood with every ounce of strength she had. After merely a minute of this action, her body was finally rocked by the first orgasm the girl had ever experienced in her life. She twitched, shook, and convulsed, savoring every moment of the wondrous sensation. As her womanhood began to clinch, milking Francis in the process, her reactions finally triggered his climax. He grunted and gripped the bed sheets tightly as he finally exploded, filling the girl's womb with his hot seed.

The couple needed to say nothing in the moments following; their heavy breathing and gentle caresses said everything for them. For quite some time, they simply relaxed in each other's arms, lightly kissing and embracing every so often. Finally feeling exhaustion approaching, Francis adjusted the pillow so that he could lie comfortably on his bed and took Cassandra in his arms, laying her head on his chest. Within mere moments, both had passed into unconsciousness.

*****

Cassandra slowly awoke the next morning, finding herself alone in bed. Though she was momentarily worried, her fears were soon quieted in seeing one of the doors in the cabin open. Wrapping herself in a robe, she stepped through the door, finding herself on a private balcony overlooking the stern of the ship. Francis stood at the railing, gazing out over the water.

"Good morning," Cassandra said sweetly, moving to stand beside him.

"Good morning," Francis replied, a hint of sadness in his voice.

Sensing his hesitation, she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Are you alright, Francis?"

Sighing, he replied, "I... must apologize for my actions last night. I behaved... most inappropriately."

"What do you mean? Francis, last night was wonderful! You were so gentle, and loving-"

"Stop! Please," he interrupted. "I am glad to know that I caused you no emotional distress. However the fact remains that everything you had of value has been taken from you. The Spaniards took from you your father, and his fortune. But I... took from you the most valuable thing a woman possesses: her chastity."

"Francis, I gave it freely... to you," Cassandra said, trying to ease his mind.

"Be that as it may, I have still devalued you in the eyes of any potential suitor in the future. It was incredibly selfish and shortsighted of me."

"Are you saying... you do not wish me to stay with you?" Stroking his hand gently, she continued, "Because if you will have me, nothing would please me more than to make you as happy as possible... for the rest of your days."

"You are too kind, Cassandra. As much as I would love that... it would not be fair to you. After all, you deserve a husband who has not falsified his own death!" She giggled sweetly at this. "But really, Cassandra, you deserve a young, strong man to be your husband, one who can give you a lifetime of happiness and fulfillment. As wonderful as last night was... I realize that I am not that man."

"If you are certain..." she answered somberly.

Francis kissed her forehead, saying, "That, however, does not mean that I shall not endeavor to find you such a man."

"You would do that for me?" she asked in surprise.

"But of course! It is the least I can do, what with my actions last night."

Kissing his lips sweetly, she replied, "It is no wonder that I never believed the many who would call you merely a pirate."

"Privateer, my lady," Francis said with a wink. As they made their way back into the cabin proper, a knock came at Francis' door. Cassandra shuffled into the closet to dress while Francis moved to answer the door.

"Yes?"

"Good morning, Captain," Fletcher said as the door opened. "Mr. Hawkins wanted me to inform you that we are nearly on top of the coordinates indicated on the map. We have three men aloft, spying for any sign of land. You shall know the moment we know."

"Excellent, Mr. Morgan. Carry on, and I shall join you shortly."

"Aye."

After closing the door, Francis began to dress in his uniform, joining Cassandra in the closet. She had chosen a sky-blue dress to wear for the day.

"Most beautiful," Francis mused.

"Why thank you, Sir Francis. I do believe it fits perfectly. Did you know my size, or have you merely brought other beautiful women onboard?" she asked mischievously.

Chuckling, he replied, "A valiant effort, but it will take more than that, dear girl. A good sailor never discloses the individuals with whom he shares his bed."

"Individuals? So that includes both women... and men?"

"Haha! You are a crafty one, Cassandra! Though for me personally, I can state with confidence that only women have shared my bed over the years."

"That is not surprising to me. Shall we go on deck?"

"Erm, no. I actually think it best for you to remain in my cabin. This island we are traveling towards is likely to be crawling with Spanish soldiers, and considering the great lengths they have gone through to keep this location hidden, I am anticipating heavy resistance. I'll not risk your safety, Cassandra."

Sighing in both frustration and understanding, she replied, "Very well, Captain."

Strapping on his armor, Francis said, "Do not fear. When we go ashore, I shall leave behind some of my best men. They will guard the ship, and you, with their lives."

"Or suffer your wrath?"

"Precisely," he grinned, heading out on deck. As he glanced around, observing the crew working on their morning duties, he was soon greeted by his First Mate.

"Good morning, Francis. I do hope you slept restfully last evening," John said.

"Quite. Now, what is our status Mr. Hawkins?"

"We are on top of the coordinates as we speak. The three aloft are keeping an eye in all directions for any sign of land, but nothing so far."

"LAND HO! OFF THE PORT BOW! LAND HO!" came an ear splitting scream.

"It seems I have perfect timing, John," Francis mused.

"As per usual, my friend."

As the ship adjusted course, Francis made his way to the bow, producing his spyglass to inspect their destination. He at first wondered if this was the correct island, but a report from the crow's nest indicating that no other land had been seen all morning, combined with John's confidence in the coordinates quickly put his concerns at ease. Turning his attention back to the ship, Francis blew his whistle, summoning the entire crew to the deck of the ship within minutes. His instructions were brief, but clear.

"Gentlemen, within the hour we shall make landfall. This island we approach is a complete mystery to us; we know not what awaits us there, but we are quite certain that it is where the Spaniards have taken El Dorado. Expect extreme resistance from the moment they sight us, gentlemen. As you will remember, each of you was assigned a platoon number when we first embarked from England. You shall divide into these platoons for our landing. I shall lead platoon one myself, and platoon two shall be lead by Mr. Hawkins. Platoon four, lead by the helmsman, shall remain on the ship and will guard it, along with Miss Cassandra Norrington, with their lives. As for platoon three, you men shall be lead by our Second Mate."

The men rumbled momentarily, knowing that a Second Mate had never been appointed for this voyage.

"Patience, gentlemen, this is my next order of business," Francis said, raising his hands to quiet the crew. "Mr. Hawkins and I have been monitoring you men throughout our voyage, and have come to know your strengths and weaknesses intimately. All of you are certainly men of courage and honor, but there is one among you who not only possesses such courage and honor, but also commands an immense respect from his fellow crewmen. Such a natural leader cannot be overlooked. As such, we are at this time awarding the position of Second Mate to Mr. Fletcher Morgan!"

The crew immediately erupted in cheers, congratulating Fletcher and patting him on the back in celebration. The young man was blown away by the news, barely even able to speak as his friends gathered around him. At their urging, he finally gathered the strength to step forward and shake the hand of Sir Francis Drake. The veteran said nothing, simply smiling and nodding at the young man before motioning for him to join Mr. Hawkins to the side.

"Now then, this morning's business is concluded. You men shall now divide into your platoons and begin preparing your armor and weapons. Platoon four shall continue the normal operations of the ship and make the cannons ready for any seafaring resistance we may encounter. That is all, gentlemen. Dismissed!"

As the crew immediately scattered to begin their assignments, Francis turned his attention to his officers.

"Congratulations, Mr. Morgan. I know we shall be able to depend on you," he said to his new Second Mate.

"Captain, this is truly an honor. I swear that I will not let you down."

"We know you will not," John chimed in. "Sir Francis and I have great faith in your potential, boy. Believe in yourself, and these men will follow you without question."

*****

An hour later, the Pelican was beginning its final approach to the Spanish island, guns at the ready. Francis had located a fortress in his spyglass, and was certain that they would be under heavy fire. However, even as they came close to the island, there seemed to be not a single defense to repel them.

"Mr. Hawkins, what do you make of this?" he asked.

"It is most peculiar," John replied. "There is clearly a fortress with all indications of being recently inhabited. The cannons are strewn about the area in precisely the manner of an optimal defense, yet there is no crew. Across the entire structure, I have not seen a single person whatsoever."

"Peculiar indeed," Francis mused. "Keep an eye out, Mr. Hawkins. There may be a trap of some sort waiting for us. Still, we cannot pass up such an easy opportunity to establish ourselves on dry land. Continue the approach."

"Aye, sir."

As they drew close to land, John's observations held true, and the ship came under no resistance of any kind during its approach. Finally dropping anchor, the crew readied the lifeboats to take them to shore. Francis took the opportunity to analyze the fortress as his men rowed them from the ship, and noticed three clear entry points: the main gate, a high window to the side, and a tunnel underneath the structure. As John and Fletcher were riding on either side of his boat, he signaled each of them to take one of the entries, John's team the window and Fletcher's the tunnel. Francis himself would assail the main gate. Gathering his men on shore upon arrival, they immediately made for the massive doors sealing the structure, preparing to batter them open.

"Hold here," Francis said. Inspecting the doors, he found that they were unsecured, and easily opened with the assistance of two of his men.

"Prepare yourselves, gentlemen, for this may be a trap," Francis cautioned them, drawing his sword.

The group charged into the courtyard, preparing to lay waste to any Spaniards present, but was met with nothing but silence. The entire courtyard was deserted, yet still contained various supplies strewn about, showing recent usage and inhabitance. Francis mulled this sight in confusion until a voice from above broke his concentration.

"Francis! Have you found anything?"

"Nothing here, Mr. Hawkins!" he called back. "The entire fortress seems abandoned, and quite recently."

"Aye, we found more of the same up top. Come join us, we shall figure out our next move."

"On my way!"

As the crew spread out throughout the fortress, looking for anything of value, Francis made his way into a nearby building to find the stairs to the upper level. He soon found himself in a dining area, empty bowls and plates still sitting on the long table. Confused once more, he drew his sword when he heard footsteps coming from the nearby stairway, but relaxed upon seeing that it was merely John.

"Easy there, Francis. There are none here but us."

"With all due respect, I shall believe that when Mr. Morgan reports in."

"Aye, sir. What do you make of all of this?" John asked.

"As to the abandoned fortress, I am as lost as you, my friend. None of this makes any sense. Yet, from the supplies we have discovered, it is clear that this is the correct island. Further, for the Spaniards to build a fortress, there clearly must be something on this island worth protecting."

"I agree. We have a map of the island itself, though we should probably search for a vantage point to see better where everything is."

"Ah, very good, John. A moment, please, and I shall leave a message for Mr. Morgan to join us."

Looking outside, Francis spied an ornate tower in the corner of the fortress, easily the highest point. Returning to the dining room, he took his dagger from his belt and carved out a rough image of the tower, along with a message.

Fletcher, we have gone to the great tower. I pray that you will meet us there. Francis Drake.

As Francis and John departed, they climbed the large staircase leading up to the second level of the fortress. Several more sets of stairs stood between them and the massive tower, but the climb seemed as nothing to the pair. The experience of the incredible island they had found and the treasures that surely awaited them were more than enough motivation to stave off any weariness. Finally reaching the tower, Francis brought out his spyglass, peering out over the edge.

"Fascinating... it appears that this island was inhabited by more than soldiers. Look down below us, John. There seems to be a thriving city down there, exactly the sort that a group of colonists would build, yes?"