Tertius 23, 1668 

At the moment, I am sitting up on the forecastle having dinner with my men. I have been robbed of the rest of my inheritance & The Inquisition has just ransacked my ship. So, why am I smiling, humming & giggling to myself? Well, it may just have something to do with the thief that just last night relieved me of my money, but… I get ahead of myself. I should begin where I left off.

Well, I had assumed that a few of my men, anyway, would have gone to the very first bar off the ship. Sure enough, I would find several of them there, including my boson & The Doctor. They cheered & raised their cups at my arrival. I sat, and Olaf bought me a drink, but very soon the whole situation grew rather uncomfortable. I mean, truly, what can a Captain talk about with her men, and vice-versa? I bought a huge plate of food that we all shared from. I encouraged them to be at ease & go on with their conversations, but we all ate in relative silence.

Finally, I determined that I should leave. I had wanted to buy a nice Castillian dress to wear for my day with Serpente, anyway. So, I excused myself, dropping a guilder on the table for the waiter. (I would discover that this would be important later. I guess a guilder would seem like a lot of money to those who don’t have much.)

I wandered further into town to find a decent seamstress. I could tell the proper shop only by the mannequins, and they are also what lured me in.

The shopkeeper couldn’t speak any of the languages that I know, but I managed to get my point across with a lot of pointing and signaling. I had picked out an absolutely gorgeous dress with a form-fitting black velvet bodice & skirt entirely of red lace ruffles with gold trim. The same trimmed red lace adorned the bodice & hung from the cuffs of the long, black sleeves. Not only did I think it was lovely, but I also figured it would match Serpente’s usual attire perfectly. I sincerely hoped that he would like it. I guess I would like for him to think of me as beautiful, at least once. I missed him even more as I walked the streets of Castille alone. I was a stranger in a strange land.

At one point, I stopped in my tracks as a Knight Inquisitor passed with several other inquisitors- in full garb, no less! I watched as they approached a nearby home, knocked & entered. A few minutes later they emerged with a kicking, screaming man & drug him to a nearby wagon. He continued to struggle as they rode away.

I SO wanted to do something- to stop the pain that my poor fellow heretic was going to endure at their hands- but I couldn’t. To have made a move would have been suicide, and then where would we be- my ship, my men? However, somewhere inside, secretly, I swore to do all I could to bring The Inquisition low, like the only other institution I hate as much- the Montaigne Aristocracy. As I said to Serpente before we docked, "Theah will never be free until L’ Empereur is strangled with the entrails of the last Vatacine priest."

This statement rang in my head now, repeating itself to the rhythm of my racing heart.

In my anger, I stopped at the very nearest bar. No one here spoke any of the languages I knew, either. It didn’t matter so much, I wasn’t in a mood for conversation & what I had to say would be quite heretical anyway.

I did catch a glimpse of a man that could make me change my mind about socializing- an attractive man at the gambling table. I hate gambling, but he could have changed my mind about that too. I bought him a drink from the bar. When he received it, he smiled politely- but obviously fake. He showed no interest. Well, I guess I can’t blame him, really- my nation is attacking his as we speak. But how could I express my hatred for my nation’s leader to these men & would they believe me anyway?

I left soon thereafter and my mood lightened a bit as I traveled back towards the docs. A couple of Vodacce ships had just come in, so it seemed that the bars would be busy soon. I went into the most interesting-looking bar I could find. Bullfighting memorabilia hung on the walls & a real taxidermied bull stood near the far wall, looking as if he were ready to charge. I took a seat at the bar & ordered a drink; Vodacce ale. It was actually quite good, though I had to comment on it’s bite. After all, I generally have a general suspicion of Vodacce.

Before long, sailors began to filter in & I was looking them all over for possible prospects. I was about to get up & go after one when I was stopped by quite an attractive man. Yes, he was Vodacce, but quite fetching with his black hair & dramatic dark eyes. His name was Antonio & he was a sailor on a merchant ship. 

We made flirtatious conversation for awhile. He noted that I was a sailor & how strange that was. In Vodacce "women do not do such things". I stated that I didn’t care much about what Vodacce women did & he smiled. In Vodacce, he said, things would be different- but here, he didn’t care either. I told him that I had hoped for an "entertaining" shore leave. At that, he bought me a drink & offered to help me with that entertainment, as he had been hoping for the same. Soon after, I would find out that he had a room just upstairs & it wouldn’t be long before I would be up there with him…

We woke early & after not having much sleep, I returned to my room for a long morning rest.

Later that afternoon, I picked up my Castillian gown, returned it back to my room, & spent the rest of the day at a bar & in sheer boredom. The only exception was meeting a couple of Avalon sailors- Thomas & John. Their ship had been in dock for several weeks, being repaired from the damage they received running the Montaigne blockade of occupied Castille, but they were finally due to sail for home in a couple of hours. We spent that time talking, showing off our tattoos, & drinking to Carleon. After they left, I drank alone & returned to my room alone. At least I had my time with Dio to look forward to, and time with him is precious nowadays.

In the morning I bathed & put on my gown. I painted my lips red & put black & red roses in my hair. I truly hoped he would like what he saw. He was not down yet when I arrived in the dining area of our inn, so I sat by myself.

I certainly noticed him arrive. I’m surprised more people didn’t take notice! He was freshly bathed, & his hair was shiny & flowing. He wore his black bolero jacket with red serpent & gold trim, red cummerbund, & black pants. He was always a beautiful sight, but today… Well, perhaps I was just finally happy to see him alone.

He sat & we discussed what we had done over the past two days. He apologized that I had not enjoyed myself thusfar, but he was glad to be home & eager to show me around. After awhile, when not complimented, I grew a little sad. Eventually I stood & asked what he thought. He said it was beautiful & that, yes, he had noticed- going on about the dress. This was even worse, considering that I had only done this with him in mind. Finally I said, "No,  what about me in this dress?" "Well... you look lovely." He replied, but the sadness was still there & would stay with me most of the day.

Oh, why do I care anyway? What is it about Him? I mean, I don’t want a mate. I’m too young! There’s too much I want to do & too many men to do it with, and yet Serpente, he’s... special. Every other man I meet can easily be replaced by another, but my Dio is one of a kind. I wonder what I would ever do without him.

Anyway, after breakfast, we walked arm-in-arm to the bullfighting arena. It seemed that the only female bullfighter, not to mention the greatest bullfighter, was in town. Truly, she was amazing. I watched in awe as she dodged El Toro’s horns at the very last second & showing off to the crowd even as it charged at her back.

After the show, I would learn the meaning of "Siesta". Dio explained that every day, around mid-day, everyone would take off work to celebrate, for anywhere from two to four hours! I commented that the commoners of Montaigne could use a Siesta.

He found us a small outdoor café & where we sat under an umbrella to watch the dancers. Seeing them, I got a strong urge to dance myself. I asked Dio if he would dance with me, at which point he asked, quite surprised, if I could dance. I told him only the Montaigne dances, but begged him to teach me how Castillians do it. So, we found a spot & although I was totally oblivious, he lead me quite well in a charged & passionate dance that ended up with me in a deep dip & then slowly pulled back up to him. In that moment our eyes met & I was so swept up that I swear I saw the passion in his eyes as well…

The dance was quite passionate & even a bit lude. I would soon learn that it had been banned by the church for being "improper", but the common people didn’t pay the ban much mind. Jokingly, I said, "Well, shall I march myself to the stake now for burning?" After awhile, I insisted we dance again, challenging him. After a bit of wheedling from my end, he got up & requested the proper music for a Montaigne-inspired dance, which I picked up instantly. I was having so much fun & wanted to dance again, but he said that he had something special he wanted to show me… This would be the old Numan ruins, up high in the hills.

I was quite entertained by the broken-down shell of what used to be a bathhouse, which is where he led me first. On the walls were all sorts of carvings of men & women in every sexual position possible- and even some impossible ones. "And to think I would have actually enjoyed living here many years ago." I mused, to which he replied, "Yes. I thought you would enjoy that." How thoughtful. Serpente certainly knows me!

As we toured the ruins, arm-in-arm, Dio shared with me a bit of the history behind the buildings & Numan civilization, and we spoke of the church & how they considered these ruins to be "heretical"; wishing them destroyed. Fortunately, the government would not allow it... for now.

There were many, many more ruins to see, but it was getting dark by then & we had to go if we were to catch The Balleria. This was pretty much an outdoor show in which graceful dancers in flowing, colorful dresses danced on a round stage to beautiful emotion-provoking music. While this particular attraction didn’t interest me as much as the others, Dio was quite taken with it. He was glad to be home & glad to see it again. I was simply glad to be with him.

After the show, we returned to our inn for a late dinner. I had a lovely, lightly spicy, seafood dish & an absolutely delicious heated chocolate drink. When done eating, and after our plates were removed, we sat together for awhile. I held his hand & we discussed our mission, & my concerns. While not as worried as I about the Montaigne, he did agree that the Caligari family may be something to watch out for.

The whole time we spoke, I had been playing with his ring, and I finally took notice of it. It was the ring that I had bought him. 

It wasn’t long on Hicks’ ship before I began to regard Serpente as more than a common sailor, & it wasn’t long before we became close friends. I found the ring at port on a shore leave. It was so perfectly Him- a golden, shimmering serpent with ruby eyes, eating it’s own tail to create a perfect circle. I decided he had to have it, and I spent my entire savings that day- for that ring, but the look on his face was worth it all & then some.

"This ring is so old." I commented, breaking what must have been several minutes of silence, "How long has it been; three, four years?" He smiled slightly & replied, "but it still shines more brightly than any of the others." With that, the conversation died. He excused himself, kissing my hand.

I was very disappointed to see him go. After all, who knows when we will have time like this again, but- I understood that he would need to be on the ship in the morning, even earlier than I. I touched his cheek & wished him a good night. We both agreed that it had been a wonderful day, and he went off to bed.

Determined to share my bed with someone that night, I walked out to the bars again- but at this point even the nightlife had gone to bed. Disappointed, I decided I should as well, but sleep was not in my future. From this point on, I remember the events of that night in perfect detail:

Just before entering my room, I was grabbed from behind- a sharp object jabbed under my ribs. A beautiful, obvious Castillian accent whispered, "Good Evening, Seniorita" & in fluent Montaigne, urged me into my room.

He closed the door behind us & told me to be silent, as he did not wish to hurt me. At that, he reached for my money pouch, but I grabbed it defiantly & said, "No!" He then drew his sword & placed it across my neck, saying, "I must insist. I do not wish to hurt you." "What if I’m one of those crazy Montaigne women who like pain?" I asked. "Well, you are certainly the Montaigne woman who has been seen throwing her guilders about town." He spoke gently into my ear.

My back was pressed firmly against him, and with the warmth of his body & his breath on my neck, I couldn’t resist saying, "Are you sure you just want money?" "Well, I don’t know." He replied, "I suppose I would have to have a look at you. Give me the money & we will discuss it." "What if I give you the money, have a look at you & decide it’s not worth it?" I asked. "We all must take risks." He replied, moving around, ever so gracefully, to face me. The tip of his sword was touching my throat now.

I finally got a good look at him. He wore a black mask, a flowing black shirt, tight pants & boots, but I could make out the outlines of a perfect body beneath, and his mask could not hide his breathtaking deep brown eyes. 

"Well," he started, looking me over, "Had I known you were this beautiful, I would have come up with a more pleasurable way of robbing you." "So what’s stopping you?" I asked. He pointed to my rapier which lie on the floor & said, "It would be unwise for me to let my guard  down for long, I see." With that, he leaned forward, snatched my pouch & made for the door.

"Isn’t that dress a little cumbersome? A little difficult to fight in, yes?" He asked. I shrugged, "I’ve never fought in a dress before." And at that, he sliced my skirts down the front- all the way from my upper thighs to the floor. "There!" He smiled at his handiwork, "That should be much better for you." I looked down at the tear & replied "Yes, quite." Then he sliced my bodice down the front, opening it from my collarbone to my belly button. He stepped back, assessing me, "A definite improvement."

The energy between us grew with each slice of the blades & before long my skirts were entirely on the floor, his belt was cut off & his shirt cut open. Finally, curiosity consumed me & I sliced off his mask- revealing an excruciatingly handsome face! His long, dark, shining curls fell down over his shoulders & my knees went weak. "Yes…" I stammered, "Quite an improvement!" And truly, he was one of the most perfectly gorgeous men I had ever laid eyes on!

He sliced the cloth of my bodice again, revealing my right breast. "Now that is much better. Let’s see if the other one is equally as impressive." He cut the other side, leaving my entire chest bare. "And so it is!" "Well, let’s see if you have something equally as impressive." I smiled mischievously, & went to take down his pants, but his sword blocked mine & he disarmed me in one foul swoop. He my kicked my sword up into his free hand & threw it so that it stuck into the wall.

So there I stood, half naked- with the tip of his blade at my throat, wondering what he would do next, all too aware of what I hoped for. I had never wanted a man so badly! My heart was pounding in my chest, and every inch of my body was tingling with anticipation. We stood there for just a moment; eyes locked onto each other’s.

Suddenly, he dropped is sword, grabbed my arm & pulled me to him saying, "Now, let’s see what else you have under there." And he pulled me into a deep, passionate kiss.

Those would be the last words between us.

We ravaged each other over & over again until the sun began to rise. Finally, after many more kisses, I curled up into his chest, he held me close & I fell asleep to the sound of his heartbeat- warm, comfortable, & content.

When I woke, he was gone and so was my money. (Ah, but it was 312 guilders well spent!) On my bedside table was a romantic poem & a hope that we would meet again "under better circumstances". Behind the flowery words, there seemed to be a strange sincerity…

And then it hit me for the first time! Of all of the men I have taken to bed, he is the only one I want again and again, and again, and again! That night only served to increase my lust for him, instead of the usual satiation. Oh, yes, My Bandit, I do hope we meet again! Today, I want nothing more!

I hummed to myself as I picked up the 10 guilders that had fallen from my torn bodice, put on my old captain’s garb, & made my way out to the ship. I found Serpente on deck & couldn’t help but greet him cheerily, smiling brightly. I am certain my face was quite rosy.

He asked why I was so happy this morning, and I replied with a sigh, "I was robbed!" He looked rather confused & asked, "…and this makes you happy?" "He took everything… My entire inheritance," I continued. "I still do not understand." He replied, shaking his head slightly. I smiled again, dreamily. "Well, he was quite an impressive thief!" Now, he sighed, "Well, I am certainly glad you are happy, but perhaps you’d better be paying more attention to what’s going on on the docks." He pointed. "What’s that?" I asked, looking in the direction- but even as the words escaped my lips, I knew!

There, on the docks, stood a black-robed High Inquisitor, quite obviously arguing with the Vendel merchant- and she was surrounded by several red-robed inquisitors. As I stood, gaping, Serpente informed me that they have been going on like that for nearly an hour. After awhile more of this, the High Inquisitor broke away & headed towards the ship. Her fellow inquisitors followed behind her & our patron chased after, yelling something about his funding this voyage & how we cannot be detained any longer. He was, of course, ignored.

The dark figure approached & stopped before us. To my surprise, she was even shorter than I, quite rounder & much older- with salt & pepper hair & dark lines under her cold blue eyes. "Who is the captain of this ship?" She asked in a stern tone. "That would be me." I responded. "Your ship will be searched." She stated plainly. "Go ahead. I have nothing to hide." I replied. And, with that, she & the other inquisitors set to work.

I glared at the Vendel & demanded to know what was going on. He informed me that the man that we were counting on for direction on our mission hadn’t reported to the ship. Not only that, but he had run off! It seems that he had been talking a little too loudly about the mission at a local bar & The Inquisition was tipped off. However, they must not have heard everything, because it was quite obvious that they didn’t know what they were searching for. I asked him how he knew all of this, & once again he replied that "a little birdie told him". He was concerned, as was I, about whom else our guide may have told, or may tell, about our little excursion.

The High Inquisitor finally emerged from below decks, looking none too happy. She brushed past me quickly, saying, "You are free to sail." And then she, along with her little entourage, was gone.

Now that they were gone, I asked the Vendel what we were to do now that our guide has disappeared. In reply, he handed me a map. The ship was still above water, he said, and the artifacts would be easy to retrieve. He then warned me not to open any of the crates, as our cargo may be "unstable", gave me directions to his home. The conversation was ended at that point, as he was eager to send us off; most of the day had already been wasted by the search.

We sailed as soon as he was clear of the ship.

I tried to be upset about what had happened & I knew I should have been asking for more money now that The Inquisition was involved. Our lives are certainly at stake now- not to mention who else may know about our mission. After all the Caligari family is not far away, & we are heading into Vodacce waters. Even with all of these should-be concerns, however, all I could think of was last night. I went over every word, every glance, and every movement in my head- even beginning to plan how I could arrange to meet my Bandit again.

I strolled across the deck to check on my men before wandering down to Serpente’s quarters. He had gone there as soon as we set sail to clean up the disaster the inquisitors left behind. And, yes, his room looked like a tornado went through it.

I shared some of my concerns with him, but not many & not for long, because soon I found myself humming, daydreaming & picking up Serpente’s things. After awhile, he grabbed my hand & informed me that my room was equally as bad, assuring me that he would be fine on his own. You know, it hadn’t even crossed my mind.

Actually, my quarters were even more destroyed- documents were strewn about, clothes everywhere, toppled furniture, broken glass, & even more disturbing, my subversive political leaflets for free-thinking individuals & my copies of the banned erotic manuscripts of an imprisoned Marquis.

I set right to the task though, once again humming & daydreaming... As I am now, on the forecastle, with my men, watching the waters ahead of us, knowing that the risks keep adding up & that The Inquisition may be awaiting us & our heretical cargo on our return, but only thinking, only caring, only wishing to return for a beautiful stranger.

Well, one thing that I’ve learned about men- if they leave something with you, they do it so they have an excuse to return. He has my money, so I will just have to return for it & take it back with interest; yes, plenty of interest.