he crew went about doing their regular chores around the ship as Captain Garson watched over them and the sea ahead. He noticed several of them mumbling among themselves and glancing up at him from time to time, and he was certain it was about Evie.

 "They aren't happy," Radnor said beside him. "They were expecting you to share."

 Captain Garson didn't reply. He continued looking out over the water as they neared an area known to be frequented by an enemy ship.

 "The captain is taking his gift ta heart," chuckled the helmsman. "Methinks by the time we reach land, he'll have her sittin' pretty on one of those forbidden shelves."

 Radnor laughed with the older pirate, but Captain Garson continued looking around.

 "Careful, Orin," Radnor warned with a smirk. "You know how the captain adores his shelves."

 He and Orin laughed at the jest, and again, Captain Garson paid them no mind. As he surveyed the sea, he listened to the mutterings below. Radnor was correct. The crew wasn't happy.

 He knew it wasn't a simple matter of having a woman beneath them. It was their rebellious nature whenever it appeared a captain was raising himself up as their king. A pirate ship was a democracy, and he could be replaced at any time -- either through a civil vote or a deadly mutiny.

 Keeping a treasure for himself would appear greedy and unjust. He knew they heard her screams, which meant they knew he had taken her innocence. Keeping her in his cabin was meant as a message that she was no simple strumpet but a woman he had claimed as his and his alone.

 He squinted his eyes at them and knew he had to douse their indignation before it spread like wildfire and put him and the girl in danger.

 "Hear me," he called out loudly.

 His voice thundered across the wooden ship like the backfire of a cannon, and everyone stood still and quiet.

 "The woman onboard this ship was a gift to me. It is, therefore, my choice to share her, and I have chosen not to," he bellowed matter-of-factly.

 He watched as some shook their heads in frustration, while others didn't seem to care either way.

 "Ye've never kept a woman fer yerself, Captain," called up a man closest to the upper deck. "Ye don't even take a share unless she's a service girl. One might think ye've taken a fancy to this one. How long before those sweet screams turn into tender moans?"

 The other men began to nod their heads in agreement with the crewman's words. The disrespect angered Captain Garson, and he hurried down toward the man.

 The crewman dropped the mop he had been holding and was about to take a step back when Captain Garson grabbed him by the collar. His pants were hoisted up in the captain's other hand and he was thrown over the side of the ship.

 The crew became nervously quiet again as they stared in uncertainty of his next move.

 "Throw down a rope but don't pull him in until dusk," Captain Garson commanded. "Let him be dragged to remind him of his place.

 I've said it once and I'll not repeat myself after this. That girl is not to be touched. If anyone else mocks my orders, you'll join him below and you won't get a rope. Am I understood?"

 "Aye, Captain," the crew grumbled.

 They weren't pleased but they made no attempt to argue. Too many others seemed not to care about the girl, so it would be a fight among themselves. They were too close to enemy waters to become distracted, so they collectively decided to drop the issue. At least for the time being.

 Captain Garson walked through the small crowd to reach the doors to the officers' quarters below the poop deck. He went in and shut the doors noisily behind him as a sign he was not to be followed.

 As he reached his cabin door, he once again dreaded entering. What he did to her was still fresh in his mind. He hadn't even taken a moment to wash their fluids from his manhood before he left the cabin. The stickiness as it slowly dried made him uncomfortable beneath his trousers and frustrated in his mind.

 He debated knocking. Should he give her the courtesy of warning her he had returned? She would be afraid no matter what he did, so he simply entered and hoped he could endure the guilt constricting around his heart as he saw her.