The Queen of the Waves

21: Make me Feel

Bas gently led a lightly sobbing Mara back towards his cabin and away from the prying eyes of the men, and their raucous celebrations for Bayen.

As soon as the door to the cabin was closed, Mara pounced on Bastian. She was tired and burning with emotions, she needed to feel numb and she was sure Bas could give her what she wanted.

Her tears continued to fall as Mara desperately pressed her lips to his. Carefully, but firmly, Bas pushed her away until she was standing away from him.

"Mara," he said softly, reaching up to gently stroke her cheek, "don't do this. You don't want to do this."

Mara anxiously bit her lip and then nodded her head. "But I do want to, I don't want to feel anything, please..."

Bas shook his head and pulled her against his chest, his arms wrapped around her and he cradled her close.

"Why would you think sleeping with me would make you feel nothing?" He prompted, stroking his palm soothingly down her back.

"Because-because," she stammered and tripped over her words, "because it always does."

Bas clenched his jaw tight, he knew what that meant, it meant that Ciaran had hurt Mara in another way.

Sighing deeply, Bas led Mara to the small bed and sat her down. Her eyes dropped to the floor as pitiful tears ran in streams down the tip of her dainty nose.

Bas crouched down on the floor so her was looking up at Mara, and she down as him. Taking her cold hands in his, he clutched them tightly.

"Mara," Bas spoke softly, his voice was hoarse with unshed tears, "sleeping with someone should always be special, or at the least pleasurable. Anything else is wrong, what Ciaran did to you was wrong."

His voice was fervent and firm, there was no room for argument here and Mara knew it. Although she didn't completely believe what he was saying, her need for Bas to make her feel numb had certainly dissipated.

"Wi-will you stay with me?" Mara pleaded, vulnerability snarking at her chest.

"Of course I will, Mara." He bent down and kissed the top of her forehead.

Mara stood up and shucked off the heavy woollen coat, leaving it on the back of the chair before she walked back towards the bed.

Bastian tried desperately to keep his eyes trained to the long hair falling down Mara's back and not her pale, exposed legs. When she approached the bed he swiftly moved and began to make his way to lay down on the floor.

"No," Mara exclaimed, surprisingly both herself and Bastian, "I want you here."

She patted the covers of the bed, although there was nothing suggestive about her tone Bas couldn't help his pulse increasing.

There was just something so tempting about Mara, her plump lips, her enticing eyes and her power and strength; he never expected the ability to kill to be a turn on but Bas was open to it.

Mara scrambled under the covers, as Bas removed his jacket and hung it by his coat on the chair. After slipping off his boots, Bas swung his legs up and onto the bed where Mara was waiting with a snuffling nose.

"Come here, Mara." Bas said gently, opening his arm for Mara to snuggle into his chest.

She took the opportunity more eagerly than Bastian expected and before he knew it he had a small brunette curled up into his side.

Mara hummed softly and closed her red rimmed eyes. Bas absentmindedly stroked his fingertips over her arm and shoulder, lulling her to sleep.

Bas stayed with Mara until he was certain she was deep in sleep and stable. He knew the funeral had taken a lot out of her and had most likely bought up a lot of past memories.

Once faint snores escaped Mara, Bas knew she would be ok. He carefully manoeuvred himself out from beside Mara, she groaned but remained asleep.

Bas silently dressed himself, even though Mara was his priority, he had the responsibility of being captain now. He had to help the men through this and make sure that his transition to power was smooth.

After casting one last glance towards the slumbering Mara, he closed the door and then locked it to keep her safe from any wandering men.

Before heading back on deck to drink with the men, Bas knew he had some business to attend to in the cell.

He had promised Mara could deal the final blow to that pathetic excuse for a sailor, but Bas had his own vendetta to quench.

Ciaran was still bleeding hard in the cell, weeping pathetically. Bas had given the doctor strict orders to keep him alive, but leave him in pain.

When Bas slammed the cell door open Ciaran whimpered in terror. Bas couldn't care less.

He bent down and lifted Mara's abuser, Bayen's murdered by the neck. He dragged him from the cell and efficiently tied him to the wooden pole at the centre of the prison complex.

Ciaran's head hung limply and the blood spurred from his broken nose.

"You are going to pay for what you did to the people I care about." Bastian promised in a whisper to Ciaran's ear.

When Bas' fists tired and burned, he finally left the bloodied and bruised pulp of Ciaran hanging off the pole.

"Amara will be down soon to end your suffering." Bas promised and sniffed distastefully as he stood and walked away.

Despite the fact that Ciaran's hands were bound and he was in no fit state to move, let alone escape, Bastian still made sure to lock the door at the top of the stairs. After all Ciaran had taken from him, and from Mara, he wasn't taking any chances.

Bas walked back round to the main deck, where the men had moved the benches from the canteen out to drink in the fresh air. He settled down and someone immediately handed him a flask of ale.

He downed it and joined in with the men's singing and recounting of Bayen. Before he knew it, his merriment had made him loose track of time.

Startled gasps and cries of surprise bought Bas down to reality. He followed all the men's eyes and his own fell on Mara and then Ciaran, who she had by the throat.

"You made me wait until after the funeral," her voice was crisp and clear with confidence, "and now it's my time to have some fun."