Pirate's Ransom

Epilogue

~Seven Years Later~

Isabella heard her husbands laughter as their dark haired daughter shoved her father off the dock. A resounding splash and a fake sputter on the part of her Darius made the chubby boy in her arms giggle. 

"Mama! I got Papa!" Alice shouted before jumping in after her father. When her head bobbed back up, Isabella heard her daughter's sweet voice say, "Don't worry, Papa, I won't let those nasty pirates get you!"

A warm breeze blew strands of hair across her face that Bently promptly grabbed with clammy fingers. The baby gurgled and giggled. Glancing over she saw her second oldest daughter playing in the sand near the dock. An overwhelming sense of serenity calmed her. It was hard to imagine that so much time had passed since she'd married Darius and had their beautiful children. She only wished her father was still alive to see them all grow and mature. Sadly he'd passed away after she'd given birth to Alice nine months after her wedding. 

"Arrr daughter. What if I be yer pirate?" Darius began to swim after Alice and she shrieked with giggles. 

"Then I'll make you walk the plank, Papa!"

"Really now, I would have expected you to raise your children with more respect for Pirates."

Isabella frowned and turned her head quickly to the source of the deep voice behind her. A young man stood tall in dark breeches and a black shirt. A long sword hung from his belt. His skin was tanned dark and though he wasn't as large as her husband, he still appeared menacing. A gash along his right cheekbone looked somewhat painful but he had a ammused glint in his eyes. Something familiar made her tilt her head sideways. 

"Do I know you, sir?"

"Sir?" He laughed. "You never need to call me by such a title, Isabella. I once remember you asking me not to call you 'my lady.'"

So she did know him. Her brows drew together as she tried to place him. At his wide grin she knew him immediately. "Charlie! Charlie, is that you?"

She stood up, setting Bently on her hip. The boy tugged at her hair before chewing on it. Isabella could care less, she couldn't believe that the man in front of her was the little boy she'd met on Darius's ship.

"It is."

"Honey!" She shouted to get her husbands attention. But he'd already come out of the water, grabbed his sword by the shore, leaving their daughter to jump off the dock over and over. 

Clearly her husband thought the man before her was a threat. But the moment she enveloped Charlie in a one armed hug, her husband stood down. She heard a grunt and pulled away.

"What's wrong?"

"Eh, just got into a scuffle with another ship. I am a bit beat up. Nothing to concern yourself with." She looked up at him in awe. The boy had turned man. A rather tall and handsome one at that.

Unlike her, once Darius reached them he grinned. "Is that you boy? You grew like a weed!"

Darious dropped his sword to the grass. They laughed and exchanged greetings. "You've been on the ship again?"

"Yeah. Me and some of the men grew restless trying to settle down. It just wasn't the life for us. But, I think I am ready to plant my feet on the ground. I was looking to come back and I hoped that you wouldn't mind if I built a home. I assumed I best check with the Lord and Lady of the land."

Isabella gaped at his speech. When she'd met him he talked like peasant. "You have changed so much..." she interrupted, "I never would have known..."

"I am very grateful for your kindness, Isabella," he said while inclining his head. "The year of intesive schooling you had forced upon me had been rather useful to me as of late. So, what do you say? I'd really like to have a small place by the water with a small garden and a blacksmitthing shop."

Isabella looked to her husband who glanced at her with a loving look in is eyes. 

"Then I say, welcome home." They shook hands and Isabella called her girls over to meet Charlie. 

Alice trudged out of the water and grabbed her little sister's hand. Together they came forward before Alice narrowed her eyes at Charlie. 

"This is Alice, our oldest," Darius said, "Shelby, and that chunky butt drooling on his mother is Bently. Girls, say hello to Charlie."

Shelby said "hi" shyly. 

Alice blurted out, "Are you a pirate?"

Charlie laughed. "What makes you ask me that?"

"You look like a pirate," she folded her arms across her chest as water dripped from her.

"And if I were?"

Alice picked up her father's sword with both hands, "I'd make you walk the plank."

"Okay," Darius snagged the sword from her hands, "I think you best get your butt in the house and get changed for dinner."

Alice grabbed her sisters hand again and walked them toward the home. "Alice?" Charlie called out. She stopped, and turned her head. "I would walk the plank, if that is your command, my lady." He bowed his head to her.

She snorted, a rather unladylike gesture that was so like her mother. "Now I know you're not a Pirate. Pirate's don't go over the plank willingly." She turned and tugged her sister away.

"Do stay with us until your home is built," Isabella said but his eyes were still on on Alice and his head shook amusingly.

"Some man is going to have a hell of a time taming that one. Well done, my friends."

Isabella and her husband bit back their grins as they exchanged knowing glances with one another. 

~~I know it's short guys, but I hope you got a satisfactory glimpse of their happy family. Oh...and a wee bit of a cliff hanger that might get answered if enough people want it to be. ;) ~~