Captain James tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword. Rage filled him as he thought of the pain she must have went through. The fear she must have felt. He would never let her go if that was her fate. He would kill any man who tried to take her from him. She was his now and no one would touch her ever again.

Borak patted him on the shoulder and left the room. Captain James needed time to think and figure out what would happen next. Borak pulled William out the door with him as he left.

Stormy turned over and Captain James saw a book under her shoulder. His book. The book he wrote about his ship.

He picked it up and thumbed through the pages as if the words were pictures to him. It was the only book he had ever written and it would stay that way. It had been printed but never published or sold in stores. It was his alone and only the next Captain of his ship would own it. It was the Sea Dreamer's words, but now his protection didn't only belong to the ship. Some how the sleeping girl has wormed her way into his heart. He felt like to loose her or let her go would be the same as sinking the Sea Dreamer himself.
He set the book down on the shelf above the bed and continued to watch Stormy sleep.

She looked so peaceful while she slept now. Buddy curled up by Captain James feet, closed his eyes. Buddy softly whimpered as he started to dream. Captain James reached over and picked up a lock of Stormy's hair and twisted it between his fingers into a small rope, lost in thought.

A sudden knock on the door drew Captain James back to himself. Even though his anger had subsided it was not completely gone. "What is it?"

A voice on the other side of the door sounded muffled and a little panicked.

"A ship sir. Approaching fast from the starboard side." William looked back over his shoulder where John stood at the helm yelling orders. "John said to get you. The ship doesn't look friendly sir. It's a Chebec style sir, the top flag is gold silk." William swallowed hard and took a step back. "A royal military ship sir."

The cabin door flew open and Captain James stared out his eyes flashing. "William you stay with Stormy and lock the door don't let anyone but John and myself in." The rage inside him doubled.

William was unable to answer as Captain James was already at the helm talking with John, preparing for a battle at sea. William silently locked himself and Stormy in the cabin. He placed the chair in front of the door, and kept his ears open waiting.

Captain James and John yelled to ready the long guns on board. The Sea Dreamer was a rather large two mast ship. It wasn't built for speed but was armed well and could hold a large amount of storage.

Captain James had commandeered the ship from a navy patrol at the age of 20.
It was a total of 198ft long and the main mast was 118ft tall above water level. The fore mast was 113ft tall and the molded beam ran a total of 32ft in length. It took 155 men at the least to sail the ship and man the guns. It was always ready for battle.

Captain James only had 140 men on board so he pushed for just the two long guns to be ready. The eighteen carronades would be next but only eight of those on the starboard side.

Captain James watched as the men on the deck ran from post to post yanking ropes and hauling ammo to the guns. The sails were at half mast now, but Captain James had no reason to run from the modified Chebec. If it is who he thinks, and they are after who he thinks. The ship would rest on the bottom of the sea by dark. As the Chebec vessel approached closer, the gold silk flag waving, Captain James grew more angered with each second.

"Are the long guns ready John?"

"Aye Captain."

"Bring her about then. We will make this one quick. Raise our flag and run a shot across the bow."

"Aye captain." John turned to the deck hands and shouted orders as he stood his ground at the helm.

Captain James watched as the Chebec started to turn broadside with small cannons rolled to the port side. This Chebec was looking for a fight.

King Jabbar sat in a chair watching the Brig as it turned to a defensive track. Cannons lining the starboard side aimed at his ship. He had a feeling this ship was the one he was looking for and he planned to board it within the hour. A loud Crack sounded as one of the smaller cannons fired a shot. The blast fell short and sea water coated the bow as the ball hit the water inches from the ship.

"Throw a shot back and don't miss. We aren't going to let this one get away. She has to be on that one." King Jabbar ordered.

The blast sounded and he watched as the Brig took the hit. Wood splintered up from the top rail. It wasn't a fatal blow, only the top rail and deck took damage. The battle was just getting started.

"Captain! Cannons two and three are disabled." A sailor yelled from the birds nest.

"Aye load the third long gun." James ordered.

Small cannons are only good at close range. He had to draw them in closer.

Captain James held off firing again until the ships were side by side drifting on the calm waves. The wind no longer blew and the heat of the sun was blistering. It seemed like the ocean its self wanted to see the outcome.

"Fire and show no quarter! Sink her and don't let them get close enough to board." James ordered over the shouting.

A round of Aye Captain sounded from the deck below, as men hustled from cannon to cannon. The three long guns sounded out first wrecking the hull of the Chebec. Although it was a sound hit for the guns it wasn't a fatal hit for the ship. The shots hit high on hull. Booms one after the other sounded out from both ships.

The water churned and the ships both took hits as cannon balls shattered the waves and pillaged the thick wood hulls of both ships. Wood splinters flew at impact. The Sea Dreamer started taking on water in slow spurts.

Stormy jumped up at the first sound of a cannon blast. Buddy howled and followed Stormy's worried pacing as the ship vibrated with each hit it took. She grabbed the table to keep from falling to the floor. The blast from the long guns rattled the glass windows. She looked at William who sat in front of the door sword in one hand pistol in the other. He was pale and wouldn't say a word.

"How can you just sit there shouldn't you be helping? Shouldn't I? Oh God please don't let James die!!"

William turned to her stunned that she had used Captain James name in a less than formal manner. "Captain James will be fine it's not the first battle we have been through. The Sea Dreamer has never let us down."

"But....!"

"Don't worry miss. Captain James won't let nothing happen to you or his ship." William wiped his brow with his sleeve as sweat started to roll in small drops.

He tried to calm her, but this is the first battle that Captain James has let a ship get close enough to hit more then twice. It was amazing any ship dared to enter a battle with the Sea Dreamer. A loud boom and a crash shook the ship so hard books and glasses fell from the shelves. Stormy screamed and fell to the floor.

"That one was close to us! Are you worried now?" Stormy yelled in fear.

Both ships now had black smoke boiling up from fires that ignited on deck from loose gunpowder. Captain James watched as the Chebec groaned and swayed with the waves. One last blast from the long guns and she would sink.
A cry went up just after the fore mast had broken in half and landed on deck. That last blast hit her hard. The Sea Dreamer would limp away, but he'd be damned if he'd let her sink he had to end the battle now.

King Jabbar and some of his crew had dropped a cutter boat off the starboard side and was making their way around to the Sea Dreamer's port side. He would not let this battle end without getting his prize. They made it to the port side and quickly attached the groveling hooks over the rail. They scaled the ropes as fast as they could before anyone noticed.

A cry went up as the first three men jumped the rail and drew swords. King Jabbar was in that group he quickly looked around and with sword in hand advanced to the steps leading to the upper decks.

Captain James drew his sword and met him as he reached the top. "What a surprise your highness."

Swords clashed in a fury. Men yelled below as hand to hand combat broke out on board.

King Jabbar parried and slashed trying to over take Captain James, but they both were skilled at sword play. Neither giving in and Neither backing off.

"You will not have her." Captain James laughed. "She is mine now and I don't feel like letting her go anytime soon."

King Jabbar growled, "Just like a pirate to steal what doesn't belong to you and claim it as your own. You will die today!"

James growled low in his throat, swinging his sword up to catch King Jabbar's over head swing. The metal rang out as they clashed. The blades grinding together with the force of the blow.

They pulled apart, James slashed at King Jabbar's stomach. King Jabbar dodged it and swung at James' neck and shoulder.

"Now I have you!" James laughed with pure rage.