Introductions

"OK Mr. Michaels, Harry" Brenan **** himself to use Castillo's name "let's get back to the ship and sign the papers." He considered briefly taking Castillo up on his offer to sail for less than his entitled pay, but rejected the idea almost at once. Brenan was no Walter Ambrose - He'd pay fair wages and expect his crew to earn them. "You'll get the full able seaman's rate, Harry; I have a couple green men and I'll need you to help keep an eye on them until they get used to the work."

On the way back to the ship he gave the two a heads-up about the Jones brother's Lantian blood and the fact that their sailing master/first officer would be a woman. Best to make it clear what they were getting into before they actually signed any ship's articles. Brenan tried to gauge the reaction of the two to his description of the rest of the crew but Castillo just flashed his confident smile and Michaels seemed preoccupied with one of his latest ideas.

Once back at the ship Brenan introduced everyone to each other. Neither Castillo nor Michaels failed to notice how attractive their ship's cook was, but Sasha responded to both Mr. Michael's stiff formal bow and Castillo's charm with a friendly but reserved manner. Castillo had been equally friendly when he met the Jones brothers deckside, Brenan reminded himself as he watched Harry turn on his charm with Sasha. Brenan was relieved to see that Castillo's gallant flattery had no effect at all on Sasha, she must have had a great deal of practice at deflecting the attention of men by now.

"I have to meet with a possible client as soon as I get cleaned up." He told the assembled crew, "With luck we'll have the rest of the crew and our first cargo by the end of the week."

Brenan had stripped off his shirt and was brushing off the worst of the grime from his body when he heard a knock at his door. To his surprise he saw Sasha with a steaming pitcher of water and a large empty basin standing in the short hallway between his room and the galley.

"You should shave too." She said simply. If she was embarrassed by his half naked body she gave no indication of it, nor did the multiple scars that were evidence of nine years in the Veertor army followed by five more as a pirate evoke even a second look from the woman as he took the water and basin from her. As he washed with the hot water and soap, he wondered about who she was and why the Veertor agents wanted her so much. In many ways the woman had the bearing of aristocracy, her skin was certainly as fair as any of the finest ladies he’d ever seen, smooth and pale with no sign of pox or scars common among the poor. Her hands too lacked the calluses of a servant; but Sasha was like no noblewoman that Brenan had ever known.

Sasha seemed content with the role of the cook on the ship. The hot water he used to shave the two day stubble from his chin was evidence of how well she had adopted the role. Would an aristocratic lady even know how to light the galley range? Brenan doubted it. A lady-in-waiting to a Veertor noblewoman perhaps, or a mistress to a nobleman? Born to a common family but elevated by a wealthy lover and pampered because of her undeniable beauty. Maybe, but in no way did Sasha act like a woman who used her looks to make her life easier. A trained courtesan would have surely offered to bathe him herself; not only did she not offer to stay, but she didn’t give his half naked form a second look.

Just as well, Brenan decided as he pulled in his best white shirt and a dark green vest with goldthread embroidery bought specifically for this type of meeting. After agreeing to pretend to be in love with Red for Cindy’s sake his Sailing Master might be more than a little displeased to find the ship’s cook serving her captain more than just his daily meals. Brenan had been able to resist Cindy’s youthful body, but although Sasha’s breasts had been just as firm as a teenager’s she had an ageless quality to her that was even more appealing.

Brenan allowed himself a moment to contemplate Sasha's smooth hands gently washing the dirt from his body, her hands pausing to caress his nipples before teasing the dirt from the line of dark hair on his flat stomach that led to his belt. He imagined her moving in front of him, somehow her top was as bare as it had been when he first woke her at the Drunken Sailor and her soft breasts feathered along his chest as her head lowered to his waist. Her hair would fan out covering his groin and thighs as her hands deftly loosened his belt.

Brenan sat back in his chair he could picture her taking his member in her hands and lowering her mouth over the tip. Her hands brushed back her hair and still mouthing his cock she gazed up at him. Only now it wasn't Sasha anymore, Brenan gave a start that jerked him from his fantasy like a bucket of cold water. Under the waves of auburn hair it was Red's face smiling up at him with that teasing smile.

"Crews! What am I getting myself into." Brenan exclaimed aloud as he angrily tucked his shirt under the wide sword belt. I have to be ready for this meeting, or Ambrose will take the shirt right off my back or the deck from under my feet.