A challange for Captain Akhbar.

The next morning the Akkadian woke early, roused by Honey frotting his clitoris with her tongue. He spent his first few minutes of wakefulnes with her mass of strawberry blonde curls buried between his thighs and was rewarded with a pleasent orgasm. Once he had returned the gesture, and licked and fingered the Circassian to her satisfaction the two handmaidens rose. They bathed themselves with a jug of water and sponges and then set out their mistress's clothing for her.

This morning the Sorceress was due to take breakfast with Captain Akhbar. Honey and the Akkadian were in attendance, but their duties were to serve the wine and food rather than to eat the rather extravagent meal the Captain had arranged. As the Sorceress and Akhbar finished the meal the handmaidens were commanded to wait outside the cabin as she had some private matters to discuss. In the galleyway outside the two maids whispered to one another.

"Honey, the mistress said you have the herbs needed to halt my moon cycle." The Akkadian whispered to his friend.

"Have you none of your own Minaja?" Honey looked surprised. "But your tale of Trimon, I assumed you would have the necessary herbs given your profession."

"I was **** to leave Al Areth rather abruptly." The Akkadian replied, fudging the truth if not exactly lying to Honey. "I have none."

Honey nodded, accepting the explanation without questions and went to fetch a small pouch from the Sorceress's cabin. She handed the Akkadian a handful of dark green leaves. He looked at them doubtfully as Honey mimed the actions of putting them into the mouth and chewing. The Akkadian put one leaf at first in his mouth and tentatively bit into it. The taste was bitter and unpleasent, but he persevered and leaf by leaf he ate the leaves.

"I have heard we will soon be going ashore." Honey told the Akkadian, although he knew as much himself. "We are to meet with some of the mistress's friends."

The Akkadian nodded as he finished chewing the last of the bitter leaves. Though the witch had said this visit was necessary to obtain magical ingredients that could be used to restore him he felt on edge. Barbra was definately plotting with the crew and he had no idea of the identity of the Sorceress's new allies. If they were as dangerous as these pirates he would need to be alert and watchful.

From within the Captain's cabin came the unmistakable sounds of lovemaking, the Sorceress's voice moaning and crying out and the Captain's grunts and groans of exertion. There was also the rythmic rattle of cutlery and tableware, by which it could be surmised that the fucking was occuring upon the breakfast table rather than upon Akhbar's bunk. Honey and the Akkadian exchanged a glance and both giggled. At this point distant shouting could be heard, which steadily rose in volumn and frequency.

"That is up on deck." Honey commented. "Something is happening."

Running feet above them and then the familiar sound of steel clashing upon steel confirmed that something was definately amiss aboard the Sea Witch. The sounds lasted only a minute and then all went silent. The door to the Captain's cabin burst open and Akhbar rushed out redfaced and buckling on his cutlass and dirk. Behind him the Sorceress was adjusting and fastening her dress before following. The Captain and the witch headed for the steps leading above deck and having been given no order to the contrary, Honey and the assassin followed.

On the deck the crew were ranked facing the door to the cabins. Barbra and the giant Kushite bosun stood side by side in the centre of the throng. A handful of pirates were held off to one side of the main group with minor fresh wounds evident. These men were disarmed and clearly being guarded by the larger party.

"What is going on here." Akhbar demanded, easily singling out Barbra as the ringleader amongst the group. "Is this a mutiny slut?"

"No mutiny Captain." Barbra replied with mocking civility to Akhbar. "This is a challenge."

The Akkadian edged in front of the Sorceress, his dagger in his hand to protect the witch. Barbra it seemed had the majority of the crew on her side and any protection he could give his mistress would be very short lived. He felt the witch's hand upon his shoulder and she shook her head almost imperceptably.

"A challenge? Has your moon cycle taken your senses Rosa?" The Captain bellowed, pacing back and forth. "A ship's slut cannot issue a challenge for the captaincy."

An elderly pirate pushed forward, the Akkadian recognised him as the ship's carpenter. Almost infirm and with a wooden stump in place of his right leg, the man looked old enough to have served under Barbarossa before his transformation. In his hands he carried a thick leather bound book. He coughed, spat some phlegm upon the deck and opened up the book and read aloud in a thin reedy voice.

"By the articles of the brethren a legal challenge for captaincy can be issued by any ship's officer if the majority of the crew accept and support their cause for doing so." The carpenter read, before adding. "You yourself promoted Barbra Rosa to first mate and there is no mention of a woman being barred from issuing the challenge mentioned."

"Accept the challenge Akhbar, meet me sword to sword." Barbra goaded the captain. "Or are you not man enough to face me?"