Thread: The Virgin Prize [Prince & LingeringDesire]

Philippe knew the Captain's quarters always held something valuable and had made it his privilege to be the first to search in that room when his crew had seized a prize ship. His men couldn't be trusted with small items, like jewelry and coins, nor did they respect the more cultured items Philippe also liked to acquire, like art, books, maps, letters, spy glasses and gentleman's grooming tools. Despite his penchant for fancy dress and affection of speaking French, Philippe was a Pirate Captain and liked to study the decor of the typically more cultured Captains that he captured in order to imitate them, or at least make his own quarters look more respectable to the very uncultured seaman and whores that he might entertain. Although this Captain commanded a small, two-masted brigandine, normally plying coastal routes off the Carolinas based on its flag, the man's room was quite spacious and very well appointed. Philippe first made sure there was no one visible as his eyes adjusted to the dim space and then he began a careful inspection, eyes and body drawn magnetically to the framed oil painting above a massive and beautiful mahogany desk. The painting would definitely come, a Venus on the half shell scene with a nautical theme Philippe liked and a naked woman that he liked even better. The desk was also quite nice and very imposing. Furniture was unfortunately always bolted down and Philippe was distracted momentarily trying to gauge whether it would be worth it to pry the desk free and move it. A creaking noise made him spin, sword up to slash, and he noticed the wardrobe door swinging. He hadn't checked in there yet, deeming it too small to hide a man, but given his love of fine clothes it had been on his list. Strange, the door had seemed closed when he entered. On a ship, anything not latched would naturally swing and it was odd that the wardrobe door was just now moving. Philippe's eyes went back to the Captain's bed and the lump in his sheets. He'd dismissed it as not a person at first glance, but now he wondered if someone had tried to wrap pillows in a pathetic attempt to trick an invader. Striding to the bed, Philippe was studying the sheets and noticed that a woman's handkerchief, pink and floral was mixed in with the blankets and pillows. He lifted it on the point of his sword to study, catching the delicate aroma of fresh perfume lingering on it. Either the Captain fancied woman's accessories and perfume, not unheard of when at sea for long periods of time, or there was a woman onboard. Cries from below made Philippe turn. His crew had found some valuable cargo and his natural urge was to race out and inspect it himself, but the pink cloth fluttering on his sword made him pause again. The bed was raised and its satin bedskirt dangled down almost to the dark, polished wood floor. Enough height for a man to slide under, and definitely room for a woman. Perhaps... Philippe took a step back and a smug smile grew on his face. Come out mon cheri , he said in a sweet voice. Hide and seek is over. Come out before I thrust my sword under the bed to make sure no one is there. To emphasize his last statement, Philippe thrust the point of his saber into the wood floor by the edge of the bedskirt.