Chapter 125 - The Pirate King's Pets

The estate of Captain Black was unlike anything Delaney had ever seen. There was one sprawling white manor house with beautiful big lemon trees in front. To one side, behind the house there was an enormous building that looked like a stable or a barn. To the other side, a ways back, there was a row of small, lovely little houses.

"I wonder who lives there?" Cora mused out loud as they all looked out the windows, "Their servants perhaps?"

"I imagine it is likely other pirates," Vincent smirked, "A village of pirates."

"Good God, what are we doing here?" Miles chuckled, "We're walking into a den of pirates."

"They're nice people," Delaney insisted, "Mace had a large number of them to the castle while Vincent and I were there. Besides, Ian wouldn't let anything happen to us."

"Ian is loyal to his father," Miles countered, "We will be safe here so long as Captain Black wants us to be safe."

"We're here as his guests. The Captain wants to make a business deal with me and possibly you as well Miles." Vincent frowned at his brother.

"I'm not sure I want to make any deals with pirates," Miles sat back, smirking again.

Delaney frowned and opened her mouth to argue with her brother-in-law but at that moment the carriage door was opened for them.

Miles was quick to get out first and help out Cora who was wearing a bright blue dress that perfectly matched her eyes. She was not married to Miles yet so she couldn't wear any of the Adair jewels but she did have many pearls tucked into her hair.

Vincent stepped out next and held his hand out for Delaney in her blood-red gown. Behind them, Mason had gotten out of the royal carriage and she noticed he was wearing a simple golden crown. It was one of many that belonged to the crown prince and she wondered if he wore it as a reminder of his status.

Constance stepped out in a lovely royal purple gown but she had no jewels left to her from the time before her father had died. All she wore was a single amethyst and gold necklace left to her by Olive.

"My guests," a thickly accented voice boomed, "I am pleased to see you have arrived!"

They turned and Delaney saw the impossibly tall, handsome Captain Luke Black strolling down the walk towards them.

He looked even more the pirate king than he had the first night they had met him. Wearing charcoal-colored harem pants and an oversized white shirt that hung open to expose his chest, she could see the curling dark hairs beneath it. Golden loops hung from his ears and his locks were tied at the nape of his neck with a red ribbon.

Grinning, he looked over them with bright eyes as one hand rested on the hilt of the same sword he had had at the castle. Delaney had remembered this deadly looking blade and insisted Vincent and the other men wear their own swords this evening.

"What stunning beauties," he bowed low before the women before righting himself, "My lovely Lady Adair I know, but would you be so kind as to introduce me to your friends?"

Delaney obliged. "This is my future sister-in-law Cora who is to marry Lord Miles Adair, "she paused to gesture to him, "And this is Lady Constance who is a dear friend of ours. She's the guest of Lord Bernard of Hazel House."

The Captain beamed, "Thank you for that. Of course Prince Mason I know well. And you Lord Adair, thank you for agreeing to this visit."

"I don't know that my wife would have let me turn it down," Vincent smirked, "I believe she was intrigued to see how a pirate king lives."

"Ah well, most women are," Captain Black winked, "Come. Let me show you my home."

The inside of the Captain's manor did not disappoint. They stepped into a great room with ceilings three stories high. On each of the stories above, there were walkways with railings and you could see ornate wooden doors lining the walls.

This hallway was long and open. You could see straight through to the backside of the house which was lined with windows and french doors. The thing that immediately caught all of their attention though was not the grandness of the home, but the things decorating it.

Large cages lined these walls and inside each was at least one enormous, brightly colored bird.

"Lady Adair," Captain Black held out his hand to her. Delaney looked up at her husband who hesitated but turned her over to their host.

"I believe you once asked me about what sorts of amazing things I have found," the Captain smiled, "Here are some of my favorites."

He stepped up to the first cage and Delaney looked in at a bright red bird with wings that were like a rainbow, running from yellow to green to blue. It had a bright white beak and shining black eyes.

"This is my beauty Scarlet," he said as he opened the cage and held out his hand to the bird.

Delaney jumped when it walked quickly forward and stepped right out and onto his arm, climbing up until it came to rest on his shoulder. She watched as the bird nuzzled her head against Captain Black's cheek.

"Would you like to pet her?"

With a racing heart, Delaney reached out slowly until she could stroke the soft, cool feathers along the bird's belly. A smile bloomed across her face. Then something unimaginable happened.

"Hello Lovely!"

The group of friends gasped in shock as the large bird spoke. She bobbed her head up and down happily, "Hello Lovely!"

"I've never seen anything like her!" Delaney exclaimed, "She can talk!"

The Captain grinned in amusement, "She can say many things but she very much likes beautiful women. Bird after my own heart I suppose. Do you have any pets Lady Adair?"

"I do not," Delaney giggled, "I never have."

"What?" he looked surprised, "Well that is simply unacceptable. We must right this wrong tonight!"

Delaney laughed and looked back at her husband who was smiling as he watched her. The others looked excited as well.

"Let's see," Captain Black considered, "We need just the right pet for you. Let's look around."

He then took Delaney and the others on an amazing tour as he searched for the perfect pet for her. They walked through the hallways of birds and he paused when he came upon a cage of grey-white birds with a little black line on the back of their necks. He considered this bird for a moment before turning to the group.

"You dear, I believe I have something for you," he said looking at Constance, "Come here a moment."

Constance looked quite surprised but came forward as the Captain opened the cage and pulled out the smallest of the birds inside.

"Now, she is is still young so she will be a perfect companion for you. She is a ringneck dove. They make the most lovely cooing sounds in the mornings. She is yours if you would like her."

He didn't wait but handed over the snowy bird to Constance and Delaney could tell she was immediately smitten with it.

"I would love her," she said quietly as she snuggled the bird to her chest.

"Very good," the Captain looked pleased, "I will have one of my men fetch a cage for you to keep her in when you don't want to hold her. You can carry her for now."

Constance looked thrilled with her darling bird as they continued on.

They turned at the end of a hallway and Captain Black pushed open a pair of doors to a room full of strange structures that looked as if they were made entirely of paned windows.

"This won't be where we find your pet my Dear but I have a feeling your other friend might be a bit daring so I have something here she might like."

Delaney glanced over her shoulder at Cora for a moment before she suddenly caught sight of something in the first structure.

"They're snakes," she gasped, taking a quick step back as their host chuckled.

Inside the first structure was a bright green snake hanging over a branch as if it was draped there. Looking at another she saw an enormous bright yellow snake sliding along the bottom. In another, there was one that was pitch black, curled up and staring at them with jewel-like eyes.

"Here we are," Captain Black went to a box at the end and opened it, removing something from inside before turning back to them, "My Lady Cora I think this young man might be perfect for you. He isn't very old so his head looks a bit too big for his body right now but I assure you he will grow into it."

"A snake?" Cora asked looking both worried and intrigued.

"A ball python," the Captain grinned and held it out to her.

The little snake was barely as long as Delaney's arm from elbow to wrist and had a pattern of browns and blacks with almost golden highlights. Cora held out a trembling hand and the little thing curled around her wrist as if it was another piece of jewelry. She ran a finger lightly along its scaly skin and Delaney was shocked when she actually looked thrilled.

"He's so soft," she whispered, "And he holds on as if he's hugging me."

"I thought you might fall for him," Captain Black looked pleased, "He's a handsome thing."

Miles looked a bit squeamish as he watched the woman he loved gently sliding her finger along the little snake around her wrist. Delaney could tell there would be no convincing her to be rid of it now, however.

"Now then," the Captain turned back to Delaney, "What should I get for you my Lady?"

Delaney giggled, "I have no idea Captain. This is quite a menagerie you have here."

"You haven't seen the half of it," he chuckled, "I am only considering some of my less sinister pets for you and your friends but I will happily show you the others once I've settled on something for you."

The others drifted around the room looking into the boxes at the collection of snakes held there. Captain Black watched them with a slight smile but Delaney could see his mind was turning.

"I've got it!" he announced at last, heading out of the room so quickly he was almost dragging Delaney along with him.

They turned down a hallway that led along the backside of the house, all the way down to the very end. There was a pair of wooden doors with a small sign. Delaney saw it was written in whatever language the pirates spoke so she could not read it.

He stopped before opening the doors, turning to look at the group with a mischievous smirk, "It would be best if you kept your fingers to yourselves in here."

Delaney opened her mouth to ask what he meant but he was already opening the door.

They stepped into a high ceilinged room with enormous barred cages lining the walls. Inside each cage were strange creatures Delaney had never seen before. Bright little eyes turned to look at them.

"These are my lemurs," the Captain announced, throwing his arms wide, "They are cute little things but they have quite a bite."

He walked off towards the end of the room, leaving Delaney with the others to look around at all the different lemurs. There were large grey ones with golden eyes and striped tails. There were white ones with grey faces and chocolate-brown patches on their arms and thighs. There were tiny golden-brown ones with enormous eyes.

"Is he giving you one of these then?" Vincent asked looking unsure as one of the large grey ones leaped from a high branch and slammed into the metal bars as he took hold of them. His long tail wrapped around and around and his little fingers held tight as he stared out at them.

"I really hope not," Delaney bit her lip as she looked at them as well. Turning to her husband then though she felt happy to be back on his arm once more. She leaned in and kissed his scarred cheek as he looked down at her.

"I must admit... it isn't my favorite thing, seeing you on the arm of another man. Especially a suave pirate king."

Delaney smiled, "I can promise you I would much rather be on your arm, my love."

He leaned down and kissed her slowly and gently. She took his face in her hands and held it there for a moment. When they came apart he smiled and rested his head against hers.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you."

They looked up as their host came strolling back towards them with a big grin on his face.

"I have it my lovely Lady Adair! The perfect pet for you."