Chapter 129 - Dancing With Her Husband

Music played loudly as thunder rumbled and rain fell. Mead and wine flowed from the Captain's seemingly never ending supply.

A group of men and women stayed under one of the canvases and played strange instruments Delaney hadn't seen before. There were two women sitting and playing wooden instruments with little round bodies and long fat necks with strings running up them. There were at least four men playing drums of all different sizes and shapes. And there were others playing wooden pipes.

The music was unusual but appealing. The women wore dresses that weren't like the ones worn by Delaney, Cora, or Constance. The skirts were separate from the bodices allowing them more range of movement as they danced.

The rain did not stop them as the women ran out into the grass pulling their men along behind them. Their dancing was unlike anything Delaney or the others had ever seen. They moved every part of their bodies from weaving their fingers through the air to turning their hips in circles as they stepped along to the rhythm.

The women danced with the men but then also danced without them. Lining up in lines together they all moved forward and back in unison, their hands raising over their heads and back down, their hips moving in circles in the same direction. They would clap and spin and their faces were always smiling.

"You should join them," Ian grinned at Delaney, his eyes bright with excitement and a decent portion of mead.

"Oh I couldn't," Delaney shook her head quickly, "I don't know how to dance like that."

"Well, maybe not in a dance like this but in one of the dances with the men you could. Then you just move the way you want."

"I would make a fool of myself," Delaney giggled and took a sip of her wine.

Ian grinned and got to his feet, "That's half the fun."

He dashed out into the rain and walked up to a lovely younger girl on the end of the line that was dancing. He got her attention and waved her back towards the canvas cover with them. Her long black hair was split into two braids that hung over her shoulders and she was drenched from the rain.

When Ian stepped up in front of Delaney with her they both wore identical grins and she realized this girl must be another sibling.

"Alright ladies," Ian spoke to Delaney, Cora, and Constance, "This is my sister Iris. She is one of the best dancers here and she's going to take you to dance with her."

He repeated his words to the young girl in their own language and her smile grew and she nodded excitedly.

"Yes," Iris beamed, "Come! Dance!"

The other women looked at one another unsure. Vincent slid an arm around Delaney and kissed her head before whispering for her to go with the girl.

"I can't," Delaney whispered back, "I will look foolish."

"You won't," Vincent kissed her on the lips then, "And I don't think any of these people would judge you if you did."

"He's right," Ian agreed and held out a hand to Delaney to help her up, "It's all just fun."

"If you're not going to go then I will," Mason grinned, standing up, "This looks much better than the dancing at court."

He stepped forward and bowed low to Iris before standing and offering a hand to her. The girl looked to her older brother uncertain but Ian was quick to explain in their own language.

"Oh," Iris's smile returned, "Yes! Come!"

She took Mason's hand and together they walked out into the rain. Delaney gave in then and took the hand of the young pirate. Ian pulled her out from under the canvas and immediately she was pelted with fat drops of rain.

They dashed out into the group and Delaney looked back at her friends, waving for them to come and join her. After a moment of hesitation, they ran out into the rain as well, dragging Miles and Bernard behind them.

Delaney moved with Ian and the other pirates and it reminded her of their dancing with the fairies. She closed her eyes and let the music move through her, moving her body along with it however she felt. The rain poured down on them and soon she was soaked and her dress clung to her.

Sometime later, looking towards the house Delaney saw her husband sitting beside the Pirate King as they drank together. She suddenly wanted him to dance with her again as they had before the war.

She rushed to where he was sitting and his eyes lit up at the sight of her. She stumbled and fell against him and he chuckled as he caught her in his arms. Before he could say anything Delaney took his face in her hands and kissed him deeply, tasting the wine on his tongue. She dropped, sitting on his lap now, and giggled, pressing her forehead to his.

"Well hello there," Vincent chuckled, his arms warm around her waist, "Are you having a good time?"

Delaney took a big drink of his wine and felt it warming her chilled body from the inside.

"I am," she giggled, "But do you know what would make it better?"

"Mmm what's that?" he asked, looking up at her through his dark lashes before she leaned down to give him a slow kiss.

"If you would dance with me," she murmured between kisses.

A chuckle rumbled in her husband's chest and he smiled against her lips. "I don't think we should do that."

"Why not?" Delaney pouted, "You danced with me with the fairies."

"Nell had magicked my leg that night Love," Vincent smiled sadly.

"You know fairies?" Captain Black interrupted then, leaning in, "I've never been able to find the fairies."

Delaney didn't respond to him and instead took her husband's hands and stood up, pulling on them. Vincent grinned at her but didn't move.

"My Love," he shook his head, "I really shouldn't. I won't be able to keep up with you or any of them. I can't..."

"I don't care about that," she argued, "Come and dance in the rain with me."

"Ah Lord Adair," the Captain clapped him on the shoulder, "Go dance with your beautiful wife. I'm the Captain here so I guess you can consider that an order."

Delaney smirked at her husband, "It's an order from the Pirate King Vincent. Now you have to dance with me."

He groaned but stood. Delaney beamed and squeezed his hands. She pulled him towards the dancing. As soon as they stepped out into the rain he came to a halt again.

"Delaney I don't want to embarrass you," he pleaded, "I used to be able to dance with you but now..."

"Vincent," she smiled and shook her head, "I loved dancing with you before because we were both young and beautiful and everyone envied us... But now I love you. I want to dance with you because I love you. I don't care if we are envied or if anyone even notices us. I just want to dance with my husband."

He gazed down into her eyes, a smile pulling at his lips. He looked out at the dancers and she saw worry flash across his face but he took a deep breath and when he looked back down at her he nodded.

"Alright," he said quietly, "Because I love you."

Delaney smiled adoringly at her husband and leaned up to kiss his scarred cheek. She took his hand and together they walked to join the mass of dozens of people dancing.

Vincent was anxious at first, moving slowly and hesitantly. Like with the fairies though it wasn't long before he began to ease into it and enjoy himself. He and Delaney moved together, his hands dropping to her hips and her arms loosly around his shoulders. They came together kissing and being close.

Servers brought drinks and people would step out of the group to down a cup of mead or wine before rejoining the others. Sweat mixed with the rain on their skin and the ground turned to mud beneath them.

Dancing with Vincent, Delaney looked over to see Miles holding Cora close. They were kissing hungrily and his hands moved over her waist as hers wrapped around his neck. Delaney giggled and nodded her head in their direction so Vincent would look too. He smirked and shook his head.

"I wonder if I should stop them," he spoke close to her ear so she could hear him, "They aren't yet married."

"Maybe you should," Delaney bit her lip, "I would hate for them to do something they regretted or for people to gossip about them."

Vincent chuckled, "Somehow I doubt the pirates would do much gossiping." He gestured around them and when Delaney looked she saw many couples were entwined as they were.

They made their way through the dancers until they got to Miles and Cora. Vincent reached out and clamped a hand on his brother's shoulder, easing him back from his young blonde beauty. Miles snapped around argrily but when his eyes met his older brother's he relaxed.

"What is it?" he asked over the sound of the drums beating.

"Maybe the two of you should slow down," Vincent smirked, "She's not your wife yet."

"If it were up to me she would be," Miles shook his head, "I love her Vince."

"I know," he chuckled, "And once the two of you are married you can proudly display your love to the world but not just yet."

"I can't wait anymore," Miles shook his head looking desperately between them, "I want to be able to love her as my wife! I would marry her right now if I could!"

"You can get married now," Ian interjected with a grin, "If you really want to."

The group turned to look at him in surprise.

"I do," Miles insisted, "How can I marry her now?"

"You're surrounded by pirates, including the captains of ships. Any Captain has the power to marry the two of you as long as you're on his ship and it's on the water. So my father or myself or any of the other captains here could marry you as long as we go down to one of the ships."

"Yes!" Miles grinned, "Let's do that! Would your father marry us?"

"I'll go ask," Ian grinned and hurried away to talk to Captain Black.

"Miles what are you thinking? You can't have your wedding here on a pirate ship without your mother or any of Cora's family," Delaney shook her head.

"She's right," Vincent chuckled, "I know you love her brother but our mother and hers would be quite upset to learn you'd eloped."

"It's not eloping! I am being married by the pirate king with dozens of his people present! The crown prince himself is here and you and Delaney. We have more guests than the two of you had at your wedding."

"Cora," Delaney looked at her friend who had been quietly listening with wide eyes, "Is this what you want? To marry Miles here like this?"

Cora turned and looked into her future husband's eyes and a happy smile bloomed across both their faces. When she turned back to Delaney and Vincent she wore an excited grin.

"I do," she nodded, "I don't want to wait any longer to be his wife or for him to be my husband. If the captain will marry us then I want to be married."

Miles pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Bernard and Constance had come up in time to hear the last of the conversation and now they joined Delaney and Vincent in looking shocked.

Just then they heard loud clapping and the music came to a halt. Everyone turned to look towards the house and saw the tall Captain Black standing now with an enormous grin.

"Alright everyone we are going to move this party to my ship, Black Treasure," he announced, "I have a wedding to preform!"