Chapter 130 - Miles And Cora

Excitement bubbled through the crowd. Captain Black waved one long arm, gesturing for everyone to follow him and they did. Delaney looked at Vincent, uneasy.

"We can't let them get married," Delaney hissed to her husband, "Can you imagine what your mother will say?"

"Thinking of how angry my mother will be is all the more reason we should do it," Vincent smirked.

When Delaney frowned at him he sighed and continued, "My Love they're meant to be married anyway. My mother and Cora's family have been pushing to make this marriage happen. This way they're finally getting it done."

Delaney bit her lip, "Will your mother be angry with us?"

Vincent laughed out loud, "Undoubtedly."

She sighed and rolled her eyes at his glee, "Alright but you will be telling her I argued against this."

"Agreed," he chuckled and took her on his arm, joining the group heading for the docks now.

The tall Captain Black donned a charcoal colored, three-corner hat before stepping out into the rain and now he looked truly the part of a Pirate King.

His sons that had been on Ian's ship earlier ran ahead down to the docks and Delaney saw them climb aboard the grandest ship moored there. A moment later a wide plank was pushed over the side with poles and ropes to make a sort of railing on either side.

The crowd pushed forward but they all stood back to allow their Captain to board his ship. They parted again to allow Miles and Cora to walk through hand in hand. Delaney and Vincent made their way with the others, packed into the crowd. Even Mason as the crown prince wasn't given any more space than anyone else.

Stepping aboard the Captain's ship, Black Treasure, Delaney was taken aback by how much larger, grander, and more ornate this was than Ian's. The young pirate's ship had been impressive but his father's was even more so. The ship was sleek and looked as if it would cut through the water at high speeds.

The Captain walked to a higher deck that looked down on the one where Miles and Cora now stood surrounded by the pirates. Delaney and Constance stepped quickly up to Cora while the men went to Miles.

Delaney did her best to straighten her friend's rain-soaked hair and Constance pulled her gown straight. When they had finished they stood up and smiled excitedly at one another.

"Are you sure about this Cora?" Constance asked nervously, "You could still say the wine has gone to your head and you need to reconsider."

Cora giggled, "I am very sure. I've wanted to marry Miles for a long time now and after our time together and our personalities, being married on a ship by a pirate seems fitting."

Delaney and Constance laughed at that. Delaney gave Cora a quick embrace and looking over her shoulder, saw Miles and the other men looking upset about something. She left her friends to join the men.

"What is it?" she hissed, "What's wrong? Miles cannot back out now it would humiliate Cora."

"I'm not trying to back out," Miles snapped at her.

"He doesn't have a ring," Vincent explained quietly, frowning at his younger brother, "He didn't think about it before announcing he wanted to wed her at this very moment and now he doesn't have a ring to do so with."

"What?" Delaney gasped, "None of you have a ring you could give up for the sake of saving Cora this embarrassment?"

Vincent shook his head, "We all are only wearing our family crest rings other than Mason but his are royal things and he can't just give them away. Technically they belong to Daniel."

"They're also not the most appealing rings," Mason interrupted with an apologetic grin, "At least not anything a beauty like Cora would want to wear on her delicate finger for all her life."

Hearing his words, Delaney looked down at her own hands. On her left hand, she wore her grand, beautiful wedding ring. On her right hand was the little silver ring with the aquamarine stones that had been there since the day she got it.

When she looked up at her husband she found his eyes were already on her. He glanced down at the ring and then met her eyes again with a small nod. It stung Delaney's heart but slowly she slipped the ring from her finger and clutched it in her fist tightly, feeling tears in her eyes.

"Miles," she said then, getting her panicked brother-in-law's attention, "Here. Take this ring."

He turned to her and then gazed down at the ring in the palm of her hand. He looked up at Delaney, eyes wide, and shook his head.

"No. No I couldn't..."

"You can," Delaney nodded, "It belonged to your grandmother and is an Adair family ring. It will sit just as lovely on Cora's finger as it ever did on mine."

"But Vince... Vince saved it for you from the day you two raced," Miles argued, glancing at his brother who was now standing beside Delaney, "I couldn't take it."

Delaney grinned then and laughed lightly, "Well, technically it was you that gave it to me in the first place so I sort of think it's fitting that you're now taking it back to give to your wife. Besides, it makes me happy knowing it will be so cherished by Cora."

Miles looked up at his brother, "You really don't mind?"

Vincent smiled and let one shoulder rise and fall, "It is my wife's ring to do with as she pleases. I do think it will look lovely on Cora too though."

Miles nodded before looking back down at Delaney. He took the ring from her hand and slid it onto his little finger for safekeeping. Once it was there he surprised her by grabbing her and pulling her against his chest in a tight hug, pressing his cheek against her hair so he could whisper in her ear.

"You are the best sister I could ask for."

Delaney felt tears sting her eyes as she hugged him back before letting him go when they heard Captain Black clear his throat. She stepped back, dashing tears from her eyes, and felt her husband's arms wrap around her waist and pull her in against his warm body.

"That was sweet of you," Vincent murmured against her ear as Captain Black began the ceremony.

"I have really loved that little ring," Delaney whispered with tears in her voice, "Ever since you sent Miles to give it to me. It has always been... comforting. I am going to greatly miss it."

"Do you often find yourself needing comforting?"

Delaney smiled fondly and turned just enough to look up at his handsome face, "I do not. Not since I came to live with you."

Vincent smiled before kissing her lightly on the forehead. They turned then to take in the rest of the wedding ceremony being conducted by the pirate king.

As the rain continued to drizzle down on them, they stood on a ship surrounded by dozens of strangers. Pirates. As a wedding was conducted for the happy and in love Miles and Cora. When they were pronounced man and wife Miles kissed her and the crowd erupted into cheers.

The new couple was passed through the crowd being offered all kinds of congratulations although they were mostly in the language of the pirates. Ian stayed close by to translate the best he could.

Once it was all over and starting to get dark, Miles had thanked Captain Black. Mason called for his royal carriage to be made ready and let the newlyweds ride back to the ocean house alone in it.

Once they'd left, Vincent and Mason went to speak to the captain while the Adair carriage was made ready. Delaney stood with Bernard and Constance, laughing and talking about the wild events that had taken place.

When their carriage was finally brought around, Delaney thanked Captain Black for having them there and for her little pets that were waiting at home for her. The pirate king took her hand in his and bowed low over it, brushing a kiss across her knuckles.

"Ian will keep you safe until we meet again," the captain said as the others walked towards the carriage, leaving he and Delaney alone.

She was surprised to hear the man mention his son for the first time but took advantage of the opening.

"Thank you, captain. But Ian seems like he might be important to you and of better use here or on his ship instead of keeping watch over a random duchess."

"You are far from random," he chuckled, "Your safety is important to my future with your husband and there is no one I trust more to keep you from harm than my oldest son."

Delaney frowned in confusion, "How would my safety affect your future deals with my husband?"

The Captain smirked at her with mischievous eyes, "Let's just say that I have a very dear friend that has a way of... knowing things. She says that my future work with your husband will all depend on you. So it is truly in my best interest to keep you safe."

Delaney's mind whirled. His friend had a way of knowing things? It was a "she" that had said Delaney would be important to his future. How would she have known that unless...

"You are friends with a witch? What did she say?"

The Captain shook his head, "Ah my Lady don't you know the price of knowing the future?"

Delaney opened her mouth to reply but at that moment Vincent stepped up and slid an arm around her waist.

"The carriage is waiting my Love," he looked between the two of them, "Is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine Lord Adair. Your lovely wife and I were just saying goodbye."

Delany saw Vincent's worry so she quickly relaxed her expression and nodded.

"He's right," she swallowed hard, "Let's go home."

Vincent looked unsure but said goodbye to the Captain and helped his wife up into their carriage. As they drove away from the land of the pirates, Delaney sat back in her seat thinking over the captain's words. They rang like an echo in her mind of a memory from long ago.

The cost of knowing the future is knowing it.