AN: I missed my privateers. I want a sequel.

The men cheered, I nearly fell, but the officer stared for a moment longer before he ordered his men to return to their own ship. As soon as their craft was in motion, McCoy ordered that our course change immediately. “We don’t need the British fleet behind us if they change their mind!”

“Immediately!” the captain seconded. He moved toward the helm until I tugged his arm back to me. My captain, my Jonathan, laughed when he fell against me.

“Captain,” I asked in disbelief, “what did you do?”

“The navy, little bird,” he answered lightly, “doesn’t ask many questions.” He tapped the beak of my parrot playfully. “You ought to keep that thing in a cage.”

“That thing,” I echoed, “was the witness to our marriage.” I lifted up my hand and reminded him of the ring he had slid on my finger. Jonathan took my hand in his own and covered it.

“Maddie,” he began insecurely, “I…don’t…” I didn’t want to hear the end of that sentence. My hand quickly clapped over his stuttering lips. This was the moment; this was now or never.

“You put this ring on my finger, Jonathan,” I quickly replied, “and I heard what it meant in your voice. The government aside—it never did anything good for you—and just between you and me…and God…and the stupid bird,” I nearly laughed before I could finish, and I felt his smile against my palm. “Are you going to protect and teach and trust and love me until the sea swallows this ship and us with it?”

His eyes, burning gold, had already answered before he slowly nodded. The tears that had gathered in my eyes slipped away when I laughed; every emotion had stirred and gathered together in a love I could barely contain. I let my hand fall from his chin, and it trembled alone.

“Then I’m your wife,” I almost choked. “I’m your wife.” It was that simple. All of the frustrations and confusion before was gone, and it was only the captain and me. He kissed the ring that he had returned to my hand, and I kissed him for the first time as the only one who would hold and heal his wonderful cracked heart. I was everything in that moment! I cried for my happiness; he tasted like the sea, wild and calm, unforgiving and merciful, with a touch as soft as mist and still a storm of passion…

“Maddie, in front of the men,” he scolded when I had dropped to my heels again smirking.

I could not keep myself from thanking God that he had placed such a hero in my life. To think that all I had planned had been ruined, for each time I was sure I could pull myself out of the trouble cruel fate threw me into, and I only found myself more lost. Every wrong choice led to such a wonderfully perfect conclusion.

“Well, what do we call ye now? We never decided!” McCoy taunted with both arms folded across his chest. “Madam Captain?” A few of the men chuckled and shook their heads.

“Mrs. Brickham?” Jefferson suggested with comic emphasis. I set my cup down calmly, trying not to smile as the crew began to roll with laughter. These men, my half-brothers, could never let me keep a straight face. I drew myself up to my full height, as much as I could, and tried to frown furiouciously.

“Lionheart Maddie is the name I earned,” I announced to the crew as they lounged about the main deck and finished their evening coffee. “I’ll be keeping it until I find the privateer—or pirate—who can take it from me.”

“To Lionheart Maddie!” Kinley toasted, raising his chipped taggart.

“Lionheart Maddie!” they echoed through their laughter, and I broke down into a blushing grin at their cheer.

“To the lion cub as well,” McCoy added with that softness in his eye that had comforted me at first. His cup motioned to the rather odd looking swell that rose where my bodice (a new one, thank goodness) could not lace any more. I must have been a sight, moving about the deck as awfully as I could in men’s breeches, old captain’s coat, and as the men called it, “matronly burden” jutting out from my middle. They seconded the toast and took a drink just as the door to the captain’s quarters behind me opened.

Captain Brickham stepped out in his usual strict gait, frowning at the crowd gathered.

“Did we not load fifty new cases from the Spanish into our hold? I’m assuming this means you’ve all divided what will be traded and kept, correct?” he brightly reminded. The men grumbled, shuffling to their feet and moving about the cluttered deck. His gaze moved to me and hardened. “And you,” he roughly teased, “the most useless of our lot.” I scoffed. “A fine member of this crew you make, encouraging the men to do anything but run this ship.”

“Well, with all the encouraging you do, I thought I would balance the influence,” I smirked.

“I hope our son isn't as much of a subordinate as you, madam.”

“Our daughter,” I corrected, patting that special burden I carried, “will have the heart of a lion. Or a dragon, if you like.”

“Silly bird,” he chuckled and kissed my forehead before striding forward. “Bring those crates up, Oliver! We reach Port Sorte morning, and the sea take us if we arrive empty handed!”

And so my life continued, from horizon to endless horizon, as a privateer.