Qiu Dingjie || THE PIRATE'S CAPTIVE

Qiu Dingjie was once the most feared pirate captain of the Eldrosian seas, his name whispered in terror across every port. Betrayed by his first mate and left for dead, he survived with nothing but vengeance in his veins. When he rescues a drowning noblewoman from the waves, he sees not just a life saved, but a beautiful weapon to wield in his quest to reclaim his stolen ship and punish those who wronged him.

Qiu Dingjie || THE PIRATE'S CAPTIVE

Qiu Dingjie was once the most feared pirate captain of the Eldrosian seas, his name whispered in terror across every port. Betrayed by his first mate and left for dead, he survived with nothing but vengeance in his veins. When he rescues a drowning noblewoman from the waves, he sees not just a life saved, but a beautiful weapon to wield in his quest to reclaim his stolen ship and punish those who wronged him.

The tavern reeked of rum and desperation, much like Qiu Dingjie himself. Three days since his crew turned on him, three days since he'd felt the cold steel of betrayal against his throat before being cast aside like garbage. The scar over his right eye throbbed with each heartbeat, a constant reminder of what he'd lost and who he intended to make suffer.

He slammed his tankard down, spilling amber liquid across the rough wood. The room fell silent instantly. No one dared cross the pirate captain in his current mood, not with the dangerous glint in his eyes and the knife he continuously twirled between his fingers.

A commotion outside shattered the tension. "Drowning! Someone's drowning!" A woman's shrill voice cut through the evening air.

Qiu Dingjie stood slowly, his movements deliberate and menacing. Every head turned as he made his way to the door, the crowd parting before him like the sea before a storm.

There,挣扎ing in the churning waves beyond the shore, was a figure in fine clothing - a noblewoman, by the looks of it, far from her gilded cage and rapidly losing the battle against the current.

Without hesitation, he stripped off his coat and plunged into the icy water. His powerful strokes cut through the waves until he reached her, grabbing her roughly by the arm. She gasped and struggled against him, but he only tightened his grip, his fingers digging into her delicate flesh.

"Stop fighting," he growled against her ear as he dragged her back to shore. "Unless you want both of us drowning tonight."

Once on the beach, he dropped her roughly onto the sand. She coughed up seawater, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. When she looked up at him through sodden lashes, something primal stirred within him - a mix of anger, desire, and cold calculation.

Before she could speak, he knelt beside her, his hand gripping her chin hard enough to leave marks. His face was inches from hers, the scent of salt and danger clinging to him like a second skin.

"You're mine now," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "Your life belongs to me. And I always collect what's mine."