The Discovery of the Iolaus

Chapter 1
The Discovery of the Iolaus

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Chapter Description: A pirate Captain goes in search of a mysterious archipelago and gets more than he bargained for.

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The pirate ship Iolaus, named after the nephew of Heracles - one of the Argonauts, was cut free of the now burning migrant ship. It had been carrying British citizens and their belongings to the colonies but now it was a final resting place for the men aboard. There was not much in the way of loot so the pirates had opted to take the women, which there were many, and return to port with them. They might not get much for introducing the women to new lives working in Nassau’s brothels but if nothing else they would be able to ransom the Lady Tabitha Roland for a pretty penny.

It had not been a unanimous decision to take the women. There was much protest from the more superstitious members of the crew who argued that having a woman on board was bad luck so having so many women would lead to catastrophe. Captain Darcy, who also believed in the supernatural, had cast the deciding vote in favour of taking them, though he didn’t say why. The truth was he had made a plea to the old Gods of his ancestors, the Tuatha Dé Danann, for guidance the night before and his dream had led the pirates to this migrant vessel.

Captain Darcy Morgan had went to the seas in search of the Arcane Archipelago, a string of mythical islands rumoured to be where the walls of reality had thinned and Gods, Demons and other fantastical creatures still held power. It had been fifteen years since he’d come to the Bahamas, believing the key to unlocking the passage to the Arcane Archipelago could be found there, though very few believed him or the scant few texts that pointed to such a place. The quest had cost him an arm, torn off by cannon fire from a British ship-of-the-line, but it hadn’t all been in vain. From secret temples and cave paintings in the Bahamas he had deduced that the archipelago did in fact float, appearing in the North, Aegean and Celtic seas and perhaps even as far as the Indian Ocean, driven by some otherworldly force intent on keeping its islands hidden away from civilization.

Darcy craved the power that those islands could bring him and the vengeance that he could then wrought on his pirate enemies, the Spanish and the British Navies who hunted him. With such power he could be truly free and could even rule over an island himself, perhaps even attaining immortality as some of the magic texts suggested would be possible. He was not the only one who thought that way.

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Darcy walked through the holds, taking measure of each of the captured women. He had ordered his men not to touch them. They would be worth more on Nassau that way and for once the men had listened to their coffers rather than their cocks. Darcy stopped when he reached the cinnamon skinned, Talaitha Cassia who looked shocked and scared.

“Bring this one to my quarters,” he said, simply.

“No. Where she goes I go,” another girl argued back, firmly. She was the ruby-haired Carman Taylor and she may have been a woman but she dressed like and was as brave as any man. She fiery irish lass was not to be trifled with and she intended to make Captain Darcy know that.

Darcy looked over the impertinent girl and smiled, “fine.”

The girls were led to the Captain’s Quarters where he sat, pouring them a glass of red wine each, most likely taken from the Lady Roland’s personal supply.

“You’re a gypsy woman, am I right?” the Captain asked Talaitha who turned to Carman, as if asking permission to answer and was given a reassuring nod.

“I am.”

“Then you surely know of gypsy magic. Tell me, have you heard of the Arcane Archipelago?”

Both women’s eyes opened as wide as saucers. They hadn’t expected to find someone else chasing the same mystery as them, especially so soon in their journey.

“I can tell by your faces that you have. In fact, it looks as if you have been caught with your hand in the cookie jar,” Darcy grinned, “you both came looking for the Islands, didn’t you?”

“Yes,” Carman said, there was no use denying it.

“Then this is fate. You see, I dreamt of finding something important on that ship and it seems I have.” The Captain stood, the lamp light casting shadows over his face giving him a menacing appearance, “Davies, McCarthy, Garret, strip them! Look for any notes, papers or maps.”

“What? Unhand me, dog!” Carman screeched as she was grabbed by a dark and burly man who began pulling at her pants whilst another man, with a neatly trimmed beard, began untying her corset. She tried to fight with teeth and nail, scratching deep cuts into the burly man’s cheek, but the larger men simply over powered her and soon she was on her knees, as bare as the day she’d been born. Talaitha, too, was easily stripped bare of her colourful red dress by the third, and most muscular man. She crouched naked, huddled up and whimpering at Carman’s side.

Captain Darcy had sat their watching the whole display. He hadn’t noticed before in the dimly lit hold but Carman had an impressive bust. He was captivated by her large milky-white globes that danced, to and fro, as she struggled. She was certainly feisty. I will enjoy breaking her strong will. He thought, deciding to keep her as a docile pet once he gained the power he was so close to getting now.

“Why don’t you paint a portrait? It will last longer!” Carman spat, bitterly at the gawking Captain. She had briefly hoped they would work together to find the islands but it seemed unlikely now and given how ruthless he had been when attacking their transport, they would be lucky to be left alive.

“Found something, Captain,” the man with the trimmed beard said after rummaging through Carman’s brassiere, “looks like a map and writing in Latin.”

“Very good, Garret.” Darcy grabbed the map and went to studying it. Carman had been unable to read the Latin and with little to no knowledge of the seas she was going to have to rely on finding someone else to help interpret it anyway. Perhaps this was still for the best.

After a moment of excitedly studying the map the Captain looked up, giddy with glee, “Forget Nassau, boys! We’re going to Hy-Brasil or perhaps Aeaea or Bimini!”

“We found the islands?” asked Garret.

“That we have. This calls for a celebration. Take these two to Lady Roland’s lodgings; they can take the wine with them. They’ve earned it. As for the crew, double rum for everyone!”

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The journey to the Arcane Archipelago lasted only a few days before they reached the first mist covered island. The navigator, Garret, begged the overzealous Captain to err on the side of caution as they approached but after 15 years of searching, Darcy could wait no longer and his lack of patience caused them to beach the ship.

Garret was left in charge of securing the ship whilst the Captain and the dark skinned and scarred-cheeked Davies led an expedition into the islands deep forests. Carman petitioned the Captain to take her and Talaitha with him on the expedition and he was strangely open to the idea. No doubt because he thinks we still have some role to play and he can exploit us somehow Carman mused. They were one day into their search when they stumbled across a temple with a large fountain before it.

Water poured into the pool from three separate bamboo pipes. The water from the centre pipe had a strange green tint to it and the others seemed to glow and sparkle in a most peculiar way before mixing into the crystal clear pool. In the centre stood a tall plinth with statues of women a top it, pouring water from vases or gently spraying from their teats. A plaque of strange runes was attached to the base.

“What is that language?” the Captain asked but none of his crew, who were quite learned (that was, after-all, why he accepted them) seemed to know. However, one of their party did.

Talaitha gently tugged Carman’s shoulder and whispered, “Miss Taylor, the writing, it is the secret Romani language.”

Carman looked at her young companion in wonder. She had known the gypsy girl for several years now and in all that time she had never spoke of a secret Romani language, in fact, no one thought the Roma people had a written language at all!

“What does it say?”

Talaitha paused, afraid that revealing that she could read the text might lead to the wicked Captain Darcy gaining the transformative power he so obviously craved, “…It says it is a fountain of youth.”

Whilst the girls quietly discussed this revelation the ignorant men had decided the only way to find out if the fountain had magical properties was to test it and the only way to decide who would drink from the fountain was to leave it to fate. Davies drew the short straw and slipped a cup through the pools surface, scooping up a mouthful of the water. The burly man resisted but the watching eyes of his shipmates spurred him on and he bravely gulped down the water.

It only took a moment but the effect of the fountain was clearly visible. The bloody scabs on his face from his struggle with Carman almost instantaneously healed leaving no trace whatsoever. Captain Darcy was in awe. If the water could heal Davies’ wounds he thought that perhaps it could restore his lost arm.

“That’s amazing!” Carman gasped, theatrically. She could easily read the Captain’s face. All she would have to do was give him a little push, goad him, and if what Talaitha had said was right then he’d be out of her way, perhaps for good.

“I’ve read about waters that could heal any wound but I never thought I’d see it myself. With this we could cure any illness or malady.” Carman grinned, this time it was not for show, she could see that her words were affecting the Captain. All it would take was a little more. She decided to lay it on thick, “It could perhaps even prevent death from old age! Imagine that! Immortality!”

The ever fool hardy Captain threw caution to the wind and jumped into the pool. It was much deeper than it first seemed and without an arm to help him swim he struggled to keep his head above water. The four men that had accompanied him panicked as their Captain floundered.

Carman hadn’t expected this. She was sure the veteran Sea Captain would be able to swim so was surprised when the armless man struggled in the water. Seeing him drown would remove him from blocking her path to the magic that she thought was hers by birthright but it was needlessly cruel and, besides, she quickly came up with a much better plan.

“What are you waiting for? It might heal wounds but a lungful of water could still kill him!” Carman cried. The men didn’t register her false concern or witness her mischievous smile and so three of the sailors dove in after their Captain, only Davies didn’t leap to save his foolish Captain. So easily manipulated, Carman smiled.

By now, it was apparent to those still on dry land that the Captain was shrinking. In his flailing, his tight shirt had come loose and floated up to rest on the surface of the water after his muscular chest deflated into that a of a scrawny teen. The teenaged Darcy panicked in the water, kicking and splashing, terrified of his impending death.

This can’t be how my journey ends!

Darcy hadn’t yet noticed that he was now furiously waving a still growing limb he had not felt in years. Once it was full sized he was able to keep from sinking further and his men did the rest, though none had yet realized they were no longer men or even teens. The four sailors reached the surface and it was now obvious to anyone that they had changed much in their short time in the water.

Carman and Talaitha grinned at the fresh faced boys that paddled in the pool like the children they were quickly becoming. Little Darcy had lost all his facial hair. His chin was no longer angular and intimidating as it had been a few nights before but was soft and rounded. His cheeks were that of a chubby little boy.

Davies couldn’t believe his eyes. He’d been sceptical about the Captain’s quest but had stood by him because it had earned him a lot of gold. Now it was plain to see that magic was real. He tossed the boys a rope and they grabbed hold, pulling themselves out from the cursed waters.

Carman Taylor thought her plan had worked perfectly. Even if the boys had escaped the pool they were still drenched in its tainted water and would continue to shrink. It had worked perfectly. There was just one more kink to iron out...

The red haired lass leapt forward toward the dark, burly man – Davies, whom had so happily stripped her of her clothes and dignity a scant few days before. He neither saw her coming nor expected her and so it didn’t take much for her to topple him, face first into the drink. To top it off she pulled the rope back from him just as he tried to re-grab it and he floundered in front of her much longer than he otherwise would have, shrinking all the while. Even though he was not in life threatening danger like the former Captain, his fear was palpable and Carman drank it up with pleasure. She watched the dark man’s skin lighten a little,

Meanwhile, the other males continued to shrink. Darcy was the furthest along and the first to realize their predicament. He stared at his restored hand and noticed the baby fat covered arm immediately. The flabbergasted Captain gasped when he noticed his other changes. His shirtless belly was round and hairless, his draws had dropped to the floor, far too big for his reduced body. Standing there naked it was obvious to anyone else that he was now a child but it wasn’t until he saw what remained of his manhood that he believed it. His male pride was nothing but a hairless little nub. The unrestrained, melodic laughter of Carman Taylor and the stifled giggles of Talaitha pried his eyes away from his infantile willy and he blushed when he saw that the now much taller girls were laughing at him.

As a pirate Captain, Darcy was a free man. Truly free. No one could make his decisions for him and he did not have to listen to anyone. Every man that tried to tell him what to do or force his hand had been struck down. He wouldn’t tolerate being dictated to and he had the means to ensure it never happened. His crew feared and respected him which Darcy was proud of. They were only allowed to vote on matters when Darcy allowed them to and he knew that he didn’t really need to do that. It just made the crew feel better; besides, there had never been a time when he didn’t already know the outcome of a vote. He could point to any crewmember and denounce them as a traitor with no evidence needed. The crew would be satisfied with just his word and the man would be flayed. Darcy had power over men. He was above them, destined to be a King of men but now he was naught but a little boy! His men would never respect a little sea urchin like him!

Captain Darcy’s freedom had been stolen. He’d been tricked. Manipulated into leaping into that pool by that insolent little bitch, Carman Taylor, although now the girl stood at more than twice his height. He realized it hadn’t really been his decision to jump in; Carman had made it for him. He was a King and she turned him into a fool. His face was hot with rage, injustice and humiliation. It’s not fair! This was my birth right!

“What have you done you b-?” Darcy’s anger was cut short by a swift blow from Talaitha’s palm, right across his chubby cheeked face. The shrunken Captain rubbed his stinging cheek. He simply couldn’t believe that the meek Roma girl, who had been so very fearful of him, had slapped his face. The realization that the girl he had thought of as weak now had power over him made him feel helpless for the first time in decades.

“That’s a very naughty word. If I hear any more from you I’ll wash your mouth out with soap,” Talaitha shook her finger at the still shrinking Darcy. He couldn’t have been much more than a toddler now and his fellow sailors were not much older. Darcy’s face was red hot with anger and flushed with humiliation.

“This isn’t wight! Imma scare-wee pi-wate,” the Darcy stomped his bare little feet. His boots were lost in the fountain with his pants.

“You were, but now you are a little boy having a tantrum,” Carman grabbed both wrists of the toddler pirate in a single hand, easily pulling them up and away from where he tried to cover his privates. It was then simple for her to pull him over her lap but Darcy fussed and screamed all the way. “You know what happens to little boys that throw tantrums don’t you?”

“You can’t!” he cried to no avail. Carman could and did. Her hand came down on the Captains bare bottom swiftly and firmly. After, the first smack Darcy was screaming from the stinging and the indignity of being treated like an unruly child. After the second, he had begun whimpering and when the third and fourth spanks arrived he began bawling for forgiveness. The spanking had shown him just how powerless he now was.

The busty girl raised an eyebrow. “I think we should make an example of you. Don’t you agree, Talaitha?”

She nodded. The pair were close enough to know what the other was thinking, having travelled together for some time now. Carman held the trembling boy in place whilst her gypsy friend silently prepared for the former-Captains final punishment. When the boy saw it coming he resumed his kicking and screaming.

“No! Not dat! I’ll be good,” he begged but the two women smiled, enjoying every second of his pleading.

“It’s high time you paid the piper, boy.” Carman emphasized, “and the cost is three more years.”

Talaitha shoved the water bottle into the boys’ mouth, filling his chubby cheeks to the brim and forcing him to chug down the youthening formula. Darcy felt the changes begin immediately. His already pudgy body became plump with baby fat and he shrank in Carman’s arms. It didn’t feel like he was getting smaller at first. It seemed to him that Carman was growing bigger and stronger. His efforts to push the bottle away seemed to have a chance of working at first. He nearly held her arm at bay but she continued to enlarge, until she seemed no longer the slight girl he had lusted for but now a fully-grown woman. He found it difficult to put a number to how old she looked now. She just looked bigger, more authoritative, an adult, a grown-up.

When the bottle was pulled free from his lips he was now nothing but a babe in Carman’s arms and she held him up to look her in the eye.

“Perfect! You were a terrible man but you make a wonderful bouncing baby boy! Yes you do!” Carman giggled and cooed, “what does the big scawe-y piwate have to say about that?”

Darcy tried to protest only to discover his vocabulary was gone, replaced with nothing but infantile babble. He shoved a hand into his drooling mouth, searching for teeth and found none. Carman sat him on her lap where he fit perfectly, she was truly a giant now. He wanted to stand but his weak legs would have none of it. He couldn’t speak, he couldn’t walk and he couldn’t even feed himself and worst of all he was at the mercy of women he had belittled and tormented, and now they had belittled him. He was scared, he wanted to apologise but instead he cried which pleased the women.

The other boys watched their leader bawling in Carman’s arms. They were afraid to run, the jungle was a much bigger, darker place now and they were scared to face it alone. They did not want to admit it but they felt safer with the older girls even if they were the ones who caused their reduction in status and likely still held grudges against them so they waited patiently.

Darcy’s crying, which had entertained Carman at first began to weigh on her. As much as she thought he deserved his fate, she couldn’t help but feel the need to comfort him and she saw Talaitha giving him sympathetic looks as well so she shushed him and held him to her chest and the simple act of mercy calmed him almost immediately.

“So what now?” Talaitha asked.

“We explore the temple of course,” Carman Taylor replied with an air of confidence about her.

“And them?” Talaitha pointed to the other reduced pirates but the adventurous Carman was already on her way inside. The younger girl sighed and smiled and said, “Come on boys.”

But the trio stopped outside of the dark entrance to the temple, afraid to step inside. When they didn’t follow her in, Talaitha tutted and held out her hands and the boys latched onto her. She sighed again and thought to herself, what has she gotten me into?

And so the motley group began their search for the wonders that the temple might hold but Captain Darcy would never gain the power he craved. The only things he could look forward to now were feedings and diaper changes.

 

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