Bumps and Twists
Disclaimer: It all belongs to the Mouse. Please don't sue.
Warnings: Un-betaed, slight ooc-ness, more to be added as story progresses.
"Get back here Jackie! I'll tell mother this time!"
"Go ahead, William, you're still not getting your book back until you agree to come with me to town today!"
The desperate teenage boy glared at his sister, lunging the moment he though he saw her fumble. She giggled, dodging easily out of the way, even hampered by her volumous skirts. She skirted around the side of the large house, putting on a burst of speed as the back entrance came into view. There wasn't a chance of William catching her in the house, not with her agility and speed. It was hard enough for the boy to catch her in the open, but with all the obstacles in his path and his tendency of avoiding contact with any of the valuables the chances were even less likely.
Triumph burst in her as she passed through the doorway and into the kitchen, weaving past working cooks as she went. William came through a few moments after his sister, face flushed and sandy hair loose about his face.
"Jackie, please!"
Another giggle. "No."
Jacqueline left the kitchen, hurrying along the servant's passage and entering the parlor, stopping dead in her tracks.
"Father!" She threw herself at the man, wrapping her arms around his neck as he laughed and whirled her around.
"Jackie! How is my sweet little pirate?"
"Jackie, I said give- father!"
William Turner, set his daughter back down and looked into the faces of his fifteen year old twins. "Just as I left you, I see. Jacqueline, darling, you are so very much like your name sake."
The girl made a face, the expression so very at odds with her surroundings and the social class she'd been born into. "Well, I've never met this Jack Sparrow so I shall have to take your word for it. I'd think you made it all up if it weren't for the fact that I once overheard mother and Admiral Norrington speak of him once."
"Eavesdropping, you mean," William Jr. muttered just loud enough for bother father and daughter to hear.
"Where is your mother?" Their father asked, clearing diverting another sibling spat.
"Grandfather has fallen ill," Jacqueline told him, face filling with concern. "Mother has been with him on his estate since early yesterday morning."
The man's eyes widened with alarm. "Perhaps I had best join her. You two are being well taken care of, I presume?"
"Oh, yes, father! Mother would never leave us here without the proper care. Though I am disappointed to see you go after having just returned I think mother needs you with her right now more than we do."
William sighed, nodded, and tousled the girl's curls before heading towards the door and with that, was gone, as if he'd never been there in the first place. Jacqueline bit her lip and looked over at her brother, brown eyes showing her anxiety.
"I wish this wasn't happening. Father's home so very rarely and now he's come home to problems instead of the warm welcome he deserves."
"It will be all right," the boy told her, walking over to place a warm hand on her shoulder. "You'll see. Grandfather will get better and mother will be happy again and we'll be able to celebrate father's return like we should. It's nearing the winter months, Jackie, you know as well as I that business becomes slower in the winter months. Father will be able to stay home."
She cast him another fretful look before nodding stiffly. "I suppose you're right."
But as she handed him back his book and started towards the door she wasn't so sure of that.
The next morning Jacqueline snuck into her brother's room, dressed in a simple cotton dress, hair tied in a neat braid ending just above her waist. She looked as common as William did not, resplendent as he was in his formal attire.
"Really Will, do you honestly think those clothes appropriate for an outing?"
The youth jumped and whirled around, brown eyes wide with indignant anger. "Don't startle me like that! What are you even doing in here?! I could have been dressing for all you knew!"
Don't be such a prude," the girl snorted. "You used to run around without a stitch on when we were younger. It not like I haven't seen it before."
"Jackie!" he squeaked in outrage, blushing furiously.
"Oh quit it. Now hurry up and dress down a bit. I am not going to get caught walking through the streets with you looking like a peacock. If you do this I promise to go with you into that bookstore you're always making eyes at."
"I do not make eyes at a bookstore!" Will protested loudly.
"Well, you certainly don't make eyes at girls like any normal boy." Jacqueline was out the door before she heard his outraged response.
It had been a long while since the last time William had agreed to accompany his sister to town and Jackie was quite looking forward to the day's excursion. She'd not been close to the ocean in nearly a month and the compulsion to see it had been growing strong, especially with the scent of salt that was always heavy in the air.
It was like a strange pull that drew her away and she couldn't fight it, couldn't pull herself free of it. To be truthful, she didn't really want to. There was nothing like looking out past the calm waters of the port and to the ships as they left for much rougher waters. If she could have any wish in the world granted it would have been to be a passenger on one of those ships, or better yet, a member of the crew.
But that was where being the granddaughter of a governor and the daughter of a wealthy merchant/blacksmith had its pitfalls. She'd never be free of the gossamer cage she'd been born in, never be able to go any further than marriage and family. Of course, it would not be an arranged affair considering the origins of her parent's relationship, but certain things would still be expected of her.
She was silent as the pair entered the small bookstore, eyes straying towards the docks. How easy it would be for one small girl to slip into one of those massive ships unnoticed. How absolutely horrible it would be to stay hidden in the bowels of the ship with the rats and the disease.
There was the crux of the matter. She liked her comforts. Liked the huge, comfortable home, the regular meal and the deferential treatment she received from most. She loved how her parents and the servants spoiled her. The sea was a hard life and she wasn't certain she was prepared for it.
A hand on her shoulder made her jump and whirl around. William sighed and pulled his hand away. "I wish you wouldn't look at it that way. You feel so distant when you do, like I'm about to lose you and stop you from leaving."
Jackie tried smiling reassuringly, but wasn't certain if she gave off the wanted effect. "It's fine Will. I'm not going anywhere."
"Wouldn' be so sure 'bout that, love," a voice rasped from behind her. "I'm thinkin' yer both 'bout to go on a long trip."
Something brown and heavy was pulled over her eyes before she could react, thick cotton muffling the scream she'd mustered up too late.
There was a moment of disorientation as she was lifted off her feet and swung bodily over what she assumed was the man's shoulder. The sound of a strangled shout and a slight struggle a moment later indicated the capture of her brother.
It was hard to breath inside the cloth material cloth material and she began to sweat, breath coming in short, humid gasps as she tried to stay aware of everything that was happening. There didn't seem to be much sense in struggling. The man was significantly larger than her and obviously not averse to harming her at least a little. So, she held herself limp, only shifting when something began to prod her ribs.
They stopped some time later, yet she still felt as if they were in motion and suddenly recognized the movements as a rocking boat. More movement a short while later and finally she was deposited none too gently onto the ground.
She struggled out of the confining blackness, taking a few desperate gulps of fresh air before turning to the struggling lump in the sack next to her. William was soon disentangled, sandy hair in a wild mess, sporting a black eye and a cracked lip; evidence of his attempt to fight himself free.
Finally she forced herself to face the man who's feet she'd been placed before. He was tall, well over six feet with dark hair streaked with auburn highlights, greasy strands outlining a thin, angular face and a romanesque nose that seemed to send him out of some Greek novel. His eyes were an icey blue, glinting coldly in the light of the mid-day sun, seeming completely out of place next to his dark complexion. Long, well-muscled limbs were covered in a plain, creamy coloured shirt under a worn looking blue jacket and a pair of black britches. Sword and pistol strapped to his waist and the word 'pirate' was screeching through Jackie's mind.
The man dipped thick, black eyebrows at them, a tiny smile quirking his lips. "It's an honour to have ye on board, young Turner's. This be the Lady's Grace and I expect ye to treat 'er wit' the respect she d'serves. I be 'er unworthy cap'n. Go by the name o' Gregory Patrick. Cap'n Greg to you two."
Jackie looked up at the man; face pale with fright as she fought to keep herself from swooning. Oh dear lord, what had she been doing, thinking that pirates were some grand adventure?
Well, for one, she'd never actually expected to be in this particular situation and the reality of it was worse than she'd ever expected. What were two children going to do against an entire crew of pirates? What did these men want and were they even going to let them return home?
She took a fearful step back, hand flying out to clutch at her brothers arm. She could feel him trembling beneath her grasp and moved even closer, so that they appeared to be huddling. She honestly didn't care if the pirates saw her very obvious fright. It was probably the effect they tried to extract from people and really, she did not want to give them reason to step up their efforts.
"None o' that, child," Captain Greg smirked. "We'll 'ave ye two home 'fore you even get a chance ta start missin' that fine home o' yers. Jus' wait 'til the right honourable Governor Swan sends us the hefty ransom and you'll be as good as home. You'll be safe 'til then." At the end of this supposedly reassuring announcement the man looked pointedly at his crew and the surrounding men shifted nervously. Jackie supposed he was telling them in no uncertain terms not to touch them, but she wasn't willing to trust anything she heard from this man.
"Now why don' we bring ye down to yer cabin and so as ye can get settled, aye?" As he seemed to wait for a reply, the girl nodded nervously, grasp tightening on her brothers arm.
"We'll… be together, right?" She asked fearfully, not liking the aspect of being separated from the only security she was likely to have on board the Lady's Grace.
"Aye, ye'll be sharin' a room. Cap'n Greg ain't so bad as ye'd think." He turned, gesturing for the two to follow. "We don't damage the goods, ye could say."
Not very reassuring…
~To be continued~
Shade: Hmmm… rather different than what I usually write. I rather like Captain Greg, though I don't think he'll be up there with good ol' Jack. Anyways, I rather suspect this stories gonna get a mind of its own, not that I'm really complaining, mind. Still amazed I wrote a het fic, though how long it's gonna stay that way is anyone's guess.