"Captain," a booming voice called out, " The Armada goons be nearly in. Shall ye have me light up the gunpowder, and blow them to Krokotopia?"
Jane jumped up from her seat on a crate and called out to Jack
" What, did you expect us to destroy them by sayin' pretty please to the Fire God? Of course ye light it, you ole dog."
In this case, it wasn't an Jack Russell, first mate to Captain Jane Quincy, was a dog, born and bred in Marleybone. They and the rest of their crew, were currently hiding in the spacious weapons room of an armada battleship, loading kegs of gunpowder against the door.
"Right chaps, and here be t' dicey we blow up t' door, most o' tha' armada rats will be went t' Davy Jones' locker , ye can be aye o' that. However be, some may live and keep fightin'. We can either climb out t' window, and crawl cross t' riggin' t' a lifeboat, where we'll flee t' Jonah Town. Bad side? The riggin is slippery, and the armada will be definitely firing at us. Or once the door be blown up, we can make run past the clockworks,take control and ram the ship into the rocks, before jumpin' off and riding the windlanes to shelter. here's the tricky part,mateys, we'll be outnumbered three to one, and the closest rocks be a good mile from here. I'm lettin you choose, since it be your fate." Jane sat down in a corner, while her crew conversed in hushed tones. Finally, Jack came up to her, looking grim.
"M'captain?" He greeted her quietly.
"Yes, Jack?" She asked.
"Well..see... the crew, they be thinkin.." He wrung his paws nervously.
"Out with it,Jack" She said bravely.
"They reckon, if they hand over ye and me, the armada will let them go, scurvy bilge suckers that they are."
Jane frowned darkly." After what I did for ye? I treated ye fairly, and always gave ye yer share of the loot, is how ye decide to repay me? Mutiny?"
El Traidor, a bull from Cool Ranch, spoke up in his musical,heavily accented voice.
" A thousand pardons, oh honorable captain, our interests, however must precede your desire to live, now drop your weapons and turn out your pockets,"
He said smoothly, pointing his saber at Jane's throat. Glancing at Jack, she slowly put her hands in the air,clutched in one of them was a pistol. Quick aas lightning, she shot the lock on the door and the armada burst in and began to fire. Grabbing Jack, she scurried out the window, and across the rigging, avoiding the electricity being shot at them. Jane jumped into a lifeboat,and she and Jack rowed like like the wind. They took to the nearest windlane, and rode all the way to Jonah Town. As they came in sight of the great whale, Jack asked her quietly
"M'lady? Do ye think the armada will let the crew live?"
Jane looked away.
" I sincerely doubt it, my friend."
They were silent for the rest of the way, Jack looking out at the sky, Jane lost in her thoughts. Jonah Town was magnificent, in an odd sort of way. You had to admire the hardy fishing birds for managing to cobble out a town and a living , however ramshackle and poor, on the back of the great sky whale. They docked in the port easily, and walked slowly into the central part of town together,when Jane stopped.
"Listen, Jack I need a favor. Run down to the tavern and post an ad for crew members, fair pay and good living conditions, they must be fit and able, and one hundred percent loyal. They need to have good fighting skills, and be willing to work long hours. Tell them to meet me one week from today at noon, in the tavern cellar."
He nodded, and she handed him a few coins to buy a bottle of Yum. The poor terrier looked dead on his feet.
"Once ye finish, you can home and rest for a while. I'll contact ye as soon as I pick out a decent lot of crew, then it will take a few days to get a ship, and a few more to get everything arranged."
"I bloody hope we find a better lot than last time," he muttered, before saluting his captain and walking into the tavern. Looking around to make sure no one was following her,Jane crept over to the bucket over the whales blowhole, climbed in, and lowered herself down to Gullet. Gullet, home sweet Gullet. Dark, smelly, home to the shady and scoundrels. But what would you expect from a town inside a whale's stomach? She walked along the rickety boardwalk to her home, a tiny shack next to the clothing shop. She unlocked the door,to see a her husband pointing a rifle at her.
" Begad, Davy!" She laughed musically, " Did ye think I was some scoundrel?"
"Ye never can be too careful," He said, setting the rifle down and hugging her." I thought ye might be a clockwork."
Jane's smile instantly vanished and she burst into held her close as she cried.
"It's alright my love, tell me what happened." He whispered.
"T-the crew...they're all dead.." She sobbed." We were attacking an armada ship..it was going golden till two more armada ships came up..we were outnumbered, so we ran and hid in the ship's weapon room..The crew decided that if they turned me and Jack over,maybe they'd live. I...I blew up t' lock..and t' clockworks came in..Me and Jack crawled out t' window and stole a lifeboat... But the armada killed them all!"
Davy sighed deeply. He had an awful day too., his treasure was stolen by cutthroats and one of his crew members deserted. But now was not the time for him to led his wife to the tiny parlor,as her sobs quieted. Handing her his handkerchief, she wiped her eyes and calmed parlor,like every room in the house, was small and crammed with strange things they had found or only furniture was an overstuffed red sofa, a pot bellied black stove,an antique coffee table, an oak armoire, and comfortable green armchair. Davy took his wife's hand and kissed it, like a true gentleman. His pirate name,was in fact, Gentleman Davy.
He got up and walked into the kitchen, where he fixed up a pot of Mooshu tea with honey,their favorite. Carrying the tray with the tea, as well as some biscuits,he sat down next to his wife.
Jane smiled,and took a biscuit from the tray. She always felt better when he was around.
"Davy?" She asked with a mouth half full of biscuit,"When are going to tell people of our marriage? It's been a year, I think it's safe."
He frowned." Jane, you know why we can't. Pirates be an untrustable folk, and I can't risk you being kidnapped for ransom."
She sighed." Davy, I can protect myself just fine. Avast, I've even beaten Old Fish Eye, best o' the best in a shooting match."
"You're the best musketeer I know," He agreed." But I still want t' keep you safe."
"Alright" she murmured. She didn't like fighting with him.
He hugged her,hating that it had to be this way, but the less people knew of their marriage,the better. There were many captains who would do anything to get gold in their pockets. He couldn't let the horrible people like that get Jane, sweet, intelligent Jane, how could handle a pistol like nobody else. He himself was a buccaneer,known for his strength and surprisingly good manners.
Jane wiped her eyes once more, and got up from the sofa." I'm feelin' a little sick, Davy, I think I'll go upstairs, finish me tea and take a nap.
"Alright, angel. I'll be downstairs,finishing up this map of Waponi Wu Avery wanted for his atlas."
She kissed his cheek and headed up the creaky stairs to their small bedroom. Jane sat down and sipped her tea,thinking of what had happened that day. She was lucky to be alive. Still lost in thought, Jane changed out of her ripped and dirty clothes, putting on her favorite blue tunic with was considered pretty, with her shoulder length blonde hair and dark gray eyes. Her skin was fair, and dotted with freckles from hours working in the sun. She was petite and slender,often mistaken for a teen, though she really was twenty five. Her husband Davy was very handsome,even with the scars from various battles across his body. He was twenty six, tall and strong with a dark tan, wavy brown hair and blue eyes that reminded Jane of sapphires every time she looked at him.
Yawning, she crawled under the covers and fell asleep, exhausted by all that had happened that day. Downstairs, Davy worked away at his maps,trying to figure out the best route to the top of the volcano. It was safe and pleasant in the little home, as safe as a house in a whale's stomach can be. But outside,plots were being made,and wheels set in motion. The armada grew stronger every hour,and villains haunted the skyways. Though things looked clear right now,it was the calm before the storm, a storm that would shake the spiral.
AN: Do you like it? Should I post more? Also, this and the next few chapters are part one of this story, part two is the adventures of their child, and part three is a surprise! Please review, I want to know if I should keep writing this or if it stinks.