Disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean or anything that is recognizable from the story below. Orra belongs to me, but that is it. I am not receving any money or anything else from this story.
Author Notes: First chapter of yet another story. Please let me know your opinion of the story!
A Pirate's Luck
Chapter One
A ship with black sails slipped easily through the water, carefully avoided the floating hunks of debris that signaled a newly sunk craft. All the people on board the Pearl were utterly silent as they witnessed the after effects of yet another pirate vs. British navy battle. It was unclear which ship was victorious and a somber air hung over the Pearl's deck. Jack stood at the helm, eyes constantly shifting to take in all the threats to his precious ship. A cry rose up from those congregated on the deck, the chant growing louder the closer the ship became.
"Man in the water!" Came the shout and Jack focused his sight on the very still figure just barely clinging to a piece of wreckage.
It was highly doubtful that anybody survived this fight but that didn't mean he would sail right on by that body. The Pearl's forward momentum slowed and several pirates clambered down to retrieve the survivor. Within moments a crew member swung himself over the railing and carefully lay the person down on the damp wooden planks of the deck. Jack dropped down to the main deck and strode over. He dropped to a crouch beside the prone figure and carefully brushed some of the stiff curls away from the person's face.
"Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think this is a man."
It was obvious that the person lying so still wasn't a man. The woman was eerily beautiful, almost too perfect to be human. Her skin was completely flawless and seemed to almost glow from within. Her full, rose coloured lips were slightly parted. She wore nothing more than a salt stained shift that effectively masked her figure. Jack carefully cupped the base of her skull, searching delicately for an injury. He wasn't surprised in the least when his fingers found a nasty welt on the side of her head. He drew back and sat on his heels, turning his eyes to his curious crew.
"The lass'll 'aave a wicked 'eadache when she wakes up but I can't find nothing more wrong with her. I'm gonna let 'er rest in me cabin for a spell. Mr. Gibbs, set our course for Tortuga. We'll be able ta find someone there ta take 'er off our 'ands."
A grizzled older man nodded and set off toward the helm. Jack gingerly scooped the girl up into his arms and headed below deck to his room. The only other female on board followed him down and once he had set the unconscious female onto his bed, Anamaria forced him out. She wouldn't betray the girl's modesty to a dirty pirate like Jack.
Anamaria carefully removed the stiff, salt stained shift from the girl and deposited it in a heap on the floor. She located on of Jack's cleaner spare shirts and wrestled it onto the girl's limp body. Anamaria tucked the thin sheet over the girl and then headed towards the door. She was sure Jack would remain in the cabin until the girl awoke. Though, she'd kill the captain if he tried to take advantage of the lovely girl waiting so vulnerable and alone in his cabin.
It was the sickening pounding in her skull that forced her into abrupt consciousness. Her eyes remained closed and she pressed a small hand to her throbbing temples, a soft moan of pain escaping her. She was content to wallow in her own agony and completely ignore her surroundings until the bed she lay on depressed as more weight was added to it.
Her eyes snapped open and startlingly vibrant purple met curious chocolate. She started at how close this strange man sat to her and immediately lurched into a sitting position. Her stomach rebelled and her body became gripped in violent dry heaves as her empty stomach tried to purge itself. When she was able to focus on something other than her contracting belly, she realized the man was rubbing her back in a soothing fashion.
She gave him a weak smile. "My head hurts terribly." She murmured, her voice lilting and sweet.
"I bet it does, lass. Ye've got a nasty bump on yer noggin."
She didn't need to touch her head to verify his words. She looked around the cabin, her violet eyes blurry with pain.
"Where am I?" She asked softly.
"Yer on the Black Pearl an' I'm Cap'n Jack Sparrow. We picked ye up while ye were clinging to some debris. Yer the only survivor. What boat were ye on?" He didn't pause to think of the folly of telling this complete stranger his name, the sweet innocence shining in her luminescent eyes scrambling his brain.
"The British vessel." Disdain dripped from her words. "I am correct in assuming that the ship and all her crew were destroyed?" At Jack's nod, the corners of her mouth tipped upwards in dark pleasure. "Then they received the fate they deserved."
The vehemence in her voice was surprising and Jack merely looked down at her. He cleared his throat and continued.
"If ye don't mind me askin', lass, why'd the red bastards want ye?"
"They believed I would be advantageous in solving a quite a serious predicament of theirs."
That peaked Jack's interest. "They've got a problem with summat?"
"Oh yes, Captain Sparrow, they've got quite the dilemma on their hands." His interest was obvious but she did not seem particularly forthcoming with information.
The air between them grew taut with Jack's anticipation but when she remained quiet, his face fell slightly. "Yer not gonna tell me, are ye?"
She merely shrugged. "I am not required to enlighten you. I am the only one who can help them and seeing as how I will not, the world will never learn about this crisis." She did not mention that if she told this Jack Sparrow about the British's troubles, she would have to tell him the reason she could solve their problems.
Jack let out a sigh but didn't seem particularly upset about her answer. "Will ye at least tell me yer name, lass?"
She smiled all soft and secretive. "That, Captain, I will tell you. My name is Orra."
One of Jack's brows lifted at her name. "Oraa?"
A wry smile crossed her lips. "Yes, Orra. You could say it is a family tradition of sorts." Humor sparkled in her violet eyes and Jack got the distinct feeling that he was missing something crucial.
"What about yer family name? Ye can't just be Orra."
She shrugged again. "My surname is of no great importance. I am simply Orra."
It was clear she didn't want to share her personal information with him and so Jack, albeit a mite unwillingly, backed off the subject. "Well then, Orra, I'll be leavin' ye now. Ye'd best be getting' some rest so that ye'll be able ta eat later."
Her pearly skin took on a decidedly grey tinge at the mention of food and he cuckled good naturedly at her reaction as he rose from the bed. He walked towards the door and paused when he heard the bed springs creak. He looked over his shoulder and watched her resituate herself beneath the blankets. He wagered that she would feel vastly better after several more hours of rest and a hearty meal.
"I'll check on ye in a few hours, Orra." He called as he began to close the door behind him.
The response was a wordless groan of assent as the mysterious woman slipped quickly into unconsciousness.
Jack had every intention to bring dinner down to Orra at some point but the appearance of a sudden, vicious squall made all thoughts of his lovely passenger fly from his head. This storm was one of the worst he had ever seen and worry made his stomach churn as the realization that this could be the last tempest he would ever experience.
He gripped the wheel tightly and yelled orders to his crew as he tried to guide the Pearl through the path of least resistance in the water his attention wavered from the turbulent sea when a flash of white caught his eye. Shock caused him to freeze as he watched Orra stumble across the heaving, slippery deck towards the mast and then cling to the sturdy pillar of wood. Sharp gusts of wind buffeted her small body, whipping her blue-black curls into an inky dark halo around her head.
The white shirt she wore was sodden from the constant deluge of rain and clung to her slender form. She hung pathetically to the mast and turned her beautiful face up to the weeping heavens. Jack half expected her to sprout majestic wings and ascend into the sky. No such thing occurred and she remained solidly earth bound. Her eyes fluttered closed for a moment and a rapturous expression lit up her features as the cool rain slipped down her cheeks, mimicking tear trails.
She looked as if she had finally accepted some heavy burden and the resulting weightlessness of loosing such a weighty load lifted her spirit to euphoric heights. It was then Jack assumed that she, like him, recognized that the end was near. This storm was a ship killer and his beloved Pearl and crew would be its victims. He focused his eyes on Orra, deciding on an impulse to have her be his last sight. Suddenly, her eyes snapped open and her face filled with determination.
She kept one arm wrapped tightly around the mast and threw her free arm out in a protective, shielding gesture. A word his brain could no comprehend burst from her mouth. Almost immediately the violent storm began to abate. Her entire body started to tremble and she released the mast. No member of the crew had noticed her and she was not aware of his gaze fixed upon her.
She carefully lurched back across the deck and then down into the belly of the ship, presumably to return to bed. Jack tightened his grip on the wheel as the ocean grew calmer, the monstrous waves abating. He did not know what Orra had done but whatever it was had saved him and his entire crew.
His brow furrowed as he concentrated on guiding his ship through the last of the squall. He watched the desperation etched deeply on each of his crews' face seep away and resolve steeled within him. He would get an answer out of Orra about her strange, live saving actions no matter how much she protested.
Please review? I really would like to know what ya'll think of this story. Next chapter is the confrontation between Jack and Orra and Orra's secret is revealed!
Blessed Be
Amethyst