This story skips to the eventual end of piracy where the golden age of piracy has been crushed by British rule. The back drop borrows heavily from the actual history of Jack Rackham and Anne Bonny's fated end. Of course in this story, Jack has a different fate. I'm weaving the story playing all characters but Jack, and Jack is being played by my FetLife friend, JamesDV! =D WARNING! This story will contain spanking, slavery, and other non-consensual elements!
Chapter One
A Tale to be Told
"God damn you Jack!" Anne's voice, an angry growl, could be heard through the barred door of the captain's cabin as she pounded her ferocity into the groaning wood.
For his part, Jack could barely lift the jug of rum he'd spent the last forty minutes drowning himself into incoherency with. Once they'd been boarded every man of his limited crew knew their fate, and where some fought to a bitter end on bloodied decks, others took the last vestiges of their numbered days to… indulge.
The fighting didn't last long, and the remaining pirates that still lived were chained and led below to the hull of the Revenge as British soldiers split their forces to drive both vessels to British soil.
Jack had been left in his cabin for the time being, but now that the ship had docked, a heavy thud breached the quiet as the wood splintered at the seams and gave way sheading light into the darkness as the sun invaded the room.
Jack lifted his aching head as the full realization of his plight hit him, 'Damn! Too drunk to defend my ship! …no doubt heading for the gallows. Where is Anne? …Was that her swearing at me...?' Jack still thought in a haze of drunkenness even now, although the rum had run almost dry in the two days of travel it took to make it to shore where Jack made it his mission to remain sedated throughout. It was easier than weighing the truth of his situation. The light poured in stinging his eyes, and Jack squinted against its harshness as he peered up to make out what now framed his door.
A bulky man hefting an axe lumbered into the room sneering as he took a wary glance about the confines of the cabin to see if Jack was the only one in the room. Satisfied with his assessment he called out, "In ere commodore! Looks like we got the ring leader of their little band drowning himself in his cowardice."
Looking down at Jack, the man kicked the near empty bottle across the floor before addressing him gruffly, "On your feet; and if I were you, I wouldn't try anything funny, or I'll gut you where you stand."
Jack stood shakily. Looking around he saw no advantage he could use against the big man who held a very nasty looking axe. He waited looking past the man and wondering if there was any hope for rescue. Someone, anyone who could give him a chance at freedom.
The man's meaty paw pushed roughly between Jack's shoulders to send him staggering towards the opening giving him another shove to push him through it to fall sprawling on to the deck where a finely dressed soldier stood quite stiffly. The commodore held a look of disgust as he addressed Jack looking down his nose at Jack's floundering drunken form, "Captain indeed. Haul him to his feet and chain him. He'll see trial soon enough."
That hope faded as the men lifted him none too gently. Soon Jack was shackled hands and feet and being forced to shuffle his way toward what he assumed to be a dingy room where he would await his fate. So this is how it would end he thought...
Jack was dragged in to the small room and tied to a chair left for what felt like forever but was in reality only a couple hours before the men that had placed him there originally came to fetch him once more. The crew members of the Revenge had already been escorted off the ship, and Jack followed suit but was loaded into a separate wagon where two men wearing white wigs sat on one side leaving an opening for Jack on the other side to which he was shoved in to unceremoniously. The two men gave each other a look before the one on the right began scrutinizing Jack as he spat condescendingly, "You… are the supposed Calico Jack Rackham? I find it hard to believe a man of your… stature was capable of commanding a band of unruly cut throats."
The other man interjected, "We've decided to keep you away from your men regardless. I don't expect any rebellion that wouldn't be quelled the moment it began, but I also have no wish to lose any of my men to such an incident would it to arise. The question I have for you Jack is; what is your life worth to you?"
Jack looked at the two men closely. They were obviously in some position of power but he had no idea who or what they were. He had held some hope that he and all his men would be held together but now even that was lost. He listened to the man's question and then turned to face him. "My life is worth a great deal to me sir...and might be worth a great deal to you also if we can come to an arrangement" Jack smiled and suddenly felt there might be some hope after all.
Both men shared a knowing look before the one on the right began speaking once more, "My name is Jeffrey Dean, and I and my friend here, David Graham are to take part in your judgement on the morrow. Rumor has it that your reputation may proceed you further than actual action by the words of your female companions and crew. When Commodore Greere notified us about you, we wanted to see for ourselves if such a novelty was true. Were you in fact just a figure head to the two lady pirates? If this is the case, it would spin quite the story through Sir Graham's gazette, and if you were to be such, than your actions might be persuaded to be seen as forced rather than of your own free will..."
Graham chimed in, "In such a case, myself and my fellow juror would feel compelled to plead a case to reduce the sentence of death for the magistrate to issue a less severe punishment... it would be our civic duty wouldn't you agree Mr. Rackham?"
This was not what Jack had anticipated. They wanted him to say he was but a figure head? A captain in name only? Outrageous! But on the other hand...if it kept him from the gallows. "So gentlemen you would like me to say I played the part of the captain...to cover for the female pirates? And if I explained this to you what type of "less severe" punishment are we talking about? And what are my guarantees?"
Jeffrey gave him a humorless laugh, before replying, "What's less severe than not dying Jack? We are not the magistrate... we are more of a good word on your behalf. This isn't a time for negotiations, it's a time for decisions. Tell us now, what do you choose?"
Jack paused, was his male pride worth the noose? He remembered Anne taunting him about not fighting like a man...well he was plenty drunk. He took a deep breath...screw it he thought..." I admit it sir...I was captain in name only. Anne was the true leader and the true captain." He then hung his head and hoped his humiliation was worth his life.
Graham slapped his knee quite obviously tickled at the prospect of being the one to have access to the account first, "Wonderful! We'll see to it that you give full testimony to the judge now, and I will see to publish your story before the trial takes place tomorrow afternoon. It will surely gain the attention of the public."
Dean quipped excitedly, "Yes, Yes. It will definitely garner quite the headline to have the full story from not only an eye witness but the lover of the notorious Anne Bonny, first and only female pirate captain! It is a fanciful tale, and to have proof of it being a reality will get the people on your side Jack. Everyone loves an epic tale, and I wager your story will make history... and for the person recording it to memoir a sizable portion of gold."
Jack shook his head resigned now, "What would you like to know?" He looked from one to the other. "Maybe about how Anne impressed me and eventually convinced me she was stronger than I?" Smiling now..." Well she did in various ways and eventually I came to understand that she was the better captain and pirate, and it was in my best interest to let her be the one in charge behind the scenes. We did pretty well...until recently that is..."
He had well captivated the two men now, and Graham hurried a bit clumsily pulling a leaflet of paper and an ink well from his side satchel to jot down any specifics.
Although Dean held up a hand, "Wait; not here. Let us get you to the magistrate where you can tell your story, and we can readily capture all the particulars." Standing and opening the carriage door, Jeffery hailed the guardsman waiting mere feet from the door, "We are taking the prisoner personally to magistrate Owens. Gather six men to escort us in due haste."
The soldier nodded an affirmative, and the coach driver began climbing into his seat to follow the given command.
Jeffery settled himself once more in to his seat. He gave Jack a curious glance before addressing him further, "I can tell the story you will spin marks to be very entertaining Mr. Rackham. Let us hope the magistrate will feel the same."
Jack chuckled but without humor thinking, '...yes let's hope so.'
It didn't take long before the cart was moving again, and Graham and Dean then seemed to ignore Jack as they discussed their plans on how best to release the information they would garner from this endeavor and how to approach magistrate Owens.
The magistrate was known to be a fair man, but his distaste for pirates was also known. The carriage arrived at the fort where judgement was deliberated before prisoners were led out into the square and typically sentenced to death or sent to work hard labor in service of the Queen.
When the wagon stopped, the coach promptly opened the carriage door and Jeffery and David climbed out briskly. As Jack did so, two soldiers flanked him.
Jeffery nodded to them, "See the prisoner to a holding cell, and we will send for him shortly."
The two guards each grabbed a bicep as they promptly escorted Jack towards the less accommodating areas of the compound while the other two men continued to talk amongst themselves and walk towards the steps leading into the more aesthetic parts of the building.
Jack immediately realized that the section of the building they had brought him to had privatized cells verse what he'd expected for the general populace that would be brought here. The cells were about the size of a broom closet, but in one of the cells he saw Anne sitting on the ground looking lost in thought. As luck would have it, they placed him in the cell to the right of hers.
Jack stood at first then sat. He waited until he was sure the guards had left him alone before moving close to the door whispering, "Anne? ...are you there?"
She didn't remove her eyes from the ground for a long moment before finally shifting them slowly to Jack as if seeing him for the first time. She gave him a wry smile to see him next to her now over having been thrown in with the rest of the crew, "So you took it didn't you Jack? I knew you would if they dangled that bone in front of ya." What Jack hadn't known was that Jeffery and David had approached her first, but instead of taking their deal to paint Jack as a misogynistic man that turned helpless women to a life of piracy, she told them the truth which was far more of an interesting narrative to the men whom eagerly lapped up her story.
Anne may have been angry with Jack's lack of a backbone, but their relationship was never typical to say the least. There was and always would be some small part of her that wanted to protect him the way he had protected her when they had first met so long ago. Somewhere along the way they had switched roles when she'd discovered her alpha nature and she supposed he had discovered he agreed with and welcomed it.
Jack smiled to himself..."Anne ...you know me, and you knew I would take the deal ...in fact any man with any sense would take a deal to save his neck, so give me break with all the you knew whatever..."
She snorted, "I'm not blaming you Jack, and I'm not giving you shit about it. I almost wondered if you'd be foolish enough to man up at the last minute... for what it's worth, I'm glad you didn't."
Jack listened..."What do you mean you're glad I didn't man up? They can believe anything they want about you and I and the ship as long as I don't end up in a noose. Jack then leaned back against the wall..."And what have they said about you Anne? Are you on trial also?"
Anne stated almost matter of factly, "If you'd manned up Jack, they would have put you in the pen with the rest of that lot that will be swinging without a doubt tomorrow."
Anne was silent a moment, "They are going to make a spectacle of us Jack; they may or may not still hang us... but if we play our cards right, hopefully you won't, and don't you go trying to save me if they do spare you and not me. Swear to me Jack that you'll give me this."
"We can both get out of this Anne...and we shall. But I won't promise I won't do what I can to help you. We have been together for too long. Let's just hope we can be together again without bars or guards." Jack leaned back and sighed, Anne was clearly the most fascinating woman he had ever met.
Anne's tone was hard, "Don't fuck this up Jack. You and I both know we're not walking out of this one together." Her voice softened, "One way or another, this doesn't end with a happily ever after... at least not for us. But we kinda already knew that when we started didn't we?"
Jack sat back for a minute. Of course she was right...any pirate honest with himself knows it probably won't end well. But the full realization is never easy to face when it comes, "So we will just play it out and hope for the best Anne ...for what it's worth ...as far as you go, I have no regrets."
Anne sighed, "Regrets... even if I do hang for what we've done, I'd do it again just the same. You gave me more of a lifetime in these past few years than I ever would have seen if you'd left me in that dingy piece of shit town to rot, and for that Jack, I owe you."
Jack smiled as he listened to Anne tell him of her pleasure over the last few years and her gratitude for him, "Well thank you Anne ...I have to say I agree. My time spent with you has been as good as any in all my life. Even if you drove me crazy with your devilish ways. I will never forget you!"
She hesitated as the sound of a heavy door clanked open and footsteps strode purposefully down the hall. Anne then hopped to her feet looking fully at Jack now. Her face was unreadable as she stated flatly, "You should try Jack."
Two armed guards now stood in front of Jack's door. One of the men twisted a key in the lock while the other addressed Jack, "Alright you, the magistrate has requested an audience. Up and at em'."
Jack staled from his reverie and looked at the men in front of his cell. He stood lifting his shoulders and nodding ready to follow the men and start the process. He glanced at Anne and gave her a weak smile hoping it wasn't the last time he saw her.
Anne could tell Jack was trying to be brave for her sake, and as much as she wanted to smile back at him, she found she couldn't do more than grip the bars and watch him plaintively as the second guard grabbed Jack's arm to steer him away.
Well I wonder where this will lead thought Jack as the two led him away. He looked all around his mind racing ...was it possible the two of them could squirm out of this?
Jack was guided swiftly out of the holding area and down a long hallway that held the bulk of the prisoner occupants, his old crew among them whom sneered and cursed him for their soon to be grizzly end. He wasn't able to do more than glance at them though as he was inexorably pushed forward and through the double doors at the end of the hall.
The building branched out into a large open room that had four subdivisions of hallways leading in opposite directions and a main doorway that Jack recognized as the front of the building that Graham and Dean had entered from earlier.
Jack didn't have time to deliberate on that fact though as he was directed down the West wing and into a large office to which a heavy-set man with small oval glasses sat at a finely polished desk. The man glanced up momentarily before dismissively pointing to a podium. Several upper crust looking men sat formally on either side of the magistrate. A number of them glowered at him where others looked rather amused.
He was escorted to the podium where the guards stood on either side until Magistrate Owens looked up once more having finished whatever he had been reading. He cleared his throat addressing Jack, "State your name sir."
Jack stood for a second looking at everyone individually. "My name is Jack ...Jack Rackam. But just Jack will do nicely." Looking around again he stated, "What can I do for you gentlemen?"
A few murmured amongst themselves before the magistrate looked about the room intently and all quieted, "Mr. Rackham, do you understand the levity of your situation? You are being tried for a litany of crimes that could very well see you at the end of a rope. Now sources have come to state that you in fact were not wholly responsible for these acts but a bystander with minimal involvement, and as ludicrous as it sounds, a concubine of the true captain of your ship, Anne Bonny. If that is the case, we need to hear it from your mouth here and now."
Jack listened and could not help smiling nervously, "Well gentlemen, first I do understand the seriousness of your charges, and secondly," His smile reflected fondness now, "If you knew Anne, you wouldn't have doubts about her ability to do anything she wants. I have seen her make so called famous ship captains look like idiots before they begged her for their lives," Jack paused drawn out of his reverie, "What is it you wanted to know again?"
Owens glared at him seriously, "Are these allegations true? Was Anne Bonny the true captain of the Revenge using your name to bolster her reputation? Answer carefully sir. If I find you unrepentant of the atrocious actions enacted upon your ship and you to have been equally involved, I will have no compunction to see you hanged for piracy."
Jack paused and took a deep long breath ...so here it is he thought, "Yes for all true purposes Anne was the captain of the ship. She made all the decisions about whom to strike and how. …She is a remarkable woman."
A commotion arose with several men standing to voice their opinions and ask questions as Jack verified Anne as the true captain by testimony. Owens stood now bellowing, "Take your seats this instant! This is a house of the law! There will be a modicum of civility here gentleman!"
The men in the room quieted to a murmur as they once more settled in their seats. Satisfied that he'd regained order, the magistrate went on, "So Mr. Rackham, you have sworn under oath today that you were a captain in name only and that all directive was taken by Miss Anne Bonny." He paused a moment fixing Jack with a scrutinizing stare before he took in a deep breath and leaned back in his chair to continue, "As the overseer of judgement in your case, I can say to look at you that you don't have the air of authority I've seen in previous men I've hanged that have been said to be pirate captains. We have interviewed Miss Anne Bonny already as well as a few of your men that have stated your claims to be true… although their obvious disdain for you led me to wish to hear the words from your own mouth. Now that I have, it comes to reason that you cannot be wholly without blame for the company you keep, but as an official of the law, I see it as my duty to at least give you a chance at reformation."
Jack took a deep breath again and wondered what he meant by a chance to reform. He couldn't reform at the end of a rope, so it seemed at least for now he would escape death, but what did this mean for Anne? Would she take the full fall as the pirate captain and hang like so many before her? Jack shivered at the thought but remembered what Anne had told him to say.
The magistrate went on, "You will be remanded in to custody of one of the many land owners of our town at an auction to take place after the hanging of the remaining pirates from your ship. You will stay in their service for no less than five years with a follow up to see whether or not you are in fact rehabilitated."
Jack looked around as he thought worriedly, 'An auction for me ...like a slave? Well I guess it is better than hanging ...but still 5 years with someone who buys me at auction? ...Ugh!'
Seeing Jack had no rebuttal to his edict, the magistrate nodded his head towards the guards to either side of Jack, "We're done with him, take him to the slave quarters for auction on the morrow."
Of course as he was taken from the room the gentlemen that had been seated rose to speak in a mass on the event happenings while Dean and Graham gave Jack a nod of approval as he was moved past them and back out through the door he'd come through.
Jack was not taken back towards the holding cells he had been put in previously and instead taken into the wing to the South which seemed to smell not unlike a barn. Several pens held people of different cultural backgrounds separated by gender. The majority of them were not Englishmen though, and as such were speaking foreign languages amongst themselves watching Jack as he was shoved in to one of the pens.
Jack was thrown into a pen that resembled a horse stall and smelled just as bad. He heard many different people but most were speaking a tongue foreign to him, so he sat back and thought about what was to come next and what he had done to be in this spot.
It was early afternoon when he'd been placed in this cell, and it was late afternoon by the time Graham and Dean came back by to see him.
Dean was the first to speak to him, "You see there, I told you we would put in a good word for you! Now let us discuss the gritty details of yours and Anne's story."
Jack responded somewhat perturbed now, "What gritty are you talking about? I answered your questions. Anne and I were lovers ...she was smarter than I when it came to everything about ships, and men, and pirating, so I turned the decision making over to her. What else could you possibly want to know?
Dean smiled, "Why history Jack, I want to know everything and anything you can tell me about Anne Bonny's rise to power. She's not in the talking mood, and after tomorrow, you'll be the last living account of the Revenge, so getting any further information to write for our gazette will be a little difficult."
Graham added almost off-handedly, "We want to make sure our story is the one that catches the eye of the public as being the most... informative you see."
Jack sighed somewhat resistant, but he continued because this was to be Anne's legacy, and a place in history was the last thing he would be allowed to give her, "Anne was with me from way back. When I was quartermaster for Vane I came across her in a dirty little town living with a mean little man. One thing led to another and when our ship sailed she was beside me, and we had stayed together since. Eventually Vane lost control of the ship, and I took over my own. At least that is what the men thought. By then the real Anne had emerged, and well, now you know that she was the true power behind the façade," Jack looked off into the distance and sighed deeply.
The men continued asking questions until they felt they'd gained all they could from Jack whom seemed rather forlorn and resigned but willing to answer their questions if only to give Anne her full due.
Once they had spent Jack of what they deemed as valuable information, the men bid him a farewell and wished him luck. Although Jack's luck at this point could be seen as double edged at best.
After the men had left, Jack was left once more to himself until the next day when one of the caretakers brought stale loaves of bread to pass about and one bucket of water with a ladle to share.
After a day ruminating on his plight and the story he had woven of he and Anne, Jack was ready to see what life held for him. As he ate some stale bread, he wondered if this was going to be a typical meal for his foreseeable future. Well at least he escaped the noose; if he was alive he had some hope...
Around midday a few surly looking men came to fetch the first pen of women slaves and bring them around to the front. A few hours passed, and those same men came for the next pen with the men. Extra precaution was taken with the male slaves as they were linked together with a leg chain and led in a procession to the market square. A finely dressed man stood on a stage as one of the slaves was released from the chain to be prodded on to the stage and inspected by potential buyers checking their overall health before starting the bidding.
Apparently Jack was going to have a long wait since he'd been placed at the end of the line.
He watched as each group was led away. Looking at the group ahead he knew it would be a while before it was his turn. What had he gotten himself into he wondered. He already missed Anne and some of his other mates but he knew that those days were long gone as were they. The lingered thought of that struck him once more as his heart sank. The best he could hope for would be that a reasonable person would pay for him and let Jack be of some service that was not too degrading or dangerous. Who knew? Perhaps he could work his way through this and see the ocean again. He didn't want to be too optimistic but he had to have some hope. Without hope he would have been just as well hanged.
One by one the slaves were led up on the stage and auctioned off for an average of twenty-five to one hundred and fifty dollars depending on their age, and probable usage to whomever the buyer was. It would seem that word had gotten around that the infamous pirate Jack Rackham was to be auctioned, and as such the proprietor of the auction had saved him as the ending show piece.
Jack was released from the chain and pushed up onto the stage to be pulled in to the middle where the well-dressed man leading the bidding tapped the cane he was carrying against Jack's calves, he spoke in lower tones to Jack, "Stand up straight now there lad and show these fine gentleman and ladies your best." Having said what he needed to Jack, he turned a broad smile back to the crowd holding his cane as a pointer as he spoke energetically to the crowd not unlike what Jack would imagine hearing at a carnival from a man selling magical elixirs, "Now then! What many of you have been waiting for! You've all heard tales of the dread pirate ship the Revenge carrying the notorious pirates that were hung not but hours ago! Here now I have the lover to the scandalous Anne Bonny herself!" The crowd was mixed where some yelled out expletives and others cat calls at the man's announcement other's still just seemed captivated by the prospect and had moved forward to gawk at him quite taken by the stories and the fanciful notion of owning such a prize.
Jack moved to the stage as if in a daze. He stood straight and turned as instructed the various expletives from the crowd but a blur of sound. He did stop a second when the man mentioned Anne and once again mumbled a silent goodbye to his lover before his thoughts turned to wonder about whom would buy him and for what possible purpose?
The auctioneer seemed to note he had grabbed the attention he'd desired and announced, "So then, who would like to start the bidding!"
Several voices shouted out various prices; the first to shout started the bidding at fifty dollars, but within minutes the price had sky rocketed to nearly six hundred dollars leaving off between two remaining bidders. One a gentleman known about town as a collector of oddities and presumably had plans to showcase Jack as a parlor trick because he had more money than he knew what to do with. The other man was a seedy individual that seemed rather out of place to be bidding at a price so high, and his intentions were unknown. Many cheered others quietly left the bidding circle as the two men went far beyond a reasonable price range for a slave. The proprietor seemed rather elated as such a penny for any slave was unheard of.
When the bidding staled at six hundred and twenty-five dollars to the sordid fellow a woman's voice was heard to echo soundly across the market square, "Eight hundred dollars!"
A hush felled the crowd as both remaining bidders turned to see who had outbid them by a fair amount. A woman dressed in a turquoise sequenced gown made her way to the stage as the crowd parted. Her hair was the color of ravens, her skin alabaster, and her eyes a cold blue that did not waver as she strode purposefully forward accompanied by six armed men, two at her back, two at her sides, and two at her front.
The auctioneer seemed taken aback that it was a woman who had laid such a claim, "Madam?" He regained his wits quite quickly though announcing to the crowd now, "Yes! Eight hundred dollars! Do I hear eight hundred and twenty-five?" He looked around, but the other two men were shaking their heads apparently not willing to go that high. The auctioneer called out once more, "Sold to the lovely lady for eight hundred dollars!"
Jack had watched and listened as the amount of money grew and grew. He was really quite amazed and wondered what he would have to do to make up for that. Then he heard the woman call out eight hundred dollars, and he looked, squinting against the sun, but he had no idea who this woman was. She was well guarded and obviously very wealthy. What is heavens name was going on here?
The woman conveyed no expression of emotion outside a crease of her cheek denoting a slight smirk as she glanced over at Jack and back to the auctioneer before addressing the man to her left, "Harold, settle my accounts with this gentleman. Derrek and John, take my newly acquired slave and load him in the wagon for transport." The two men leading moved up on to either side of Jack each taking a bicep and moving Jack off the stage towards the street where a large reinforced steel cage awaited him.
Jack simply slowed himself to be led off by the men; there was no use even thinking about resisting as that would be futile. Into the cage he went still wondering what had just happened and who this woman was.
Once Jack was secured into the wagon, the men began wrapping the cage in canvas to the point that Jack could no longer see outside over miniscule holes that didn't give much in the way of a clear view. The sun was beginning to fade and as such, the inside of the enclosure would be hard to see anything within an hour's time. It wasn't long of a wait before the wagon lurched forward and the steady clip clop of hooves on cobblestone echoed around Jack. They traversed through the city and onto an obvious country road by the time it grew dark, and it wasn't for several more hours at a steady clip did the wagon finally stagger to a stop.