In search of a Winter's Night
Summery: Pintel and Ragetti are separated before they fall to the gallows, Elizabeth doesn't understand why they are acting so strangely afterward- Jack stops by for a visit and explains why...Pintel/Regetti much fluffy-ness & laaaav! Disclamerrrrr: Ah own'snuthin! R is really for later chapters...
Chap 1-Smoke...is rising in the shadows overhead...
The Black Pearl, the last real pirate façade of the Caribbean, the unstoppable ship, they said it's crew was cursed. They were of the un-dying they said, demons freshly crawled from hell, murderous miscreants who would gladly steal and kill from their own mother's they were. They never left survivors...Or so I've heard from the stories, but then again...if they left no survivors-where did the stories come from? Apparently the stories were taken well out of context, as I saw for myself much later on. Great battles were performed, blood spilt on coins, marriages assembling then crumbling days later, and decade old curses lifting. After all was said and done, after a marvelous "escaping" done by the infamous Jack Sparrow-The Black Pearl was his once again-with a new crew of course...But, it's what happens to the old crew of the Pearl-particular two in mind-is what this story concerns about.
"NO! Please! Ye'can't do this!" "Un-hand me-ye filthy murderous bas'tards!"
After the last great battle, when the curse of the dead was vanquished, all that of the Pearl that still lived were taken back to Port Royal aboard the Dauntless. All were separated into small groups in various dungeons and shabby makeshift cells throughout the city-to keep them from "scheming with one another" as they said. Wasn't very nice of them now was it? No trials were to be held, no fair warning or last rites. In six days, all will be killed in a grand festival in the square as for celebration of their capture. I take you now high, high, to the holding towers within the heart of Port Royal. Here we be in the main jail, with its moldy stone and cold unforgiving iron, the light is dim, the lingering scent of sorrows and the cries of ghosts-long dead and forgotten reign...a chill is always present in the air...
Two wiged guardsmen are having a difficult time with a un- cooperating Pearl pirate, his name is Pintel, a balding heavy-set man in his early-thirties who was much stronger then he looked. The three were halfway out of a filthy cell, they were going to move him across the city, separating him from a much younger man. Both guards had to take hold of either arm, Pintel was struggling violently, furiously trying to shake them off. The younger man was on the kneeling on the floor gripping onto Pintel's pant leg, he was screaming and crying as if being beaten. The poor boy's name was Raggetti, prone to foolishness and play-he was more boy than man, but by the way he was acting- it was if this older man was his world.
"Stop this madness Pirate! Do not force us to kill you here!" claimed Guardsman #1. "Let go of me ye scurvy dogs! Ye have no right t'do this!" bellowed Pintel, as he felt the exhaustion setting in from the violent twisting and frantic turning. "Please...please! We'll be good-Ah swear! Just don'take im'away from me..." Ragetti begged, tears streaming down his grimy cheeks in torrents. The other guardsman was getting bored with Pintel's fussing, in a swift movement, he unsheathed his sword and slammed the hilt into Pintel's soloplex. "NO!" screamed Ragetti, his hands flying to his face in shock as Pintel automatically doubled over gasping for air. Guardsman #2 decided not to stop it there, as he quickly brought the sword hilt from Pintel's stomach, to the back of the head. Colors fizzed in and out in front of his eyes as darkness over-came him, slumping in the arms. "Finally..." said the first Guardsman exasperated, then he stole a glance as Ragetti. He was staring at Pintel with wet eyes and his hands over his mouth whimpering, his trembling was quite visible. The Guardsman gained a sadistic glint in his eyes... Raggeti felt as if the world were crumbling underneath him...all was lost...all was gone...what would he do without Pintel? Without even realizing what was happening, the heel of an overly-polished boot caught sharply to the side of his head. With a cry he was thrown backward into the cell, as the loud clang signified the cell door being slammed shut and locked, condemning him to the hell they had just created.
Loud sobs racked his body, as he lay on the cold stone floor, he turned to see the guards drag the only one to have ever cared for him down the hall, down the stairs, out of sight, and out of his life... "No...." He shuffled onto all fours as he crawled slowly to the bars. "No...no please..." He kneeled clinging to the wrought iron in hopelessness, "No...Pintel, oh no...", he sobbed, alone from the world.
He felt the cold under his hands for the first time in years, at any other point he would have marveled at the sensation he has missed-the rught texture of the stone, the sharp smell of forgotten food, even the clothes on his back, but now...now...Nothing mattered anymore...He lowered his head to hit it lightly against the bars. "Please don't leave me...please...Ah...Ah don't want t' die alone..."
All the while quietly in the shadows upon the staircase that led to the upper court, stood a snooping gossipy young women who couldn't mind her own business carrying a tray of cold, moldy food. Her name is of little importance, her jobs were though...This secondary job of hers was to supply food and drink to the prisoners and guards and this sanctum, her first job though, was a maid in the gov'ners household. "Cor, wait till mi'lady hears about this!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"Just another day in paradise..." Said Elizabeth Swann wistfully to herself as she changed into her bedclothes. Everything was right with the world, Jack had the Pearl, she had Will, and soon-Barbosa's crew would all have broken necks...Yes, karma ruled all. Everyone got what they deserved.
"Eve'n Miss!" "Oh, good evening" Were the words exchanged as the maid entered Elizabeth's room that night, as she brought in a small tray of almond biscuits and wine.
"An'ow was ye day miss?" the maid asked politely as she set they tray on the nightstand next to the oil lamp, then helped Elizabeth into bed. "Oh, perfect...as everyday is..." Elizabeth couldn't help herself as she smiled, she was in love-what could she say? "Cor, mi'lady! Ah almost forgot!" "What is it?" Asked Elizabeth, her brows suddenly furrowing. "Ah saw t'strangest thin't'day, ah did!"
"Okay..." She responed, expecting something more.
"Never saw any'ting like it Ah did!" the maid said 'tucking' Elizabeth in. "And what was is?" Elizabeth was getting impatient. "Well miss, ah was up in t'cell to'wars, y'know, bring'n the guards an'pris'ners, their food an such..." the maid told, as she busied herself at the fire, putting coal in a warming pan.
"Go on..."Usually Elizabeth could care less what 'the maid' had to say (I think her name is Estra..Estella..Eilsa...? Whatever-It doesn't matter Liz thought to herself) , yet, she felt strangely compelled to hear the rest of this story...
"Well miss, ah was jus'abou't'get t'the cells-Ah was on t'stairs y'see.... When ah reli'zed they was seperating t'last two pirates. They don't wan'them conversin'see? Don't want no escapin'. So, Ah was on t'stairs wotchin'these two guards wrestle with a pirate, coz'theys gots ta move'im, see? But there was a'nother pirate, dere'wit'im. An'e was crying an'carrin'on, cling'in to the other pirate, see? But, one of t'guards pulled a fast one on'im, gave t'strug'lin pirate a good pat wif'iz sword butt-knocked'im out. Then the other guard kicked the other pirate square in t'face'e did, threw'im far t'th'back o'th'cell e'did!" She had finished with the pot, and began to place it within the covers of Elizabeth's bed. "Is...that it?" asked Elizabeth inquisitively. The maid looked up at her, "Oh no, miss! Ah was jus'getting't'th'strange part! See, when th'dragged away t'big pirate, t'lil'one, was cry'in an'act'in as if'e were in luv'wit'im!" The maid chuckled to herself, as if the idea was foolish. "Umm..." "Oh, yes miss? "What...did these pirates look like? Do you remember?" "Well miss...t'one they took a'way was big...bald'ead...but-but'air on't sides y'know? T'udder, 'e was lan'ky...an'tall'e was, yun'ga dan t'udder too me'thinks...wa'else?" she put a finger to her chin, trying to remember. "Did...", the maid looked up. "Did the taller one...did he-have one eye?" "Don't think so miss." "I mean...was one not real...wooden maybe?" The maid's face brightened. "Yea, yea Ah thinks so! I went to feeds'im, an'e'ju'looked up at me all sad like-an one of 'is eyes was red! Cor...that explains it.." Elizabeth felt strange all of a sudden, almost guilty for some reason. "Did he eat?" "No miss, jus'put 'is'ead back down an star'ted cry'in'gain, twas a sad sight it twas. Never thought pirates were human enough t'cry."
"....Neither did I..." "Miss?" "Yes?" "Do...do'y'fink dey were one of those...men..."she lowered her voice to a whisper, "On of those men, who...prefer other men!?" "I-I don't rightly know..." "Cor-if that's th'case, Ah can't wait t'see'im'anged at t'festival! G'night miss!" She said as she walked out. She remembered them, the ones who had kidnapped her.
They were very hard to forget-they caught her, they cleaned the ship as a pair, and together they killed nearly half of the men trying to save her...
They were with each other every time she saw them (which was often), but it never really clicked in her head, at that time they were just nameless pirates... Elizabeth turned to her side and snuggled deep into the bed, she wasn't looking forward to the festival the much anymore. Throughout the night, she tossed and turned, she kept having nightmares about being happy and loved by Will, he was then roughly pulled away from her, then...they both were hanged in front of millions of people, as they shouted words of torment and shame.
She was roughly shook out of her dreams hour's later-literally...buy a featureless man standing above her with a sword. He placed a foul smelling hand over her mouth so her screams weren't heard...
OMG! What's going to happen? Who is this strange man that broke into
Liz's room? What will happen to our poor Ragetti-alone and desolate
in the world? Where in the great big city was Pintel taken? Who is
sneaking into Port Royale right now as we speak? What will become of
the rest of the 'Cursed' crew? Does Will matter? (No) How did our two
favorite gay pirates meet? Why are we looking for a winter's night?
All this and more-next week on: "In search of a Winter's Night: Chap
2-To breath a sigh or two..."!
Summery: Pintel and Ragetti are separated before they fall to the gallows, Elizabeth doesn't understand why they are acting so strangely afterward- Jack stops by for a visit and explains why...Pintel/Regetti much fluffy-ness & laaaav! Disclamerrrrr: Ah own'snuthin! R is really for later chapters...
Chap 1-Smoke...is rising in the shadows overhead...
The Black Pearl, the last real pirate façade of the Caribbean, the unstoppable ship, they said it's crew was cursed. They were of the un-dying they said, demons freshly crawled from hell, murderous miscreants who would gladly steal and kill from their own mother's they were. They never left survivors...Or so I've heard from the stories, but then again...if they left no survivors-where did the stories come from? Apparently the stories were taken well out of context, as I saw for myself much later on. Great battles were performed, blood spilt on coins, marriages assembling then crumbling days later, and decade old curses lifting. After all was said and done, after a marvelous "escaping" done by the infamous Jack Sparrow-The Black Pearl was his once again-with a new crew of course...But, it's what happens to the old crew of the Pearl-particular two in mind-is what this story concerns about.
"NO! Please! Ye'can't do this!" "Un-hand me-ye filthy murderous bas'tards!"
After the last great battle, when the curse of the dead was vanquished, all that of the Pearl that still lived were taken back to Port Royal aboard the Dauntless. All were separated into small groups in various dungeons and shabby makeshift cells throughout the city-to keep them from "scheming with one another" as they said. Wasn't very nice of them now was it? No trials were to be held, no fair warning or last rites. In six days, all will be killed in a grand festival in the square as for celebration of their capture. I take you now high, high, to the holding towers within the heart of Port Royal. Here we be in the main jail, with its moldy stone and cold unforgiving iron, the light is dim, the lingering scent of sorrows and the cries of ghosts-long dead and forgotten reign...a chill is always present in the air...
Two wiged guardsmen are having a difficult time with a un- cooperating Pearl pirate, his name is Pintel, a balding heavy-set man in his early-thirties who was much stronger then he looked. The three were halfway out of a filthy cell, they were going to move him across the city, separating him from a much younger man. Both guards had to take hold of either arm, Pintel was struggling violently, furiously trying to shake them off. The younger man was on the kneeling on the floor gripping onto Pintel's pant leg, he was screaming and crying as if being beaten. The poor boy's name was Raggetti, prone to foolishness and play-he was more boy than man, but by the way he was acting- it was if this older man was his world.
"Stop this madness Pirate! Do not force us to kill you here!" claimed Guardsman #1. "Let go of me ye scurvy dogs! Ye have no right t'do this!" bellowed Pintel, as he felt the exhaustion setting in from the violent twisting and frantic turning. "Please...please! We'll be good-Ah swear! Just don'take im'away from me..." Ragetti begged, tears streaming down his grimy cheeks in torrents. The other guardsman was getting bored with Pintel's fussing, in a swift movement, he unsheathed his sword and slammed the hilt into Pintel's soloplex. "NO!" screamed Ragetti, his hands flying to his face in shock as Pintel automatically doubled over gasping for air. Guardsman #2 decided not to stop it there, as he quickly brought the sword hilt from Pintel's stomach, to the back of the head. Colors fizzed in and out in front of his eyes as darkness over-came him, slumping in the arms. "Finally..." said the first Guardsman exasperated, then he stole a glance as Ragetti. He was staring at Pintel with wet eyes and his hands over his mouth whimpering, his trembling was quite visible. The Guardsman gained a sadistic glint in his eyes... Raggeti felt as if the world were crumbling underneath him...all was lost...all was gone...what would he do without Pintel? Without even realizing what was happening, the heel of an overly-polished boot caught sharply to the side of his head. With a cry he was thrown backward into the cell, as the loud clang signified the cell door being slammed shut and locked, condemning him to the hell they had just created.
Loud sobs racked his body, as he lay on the cold stone floor, he turned to see the guards drag the only one to have ever cared for him down the hall, down the stairs, out of sight, and out of his life... "No...." He shuffled onto all fours as he crawled slowly to the bars. "No...no please..." He kneeled clinging to the wrought iron in hopelessness, "No...Pintel, oh no...", he sobbed, alone from the world.
He felt the cold under his hands for the first time in years, at any other point he would have marveled at the sensation he has missed-the rught texture of the stone, the sharp smell of forgotten food, even the clothes on his back, but now...now...Nothing mattered anymore...He lowered his head to hit it lightly against the bars. "Please don't leave me...please...Ah...Ah don't want t' die alone..."
All the while quietly in the shadows upon the staircase that led to the upper court, stood a snooping gossipy young women who couldn't mind her own business carrying a tray of cold, moldy food. Her name is of little importance, her jobs were though...This secondary job of hers was to supply food and drink to the prisoners and guards and this sanctum, her first job though, was a maid in the gov'ners household. "Cor, wait till mi'lady hears about this!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"Just another day in paradise..." Said Elizabeth Swann wistfully to herself as she changed into her bedclothes. Everything was right with the world, Jack had the Pearl, she had Will, and soon-Barbosa's crew would all have broken necks...Yes, karma ruled all. Everyone got what they deserved.
"Eve'n Miss!" "Oh, good evening" Were the words exchanged as the maid entered Elizabeth's room that night, as she brought in a small tray of almond biscuits and wine.
"An'ow was ye day miss?" the maid asked politely as she set they tray on the nightstand next to the oil lamp, then helped Elizabeth into bed. "Oh, perfect...as everyday is..." Elizabeth couldn't help herself as she smiled, she was in love-what could she say? "Cor, mi'lady! Ah almost forgot!" "What is it?" Asked Elizabeth, her brows suddenly furrowing. "Ah saw t'strangest thin't'day, ah did!"
"Okay..." She responed, expecting something more.
"Never saw any'ting like it Ah did!" the maid said 'tucking' Elizabeth in. "And what was is?" Elizabeth was getting impatient. "Well miss, ah was up in t'cell to'wars, y'know, bring'n the guards an'pris'ners, their food an such..." the maid told, as she busied herself at the fire, putting coal in a warming pan.
"Go on..."Usually Elizabeth could care less what 'the maid' had to say (I think her name is Estra..Estella..Eilsa...? Whatever-It doesn't matter Liz thought to herself) , yet, she felt strangely compelled to hear the rest of this story...
"Well miss, ah was jus'abou't'get t'the cells-Ah was on t'stairs y'see.... When ah reli'zed they was seperating t'last two pirates. They don't wan'them conversin'see? Don't want no escapin'. So, Ah was on t'stairs wotchin'these two guards wrestle with a pirate, coz'theys gots ta move'im, see? But there was a'nother pirate, dere'wit'im. An'e was crying an'carrin'on, cling'in to the other pirate, see? But, one of t'guards pulled a fast one on'im, gave t'strug'lin pirate a good pat wif'iz sword butt-knocked'im out. Then the other guard kicked the other pirate square in t'face'e did, threw'im far t'th'back o'th'cell e'did!" She had finished with the pot, and began to place it within the covers of Elizabeth's bed. "Is...that it?" asked Elizabeth inquisitively. The maid looked up at her, "Oh no, miss! Ah was jus'getting't'th'strange part! See, when th'dragged away t'big pirate, t'lil'one, was cry'in an'act'in as if'e were in luv'wit'im!" The maid chuckled to herself, as if the idea was foolish. "Umm..." "Oh, yes miss? "What...did these pirates look like? Do you remember?" "Well miss...t'one they took a'way was big...bald'ead...but-but'air on't sides y'know? T'udder, 'e was lan'ky...an'tall'e was, yun'ga dan t'udder too me'thinks...wa'else?" she put a finger to her chin, trying to remember. "Did...", the maid looked up. "Did the taller one...did he-have one eye?" "Don't think so miss." "I mean...was one not real...wooden maybe?" The maid's face brightened. "Yea, yea Ah thinks so! I went to feeds'im, an'e'ju'looked up at me all sad like-an one of 'is eyes was red! Cor...that explains it.." Elizabeth felt strange all of a sudden, almost guilty for some reason. "Did he eat?" "No miss, jus'put 'is'ead back down an star'ted cry'in'gain, twas a sad sight it twas. Never thought pirates were human enough t'cry."
"....Neither did I..." "Miss?" "Yes?" "Do...do'y'fink dey were one of those...men..."she lowered her voice to a whisper, "On of those men, who...prefer other men!?" "I-I don't rightly know..." "Cor-if that's th'case, Ah can't wait t'see'im'anged at t'festival! G'night miss!" She said as she walked out. She remembered them, the ones who had kidnapped her.
They were very hard to forget-they caught her, they cleaned the ship as a pair, and together they killed nearly half of the men trying to save her...
They were with each other every time she saw them (which was often), but it never really clicked in her head, at that time they were just nameless pirates... Elizabeth turned to her side and snuggled deep into the bed, she wasn't looking forward to the festival the much anymore. Throughout the night, she tossed and turned, she kept having nightmares about being happy and loved by Will, he was then roughly pulled away from her, then...they both were hanged in front of millions of people, as they shouted words of torment and shame.
She was roughly shook out of her dreams hour's later-literally...buy a featureless man standing above her with a sword. He placed a foul smelling hand over her mouth so her screams weren't heard...
OMG! What's going to happen? Who is this strange man that broke into
Liz's room? What will happen to our poor Ragetti-alone and desolate
in the world? Where in the great big city was Pintel taken? Who is
sneaking into Port Royale right now as we speak? What will become of
the rest of the 'Cursed' crew? Does Will matter? (No) How did our two
favorite gay pirates meet? Why are we looking for a winter's night?
All this and more-next week on: "In search of a Winter's Night: Chap
2-To breath a sigh or two..."!