Okay, so heres chapter one!
I hope you like it.
:}
Disclaimer: Alas, my dogs are not scurvy nor shall they ever be.
Chapter One
"Kris hurry!" A disgruntled William yells at me.
"Whats going on?" I question while I load my knapsack with my pistol, ammo, an extra white shirt, a pair of black britches, and lighter.
"I'll explain on the way to the jail. Just hurry, please." I pull the bag shut and sling it over my right shoulder. I quickly doublecheck that my rapier is securly tied at my hip on the right and my dagger is on the left, all set. A loud explosion makes me snap my eyes to Williams brown ones. "Kris!" He calls, reaching for me. I take his hand as he pulls me out of my room, then my house. My lean legs actually srtuggle to keep up with his hasty pace.
What could make William this desperate to get to the jail? I glance up at my closest friend. His tanned face is set in a determined scowl. Did something happen to his precious Elizabeth? I mentally slap myself for my thought. I should not envy her or think that way about them. No matter how much it pains me to think he loves her more than he could ever love me. William is my best friend, he and I will always be together, even if it's not the way I wish we could be. I hold back a sigh as William's grip on my hand tightens. Almost as if he read my thoughts, he pauses in his sprint and pulls me into him for a strong hug. I gasp at the sudden movement and peer up at him. My forehead only comes to his chin. He stares down at me for what seems like hours before he finally begins to speak.
"Krissy," he sighs softly, "do you trust me?"
"Of course, William," I answer readily. What is making him act like this? "You know I do."
"Elizabeth has been taken by pirates. I need to get her back." His dark brown eyes harden and it seems that he is no longer looking at me but at something in his own mind.
"She is important to you?" He nods confidently. "Then she is important to me."
"Thank you, Krissy Amelia Jacobs Wood." He smiles and the dark tint in his eyes retreats. Something tells me that I shall be seeing a lot of that look soon.
"Krissy Jacobs is just fine, William Turner Jr." I tease and he chuckles briefly.
"Let's go." We break from our sudden embrace as he immediately drags me along till we reach the jail. My eyes meet his in a question but he simply leads me down to where the prisoners are kept. He stops in front of the last cell. There is a man inside glaring out at us, or rather William. I do not think he has noticed me just yet.
"Jack Sparrow," William says curtly. The man looks up at the name.
"Yes?" I hear him grunt, "And it's Captain Jack Sparrow if you please."
"Fine. You're going to help me."
"Oh really now?"
"Yes. Elizabeth Swann has been taken by pirates and you are going to help me get her back."
"What makes you think im going to do that? I'm locked up aren't I? Bloody dog." He rolls his eyes and leans back against the cell wall. I look up at William for a moment; his twenty-two year old features sporting an angry frown.
"I'll spring you free." William finally says. The man, Captain Jack Sparrow bends foreward as though he is interested.
"An' 'ow you gonna do that, huh?"
"I can free you." I speak up. Both William and Jack turn to stare at me like they have just noticed my presence.
"Who are you, princess?" Jack asks, eyeing me for a moment. Being stared at by men has never weirded me out or intimidated me, but being pretty much 'checked out' by the scrutinizing eyes of a pirate, more specifically a pirate Captain, that is another story. I suddenly become hyperaware of the wrinkles on my white button up blouse, the dirt on my faded grey britches that reach just below my knees, and the fact that my hip length sandy brown hair is haphazardly thrown into a messy bun, instead of its usual braid, with loads of random strands falling out and framing my face, plus it very much needs to be put under a decent wash right about now. I am sure my wonderfuly pale-skinned face is showing off the remnants of a punishment from a few weeks ago. I shift my knapsack higher on my shoulder.
"Does it really matter at this moment in time?" I answer his question with my own while shrugging.
"Krissy?" William hisses as I take my hand from his grip and step closer to the cell, glancing over the metal bars keeping Jack locked inside.
"Well?" He asks, obviously not even trying to hide his disbelief and amusement.
"William, take that bench and bring it here." I point behind me to the dirty furniture against the wall. He hesitates slightly but does as I say. I flip the bench up, even with the bars and place the legs in the small squares. "Help me." Together William and I shove the bench up and the welded bars fall, signaling Jack's freedom.
"Hmmm," he mumbles stepping out of the cell. He looks at me carefully once more, again making me self conscious for some ungodly reason, before turning to William, "and how are we going to catch up to your bonny lass?"
We left the jail and raced to the docks after Jack picked up a hat and other items. We soon ended up commandeering the H.M.S. Dauntless by outsmarting two guards, and not long after, we have taken Port Royal's fastest ship, the Intercepter. Everytihng has happened so quickly that I have simply accepted that I: a) helped free a pirate criminal from jail, b) stole the H.M.S. Dauntless only to catch up to the Intercepter and take it, which leads to c) sailing to Tortuga, to gather some help, with my closest friend William Turner and a pirate Captain, Jack Sparrow; so d) we can ultimately rescue William's love interest Elizabeth. What have I gotten myself into? Part of me is extremely excited about this adventure, but I cannot shake the foreboding dread hanging over me as we sail under the black sky; stars present but no moon.
I find myself unable to sleep. William went to bed long ago in the Captain's quarters. I have taken to the stern of the ship, leaning over the edge to glance at the dark water below. Jack is behind me at the helm navigating us. Every now and then I hear the soft click of Jack opening and closing his compass. We do not speak; we just revel in the comfortable sounds the sea and wind bestow upon us. A soft sigh, however, manages to slip from my lips as I pull my dreadfully long hair from its messy bun. I have never cut it; I do not find the need to. I set my small bag at my feet and gently begin to tug my fingers through my hair and drape the reddish brown strands over my right shoulder in front of me. After a few minutes of finger-combing my tangled mess of hair, I pull it back to braid it as I normally wear it. I untie one of two black ribbons from my left wrist and retie the short ribbon around the end of my braid. I feel eyes upon me as I complete my task of braiding and tying but I do not turn to see who they belong, for I already know. I sigh once more and look up at the stars.
"It's quite late. Shouldn't you be in bed, princess?" Jack asks from the helm. I do not look at him as I reply.
"I need not sleep, Captain." I calmly shrug, "For sleep only brings me nightmares that would keep me awake." He stays silent for a minute before speaking again.
"I never got your name." At this I turn my face to his. There is not much light, but I have always had excellent night vision. I can make out his stoic features. His hat rests snugly atop his head, seemingly symbolizing his claim to the title of 'Captain.'
"It's Krissy, Krissy Jacobs," I smile revealing my teeth, "but you may call me Kris if you wish, Captain." He grunts in approval as I rturn my curious gaze to the stars slowly, almost hoping he will ask me something else.
"You don't look very old."
"I am old enough to understand death and accept its ways."
"Ah, then you must be older than I, princess." I hear him chuckle darkly.
"I am nearly twenty-one. I am considered mature I suppose."
"Indeed, my dear." I feel his eyes shift off of me, I assume back to the front. I sharply turn from my spot near the edge of the ship and walk the brief distance to his side. I noitce that I only reach his shoulder. How sad is that? No wonder he asked my age. I think with a sneer.
"So, Captain Jack Sparrow, what brought you to Port Royal?" I ask trying to appear nonchalant.
"I needed a bigger ship." He shrugs stiffly.
"Ah, don't we all?" I chortle and turn away form him. "Well, I guess I'll attempt to sleep then."
"G'night."
"Goodnight, Captain," with those parting words I leave him.
A few weeks have passed and I am in desperate, I repeat desperate, need of a long bath. We have raeched Tortuga and Jack says he needs to find someone. While he ran off to complete his business, William and I decided to stroll along the streets. Not a very brilliant idea in my book, but I rather did not want to stay on the Intercepter much longer.
"Do you even know where we are?" I ask for most likely the tenth time in the past five minutes.
"Krissy, hush." My friend demands with a growl. I merely roll my eyes and swerve away from yet another drunken man lying in the middle of the bustling street. We pass by a tavern called the Faithful Bride and I swear I hear Jack yelling and the sounds of a fight, but I shrug it off and continue walking along.
"Hey you! Stop right there you damn brat!" I glance to the source of the scream when-
"Ow." I frown as someone knocks me to the ground.
"Watch it." The culprit grunts and continues sprinting away.
"Kris, you alright?" William helps me up and I face the direction that the boy ran off in. A sudden urge makes me decide to chase after him, leaving a very confused William in my wake. "Kri-Kris! Wait!" I do not listen as I turn down an alley to corner the boy, but three men have beaten me to him.
"Hey you little shit. Be good and give it back now." The largest of the three slurs. The boy glances between them frantically, backing up a few steps.
"Come on," another cracks his knuckles in some form of intimidation. I stifle a laugh as I pull my dagger from its place at my side. I sneak behind the largest bully and bring the blunt of my weapon to the nape of his neck. He staggers forward with a screetch of cusses. The two others shift from him to his attacker, me. A brief moment of dazed confusion, most likely from all the alcohol these brutes probably digested the past who knows how many hours, then they strike. I quickly resheath my dagger and dodge the craking-knuckles thug with ease. The other lunges but I land a foot between his ribcage. He scowls and bends over, I take the oppurtunity to bring an elbow down to his neck, while efficiantly swinging a kick to the side stomach of my other attacker. The man flys back as I knee the other in the chin causing him to land on his back, but he does not get back up. Good, one more. I let out a long breath as my last opponent prepares himself to retaliate. A smirk graces my full lips as I ready my left arm to hit him straight on the nose. He chooses to make the first move with a raised fist of his own. I grab his open hand and pull it down; at the same time my fist comes in contact with its predetermined destination. The result is perfect: plenty of blood and a broken nose. The man stumbles away from me as soon as I release my grip. The largest man, my first victim, smartly decides to follow suit. I watch them with a triumphant smile as they retreat from the alleyway. A utterly shocked William stares at me, his jaw at his feet.
"You'll catch flies like that William."I laugh sticking out my tongue at him and placing my hands on my hips. I feel a sudden tug on my braid that ceases my laughter momentarily. I carefully turn to face the person.
"Hi." I greet the small child in front of me. He glares at me for a moment.
"I didn't need your damn help, you know."
"Oh?" I blink as I vaugely hear multiple footsteps echo towards the boy and me. The chaos of Tortuga is lost in this alley. It almost seems as though there is some kind of sound barrier that separates the pirate infested city from the small alleyway I am standing in.
"Yeah. I was fine until you damn well showed up." He continues to chastise.
"Well, I'm sorry then. Should I have let them back you al the way against the wall and beat whatever it is you stole from you?" I tilt my head in a questioning manner and arch an eyebrow. The child's eyes widen and cheeks tint light pink.
"Krissy," William's voice enters the quiet barrier.
"What's your name, hm?" I ask kindly. No point in trying to scare the child anymore than he already is. He looks at me for a minute before seeming to makeup his mind.
"I'm Cathrin."
"Pardon?" My eye twitches. I thought she was a he. Oh dear god. He is a girl?
"Cathrin, but call me Cath."
"Yo-you're a girl?" William voices my mental question.
"Well no shit." She rolls her light blue eyes. "It's the damn hat I swear." She removes the black newsboy hat and shoulder length blond locks spill out from underneath. "There. Happy now? You damn well better be."
"Oi! Mind tellin' me what the hell's goin' on over here?" I spin around at the familiar voice to see Jack and some fat guy at the front of the alley.
"Jack!" William greets. "Kris chased after this bo-girl and-"
"I know what happened. I saw it all."
"Cath, s'at you?" The fat guy calls. "What are you doin' down here? Causin' trouble again? It's no wonder they call you 'The Street Filth of Tortuga,' all the problems you get yerself into."
"Aw, Gibbs," Cath groans and steps beside me, only coming up just below my shoulder, "not you, damn."
"'The Street Filth of Tortuga,' huh?" I look back at her. She shrugs and gives me the 'don't-ask-me-look,' but I can tell she adores the title. "I think you and me are going to get along just fine, Cath. Name's Krissy, call me Kris."
"Come on, Cathrin." She casts her eyes to the ground and barely makes her way to the man, Gibbs. I follow after her.
"William," I beckon when I notice he is not walking with us. He shakes his head and quickly catches up.