Author's note: Another loooong one, mates, then then some real adventure come Janie's way in upcoming chapters, as she is truly introduced to the world of the Black Pearl! Enjoy! Pirate Cat
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The winds were quite strong as the Black Pearl pointed her bowsprit westward, then southward, away from Ireland and out into the broad expanses of the Atlantic. Janie had completely enjoyed the departure, now being viewed from Jack's cabin. She felt incredibly energized by the crew's enthusiasm to be out upon the sparkling waves.
She watched the outline of Eire disappear before her eyes, and could feel Jack pressed against her back, his arms around her, his bearded chin resting upon her shoulder. His feet were planted wide apart, upon either side of hers, and she could feel the strong muscles in his lanky, thin legs helping to hold her steady against the motion of the Pearl... it was wonderfully reassuring.
Janie had passed the time merely exchanging small talk with William and Elizabeth as they stood at the opened windows at the ship's stern, so that they could watch the shrinking coastline seem to evaporate into the bright water that was churning at the Pearl's rudder. It was then that she noticed that Jack was not saying a word... he was only staring out the window, completely lost in thought, with a tinge of something that she could not quite identify in his eyes that concerned her.
"Jack?"
"Hm?" They all breathed as slight sigh of relief as he responded immediately... he was not letting anything overcome him from the deep, dark troubled depths of his damaged mind... at least not this time... he was clear eyed and clear headed.
"Jack, are ye alright, darlin'?" Janie turned to look at her dark gypsy, as William brought out mugs and a bottle of rum for them all... Elizabeth pulled the heavy chairs around the large mahogany table from where they were secured to the cabin's walls for departure.
The captain heaved a deep sigh, and said, "Aye... I'm alright." Momentarily brightening, he took Janie's chin in his hand and turned her face up to his, "Did ye enjoy th' view from the sea, love? Eire is a sight like no other, eh?"
William poured rum and said, "Eire is place like no other place in the world, in my opinion, cousin..." his own young face became serious, as he added, "... I have seen things that none of you have seen... and I never want to see them again..." turning to Elizabeth, who was pouring a small amount of water into her own rum, William said, "... our lives now are all that I could ever wish for... for a long time I had no hope, until we fished Jack out of the Caribbean Sea from a floundering dinghy...a strange package for hope to arrive in..." William nodded to the captain, who was again, lost in thought at William's words...
Jack would have laughed at the memory, but there were memories of his own flooding his mind... and he was struggling hard against them... memories of his first departure from the rugged emerald coast of his homeland...
... he was only six years old, and scared out of his wits, chained to other unfortunates who had been sold to Captain Jonas Culpepper and were sentenced to slavery for doing no wrong except for being poor, or in his case, poor and "coloured"... he had been snatched away from his burning home, his mother dead at the hand of Janie's father, all for a desperate, miserly desire for money... the last face that he saw before he was overtaken with terror and knocked senseless by a hand across his face was the tearful, horror stricken face of his best friend, eight year old Janie, who was watching from the forest, as her best friend was dragged away... he remembered seeing his homeland disappear before his dark child's eyes, before he was roughly dragged to a hold below deck and chained to the hull until his work would be assigned... he couldn't even speak English, and was only 6 years old and torn away from the only life and home he'd ever known...
"Jack?"
"I'm fine! I'm fine!" Jack shook himself from his thoughts with a loud clattering of beads, his hands raising up as if in some sort of submission... Janie reached up and touched his cheek, as she handed him a mug of rum and gently pulled him over to sit at the table with the Turners, who were watching him closely. The captain sat down and rested his elbows on the table, rum in one hand and the other reaching over for Janie's... she also reached for his hand, and gripped it tightly, as she suspected what he was thinking simply from the slight frown on his face... "I was just recalling my first departure from Eire on th' 'Queen o' th' Dark'..."
Looking at the sympathetic faces around him and relieved that all of his companions knew the sordid story of his past in the shackles of slavery, and relieved that they did not feel ashamed of him, he reached his mug over the table, indicating that he wished to propose a toast with his loved ones, sitting here in his own cabin on his own ship, sailing on the sea that he loved so much and that was so much a part of him. As they all leaned in, Jack squeezed Janie's hand and proclaimed, "Here's to th' crew o' th' Black Pearl... happiness, prosperity, an' long lives to us all... but most of all, freedom upon th' sea to us all... we are free t' sail t' th' ends o' th' earth... Slainte!"
And as they tapped their mugs together and drank, grateful for the lives that they were living, Jack and William remembered another time that Jack had said some of those words only in William's presence, and shared a knowing look about long lives, and how long and how far the dark ship might now sail with her pirate family...Jack Sparrow, William Turner the Second and Joshamee Gibbs had a secret that they had yet to share with anyone, and especially with Janie O'Madden and Elizabeth Swann Turner... a secret that would change all of their lives...
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The crew gathered curiously on the main deck, as the captain, the Turners and Gibbs stood up on the quarterdeck... it was was unusual that the captain would gather all of his higher ranking crew members together to address the rest of them - usually only William stood with him - and he stood above them with an expressionless face and his hands resting languidly upon the hilt of his sword. Janie stood behind him, as she had been instructed to do... she noted to herself, with bemusement, the conversation that had taken place prior to their emerging from Jack's cabin...
"Janie...before we go out and formally introduce ye t' th' crew, there are a few things we need t' go over..."
"Introduce me? But I've met them already..."
"First example of wot I am about t' explain t' ye, lass... don't interrupt me in front of 'em like ye just did... " Jack's tone was apologetic, as William added, "It will be tough not to interrupt him, we know..."
Jack shot William a look, as he said, "... it isn't THAT hard... " William looked back at him, the picture of innocence.
Then turning back to Janie, he bobbed his head to one side in a cajoling fashion and said, "... PLEASE remember tha' I am th' captain o' th' ship... we're not at th' inn, love. There is a sorta decorum tha' is set forth aboard the Pearl tha' ye have t' remember, savvy? I'm not 'Jackie' t' these swabs, I am 'Captain' or 'Cap'n Jack'...I have t' maintain authority wif them."
The captain paused, and said, softly, "They don't know about my past, love. They only know that my father is Captain Teague, my mother was a gypsy woman, an' tha' I was born at sea," He sipped his rum, "... they know tha' I am of Irish heritage, an' tha' I'm... mad... somewhat." Jack's eyes fell to the mug in his hands, then back to Janie's face. She smiled warmly at him, and he hesitantly smiled back.
Elizabeth, who'd had brief but very important experience as a captain, herself, added, "It's true, Janie... as soon as a captain starts to become too friendly with a pirate crew, they can begin to harbour thoughts of the captain having weaknesses that can be taken advantage of... Will and I make certain that it is well known that we are Jack's cousins and watch his back at all times. Our crew is a loyal crew, but some of them have mutineed before. As much as we hate it, and as much as they seem to be truly regretful of that action, we always have to keep that in mind. Mutiny is always a worry... anyone can mutiny."
William looked a bit guilty, as Jack leaned over and whispered, "Present company excepted, William... it was a pretty damn poor mutiny on your part, cousin, an' no hard feelin's are harboured... you KNOW that... " William seemed relieved at hearing these words from Jack for the millionth time. They tapped their mugs together and grinned at each other.
As Janie listened, William continued, "Jack is our captain, and must keep himself apart from the rest of the crew... they have all proven that they are worth their salt, but Jack is right... we are not at the Inn, and even if you are Jack's 'wife', you will be introduced as a crew member, and must recognize that Jack is the captain of the Pearl, and must act accordingly MOST of the time... " Janie and Jack both looked at each other, then at William, then back at each other...
William sipped his rum, then explained to Janie, "As first mate, I act as the go-between for Jack and the crew, and Jack's right hand man... I oversee all the details while Jack is in charge of navigation and the general care of the Black Pearl, and he makes most of the decisions unless I am called upon by him to assist."
"Jus' follow th' lead o' William, Izzy, Joshamee an' meself, alright?" the captain smiled brightly at his lassie, "... for the most part, my crew is a tried an' trusted crew, but we have t' work as a team t' keep us all safe out here... Do ye understand, Ship's Cook First Mate First Lassie O'Madden? I know you have courage an' fortitude, so I shall dispense wif swearin' ye in, since I've known ye all me life." Jack shrugged and poured more rum... beads jingled against his shoulder.
Janie merely leaned over, pecked Jack on the cheek, and said, "Whatever you say...Aye, Cap'n 'Jackie'..."
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"Alright, ye scurvy dogs, listen up!" Janie was a bit startled, as she had never heard Jackie's voice thunder in such a manner! She was almost shocked at the silence that fell over the crew, as she looked down at them from over Jack's dreadlocked shoulder. She had never really seen him enforcing his rank as captain, and she found herself staring at him, as he continued.
"... we are heading out for the coast of Spain, as there has been word of some hefty shipments of gold leaving for the Portuguese Colonies... seems tha' they wish t' pad their treasuries but I believe tha' they won't miss a galleon or two... as we take in some warmer climes to our south, we might take in a hold full o' swag, as well..." Janie's eyes popped... Jack had not told her this! She glanced over at Elizabeth, who smiled at her slightly... when Elizabeth said that Janie would become a pirate, she was not joking. Janie's heart began to beat harder with excitement - a possible raid on a Portuguese ship!
"... we 'ave a new crew member wif us... " Jack reached back and pulled Janie forward, firmly putting his arm around her, and pulling her close, "... I 'ave always had a hard an' fast rule against women aboard th' ship, since many of ye have maintained tha' they are bad luck..." a dark eyed glance and a slight smile at Joshamee made the grizzled quartermaster shrug a bit and roll his eyes.
The captain continued, as Janie continued to stare at him, "..However, in recent times I 'ave made exceptions t' that rule... many of ye have t' agree wif me tha' when she was wif us, AnaMaria was a damn good pirate until she got 'er own ship an' a man t' boss around..." the crew chuckled, as they remember Jack finally paying AnaMaria back for stealing the Jolly Mon by commandeering another one for her, and she had run off to sail the seas off of the western coast of South America with a tall, handsome young ex-slave from Haiti that the crew of the Black Pearl had freed, and she had become besotted with... she planned to sail away from the Caribbean, if only to keep her ship out of Jack's greedy hands, should he lose the Pearl, again...
"... Mrs. Turner, here...known as 'Poppet' t' some of ye...at one time, I would have been reticent t' say it, but she has been one o' me most loyal an' steadfast crew members... she has not brought us any bad luck, t' my observation, an' is my 'cousin-in-law', besides..." Jack was becoming more animated, sweeping his be-ringed hand toward Elizabeth, who was doing her best to look stern until the word "poppet" made her grin at Mr. Pintel and Mr. Ragetti, who grinned back.
"Our new crew member, Miss Janie O'Madden, has signed on for th' voyage as th' Pearl's cook..." an appreciative murmer broke out, as breakfast was yet to be served up, but Jack's voice became louder in volume and lowered by nearly by a full, growly octave, "... an' IF you dogs must address her, it will be as 'MISS Janie', or 'MISS O'Madden'... " Jack's face darkened, "... or maybe ye shouldn't address her at all!"
Janie's mouth popped open in indignation, as the captain looked at her out of the corner of his eye. He reconsidered with a finger to his chin, and said, in a more quiet tone, "... well, maybe tha's a bit too extreme... anyways, jus' bear in mind one thing, gentlemen..."
He leaned forward with intense kohl lined eyes, and Janie could not help but lean forward with him, since he was holding on to her so tightly... "Bear in mind jus' one thing... she's mine! My girl... MINE!"
And with that, he pulled her left hand up for all to see the gold and marble ring of Claddagh that adorned Janie's ring finger and pointed at it... several pairs of eyes widened at that - was the captain married????... Elizabeth, William and Joshamee began to laugh, as the captain turned to the auburn haired cook of the Black Pearl, and kissed her so passionately that her tricorn hat fell off, her braid swung wildly and some curls blew astray! "Oi! MY lassie!" Several loud whoops were heard from the crew, and a few amused whistles.
As she caught her breath and looked into the now grinning, cheeky, impudent face of her love - now her captain - Janie pushed her curls out of her astonished round blue eyes, and murmured for only those on the quarterdeck to hear, "Whoosh! I wonder if breakfast can wait?"
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The first full day at sea was now behind them... Janie had completely organized her small kitchen, and had found that it was going to be quite a challenge to adjust to her smaller cooking quarters... she was so used to the huge kitchen of the inn, and she had never been without a large oven or cookfire, but Elizabeth had helped her to calculate the times that she would space out kneading bread dough in order to bake one loaf at a time to make certain that there was alway a fresh loaf at hand...
There were several times that she would nearly lose her balance with the motion of the ship, uttering Gaelic oaths as she caught herself, and more than once she dropped whatever was in her hands... it was fortunate that none of the objects were breakable, but she was wishing that the ship had nicer cookpots... the ones that were in the galley were very worn and pitted, and she insisted on using those of her own that she stowed upon the ship's shelves.
She had been very glad, once the hearty evening stew had been served and the cleaning up had been done, that she, Jack and the Turners, along with Mr. Gibbs, were able to sit upon the main deck, under blankets and with drinks in hand, before the spring winds got too cool and they all retired for the night. They had experienced a very good day. The stew that had been served apparently went over well, as there was not a drop of it left... it was amazing what one could do with potatos, barley, carrots, leftover lamb from the kitchen now far away in County Galway, and simple spices... of course, it was served with fresh bread to fill hungry bellies, if the first mate and the captain would learn better sharing skills. Remembering how Jack and William would pilfer the fresh bread and butter from each other at the Inn, she thought that this might be a lost cause.
Moonlight was now pouring into the captain's quiet cabin, as the sound of the rushing water made for a pleasant, soft lulluby beneath them... Janie was curled into Jack's arms... he would have to take the helm during the night, as it would be his turn, and he needed some sleep, no matter how much he resisted it. Janie studied him, as she always did... she never tired of looking at him in the soft, warm, velvety darkness...
The moonlight always gave Jackie's bronzed skin almost a golden glow, and she delicately ran her fingers over his exposed forehead and down over his fine, delicate, high cheekbones that had been Maggie's - his bandanna was laying on the table, and his skin that was not exposed to the sun was as smooth and soft as Little Will's. When his hair was loose, it took on some of the curliness around his face that it had when she had first laid eyes on him... when Jackie was only three, she thought, wistfully. Where his hair was always covered by his bandanna, it was uncommonly thick, soft, and coal black, and as shiny as ebony, just like his mother's. Jack had laughed with delight at Janie's own hair during the afternoon - the wind and salt air caused the curls at the end of her long braid to form a round curly puff, resembling soft lamb's wool, and he could not quite seem to keep his hands from it...
She laid her head against his bare shoulder and happily wrapped her arm around the captain's wasp-thin waist, under the blankets... she sighed with contentment, as she could detect a delicious mix of the aromas of rosewater and coconut on his skin... she had "christened" the bedsheets with rosewater prior to retiring for the night, and yes, it always made for fine lovemaking, she decided...
Drowsily, Janie remembered taking in his cabin for the first time, fully, this afternoon... she had been in Jack's cabin, before, but only when the Pearl was moored in the Inn's cove, and only to retrieve something that he needed during his stay with her. It was just today, after all of these years, that Janie took a good, hard look around at Jack's own home. He had opened the double doors, saying, "... your chamber, milady..." and with a sweep of his hand, she had entered with her own travel bag. She was really quite surprised at what she saw...
Directly before her was the base of the mizzenmast as it went from the quarterdeck above, on down to the decks below them. It had a small table built all around it, which had nothing occupying it. To the right was Jack's desk... the lid was unlocked and raised, and she saw small pigeonholes with papers in them, an inkwell and quills, along with several sticks of sealing wax and a seal. The cabin had the aromas of lime, Jack's coconut essence hair oil, candlewax and leather, salt air and rum...
The floor of the cabin was covered with a plush Oriental rug in rich shades of green, red and purple, squarely set in the center of the room, and perfectly set upon that was a huge, round mahogany table. The chairs were also heavy, ornately carved and were constructed to attach to the walls when the rocking of the ship made it necessary. The table was worn and scarred on top... there were locked bookcases and cabinets containing Jack's clothing and charts... trunks of various shapes and sizes, as well as a large globe.
Around the perimeters of the exquisitely carved wall panels of the cabin were more built-on tables and ledges, filled with countless candles and books from the full bookshelves on the walls, fringed tables scarves, odd little figurines... Jack had remained silent as Janie took it all in. Her eyebrows raised as she saw two very small cannons, one on either side of the cabin, pointed toward their own closed portholes. It never occured to her that a captain's cabin would have iron cannons.
Jack smiled as Janie's eyes fell on the table just under the huge windows that looked out over the sea... precisely in the center of the cabin's line of sight from all points , on a carefully centered linen table runner edged with Irish lace, was a toy ship... a ship that was a gift from his father. Next to it, on the right, was a rough earthenware jar... a jar that had once contained wild plum jam, made with her own hands... it was filled with pebbles, beads, seashells, and a sizeable chunk of Connemara marble... to the left of the toy ship was a gypsy tambourine, one that would have been like his mother's, given to him as a gift by Molly Kerrigan.
As Jack merely stood aside with his hands behind his back, Janie's eyes traveled to the right wall, to the bunk... very large, with a deep feather mattress and many soft blankets and pillows... she noted that he did not really have a proper coverlet - the one that was over his own bed was a worn out quilt of patchwork velvet - and decided that she would put her sewing skills to work once she arrived home in Eire... not that it would affect the bunk's fluffy comfort, she noted with a twinkle in her sidelong glance... Jackie had only smiled at her, his eyes shining proudly over his home at sea, as he offered the use of his washbasin, clean towels and finely milled French soaps so that his Janie could freshen up from the hard work of the day.
Her thoughts returned to the present...oh, her Jackie... Janie closed her eyes to savour the warmth and closeness of his skin against hers, as Jack's arm curled around her in his sleep, and he turned to nestle into her, on the soft feather mattress... it dawned on her, at that time, that out here on the ocean, her beautiful gypsy boy was the most notorious pirate that ever sailed... it finally became evident to her that he there was so much more to him than even she imagined... it was a much different world out here, she mused. She was glad to see her sweetheart in this other half of their world... his half... with the freedom that he so craved on his dark ship that was also welcoming her...
As he began to snore softly, Janie found herself wishing that her life with Jackie could go on absolutely forever... they deserved it, as did the young Turners, in their own cabin across the main deck. The innkeeper slowly hummed, happily snuggling close to her man, as if to join the sea in singing a lullaby, and as if the ship was rocking them gently, "... yo ho, yo ho... a pirate's life for us... good night, Pearl..."
The last thing that her sleepy eyes focused upon was the small Irish harp sitting in the corner of Jack's cabin, draped over with a bright red, fringed gypsy shawl, both having been given to him by William and Elizabeth for his birthday... Janie sighed once more, hugged her love protectively to her, and, looking at the beautiful harp, murmured, "Good night, Maggie... thank you..."
To be continued...
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