A/N: This chapter is a bit long. But there wasn't any place to break it into two chapters without breaking the rhythm of the chapter. There wasn't even really a good place for a cliff hanger. I hope you don't get bored and please keep reviewing or PM me if the site won't let you review. Thanks Reviewers!
Different Styles of Persuasion
Chapter 10
Marty and Cotton paid her no mind as they came from below deck and started doing odd jobs about the ship. A few minutes later some other crew members came up, they were not so kind as to leave her alone. Some bumped into her or brushed against her. She tried to ignore them and stay out of their way. Hoping they would go about their jobs and forget her.
Instead they made snide comments, gestures and bets on who could get her. A couple of them walked around her in a circle looking her up and down. They grinned and leered at her, touching her hair and clothes as she slapped at their hands. 'But they are pirates and not going to be dissuaded by hand slapping.' She thought.One came close, she could tell her was going to speak directly to her. When he opened his mouth to speak his rotten breath hit her square in the nose. She drew back as she made a face, trying to politely cover her nose and breathe out of her mouth.
"Ain't the likes of me good enough for ye Wench?" He sneered. "I be showin' ye how ta treat a man." He said as he lunged for her causing laughs from the attention he drew to them. She waited until the last second before she stepped aside and drew Gibbs' knife from her belt.
"I'll show you how I cut a pirate's guts out and use them for garters," she snarled as she moved the knife back and forth in front of his middle section. "Now out of my way you sea scum, before I cut you good."
"No need ta fer that. I was just playin' wit ye," the pirate knew when to back off. He knew those wenches in Tortuga knew how to cut a man where it did the most damage. He'd seen her fight on the beach and stick a couple of soldiers too. This confrontation seen by the others on deck caused the crew to go about their duties. They were thinking of other ways to get her.
"Play some where else," she moved toward him as he backed off. She saw Barbossa by the main mast with the monkey on his shoulder watching the exchange. He didn't look very happy. She thought, 'In fact he looks rather angry. Good! But then was he angry with her or his crew members?' She felt a twinge of something she couldn't quite put a finger on at the thought he was angry with her. But dismissed it as soon as it came to her. He walked to the opening to go below deck ignoring her.
She went to the railing looking out at the sea. The morning sun made the turquoise waters of the Caribbean appear more green than blue. She strolled along not paying attention to where she was going. Putting her hand into her coat pocket, she felt the wilted honeysuckle blossoms. She pulled them out and put them to her nose still able to smell their heady sweet fragrance. She stopped when she got to the bottom of the stairs to the helm. She turned and leaned her back against the railing resting her arms on it.
Twirling the blossoms between her fingers, she watched Marty up in the rigging. He was shouting down to Cotton and a couple of others that were adjusting several ropes and sails. Jack was at the helm giving orders that she didn't understand. Then his chocolate brown eyes turned to her in a disapproving stare. She had to do something, so she stuck her tongue out at him. He mouthed the word, 'childish' at her. She shruuged.
The shrug and leaning her arms against the railing had caused her coat and shirt to gape open momentarily showing part of her wound. Jack's eyes changed to concern as they shifted downward to the wound.
Feeling self conscious she turned to the sea leaning on the rail. She covered her wound with her shirt. She could smell more than the dried blood still on her shirt. She knew that smell, it was the smell of infection. She would deal with it later. She put the blossoms to her nose again to wash away the other smell.
She dropped the blossoms into the sea watching as they fluttered down to the water. She could smell the fresh salt air now as dawn broke on the horizon. She remembered the saying about a 'red dawn.' She was thankful that the color of the dawn was a peach yellow color. She didn't know if she could deal with a storm even if she was on a ship.
She felt it was already warm out and took off her coat and put it on some boxes out of the way. 'That's better. I can already feel the cool breeze from the ship on my skin.' She rolled up her sleeves to let the cool breeze wash over her arms. She ran her hands through her hair to untangle the knots in it. Her sleeves kept falling down and she kept pushing them up. The right sleeve fell again and she left it down around her hand.
She heard Jack call Cotton to the helm. She paid Jack no mind until her right wrist was suddenly grabbed and her sleeve pushed back up. "Where? How? You are Pegasus?" Jack demanded quietly then covered her tattoo.
She had startled and squeaked as Jack grabbed her. She looked at the small tattoo she had of Pegasus above her right wrist. It was usually hidden by her watch, but since she couldn't wear it. The tattoo was in plain sight. Her mind was trying to connect her jousting name with him knowing about it. That wasn't possible. There was no connection between knights and pirates. There must be a connection, something, the script? Confused she shook her head, not knowing what to say.
"Keep that covered for now," Jack said as he looked around to see if anyone else noticed the tattoo. He turned around and leaned his forearms on the rail. He looked out across the sea, changing the subject. He lowered his voice. "We will get you back, just for now, don't worry and do what Barbossa said before we got to the island. Did Norrington see it?" He gestured to the tattoo.
"No he didn't. What does my tattoo have to do with all this? I understand you have to do it this way. I just don't understand how big my part is in it," she pondered aloud. She also turned and mimicked his stance leaning her forearms on the rail.
"We don't even know what is next anymore. It changes all the time. But there was mention of such a tattoo. I can't explain it now, just keep it covered. As for the other. We know we have to lure Norrington to where we can get a hold of him or we are stuck here," Jack looked down through his arms at the railing where he rested one foot.
They fell silent as they heard foot steps approaching. Pintel walked up to them and said to Niece, "You'll be dinin' with the Cap'n this mornin'."
"You can tell the Captain that I will not dine with him. I will dine with the other women," she snidely replied.
"He said that ye'd say that. An' he also said if that be the case then ye'd be dinin' with the crew," he stopped, scratched his head, frowned in thought and continued, "An' that ye'd be showin' more ta the crew than ye did this mornin'?"
"Fine, tell him I got the message. I will be there," she snapped as she pushed past him to stomp off across the deck. She heard Jack groan from where she left him.
"Don't you say a word Jack Sparrow," Niece snapped as she turned around to point at him.
"Captain, Captain Jack Sparrow," Jack retorted.
Niece just threw up her hands and stomped off. She went down below decks and sat on one of the cannons. She was out of the way of the stairs in the dark. 'It is hot and damp down here,' she thought. She wiped her sleeve across her sweating brow.
It wasn't long before Pintel came down calling, "Where are ye Poppet? Time fer me ta take ye ta the Cap'n."
"I'm here Pintel, lead the way," Niece stood, resigned to the fact that she had to dine with Barbossa alone. Not being sure how far to let things go, she followed Pintel to the captain's cabin.
She noticed that Cotton was still at the helm. Marty and Ragetti were mending some sails sitting on some boxes close to the cabin. She went through the door as Pintel opened it and stepped aside for her to enter. He stayed outside shutting the door after her. She stopped dead when she entered. Jack, Liz, Will, Lydia, Gibbs, Barbossa and Tia were all sitting at a table laden with all kinds of food.
She met Barbossa's grin with sigh of relief. "The way Pintel relayed your message to me. He made me believe it would be just you and I dining together Captain Barbossa," she remarked.
"Disappointed?" He smirked as he motioned for her to take the chair next to him. His blue eyes twinkling.
"No, elated actually," she smiled back. Jack groaned and Gibbs crossed himself. Niece laughed out loud as she looked back and forth between Jack and Gibbs. She took her seat between Jack and Barbossa as Barbossa pushed her chair in under her. "Thank you Captain."
Lydia frowned at Niece as she watched the others take ham, bread and fruit off the trenchers. Even the women took what they wanted. Niece shook her head as Barbossa said, "There be no need for formalities here get what ye want before it be gone."
They both got some food and began to eat. Jack who was sitting on one side of Niece gave her another odd look as he said, "So what is so important about the former commodore that you wanted to tell us? We heard you had been a little more than friendly to him."
"He planned it that way to get you to come for me Jack. I wasn't friendly with him on purpose," Niece confided.
"That's not the way we heard it. We heard you were more than willing," Jack asked around a mouthful of food. He gave her a typical Jack smirk. Looking down his nose at her, his eyes half closed.
"I was not willing. I was asleep and he took advantage of that. It was to let someone see things he wished them to spread throughout town. He knew the story would get to you. For some reason that only he knows. He has the idea that you have an attack of conscious now and then. You brought me here, you would hear my reputation was ruined in town and you would come to get me away from it," Niece stopped to let that sink in.
"Why Jack? Other than the obvious reason," It was Barbossa's turn to ask the question. He also narrowed his eyes and gave her a strange look.
"He wants revenge against Jack for past things that have happened to him true enough. At least he is of the mind that Jack is the cause of his problems now. He got his commission back after giving the heart to Beckett. But that isn't enough. He wants….um….hmmm. I can't remember his exact words. But the gist of it is he wants to have things his way. He seemed tired of being… How shall I put it? The bad person even if he is on the side of right. He also said that you were allowed to improvise…." Niece lowered her voice to a whisper, "The script."
"Did he now? That be makin' it harder for us ta all be in one place, when we need to be. We be dealin' with this latest development as we go. It may take longer is all," Barbossa said as he bit into an apple. Niece watched a little droplet of juice on his bottom lip. One corner of his lips turned up into a smirk. Her eyes shot to his, he was watching her, his blue eyes twinkling again. She blinked a couple of times as her vision blurred. His smirk turned into a frown.
"What's wrong with ye?" Barbossa demanded putting his apple down.
"Nothing, I am just tired from not enough sleep," Niece snapped defensively.
"Serves ye right," Barbossa muttered as he picked the apple up and took another bite.
"I know you. That isn't from not enough sleep," Lydia stated as she looked at Niece closer. "You look a bit flushed."
"Lyd, I am just tired," Niece glared at her.
"I think you look strange too," Jack said as he leaned closer to peer into her face. She frowned, leaning back away from Jack.
She leaned back far enough that it moved her closer to Barbossa. Barbossa snaked his hand around in front of her putting it on her forehead. He pulled her head back against his chest. Then he felt both her cheeks with the other hand. And under her shirt over her wound. She put both hands up to slap at his hands. He left his hand under her shirt. She blushed as she saw Jack do a typical smirk again.
"Let go of me you Bloody Pirate," Niece ground out between clinched teeth.
"That may be true, but you are hot all over. You have a fever," Barbossa stated.
Tia got up and started to saunter over to them but Jack beat her to it, by pulling her shirt open enough to see her wound as Barbossa removed his hand from over it.
"It festers," Tia stated. "I be righ' back." And she left with a swish of skirts muttering unintelligibly.
Jack went to the door as did Gibbs when Barbossa turned Niece lose. She marched to the door, "Let me out. I may not mind sharing a cabin with her. But she ain't gonna touch me with none of her potions."
Jack's eyebrows went up at the lapse in her refined speech. She tried to go one way and the other but Jack, Gibbs or both stepped in front of her. She turned to face Barbossa. He still sat in his chair, it was tipped back on its back legs. His arms were crossed over his chest. He was smiling a lecherous smile, "Seems like ye be goin' ta accept my hospitality after all. Even if ye are not inclined ta acquiesce ta it."
She narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips wrinkling her nose. She looked back and forth between all of them.
"Uh, oh," Lydia moaned when she saw the expression on Niece's face. It was the same time that Niece pulled out Gibbs knife and stabbed it in Jack's direction. Jack was quick to jump out of the way. His reflex action was to hit the arm with the knife so it wasn't pointed at him.
Barbossa knocked over his chair as he lunged around the table. Gibbs grabbed for her wrist and missed. She turned on him and he moved out of the way as Will came off of his chair. Gibbs moved behind Will. Will unsheathed his sword and knocked the knife out of Niece's grasp. "That's not nice to threaten ol' Jack and Mister Gibbs, Miss Niece," Will said nonchalantly.
Barbossa's fingers locked in an iron grip around her wrist. He squeezed until she yelped. "I am about ta throw ye overboard Missy. And I know how much ye hate ta swim," Barbossa growled. He pulled her behind him to a chair and pushed her into it. He held her there by putting pressure on her shoulders.
"Who gave her that knife?" Barbossa swung around on them.
Before anyone could answer Niece blurted out, "No one I found it."
"If I find out yer lying whoever gave it ta ya will get ten lashes. Tell me the truth now and it be easier for the one who gave it ta ya," Barbossa pulled her head back by her hair and stared into her face. She glared at him defiantly not budging from her statement.
"Don't lie to him, Lass. I gave it ta the lass so she could protect her self last night," Gibbs confessed.
"No Gibbs! I won't have you punished by this no good pirate. I found it," Niece squeezed her eyes shut and groaned as Barbossa pulled her head back again.
"Good thing Mister Gibbs is honest Missy. It will go easier on him," Barbossa growled letting go of her hair none too gently. "Mister Gibbs pick up yer knife and don't let me see her with it again."