Disclaimers: If you recognise anything from this, it belongs to Disney – all else is mine! Both shanties are traditional songs and can be found on a number of websites.
Thanks as ever to Pendragginink for being my beta and also to those of you that review! Ta!
1BabyBoy - Mab was raised as a boy and Jacoby has looked the other way regarding her behaviour as it was easier for him, but nobody ever disobeyed him - not then and most especially not now. His word to them is law!
Those that have been reading this as each chapter has been uploaded will find that the foreign languages are no longer being translated by Babelfish. I found this awkward and often inaccurate plus, much later on in the tale there is Mandarin – for which I couldn't get translations. Therefore all foreign speech will now be in italics. Italian, Spanish and French will have the prefix It:, Sp: and Fr: respectively. When we get that far, Mandarin will be Mn:. All Babelfish translations in the earlier chapters have been replaced with this method… I hope this is easier to read as well.
Chapter 34 – The Party
Mab washed and dressed in her tiny cabin by the light of a lantern, daring to wear one of the four dresses Jack had sent over that day. She had chosen the beautiful golden one, although she knew it was likely that her father would complain, but as it was her own dress, not a performing one that he had purchased, she did not consider that it was his business. She raked the comb through her hair, pinning it up, squinting in the sliver of looking glass that hung from the wall before being satisfied. She slipped her new soft boots on, her old ones having been lost at the summerhouse, glad that nobody had seemed to notice their newness. Humming happily to herself at the thought of seeing Jack again, she walked out onto the deck where the others were gathering. She had been surprised, and secretly delighted, that her father had insisted that he would not set foot in the town and, together with Abel, would remain and guard the ship, plus look after the children. Matthew, Rufus and Isabella's husband, Gavin, were to go as extra guards for the women. All the men, those performing and those not, wore their swords.
"Blimey!" Sebastian gaped, staring at his sister, the others nearby not far behind as they spluttered at her in amazement. "You look gorgeous!"
Mab dropped him a curtsey, laughing as she poked her tongue out and crossed her eyes.
"You still look gorgeous," he teased, hugging her. "Did Jack give you that?" He knew that the pirate had given his sister a number of dresses, but he had not seen any of them when the dresses had be brought across earlier.
"Sì," she smiled. "Although I've not worn this one before…" She grimaced as Brett swaggered over, offering her his arm.
"I'll keep you safe in the notorious town," he assured her, fingering his sword hilt as he approached.
Mab snorted. "I'd rather go with a pirate," she retorted, sniffing.
"From what I believe, it appears you already have," he sniped, loud enough for it to carry across the deck as he looked disparagingly at her dress.
Mab just laughed at him, knowing his snide remarks for the jealousy that they were, although she was glad her father was not on deck to hear them. The last thing she wanted was for her father to discover that she and Jack had been lovers. She turned on her heel and walked across to Rufus, taking his arm instead.
"No doubt I shall be losing you once your feet touch the shore," he chuckled, escorting her to the bosun's chair that was just being raised again after lowering Annis to the waiting boat. He had caught her staring miserably towards the Black Pearl on a number of occasions since her return and had guessed the reason.
"Sì, but of course," she chuckled, eager to be reunited with Jack. She had been lonely the last few nights and was looking forward to seeing him without her father watching over her. She waited whilst Isabella descended next, Gavin climbing over the ship's rail alongside her and, when the chair came back up, she climbed in.
"Mab!" Jack called from his ship's boat as it neared The Tarantara. He had been hoping to take her ashore himself, but was disappointed to see that he was clearly too late. He grinned as she waved to him from the chair, her brother, Lucius, catching her feet and pulling her safely into the boat. "You look lovely!" he remarked, laughing as she blew a raspberry. "Is this yer escort? I was hopin' ter re-acquaint yer with that tavern…" He caught the eye of one of the troupe, one of the singers if he remembered correctly, and wondered at the man's hostile stare.
"Not today, Jack," she replied, shaking her head, knowing that her father was still within earshot. Any further liaison with him would have to be kept secret for fear of her father's threat.
"All right," he sighed dramatically, turning back to her and watching as she sat next to the young blonde woman. Taking a number of instruments that were passed down from above, she held them carefully on her lap. "Head t' shore," he instructed Rhys Taylor and Owen George, knowing he would be able to get to Mab once she reached the quay. He reached the dock before the heavier boat and stood waiting for Mab to clamber out. "Here, allow me," he smiled, offering her his hand to help her ashore.
Mab took his hand, smiling at the contact and his brief squeeze. "Grazie," she said quietly, slipping her hand through his proffered arm before anyone could comment.
"Will I get a birthday kiss later?" he whispered. "Or are yer brothers as protective as yer father?"
She leaned across and kissed him on the cheek, her actions causing more than one eyebrow to rise within the troupe. "Later is later," she chuckled, hoping she would be able to slip away with him.
It: "Watch what you are doing," Sebastian cautioned, walking close to her.
Mab nodded, disheartened, wanting nothing more than to be openly affectionate with Jack. She knew that, if they left after the performance, this would most likely be her last chance to see him and she was determined to enjoy it. It: "I don't give a damn about it!" she declared defiantly. It: "Papà said no lovers, not no affection!"
It: "You know how he feels about pirates," Sebastian warned, worried that her choice of lover this time would finally cause her father to snap and carry out his threat to marry her off.
It: "Tonight is my night and Jack's," she insisted. It: "I will face his anger later."
It: "You will push him too far one day," he pressed, aware of Brett watching them. It: "Remember his threat!"
"What you on about?" Jack enquired, looking at Mab.
"Nothing to worry about," she replied, blinking away her frown and smiling at him.
"Sure?" He arched an eyebrow.
"Sure," she lied, turning back to her brother. It: "For the first time in ages I am happy. Let me enjoy it while I can."
It: "All right, I will do what I can. The others will not comment, but beware of Brett," he worried, glancing at the smiling baritone who was watching them, a satisfied smirk on his face.
Mab nodded, but shrugged, reasoning that she could do little against the thwarted ambitions of the man and continued to walk with Jack towards the Faithful Bride. "Perhaps we can sneak away later?" she whispered, smiling at him.
"We'd better," Jack winked as he pushed open the door for her.
"You know we will be leaving soon," she said sadly as she walked into the now familiar smoky tavern.
"I know," he sighed. "When?"
"I don't know," she admitted sadly. "Possibly tonight…"
"We'd better make th' most of it while we can then," Jack winked before swaggering to the centre of the floor of the tavern. "Clear a space!" he shouted. "It's m' birthday an' I'm providin' you wonderful citizens of Tortuga with entertainment the like of which you've never seen!"
Mab spotted some of the crew amidst the crowds and made her way towards them. Nathan pushed Will and Paul closer together on the bench, making room for her to sit next to him. Sebastian was taken aback when the bearded cook hugged her warmly.
"At no little expense, an' great danger, I have brought t' yer th' troupe that recently performed fer th' nobs at th' Trelawny wedding!" Jack continued. "Alas, th' acrobats could not perform in here, but I can assure you lucky folks of singin' o' the highest quality…"
"And if you are really lucky, Jack will not sing!" Mab retorted, drawing laughs from the crew and those nearby that knew Jack well.
"Until he's drunk," came an anonymous voice from the back of the tavern.
"You call that singing?" she replied, turning and laughing at Jack's indignant expression.
"He does," teased Nathan, shrugging.
"Oi! That's enough from you lot!" Jack admonished, but he was clearly joking. "Yer supposed ter be nice to me on m' birthday!"
"That was last week," she reminded him but knew, to be fair, they had not been able to perform until that night.
"I postponed it until today," he protested.
"But I suppose you deserve one birthday kiss…" she smiled, walking towards him as the others gathered enough stools and chairs for the troupe before beginning to ready themselves to perform. She paused a moment, grinning, before kissing him full on the lips. Jack wrapped his arms around her, returning the kiss, amidst cheers from those in the tavern. His tongue battled hers, making the most of the moment as he cupped her buttocks, holding her to him. "Are you intent on taking all of my air?" she protested eventually. "I will not be able to sing!"
"I'll breathe more into yer," he husked. "But go on… before this lot get impatient!"
Mab walked back towards the troupe, knowing she would get little rest that night. Unlike when they entertained the town notables, events like these depended more on her and Thomas than Brett and Isabella. Indeed, Isabella was hoping to leave before it got too late, to ensure that her children went to bed and that she would not be walking through the streets of the pirate town in the dark. Joshua and Sebastian nodded to each other, their tabors beating the introduction to their first song. Thomas' wondrous bass voice filled the tavern as he sang, the others singing in accompaniment.
"Farewell and adieu to you, Spanish ladies,
Farewell and adieu to you, daughters of Spain;
For we've received orders to sail for old England,
But we hope in a short time to see you again."
The pirates in the tavern joined in the popular tune, several banging their tankards in time – or not – with the music. The somewhat off-tune singing of the chorus was a cacophony of noise.
"We'll rant and we'll roar like true English sailors,
We'll rant and we'll roar across the salt seas;
Until we strike soundings in the Channel of old England:
From Ushant to Scilly be thirty-five leagues."
Thomas raised his voice slightly, ensuring that he could be heard but, luckily, the tavern quietened a little for the next verse.
"We hove our ships to, with the wind from southwest, boys,
We hove our ship to, deep soundings to take;
T'was -five fathoms to the white sandy bottom,
So we squared our mainyard, and up Channel did make."
The large man did not even attempt to try to sing the chorus the second time, standing back and letting the pirates sing the familiar, and popular, tune. Only when they had finished did he sing once more, his deep voice booming.
"Now let every man drink off his full bumper,
And let every man drink off his full glass;
We'll drink, be jolly and drown melancholy,
And here's to the health of each true-hearted lass."
Rapturous applause filled the tavern. Indeed, as Jack had boasted, the Faithful Bride had never seen such entertainment. "I see a few of you knew that one," Thomas said dryly as he finished. "But you might not know this one…" He looked towards Mab, who quickly put down the rum she had been sipping.
"That was mine!" Jack protested when he saw what she had been doing.
"Was…" she teased, wishing the air was not quite so smoky as she began to sing.
"Most chivalrous fish of the ocean
To ladies forbearing and mild,
Though his record be dark,
is the man-eating shark,
Who will eat neither woman nor child.
He dines upon seamen and skippers,
And jack tars his hunger assuage,
And a fresh cabin boy
will inspire him with joy
If he's past the maturity age."
"That'll be you, Ambrose," Will chuckled. "You aren't much of a mouthful to a shark…"
"Scarlett says otherwise," he sniped back at his twin.
"Scarlett hasn't got big, sharp teeth…" Will observed, laughing.
"Oh, I don't know," Rhys added dryly, turning his attention back to Mab.
"A doctor, a lawyer, a preacher,
He'll gobble one any fine day,
But the ladies, God bless 'em
He'll only address 'em
Politely and go on his way.
I can readily cite you an instance
Where a lovely young lady of Breem,
Who was tender and sweet
and delicious to eat
Fell into the bay with a scream.
She struggled and flounced in the water,
And signalled in vain for her bark,
And she'd surely been drowned
if she hadn't been found
By a chivalrous man-eating shark."
The pirates laughed out loud at the shanty, most of them listening intently. Although they all sailed widely, this was not a tune that many knew.
"He bowed in a manner most polished
Thus soothing her impulses wild.
"Don't be frightened," he said,
"I've been properly bred,
And will eat neither woman nor child."
Then he proffered his fin and she took it
Such gallantry none can dispute.
While the passengers cheered
as the vessel they neared
And a broadside was fired in salute.
And they soon stood alongside the vessel,
When a life-saving dinghy was lowered
With the pick of the crew,
And her relatives too
And the mate and the skipper aboard."
Jack beamed at Mab, delighting in seeing her the centre of attention within the tavern, and taking even greater pleasure in knowing that she was singing for him, as she had said she would. He caught her eye, winking, and she grinned at him.
"So they took her aboard in a jiffy,
And the shark stood attention the while,
Then he raised on his flipper
and ate up the skipper
And went on his way with a smile.
And this shows that the prince of the ocean,
To ladies forbearing and mild,
Though his record be dark
Is the man-eating shark,
Who will eat neither woman nor child."
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