Well, I usually try to make the chapters at least 3 1/2 pages printed out, this one comes to 5!
Chapter is dedicated to:
Sarah-K-O-M: for being such a loyal fan
patience my dear, read and ye shall see. BTW what does the K-O-M stand for?
Ponysteph15: hmmm heat, good on cold days…
AKAfredandgeorge: yes, the chocolate is always gone when needed most, but why? It vexes me, I'm terribly vexed.
TheTruthBehindJack'sEscapes AKA ButWhyIsAllTheRUMGone: the understanding is greatly appreciated, truely, you really have no idea.
LittleCountryDragon: so sure, are you?
Princess Amberly: aww! Thank you so much, you are very sweet!
Kitty: thank you, m'dear! I do try to update regularly, but my schedule is so messed up right now… oh well, c'est la vie!
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The rowboat bumped gently against the side of the Huntress and the sailors quickly secured it. Sera looked up at the rope ladder and clung to Katrina tighter, burying her face in her shoulder.
"What's the matter, Sera?" Katrina asked.
Sera turned a pale face to Katrina. "No climb rope." She pleaded, lower lip slightly trembling.
"Then how will we get onto the ship?"
"No. Gan'pa Gibb say no climb ropes." Sera repeated with more force than before, then she gave Katrina the eyes. "Carry?"
Katrina looked at Sera's imploring eyes, then to her ankle and back. "Precious, I don't think-"
"Mademoiselle Katrina?"
"Yes?" she turned to André , who was sitting behind her and also was on the receiving end of the eyes.
"I could carry la petite mademoiselle." He offered.
"That would be appreciated. Wouldn't that be nice, Sera?" The little girl looked at the rope ladder and gave a reluctant nod.
"Do you want me to go first? That way you can see that there is nothing to be afraid of." At Sera's nod Katrina grabbed the ladder and glanced up, suppressing a groan, this would be difficult with the use of only one good ankle. Slowly she made her way up, using her good ankle, then pulling herself up, using her bad ankle purely for balance. Once she reached the top, Alex gave her a hand to help her over the railing.
"Thank you Alex."
"Yer welcome Miss Katrina." Alex grinned as he turned to take Sera form André.
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Katrina was enjoying the feel of the tropical sun on her skin, allowing the ocean breeze to tug and play the loose hair that had fallen out of her braid.
"Alright lads! That's the last of it! Lets get moving! We make for Port Royal!" Katrina turned at the familiar voice. Kipp noticed and gave her a devilish grin and a wink. Katrina felt her cheeks grow warm. She took Sera's hand.
"It's getting rather warm up here. Would you like to see our cabin?" Sera looked up at her with shining eyes and a big smile as if anticipating adventure as she nodded. Katrina made her way to the hatch, Sera in tow. Great, she mentally groaned, stairs, steep stairs. Just what my ankle needs. Before she could go down the stairs a hand on her shoulder made her stop.
"No stairs, Kitten." Kipp told her.
"Thank goodness. Where, then, do I sleep?"
Kipp put his hand to his chin and looked thoughtful. "I guess you'll have to share my cabin."
Katrina looked at him in shock. "What?" she said in a strangled whisper.
"Well I assumed you wanted the little one near you, but if you preferred her someplace else…"
"N-no." Katrina struggled to regain her poise. "That would be fine."
"I'll just retrieve some of my effects then." Kipp said with a nod. "Oh, that skirt that Anamaria is letting you borrow is in my cabin as well."
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It took Katrina ten minutes to convince Sera to take a bath. The little girl could be so stubborn. After Sera was sufficiently clean, Katrina took her turn and proceeded to wash their clothes in the used bath water. Katrina grabbed a spare shirt from one of the sea chests placed against one wall of the captain's cabin and slipped on the borrowed skirt. The skirt was a sun faded deep green and combined with the loose pirate shirt, Katrina was convinced she looked like a gypsy. "All I need is hoops in my ears and a tambourine." She murmured, brushing out first her own hair, then Sera's, who was sitting before her on the bed. . Sera was attired in another spare shirt that reached halfway down her calves while she was waiting for her dress to dry.
The door opened and Kipp sauntered in. "Sorry for the intrusion, ladies. But my maps and such are still in here." He went to a well scarred desk in the corner of the room and shifted some papers before he came across the one he wanted. Sera hopped up and watched what he was doing. She tugged on his sleeve. "I see?" she asked in a sweet voice. Kipp picked her up and set her on the edge of the desk.
"I'm trying to figure out the time it will take to get to where we're going." He patiently explained while marking the map and writing down figures. "We should reach port a little after dawn tomorrow." He said, finishing some quick calculations.
"I'll have someone bring you dinner." He said casting a quick glance at Katrina, but then his gaze turned back to her. She was sitting on his bed. The sight brought up feelings Kipp didn't want to sort out at the moment.
"What will happen when we get to Port Royal?" Katrina asked, shaking him from his thoughts.
"My uncle has some old friends that will be able to find a place for you to stay, and most likely would know a place you could get a job, if you wanted one." He replied, helping Sera off the desk. She shook her head and clung tighter when he tried to set her down.
"Floor cold."
Kipp sent her an indulgent grin and shifted her to a more comfortable position in his arms.
"And what of you?" Katrina asked. "Didn't you say you uncle had, how did you put it, disagreeable interactions with the law? Wouldn't that put you at risk too since you're related to him?"
"No, I'm what you would call a privateer. A nice word for a legal pirate." He elaborated at her confused expression. "Besides, not many people know we are related. And I've a friend in the law that watches my back." He added with a grin.
"Oh." Katrina's mind wandered to a certain man posted at Port Royal that was "in the law" as Kipp had put it. What would he think seeing her in Port Royal? Better think up a good explanation, Katrina. She told her self. You only have a day to do it.
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After a night of peaceful rest Katrina woke up cold, looking over she saw Sera cocooned in all the blankets. Figures. Katrina got up, stretched and left the cabin quietly as to not disturb the miniature sleeping beauty. She made her way to the front of the ship watching the sun rise. "I forgot how much I love this." She said to herself, remembering the sunrises before helping Jordie in the galley on the White Tiger.
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Kipp stood watching her from his post at the helm.
"Does make a pretty picture, eh, captain?" Taidhgan said from beside him.
"Aye." Kipp replied with a smile.
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It took about an hour after the sunrise before land was spotted and another before reaching the docks. Katrina spent that time getting food for her and Sera, then "helping" an uncooperative and sleepy Sera back into her black lace dress.
There was a knock on the door. "Miss Katrina?"
"Yes, Alex, come in." Katrina answered while running a brush through Sera's hair before securing it with a ribbon.
He peeked around the edge of the door. "Capt'n says if yer ready, there is a boat what can take you to shore."
"Thank you, Alex. We'll be there in a minute."
The young sailor nodded and shut the door.
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Going down a rope ladder with a twisted ankle was definitely better than climbing one, though harder in a skirt. Katrina reflected as the boat gently swayed as it was tied to the dock. She looked up at the dock and saw Kipp standing there waiting for her. With a smile she stood on one of the planks that served as a seat and reached up a hand so he could help her out. But to her surprise he grabbed her around the waist, pulled her up and set her down gently on the dock. Kipp saw her gaping at him and gave her a short wink before leaning down and picking up Sera.
"Come, I'll introduce you to my uncle's friends." Kipp said, taking one of Katrina's hands in his own, making her blush slightly.
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Sera loved every sight and sound of the port city, never being in any place larger than the village (except for that night in Charleston, which doesn't really count). She excitedly craned her neck and fidgeted around in Kipp's arms to try and see everything. Katrina was only slightly less enthralled than Sera. Compared to London, it was smaller, but in every other aspect it surpassed. No smog lay over the city, instead sunlight shone brightly. The air was fresh and smelled of the sea. The whole city appeared cleaner, newer, full of promise. The people moved with purpose, but not in the harried manner of Londoners.
The trio walked through an open-air marketplace where the stall owners were hawking their wares, reminding Katrina of Fair Day at the village. Kipp stopped a t a fruit stall and inspected the variety of fruit for sale. There were apples, oranges, grapes, strawberries, and cherries. There were also some Katrina had never heard of, much less seen; pineapples, melons, bananas, mango and a small furry brown fruit that Kipp told her was called a kiwi and was really quite good when he saw her eyeing it skeptically. After a few moments Kipp settled o a fruit called a guava. He paid for it, then cut a slice from it and gave it to Sera, who took a cautious bite. Her eyes grew wide at the taste and she quickly devoured the rest.
"More?" she asked, reaching for the fruit with juice covered fingers.
"Sera." Katrina said, sending her a look.
"Pwease?" the little girl added a little bashfully.
Kipp grinned and gave her the rest of the guava. Sera took a large bite and shot him a smile.
"So, just who is this friend of your uncle's?" Katrina asked curiously.
"Blacksmith." Kipp answered easily. "Married and settled down too. A fact my uncle often deplores, claims the man would have made a good pirate."
"That's rather contradictory, don't you think?"
"Not at all. Here we are." Kipp motioned to a widow in which some beautiful swords were displayed. They entered the store, a bell above the door announcing their arrival. A young clerk looked up from where he was helping a military officer with the selection of swords. "I'll be right with you." He said in a polite yet cheery voice.
Kipp grinned and rolled his eyes, heading for a door at the back of the store where a faint clanging could be heard.
"Sir!" the young clerk called. "You can't go back there! He's busy and won't see anyone!"
"He'll see me." Kipp said confidently and went through the door, Katrina following (he was still holding her hand so she really didn't have a choice).
The first thing that Katrina noticed was the noise and the immediate increase in the already hot temperature.
"I almost didn't recognize the place, Will!" Kipp called over the noise.
The man at the forge paused minimally in his work, plunged the blade he was working on into a bucket of water, creating a hiss and steam and turned around with a grin.
"Kipp! I haven't seen you in, what, seven, eight months?" he said while wiping the sweat form his forehead.
"About that." Kipp responded stepping forward to shake the man's hand. "I see you renovated the smithy."
Will grimaced. "It was Elizabeth's idea. I admit, I sell more, but I miss actually seeing my customers."
"That is the kind of thing that keeps you soft, Uncle Jack says"
Will lowered his voice. "Jack is here?"
Kipp nodded
"Where?"
"Will, are you busy right now?"
"I could take off a bit early, if that is what you are asking."
"That is exactly what I'm asking. I have been thinking of one of Elizabeth's pies since my last visit."
"And you're… friends?" Will ask.
"Oh, yes, Will, this is Katrina Ellis and young Sera." Will gave them each a nod of acknowledgment. "Kitten, little one, this is William Turner."
"A pleasure." Katrina said. Sera gave him a shy smile and a wave.
"Now, I believe you said something about pie?" Kipp said
"Actually, that was you." Will laughed. "Just let me tell Wesley that I'm leaving a bit early today."
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I meant to make the boat, sorry, ship, ride longer, but it started to get boring and I deleted that part.
review and I'll give you a big stick to hit Edmund… Did I say Edmund? I, er, meant the piñata! Yeah, that was it, the piñata…
Reviews are as good as rain on your window at night! I just love to listen to it.
I am offering cameos to any who wish, just give me a name, doesn't have to be your own, hair and eye color, gender, maybe an age. I can't promise anything, but I will try to get all who wish it into the story, though some things may be altered. Ex: I can't have someone with blue hair.