"And heave!" The four crewmembers as one pulled the line, pulling up
the sail to the mast. More crew in the riggings lashed it to the weathered
wood, sending an "ok" signal when it was secured. Raven Margow turned
away, attending to the rest of her crew. They were back in Tortuga, again.
Sighting through her glass, she noted no other large ships in the docks. Closing it with a snap, she turned to her first-mate, who had run up to her. "What?"
"Rumors Cap'n! They're aboundin'!"
"About what now?"
"Jack Sparrow! He's got the Black Pearl back, and is sailin' again! Can ye believe it!?"
Raven's eyes widened. So he had gotten passage anyway off Tortuga. She thought back years ago, when she thought she would never see him again, when she had refused him passage on board the Bloody Arrow.
"Any idea where he is now?" Her reply was sharp and short, as was typical of her. Raised a Tortuga prostitute, turned to a pirate captain when she tricked the original captain of the Bloody Arrow out of his ship and gotten her own crew, she hadn't used her golden tongue since really. Not even to get herself out of trouble. Some rumored that it was guilt, for the captain she had deceived had died a fairly horrible death from his crew.
"Nay Cap'n. Some say he should be back soon though, seeing as he hasn't been seen in port for near month now."
"Well then, we shall see what happens then, won't we? Now what're ye waitin' for? Get the loot unloaded and get us some supplies." With a quick salute, the woman whirled and ran off, barking orders to her fellow crewmembers. Raven allowed herself a quick smile, before spinning on her heel and stalking into the captain's quarters.
Running a hand through the most valuable of the goods, she selected a piece to keep. Slipping the gold and silver inlaid armband up her tan- darkened forearm, she settled it into place above her elbow. Casually slapping the lid of the trunk shut, she shoved it out the door to the crew- women waiting outside.
"Get the price that it's worth this time won't ye?" she snarled. They glanced at each, grabbed the trunk and hurried out of the captain's way. She was in a foul mood this morn.
Raven strolled down the dock, not even bothering to glance back at her crew. The five women who had accompanied her on the rowboat glanced at each other. Highly unusual. They shrugged it off, secured the boat, and took off, eager to either find their men they preferred or their tavern.
The captain was on a mission it seemed, and not even the usual enticements of Tortuga, few as they were for women, distracted her. Brushing coal-black strands of her from her eyes, she scanned the various taverns and bars that lined the few streets of the city. Finding the most likely, she stepped through the doors.
Silence followed her. This was a half-brothel/half-bar. Why the woman captain of the Bloody Arrow was here mystified both clientele and employees. A few of the prostitutes raised their eyebrows, and one was bold enough to openly wonder if something had happened to the Bloody Arrow. Raven's sharp ears overheard her though, and a dagger-like glance silenced the girl.
As the silence began to outweigh the noise from the far side of the room, the men drinking and having a good laugh at one man's drunken stories began to notice, and fall silent themselves. The drunk one didn't seem to care however and continued, with elaborate gestures to illustrate his point.
"And then.." He finally fell silent as Raven stopped in front of him. With a lopsided grin, he attempted, and after a second try succeeded in standing. "Why Raven Margow. What a pleasure." His dark eyes were still clear, and she wondered again if he was faking his drunkenness.
"Jack Sparrow," she answered coolly.
"Ah ah ah." He waggled a finger in her face, and she raised a hand, ceasing the movement. "Captain..Jack Sparrow luv."
"So the rumors are true. The Black Pearl is yours again." He merely grinned mischievously, and raised a bottle of rum.
"And toast I'll have to that." The men around him huzzahed and raised their own glasses. He took an over-exuberant drink and toppled back to his seat, to be fawned upon once again by adoring women. He grinned up at her again. "Join me?"
"You're disgusting as always. But congratulations anyway." With that, she turned away, seeking her preferred tavern and inn, far more quiet than this one. Jack's eyes followed her, and as they were when she had appeared, they were far clearer than a drunk's eyes should be.
"Congratulations to me," he whispered to himself. "And revenge on you darling." One of the women overheard him, and thinking he was speaking to her, leaned down to whisper in his ear.
"Revenge? How vicious." He grinned and pulled her into his lap.
"Indeed."
Sighting through her glass, she noted no other large ships in the docks. Closing it with a snap, she turned to her first-mate, who had run up to her. "What?"
"Rumors Cap'n! They're aboundin'!"
"About what now?"
"Jack Sparrow! He's got the Black Pearl back, and is sailin' again! Can ye believe it!?"
Raven's eyes widened. So he had gotten passage anyway off Tortuga. She thought back years ago, when she thought she would never see him again, when she had refused him passage on board the Bloody Arrow.
"Any idea where he is now?" Her reply was sharp and short, as was typical of her. Raised a Tortuga prostitute, turned to a pirate captain when she tricked the original captain of the Bloody Arrow out of his ship and gotten her own crew, she hadn't used her golden tongue since really. Not even to get herself out of trouble. Some rumored that it was guilt, for the captain she had deceived had died a fairly horrible death from his crew.
"Nay Cap'n. Some say he should be back soon though, seeing as he hasn't been seen in port for near month now."
"Well then, we shall see what happens then, won't we? Now what're ye waitin' for? Get the loot unloaded and get us some supplies." With a quick salute, the woman whirled and ran off, barking orders to her fellow crewmembers. Raven allowed herself a quick smile, before spinning on her heel and stalking into the captain's quarters.
Running a hand through the most valuable of the goods, she selected a piece to keep. Slipping the gold and silver inlaid armband up her tan- darkened forearm, she settled it into place above her elbow. Casually slapping the lid of the trunk shut, she shoved it out the door to the crew- women waiting outside.
"Get the price that it's worth this time won't ye?" she snarled. They glanced at each, grabbed the trunk and hurried out of the captain's way. She was in a foul mood this morn.
Raven strolled down the dock, not even bothering to glance back at her crew. The five women who had accompanied her on the rowboat glanced at each other. Highly unusual. They shrugged it off, secured the boat, and took off, eager to either find their men they preferred or their tavern.
The captain was on a mission it seemed, and not even the usual enticements of Tortuga, few as they were for women, distracted her. Brushing coal-black strands of her from her eyes, she scanned the various taverns and bars that lined the few streets of the city. Finding the most likely, she stepped through the doors.
Silence followed her. This was a half-brothel/half-bar. Why the woman captain of the Bloody Arrow was here mystified both clientele and employees. A few of the prostitutes raised their eyebrows, and one was bold enough to openly wonder if something had happened to the Bloody Arrow. Raven's sharp ears overheard her though, and a dagger-like glance silenced the girl.
As the silence began to outweigh the noise from the far side of the room, the men drinking and having a good laugh at one man's drunken stories began to notice, and fall silent themselves. The drunk one didn't seem to care however and continued, with elaborate gestures to illustrate his point.
"And then.." He finally fell silent as Raven stopped in front of him. With a lopsided grin, he attempted, and after a second try succeeded in standing. "Why Raven Margow. What a pleasure." His dark eyes were still clear, and she wondered again if he was faking his drunkenness.
"Jack Sparrow," she answered coolly.
"Ah ah ah." He waggled a finger in her face, and she raised a hand, ceasing the movement. "Captain..Jack Sparrow luv."
"So the rumors are true. The Black Pearl is yours again." He merely grinned mischievously, and raised a bottle of rum.
"And toast I'll have to that." The men around him huzzahed and raised their own glasses. He took an over-exuberant drink and toppled back to his seat, to be fawned upon once again by adoring women. He grinned up at her again. "Join me?"
"You're disgusting as always. But congratulations anyway." With that, she turned away, seeking her preferred tavern and inn, far more quiet than this one. Jack's eyes followed her, and as they were when she had appeared, they were far clearer than a drunk's eyes should be.
"Congratulations to me," he whispered to himself. "And revenge on you darling." One of the women overheard him, and thinking he was speaking to her, leaned down to whisper in his ear.
"Revenge? How vicious." He grinned and pulled her into his lap.
"Indeed."