Raven flopped down on the bed in her cabin, a huge grin on her face.
Dawn had broken, and they'd gotten better then half of the gold on a
merchant ship last eve. No sign of pursuit all night. They were clear. A
sudden shout made her sit bolt upright. Surely they couldn't have followed
during the night?
Scrambling to the door, she flung it open and ran to the steering deck. Her first-mate pointed wordlessly, and Raven's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. What was the Black Pearl doing here?
Regaining her senses, she shouted orders. "Bring her about! I want to meet this ship head on! And load the guns!" Cara, her first-mate, looked at her curiously. Raven glanced at her. "Just in case Jack Sparrow decides to be unfriendly." Cara nodded and ran below-decks to make sure the orders were being carried out. Meanwhile, Raven kept her eyes on the Pearl. Closer and closer it came, until she could make out the silhouettes scurrying about the ship.
Jumping to the main deck, she sprinted to the side that the Pearl would come up on. Starboard. She cursed the man. There were fewer guns on the starboard side of the Arrow, and he knew it. He was up to something. She waited, ignoring the plunging of the ship as the Pearl pulled alongside, bracing herself on the rail. Jack was indeed waiting for her, with a wicked grin on his face.
Bad sign, she thought. "Well well well, if it isn't the Bloody Arrow. How good to see you mate."
She inclined her head, refusing to answer.
Jack grinned again, and turned to Gibbs, his first-mate. She saw his mouth moving, but couldn't make out the words. He turned back to her as Gibbs ran off. She cursed when she saw he was headed below-decks, same as Cara was doing.
"You do remember what I said back in Tortuga don't ya luv?"
"I remember Sparrow. But if I recall, I didn't involve your crew and ship in it either."
"And I'm not planning on it. This is just a precaution." With his words, ropes slid and wood creaked, and the cannons rolled themselves out. Cara's responsive was impressive, having started the Arrow's guns rolling before the Pearl's had finished. She made a note to compliment her.
"A precaution for what?" she shouted over the noise.
"Just in case you decide not to come over quietly." He had jumped up on the railing, holding himself steady with a lash, a smirk on his face. She cursed him, in many languages. He knew she wouldn't sacrifice her crew or her ship. Her eyes were daggers, and she wished she could pierce him through the heart. But a hand stayed her arm, and she looked to see Cara's intense blue gaze.
"May I respond Cap'n?" Raven, taken utterly by surprise, turned to see the rest of her crew who were not manning the guns had massed behind her, pistols cocked and swords drawn.
"Certainly Cara," she answered, dreading what her first-mate would say. Twas the crew's choice if they turned her over, not her's.
Cara nodded, and turned to Jack, who was watching curiously. Her blue eyes seemed to smolder in the dawn's light, and her words carried clear over the water. "Ya make take her Cap'n Sparrow," Raven's heart sank, then lifted at the next words. "Over the dead bodies of this crew and ship!" With the last screamed words the cannons fired, and Jack was knocked to the deck of his ship. He scrambled to his feet as the Pearl automatically returned fire, glaring at the both of them. Raven merely grinned, bowed, then turned and began shouting orders.
The gunfight that ensued was furious indeed, perhaps not legendary, but the insults shouted back and forth most certainly were. In the end, sadly, it was the Pearl that triumphed. The Arrow's ammunition stocks were emptied, the women pirates' swords bloodied but dropped, and pistols tossed over the side of the ship.
Jack and Raven, who had pursued each other all over the ship in their duel, had halted in the middle. Jack's eyes were not amused, for he hated to see a proud woman defeated, but as she surveyed her crew, throats threatened by the Pearl's blades, she dropped her eyes, her sword, and her pride.
"Damn you to hell Jack," she whispered, falling to her knees. "Take me if you will, but don't hurt me crew, or me ship." Jack lowered his blade, sheathed it.
"Now luv, you know I'd never do that to ya." He nodded to his men, who released the crew but kept a wary eye and blade on them as they returned to the Pearl. Jack stood before Raven and offered her a hand. She glared at him and stood on her own, then turned and boarded the Pearl. A glance behind her showed her crew's lips were set, their eyes hard. She nodded once, and Cara nodded back. They would take care of the Arrow, until she could come back to it. They would also follow, discreetly.
Jack glanced at her, and seemed to know her plan, but he didn't say a word against it. "Take her to the brig," he motioned to Gibbs, who pushed her gently in the back. Apparently, no rough treatment for her, simply expecting her to follow orders. Tamely, she headed below decks.
Gibbs slammed the cell door shut, glancing at the captive pirate. "Ya know, ya almost deserve this."
Her reply was a snarl that made the first-mate take a step back. "Don't dare speak to me." Gibbs shrugged, pocketed the key, and made his way up to the deck. They were already underway, and the Arrow was shrinking into the distance.
"A good wind," he commented. Jack glanced at him, a smirk on his face.
"That it is. A wind of revenge that will soon blow itself out." He hopped off the steering deck and made his way into the captain's cabin.
Meanwhile, Raven slouched against the side of the ship, head sunk onto her arms. How could this have happened? Why was he doing this? Curse him! To the deepest pit of hell! She let out an exasperated sigh, which no one heard. At least her ship was in good hands. Cara was a good sailor, and pirate, and would make a fine captain if she never returned. She was willing to bet that if the Pearl lost them, they would make their way back to Tortuga, wait for the Pearl to dock, and find what news they could. Those were her standing orders if something happened to her. Not that she had expected anything to happen to her.
A few days passed, and she ate what meager food they gave her. She never saw Jack once, only those who gave her food and emptied the bucket they had given her. Shouts from above, and cannon fire awoke her from sleep. She could hear Jack's voice rising above the others, cursing the Navy. She smiled grimly; he was getting what he deserved.
Footsteps on the ladder brought her to her feet, and she grimaced as she saw two Navy officers in their "shoot-me-now" red coats. One produced Gibbs' key, and unlocked the cell. She simply stood there as he fished irons from a pouch. The other studied her for a moment, then seized his companion's arm.
"That's Captain Raven Margow! She's been raiding the Port Royal for months!" Raven smiled, but inside she seethed. Of course, someone WOULD recognize her. The other stared for a moment, then hastened to put her in the handcuffs. She offered no resistance, she knew better. "Come on, we'd better tell the captain." The other hurriedly agreed and hustled her up the ladder.
Sighing, she let herself be lined up, coincidentally, beside Jack Sparrow. He flashed a mournful grin at her, but she ignored him. "Go figure eh?" he whispered.
"Only what you deserve," she returned.
"Why luv, I'm devastated you should think that way." She almost strangled him then, but fortunately for his throat, the captain of the Navy ship approached. Jack grinned again.
"How good to see ya!" His grin faded under the stare of the captain. "Or maybe not."
"Well." Raven winced at his voice. So damned dry and stuck up. "Two captains in one capture. How unusual."
Jack managed to grin again. "Your lucky day eh?" The captain stared at him again, then turned to Raven. Raising her chin up with the hilt of his blade, he studied her a moment.
"The infamous Captain Margow. Captured at last."
"What can I say? I like to play hard to get. Especially with the Navy, seeing as they like me so much." Her grin was suggestive, and to her amusement, the captain actually turned red at the comment. Jack's slight laughter made the captain even more embarrassed, and he whipped around.
"Put those two in the brig. The rest go in the Pearl's brig. You and you and you and you. Man this ship and bring her into Port Royal." He strode onto his ship across the boarding plank, and Raven and Jack were shoved along behind.
The cell doors clanged close behind them, one for Raven, one for Jack. Jack grinned.
"Private quarters." Raven rolled her eyes and slumped back down to the floor.
"Well isn't this familiar," she answered dryly. Jack just grinned again, then began experimenting with the manacles on his wrists. She opened her eyes as the ringing of metal on metal began to reverberate through the brig. "Can't you at least let me get some sleep?"
Jack chuckles again. "And where would be the fun in that luv?" He eyed her a moment, then leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms the best he could. "Now then, what shall we do to past the time? I know a wonderful song," and he began to sing. Raven groaned and dropped her head onto her arms. Would her torment never end?
Scrambling to the door, she flung it open and ran to the steering deck. Her first-mate pointed wordlessly, and Raven's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. What was the Black Pearl doing here?
Regaining her senses, she shouted orders. "Bring her about! I want to meet this ship head on! And load the guns!" Cara, her first-mate, looked at her curiously. Raven glanced at her. "Just in case Jack Sparrow decides to be unfriendly." Cara nodded and ran below-decks to make sure the orders were being carried out. Meanwhile, Raven kept her eyes on the Pearl. Closer and closer it came, until she could make out the silhouettes scurrying about the ship.
Jumping to the main deck, she sprinted to the side that the Pearl would come up on. Starboard. She cursed the man. There were fewer guns on the starboard side of the Arrow, and he knew it. He was up to something. She waited, ignoring the plunging of the ship as the Pearl pulled alongside, bracing herself on the rail. Jack was indeed waiting for her, with a wicked grin on his face.
Bad sign, she thought. "Well well well, if it isn't the Bloody Arrow. How good to see you mate."
She inclined her head, refusing to answer.
Jack grinned again, and turned to Gibbs, his first-mate. She saw his mouth moving, but couldn't make out the words. He turned back to her as Gibbs ran off. She cursed when she saw he was headed below-decks, same as Cara was doing.
"You do remember what I said back in Tortuga don't ya luv?"
"I remember Sparrow. But if I recall, I didn't involve your crew and ship in it either."
"And I'm not planning on it. This is just a precaution." With his words, ropes slid and wood creaked, and the cannons rolled themselves out. Cara's responsive was impressive, having started the Arrow's guns rolling before the Pearl's had finished. She made a note to compliment her.
"A precaution for what?" she shouted over the noise.
"Just in case you decide not to come over quietly." He had jumped up on the railing, holding himself steady with a lash, a smirk on his face. She cursed him, in many languages. He knew she wouldn't sacrifice her crew or her ship. Her eyes were daggers, and she wished she could pierce him through the heart. But a hand stayed her arm, and she looked to see Cara's intense blue gaze.
"May I respond Cap'n?" Raven, taken utterly by surprise, turned to see the rest of her crew who were not manning the guns had massed behind her, pistols cocked and swords drawn.
"Certainly Cara," she answered, dreading what her first-mate would say. Twas the crew's choice if they turned her over, not her's.
Cara nodded, and turned to Jack, who was watching curiously. Her blue eyes seemed to smolder in the dawn's light, and her words carried clear over the water. "Ya make take her Cap'n Sparrow," Raven's heart sank, then lifted at the next words. "Over the dead bodies of this crew and ship!" With the last screamed words the cannons fired, and Jack was knocked to the deck of his ship. He scrambled to his feet as the Pearl automatically returned fire, glaring at the both of them. Raven merely grinned, bowed, then turned and began shouting orders.
The gunfight that ensued was furious indeed, perhaps not legendary, but the insults shouted back and forth most certainly were. In the end, sadly, it was the Pearl that triumphed. The Arrow's ammunition stocks were emptied, the women pirates' swords bloodied but dropped, and pistols tossed over the side of the ship.
Jack and Raven, who had pursued each other all over the ship in their duel, had halted in the middle. Jack's eyes were not amused, for he hated to see a proud woman defeated, but as she surveyed her crew, throats threatened by the Pearl's blades, she dropped her eyes, her sword, and her pride.
"Damn you to hell Jack," she whispered, falling to her knees. "Take me if you will, but don't hurt me crew, or me ship." Jack lowered his blade, sheathed it.
"Now luv, you know I'd never do that to ya." He nodded to his men, who released the crew but kept a wary eye and blade on them as they returned to the Pearl. Jack stood before Raven and offered her a hand. She glared at him and stood on her own, then turned and boarded the Pearl. A glance behind her showed her crew's lips were set, their eyes hard. She nodded once, and Cara nodded back. They would take care of the Arrow, until she could come back to it. They would also follow, discreetly.
Jack glanced at her, and seemed to know her plan, but he didn't say a word against it. "Take her to the brig," he motioned to Gibbs, who pushed her gently in the back. Apparently, no rough treatment for her, simply expecting her to follow orders. Tamely, she headed below decks.
Gibbs slammed the cell door shut, glancing at the captive pirate. "Ya know, ya almost deserve this."
Her reply was a snarl that made the first-mate take a step back. "Don't dare speak to me." Gibbs shrugged, pocketed the key, and made his way up to the deck. They were already underway, and the Arrow was shrinking into the distance.
"A good wind," he commented. Jack glanced at him, a smirk on his face.
"That it is. A wind of revenge that will soon blow itself out." He hopped off the steering deck and made his way into the captain's cabin.
Meanwhile, Raven slouched against the side of the ship, head sunk onto her arms. How could this have happened? Why was he doing this? Curse him! To the deepest pit of hell! She let out an exasperated sigh, which no one heard. At least her ship was in good hands. Cara was a good sailor, and pirate, and would make a fine captain if she never returned. She was willing to bet that if the Pearl lost them, they would make their way back to Tortuga, wait for the Pearl to dock, and find what news they could. Those were her standing orders if something happened to her. Not that she had expected anything to happen to her.
A few days passed, and she ate what meager food they gave her. She never saw Jack once, only those who gave her food and emptied the bucket they had given her. Shouts from above, and cannon fire awoke her from sleep. She could hear Jack's voice rising above the others, cursing the Navy. She smiled grimly; he was getting what he deserved.
Footsteps on the ladder brought her to her feet, and she grimaced as she saw two Navy officers in their "shoot-me-now" red coats. One produced Gibbs' key, and unlocked the cell. She simply stood there as he fished irons from a pouch. The other studied her for a moment, then seized his companion's arm.
"That's Captain Raven Margow! She's been raiding the Port Royal for months!" Raven smiled, but inside she seethed. Of course, someone WOULD recognize her. The other stared for a moment, then hastened to put her in the handcuffs. She offered no resistance, she knew better. "Come on, we'd better tell the captain." The other hurriedly agreed and hustled her up the ladder.
Sighing, she let herself be lined up, coincidentally, beside Jack Sparrow. He flashed a mournful grin at her, but she ignored him. "Go figure eh?" he whispered.
"Only what you deserve," she returned.
"Why luv, I'm devastated you should think that way." She almost strangled him then, but fortunately for his throat, the captain of the Navy ship approached. Jack grinned again.
"How good to see ya!" His grin faded under the stare of the captain. "Or maybe not."
"Well." Raven winced at his voice. So damned dry and stuck up. "Two captains in one capture. How unusual."
Jack managed to grin again. "Your lucky day eh?" The captain stared at him again, then turned to Raven. Raising her chin up with the hilt of his blade, he studied her a moment.
"The infamous Captain Margow. Captured at last."
"What can I say? I like to play hard to get. Especially with the Navy, seeing as they like me so much." Her grin was suggestive, and to her amusement, the captain actually turned red at the comment. Jack's slight laughter made the captain even more embarrassed, and he whipped around.
"Put those two in the brig. The rest go in the Pearl's brig. You and you and you and you. Man this ship and bring her into Port Royal." He strode onto his ship across the boarding plank, and Raven and Jack were shoved along behind.
The cell doors clanged close behind them, one for Raven, one for Jack. Jack grinned.
"Private quarters." Raven rolled her eyes and slumped back down to the floor.
"Well isn't this familiar," she answered dryly. Jack just grinned again, then began experimenting with the manacles on his wrists. She opened her eyes as the ringing of metal on metal began to reverberate through the brig. "Can't you at least let me get some sleep?"
Jack chuckles again. "And where would be the fun in that luv?" He eyed her a moment, then leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms the best he could. "Now then, what shall we do to past the time? I know a wonderful song," and he began to sing. Raven groaned and dropped her head onto her arms. Would her torment never end?