Disclaimer: Captain Jack Sparrow, the Black Pearl and her crew, none of them are mine. Much as I might like for the captain to be mine, he's not, and I'll return him to those who do own him in much the same shape I borrowed him in.
Author's Note: Isabella Raven, the Nevermore, her crew, and the other members of the Raven family are mine. So is the song 'Captain of the Nevermore' that Isabella sings, and the verses of poetry that begin each chapter. Oh, and please send reviews to my e-mail: captainisabellaraven@yahoo.com. Thanks!
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Thae Curst Waters o' Hell (con't)
I sail on thae curst waters o' hell
An' pray me soul ter find
Pray me soul ter escape
Thae curst demon ship I sail
Me ship it lies on thae bottom
An' me soul do as well
Thae deal I made wit' thae devil
Ter save me own dear crew
~~~
Jack circled the other pirate warily, watching for an opening, a weakness. He knew the other man was doing the same, and this was no duel like he'd had with the Turner boy. He won't fight fair anymore than you will, Jack. Something the whelp has yet to figure out... unless he's learned something new since I was last to Port Royal. He stopped thinking as Shane moved forward in a nearly blindingly quick attack, engaging all of Jack's attention.
Feint and counter-feint, thrust and parry, strike and block. Each moved with a precision that came from a lifetime of fighting for more than the game the nobles turned fencing into, using anything that came to hand to try and distract their opponent, breaking the rules of engagement with flagrent abandon, moving up and down the deck of the rolling ship.
~~~
Isabella watched the two men continue to fight, her eyes straying to the sun, riding high in the sky, nearly noon. If it had been nearer sunset, she might have given Jack the odds of survival. As it was. Watch yer footin', me lads, I an' me ship donnae need this. She spun the wheel, the Nevermore responding unlike any ship built a human hand, rolling to port, sending both men skittering towards the sullen lit waters, the duel suddenly forgotten in the desire to remain on the ship, instead of bobbing in the water beside it.
"Iffen ye be such fools as ter fight on me ship again, I will be droppin' ye in." Isabella glared at the two, the clear clarion tone of command ringing through it. "Thae wind be blowin' steady, an' we be takin' advantage o' it. Set thae sails, or be ye needin' another reminder o' who be runnin' this ship?"
Shane slid his saber home with an audible click, reacting automatically, a scowl appearing on his face when he realized what he had done. "I don't need to listen to your orders any longer, Captain. I am bound only to a higher...." He snapped his mouth shut as the Nevermore pitched again, sending him stumbling towards the starboard rails, Isabella's eyes gleaming coldly with a sullen red light that was eerily remeniscent of the light reflecting from the water.
"Ye be aboard me ship, ye answer ter me, or ye be leavin' me ship." Her voice was pure steel, the voice of someone used to being obeyed without question. The voice of a ruthless pirate captain.
~~~
Shane climbed into the rigging, his expression black, his temper seething. You will regret that, Captain. When I have this ship for my own, and you are nothing more than a figure receding in the distance on some God-forsaken island where no one will find you until you're quite, quite dead. When I and this ship are properly ressurected from the dead. He began unfurling the sails, tossing the ropes that would allow them to control the sails from the deck down to Jack.
And you, Sparrow, can join her. Let the two of you starve together. Without a bullet to end the pain and delerium. No friends for you two but each other. He snarled silently, raising his face to the hot breeze, his eyes narrowed to angry slits. I am not going to rot here in hell as you seem so content to be doing!
~~~
Jack watched as Shane made his way to the first of the sails, the lean pirate unfurling them, tossing the ropes down. As he caught them, Jack looked up at Isabella, noting the blank expression on her face, the fixed focus of her eyes.
"Why are you sailing on these waters if you always come back to the same place?" He watched for a reaction, and there was none except her reply, her voice almost as emotionless as her expression.
"What be there ter do but sail?" A smile finally touched her lips, but never reached her eyes. "I be sailin' every sea tha' I be on, Cap'n Jack. Nae matter where it be."
Jack continued to watch her a moment, before leaving the ropes to the other man, earning him an angry glare and a growl from Shane, and strode up onto the quarter deck. Before Isabella could object, he deftly pried her hands from the wheel, and tossed her over his shoulder, carrying her down to what he hoped was her cabin, kicking the heavy oaken door shut behind him.
"What thae bleedin' 'ell d'ye think ye be doin'?" Isabella glared at him as he set her down, her hands clenched into fists of rage. A quick glance around the room revealed a virtual arsenal of weapons, perhaps not the best place to have taken her if he wished to remain in one piece.
"You didn't look like you were enjoying yourself out there, luv." Jack grinned sugestively, taking a step towards her. A moment later, he was blinking up at the ceiling, admiring the woodwork, and wondering where on the seven seas Isabella had gotten her impressive right hook. No woman had ever done more than rock him back on his heels, if that much.
"I dinnae ask ye ter be lookin' after me, an' I donnae need a man ter be tryin' ter keep me happy! I be in me best mood when me ship be sailin' wit' her sails full o' wind, an' me crew listenin' ter me. Nae when sommun ha' a damnable idea o' what 'e think be fun, an' be tryin' ter do sommat tha' I already tol' 'im 'e better nae be thinkin'!" The air around her crackled with rage, and Jack's eyes widened as she dove for a saber tossed over the back of a chair on its belt.
He rolled onto his feet, drawing his own sword in time to block a vicious downward blow meant to take out half his leg along with some more precious parts of his anatomy. Isabella continued to press the attack, driving him backwards towards a corner. He spun to avoid a strike and the direction she wanted him to go, only to have her grab up another weapon, a nasty-looking little riding crop, in her right hand.
Where did she pick up a riding crop? The thought crossed Jack's mind as she used the item in question to slash at his sword arm as she struck again. The blow had to have left a welt, and it stung like sea water in a wound. He glanced at her face, to see her eyes blazing with angry black fire, and her hair crackling about her head in a dark halo. A fallen angel... An angry fallen angel, he corrected himself as she continued to drive him back. Jack, get your mind off her assests, or you're going to be splattered all over those assests....
Something hit him in the back of his legs, and he leapt up, suddenly trying to keep his balance on a soft surface.
"If you wanted me in your bed, luv, all you had to do was tell me." He delivered the quip with a grin, and earned himself a stinging blow across the ankles, hard enough to make him loose his balance. Isabella was straddling his chest in a lightening quick move, the blade in her hand at his throat. "D'ye yield?"
~~~
Isabella slowed her breathing with an effort, trying to push her anger down as she held Jack's gaze, letting her sword away from his throat only whern she heard the clatter of his hitting the deck. "Ye fight well, Cap'n Jack." Her voice was quiet as she moved to get off the bed, the crop getting tossed across the room, and nearly shrieked as she was rolled, Jack looming over her, a wicked grin on his face. "Now what ye be doing, ye bloody fool?" She glared at him, her left fist clenching around her not forgotten sword.
Just stealing a kiss luv. "I wasn't the one who started this, darling." His grin deepened as he lowered his head, intent on a kiss, and Isabella growled, bringing the sword hilt up to connect solidly with his temple.
An expression of consternation crossed Jack's face as he collapsed into unconciousness, Isabella rolling him off her with a grunt, kicking his sword across the cabin as she stood. Bloody man. Ye will be payin' fer that, ye will. She smiled grimly, and went to work, hoping the sun would go down before Jack woke up.
