Disclaimer: Seeing as, this disclaimer thing has gotten way out of hand, I, the insane author of this 'fan'-fiction will allow you, the reader to improvise. So without further ado I present the new and improved method of crediting disclaimers. At the beep… please fill in the blank with your favorite disclaimer (so that I won't have to fill it in for ye.) BEEP (fill in the blank with your disclaimer now.)_______
The Joy of the Hunt
By: Dragon Demon
Rating: PG-13 for violence, brief language and sensuality.
Summary: Set in motion after Jack's escape from Port Royal, the crew of the Black Pearl pay a visit to Tortuga where Jack repossess a valuable trinket he left behind. In doing so, he has unleashed a chain of events that will lead him on a wild goose chase for treasure, love and survival
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Anamaria instinctively took the defense as Jack moved towards her. "Ladies first." He purred as he unsheathed his sword. Anamaria tightened her grip on the hilt of her blade before loosening it and stepping sideways. Jack moved in the same sense keeping a distance from her.
After circling several times, Anamaria offered a lop-sided grin and asked, "Well? What are ye waitin' for? Ye did say ladies first."
Jack's jaw dropped as he stared at her in disbelief. It was a split second reaction; but that split second cost him. A stinging sensation in his left arm snapped him back to his senses. Jack stumbled back bringing his sword up to parry a second attack.
Anamaria ducked as the captain's blade made a deathly swipe towards her head, the tip of the sword barely catching a lock of hair. Rolling out of harm's way, she brought her weapon up blocking another series of slashes. Sensing entrapment, she quickly kicked out with her leg, the action striking Jack in the thigh and bringing him to his knee.
He glared at her and she offered a smile in return. Making use of Jack's unfortunate state, Anamaria made haste to retreat behind a nearby crate while Jack regained his bearings.
"That was a luck shot, Anamaria." he replied as he advanced around the deck looking for his prey. There was a noise behind him and his lips tugged into a grin as he turned around. Anamaria stepped out from her hiding spot to see Jack facing her, his sword posed in mid-air ready for her to make another move.
There was a soft clang of metal as she ran her blade the length of his, her eyes never leaving his. Without warning, Jack stepped forward and brought his blade around swiftly only to be stopped. With quick reactions, both pirates were face to face, their blades being blocked by the others. Anamaria smiled mischievously as she lunged forward catching Jack off balance as her small frame rammed into him.
Jack caught his footing just in time to swing his blade down parrying a blow that would have surely severed his leg from his thigh. "Not bad." He grunted with a hint of fatigue in his voice.
"But, how's your footwork?" he once again questioned. "I step here,' he stepped to the left and Anamaria followed suit, her dark eyes burning into his. "Now I step here,' he stated as he slowly shuffled to the right. Anamaria took a side step as Jack studied her face carefully. As if on cue, he made a slight jump forward hoping to catch the woman off guard.
Anamaria quickly went down to one knee as she spun halfway around and rammed the hilt of her sword into Jack's midsection. There was a loud oof as he doubled over, his breathing labored. He glanced down where he saw his opponent still kneeling, her back to him. Jack never had been a man to take advantage of his advesary in a fight, especially when their back was to him. He smirked. However, he didn't see Anamaria as big a threat as he probably would have someone like Will.
He smiled at the though of the blacksmith and he remembered their first meeting and that fateful sword fight that day in the forge at Port Royal. He raised his sword and flicked his wrist in a smooth blow that in any other fight would have been fatal. A glint of silver caught Jack's eye as Anamaria's blade came up over her head, once again to meet Jack's.
There was a slight curse from the lavish captain as Anamaria scrambled to her feet. It was at that unfortunate moment that the ship decided to lurch forward as it hit a small wave in the water causing Anamaria to loose her footing. From her position, she saw Jack's blade above her head and it's swift decent towards her face.
Jack's frown faded as his blade came to a stop inches above his head. Looking down he saw Anamaria- tired, sweaty and breathing hard- blocking his blow, her sword matching his in the air. Without notice, Jack brought his sword straight down, thus catching the woman off guard and causing her to drop her blade. She stumbled backwards until she felt herself being stopped by the wooden wall of the quarterdeck.
Jack's blade rested gently across her neck and collarbone, a devious grin upon his face.
Anamaria's breath came in short gasps as her heart raced from the adrenaline of the sparring, a look of defeat upon her face. Her hair was tangled, a small wisp of it hanging in her face from where it had encounter Jack's sword moments before. Her face glistened with the sweat of the vigorous fighting and her shirt was wrinkled and had been torn.
Jack cocked his head at the sight of her pinned like a helpless animal and smiled. "How come ye never told me ye knew how to handle a sword?"
"'Cause ye never asked you empiric-" she was rudely cut off as Jack said simply, "Ah, don't start that again love. It's late and your name callin' can go on for hours."
Anamaria gave him a ghastly look as he continued, "I must admit, ye fight quite well. And ye never told me,' he paused and then placed his left hand over his heart and said in a mocking voice, "I'm hurt."
Anamaria rolled her eyes and went to push past him seeing as their squabble was over but instead found that Jack refused to let her go. "Jack." She whispered as she tapped his arm that held the sword. "Do ye mind..?"
He watched her for a moment more and then carelessly lifted a finger and twirled it in the small wisp of hair that hung in her face. "Ye know something, love, we're alike, you and I."
"Oh please, don't even start."
"No, no- really." He stated quite matter-of-factly. "Ye see… we're both lovers of the sea. Neither bein' tied down or held in lock and key. We're free, the two of us. Free out here, on the Pearl, on the waves. Free to go where ever the wind takes us."
Anamaria stiffened under the intense gaze of the man, his words floating in her head. She briefly looked away from him as she tried to slow her heartbeat down from the fight, from the defeat, from his closeness. From his touch.
After a long silence, she looked up only to see his kohl-rimmed eyes still held their gaze with hers. His face was mere inches from hers and she closed her eyes, afraid it was nothing but a dream. She could feel his breath upon her neck as her mind was screaming with a voice of reason to stop.
There was a loud squawk from above on the mast that broke the moment. Anamaria's eyes snapped open and she felt the pressure of the captain's blade upon her neck fade as he stepped back allowing her movement from her trapped position.
Jack sheathed his sword as Anamaria retrieved hers looking it over. Jack cleared his throat as he said, "Well… it seems it is late, perhaps we should be retirin' for the evening. There's a pillow and a bottle of rum callin' me name and I best not keep 'em waitin'.
He gave a nod to his first mate and made his way to his cabin leaving Anamaria all alone on the deck pondering just what had happened between them.
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"Cap'n?"
The voice was loud enough to jolt any man from his thoughts, yet it seemed to have fallen on deaf ears.
"Cap'n?" The person called a bit louder this time placing an old weathered hand on the captain's shoulder.
Jack jumped out of his daze and turned to see Gibbs standing there. He raised an eyebrow at the older man- his sign for Gibbs to state his reason for seeing him.
"Cap'n, why is it, we be setting sail for Port Antonio?"
Rubbing his chin he answered, "Unfinished business Gibbs."
Gibbs frowned, his eyes still filled confusion. "Aye, sir, but what business it be that requires us t' go out th't way?"
Jack glanced at him, a look that made Gibbs swallow hard. "Because, my good friend, it be my unfinished business and I aim on finishin' it."
Gibbs stood in silence. Finally it was broken by Jack. "It seems the Governor there has something that belongs to me. And I won't stop 'til I get back, savvy?"
There was a nod from beside Jack and he smiled. Gibbs opened his mouth to say something more when something from behind Jack caught his attention causing him to glower. Muttering something about bad luck and nosey women, he turned leaving Jack to ponder his thoughts alone.
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Author's Corner: Well well… heh, boring chapter and quite pointless. But aw, the tender moments. Granted, think what you will, but this chapter was nothing but fluff so to speak. It wasn't intended to move the story along, but merely to add another state of puzzlement to those on board as well another state of relationships/friendships.
Sorry, but I just couldn't resist myself in throwing this in there. A glimpse of the dear Anamaria's past as well as her skills and cunningness and… dun dun… feelings and/or emotions. Mwuhaha… my perturbing chapter if there ever was one.
Also, if you are going to review/flame and complain about how this chapter wasn't going anywhere or had anything to do with the story, don't bother. I already 'know!' Yes! Amazing, isn't it, I already know about how it has nothing to do with the plot of the story. But sheesh, all good romances had to start some where, savvy?
In the next chapter, our favorite captain and crew are going to get a slight shock as they finally make dock at Port Antonio. What awaits Jack, Anamaria, Gibbs and the rest of the crew at the Port? And exactly… where did Anamaria learn to fight like that? All this and more as you stay tuned.
Review Thanks: Yay, I got more reviews, go me!
Jackfan2- Hello again! And thank you! I am glad you enjoyed the previous chapter. Well, here are the winning results of the fight. Not a surprise, huh? I mean, imagine Jack's pride if her were beat by Anamaria, who is, regardless of her façade, a woman! I'd never hear the end of that one.
Cal- Greetings once more friend. I appreciate your review and the antic inside it. (laughs) Jack does strike as some sort of virginal girl, eh? Except the virginal thing. We can leave, the woman, yes.