* * * * * * * * * * *
"Ah, Jackie, its your first night in Tortugua." Turner said, throwing an arm around the boy's shoulder. Sparrow glanced over his shoulder at Ana- Marie, who leant against the main mast, arms crossed across her chest. Her face was passive, but her eyes flickered uneasiness.
"Boys first night eh?" Carlos grinned mercilessly, his teeth a sickening yellow colour in blacked gums. Sparrow's eyes widened with shock at having such teeth so close to his face. "Show'im a good time."
"Ah, my boy. I remember my first night here," Turner's eyes glazed over slightly. "It's a town to was ya sorrows in, if nothing else lad." Turner's eyes darted to Ana-Marie, who was watching the exchange. "We'll take good care of the boy,"
"Yeah," Barl said, and winked suggestively. "Introduce the boy to some good people." Sparrow looked to Ana-Marie for approval, but her face was unreadable.
"Captain, is it okay if we take off now? Vincent and Crow are coming at eight to stand guard. You'll probably want it spread around that you're the new captain for the Portella, mam?" Turner asked politely, trying to pretend he couldn't hear Carlos gibes at the boy.
"Yes." Ana-Marie nodded. "As I said, we'll berth here for three days. Anyone who fails to turn up on the third day will get left behind, savvy?" She said the last few words slowly and menacingly. "And put it round we need two new hands on deck, preferably no more cocky mutineers. I'm sick of having to dispose of them."
Ana-Marie finished with a grimace, remembering the feeling of drawing the blade across the last one's throat. There was such a difference, between the kill of a stranger in battle or the disposal of one after battle, and that of killing a supposed friend in cold blood. A difference she wanted to experience as rarely as possible.
The four pirates made to leave the ship. What a strange group they made. Turner, in his early thirds, was distractingly handsome, his skin smooth white and his eyes like dark coal. His skin, hardened brown by the sun, was the only sign that showed him as what he was, a pirate. He looked like a young noble, down on his luck.
Barl was tall and broad, the kind of solid, stoic man who looked like he could snap a man's neck with his hands. Beside him was Carlos, small and wiry, with a rattish quality that sickened nobles and disgusted woman.
And then Sparrow. Head bowed, but observant, his walk unknowingly cocky, his manner disturbing as it seemed half serious, half mocking. There was no doubt they'd find trouble in Tortugua tonight.
Ana-Marie prayed silently that that was all the young Jack found. She shook her head at herself. It was not for her to decide what the boy did. He was only sixteen for gods sake.
"Um, hold on a minute boys." Ana-Marie called out sweetly. Jack turned around almost thankfully.
Uh-huh! He thought, she's gunna tell me what to do so I don't mess up.
"Yes, Captain?" They all said, turning around respectfully.
"Carlos, I thought we made an agreement earlier." Carlos froze. He almost went cross-eyed with thought.
"An a. a.agreement." He stuttered naturally, flexing his fingers. Sparrow looked mildly afraid and took a step away from him, wobbling to regain his balance as he nearly fell of the peer.
"When we were in the hold? You were taunting Sparrow here?" Ana-Marie prompted. Carlos narrowed his eyes trying to recall. "Your punishment was." Carlos snapped his fingers, proud to finally be able to contribute.
"Scrub the decks for two weeks and. oh." His voice trailed off and his smile faltered. "Not leave ship when we get to Tortugua. Oh."
"That's right. Looks like you've got first watch." Ana-Marie smiled brightly. "Now if you'll excuse me boys, I've got things to do." She said, patting the gem pouch that hung from her belt. Ana-Marie smiled. Sparrow would probably get drunk and pass out before he made it to any brothel.
Carlos made his muted way back to the ship, while Sparrow, sandwiched between Barl and Turner, made a few panicked glances back at Ana-Marie before getting swamped in the crowds that was Tortugua.
* * * * *
"You know, it was all true, my bonnie lass," Jack whispered, his salt cracked lips resting momentarily on Ana-Marie's belly button as he paused for thought.
"What's all true?" Ana-Marie said distractedly, her fingers entangled in his hair. Jack looked up at her with a slight grin, his gold teeth sparkling menacingly. His rough fingers idly caressed the skin where her white shirt was riding up.
"My little sob story. The one true story about Jack Sparrow, his daring escape which led him into piracy." He said solemnly.
"Your reputation does seem to be exceeding you these days. You should hear the tales about you. I don't even think I could, what was it.? Rope a couple of sea turtles with the hair of my back?" Ana-Marie said with a laugh, poking his thigh with her foot. He smiled gingerly.
"Standing on those gallows, having all the things I've done read out to me like that, made me realise I've had some pretty close calls. Some damn close calls. And what for?" He wrapped his knuckles on the wall. "For this, for some wood and sails? Damn close calls. Ten years I chased this ship. Don't know what I'd do if I lost her again."
Ana-Marie smiled softly, not having the heart to yell at him, to kick him and punch him, to tell him how rotten he was. Not having the heart to say that he'd caused her to lose her ship, which he'd sunk it to the bottom of the ocean.
In the here and now, she thought, it didn't seem all that important.
"Ah, Jack, you could never hold your liquor well. Do you always go all insightful?" She said, trying to joke it off.
"Ah, well, it's the company I keep I suppose. All these woman, expecting things of me." He paused, kissing her belly button again thoughtfully. "I did a terrible thing didn't I? I was young and I was stupid, but it was still a terrible thing." He said, glancing up at her again. Her face grew pensive and she nodded.
"Aye. You did. And losing the Portella, though it felt like the end of the world, wasn't even the worst of it. Do you know what it's like being stranded in some god forsaken port, a pirate wench with not a penny to her name?"
Jack narrowed his eyes, recalling one certain occasion in Tortugua after too much drink, but thought this not the time to bring it up.
"In the end though, I think it hurt most that you did it Jack. When you were my confident. Then when I learnt you reasons, I hated you even more, though I could understand it."
"Understand it?" He repeated, mulling the words over.
"Aye Jack, what is it you say? Not all treasure is gold and silver."
"That's true my darlin," Jack said grinning, moving up the bunk to rest by Ana-Marie's head again. "But it's also true that not all that glitters is gold." He said grimly, and she stroked his face sympathetically.
* * * * * * * * * * *
"Ah, Jackie, its your first night in Tortugua." Turner said, throwing an arm around the boy's shoulder. Sparrow glanced over his shoulder at Ana- Marie, who leant against the main mast, arms crossed across her chest. Her face was passive, but her eyes flickered uneasiness.
"Boys first night eh?" Carlos grinned mercilessly, his teeth a sickening yellow colour in blacked gums. Sparrow's eyes widened with shock at having such teeth so close to his face. "Show'im a good time."
"Ah, my boy. I remember my first night here," Turner's eyes glazed over slightly. "It's a town to was ya sorrows in, if nothing else lad." Turner's eyes darted to Ana-Marie, who was watching the exchange. "We'll take good care of the boy,"
"Yeah," Barl said, and winked suggestively. "Introduce the boy to some good people." Sparrow looked to Ana-Marie for approval, but her face was unreadable.
"Captain, is it okay if we take off now? Vincent and Crow are coming at eight to stand guard. You'll probably want it spread around that you're the new captain for the Portella, mam?" Turner asked politely, trying to pretend he couldn't hear Carlos gibes at the boy.
"Yes." Ana-Marie nodded. "As I said, we'll berth here for three days. Anyone who fails to turn up on the third day will get left behind, savvy?" She said the last few words slowly and menacingly. "And put it round we need two new hands on deck, preferably no more cocky mutineers. I'm sick of having to dispose of them."
Ana-Marie finished with a grimace, remembering the feeling of drawing the blade across the last one's throat. There was such a difference, between the kill of a stranger in battle or the disposal of one after battle, and that of killing a supposed friend in cold blood. A difference she wanted to experience as rarely as possible.
The four pirates made to leave the ship. What a strange group they made. Turner, in his early thirds, was distractingly handsome, his skin smooth white and his eyes like dark coal. His skin, hardened brown by the sun, was the only sign that showed him as what he was, a pirate. He looked like a young noble, down on his luck.
Barl was tall and broad, the kind of solid, stoic man who looked like he could snap a man's neck with his hands. Beside him was Carlos, small and wiry, with a rattish quality that sickened nobles and disgusted woman.
And then Sparrow. Head bowed, but observant, his walk unknowingly cocky, his manner disturbing as it seemed half serious, half mocking. There was no doubt they'd find trouble in Tortugua tonight.
Ana-Marie prayed silently that that was all the young Jack found. She shook her head at herself. It was not for her to decide what the boy did. He was only sixteen for gods sake.
"Um, hold on a minute boys." Ana-Marie called out sweetly. Jack turned around almost thankfully.
Uh-huh! He thought, she's gunna tell me what to do so I don't mess up.
"Yes, Captain?" They all said, turning around respectfully.
"Carlos, I thought we made an agreement earlier." Carlos froze. He almost went cross-eyed with thought.
"An a. a.agreement." He stuttered naturally, flexing his fingers. Sparrow looked mildly afraid and took a step away from him, wobbling to regain his balance as he nearly fell of the peer.
"When we were in the hold? You were taunting Sparrow here?" Ana-Marie prompted. Carlos narrowed his eyes trying to recall. "Your punishment was." Carlos snapped his fingers, proud to finally be able to contribute.
"Scrub the decks for two weeks and. oh." His voice trailed off and his smile faltered. "Not leave ship when we get to Tortugua. Oh."
"That's right. Looks like you've got first watch." Ana-Marie smiled brightly. "Now if you'll excuse me boys, I've got things to do." She said, patting the gem pouch that hung from her belt. Ana-Marie smiled. Sparrow would probably get drunk and pass out before he made it to any brothel.
Carlos made his muted way back to the ship, while Sparrow, sandwiched between Barl and Turner, made a few panicked glances back at Ana-Marie before getting swamped in the crowds that was Tortugua.
* * * * *
"You know, it was all true, my bonnie lass," Jack whispered, his salt cracked lips resting momentarily on Ana-Marie's belly button as he paused for thought.
"What's all true?" Ana-Marie said distractedly, her fingers entangled in his hair. Jack looked up at her with a slight grin, his gold teeth sparkling menacingly. His rough fingers idly caressed the skin where her white shirt was riding up.
"My little sob story. The one true story about Jack Sparrow, his daring escape which led him into piracy." He said solemnly.
"Your reputation does seem to be exceeding you these days. You should hear the tales about you. I don't even think I could, what was it.? Rope a couple of sea turtles with the hair of my back?" Ana-Marie said with a laugh, poking his thigh with her foot. He smiled gingerly.
"Standing on those gallows, having all the things I've done read out to me like that, made me realise I've had some pretty close calls. Some damn close calls. And what for?" He wrapped his knuckles on the wall. "For this, for some wood and sails? Damn close calls. Ten years I chased this ship. Don't know what I'd do if I lost her again."
Ana-Marie smiled softly, not having the heart to yell at him, to kick him and punch him, to tell him how rotten he was. Not having the heart to say that he'd caused her to lose her ship, which he'd sunk it to the bottom of the ocean.
In the here and now, she thought, it didn't seem all that important.
"Ah, Jack, you could never hold your liquor well. Do you always go all insightful?" She said, trying to joke it off.
"Ah, well, it's the company I keep I suppose. All these woman, expecting things of me." He paused, kissing her belly button again thoughtfully. "I did a terrible thing didn't I? I was young and I was stupid, but it was still a terrible thing." He said, glancing up at her again. Her face grew pensive and she nodded.
"Aye. You did. And losing the Portella, though it felt like the end of the world, wasn't even the worst of it. Do you know what it's like being stranded in some god forsaken port, a pirate wench with not a penny to her name?"
Jack narrowed his eyes, recalling one certain occasion in Tortugua after too much drink, but thought this not the time to bring it up.
"In the end though, I think it hurt most that you did it Jack. When you were my confident. Then when I learnt you reasons, I hated you even more, though I could understand it."
"Understand it?" He repeated, mulling the words over.
"Aye Jack, what is it you say? Not all treasure is gold and silver."
"That's true my darlin," Jack said grinning, moving up the bunk to rest by Ana-Marie's head again. "But it's also true that not all that glitters is gold." He said grimly, and she stroked his face sympathetically.
* * * * * * * * * * *