Disclaimer: I do not own the line, " . . .and then they made me their chief." or any of the other amazing one liners in that movie. Don't own the characters either, but that hasn't really stopped me from writing any of this. : )
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Examining her as if he could make her back down from what she had started, Jack said, "Fine." Calling to his crew, Jack ordered, "Clear the main deck. Gibbs! Retrieve Mistress Winifred's sword from its storage place. Cotton, take the helm." Once again Jack looked to Winn – she was stone faced, her eyes still smoldering with temper and resentment. Knowing he had no other choice, Jack declared before the whole crew, "Mistress Winn and I duel in twenty minutes."
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Oddly enough, Jack and Winn walked back to the captain's quarters together after this pronouncement. Winn was a step or two in front of Sparrow, her spine straight, her steps not quite rushed but quicker than usual. Sparrow, for once, had dropped his somewhat demented demeanor in favor of the air of a man faced with a large problem.
Right, a large problem. I'm just about to duel with a girl who looks like she weighs maybe 100 lbs. when wet. Not only that, but I happen to be a decent swordsman.
Despite all his protestations to the contrary, Jack actually did have some morals when it came to women. Not a lot, but one or two. Like not hitting a girl who slapped you (whether he deserved it or not), or not taking advantage of a drunk woman unless you were drunk too. That sort of thing.
Fighting one in a swordfight not only went against what morals he had, but it also went against common pirate sense. Who took a pirate seriously when he spent his time dueling women? All this is going to do is humiliate her more when humiliation is what started this mess. Why didn't I replace the blasted book before she noticed it was gone? It was too late for hindsight now though, unfortunately. Why did I even take her off her blasted boat? Yes, she's amusing, but she's also a bloody inconvenience. I need a drink.
When they reached the cabin, Winn opened the door just enough for her to get through, leaving it to shut in Jack's face. She headed back to her violated trunk and started pulling out items again, mainly a large number of cloth strips. Removing her boots and stockings as Jack entered the room, she went about fastening her pant legs around her ankles. The last thing she needed to do was catch her foot in her own clothes. She refused to look up as Jack went over to a large cabinet and removed a bottle from it.
Enjoying his sip of brandy (he only drank rum when he really wanted to get drunk), Jack watched as Winn took all the remaining pins out of her tumbling mass of hair. Placing them in a tin, she took another strip of fabric and tied her hair back out of her face.
During all the time she was doing this, Winn's temper started climbing again. She knew there was only a very slim chance that she was going to be able to actually beat Jack. She'd heard of his reputation, and she knew what she herself was capable of. The best she could actually hope for was a draw. But to have him come back here and start drinking like the confidant blackguard he was . . . it was too much. I hope you choke, she thought viciously.
While Winn was entertaining herself with images of Jack falling overboard in a drunken stupor, Jack was enjoying the sight of her hair hanging down. Loose, it reached her middle back. He always enjoyed a female with hair longer than his. Wait, distraction, not an opportune moment. Focus Jack, focus.
Glancing at Jack, Winn seated herself on the floor and started stretching. It had been weeks since she'd done any real sword-fighting. The time in her life where she had used such skills everyday was past. Closing her eyes, she touched her forehead to her right knee, trying to come up with some kind of strategy.
Don't get distracted, she told herself. Sparrow likes to talk, and he'll undoubtedly do so as we're fighting. Ignore it and remember what you're fighting over. The man broke 'the Code.' He should take it more seriously, everybody else does. Switching legs, she sighed at the irony. Try to win quickly, it's unlikely you'll be able to after the first few parries.
The minutes passed quickly, and soon Gibbs came to the cabin to inform the combatants that their battlefield was ready.
Light from torches held by the gathered crew fell in a circle, lighting the place where Jack and Winn were to fight. Despite the fact that nearly the entire crew was gathered round to watch (and those who weren't, were stealing glances from up in the rigging), but Winn refused to be cowed. Where's that Morgan temper when I really need it, she wondered. Instead of getting me in trouble, it could help me get out of it for once.
Winn held her sword in her hand, feeling its weight, checking its balance. Jack was doing the same across from her. Looking at Jack, Winn felt her temper rouse once again, like a wind fueling the last embers of a forest fire. She felt her breathing speed up and shallow out as her focus narrowed to center in on the man before her.
Gibbs watched as the two faced off, waiting only for the signal to start. He had a bad feeling about this. Women weren't meant to fight with men – it was unlucky. True, Ana Maria had fought with them for the past year, but every woman this ship had encountered since then had been nothing but trouble, and this one in particular was worse than the rest.
Jack, aware of what Gibbs must be thinking, smirked. Winn, thinking he was smirking at her, felt her temper burst into full flower, though this time she was able to keep her head somewhat clear. "Ready Captain?" The question came out more as a challenge than an enquiry.
"Whenever you are, dear Winnie," he called back, and with that, the two opponents started circling each other.
Winn knew that she needed to wait for Jack to make the first move, so she kept circling, waiting for his patience to run out. "What's wrong, luv? Changed your mind about fighting with a man? Have you decided you're not up to the challenge?"
Winn took his comments and stored the anger they caused for future use. She knew she'd be working off emotions in this fight; there was no chance her opponent would temper his strength for her. "Just waiting to see whether there will be a challenge or not, Captain. I've yet to see proof of any such thing. They say that you're a mean hand with a sword, but I'm not so sure about that. Are you sure you don't just talk your rivals into exhaustion?" While her voice was cold, her eyes were once again filled with fire. They goaded him, asking whether or not he could really do this.
Jack's eyes narrowed. "So it's proof you be wantin' my lass? Fine, then its proof I'll give you." Almost quicker than her eyes could follow, Jack struck. Whipping her blade up to meet his, Winn felt the crash of the collision all the way down her arm. Parrying the attack, she tried one of her own. It was easily met by Sparrow, who was grinning rather savagely. "Is that all you've got, Winnie? Seems I overestimated you. I thought you'd at least be able to entertain me for more than a minute or two."
Ignoring his jibe, Winn went back to circling, her leather shod hands tightening round the hilt of her weapon. Come on, give me more than that, she thought.
The two circled for several minutes, each testing the other's strength and speed. Feeling that he finally had her measure, Jack began his attack in earnest. But if he was determined to bring this to an end quickly and with the least amount of blood, then Winn was even more determined to draw this out for as long as possible. She had discovered after parrying his first few thrusts, that there was no way that she was going to be able to beat the captain unless he became overconfident, so she continued blocking his attacks and mounting few offences of her own.
This went on for quite some time. One by one several torches were replaced, and still they fought. After forty-five minutes or so, Winn finally faltered. Jack took advantage, a twitch of his wrist knocking her sword from her hands. As it flew to land several feet away from her, he pressed his advantage, stepping close and bringing the point of his sword to Winn's neck.
For the second time that day, Winn found herself at the wrong end of a pirate's blade. This just made her madder. Without anyone noticing, she let the hairpin she had stored in her glove slip into her fingers. When she tensed, Jack expected it was because she had just lost.
"Do you yield?" Please, he thought, I'm giving you a way out of this. Don't make me add to the collection of cuts on your neck. By the look of her gaze, he knew it was a rather pointless hope.
"Never," she hissed, panting to regain her breath. As Jack's arm darted forward to score her skin for the second time in a six hour period, Winn brought her own arm up. At the same time Jack scratched her, making her bleed, Winn jabbed him with her hairpin. Cursing, Jack dropped his sword, a hand going to his arm. When he removed it, he saw a tiny spot of blood marring the white of his shirt.
Incredulous, he met Winn's eyes for what would be the final time that night. Smirking, she said, "I believe that makes this a draw, Captain."
"But you just cheated." He stated this as if he thought she would actually care.
"No I didn't. Neither one of us actually set a condition that swords were the only weapon that could be used. It's not my fault you thought I'd confine myself to a single weapon."
Jack slowly grinned, and it was not one spurred by amusement. This time when he invaded her personal space, Winn stood absolutely still; he had a dangerous feel about him. She could tell his blood was still pumping from the fight, as was hers.
"You've made me drop my sword twice now, Winnie. Don't count on it happin' again." His voice was for her ears only, the threat in it clearly having two meanings. "Next time you attempt to upset me, I'll take you on, and I'll show no mercy. Savvy?"
Chest still heaving from the exertion of the fight and from the flow of anger through her veins, Winn spat, "We'll see, Captain. Good night."
Wheeling around, she fled the deck without even retrieving her sword.
The next few days passed with Winn avoiding Jack whenever possible and with Jack "observing" Winn any time he had the chance. Despite Winn's careful planning to steer clear of the captain, he usually made it a point to seek her out at least once a day. Winn would say he did it just to annoy her. Jack would have said that he was collecting information in order to decide what to do with his captive. Whatever the reason, these meetings usually ended with Winn letting the grip on her temper slide, and with Jack swaggering away.
Winn spent her days under the watchful eyes of Gibbs and Ana Maria. While they didn't hover, she could feel their eyes on her no matter where she went, and the list of places she was allowed to go was rather short. Most of the time, it appeared she was reading or drawing in her recovered sketch book. However, we all know how looks can be deceiving; she spent a majority of her days thinking.
I can't believe I let my temper go like that, she thought on her fifth day aboard the Black Pearl. She sat drawing a particularly interesting cloud formation, something that was relatively easy to do while letting her mind wander at the same time. How embarrassing. So much for not "goading the man into actions he otherwise would not have taken." So much for a calm icy demeanor, so much for not showing weaknesses through emotion.
Leaning her head back against the barrel she was using as a back rest, Winn studied the formation she was sketching. It had changed too much to really help her; she'd have to finish the rest from memory. Not that that's a challenge. Shifting her gaze to where sky met sea, she studied the blending of blues on the horizon. Funny how they turn grey at their conjunction, she thought. I wonder if I could manage to do that when I get home – catch that particular color. It'd be nice to try.
She closed her eyes.
"You've made me drop my sword twice now, Winnie. Don't count on it happin' again." Memory was a wretched thing. The fight was five days behind her now. Why couldn't she get those words out of her head? My fault, she thought. I instigated it. He brought an end to it. My fault I revealed too much of myself, that I exposed secrets, that I let him get to me. My fault, my fault, my fau – a shadow falling across her face interrupted her. She didn't bother opening her eyes. Why take the trouble when she already knew who it was? Besides, it annoyed Captain Sparrow when she ignored him.
When the shadow on her face proved to be too stubborn to ignore forever, Winn drawled in a sleepy voice, "For a man who claims to sleep during the day, you're certainly around a lot to pester me."
"What? Do my ears deceive me? Has the lovely lady Winifred actually been avoiding me? Here I thought she just got lost on a ship this size."
"Your ship isn't that big," Winn said tartly, "and I've only been trying to avoid you. I haven't been all that successful as of yet." In the silence that followed that statement, Winn heard a sound that was music to her ears – the raucous sound of seagulls. We're near land.
"Sounds like we're nearing a port, Captain. May it be that God has blessed me, and you're here to say that you'll be dropping me off in something that resembles civilization at your next opportunity?"
"'Fraid not, luv. That port we're nearing is Tortuga. I have a crewman to drop off and replace before we venture any farther. Some of us will be going ashore tomorrow."
"Hmm." Although Winn was doing her best to seem uninterested, she was thinking, Tortuga. What a ridiculous name. Who names an island after a turtle? She nearly chuckled out loud, except she didn't want Sparrow to think he was amusing her. Wait, I've heard that name recently, she thought. Scanning memories, she tried to find the one that was relevant at this time.
"Aye, the Kingfisher makes port in Tortuga several times a year. In fact, it's a good place to shop, what with all the stolen merchandise. I'll probably drop anchor there before heading to Port Royal." Of course! Her eldest brother Ryan, an English privateer, had mentioned stopping there before the wedding. With any luck, he would be there when they sailed in the next day. And I can get away from this accursed ship, she thought.
"I'm sure that's all very interesting to you, Captain, but I am trying to catch up on my sleep, so if you wouldn't mind finding someone else to disturb?"
Instead of leaving, Jack leaned on a nearby rail. "You are a lazy one. You surprise me, Winnie. Here I am, giving you free reign of my cabin at night to sleep, and then you sleep through the day. You'd never make it as a pirate, luv."
"You might be surprised, Captain. As to the matter of my nights, I use the time to read and to think, since I get a remarkably small amount of such things done during the day."
"I'm sure we could find other, more amusing, was of spending your night hours, Winnie." Jack watched her face intently and was not disappointed when Winn opened her eyes to glare at him.
"I'm certain that I have no idea what you are implying, Captain Sparrow. It would be rather difficult to . . . entertain . . . one another when I am in a closed room, and you are on deck steering your ship. And as that is a situation that is unlikely to change tonight, I'm afraid that you'll have to wait until you've reached land before finding a woman willing to relieve your boredom." Having said that, Winn closed her eyes and willed Jack to leave her be.
The pirate left Winn as he had found her, thinking to himself, Why didn't I toss those blasted spectacles overboard when I had the chance. Might as well look out at sea for all the good trying to see through those things does me. He had learned long ago that people were easier to read when they had no defenses, and those bloody glasses were Winn's most consistent and effective shield.
Jack had decided days ago that he was just going to deliver Winn to Port Royal himself. Might as well, since he was curious to see Will and Elizabeth get hitched. Having never attended a wedding himself, he wanted to see what went on at one, though he was suspicious it involved crying ladies and a teary-eyed groom. But on the up side, he did know that there would be drinks afterwards. Maybe not as much as would be at a pirate wedding (which were considered valid only on the sea by other pirates, and were made up of a pirate captain giving his blessing with everyone getting drunk afterwards), but there should be enough to wipe out the memory of blubbering matrons.
But first, Tortuga. I wonder if Scarlet is still speaking to me.
Winn was actually asleep when Jack burst into the cabin the next morning. Not being a morning person herself, Winn was groping for her dagger to mercifully dispatch whoever was waking her at such an ungodly hour when she heard Jack say, "Don't bother getting up, luv. I just came in to grab a spare pistol before I shove off."
"Ughn . . . Shut . . . the bloody door . . . behind you." Winn's voice, rough with sleep, grabbed Jack's attention immediately. It sounded as if she had spent the night muffling screams.
That's a lovely thought, Jack thought to himself. Too bad I'll never get the chance to hear such a thing from her. Out loud, he said, "Is that all the good-bye I get? Not even a 'Jack, the hours 'til sundown will seem endless without your enthralling presence in my life?'"
"I'd rather you not come back until after sundown – it would make it ever so much easier to escape." Winn was slowly waking up, blast the man. She had been dreaming that she was already gone from here.
At the mention of escape, Jack turned to Winn, a serious look in his eyes for once. "Don't even be considering such a thing, Winnie. Tortuga is no Port Royal. A woman like you'd be on her back within minutes of setting foot on the dock. You are to remain here, do you understand me?"
"While I find your concern for my safety touching, perhaps even heartwarming, I find your lack of faith in my abilities to be rather disappointing. Besides, I have no intention of setting foot in Tortuga, or anywhere else that is not the deck of a ship. Have no fear, Captain; I shall be safely on deck when you return."
Jack examined her, which was difficult to do considering her face was half buried in a pillow and her hair nearly obscured the rest of it.
"I'll be trusting you to keep your word, luv. Give me your hand so we can shake on it."
Winn thrust a hand out from underneath her pillow. While it was only visible from fingertips to forearm, it was good enough for the pirate. "We're agreed then. You stay aboard ship." Satisfied that Winn would keep her word, Jack left, looking forward to a day of rum and "pleasurable company." But first I need to discharge White and find a suitable replacement. Wait, I'll have Gibbs . . . no, I'd better do it.
For Winn, the hours 'til dusk could not have passed any slower. True, she spent most of the day sewing her sketch book and journal into oil cloth pouches inside her pant legs to protect them from the water, but for the most part she stayed in the Captain's quarters. She dared only to go out on a few quick reconnaissance missions before setting her mind to stay inside. When she did go out, she was careful not to pay too much attention to her surroundings or to raise any suspicion in the ten or so men left aboard.
Eventually, her patience paid off. Around noon, the ship in the berth next the Black Pearl cast off. Tortuga was one of the few places in the Caribbean where pirates were safely able to tie up at the dock. Once the decrepit hulk of ship was out of her way, Winn saw that luck and coincidence were indeed with her. The next ship over was the Kingfisher – her brother's ship. While it appeared that no one was aboard at the moment, Winn knew Ryan preferred to sail with the evening tide, which was around ten o'clock that night. Finally, I can leave this ship. And more importantly, leave her Captain.
So, Winn bided her time until sunset. Taking a quick walk around the main deck, she saw sailors returning to both the Kingfisher and the Pearl alike. She was on the verge of changing her plans when she saw her brother and his wife immerge from the Kingfisher's main cabin. Right . . . alone time on board. Difficult to get when you're on a shipful of men. Bet they enjoyed that.
Looking around to see if anyone was paying her any attention, Winn walked closer to the rail with her normal proud strides. If she started sneaking, she'd catch their attention for sure – better to look normal. Turning her back to the Kingfisher, she leaned against the rail. Once again glancing around at the now slightly inebriated crew, Winn took a deep breath, and then flipped over the rail behind her.
She hit the water with a splash that most of the Pearl's crew ignored. Knowing that could change in an instant, Winn started swimming towards her brother's ship before her head broke the water's surface. Oh my goodness, this water is a bit colder than I expected, she thought. Good thing Ryan brought Cat, otherwise I'd be stuck in wet clothes for while.
Once she could no longer hold her breath, she surfaced only to hear shouts from both crews. Some voices sounded angry, others were shouting directions. However, there was one voice she could hear above all the rest – the voice of her brother ringing out in full-fledged amusement. "Throw down a rope, lads! If our swimmer is so determined to make it aboard, the least we can do is lend a hand."
Grinning, Winn lengthened her stokes. That was too easy.
A rope landed in the water a foot or two to her right. Changing course, she grabbed hold of it. Quicker and with less care than she would have liked, she was pulled up the hull of the ship onto the Kingfisher's deck. The crew gathered around her. "It's a bloomin' female." "Look, it's a girl!" "I thought the only girls who could swim like that were mermaids." Winn ignored these comments as she stood up, looking around for her brother. His presence was announced by a parting in the throng in front of her.
"Why, if it isn't my baby sister! Freddy, what are you doing here?" Ryan came up with a blanket to enfold his younger sister in.
Gratefully leaning against her brother, Winn mumbled, "It's a long story, and don't call me Freddy." It was a common theme between them – she complained and he ignored. "Right now I'd appreciate it if you'd shove off. I'd really like to leave."
The first thing that Jack Sparrow heard as he came back to ship that evening was the angry shouts of his crew. What could have happened now? he wondered. I thought didn't think anyone was drunk enough to cause too much trouble.
Picking up his pace, Jack soon saw what the trouble was. His entire crew was gathered to one side of the railing, shouting at the ship in the next berth. It was getting ready to set sail, by the looks of it. Looking at the deck to see if he could discern the cause of all the ruckus, he saw a cluster of three figures, two tall and dry, one short and dripping wet. When the figure turned, he saw a mane of black hair hanging around a brown face. Looking closer, he saw that it was Winifred.
"I'd rather you not come back until after sundown – it would make it ever so much easier to escape." "While I find your concern for my safety touching, perhaps even heartwarming, I find your lack of faith in my abilities to be rather disappointing. Besides, I have no intention of setting foot in Tortuga, or anywhere else that is not the deck of a ship. Have no fear, Captain; I shall be safely on deck when you return."
Jack watched as the dripping figure saluted him, a cocky smile just visible in the fading light.
Returning the salute with a smile of his own, Jack shouted, "Well, I see you kept your word, Winnie. Safely on deck, indeed. I believe I owe you for this, lass. It's been awhile since I've been so outmaneuvered."
Winn shouted back, "Don't worry about it, Captain Sparrow. I was glad to be of service. I shall pass along your regards to Will and Elizabeth."
"As I shall pass yours along to them," Jack said under his breath. Walking up the plank to his ship, he started making plans to reach Port Royal unnoticed.