Disclaimer: Ah yes, I had to return Captain Jack Sparrow today, for Disney
tracked me down. (holds up hand to silence wailing of fangirls) But I
have a plan. And it involves a tractor, one limabean, and twenty-five and
a half kittens. And I think it might just work. (winks) I shall bring
JUSTICE to Fanfiction.net ONCE AND FOR ALL! (American flags wave in the
background, fireworks go off, tra-la-la)
Author's Notes:
All righty! Finally I get to update. I would have the other day but holy cow, teachers just stacked up the homework. Homework should fall off a cliff and drown. Can I hear a whoop whoop?
Let's see.......I'm glad you liked the 'totally random' pirate convention, for I had to thank my beloved reviewers somehow! If your name wasn't mentioned, I hereby dub you.....COMMODORE (insert name here)! The criticism and lovely comments have been greatly appreciated, and HOLY MOTHER OF PEARL, I cannot believe we are already up to the big 5-0-0 people! And yet not one flame! I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and these reviews make writing fiction all the more fun. Well, me scurvy pirates, this chapter is for you.
You look familiar. Have I threatened you before?
PineAppleLint ;)
Author in a spooky voice: We shall now go back and see where we left off, in order to refresh your bright memories, aye?
***" I have conditions," I replied with mock politeness.
"And those are?" Shadows asked, eyes twinkling.
"One, I want me effects back. Two, yeh lay a hand on me, I'll kill yeh," I snarled.
Shadows laughed and said, "If yeh do not wish to please me, I'll leave yeh with me crew. The men have spent many months without pleasure."
"Yeh cannot do that!" I cried, "For if yeh do, I will withhold the information from ye!"
He grabbed me by the hair and pulled me close. "Don't try my patience, missy," he growled, "For I am tempted to just beat it out of yeh."
He handed me my dagger and kept a hand on his sword, prepared if I attacked him. "Hope yeh enjoy yer night, Miss Gallagher," he said with a chuckle and walked into his cabin, then slammed the door shut. I stared at the crew, who were licking their lips and staring at me with unnaturally hungry eyes. I pointed my dagger at them, scowling. It was going to be a long night.***
Now, without further ado, the next installment of "Meeting His Match". Enjoy!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It was madness, pure insanity. I felt myself begin to shiver from the rush of adrenaline the situation had produced, my fingers clamped tightly over the handle of my sharp dagger, my palms sweating profusely. I wiped them on my dirt stained brown breeches, some tiny threads dangling from where I ripped the tough fabric to bind Will's wound. Ah, I wondered where the Black Pearl was now. I sure hoped they were enjoying their damn freedom.
I put my back to the cupboard, rattling as my back hit it, for it was stocked with preserves. I had moved it in front of the locked door for protection. The lust filled crew had been after me. I was stuck in the storage room of The Ghost. There wasn't even one grimy window, so it was pitch black except for the dim rays of moonlight coming from the gunshot holes in the planks of the wall. In their blind passion to try and retrieve me, they went a little wild with the bullets. The pounding on the wooden door had diminished about fifteen minutes ago, but I'd be damned if I took any chances and stepped out of there now. They would grab me like a hawk would to an unaware mouse.
Suddenly I felt a pang of emptiness as I sat there, my eyes open, yet my gray irises not seeing. The blackness clung to me like a virus, like rebel seaweed wrapping around a peaceful swimmer in a crashing wave. My moment of denial had past. I was truly and utterly alone.
I was still trying to regain steady breathing, for the visions of the ugly brutes chasing after me like I was food were repulsive. They had grabbed me and I had kicked and shouted, slicing a few with my dagger, letting the droplets of their blood stain the wood of their darling ship. That distraction had given me enough time to run to my salvation and barricade myself inside.
My fingers fumbled around the room, trying to find a candle or lamp or something of the sort, but I came across nothing except a barren table lodged into the corner and another cupboard filled with buckets, mops, and brooms. I fell back down and lay against the rough wooden planks, my arms and legs sprawled at my sides, staring at the ceiling, or I would be if I could see anything.
The sun would rise, Shadows would command me to come out, and I would be his informant until he no longer needed me. Then he would surely kill me. My lifeless body would drift aimlessly in the ocean, for they would toss me overboard, or tie stones to my boots and I would sink slowly to the dark, cold depths of the sea.
I closed my eyes and smiled, and tried to not think of tomorrow, or yesterday, or months from then, if I managed to stay alive for that long. For it was not my fate I was imagining, but of what the ones I cared for were probably doing at that very moment. Elizabeth would be wrapped in her husband's arms, telling him how much he frightened her, and would threaten to box his ears for making her so sick with worry. Will would be tying up the ropes while he told her the tale. Jack would be at the helm, grinning like that idiot he was, staring off to the horizon, cooking up new adventures in his mind, for wherever he dreamt of going, the Black Pearl would surely take him there. He would be singing that song of his, murmuring it as if he himself were in a trance, enthralled by the ocean. I missed his voice.
"We're devils and black sheep...." I whispered, "And really bad eggs.."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
He was busy gazing at his compass that didn't point north, the black box feeling light in his callused ring-clad fingers, it rattling gently as he moved it within his hand.
"Jack!" Will exclaimed and went to him, standing next to him at the helm. Jack didn't look at him, but just stared at out the choppy waves.
"We are heading to Tortuga, am I right?" William asked, adjusting his hat, shooting Sparrow a look of concern.
"Of course we are, mate," the Captain answered, almost in disgust because Will would think otherwise, "That's where The Ghost is headin', and that's where we'll be."
"What do you think they are doing to Gallagher?"
Jack gritted his teeth and he snapped the compass shut in agitation. Will raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth to say something but the pirate whirled on him, his dreadlocks flinging in the air, his coat billowing around him.
"I don't know, boy," he said with a voice that Will had never heard him use before.
He stared into Jack's weary brown eyes and replied, "She can hold her own."
"Aye, that she can."
"Is there any chance that you may be feeling anything for her....."
"Pirates don't love, mate."
"I'm a pirate," Will pointed out, "And I am happily married."
"Ye are half pirate, and a eunuch," Jack corrected with a grin, his hands wrapping around the helm once again, "So ye don't apply."
Will sighed, knowing this conversation was getting him nowhere. He turned around and was about to make his way back to the sails when he glanced back at Sparrow.
"After we save her, what are you going to do, exactly?" Turner asked him, "Why not just leave her, Jack? After all, one of the codes you live by is: who falls behind gets left behind."
"She got left behind on her own free will in order to save our arses. The code does not stick in these situations," Jack said matter-of-factly, beginning to sing his song once again.
"And when should we be getting to Tortuga?"
Jack shot him an exasperated look, putting a halt to his song for the moment. "Bloody hell, ye ask too many questions, Will. Have I ever given yeh a reason not to trust me?"
"Well........"
"Don't answer that. We should be there in a week, I'd say, if the weather permits. And after we save the lass I'm goin' to drown meself in rum, savvy?" Jack answered with a grin, and motioned Will to get back to work. He cocked his hat on his head and stroked his goatee.
Sparrow murmured with a smile, "Drink up me 'earties......"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Yo ho........" I said quietly, and suddenly jumped when there was a loud bang coming from the other side of the door.
"Get up, missy, ye've been locked up in there all night. I think ye've had yer share of sleep. It's time to work."
"Piss off!" I yelled sweetly to Shadows.
"Hmmm," she heard Shadows say in amusement, "How about I say this: Get out here now. Ye can't stay locked up in there forever, Terrence. If yeh don't come out, I shall beat yeh until yeh beg for mercy when ye finally set foot into the daylight."
"All right, I'm coming," I grumbled and pushed the cupboard out of the way, then opened the door, immediately becoming blind from the sun. Being locked up one day in pitch-black darkness had been hell on my eyes.
Shadows laughed as I squinted at him, scowling. "Now what do ye want, Shadows?"
"I need yeh to mop the deck," he said with a smile, "Or are ye too good for that kind of work?"
"I'm fine," I said roughly, "But if one of yer crew so much as happens to touch me, I will cut their arm off. Savvy?"
"Yeh have a lot of spirit, lassie, I'll give yeh that," he chuckled and walked away, whistling to himself. It was almost comical how such an evil bastard could be found prancing about, whistling like everything was just daisies and sunshine.
I wished I could kill the bloke right then and there. I had the chance, for his back was turned and I felt my dagger almost growing hotter at the touch of my foot, almost willing my fingers to grab it and launch it at the devil. I grinned, liking the vivid image of a long knife burying itself up to the hilt in his old weathered flesh.
But after killing him, I would be stuck on a ship with nowhere to go, with a bunch of evil, sex-starved rogues. That wouldn't be good, now would it? And Shadows wouldn't be there to tell them to leave me the hell alone.
It was quite ironic, how Shadows held my fate in the palm of his rotten hands. With one word, the crew would leave me alone, not bothering to take a glance my way. With another, they would all attack me like savage dogs.
Funny ol' world, now ain't it?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Elizabeth sat at the table in Jack's quarters with a sigh. She had to have a serious discussion with him, and he was sitting there, pouring himself a mug of rum from his own imported stash.
"Would ye like some, 'Lizbeth?" he asked with a grin.
She wrinkled her nose and said, "I would rather not drink that scum, thank you very much."
"Yer loss," he replied and sat down, placing his boots up on the table and getting comfortable, "Now what is it, lass? Is William drivin' ye crazy?"
"How exactly are we going to be barging onto The Ghost without risking our lives as well as Terrence's? You know they are not going to let her walk around Tortuga, for she would surely make a break for it."
"Ah, well don't ye worry yer pretty lil' head about it, darling," he said with a smile, "Captain Sparrow has got it all figured out."
"Oh do you now? Prove it," she challenged, narrowing her eyes at him.
"I think we should take 'em by surprise," Jack continued, his arms flailing about as he told her his 'important' plan, "Ye know, run onto The Ghost with swords bared and the like. Those bastards won't know what hit 'em!"
She groaned in frustration and cried, "Do you really think they are that stupid? They are going to have heavy guard, and just running onto their ship is a one-way ticket to a painful death. Jack, you disappoint me."
"No, luv," he said with a devilish smile, leaning in close to her as if he were about to reveal a terrible secret, "That's where you and me rum come in."
"What?" Elizabeth asked, bolting upright in her chair, her pale lavender dress swishing with the sudden movement, "What are you talking about, Jack? I would like to know the plan that I'm involved in."
"Well, ye see, then men have been without drink and a woman for entirely too long," he started and she shot him a venomous look, knowing where this was heading, "And I think we might just be able to coax 'em a bit, ye know, make 'em forget they have posts to be standin' at and such, and then we shall take 'em by surprise. That is what will allow our quick get away."
"So you are saying......." she began furiously, her curls bobbing with her jerky movements, but he interrupted her.
"That ye will be prancin' about like a strumpet? Showin' off a bit o' thigh? Yes, I believe that is what I'm askin' ye to do."
"WHY......WHY.....That is absolutely absurd! They would have seen me when we left!" she gasped, clutching a hand to her chest as if out of breath, "I shall not do it."
"Ye are extremely beautiful, Elizabeth, and the men won't be able to resist a pretty woman, even if they think they've seen ye before. The men aren't very quick, if ye catch my drift, so they won't be able to place yeh. Perhaps we can create a disguise for yeh, for I don't think they would be able to make a connection between a fancy rich lass and a Tortuga wench. Maybe have a few bottles o' rum with ye to sugarcoat the deal. Think of Gallagher, lass," Jack said quietly, looking at her with solemn eyes, "She needs to be saved from that hell."
Elizabeth was silent for a moment and leaned down to stare him in the face. "Why do ye care so much about a woman that causes ye so much trouble?" she asked in a soft voice.
"Gallagher means a lot to me," Jack Sparrow said, stubbornly not going any further, "She knows the whereabouts of Snidely's treasure. I owe her one, for savin' us all from a certain death. Savvy?"
"She is one hell of a woman, Jack," Elizabeth said, smiling down at him.
"Aye, she is, that one. Now I will be tellin' Will my plan, and I know the whelp won't like it, seein' ye two as lovestruck and whatnot, but unless ye can think of anythin' better, the plan stays. Savvy?"
Elizabeth touched his shoulder, gently patting it, and replied, "All right, Captain. Savvy."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"What will ye be wantin' of me, Captain?" I asked, stepping inside Shadows's quarters and shutting the door with a slam, frankly annoyed from him piling all this work on me just to keep me out of his greasy hair. The windows rattled but Shadows did not bother looking up from where he was perched on his desk. He was flipping through some maps, examining them with great concentration. That is, until I ripped them out of his hands and tossed them over my shoulder.
"Get to the point, and get to it fast, Shadows. Apparently, I have much more work to do," I spat, glaring at him, my hands perched on my lean hips.
"Ah, Gallagher, ye always manage to rub me in all the wrong places," he said with a chuckle and stood up, beginning to walk towards me ominously, almost like a predator stalking its prey.
I backed up slowly, scowling at him, but with one giant step he had his body flush against mine and grabbed me by the back of the neck, keeping my mouth inches from his, his foul breath fanning over my face as he spoke, "But I'll give yeh the chance to rub me in all the right ones, eh?"
"Over me dead, mangled body," I growled and he snaked a hand in my long black locks, yanking me closer. I winced as my scalp stung from my hair being pulled, and he held my hands at my side. I struggled as I felt him lean over and say, "I'd be a good lass, Gallagher, and play nice, for I will kill yeh after we get the treasure. Follow my rules and perhaps I'll let yeh live."
"If ye touch me, I'd rather be dead," I snarled and brought my knee up straight into his groin. He let go of me and let out a hiss of breath, doubling over from pain.
"Did I rub yeh in the right place, Shadows?" I asked sarcastically and grabbed the dagger as he managed to regain his composure and lunge at me wildly, blood in his eyes.
I sliced his cheek open, watching as he shouted out in anger, putting a hand up to his bloody face. There would now be a scar in his flesh. It was identical to the one on the other cheek, the one made by Captain Jack Sparrow.
Two huge men came in and dodged my whirling blade. They forced it from my fingers and grabbed my arms, pinning them behind my back. I writhed and kicked wildly, screaming, "Get yer dirty hands off o' me, ye BASTARDS! DAMMIT, leave me the HELL ALONE! I'll kill each and every one of yeh in yer sleep!"
"LOCK 'ER UP!" Shadows ordered savagely, holding a handkerchief to his wound, glaring at me. I managed to spit in his direction before they led me down, away from the sunlight, and into the dark, bleak depths of The Ghost where my cell awaited me.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"I don't like this plan at all, Jack. Are you daft?" Will said angrily, shoving pieces of dark brown hair out of his face, pacing back and forth in Jack's quarters.
"Yeh are the fifth person to call me daft today," Jack murmured with a grin, "But it's the only one that will insure we get Gallagher out alive."
"I care about Terrence, Jack," Will cried, "Really, I do, but what about Elizabeth? We are putting her in grave danger! Do you think I am going to risk my wife like that?"
"I already agreed to it," Elizabeth said quietly, stepping inside the room and closing the door softly, standing beside Jack, who was leaned against the wall comfortably, grinning like a madman.
"And where was I when we came to this agreement?" Will asked with wide eyes, his brown pupils darting between them, full of red fire.
"It is my decision, Will. I shall be fine, don't worry about a thing," Elizabeth said, smoothing out her skirts.
"How can I not, Elizabeth?" Will said and leaned over, placing a chaste kiss on her lips. Elizabeth smiled while Jack groaned and rolled his eyes skyward.
"Do I really have to witness this damn lovey dovey business?" Jack said in exasperation, "We were discussin' the plan."
"All right, Jack. Go ahead. If we want to pull this off, everyone has to be at the right spot at the right time," Will commented, Elizabeth still in his arms.
"When Gallagher gets freed and we find the treasure, I bet she is going to go off and buy herself a ship. You think?" Elizabeth mused, "And then she can finally sail the seas, perhaps with her soul at peace about the Dancing Horizon."
Jack's eyes darkened a little and his face lost that mischievous glow for a second, but only for a slight second. His face lit up again when he asked, "Where's me rum? If I'm goin' to plan all of this out, I'm gonna need a drink."
"Do you really expect yourself to think clearly while intoxicated?" Elizabeth asked, obviously disgusted.
"Luv, ye forgot one thing."
"And what is that?"
Jack smiled, flashing gold teeth before exclaiming, "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
ONE WEEK LATER...........
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Land ho! Tortuga on the horizon!" someone yelled above deck and I sat up weakly, hanging from the bars, gaining hope from such few words. Perhaps they'll remember I was down there and bring me some damn food and water.
My throat felt like rough wood, my skin crawled from caked dust and grime, the welts on my back burning from probably the first stages of infection. Once a day someone would climb down the creaky stairs and toss me a slice of bread and a pitcher of water. I already felt myself wasting away, and from being confined in such a small place, I felt my legs grow unsteady every time I tried to stand. Shadows didn't give a rat's ass about me, for he knew I wouldn't tell him the location of the treasure until it was of greatest profit to me. Every once and a while Shadows himself would come down the stairs and talk to me, asking for the location, but I didn't answer. He would grow angry and try to whip it out of me, each time giving me more lashes. I didn't cry out or plead with him. I took it silently and painfully, digging my fingernails into my palms until I made bloody crescent shapes in my skin.
"Ah, Gallagher," Shadows said in amusement and I looked up wearily as he continued, "We be goin' off shore for a bit, and it would be wonderful if ye would stay put and just keep quiet."
"How could I not stay put, Shadows?" I said, narrowing my eyes, "I'm locked up in a damn cell."
"Ah, so you are," he answered with twinkling eyes, "But make a peep and I will break yer jaw so ye can't holler for help."
"Or tell yeh the location of the treasure," I said matter of factly, knowing I had him.
He growled and said, "Yeh could still write it, couldn't yeh?"
I shut my mouth and gazed at the far wall until I heard him leave the dank interior of The Ghost. The clunking of boots came from top deck and I heard them all talking with excitement, probably of the drink and pleasurable company they were going to find in the roughest taverns of Tortuga.
I leaned back, resting my aching head against the planks of wood and closed my eyes. I had been through worse.
Have you? a small voice asked in the back of my mind, Have you ever watched the man you love leave you without so much as a goodbye?
"I do not love him," I argued aloud, "It was a silly phase I was going through, just a hallucination."
I rapped my head against the wall as if to rattle some sense into my brain. "Hell," I said with a hysterical laugh, "I am bloody talkin' to meself. This adventure is just getting better and better."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Jack," Will whispered, "The Ghost isn't going to be able to spot the Pearl, right?"
"Aye, lad," Sparrow said quietly, checking out the surroundings eagerly, "After all, we did anchor it on the other side of Tortuga, and we got a few o' our good men on the lookout. Nothin' to worry about, mate!"
"I sure hope this is a good......"
"Shhhh," Jack said, holding his finger up to his lips almost in a feminine way, "There's The Ghost."
"I look ridiculous," Elizabeth murmured and came up silently behind them. Will stared at her again, for it seemed as if every time he caught sight of her in her disguise, he couldn't help his eyes from widening.
"This outfit is absolutely awful," she said with a smile and ran her fingers over the black fabric of the dress. It was tight, short, and revealed a bit of chest. Her hair was curled wildly and she had plenty of eyeliner on. Jack did her makeup himself, for he enjoyed the kohl.
"Well, Mrs. Turner," Jack said with a grin, not helping it as his eyes did a scan of her body, and his grin widened as he found William shooting him a dirty look, "Are ye ready for yer big début?"
"As ready as I shall ever be," she said with a sigh.
"If things get too rough, do not hesitate to call out. We will have a few men looking after you, right fellas?" Jack said and glanced back at five of his crew. The men took their eyes off of Elizabeth and nodded vigorously.
"Good luck," Will said with a smile and added, "But I do not think you are going to need it."
Elizabeth winked at him, hiked up her skirts and began to walk out down to the dock, sashaying lazily, doing a good impression of a Tortuga whore.
"Didn't know she had it in 'er, mate," Jack said with a grin, "Ye did well."
"She's full of surprises," Will said, letting out a breath, still nervous for her safety.
"Once they take their eyes off o' the ship," Sparrow informed the six of them, "We make our run for it. It's now or never. They find out we're here, and the hope of rescuing Gallagher will be out of our grasps, savvy?"
Everyone mumbled in agreement and they watched from the bushes and trees as Elizabeth walked past them, obviously throwing the pirates her best smile. They began to talk, the mangy cads obviously leering at her. She flashed them a bit of thigh and Jack chuckled, remembering that was exactly he had asked of her. Suddenly Will growled and Jack snapped out of his thoughts just in time to see a pirate beginning to place his sweaty hand on her exposed leg. Turner growled and took a step forward, but Jack held him back.
"Wait till the opportune moment," he ordered quietly, not taking his eyes off of the scene in front of them.
Elizabeth backed up, laughing nervously, and the men all began to gang up on her.
"Is now the opportune moment?" Will asked through gritted teeth.
"Aye, I think so," Jack said quickly and unsheathed his sword, "Let's go. Stay quiet."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I lay down on the floor, stretching my quivering legs, the muscles spasming from lack of movement. A rat crawled over my foot and I kicked it off with a snarl, closing my eyes once more as I focused on the gentle rocking of the ship. How I wished to be outside to watch the waves, perhaps to go a tavern and have me some fun. Dammit, I needed a drink badly.
I heard the door clang open and I didn't open my eyes, but stayed in the corner and growled, "For the last time, Shadows, I am not tellin' ye anything, ye stupid pig."
"Then I guess ye don't want to be let out, then?" a familiar voice asked with amusement.
My eyelids fluttered open and I swung my head to the side, staring straight at Captain Jack Sparrow, who had his fingers wrapped around the cell bars, the keys hanging from his index finger.
"Oh hell," I murmured in disbelief, "It can't be you. I'm hallucinating. You left." I sat up and squinted my eyes at him, gripping the wall for support as I stood, holding my loose shirt over my exposed shoulder. It had been ripped in Shadows's blind urge to beat me.
I stepped up to the bars and sniffed the air around him, then commented with a look of disgust, "The smell's real enuff." I slapped his face hard and his head whipped back from the force.
"Aye," I said, grinning, "Yer real."
"DAMMIT! What was that FOR?" Jack seethed, holding his tanned cheek.
"For taking so bloody long!" I said back, "Now get me out o' here please." I held onto the bars for support and when the cell door clanged open, I took my first step into freedom, my legs growing weak and I stumbled and fell.
"Always the graceful one, aren't we, Gallagher?" Jack said as he caught me in his arms.
"I thought I would never be sayin' this, but it's good to see yeh, Sparrow," I replied with a heartfelt smile, "Now where's the others?"
"Elizabeth, Will, and me crew are headin' back to the Pearl. I said I'd bring yeh back safe and sound."
I pushed him off of me and said, "I can walk. How did yeh get past the guards?"
"Let's just say Elizabeth put on a disguise to coax the men out," Jack said with a gleam in his eyes and I laughed quietly.
"Now that would be a sight to see," I nodded, "Now let's get off o' this damn ship."
"Hold on a minute, luv," Sparrow said with a serious tone. He looked around wildly, and then came across the dim lamp.
"What are yeh doing?" I asked curiously, holding my aching side.
He grabbed the lamp and slammed it to the floor, flames immediately licking at the tarnished wood.
"Good idea," I said in a tired tone, my mind beginning to drift off from lack of rest, food, and whatnot.
"What are yeh thinkin' about, Gallagher?" Jack asked as he wrapped an arm around my waist once more, helping me walk up the steps.
"About a fancy chicken dinner with all the fixins," I said sleepily, stifling a yawn, trying to not drool at the thought of actual food.
"Ah, when ye get back to me cabins, lass," he replied with a smile, "I'll take care of ye."
"Now that makes me feel so much better," I said sarcastically and Jack opened the door, and we made our way to the top deck to meet a beautiful night sky.
And Shadows, who was standing right in front of us.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ah, my readers, remember to do what you do best! You know what that is, aye? (blank stares) All right, I confess, it is my intention for ye scoundrels to review and write very interestin' things, savvy? (does a pirate dance)
Author's Notes:
All righty! Finally I get to update. I would have the other day but holy cow, teachers just stacked up the homework. Homework should fall off a cliff and drown. Can I hear a whoop whoop?
Let's see.......I'm glad you liked the 'totally random' pirate convention, for I had to thank my beloved reviewers somehow! If your name wasn't mentioned, I hereby dub you.....COMMODORE (insert name here)! The criticism and lovely comments have been greatly appreciated, and HOLY MOTHER OF PEARL, I cannot believe we are already up to the big 5-0-0 people! And yet not one flame! I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and these reviews make writing fiction all the more fun. Well, me scurvy pirates, this chapter is for you.
You look familiar. Have I threatened you before?
PineAppleLint ;)
Author in a spooky voice: We shall now go back and see where we left off, in order to refresh your bright memories, aye?
***" I have conditions," I replied with mock politeness.
"And those are?" Shadows asked, eyes twinkling.
"One, I want me effects back. Two, yeh lay a hand on me, I'll kill yeh," I snarled.
Shadows laughed and said, "If yeh do not wish to please me, I'll leave yeh with me crew. The men have spent many months without pleasure."
"Yeh cannot do that!" I cried, "For if yeh do, I will withhold the information from ye!"
He grabbed me by the hair and pulled me close. "Don't try my patience, missy," he growled, "For I am tempted to just beat it out of yeh."
He handed me my dagger and kept a hand on his sword, prepared if I attacked him. "Hope yeh enjoy yer night, Miss Gallagher," he said with a chuckle and walked into his cabin, then slammed the door shut. I stared at the crew, who were licking their lips and staring at me with unnaturally hungry eyes. I pointed my dagger at them, scowling. It was going to be a long night.***
Now, without further ado, the next installment of "Meeting His Match". Enjoy!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It was madness, pure insanity. I felt myself begin to shiver from the rush of adrenaline the situation had produced, my fingers clamped tightly over the handle of my sharp dagger, my palms sweating profusely. I wiped them on my dirt stained brown breeches, some tiny threads dangling from where I ripped the tough fabric to bind Will's wound. Ah, I wondered where the Black Pearl was now. I sure hoped they were enjoying their damn freedom.
I put my back to the cupboard, rattling as my back hit it, for it was stocked with preserves. I had moved it in front of the locked door for protection. The lust filled crew had been after me. I was stuck in the storage room of The Ghost. There wasn't even one grimy window, so it was pitch black except for the dim rays of moonlight coming from the gunshot holes in the planks of the wall. In their blind passion to try and retrieve me, they went a little wild with the bullets. The pounding on the wooden door had diminished about fifteen minutes ago, but I'd be damned if I took any chances and stepped out of there now. They would grab me like a hawk would to an unaware mouse.
Suddenly I felt a pang of emptiness as I sat there, my eyes open, yet my gray irises not seeing. The blackness clung to me like a virus, like rebel seaweed wrapping around a peaceful swimmer in a crashing wave. My moment of denial had past. I was truly and utterly alone.
I was still trying to regain steady breathing, for the visions of the ugly brutes chasing after me like I was food were repulsive. They had grabbed me and I had kicked and shouted, slicing a few with my dagger, letting the droplets of their blood stain the wood of their darling ship. That distraction had given me enough time to run to my salvation and barricade myself inside.
My fingers fumbled around the room, trying to find a candle or lamp or something of the sort, but I came across nothing except a barren table lodged into the corner and another cupboard filled with buckets, mops, and brooms. I fell back down and lay against the rough wooden planks, my arms and legs sprawled at my sides, staring at the ceiling, or I would be if I could see anything.
The sun would rise, Shadows would command me to come out, and I would be his informant until he no longer needed me. Then he would surely kill me. My lifeless body would drift aimlessly in the ocean, for they would toss me overboard, or tie stones to my boots and I would sink slowly to the dark, cold depths of the sea.
I closed my eyes and smiled, and tried to not think of tomorrow, or yesterday, or months from then, if I managed to stay alive for that long. For it was not my fate I was imagining, but of what the ones I cared for were probably doing at that very moment. Elizabeth would be wrapped in her husband's arms, telling him how much he frightened her, and would threaten to box his ears for making her so sick with worry. Will would be tying up the ropes while he told her the tale. Jack would be at the helm, grinning like that idiot he was, staring off to the horizon, cooking up new adventures in his mind, for wherever he dreamt of going, the Black Pearl would surely take him there. He would be singing that song of his, murmuring it as if he himself were in a trance, enthralled by the ocean. I missed his voice.
"We're devils and black sheep...." I whispered, "And really bad eggs.."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
He was busy gazing at his compass that didn't point north, the black box feeling light in his callused ring-clad fingers, it rattling gently as he moved it within his hand.
"Jack!" Will exclaimed and went to him, standing next to him at the helm. Jack didn't look at him, but just stared at out the choppy waves.
"We are heading to Tortuga, am I right?" William asked, adjusting his hat, shooting Sparrow a look of concern.
"Of course we are, mate," the Captain answered, almost in disgust because Will would think otherwise, "That's where The Ghost is headin', and that's where we'll be."
"What do you think they are doing to Gallagher?"
Jack gritted his teeth and he snapped the compass shut in agitation. Will raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth to say something but the pirate whirled on him, his dreadlocks flinging in the air, his coat billowing around him.
"I don't know, boy," he said with a voice that Will had never heard him use before.
He stared into Jack's weary brown eyes and replied, "She can hold her own."
"Aye, that she can."
"Is there any chance that you may be feeling anything for her....."
"Pirates don't love, mate."
"I'm a pirate," Will pointed out, "And I am happily married."
"Ye are half pirate, and a eunuch," Jack corrected with a grin, his hands wrapping around the helm once again, "So ye don't apply."
Will sighed, knowing this conversation was getting him nowhere. He turned around and was about to make his way back to the sails when he glanced back at Sparrow.
"After we save her, what are you going to do, exactly?" Turner asked him, "Why not just leave her, Jack? After all, one of the codes you live by is: who falls behind gets left behind."
"She got left behind on her own free will in order to save our arses. The code does not stick in these situations," Jack said matter-of-factly, beginning to sing his song once again.
"And when should we be getting to Tortuga?"
Jack shot him an exasperated look, putting a halt to his song for the moment. "Bloody hell, ye ask too many questions, Will. Have I ever given yeh a reason not to trust me?"
"Well........"
"Don't answer that. We should be there in a week, I'd say, if the weather permits. And after we save the lass I'm goin' to drown meself in rum, savvy?" Jack answered with a grin, and motioned Will to get back to work. He cocked his hat on his head and stroked his goatee.
Sparrow murmured with a smile, "Drink up me 'earties......"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Yo ho........" I said quietly, and suddenly jumped when there was a loud bang coming from the other side of the door.
"Get up, missy, ye've been locked up in there all night. I think ye've had yer share of sleep. It's time to work."
"Piss off!" I yelled sweetly to Shadows.
"Hmmm," she heard Shadows say in amusement, "How about I say this: Get out here now. Ye can't stay locked up in there forever, Terrence. If yeh don't come out, I shall beat yeh until yeh beg for mercy when ye finally set foot into the daylight."
"All right, I'm coming," I grumbled and pushed the cupboard out of the way, then opened the door, immediately becoming blind from the sun. Being locked up one day in pitch-black darkness had been hell on my eyes.
Shadows laughed as I squinted at him, scowling. "Now what do ye want, Shadows?"
"I need yeh to mop the deck," he said with a smile, "Or are ye too good for that kind of work?"
"I'm fine," I said roughly, "But if one of yer crew so much as happens to touch me, I will cut their arm off. Savvy?"
"Yeh have a lot of spirit, lassie, I'll give yeh that," he chuckled and walked away, whistling to himself. It was almost comical how such an evil bastard could be found prancing about, whistling like everything was just daisies and sunshine.
I wished I could kill the bloke right then and there. I had the chance, for his back was turned and I felt my dagger almost growing hotter at the touch of my foot, almost willing my fingers to grab it and launch it at the devil. I grinned, liking the vivid image of a long knife burying itself up to the hilt in his old weathered flesh.
But after killing him, I would be stuck on a ship with nowhere to go, with a bunch of evil, sex-starved rogues. That wouldn't be good, now would it? And Shadows wouldn't be there to tell them to leave me the hell alone.
It was quite ironic, how Shadows held my fate in the palm of his rotten hands. With one word, the crew would leave me alone, not bothering to take a glance my way. With another, they would all attack me like savage dogs.
Funny ol' world, now ain't it?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Elizabeth sat at the table in Jack's quarters with a sigh. She had to have a serious discussion with him, and he was sitting there, pouring himself a mug of rum from his own imported stash.
"Would ye like some, 'Lizbeth?" he asked with a grin.
She wrinkled her nose and said, "I would rather not drink that scum, thank you very much."
"Yer loss," he replied and sat down, placing his boots up on the table and getting comfortable, "Now what is it, lass? Is William drivin' ye crazy?"
"How exactly are we going to be barging onto The Ghost without risking our lives as well as Terrence's? You know they are not going to let her walk around Tortuga, for she would surely make a break for it."
"Ah, well don't ye worry yer pretty lil' head about it, darling," he said with a smile, "Captain Sparrow has got it all figured out."
"Oh do you now? Prove it," she challenged, narrowing her eyes at him.
"I think we should take 'em by surprise," Jack continued, his arms flailing about as he told her his 'important' plan, "Ye know, run onto The Ghost with swords bared and the like. Those bastards won't know what hit 'em!"
She groaned in frustration and cried, "Do you really think they are that stupid? They are going to have heavy guard, and just running onto their ship is a one-way ticket to a painful death. Jack, you disappoint me."
"No, luv," he said with a devilish smile, leaning in close to her as if he were about to reveal a terrible secret, "That's where you and me rum come in."
"What?" Elizabeth asked, bolting upright in her chair, her pale lavender dress swishing with the sudden movement, "What are you talking about, Jack? I would like to know the plan that I'm involved in."
"Well, ye see, then men have been without drink and a woman for entirely too long," he started and she shot him a venomous look, knowing where this was heading, "And I think we might just be able to coax 'em a bit, ye know, make 'em forget they have posts to be standin' at and such, and then we shall take 'em by surprise. That is what will allow our quick get away."
"So you are saying......." she began furiously, her curls bobbing with her jerky movements, but he interrupted her.
"That ye will be prancin' about like a strumpet? Showin' off a bit o' thigh? Yes, I believe that is what I'm askin' ye to do."
"WHY......WHY.....That is absolutely absurd! They would have seen me when we left!" she gasped, clutching a hand to her chest as if out of breath, "I shall not do it."
"Ye are extremely beautiful, Elizabeth, and the men won't be able to resist a pretty woman, even if they think they've seen ye before. The men aren't very quick, if ye catch my drift, so they won't be able to place yeh. Perhaps we can create a disguise for yeh, for I don't think they would be able to make a connection between a fancy rich lass and a Tortuga wench. Maybe have a few bottles o' rum with ye to sugarcoat the deal. Think of Gallagher, lass," Jack said quietly, looking at her with solemn eyes, "She needs to be saved from that hell."
Elizabeth was silent for a moment and leaned down to stare him in the face. "Why do ye care so much about a woman that causes ye so much trouble?" she asked in a soft voice.
"Gallagher means a lot to me," Jack Sparrow said, stubbornly not going any further, "She knows the whereabouts of Snidely's treasure. I owe her one, for savin' us all from a certain death. Savvy?"
"She is one hell of a woman, Jack," Elizabeth said, smiling down at him.
"Aye, she is, that one. Now I will be tellin' Will my plan, and I know the whelp won't like it, seein' ye two as lovestruck and whatnot, but unless ye can think of anythin' better, the plan stays. Savvy?"
Elizabeth touched his shoulder, gently patting it, and replied, "All right, Captain. Savvy."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"What will ye be wantin' of me, Captain?" I asked, stepping inside Shadows's quarters and shutting the door with a slam, frankly annoyed from him piling all this work on me just to keep me out of his greasy hair. The windows rattled but Shadows did not bother looking up from where he was perched on his desk. He was flipping through some maps, examining them with great concentration. That is, until I ripped them out of his hands and tossed them over my shoulder.
"Get to the point, and get to it fast, Shadows. Apparently, I have much more work to do," I spat, glaring at him, my hands perched on my lean hips.
"Ah, Gallagher, ye always manage to rub me in all the wrong places," he said with a chuckle and stood up, beginning to walk towards me ominously, almost like a predator stalking its prey.
I backed up slowly, scowling at him, but with one giant step he had his body flush against mine and grabbed me by the back of the neck, keeping my mouth inches from his, his foul breath fanning over my face as he spoke, "But I'll give yeh the chance to rub me in all the right ones, eh?"
"Over me dead, mangled body," I growled and he snaked a hand in my long black locks, yanking me closer. I winced as my scalp stung from my hair being pulled, and he held my hands at my side. I struggled as I felt him lean over and say, "I'd be a good lass, Gallagher, and play nice, for I will kill yeh after we get the treasure. Follow my rules and perhaps I'll let yeh live."
"If ye touch me, I'd rather be dead," I snarled and brought my knee up straight into his groin. He let go of me and let out a hiss of breath, doubling over from pain.
"Did I rub yeh in the right place, Shadows?" I asked sarcastically and grabbed the dagger as he managed to regain his composure and lunge at me wildly, blood in his eyes.
I sliced his cheek open, watching as he shouted out in anger, putting a hand up to his bloody face. There would now be a scar in his flesh. It was identical to the one on the other cheek, the one made by Captain Jack Sparrow.
Two huge men came in and dodged my whirling blade. They forced it from my fingers and grabbed my arms, pinning them behind my back. I writhed and kicked wildly, screaming, "Get yer dirty hands off o' me, ye BASTARDS! DAMMIT, leave me the HELL ALONE! I'll kill each and every one of yeh in yer sleep!"
"LOCK 'ER UP!" Shadows ordered savagely, holding a handkerchief to his wound, glaring at me. I managed to spit in his direction before they led me down, away from the sunlight, and into the dark, bleak depths of The Ghost where my cell awaited me.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"I don't like this plan at all, Jack. Are you daft?" Will said angrily, shoving pieces of dark brown hair out of his face, pacing back and forth in Jack's quarters.
"Yeh are the fifth person to call me daft today," Jack murmured with a grin, "But it's the only one that will insure we get Gallagher out alive."
"I care about Terrence, Jack," Will cried, "Really, I do, but what about Elizabeth? We are putting her in grave danger! Do you think I am going to risk my wife like that?"
"I already agreed to it," Elizabeth said quietly, stepping inside the room and closing the door softly, standing beside Jack, who was leaned against the wall comfortably, grinning like a madman.
"And where was I when we came to this agreement?" Will asked with wide eyes, his brown pupils darting between them, full of red fire.
"It is my decision, Will. I shall be fine, don't worry about a thing," Elizabeth said, smoothing out her skirts.
"How can I not, Elizabeth?" Will said and leaned over, placing a chaste kiss on her lips. Elizabeth smiled while Jack groaned and rolled his eyes skyward.
"Do I really have to witness this damn lovey dovey business?" Jack said in exasperation, "We were discussin' the plan."
"All right, Jack. Go ahead. If we want to pull this off, everyone has to be at the right spot at the right time," Will commented, Elizabeth still in his arms.
"When Gallagher gets freed and we find the treasure, I bet she is going to go off and buy herself a ship. You think?" Elizabeth mused, "And then she can finally sail the seas, perhaps with her soul at peace about the Dancing Horizon."
Jack's eyes darkened a little and his face lost that mischievous glow for a second, but only for a slight second. His face lit up again when he asked, "Where's me rum? If I'm goin' to plan all of this out, I'm gonna need a drink."
"Do you really expect yourself to think clearly while intoxicated?" Elizabeth asked, obviously disgusted.
"Luv, ye forgot one thing."
"And what is that?"
Jack smiled, flashing gold teeth before exclaiming, "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
ONE WEEK LATER...........
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Land ho! Tortuga on the horizon!" someone yelled above deck and I sat up weakly, hanging from the bars, gaining hope from such few words. Perhaps they'll remember I was down there and bring me some damn food and water.
My throat felt like rough wood, my skin crawled from caked dust and grime, the welts on my back burning from probably the first stages of infection. Once a day someone would climb down the creaky stairs and toss me a slice of bread and a pitcher of water. I already felt myself wasting away, and from being confined in such a small place, I felt my legs grow unsteady every time I tried to stand. Shadows didn't give a rat's ass about me, for he knew I wouldn't tell him the location of the treasure until it was of greatest profit to me. Every once and a while Shadows himself would come down the stairs and talk to me, asking for the location, but I didn't answer. He would grow angry and try to whip it out of me, each time giving me more lashes. I didn't cry out or plead with him. I took it silently and painfully, digging my fingernails into my palms until I made bloody crescent shapes in my skin.
"Ah, Gallagher," Shadows said in amusement and I looked up wearily as he continued, "We be goin' off shore for a bit, and it would be wonderful if ye would stay put and just keep quiet."
"How could I not stay put, Shadows?" I said, narrowing my eyes, "I'm locked up in a damn cell."
"Ah, so you are," he answered with twinkling eyes, "But make a peep and I will break yer jaw so ye can't holler for help."
"Or tell yeh the location of the treasure," I said matter of factly, knowing I had him.
He growled and said, "Yeh could still write it, couldn't yeh?"
I shut my mouth and gazed at the far wall until I heard him leave the dank interior of The Ghost. The clunking of boots came from top deck and I heard them all talking with excitement, probably of the drink and pleasurable company they were going to find in the roughest taverns of Tortuga.
I leaned back, resting my aching head against the planks of wood and closed my eyes. I had been through worse.
Have you? a small voice asked in the back of my mind, Have you ever watched the man you love leave you without so much as a goodbye?
"I do not love him," I argued aloud, "It was a silly phase I was going through, just a hallucination."
I rapped my head against the wall as if to rattle some sense into my brain. "Hell," I said with a hysterical laugh, "I am bloody talkin' to meself. This adventure is just getting better and better."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Jack," Will whispered, "The Ghost isn't going to be able to spot the Pearl, right?"
"Aye, lad," Sparrow said quietly, checking out the surroundings eagerly, "After all, we did anchor it on the other side of Tortuga, and we got a few o' our good men on the lookout. Nothin' to worry about, mate!"
"I sure hope this is a good......"
"Shhhh," Jack said, holding his finger up to his lips almost in a feminine way, "There's The Ghost."
"I look ridiculous," Elizabeth murmured and came up silently behind them. Will stared at her again, for it seemed as if every time he caught sight of her in her disguise, he couldn't help his eyes from widening.
"This outfit is absolutely awful," she said with a smile and ran her fingers over the black fabric of the dress. It was tight, short, and revealed a bit of chest. Her hair was curled wildly and she had plenty of eyeliner on. Jack did her makeup himself, for he enjoyed the kohl.
"Well, Mrs. Turner," Jack said with a grin, not helping it as his eyes did a scan of her body, and his grin widened as he found William shooting him a dirty look, "Are ye ready for yer big début?"
"As ready as I shall ever be," she said with a sigh.
"If things get too rough, do not hesitate to call out. We will have a few men looking after you, right fellas?" Jack said and glanced back at five of his crew. The men took their eyes off of Elizabeth and nodded vigorously.
"Good luck," Will said with a smile and added, "But I do not think you are going to need it."
Elizabeth winked at him, hiked up her skirts and began to walk out down to the dock, sashaying lazily, doing a good impression of a Tortuga whore.
"Didn't know she had it in 'er, mate," Jack said with a grin, "Ye did well."
"She's full of surprises," Will said, letting out a breath, still nervous for her safety.
"Once they take their eyes off o' the ship," Sparrow informed the six of them, "We make our run for it. It's now or never. They find out we're here, and the hope of rescuing Gallagher will be out of our grasps, savvy?"
Everyone mumbled in agreement and they watched from the bushes and trees as Elizabeth walked past them, obviously throwing the pirates her best smile. They began to talk, the mangy cads obviously leering at her. She flashed them a bit of thigh and Jack chuckled, remembering that was exactly he had asked of her. Suddenly Will growled and Jack snapped out of his thoughts just in time to see a pirate beginning to place his sweaty hand on her exposed leg. Turner growled and took a step forward, but Jack held him back.
"Wait till the opportune moment," he ordered quietly, not taking his eyes off of the scene in front of them.
Elizabeth backed up, laughing nervously, and the men all began to gang up on her.
"Is now the opportune moment?" Will asked through gritted teeth.
"Aye, I think so," Jack said quickly and unsheathed his sword, "Let's go. Stay quiet."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I lay down on the floor, stretching my quivering legs, the muscles spasming from lack of movement. A rat crawled over my foot and I kicked it off with a snarl, closing my eyes once more as I focused on the gentle rocking of the ship. How I wished to be outside to watch the waves, perhaps to go a tavern and have me some fun. Dammit, I needed a drink badly.
I heard the door clang open and I didn't open my eyes, but stayed in the corner and growled, "For the last time, Shadows, I am not tellin' ye anything, ye stupid pig."
"Then I guess ye don't want to be let out, then?" a familiar voice asked with amusement.
My eyelids fluttered open and I swung my head to the side, staring straight at Captain Jack Sparrow, who had his fingers wrapped around the cell bars, the keys hanging from his index finger.
"Oh hell," I murmured in disbelief, "It can't be you. I'm hallucinating. You left." I sat up and squinted my eyes at him, gripping the wall for support as I stood, holding my loose shirt over my exposed shoulder. It had been ripped in Shadows's blind urge to beat me.
I stepped up to the bars and sniffed the air around him, then commented with a look of disgust, "The smell's real enuff." I slapped his face hard and his head whipped back from the force.
"Aye," I said, grinning, "Yer real."
"DAMMIT! What was that FOR?" Jack seethed, holding his tanned cheek.
"For taking so bloody long!" I said back, "Now get me out o' here please." I held onto the bars for support and when the cell door clanged open, I took my first step into freedom, my legs growing weak and I stumbled and fell.
"Always the graceful one, aren't we, Gallagher?" Jack said as he caught me in his arms.
"I thought I would never be sayin' this, but it's good to see yeh, Sparrow," I replied with a heartfelt smile, "Now where's the others?"
"Elizabeth, Will, and me crew are headin' back to the Pearl. I said I'd bring yeh back safe and sound."
I pushed him off of me and said, "I can walk. How did yeh get past the guards?"
"Let's just say Elizabeth put on a disguise to coax the men out," Jack said with a gleam in his eyes and I laughed quietly.
"Now that would be a sight to see," I nodded, "Now let's get off o' this damn ship."
"Hold on a minute, luv," Sparrow said with a serious tone. He looked around wildly, and then came across the dim lamp.
"What are yeh doing?" I asked curiously, holding my aching side.
He grabbed the lamp and slammed it to the floor, flames immediately licking at the tarnished wood.
"Good idea," I said in a tired tone, my mind beginning to drift off from lack of rest, food, and whatnot.
"What are yeh thinkin' about, Gallagher?" Jack asked as he wrapped an arm around my waist once more, helping me walk up the steps.
"About a fancy chicken dinner with all the fixins," I said sleepily, stifling a yawn, trying to not drool at the thought of actual food.
"Ah, when ye get back to me cabins, lass," he replied with a smile, "I'll take care of ye."
"Now that makes me feel so much better," I said sarcastically and Jack opened the door, and we made our way to the top deck to meet a beautiful night sky.
And Shadows, who was standing right in front of us.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ah, my readers, remember to do what you do best! You know what that is, aye? (blank stares) All right, I confess, it is my intention for ye scoundrels to review and write very interestin' things, savvy? (does a pirate dance)