Pearl
Chapter 3
Author's Note: Okay you lucky dogs. Now you get to see the real Pearl. You might want to take cover.
Disclaimer: Not mine. Wish they were.
The door opened suddenly. Gibbs stood there, taking in the scene before entering and giving Elizabeth a slight bow. "Sorry to interrupt, Captain, but we got a ship few leagues off the port."
"Friendly?" Jack and Pearl asked as one.
"Ain't no way a' knowin' just yet. They're pullin' close, makin' for us. Thought you'd want to be aloft to see fer yerself."
"Indeed," Jack replied, standing as Pearl did. "You two can finish if you like."
"I believe you forget who you're talking to," Elizabeth answered. "Of course I'd rather be above."
"O' course. Don't know what came over me," he replied as he led the way up, his daughter next to him with Elizabeth behind him and Will hurrying to keep up with her.
"I like her," Pearl remarked.
"I was afraid you might," Jack replied.
Cotton was waiting for them at the top of the short set of stairs holding two spy glasses. Jack took one and followed Gibbs to the side rail of the ship as Pearl took the other and quickly scaled a rope to perch in the crow's nest and study the approaching ship.
"Don't recognize it by sight," Jack muttered. "Pearl?"
"It's flying a pirate flag," she called back.
"That's good, isn't it?" Elizabeth asked.
"Could be, although pirates don't shirk at takin' from their own kind," Jack replied.
"Anything else?"
"There's another flag beneath but I can't tell a color. Could be blue, or maybe that's just wishful thinking."
"What's a blue flag mean?" Will asked.
"They just want a chat, promise not to attack unless provoked, by the code," Jack answered.
"But the codes are just guidelines even then," Elizabeth pointed out.
Jack nodded. "They wouldn't be the first to fly up under a peacable flag and attack. Cannons?"
"Armaments're closed," Pearl answered. "Enough crew on deck I wouldn't suspect them arming anything." She paused to squint through the glass and leather tube. "Definitely blue flag. Ship looks like Spanish navy. New."
"How sure are you of that?" he called up.
"Sure enough. Hull's still light as bleached beach."
Apparently the answer was enough for Jack. Turning to Gibbs he asked, "Who do we know that just got their hands on a new ship?"
"Duck, but that was a French vessel."
"Didn't I hear Milton just got a payload?" Jack asked.
"Aye, but that was gold. No ship."
"Pearl, know anyone that would be interested in a chat that just acquired a new vessel?"
"I've heard that Marden got lucky with a straggler from an armada. Only heard rumors, though."
"Does Marden have anything against you?" Will asked.
"Just the opposite," Jack answered with a grin. "Run up a blue flag. Let's see if we can't slow just a bit."
Pearl slid down from above, landing in a crouch beside them. She seemed distant suddenly as she drifted over to the rail to watch the approaching ship. Suddenly something seemed to dawn on her and she turned and ran back below.
At an odd look from Gibbs Jack chuckled and said, "Sword."
Will shook his head in apparent confusion. "And who exactly is Marden?" Elizabeth asked.
"He's Pearl's age. Grew up with her in Tortuga. His brother was my first mate for a time, before he ran off after his own Captainage. I took young Marden on as a favor to him some years later. Taught him the ropes. He was a quick study. Left us in favor of his brother's ship some time later. Got his own ship a few years back. Good pirate. Good man."
Pearl returned, sword resting firmly on her hip. To Will's extreme surprise she had the gate of someone accustomed to the weight of a sword at their hip. He had thought she was joking when she spoke of dressing as a man to learn the sword in Paris. Now it appeared not. And if she was half the swords woman her father was she would be something to watch in action.
The ship drew closer. Annamarie, from her perch in the crow's nest, called down, "If that ain't Marden I ain't a lady."
"If it ain't Marden then who is it?" Jack called back, grin spreading over his face.
"Some day you are going to learn that teasing that woman is not a good idea," Pearl told him. "The hard way."
"I look forward to it," Jack replied, swaggering over to the rail to watch the ship draw up on them. He waived as they pulled up beside. "'Lo lads. To what do I owe the honor?"
"Just want a chat," a young man called, a rope twined around one wrist. "Permission to board?"
"How many guests might I be expecting?" Jack asked.
"Just me," the young man answered. "Really, Jack, it wounds me you don't trust me."
"That's Captain Jack Sparrow to you. And I'm the one that taught you who to trust how far. Permission granted."
"Well said. Stay close, boys," he ordered over his shoulder as he wound the rope more firmly around his wrist and swung over onto the Pearl.
He swung over further than was strictly necessary, unsheathing his sword as he went. Will reached for his on instinct but Jack grabbed his wrist and shook his head. "Just wait. He isn't attacking, not us anyway."
Indeed the arc carried him over to land in front of Pearl, who had unsheathed her sword as well. He landed with his sword seeking a blow to her right which she blocked seemingly without a thought and parried. He turned that blow aside as well, cutting forward to try to catch her side. She deflected his sword and, reaching up behind her, caught a rope in her left hand and swung herself around. He followed quickly, attempting to get a hit in which she blocked before pulling herself up on the rope and lashing out with her right foot to catch him in the shoulder.
He growled as he staggered. "You're going to pay for that."
"I look forward to it," she answered with a mock bow before returning to deflecting his blows.
"Do they always do this?" Elizabeth asked.
"Every time they've met since she returned from Paris, by my memory."
The fight continued, ranging its way across the deck. Screams from the ship holding steady beside them supported Marden while the crew from the Pearl had gathered to cheer for the girl.
He backed her slowly toward a set of barrels that would effectively trap her. As she cut to the side to escape the trap he caught her across the shoulder.
Looking in apparent surprise at the torn coat she gasped, "I'm bleeding!"
"Then by rights of first blood I win," he remarked happily.
"Ah, but you didn't claim right of first blood at the outset. We play by pirate rules."
He shrugged. "So I'll have to wait a little longer to claim victory."
She laughed. "I'll throw your bloody carcass back to your shipmates."
"Not before I toss yours on down to Davy Jones' Locker."
"You talk rough. Put your sword where your mouth is."
"With pleasure," he answered with his own mocking bow before engaging her once again.
This time the fight turned back toward them. They were directly in front of them when both made a move to end the fight. The result was both of them standing stock still with a sword at their throats, keeping gentle pressure on the sword at the other's throat.
"Draw then?" he asked.
"Oh, come now. I thought you were a pirate," she said with a grin. In a sudden movement she jumped up and back, removing the sword from her throat. She dove backward, rolling away from the blows she somehow knew he would be aiming at her and came up to place the sword securely at his throat.
"All right. You win," he said, dropping the sword to the deck with a clunk.
She pulled close, grinning like the devil himself. She looked so much like Jack at that moment it scared Will just a bit. "What was that?"
"You heard me," he growled.
"Don't think I did," she answered sweetly, turning her wrist under so she could retain control of the blade as she drew closer. "Just be a dear and humor me why don't you?"
"You. Win," he said through clenched teeth.
"Ah, I never tire of hearing it," she sighed. Withdrawing the sword from his throat she sheathed it. "So what do I win?"
"My respect?" he suggested.
"Much as I prize that you've something I want far more," she purred pushing forward to press herself against him.
The crew chuckled appreciatively and Jack cleared his throat loudly. Will was suddenly aware that he and Elizabeth were both staring. "I have no idea to what you may be referring," he answered.
"Don't play innocent," she ordered. "It doesn't suit you." His arm was around her waist now. One of her hands was threaded through his hair, the other slinking low beneath the flowing jacket he wore.
Jack stepped forward quickly, pulling his daughter away from the boy.
"Come now, lass. You must share the good captain's company. He came for a reason, I believe."
"Indeed, although I find your daughter's reasoning far more interesting."
He gave the younger man a sour look. Marden softened suddenly, shifting under his gaze.
"Come boy. You can help us finish our supper," Jack said, leading him back below. Will, Elizabeth, and Pearl followed them.
Once they were settled with a good meal Marden sighed. "I did come after you for a reason. Besides you, Pearl."
"What's that?" Jack asked.
"Someone's following you."
"That's hardly new."
"This is the law."
"Nor is that."
"He's an old friend, from what I've heard. Bloke by the name of Norrington." Marden's eyes landed on Elizabeth. "Somethin' about you kidnaping a Governor's daughter, her new husband, and her cousin."
Jack rolled his eyes. "That boy doesn't know when to quit."
"Where's the cousin?" Marden asked. "I heard tell she was a Lady of breeding. Tell me you don't have her locked up in the brig."
"Do you take me for a roughian?" Jack asked.
"She's fine," Pearl put in.
"You'd best not mistreat her. She might choose to hold it over you. Rummer had it Norrington's smitten, is why he's pursing you so fully."
Silence reigned for a moment before Jack and Pearl burst into roaring laughter.
"Yer good, my girl, I have to give you that," Jack gasped out.
"You?" Marden asked Pearl, laughter ringing in his voice.
"Lady Bethany Matrey, at your service My Lord," she answered with a flourish and a bow of her head.
Marden laughed in full this time. "A Commandore? I must say that I'm impressed, Pearl."
"You and me both," she remarked.
"What did you do?" Jack asked.
Pearl shrugged. "I happened to meet him the day before the wedding. Since the happy couple were rather caught up in one another and I didn't know anyone else there he took it upon himself to introduce me to his friends and dance me around a bit. Nothing overly remarkable."
"It appears the good Commadore would disagree," Marden pointed out.
"How far behind us is he?"
"Not far. He met me in Port Earlington. He asked enough questions to kill most pirates dead. Gilden had heard what your plans were so we set off straight away to find you. He must plan to stop in Port Faylor to ask about you as well. Beating him to the Cove should be easy enough for you."
Jack nodded. "He'll sail right by us if we pull in and anchor."
"My point exactly. But I thought you should know," Marden replied. "Now, if you'll excuse me, my first mate will tear apart the ship if I don't get back."
"What? You're just going to leave?" Pearl asked.
"Sorry luv. Places to go, people to pillage, and treasure to find."
Pearl followed him up to the rail as he reclaimed the rope to his ship Cotton had been holding. "What am I, smoked salmon?"
"Caviare and champagne, darling, that's what you are to me. But my mistress be the sea and she's a' callin'," he answered with a grin. "I'll see you in Tortuga before too long, I'm sure."
"I'm sure," she repeated.
Pausing he swooped down to kiss her one last time. The men hooted as he turned and saluted with a wink. "Take what you can," he said and lept back to his own ship.
Pearl laughed as he sailed out of sight. "That man."
"That's so sweet," Elizabeth cooed.
Pearl paused to give her a cautious look. "What was sweet?"
"You two."
"You two what?"
"Oh, just you desperately in love."
Pearl blinked at her as Jack, who was standing behind her, laughed silently.
Pearl shook her head. "Elizabeth, darling, you're a noble so I'm going to forgive your overwhelming ignorance and explain this to you very slowly. I'm the daughter of a pirate and a prostitute and I can safely say I really am a little bit of both. Now, it's a bad idea for either one to fall in love so I've been particularly careful not to. Sleeping with someone every chance I get because the sex is great-"
"Pearl!" Will cried.
"Yeah, you're really one to talk. Do you think she married you for your rank? You're pretty to look at so I can't really blame her. I mean, there are worse reasons to get married."
"I'm starting to feel insulted," Elizabeth said.
"That's not true, though. About love and pirates. I mean, my father-"
"Yeah, your father's a sterling example. Got your mum pregnant, lied about being a pirate, and never came back. Actually he's pretty much the embodiment of why it's a mistake."
"Pearl!" Jack snapped. "That's completely uncalled for!"
"But true. Actually, I shouldn't talk about Bill like that. I liked him. And I do owe your acknowledging me entirely to him."
"How do you figure that?" Jack demanded.
"Oh, come on. You think I really believed it was just a coincidence that you decided a daughter would be fun? If Bootstrap hadn't moped around about how he never got to see his wife and son and yammered on about how nice it is to have someone in his life that cares if he dies you never would have looked twice at me. Granted you weren't taking on too much responsibility. Bringing me some trinket twice a year when you happened to be in port wasn't really much of a drain on you."
"Pearl, I won't be talked to like that!" Jack said, warning rising in his voice.
"Looks like you just were," she shot back, rising to the occasion. She moved closer, standing toe to toe with him.
"I got you out of Tortuga!" he railed at her. "Without me you'd be some prostitute on the street corner!"
"Back," Gibbs ordered, appearing beside Will and Elizabeth and silently drawing them back. In the nick of time, it seemed, as Pearl hauled back and slapped Jack hard enough to send him stumbling.
"Don't you dare think for even a moment that you're better than them, Jack!" Pearl said, her voice quiet and far more dangerous than if she were screaming. "Just because you've been given opportunities they don't dare dream of. Just because you're willing to use them to help others IF you feel like it. And I've worked for every opportunity I've been given on this ship. Don't you dare tell me I haven't earned it!"
Jack straightened, cupping his cheek. Will had seen him get slapped before. It seemed to be a general pastime for the prostitutes of Tortuga. But he had never seen him look injured as he did now. The crew had paused in their work to watch with a mixture of sympathy and fear in their eyes.
"Whelp," Jack said in a cold voice, "I think you had best take over watch."
She stood stock still for long moments, glaring at him. Finally she turned and scaled the mast to take her place in the crow's nest. Anamaria climbed down to approach Jack cautiously.
"Um, Captain?"
"Just get to work," Jack ordered. "That goes for the rest of you too, you scurvy dogs!" With that he walked off the deck, slamming the door to his private rooms.
"What do you suppose that was about?" Elizabeth asked.
"I don't know. I don't think I've ever seen Jack really angry," Will remarked.
"I have once," Elizabeth said. "When we were abandoned on the island and Barbossa took off with the Pearl again. But he wasn't like this." She paused. "Twice maybe. When I burnt the rum. But he got over that rather quickly."
"Just frustrated," Gibbs put in. "Same as Pearl. The lass pretends it doesn't bother her, seeing other people born with everything handed to them, but it gets to her from time to time, Especially when she's been around the nobles. And she knows how to push Jack's buttons. Lay low for a while. Pearl'll apologize to you before the night's out. Soon as she cools off some."
Author's note: There you go. Review will get the next chapter up faster. Pearl apologizes and the storm hits!