Usual disclaimers. blah!
But there are now only a few days to the DVD release. yay!
***
In the morning those that would be going into the jungle assembled in the centre of the village. There were some mutterings of surprise when Jack announced that she was Quartermaster in his and Gibb's absence but these were mainly from the marines. Having said his goodbyes the previous night, Jack simply hugged her. "Whatever you do during the day, sleep aboard th' Pearl - crew too."
She nodded. "Keep safe."
He tilted her face to his, kissing her and ignoring the jeers from his crew and some of the natives. "We won't be long." He nodded to Caton, and they disappeared into the jungle.
Almost immediately Jack remembered why he had been so eager to return to Belem before. The jungle closed in around them, tall trees with their buttress roots making travel difficult, lianas trailing down, catching the unwary - without the Achaili he knew they would be lost within minutes. "Bring me my horizons," he muttered to himself as another large leaf slapped him in the face - the fifth in as many minutes, "Any bloody horizon!"
It took them two days hard trekking through the jungle to reach the spot that Caton had planned as the ambush spot. With just a glance he sent off five tribesmen to track the other pirates and to warn them when they got near. Keeping conversations hushed and to a minimum, and with no fires, they waited.
***
Catherine watched them disappear with heavy heart, the lush green jungle suddenly seeming more threatening, as if it was leaning towards her. One of the older women approached, Caton's wife she thought, smiling warmly. "Come," she beckoned, "we are going bathe. join us!"
"But." Catherine looked at the boys and the men that Jack had left behind.
"The boys will be safe," the woman assured her, "and the men will come nowhere near us - do not worry!"
Ensuring that the boys were safe, and warning them not to go near the river, Catherine followed the women down the leafy track as they sang and laughed happily. Upon reaching a secluded pool they removed their beads and skirts, stepping into the water. Catherine stood uncertainly on the edge.
"Come, it is safe!" Some of the women had brought containers of a sand- like substance and began rubbing it on each other, working it into a lather. "Come!"
Unsure, and more than a little reluctantly, Catherine slowly undressed, laying her weapons safely to one side before slipping her shirt and then trousers off. Cautiously she joined them in the water and they started rubbing the sand-like substance on her.
"Now we are all together, we can talk!" the eldest woman smiled. "Caton did not tell us your name?"
"I am Catherine, but everyone calls me Kitty."
"Kitty, hmmm. I am Belicia." The surrounding women introduced themselves until she was lost in a sea of names most of which she would never remember. Damita, Isleta, Solana, Nina - the list went on and on. "You are a very lucky woman, married to the Chief. All the young women here are heartbroken," Belicia teased, "for he is a good man and has provided well for the tribe." The surrounding women took this as an invitation to say what Jack had brought for them. Belicia gasped in shock as she noticed the ugly scar on her back. "What is this?"
"Just a scar." Belicia looked at her in disbelief. "It is nothing. I was hurt in a fight but Jack saved me."
"Like I said, a good man!" Belicia beamed. "But you have no tattoos? You should have tattoos if you are of the tribe."
"But."
"If you are married to a Chief then you are of the tribe!" Belicia insisted. "They would show well on your skin - it is so pale!"
"But." Catherine knew she was being bullied into it, like they had bullied her into bathing, but somehow she did not mind. Jack had told her to spend time with the women and there was no nastiness in their insistence, just an openness for her to be one of them. She sighed. "Okay, but just a small one."
Belicia smiled broadly. "Come to my hut this afternoon and we will welcome you into the tribe properly and mark you for the Chief!"
***
Catherine rowed quietly back out to the Black Pearl as dusk was falling. The boys were already on board as were the remaining crew. Belicia had said to keep the leaf bandage over the tattoo until the following morning as it would help it heal so, after checking that all was well with the ship, she retired to the cabin.
Paul Fearnan was one of the crew that had remained with the Black Pearl. She nodded to him seeing him on middle watch with Thomas Cardew. "Wake me for the Morning watch Paul," she asked, knowing she would not sleep well without Jack there. She shut the cabin door, took off her sword and pistol before crawling into the bunk still dressed.
4am came too soon. No sooner did she feel that she had fallen asleep than Paul was knocking on the cabin door. "Morning watch Kitty!"
Groggily she rolled out of the bunk, blinking in the dim light as she reached for her sword. "Okay!" She stretched, opening the cabin doors and breathing the night air. "Go kick Hawker's hammock on your way down," she smiled as Paul gratefully headed to his own bunk. Quietly she walked around the ship, checking the shoreline and the sides of the ship, relieved to hear William Hawker joining her on deck.
"Morning Kitty!" he smiled, unfazed by the early hour. Smiling back, she continued to pace the decks until the first rays of dawn gradually brightened the sky. She was glad to smell food being cooked just before the end of her watch, stomach rumbling in anticipation of food - at least she did not have to cook her own breakfast that day. Finally Oran Booth and John Gibson stumbled from below, carrying bowls of breakfast with them as they started their watch.
"Better late than never guys!" she complained. "Late tomorrow an' Jack will hear of it!"
They had the grace to look embarrassed. "Sorry Kitty," they mumbled, realising that she would take her duties as Quartermaster seriously.
"You can swab the decks after your watch to remind you to keep better time for tomorrow morning."
"Yes Kitty!" And they did!
***
Jack decided, Chief or not, he hated the jungle. He wanted to be back aboard the Pearl, with his wife and the sea. He hated the bugs too, big poisonous bugs that crept, crawled or slithered at him. Spiders had no right to be as big as dinner plates - it just was not proper!
Silently the men that Caton had sent appeared back in their small camp, jogging through the foliage to stand before him. They spoke in hushed tones before melting away again. "They come," Caton announced.
Jack and his men turned to face the crew of the Swallow - or rather what remained of the crew once they had fought the Boi. They burst into the clearing, looking backwards at the tribesmen that followed them instead of ahead, only spotting their danger at the last moment. They skidded to a halt in confusion.
Jack stepped in front of his men. "Lact, my good man," he smiled, a lazy smile designed to irritate. "How kind of yer to fetch m' gold!"
"Sparrow!" Jean Claude Lact hissed before launching himself at Jack, his blade a blur despite his obvious exhaustion. The crews fought, unaware for a moment that the Achaili were quietly disappearing into the jungle with the treasure laden mules - until one balked and brayed. "Wha." But most of the mules had already gone, and the men from the Black Pearl surrounded those that were still leaving, defending the Achaili tribesmen.
Suddenly men started falling, dropping to the ground with no opponent in sight. The Boi had arrived. "Gentlemen, we are leaving!" Jack shouted, retreating, following the disappearing mules.
Lact swore, seeing his guides fleeing too. More of his men fell to the invisible enemy and he turned and ran. "This isn't over Sparrow!" he cursed.
Although some of the Boi followed Jack and the Achaili, the majority of them continued to pursue the crew of the Swallow. Caton sent some of his men to stop them and soon the darts stopped. Elated the survivors returned to the village.
***
Belicia removed the leaf bandage, smiling in delight. "There!" she declared proudly. "Now everyone will know that your man is the Chief!" Catherine eyed the tattoo doubtfully - at least it was not as large as Jack's tattoo and would not show when she wore a dress. She jumped in shock as Belicia placed several strands of beads around her neck. "And now you are truly one of us!"
Catherine smiled. "How long will the men be gone?"
"It is normally a day's travel to the clearing, but with your men it will take two. Time to wait and then time to get back. it could be a week." She looked at Catherine shrewdly. "You miss him - that is good, but the time will pass. Come, I will help you find supplies for your ship."
So Catherine spent the day with Belicia, sorting fresh supplies for the Black Pearl. She knew that Jack would want to head north as soon as he returned. During the heat of the day she dozed in the cabin, catching up on her sleep that she would miss when on watch. Each day she still stood the Morning watch, loving to watch the dawn. Oran and John relieved her on time each day though, having no wish to swab the decks again. Despite her size, or lack of it, nobody questioned her orders again.
***
Thanks to everyone for continuing to review - especially to Starlight8 for her patience with me ;) and to my new reviewer Shib Shib - welcome to the crazy farm! ;)
But there are now only a few days to the DVD release. yay!
***
In the morning those that would be going into the jungle assembled in the centre of the village. There were some mutterings of surprise when Jack announced that she was Quartermaster in his and Gibb's absence but these were mainly from the marines. Having said his goodbyes the previous night, Jack simply hugged her. "Whatever you do during the day, sleep aboard th' Pearl - crew too."
She nodded. "Keep safe."
He tilted her face to his, kissing her and ignoring the jeers from his crew and some of the natives. "We won't be long." He nodded to Caton, and they disappeared into the jungle.
Almost immediately Jack remembered why he had been so eager to return to Belem before. The jungle closed in around them, tall trees with their buttress roots making travel difficult, lianas trailing down, catching the unwary - without the Achaili he knew they would be lost within minutes. "Bring me my horizons," he muttered to himself as another large leaf slapped him in the face - the fifth in as many minutes, "Any bloody horizon!"
It took them two days hard trekking through the jungle to reach the spot that Caton had planned as the ambush spot. With just a glance he sent off five tribesmen to track the other pirates and to warn them when they got near. Keeping conversations hushed and to a minimum, and with no fires, they waited.
***
Catherine watched them disappear with heavy heart, the lush green jungle suddenly seeming more threatening, as if it was leaning towards her. One of the older women approached, Caton's wife she thought, smiling warmly. "Come," she beckoned, "we are going bathe. join us!"
"But." Catherine looked at the boys and the men that Jack had left behind.
"The boys will be safe," the woman assured her, "and the men will come nowhere near us - do not worry!"
Ensuring that the boys were safe, and warning them not to go near the river, Catherine followed the women down the leafy track as they sang and laughed happily. Upon reaching a secluded pool they removed their beads and skirts, stepping into the water. Catherine stood uncertainly on the edge.
"Come, it is safe!" Some of the women had brought containers of a sand- like substance and began rubbing it on each other, working it into a lather. "Come!"
Unsure, and more than a little reluctantly, Catherine slowly undressed, laying her weapons safely to one side before slipping her shirt and then trousers off. Cautiously she joined them in the water and they started rubbing the sand-like substance on her.
"Now we are all together, we can talk!" the eldest woman smiled. "Caton did not tell us your name?"
"I am Catherine, but everyone calls me Kitty."
"Kitty, hmmm. I am Belicia." The surrounding women introduced themselves until she was lost in a sea of names most of which she would never remember. Damita, Isleta, Solana, Nina - the list went on and on. "You are a very lucky woman, married to the Chief. All the young women here are heartbroken," Belicia teased, "for he is a good man and has provided well for the tribe." The surrounding women took this as an invitation to say what Jack had brought for them. Belicia gasped in shock as she noticed the ugly scar on her back. "What is this?"
"Just a scar." Belicia looked at her in disbelief. "It is nothing. I was hurt in a fight but Jack saved me."
"Like I said, a good man!" Belicia beamed. "But you have no tattoos? You should have tattoos if you are of the tribe."
"But."
"If you are married to a Chief then you are of the tribe!" Belicia insisted. "They would show well on your skin - it is so pale!"
"But." Catherine knew she was being bullied into it, like they had bullied her into bathing, but somehow she did not mind. Jack had told her to spend time with the women and there was no nastiness in their insistence, just an openness for her to be one of them. She sighed. "Okay, but just a small one."
Belicia smiled broadly. "Come to my hut this afternoon and we will welcome you into the tribe properly and mark you for the Chief!"
***
Catherine rowed quietly back out to the Black Pearl as dusk was falling. The boys were already on board as were the remaining crew. Belicia had said to keep the leaf bandage over the tattoo until the following morning as it would help it heal so, after checking that all was well with the ship, she retired to the cabin.
Paul Fearnan was one of the crew that had remained with the Black Pearl. She nodded to him seeing him on middle watch with Thomas Cardew. "Wake me for the Morning watch Paul," she asked, knowing she would not sleep well without Jack there. She shut the cabin door, took off her sword and pistol before crawling into the bunk still dressed.
4am came too soon. No sooner did she feel that she had fallen asleep than Paul was knocking on the cabin door. "Morning watch Kitty!"
Groggily she rolled out of the bunk, blinking in the dim light as she reached for her sword. "Okay!" She stretched, opening the cabin doors and breathing the night air. "Go kick Hawker's hammock on your way down," she smiled as Paul gratefully headed to his own bunk. Quietly she walked around the ship, checking the shoreline and the sides of the ship, relieved to hear William Hawker joining her on deck.
"Morning Kitty!" he smiled, unfazed by the early hour. Smiling back, she continued to pace the decks until the first rays of dawn gradually brightened the sky. She was glad to smell food being cooked just before the end of her watch, stomach rumbling in anticipation of food - at least she did not have to cook her own breakfast that day. Finally Oran Booth and John Gibson stumbled from below, carrying bowls of breakfast with them as they started their watch.
"Better late than never guys!" she complained. "Late tomorrow an' Jack will hear of it!"
They had the grace to look embarrassed. "Sorry Kitty," they mumbled, realising that she would take her duties as Quartermaster seriously.
"You can swab the decks after your watch to remind you to keep better time for tomorrow morning."
"Yes Kitty!" And they did!
***
Jack decided, Chief or not, he hated the jungle. He wanted to be back aboard the Pearl, with his wife and the sea. He hated the bugs too, big poisonous bugs that crept, crawled or slithered at him. Spiders had no right to be as big as dinner plates - it just was not proper!
Silently the men that Caton had sent appeared back in their small camp, jogging through the foliage to stand before him. They spoke in hushed tones before melting away again. "They come," Caton announced.
Jack and his men turned to face the crew of the Swallow - or rather what remained of the crew once they had fought the Boi. They burst into the clearing, looking backwards at the tribesmen that followed them instead of ahead, only spotting their danger at the last moment. They skidded to a halt in confusion.
Jack stepped in front of his men. "Lact, my good man," he smiled, a lazy smile designed to irritate. "How kind of yer to fetch m' gold!"
"Sparrow!" Jean Claude Lact hissed before launching himself at Jack, his blade a blur despite his obvious exhaustion. The crews fought, unaware for a moment that the Achaili were quietly disappearing into the jungle with the treasure laden mules - until one balked and brayed. "Wha." But most of the mules had already gone, and the men from the Black Pearl surrounded those that were still leaving, defending the Achaili tribesmen.
Suddenly men started falling, dropping to the ground with no opponent in sight. The Boi had arrived. "Gentlemen, we are leaving!" Jack shouted, retreating, following the disappearing mules.
Lact swore, seeing his guides fleeing too. More of his men fell to the invisible enemy and he turned and ran. "This isn't over Sparrow!" he cursed.
Although some of the Boi followed Jack and the Achaili, the majority of them continued to pursue the crew of the Swallow. Caton sent some of his men to stop them and soon the darts stopped. Elated the survivors returned to the village.
***
Belicia removed the leaf bandage, smiling in delight. "There!" she declared proudly. "Now everyone will know that your man is the Chief!" Catherine eyed the tattoo doubtfully - at least it was not as large as Jack's tattoo and would not show when she wore a dress. She jumped in shock as Belicia placed several strands of beads around her neck. "And now you are truly one of us!"
Catherine smiled. "How long will the men be gone?"
"It is normally a day's travel to the clearing, but with your men it will take two. Time to wait and then time to get back. it could be a week." She looked at Catherine shrewdly. "You miss him - that is good, but the time will pass. Come, I will help you find supplies for your ship."
So Catherine spent the day with Belicia, sorting fresh supplies for the Black Pearl. She knew that Jack would want to head north as soon as he returned. During the heat of the day she dozed in the cabin, catching up on her sleep that she would miss when on watch. Each day she still stood the Morning watch, loving to watch the dawn. Oran and John relieved her on time each day though, having no wish to swab the decks again. Despite her size, or lack of it, nobody questioned her orders again.
***
Thanks to everyone for continuing to review - especially to Starlight8 for her patience with me ;) and to my new reviewer Shib Shib - welcome to the crazy farm! ;)