Usual disclaimers. never mind!
Here is the final chapter I have typed at the moment... I honestly haven't got a single word typed beyond the end of this!
***
It was another week before Catherine was well enough to walk far, although she had refused to stay immobile while she healed. Jack had managed to help her dress in the leather trousers and creamy shirt again. He even managed to find a small sword that would not be too heavy for her for when she felt able to spar again. Jack was not sure about his riding lessons though. He had a healthy distrust of the animals, but gradually managed to remain seated at a canter. Either Little Feather or Red Cloud would take him out riding every day, surprised at his natural balance.
"You are getting better Crazy Bird," Little Feather commented.
"Pah!" Jack snorted, and then frowned as he saw Oran and Running Elk sitting together under a shady tree talking quietly.
Little Feather noticed his gaze. "Looks like Running Elk is looking for a husband," he smiled.
"Booth isn't for her," Jack warned. "Pirates don't make good husbands!"
"But you are married Crazy Bird?"
"Yeah, an' look at how many times I've nearly gotten her killed! A pirate ship is not a safe place, believe me!"
Later that evening, once Catherine was asleep, Jack slipped from the cabin and sought out Oran, taking a jug of local brew with him. "Booth?" He was relieved to see that Running Elk was not nearby. "I think we need to talk like!"
"Captain?" Oran frowned.
"Running Elk... what's th' story?"
Oran blinked, unsure what to say to Jack's blunt question. "She's just a friend..." he evaded, flummoxed and not entirely sure of the answer himself.
Jack raised one eyebrow. "Are yer sure? You know you can't take her with yer when we leave, don't yer? Whatever it is, I won't have another woman on th' Pearl..." He took a heavy swig on the jug.
"But..." Okay, so maybe he had been thinking of a tumble in the furs if it was on offer, but she was a good looking woman and if she were to offer, he would not have refused - especially since he could not have the one he truly wanted.
"She ain't a whore, tribe won't stand for that."
He jumped, Jack must have read his thoughts.
"So th' only way you can have her is t' marry her... are yer sure yer want that? You either stay here with her or she could come with us - an' if she comes with us then she stays ashore or yer find another ship..." He sighed heavily. "I have a hard enough job trying to keep Kitty safe as things are!"
Oran blinked - he had not thought past the furs bit. "So it's like in th' jungle Captain... keep your hands an' any other parts to yourself?"
"Aye, yer could say that," Jack smiled. "It'd be a shame t' have to start training a new helmsman again when I've just got used t' this one!"
"I'll be remembering that Captain," Oran sighed. "Guess it'll keep 'til Tortuga!"
Jack rose, slapping the jug into Oran's hand. "Guess it will... g'night!"
***
The next morning Jack started gently sparring with Catherine. She was stiff, unbending at first, cautious of her painful ribs but gradually loosened up. The tribe watched them, curious to see a woman fight. Slowly Jack picked up the pace, until sweat beaded her brow.
"Are yer alright?" he asked.
She nodded, concentrating on his blade and not his face, knowing he would try to distract her if she spoke, jumping backwards as he took a swipe at her legs. "Bastard!"
"But you were ready," he smiled.
Catherine let her sword drop, her legs wobbling as she sat down on the ground. "Enough Jack," she pleaded, reaching for a jug of water.
He nodded, sitting next to her on the ground. "Yer not doin' bad, considering you've been hurt like..."
"But not good enough!" She flopped backwards onto the grass, staring at the sky.
"Well, get yer breath back an' we can go again if yer want?"
She nodded, shutting her eyes as she smiled - but within a few minutes he could hear her breathing deeply, fast asleep. He smiled ruefully, realising it would be a few more weeks before they were ready to leave, but knowing she would push herself more each day.
***
Jack was not the only member of the Black Pearl crew staring at the sky that morning. Oran had found a quiet spot to talk with Running Elk, knowing that he could not delay it. Jack had been right - and he had no intention of leaving the ship.
"Oran?" Running Elk frowned. "Oran Green-Eyes what is wrong?"
He sighed heavily. "It cannot work Running Elk. I will not be bringing fabric to your father..."
Her eyes widened in shocked surprised, hurt clear on her face. "You..."
"I will be leaving with Jack and Kitty in a few weeks - I belong on the Black Pearl, not here!"
"It is her, isn't it?" Her eyes narrowed angrily. "You want what you cannot have!"
"No!" he argued.
"I could go with you..."
Oran shook his head. "No, it is too dangerous. You have seen Kitty's injuries and heard how many times she has nearly died..."
"This is all about Little Fox!"
"Dammit! Will you listen! It is too dangerous onboard for you and I will not leave the Black Pearl for any woman!"
"I do not believe you!" She stared at him angrily.
"Believe what you will, but it is the truth. I cannot take you with me, and I will not stay." He reached out, touching her shoulder tenderly. "You are a beautiful woman Running Elk but look to your tribe for a husband, not to me."
She burst into tears, scrambling to her feet and disappearing with a flurry of skirts. Oran sighed heavily again, regretting his words even though he knew they had to be said, wishing life - for once - could be easy.
Here is the final chapter I have typed at the moment... I honestly haven't got a single word typed beyond the end of this!
***
It was another week before Catherine was well enough to walk far, although she had refused to stay immobile while she healed. Jack had managed to help her dress in the leather trousers and creamy shirt again. He even managed to find a small sword that would not be too heavy for her for when she felt able to spar again. Jack was not sure about his riding lessons though. He had a healthy distrust of the animals, but gradually managed to remain seated at a canter. Either Little Feather or Red Cloud would take him out riding every day, surprised at his natural balance.
"You are getting better Crazy Bird," Little Feather commented.
"Pah!" Jack snorted, and then frowned as he saw Oran and Running Elk sitting together under a shady tree talking quietly.
Little Feather noticed his gaze. "Looks like Running Elk is looking for a husband," he smiled.
"Booth isn't for her," Jack warned. "Pirates don't make good husbands!"
"But you are married Crazy Bird?"
"Yeah, an' look at how many times I've nearly gotten her killed! A pirate ship is not a safe place, believe me!"
Later that evening, once Catherine was asleep, Jack slipped from the cabin and sought out Oran, taking a jug of local brew with him. "Booth?" He was relieved to see that Running Elk was not nearby. "I think we need to talk like!"
"Captain?" Oran frowned.
"Running Elk... what's th' story?"
Oran blinked, unsure what to say to Jack's blunt question. "She's just a friend..." he evaded, flummoxed and not entirely sure of the answer himself.
Jack raised one eyebrow. "Are yer sure? You know you can't take her with yer when we leave, don't yer? Whatever it is, I won't have another woman on th' Pearl..." He took a heavy swig on the jug.
"But..." Okay, so maybe he had been thinking of a tumble in the furs if it was on offer, but she was a good looking woman and if she were to offer, he would not have refused - especially since he could not have the one he truly wanted.
"She ain't a whore, tribe won't stand for that."
He jumped, Jack must have read his thoughts.
"So th' only way you can have her is t' marry her... are yer sure yer want that? You either stay here with her or she could come with us - an' if she comes with us then she stays ashore or yer find another ship..." He sighed heavily. "I have a hard enough job trying to keep Kitty safe as things are!"
Oran blinked - he had not thought past the furs bit. "So it's like in th' jungle Captain... keep your hands an' any other parts to yourself?"
"Aye, yer could say that," Jack smiled. "It'd be a shame t' have to start training a new helmsman again when I've just got used t' this one!"
"I'll be remembering that Captain," Oran sighed. "Guess it'll keep 'til Tortuga!"
Jack rose, slapping the jug into Oran's hand. "Guess it will... g'night!"
***
The next morning Jack started gently sparring with Catherine. She was stiff, unbending at first, cautious of her painful ribs but gradually loosened up. The tribe watched them, curious to see a woman fight. Slowly Jack picked up the pace, until sweat beaded her brow.
"Are yer alright?" he asked.
She nodded, concentrating on his blade and not his face, knowing he would try to distract her if she spoke, jumping backwards as he took a swipe at her legs. "Bastard!"
"But you were ready," he smiled.
Catherine let her sword drop, her legs wobbling as she sat down on the ground. "Enough Jack," she pleaded, reaching for a jug of water.
He nodded, sitting next to her on the ground. "Yer not doin' bad, considering you've been hurt like..."
"But not good enough!" She flopped backwards onto the grass, staring at the sky.
"Well, get yer breath back an' we can go again if yer want?"
She nodded, shutting her eyes as she smiled - but within a few minutes he could hear her breathing deeply, fast asleep. He smiled ruefully, realising it would be a few more weeks before they were ready to leave, but knowing she would push herself more each day.
***
Jack was not the only member of the Black Pearl crew staring at the sky that morning. Oran had found a quiet spot to talk with Running Elk, knowing that he could not delay it. Jack had been right - and he had no intention of leaving the ship.
"Oran?" Running Elk frowned. "Oran Green-Eyes what is wrong?"
He sighed heavily. "It cannot work Running Elk. I will not be bringing fabric to your father..."
Her eyes widened in shocked surprised, hurt clear on her face. "You..."
"I will be leaving with Jack and Kitty in a few weeks - I belong on the Black Pearl, not here!"
"It is her, isn't it?" Her eyes narrowed angrily. "You want what you cannot have!"
"No!" he argued.
"I could go with you..."
Oran shook his head. "No, it is too dangerous. You have seen Kitty's injuries and heard how many times she has nearly died..."
"This is all about Little Fox!"
"Dammit! Will you listen! It is too dangerous onboard for you and I will not leave the Black Pearl for any woman!"
"I do not believe you!" She stared at him angrily.
"Believe what you will, but it is the truth. I cannot take you with me, and I will not stay." He reached out, touching her shoulder tenderly. "You are a beautiful woman Running Elk but look to your tribe for a husband, not to me."
She burst into tears, scrambling to her feet and disappearing with a flurry of skirts. Oran sighed heavily again, regretting his words even though he knew they had to be said, wishing life - for once - could be easy.