Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story, other than
Tess and Ryan. If anyone 'borrows' my characters without my permission,
they shall die a horrible, mutilating, burning death. 0 =)
Author(ess)'s Note: Sorry it took so long to finish this chapter, but I've went on vacation. No computer.no chocolate.no TV...God help me...
Ryan rubbed his head, moaning. At first he thought he was back in the soldier barracks, and someone was moving his bed back and forth. "Quit it," he complained loudly as he tossed. Somewhere in the darkness of his sleep, someone chuckled.
"Easy there, soldier. You've got some lump on yer head, and you falling on the floor won't help it any." He recognized that feminine voice, and his eyes fluttered open. Sitting on the side of his bed was a young woman wearing a cream tunic and leather pants, with braids and beads decorating her brown hair. Those eyes looked familiar, he had seen those enchanting eyes before.yes, it was Miss Turner caring for his head after the pirates escaped, his captain would surely be angry at him for letting them escape.but wait, something wasn't right..Miss Turner, daggers, his head spun as he tried to remember. Then he had it. He sat up and cried out, "Pirate! You're a pirate!" his head began to pound as soon as he sat up, and he struggled to keep his position.
Tess chuckled again and pushed him down. "Yeah, I'm a pirate, and if you sit up again you'll get sick, trust me."
"Why should I listen to you, dirty tramp?" He snarled. "Where am I? And the rest of your filthy group?"
She clucked her tongue. "Now, now, that's not very polite behavior to the girl who saved your life, now is it? And if the crew heard you call them filthy you would get whipped, no matter how sick you are." Right at that moment a man with a parrot on his left shoulder walked into the room, carrying a plate with food on it and a bottle of rum. She grinned and took them. "Thanks, Mr.Cotton. Would ye mind getting one more plate of food? Just bread and a slice of meat, please." He nodded and walked out of the room. Ryan looked at her curiously. 'Why is she being so nice to me?' He wondered. She turned back to him, and the corners of her mouth turned down. "We'll be stopping soon, but ye'r not getting off in those clothes." She pointed to the uniform. "I'll bring ye some clothes, then Uncle'll decide whether we should keep you on deck of throw you to the sharks." She leaned closer. "If I were you, I'd start out by not calling pirates filthy, and not calling me a tramp." Cotton brought back the food, and she set it on a desk by his bed and left it with the rum. She walked out, grinning. "Eat, then I'll come back down."
"Why do ye have to be so thrice-blasted kind with that soldier?" Annie Marie asked Tess, working with the sails. She shrugged and bit into an apple.
"I dunno. I just feel like being nice to him, that's all. Bread?" She offered a chunk to Annie Marie, who rested and took the bread.
"But he's a soldier. And he's a man. You're only eighteen, and men already have their eyes on ye. Do you think he's gonna be any different?"
Tess sighed, and for a moment she looked sad and serious. "I really don't know. But it's worth trying. If he turns out bad, we can just drop him off in France." Her voice did not sound as if she was purely interested in throwing the soldier overboard. The black woman turned to Tess and stared at her.
"Tess, now don't ye go an' start to like this soldier boy, y'hear? They're nothin' but trouble."
At first the girl just stared out at the blue ocean and closed her eyes. She turned her head and opened them, and winked broadly, once again her old self. "Now don't you worry about me, Annie Marie. I've met more handsome and charming men than that overgrown baby. Plus, I don't even know his name." She grinned and trotted down the deck. "I'll bring him up after he gets dressed. Warn the crew." Annie Marie shook her head, and smiled ruefully. "Alright then."
Captain Jack Sparrow gripped the wheel hard, thinking of his niece. After the goodbyes at Will's house, she had caught him and the crew trying to throw the soldier boy overboard. Somehow, she managed to talk the crew into taking him as a captive. "'Think of the reward, Uncle," she had said, brown eyes sparkling. But somewhere beneath the sparkle there was a plead, as if she icared/i for the soldier boy, cared for his life. Huh. The corners of his mouth turned down. He hadn't gotten angry in quite awhile, and his niece's rescue of himself and his crew had mad him a little proud, but something about her eyes made him feel mad. "She's too soft to be a pirate," he muttered to himself, checking his old, broken compass. She had all the blood; her father had been the most feared pirate in French waters; her mother was one of the only women of her time to play the devil's game and win; and, of course, the legendary Captain Jack Sparrow was her uncle. Her mother was also wanted by every male pirate in Tortouga, he recalled, the corners of his mouth turning up wickedly. His sister-in-law had kept the men on their feet, even when she was married to his brother. But they were both killed by pirates, in separate ways. First Tess's mother had gone, killed while taking over the Spanish ship iDiablo/i when she was six. Then her father had died protecting the now-fourteen-year-old Tess from a group of pirates who were being a little to friendly with his daughter. Tess had escaped the group and fled to find her only know relative: Jack. He had searched the seas with her for his boat, iThe Black Pearl/i. He finally left her with a lady friend in Tortouga and went in search alone. When he came back with his ship and his crew, Tess was beautiful, and a very tough, sarcastic tomboy of seventeen. She had gained a reputation around Tortouga as 'One helluva lady pirate', and she drank with the best of the captains. The first thing she did when she saw him was to slap him and put her hands on her hips, angrily. 'You better've gotten that ship o'yours, otherwise you just spent up your time of traveling without me.' Her gang of young pirate boys watched, wondering at what was going on. Jack rubbed his cheek and tilted his head towards her. 'Ye slap just like yer mother, and soon you'll sail on the same ship she sailed on, too.' At that Tess had jumped up and grinned. 'Hear that boyos? I'm goin' sailin'.'
Jack grinned and pulled his knife out, inspecting it. He couldn't wait to hear what Tess' 'boyos' thought of her charge.
He slowly climbed the stairs to the top of the deck. When he hesitated at the top, Tess pushed him through the door. "Now ye won't get anywhere by bein' afraid. Pirates don't respect a timid boy." Ryan bristled at that remark, and stood stronger, no longer leaning on the rail. "But don't be stuck up. They almost had you thrown overboard, and Uncle is still lookin' forward for a reason to." Ryan nodded, surly. He had not overcome his hatred of pirates to be friendly to Tess, but had earned respect for her. When he had snapped at her about why he should be thankful to her, she told him about her uncle and what he had tried to do. "And let's hope you get over yer little problem ye have with pirates before we land in Tortouga. Savvy?"
His head shot up. "Tortouga? Isn't that just some tale of a wild city in the middle of the ocean?"
She grinned. "If that's true, then I spent a year of my life in an imaginary place. But we're landing in about three weeks. Time enough to get you used to pirates and how they live. Now get up there!" He smirked at her, and then climbed out of the hull. Mr. Gibbs saw him first, and grinned toothily.
"Welcome aboard the iBlack Pearl/i, soldier boy! Miss Tess told me ye needed to learn how to act like a pirate, an' I'm gonna be yer teacher. Take yer hair outa that ponytail, boy!" He barked. "Slump a little! Now come on! Ye got t' be taught how to sail."
"So, Uncle, how's he doin'?" Tess asked Jack as she leaned on the rail. He glanced at Ryan. Only a week and he was working on deck and joking with the crew. He shrugged.
"Eh, he's alright."
"Alright?" Tess winked at her uncle. "Now, ye know you're tellin' a fib, Uncle. Once we got rid of that soldier attitude he was just like us!"
He tilted his head and grinned. "Ah, but Tess! The true test lies straight ahead."
Looking over, Tess smiled. Tortouga, her pirate homeland.
Author's Note: I know this one was pretty short, but I'll make it up later.
Author(ess)'s Note: Sorry it took so long to finish this chapter, but I've went on vacation. No computer.no chocolate.no TV...God help me...
Ryan rubbed his head, moaning. At first he thought he was back in the soldier barracks, and someone was moving his bed back and forth. "Quit it," he complained loudly as he tossed. Somewhere in the darkness of his sleep, someone chuckled.
"Easy there, soldier. You've got some lump on yer head, and you falling on the floor won't help it any." He recognized that feminine voice, and his eyes fluttered open. Sitting on the side of his bed was a young woman wearing a cream tunic and leather pants, with braids and beads decorating her brown hair. Those eyes looked familiar, he had seen those enchanting eyes before.yes, it was Miss Turner caring for his head after the pirates escaped, his captain would surely be angry at him for letting them escape.but wait, something wasn't right..Miss Turner, daggers, his head spun as he tried to remember. Then he had it. He sat up and cried out, "Pirate! You're a pirate!" his head began to pound as soon as he sat up, and he struggled to keep his position.
Tess chuckled again and pushed him down. "Yeah, I'm a pirate, and if you sit up again you'll get sick, trust me."
"Why should I listen to you, dirty tramp?" He snarled. "Where am I? And the rest of your filthy group?"
She clucked her tongue. "Now, now, that's not very polite behavior to the girl who saved your life, now is it? And if the crew heard you call them filthy you would get whipped, no matter how sick you are." Right at that moment a man with a parrot on his left shoulder walked into the room, carrying a plate with food on it and a bottle of rum. She grinned and took them. "Thanks, Mr.Cotton. Would ye mind getting one more plate of food? Just bread and a slice of meat, please." He nodded and walked out of the room. Ryan looked at her curiously. 'Why is she being so nice to me?' He wondered. She turned back to him, and the corners of her mouth turned down. "We'll be stopping soon, but ye'r not getting off in those clothes." She pointed to the uniform. "I'll bring ye some clothes, then Uncle'll decide whether we should keep you on deck of throw you to the sharks." She leaned closer. "If I were you, I'd start out by not calling pirates filthy, and not calling me a tramp." Cotton brought back the food, and she set it on a desk by his bed and left it with the rum. She walked out, grinning. "Eat, then I'll come back down."
"Why do ye have to be so thrice-blasted kind with that soldier?" Annie Marie asked Tess, working with the sails. She shrugged and bit into an apple.
"I dunno. I just feel like being nice to him, that's all. Bread?" She offered a chunk to Annie Marie, who rested and took the bread.
"But he's a soldier. And he's a man. You're only eighteen, and men already have their eyes on ye. Do you think he's gonna be any different?"
Tess sighed, and for a moment she looked sad and serious. "I really don't know. But it's worth trying. If he turns out bad, we can just drop him off in France." Her voice did not sound as if she was purely interested in throwing the soldier overboard. The black woman turned to Tess and stared at her.
"Tess, now don't ye go an' start to like this soldier boy, y'hear? They're nothin' but trouble."
At first the girl just stared out at the blue ocean and closed her eyes. She turned her head and opened them, and winked broadly, once again her old self. "Now don't you worry about me, Annie Marie. I've met more handsome and charming men than that overgrown baby. Plus, I don't even know his name." She grinned and trotted down the deck. "I'll bring him up after he gets dressed. Warn the crew." Annie Marie shook her head, and smiled ruefully. "Alright then."
Captain Jack Sparrow gripped the wheel hard, thinking of his niece. After the goodbyes at Will's house, she had caught him and the crew trying to throw the soldier boy overboard. Somehow, she managed to talk the crew into taking him as a captive. "'Think of the reward, Uncle," she had said, brown eyes sparkling. But somewhere beneath the sparkle there was a plead, as if she icared/i for the soldier boy, cared for his life. Huh. The corners of his mouth turned down. He hadn't gotten angry in quite awhile, and his niece's rescue of himself and his crew had mad him a little proud, but something about her eyes made him feel mad. "She's too soft to be a pirate," he muttered to himself, checking his old, broken compass. She had all the blood; her father had been the most feared pirate in French waters; her mother was one of the only women of her time to play the devil's game and win; and, of course, the legendary Captain Jack Sparrow was her uncle. Her mother was also wanted by every male pirate in Tortouga, he recalled, the corners of his mouth turning up wickedly. His sister-in-law had kept the men on their feet, even when she was married to his brother. But they were both killed by pirates, in separate ways. First Tess's mother had gone, killed while taking over the Spanish ship iDiablo/i when she was six. Then her father had died protecting the now-fourteen-year-old Tess from a group of pirates who were being a little to friendly with his daughter. Tess had escaped the group and fled to find her only know relative: Jack. He had searched the seas with her for his boat, iThe Black Pearl/i. He finally left her with a lady friend in Tortouga and went in search alone. When he came back with his ship and his crew, Tess was beautiful, and a very tough, sarcastic tomboy of seventeen. She had gained a reputation around Tortouga as 'One helluva lady pirate', and she drank with the best of the captains. The first thing she did when she saw him was to slap him and put her hands on her hips, angrily. 'You better've gotten that ship o'yours, otherwise you just spent up your time of traveling without me.' Her gang of young pirate boys watched, wondering at what was going on. Jack rubbed his cheek and tilted his head towards her. 'Ye slap just like yer mother, and soon you'll sail on the same ship she sailed on, too.' At that Tess had jumped up and grinned. 'Hear that boyos? I'm goin' sailin'.'
Jack grinned and pulled his knife out, inspecting it. He couldn't wait to hear what Tess' 'boyos' thought of her charge.
He slowly climbed the stairs to the top of the deck. When he hesitated at the top, Tess pushed him through the door. "Now ye won't get anywhere by bein' afraid. Pirates don't respect a timid boy." Ryan bristled at that remark, and stood stronger, no longer leaning on the rail. "But don't be stuck up. They almost had you thrown overboard, and Uncle is still lookin' forward for a reason to." Ryan nodded, surly. He had not overcome his hatred of pirates to be friendly to Tess, but had earned respect for her. When he had snapped at her about why he should be thankful to her, she told him about her uncle and what he had tried to do. "And let's hope you get over yer little problem ye have with pirates before we land in Tortouga. Savvy?"
His head shot up. "Tortouga? Isn't that just some tale of a wild city in the middle of the ocean?"
She grinned. "If that's true, then I spent a year of my life in an imaginary place. But we're landing in about three weeks. Time enough to get you used to pirates and how they live. Now get up there!" He smirked at her, and then climbed out of the hull. Mr. Gibbs saw him first, and grinned toothily.
"Welcome aboard the iBlack Pearl/i, soldier boy! Miss Tess told me ye needed to learn how to act like a pirate, an' I'm gonna be yer teacher. Take yer hair outa that ponytail, boy!" He barked. "Slump a little! Now come on! Ye got t' be taught how to sail."
"So, Uncle, how's he doin'?" Tess asked Jack as she leaned on the rail. He glanced at Ryan. Only a week and he was working on deck and joking with the crew. He shrugged.
"Eh, he's alright."
"Alright?" Tess winked at her uncle. "Now, ye know you're tellin' a fib, Uncle. Once we got rid of that soldier attitude he was just like us!"
He tilted his head and grinned. "Ah, but Tess! The true test lies straight ahead."
Looking over, Tess smiled. Tortouga, her pirate homeland.
Author's Note: I know this one was pretty short, but I'll make it up later.