So, I've been told numerous times that cliff hangers are evil…yea…so here is the next chapter. I think it's more because I don't want to get smothered in my sleep by my roommate other than the fact that I had plenty of ideas for it. ;oP
Chapter 9
Jack gripped his hand around the dagger under the sash tied around his waist beneath his shirt. He was also ready to use the cane as a weapon as well. He was prepared to defend himself, he'd been through worse. Jack waited for Adolphus to make the first move, but a moment moved by like a year. Jack was about to pull the dagger when something happened that he least expected.
"Alright then, if you will not coming willingly I'll have my men escort you," Adolphus said. His eyes then met with Jack's shaded ones, "Move." Jack blinked trying to process what was going on. "I said move, woman!" Adolphus said before pushing Jack out of the way. Jack could have easily regained his balance and retaliated, but allowed himself to fall.
"No, wait!" Jack heard Jeanette shout, trying to keep him from falling. Jack looked from under the hood and saw the other two soldiers grabbing Jeanette and began pulling her out of the tavern. He prayed silently that she wouldn't call out his real name and blow the chance he had been given to escape.
"Help me! Let me go you cutthroat, yellow bellied, daft excuse for a man! Ow, you're hurting me!" Jeanette yelled as she fought tooth and nail to be set free.
"Have any of you seen a pirate by the name of Jack Sparrow?" Adolphus asked as Jack could still hear Jeanette screaming outside. No one dared move or say anything in the tavern.
"Have any of you seen a pirate that wears a three cornered hat with various things hanging from his brown hair. He walks awkwardly as if always drunk," Adolphus said, obviously aggravated. One sailor lifted his fist and began ticking off his fingers while mumbling, " one…two…three…"
"Any of them have a tattoo of a sparrow on them!" Adolphus exclaimed. The sailor put his hand down and shrugged his shoulders.
"Damn fools!" Adolphus shouted before walking out. Jack sighed with relief as the crowd instantly went back to their pervious affairs. He began lifting himself off the ground and felt someone helping him up.
"Are you all right miss?" Jack heard a female voice and assumed it was one of the barmaids.
"Aye lass, yes," Jack said in Calynda's voice.
"Help her up Marissa," said Peter. "Danielle, go get some water for her." He said. "Come me dear, I'll take ye to the back room where ye can rest. I'm so sorry that 'appened to you." Jack allowed Marrisa and Peter to help him up as the patrons of the tavern continued on without paying mind to any of them.
"No it's ok lad. I need to get to the prison to see what my girl has done to be taken away like this," Jack said using the cane to prop himself up. They escorted him to a room and closed the door behind them.
"Nonsense, they'll probably be detaining her for a while. Ye might as well wait, 'sides that was quite a fall ye took." Peter said. The door opened and the woman named Danielle entered with the water.
"Here you go ma'am. Drink up," Danielle handed Jack the water as she, Peter, and Marissa watched Jack sit wondering what he was going to do.
"How are you miss?" Peter asked. Jack nodded and tried sipping the water as slowly and carefully as possible. As Peter looked at Jack sorrowfully, Marissa and Danielle glanced at each other.
"Ma'am, I have some clothes you might like to try on so you don't have to be so covered up. You must be pretty shaken up after all of that." Danielle said.
"No really, I'm ok. I should be on me way." Jack said, sensing a change in the mood of the room.
"It is quite alright, here I'll get something for you." Danielle said walking behind Jack toward a dresser. Suddenly he felt a whoosh above his head and saw Peter and Marissa's faces change into expressions of shock.
"Damn females…" Jack murmured and sighed.
"I knew it!" Danielle walked from behind him and looked at his newly revealed face. "A man!"
"But…why…how…" Peter fumbled for words as Marissa began laughing.
"I thought so too. No older woman I know of has muscles like 'is under all those clothes." Marissa said. Jack grinned at the comment made, but realized the seriousness of their discovery.
"How did ye know?" Peter asked looking at the women who stood side by side happy about their intuitions being correct.
"Women know women…and he certainly ain't a woman," Danielle laughed.
"I be supposin' yer going to turn me in?" Jack asked.
"I bet you're that man Jack Sparrow the soldier was in here asking for, right?" Danielle asked.
"Yer a sharp one love. Ye'd make a good hand on me ship. But it's Captain Jack Sparrow. They always seem to forget that part." Jack said.
"Yer Sparrow? I can't believe ye tricked me!" Peter said, still in the shocked phase.
"A pirate in woman's clothing," Marissa broke out laughing anew, it was contagious and caused Danielle to do the same.
"Aye, it wasn't even my idea. It was the only way I could get out of the blasted woman's house without being caught." Jack said, standing up. "So what are your plans, other than continuing to laugh?" Jack's demeanor became serious and his gaze fell heavy on the three people in front of him.
"No need to go gettin' serious now." Marissa said. "We have no intention of turning you in. I believe dressing you up in woman's clothes is about punishment enough for anything you might have done here." She and Danielle continued to laugh as tears began to form in their eyes. Jack sighed again waiting for the ridicule to be over.
"What is it that you wanted here anyway?" Danielle asked.
"I needed information. Now I'm going to be needin' to get that blasted girl and someone else out of that Adophus' hands." Jack answered.
"Well, you better get going before he comes back and sees you as you are now." Marissa said.
"So…you're not going to do anything to me?" Jack asked.
"Why would you, a pirate, go and wear woman's clothing fer?" Peter asked still surprised as ever. " It's mind bending…no self serving pirate would do such a thing."
"Great…thanks. This is making me feel a lot better about me self." Jack said throwing up his hands.
"It doesn't make sense," Peter said.
"Time is pressing at the moment…" Jack said waiting for an answer for his question.
"Why would we do anything? I have no grudge against you. You're kind of handsome if I might say so," Marissa smiled.
"Thanks love, perhaps when this is over with you and I could-"Jack said walking over to her, but was cut off.
"Didn't you say there was something that needed your attention?" Danielle said to Jack, folding her arms over her chest and looking at him with an arched eyebrow.
"Aye, I did. I thank ye all for yer help. It'll do me even more good if ye don't mentioned this happened…especially this clothing matter." Jack said as he replaced the hood over his head. This caused the women to once again laugh.
"Good luck I guess mate," Peter said scratching his head.
"Loves…" Jack winked at the women and quickly exited the room, going back to his acting that was improving slowly. He left the tavern with Peter and the barmaids watching him leave.
"I'll never forget that one," Marissa laughed again.
"The sad thing is, I don't know how many people would believe us if we told 'em," Danielle said.
"No, the sad thing is that Peter here had a thing for her-umm…him," Marissa giggled. Both girls looked at Peter as his face reddened.
"Get back to work, both of ye! I don't want hear another word of it ever!" Peter exclaimed harshly only to their attention from his embarrassment to his anger. It did little to waver them and they continued to laugh and talk about it as the day went on.
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Ok then, ye all know the drill. Read and Review, it will be much appreciated. No evil cliff hanger…well other than the fact that you don't what Jack is walking into, or what other kind of things are going to go wrong...hehehehe, but I guess if I make ye think about it, yer just gonna get mad. I hope you enjoyed this installment. I know it isn't as long as pervious chapters, but I felt it wouldn't hurt to make this one a little short. Right Jack?
Jack: ::nods:: "Still can't believe ye made me dress like a blasted woman. But it makes it better that this one is short. Gets me a break and more time to drink me rum."
Until next time!!!!!