Chapter 30: Explanations
Maria, the girl in Isabelle's possession, wasn't as timid as she'd been at the start. She was full of spirit, faster than a bolt of lightning, and became fast friends with the cabin boy. Ranger, or Raphaell (as was his real name, though Jack seemed to prefer wall) and Jack hadn't had their talk, so it was no surprise when Jack called him aside from the rest of the crew.
"What is it about ye?" he asked without preamble. Ranger looked confused, "pardon, Cap'n?" he asked, and Jack sighed. "Ye ain't someone I've met afore, but I know yer face. Young Will knew ye too – why?" Ranger shrugged. "I don't know Cap'n. P'rap's ye've met someone who looks like me?" he suggested, and Jack nodded absently. He was about to say something, but changed his words abruptly. "Who was ye father, Ranger?" Ranger looked away, "I don't know who my father was, but my mother's father was Lieutenant Andrew Cole of the Navy, an' it turned out that his father was Cap'n Grey of the Spanish Rose, if that's any help t' ye."
Jack laughed suddenly, "*That's* how I know yer face! I tell ye, Grey nearly killed Young Will, an' fair near talked my ear off!" Ranger looked as though he thought Jack'd gone completely loony. "Grey's dead," he stated levelly. "How can ye've met him if he died years ago?" Jack noticed Ranger's expression and laughed again, "He's a very stubborn guy – he's a ghost who tries to stop people going after his treasure by throwing them overboard an' tellin' ye someone will die an' whatnot." Ranger looked even more perplexed, if that was possible. Jack shook his head, "Ye'll get t' see a lot of things if ye stay wi' the Pearl for a while. But I have one last question for ye – what the hell has Maria got t' do wi' ye?"
Ranger sighed. "She's my sister, half sister if ye will – Ma died jus' after Maria was born an' I took care of her since. Until I got into bad company, rung up some debts, an' Morgan took Maria. If I get a chance, that bilge-sucking dog will be shot, right between th' eyes." Jack grinned, "Aye, ye'll do Ranger. Ye'll do, for now!"
The next few days were fairly uneventful, for a pirate ship. No ships passed within sight, and all signs of land had been left far behind. Jamie and Louisa became even closer after their night in the crow's nest, though no one believed that nothing had happened between them. Even Isabelle thought the two were together, in the strictest sense of the phrase. They spent the first day denying everything, then decided, by unspoken agreement, to ignore the crew and let them believe what they wanted, which they probably would've anyway.
Jack and Will (Sr.) heard the rumours circulating, all of them, but said nothing. Well, nothing in front of the crew. Will took his daughter aside for a talk. "What are you doing?" he asked as soon as his cabin door was closed. Louisa looked confused, "What do you mean?" she asked, but the look on her father's face answered her question before he spoke. "With Jamie. I'd have thought ye'd be a bit smarter than that." He barely kept his voice to a normal speaking tone.
Louisa was almost insulted. "I'm nineteen, Da! Mother was married at my age!" she retorted, crossing her arms. Will looked just as much, if not more, furious. "You're not your mother, Louisa, nor has your mother's and my relationship got anything to do with this conversation!" Louisa held her ground, and tried to keep her temper in check. "It has everything to do with it! Mother was a noblewoman, you a blacksmith-cum-pirate, and you married. Jamie's a pirate, I'm a pirate, and as I'm not planning to get married jus' yet, whatever we do is none of your concern!"
Will looked as though he'd been slapped. "You are *not* a pirate!" he practically yelled; Louisa glared at him, unable to stop her anger building, she replied "I'm not? What am I then? A noble? A servant? I was sold as one, remember?" Will sighed. "That's not what I meant. You're my daughter Louisa, and I don't want to see you hurt. I've hurt your mother by just being who I am, an' if ye stay with Jamie, the same will happen to you." Their arguments were always short, and Will knew Louisa's temper could last for hours. Instead of yelling, as she felt like doing, Louisa sat down on the edge of the desk. "I know a lot more about life than what Ma'ma did when she married you, Da. I know what pirates are like, and I know how to handle myself. And, just for the record, there's nothing between Jamie and I except friendship."
Will snorted, "And clothes, I hope." Louisa grinned, "Aye, Da, there's clothes, about four layers, and that's just me!" she answered. Will shook his head, "You're my only daughter, Louisa. I just want what's best for ye," he said, moving so he was standing in front of her. "I know, Da," she said and stood to hug her father. "I may be your only daughter, but I, uh, I know Will isn't your only son," she admitted, and Will pulled back to look her in the eye. She refused to drop her gaze, however much she was tempted to. "I know about the cabin boy, Da."
Will wasn't sure if he should be embarrassed or glad that his daughter knew. And, logically speaking, if she knew, then her twin knew as well. Besides, it wasn't as though the entire crew didn't have a similar idea.
Neither said anymore after that, and Louisa left the cabin calmly, before heading towards the crow's nest. "I'm replacin' ye," she told the pirate there. He didn't argue, and left without a word. It was the most calming job on the ship, and on the plus side, no one dared to argue with the children of the captains.
Below, on the deck, Jack stood in his usual position at the helm, and Jamie sat behind him on the stairs. No one was close enough to overhear them, a fact Jamie wasn't sure he liked a great deal. "We didn't do anything," he stated after a momentary silence. Jack didn't respond, so Jamie tried again. "It's not a crime to like someone," he complained.
Jack didn't turn around when he answered, "It could be when it's Bootstrap's daughter you like." He glanced over his shoulder and casually added, "Ye do know he keelhauled a woman for hurting Elizabeth?" Jamie swalloed before answering, "Aye, well, I heard the rumours afore we left." Jack laughed, "Tread carefully, Jamie-boy, or ye could find yeself treading water."
They went back to sitting in silence, but this was more comfortable, until Jack suddenly swore and grabbed his arm. "Blast ye, Bella! Must ye be so careless?" he asked thin air, watching as Isabelle untangled herself from the pile of ropes she'd fallen over. Jack rubbed his arm, where the pain had hit suddenly, and watched as the base of his palm turned red. "She'll kill herself one day, an' take you with her," joked Jamie from the stairs. Jack gave a half-laugh, still watching Isabelle. "Aye, she might at that, if she doesn't kill me with what she likes for fun."
Knowing his father was talking about the Triangle, Jamie changed his tone. "Why is it that we ne'er liked the Triangle, but she loves it more'n anything – 'cept you maybe?" he asked, and Jack sighed. "She was born there, Jamie-boy. We all feel a connection to the place we were born, where we spent the first few months of our lives." Jamie contemplated what his father told him, before replying, "I was born on land, but the sea is where I belong." Jack smiled to himself, "Aye, but ye have the ability to survive on land, to leave the sea forever. I don't – I was born on a ship, an' I've lived on one all my life, 'cept for a few brief stints here an' there," he answered, turning to look back at his son.
"Tell me, Jamie-boy; if you an' Louisa were to marry, an' she wanted ye t' choose between her an' the sea, would ye be able to?" Jamie thought about it, before answering honestly, "I don't know." Jack laughed, "Aye, I didn't want to have t' make that choice, so I ne'er married your mother," he admitted, causing Jamie to laugh. He left his seat on the stairs, and stood next to his father. "Do us all a favour, Da – marry her next chance ye get – she won't make ye choose; she knows where your loyalties lie!" he said, slapping his father on the shoulder as he stepped down and headed to where Isabelle was wrapping a bandage around her bleeding palm.
*****
A/N: Sorry for the delay, but I have actually written up to chapter 34, but it's all in longhand, and it's taking me ages to type them up! And I've changed my ending slightly, just to please a few of you who want several of the characters to get together (I don't mean all together, but in separate pairings! Sorry – late night last night!)
Maria, the girl in Isabelle's possession, wasn't as timid as she'd been at the start. She was full of spirit, faster than a bolt of lightning, and became fast friends with the cabin boy. Ranger, or Raphaell (as was his real name, though Jack seemed to prefer wall) and Jack hadn't had their talk, so it was no surprise when Jack called him aside from the rest of the crew.
"What is it about ye?" he asked without preamble. Ranger looked confused, "pardon, Cap'n?" he asked, and Jack sighed. "Ye ain't someone I've met afore, but I know yer face. Young Will knew ye too – why?" Ranger shrugged. "I don't know Cap'n. P'rap's ye've met someone who looks like me?" he suggested, and Jack nodded absently. He was about to say something, but changed his words abruptly. "Who was ye father, Ranger?" Ranger looked away, "I don't know who my father was, but my mother's father was Lieutenant Andrew Cole of the Navy, an' it turned out that his father was Cap'n Grey of the Spanish Rose, if that's any help t' ye."
Jack laughed suddenly, "*That's* how I know yer face! I tell ye, Grey nearly killed Young Will, an' fair near talked my ear off!" Ranger looked as though he thought Jack'd gone completely loony. "Grey's dead," he stated levelly. "How can ye've met him if he died years ago?" Jack noticed Ranger's expression and laughed again, "He's a very stubborn guy – he's a ghost who tries to stop people going after his treasure by throwing them overboard an' tellin' ye someone will die an' whatnot." Ranger looked even more perplexed, if that was possible. Jack shook his head, "Ye'll get t' see a lot of things if ye stay wi' the Pearl for a while. But I have one last question for ye – what the hell has Maria got t' do wi' ye?"
Ranger sighed. "She's my sister, half sister if ye will – Ma died jus' after Maria was born an' I took care of her since. Until I got into bad company, rung up some debts, an' Morgan took Maria. If I get a chance, that bilge-sucking dog will be shot, right between th' eyes." Jack grinned, "Aye, ye'll do Ranger. Ye'll do, for now!"
The next few days were fairly uneventful, for a pirate ship. No ships passed within sight, and all signs of land had been left far behind. Jamie and Louisa became even closer after their night in the crow's nest, though no one believed that nothing had happened between them. Even Isabelle thought the two were together, in the strictest sense of the phrase. They spent the first day denying everything, then decided, by unspoken agreement, to ignore the crew and let them believe what they wanted, which they probably would've anyway.
Jack and Will (Sr.) heard the rumours circulating, all of them, but said nothing. Well, nothing in front of the crew. Will took his daughter aside for a talk. "What are you doing?" he asked as soon as his cabin door was closed. Louisa looked confused, "What do you mean?" she asked, but the look on her father's face answered her question before he spoke. "With Jamie. I'd have thought ye'd be a bit smarter than that." He barely kept his voice to a normal speaking tone.
Louisa was almost insulted. "I'm nineteen, Da! Mother was married at my age!" she retorted, crossing her arms. Will looked just as much, if not more, furious. "You're not your mother, Louisa, nor has your mother's and my relationship got anything to do with this conversation!" Louisa held her ground, and tried to keep her temper in check. "It has everything to do with it! Mother was a noblewoman, you a blacksmith-cum-pirate, and you married. Jamie's a pirate, I'm a pirate, and as I'm not planning to get married jus' yet, whatever we do is none of your concern!"
Will looked as though he'd been slapped. "You are *not* a pirate!" he practically yelled; Louisa glared at him, unable to stop her anger building, she replied "I'm not? What am I then? A noble? A servant? I was sold as one, remember?" Will sighed. "That's not what I meant. You're my daughter Louisa, and I don't want to see you hurt. I've hurt your mother by just being who I am, an' if ye stay with Jamie, the same will happen to you." Their arguments were always short, and Will knew Louisa's temper could last for hours. Instead of yelling, as she felt like doing, Louisa sat down on the edge of the desk. "I know a lot more about life than what Ma'ma did when she married you, Da. I know what pirates are like, and I know how to handle myself. And, just for the record, there's nothing between Jamie and I except friendship."
Will snorted, "And clothes, I hope." Louisa grinned, "Aye, Da, there's clothes, about four layers, and that's just me!" she answered. Will shook his head, "You're my only daughter, Louisa. I just want what's best for ye," he said, moving so he was standing in front of her. "I know, Da," she said and stood to hug her father. "I may be your only daughter, but I, uh, I know Will isn't your only son," she admitted, and Will pulled back to look her in the eye. She refused to drop her gaze, however much she was tempted to. "I know about the cabin boy, Da."
Will wasn't sure if he should be embarrassed or glad that his daughter knew. And, logically speaking, if she knew, then her twin knew as well. Besides, it wasn't as though the entire crew didn't have a similar idea.
Neither said anymore after that, and Louisa left the cabin calmly, before heading towards the crow's nest. "I'm replacin' ye," she told the pirate there. He didn't argue, and left without a word. It was the most calming job on the ship, and on the plus side, no one dared to argue with the children of the captains.
Below, on the deck, Jack stood in his usual position at the helm, and Jamie sat behind him on the stairs. No one was close enough to overhear them, a fact Jamie wasn't sure he liked a great deal. "We didn't do anything," he stated after a momentary silence. Jack didn't respond, so Jamie tried again. "It's not a crime to like someone," he complained.
Jack didn't turn around when he answered, "It could be when it's Bootstrap's daughter you like." He glanced over his shoulder and casually added, "Ye do know he keelhauled a woman for hurting Elizabeth?" Jamie swalloed before answering, "Aye, well, I heard the rumours afore we left." Jack laughed, "Tread carefully, Jamie-boy, or ye could find yeself treading water."
They went back to sitting in silence, but this was more comfortable, until Jack suddenly swore and grabbed his arm. "Blast ye, Bella! Must ye be so careless?" he asked thin air, watching as Isabelle untangled herself from the pile of ropes she'd fallen over. Jack rubbed his arm, where the pain had hit suddenly, and watched as the base of his palm turned red. "She'll kill herself one day, an' take you with her," joked Jamie from the stairs. Jack gave a half-laugh, still watching Isabelle. "Aye, she might at that, if she doesn't kill me with what she likes for fun."
Knowing his father was talking about the Triangle, Jamie changed his tone. "Why is it that we ne'er liked the Triangle, but she loves it more'n anything – 'cept you maybe?" he asked, and Jack sighed. "She was born there, Jamie-boy. We all feel a connection to the place we were born, where we spent the first few months of our lives." Jamie contemplated what his father told him, before replying, "I was born on land, but the sea is where I belong." Jack smiled to himself, "Aye, but ye have the ability to survive on land, to leave the sea forever. I don't – I was born on a ship, an' I've lived on one all my life, 'cept for a few brief stints here an' there," he answered, turning to look back at his son.
"Tell me, Jamie-boy; if you an' Louisa were to marry, an' she wanted ye t' choose between her an' the sea, would ye be able to?" Jamie thought about it, before answering honestly, "I don't know." Jack laughed, "Aye, I didn't want to have t' make that choice, so I ne'er married your mother," he admitted, causing Jamie to laugh. He left his seat on the stairs, and stood next to his father. "Do us all a favour, Da – marry her next chance ye get – she won't make ye choose; she knows where your loyalties lie!" he said, slapping his father on the shoulder as he stepped down and headed to where Isabelle was wrapping a bandage around her bleeding palm.
*****
A/N: Sorry for the delay, but I have actually written up to chapter 34, but it's all in longhand, and it's taking me ages to type them up! And I've changed my ending slightly, just to please a few of you who want several of the characters to get together (I don't mean all together, but in separate pairings! Sorry – late night last night!)
