Chapter 2: Hunting
"Hoist the sails you Scalliwags!" AnaMarie barked, lugging two pails of water to the railing, where Elizabeth stood. There were only three females aboard this ship, AnaMarie, Elizabeth and Gweniviere, or Gwen, as we more commonly called her.
"Port Royale's not too far off." Elizabeth pointed North to the small strip of land they could see from the ship. "I suspect we'll be there on the 'morrow."
"That's what the Cpt'n says." AnaMarie dumped the pails over board, releasing their dreadful smell. They both made a face. "Gibbs was hiding some fish under his bed, waiting for the right time to eat them. The right time was four months ago." She explained.
Elizabeth gagged, before regaining her composure. "I'm in dire need of some new clothes. These are so worn that they are mere thread that covers me." Elizabeth examined the blotchy breeches and shabby tunic. "Good thing for this corset, though I'm glad I'm not wearing it as tight as the women in London." Making her look feminine was a black leather corset that fit all the right places, establidhing the fact that she was a woman.
"Those boots are in good condition too." AnaMarie nodded towards the soft leather boots that went up to the knee. Tucked into each was a dagger of fine steel.
"Yes, but I'd like a new pair of breeches and a tunic. Maybe a dress. Jack would let me spring for it." Elizabeth tugged gently on the strings of the corset, but not enough to tighten it.
"Of course he would. He wishes you and I would dress more like Gwen, but Gwen doesn't fight now does she? She cooks, tends and cleans for us." AnaMarie frowned.
"She was an orphan when we found her. We weren't about to leave her there to die. She earns her keep around here." Elizabeth nodded to the fifteen year old girl, who was scrubbing the deck along with the other crew members.
"Aye, that she does." AnaMarie agreed grudgingly. "I've got nuttin against her, just she makes us look bad."
"No, we can handle ourselves, she hides below deck." Elizabeth pointed out. "I enjoy being a Pirate."
"Aye." AnaMarie wrapped her arm around Elizabeth's shoulders and they made their way up to Jack.
"Ducks, Kitten." He nodded to them in a way of greeting. "What's on your minds?"
"Jack, would it be too much for us to get some new clothes while in Port Royale?" Elizabeth cooed sweetly. It was the only way to get anywhere with this man.
"What? You want a dress or something?" He arched an eyebrow at them.
"Yes. I could use some new breeches and a tunic too, but that can wait. I'd really like a dress." Elizabeth nodded.
"I suppose. We'll be docking for a few days I hope. I wanted to see if there were any sightings of the Black Pearl, savvy?" Jack began to hum.
Elizabeth felt her blood run cold at the very name of that cursed ship. Captain Barbossa had called mutiney and marooned her brother on a deserted island. He had almost had Elizabeth raped, if she hadn't broken free and dove overboard after her brother.
"Barbossa." She spat his name like a curse and Jack's cheerful hum ceased. He gave her an amused look, before fiddling with one of his rings.
"I promise, Ducks. We will get him and make him pay." Jack assured her. A few seconds later, he continued on with his merry tune.
She nodded in response and left AnaMarie with him. She moved to the stern and wtched Port Royale come closer and closer. From what she could see it was a well kept little town, not a likely place to find pirates. Thank goodness Jack didn't have his pirate's flag up. That would have been disasterous.
Jack scurried up beside her as soon as they were pulling into the dock, a few hours later. "Nice town. It's bloody Dickensville."
"Be nice, I don't need you getting our crew into trouble. I don't fancy rescuing you this time." She nudged him with her shoulder.
"Ducks! You need me to run the ship!" Jack pretended to be offended.
"If you get yourself into any trouble, I'm sure AnaMarie, Gibbs and I can handle it."
"Don't you start with me, Ducks." He warned, but he was grinning. "Alright, I'll behave if they do."
"That's all I ask." She patted his arm. "Ready to go ashore, Capt'n Sparrow?"
"Ready, Ducks. I need me some rum."
"Let's go!" Elizabeth grasps two ropes and hands one to Jack. He grins merrily at her and with a swing they leave the ship and land on the docks.
"Aye you!" A portly gentlemen rushes over, carrying a small leather book. "It's a shilling to dock your boat here and I'll need to know your names?"
Jack shot her a familiar look, before digging into his pockets. "What do you say to three shillings and we forget the names?"
The portly man looked at the gold coins, before snapping his book closed. "Welcome to Port Royale, Mr. and Mrs. Smith."
Jack winks at the man, before looping his arm through Elizabeth's and they head into town. "He thought us married!"
"Eww." Elizabeth shook her head in distaste. "That thought makes me sick. I'd have to be bloody mad to marry me own flesh and blood."
"No need to be telling me that!" Jack steered her into the crowd. He tossed the little bag of change he had stolen from the Harbour clerk and tossed it to Elizabeth. "Go buy something pretty."
She grinned cheekily at him. "I'll do that!" She disappeared into the crowd. She wanted something to stop men in their tracks.
Jack sauntered across the docks, taking in the sights and sounds of the little town. He grinned at the sight of a really pretty boat, "The Interceptor", of course, it couldn't compare to "The Black Pearl" or "The Diamond Cutter" for that matter, but it was a pretty boat.
"Aye you!" Two redcoats rushed in front of him. "There are no civilians allowed down here!"
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry, I didn't know. If I see one, I'll let you know." He went to go past them, but they jumped in front of them again.
Jack heard the sounds of a big event happening across town. "It seems like there's a shindig going on over there. So tell me, why are two fine upstanding gentlemen like yourselves unable to recieve an invitation?"
"Someone's got to keep civilians off these docks. 'The Interceptor' is the fastest boat in the Caribbean." One of them puffed up proudly.
"I know of a faster one, it's supposed to be nigh uncatchable, 'The Black Pearl'. Plus, my ship over there, 'The Diamond Cutter' could out go this ship too."
"The Black Pearl' a mighty pirate ship with black sails. It doesn't even exist." One over the redcoats scoffed.
"Yes it does, I've seen it." His companion argued. While they were busy arguing, Jack made his way aboard "The Interceptor", before they noticed he was gone. They came rushing after him, thrusting their guns in his face.
"You're not supposed to be on here!" One them yelled, panic-stricten.
"I'm sorry, but it's such a pretty boat." Jack rotated the wheel.
"Alright you, what's your name?"
"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow."
"What business to you have in Port Royale? No lies."
"Alright, I'm here to gather a new crew and them I'm going to go out and blow up some ships!"
"I said no lies!"
"I think he was telling the truth."
"If that was the truth, he wouldn't have told us."
"Unless, he knew that you wouldn't believe the truth even if he told you." Jack grinned at their blank looks. Elizabeth would be proud of him now. He stayed out of troubles and confused a couple of morons.
Will ambled along the streets of Port Royale. Watching happy families raom around doing their shopping and such. He felt terribly alone, when he watched people together because he had to face the fact that he was alone, always alone.
He was so lost in his thoughts he didn't notice where he was going until he bumped into somebody. He looked down and felt his throat go dry.
"Hmph, you may want to be more careful next time you do that." She sprung idly to her feet. "The next person may not be so nice about it."
"I'm terribly sorry, I wasn't paying attention." He stammered. She was beautiful, long tresses of auburn hair and sharp blue eyes. Her face was smooth, with a small, slightly pointed nose and shapely eyebrows. It was somewhere between delicate and homely.
"Yes, that much was painfully obvious." She smiled and rubbed her back a moment, before holding out her hand. "Elizabeth Sparrow."
He gently took her hand and her eyes widened in surprise. "Blacksmith's hands, I know they're rough. Will Turner."
"No, they're not that rough actually. Try shaking hands with sailors. Yours are surprisingly gentle." She smiled warmly. "Now, Mr. Turner, if you could be so kind as to point me towards the nearest dress shop?"
"Please, call me, Will, Ms. Sparrow. " He looked down and noticed her hand was still in his and she was making no move to pull it away. "It's just over there."
"Thank you, Will, but please call me Elizabeth. No one calls me, Ms. Sparrow." She shook her head with a quiet laugh, causing her curls to swing around her face, before settling just behind her cheekbones. "Well, it was a pleasure to make your aquiantence. Good day, Will." She pulled away and began to move across the street.
"Good day." He called after her and she tossed a smile over her shoulder, before continuing across the street. "Elizabeth." He whispered, letting the name roll off his tongue. He couldn't help the smile that crossed his face.
"Hoist the sails you Scalliwags!" AnaMarie barked, lugging two pails of water to the railing, where Elizabeth stood. There were only three females aboard this ship, AnaMarie, Elizabeth and Gweniviere, or Gwen, as we more commonly called her.
"Port Royale's not too far off." Elizabeth pointed North to the small strip of land they could see from the ship. "I suspect we'll be there on the 'morrow."
"That's what the Cpt'n says." AnaMarie dumped the pails over board, releasing their dreadful smell. They both made a face. "Gibbs was hiding some fish under his bed, waiting for the right time to eat them. The right time was four months ago." She explained.
Elizabeth gagged, before regaining her composure. "I'm in dire need of some new clothes. These are so worn that they are mere thread that covers me." Elizabeth examined the blotchy breeches and shabby tunic. "Good thing for this corset, though I'm glad I'm not wearing it as tight as the women in London." Making her look feminine was a black leather corset that fit all the right places, establidhing the fact that she was a woman.
"Those boots are in good condition too." AnaMarie nodded towards the soft leather boots that went up to the knee. Tucked into each was a dagger of fine steel.
"Yes, but I'd like a new pair of breeches and a tunic. Maybe a dress. Jack would let me spring for it." Elizabeth tugged gently on the strings of the corset, but not enough to tighten it.
"Of course he would. He wishes you and I would dress more like Gwen, but Gwen doesn't fight now does she? She cooks, tends and cleans for us." AnaMarie frowned.
"She was an orphan when we found her. We weren't about to leave her there to die. She earns her keep around here." Elizabeth nodded to the fifteen year old girl, who was scrubbing the deck along with the other crew members.
"Aye, that she does." AnaMarie agreed grudgingly. "I've got nuttin against her, just she makes us look bad."
"No, we can handle ourselves, she hides below deck." Elizabeth pointed out. "I enjoy being a Pirate."
"Aye." AnaMarie wrapped her arm around Elizabeth's shoulders and they made their way up to Jack.
"Ducks, Kitten." He nodded to them in a way of greeting. "What's on your minds?"
"Jack, would it be too much for us to get some new clothes while in Port Royale?" Elizabeth cooed sweetly. It was the only way to get anywhere with this man.
"What? You want a dress or something?" He arched an eyebrow at them.
"Yes. I could use some new breeches and a tunic too, but that can wait. I'd really like a dress." Elizabeth nodded.
"I suppose. We'll be docking for a few days I hope. I wanted to see if there were any sightings of the Black Pearl, savvy?" Jack began to hum.
Elizabeth felt her blood run cold at the very name of that cursed ship. Captain Barbossa had called mutiney and marooned her brother on a deserted island. He had almost had Elizabeth raped, if she hadn't broken free and dove overboard after her brother.
"Barbossa." She spat his name like a curse and Jack's cheerful hum ceased. He gave her an amused look, before fiddling with one of his rings.
"I promise, Ducks. We will get him and make him pay." Jack assured her. A few seconds later, he continued on with his merry tune.
She nodded in response and left AnaMarie with him. She moved to the stern and wtched Port Royale come closer and closer. From what she could see it was a well kept little town, not a likely place to find pirates. Thank goodness Jack didn't have his pirate's flag up. That would have been disasterous.
Jack scurried up beside her as soon as they were pulling into the dock, a few hours later. "Nice town. It's bloody Dickensville."
"Be nice, I don't need you getting our crew into trouble. I don't fancy rescuing you this time." She nudged him with her shoulder.
"Ducks! You need me to run the ship!" Jack pretended to be offended.
"If you get yourself into any trouble, I'm sure AnaMarie, Gibbs and I can handle it."
"Don't you start with me, Ducks." He warned, but he was grinning. "Alright, I'll behave if they do."
"That's all I ask." She patted his arm. "Ready to go ashore, Capt'n Sparrow?"
"Ready, Ducks. I need me some rum."
"Let's go!" Elizabeth grasps two ropes and hands one to Jack. He grins merrily at her and with a swing they leave the ship and land on the docks.
"Aye you!" A portly gentlemen rushes over, carrying a small leather book. "It's a shilling to dock your boat here and I'll need to know your names?"
Jack shot her a familiar look, before digging into his pockets. "What do you say to three shillings and we forget the names?"
The portly man looked at the gold coins, before snapping his book closed. "Welcome to Port Royale, Mr. and Mrs. Smith."
Jack winks at the man, before looping his arm through Elizabeth's and they head into town. "He thought us married!"
"Eww." Elizabeth shook her head in distaste. "That thought makes me sick. I'd have to be bloody mad to marry me own flesh and blood."
"No need to be telling me that!" Jack steered her into the crowd. He tossed the little bag of change he had stolen from the Harbour clerk and tossed it to Elizabeth. "Go buy something pretty."
She grinned cheekily at him. "I'll do that!" She disappeared into the crowd. She wanted something to stop men in their tracks.
Jack sauntered across the docks, taking in the sights and sounds of the little town. He grinned at the sight of a really pretty boat, "The Interceptor", of course, it couldn't compare to "The Black Pearl" or "The Diamond Cutter" for that matter, but it was a pretty boat.
"Aye you!" Two redcoats rushed in front of him. "There are no civilians allowed down here!"
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry, I didn't know. If I see one, I'll let you know." He went to go past them, but they jumped in front of them again.
Jack heard the sounds of a big event happening across town. "It seems like there's a shindig going on over there. So tell me, why are two fine upstanding gentlemen like yourselves unable to recieve an invitation?"
"Someone's got to keep civilians off these docks. 'The Interceptor' is the fastest boat in the Caribbean." One of them puffed up proudly.
"I know of a faster one, it's supposed to be nigh uncatchable, 'The Black Pearl'. Plus, my ship over there, 'The Diamond Cutter' could out go this ship too."
"The Black Pearl' a mighty pirate ship with black sails. It doesn't even exist." One over the redcoats scoffed.
"Yes it does, I've seen it." His companion argued. While they were busy arguing, Jack made his way aboard "The Interceptor", before they noticed he was gone. They came rushing after him, thrusting their guns in his face.
"You're not supposed to be on here!" One them yelled, panic-stricten.
"I'm sorry, but it's such a pretty boat." Jack rotated the wheel.
"Alright you, what's your name?"
"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow."
"What business to you have in Port Royale? No lies."
"Alright, I'm here to gather a new crew and them I'm going to go out and blow up some ships!"
"I said no lies!"
"I think he was telling the truth."
"If that was the truth, he wouldn't have told us."
"Unless, he knew that you wouldn't believe the truth even if he told you." Jack grinned at their blank looks. Elizabeth would be proud of him now. He stayed out of troubles and confused a couple of morons.
Will ambled along the streets of Port Royale. Watching happy families raom around doing their shopping and such. He felt terribly alone, when he watched people together because he had to face the fact that he was alone, always alone.
He was so lost in his thoughts he didn't notice where he was going until he bumped into somebody. He looked down and felt his throat go dry.
"Hmph, you may want to be more careful next time you do that." She sprung idly to her feet. "The next person may not be so nice about it."
"I'm terribly sorry, I wasn't paying attention." He stammered. She was beautiful, long tresses of auburn hair and sharp blue eyes. Her face was smooth, with a small, slightly pointed nose and shapely eyebrows. It was somewhere between delicate and homely.
"Yes, that much was painfully obvious." She smiled and rubbed her back a moment, before holding out her hand. "Elizabeth Sparrow."
He gently took her hand and her eyes widened in surprise. "Blacksmith's hands, I know they're rough. Will Turner."
"No, they're not that rough actually. Try shaking hands with sailors. Yours are surprisingly gentle." She smiled warmly. "Now, Mr. Turner, if you could be so kind as to point me towards the nearest dress shop?"
"Please, call me, Will, Ms. Sparrow. " He looked down and noticed her hand was still in his and she was making no move to pull it away. "It's just over there."
"Thank you, Will, but please call me Elizabeth. No one calls me, Ms. Sparrow." She shook her head with a quiet laugh, causing her curls to swing around her face, before settling just behind her cheekbones. "Well, it was a pleasure to make your aquiantence. Good day, Will." She pulled away and began to move across the street.
"Good day." He called after her and she tossed a smile over her shoulder, before continuing across the street. "Elizabeth." He whispered, letting the name roll off his tongue. He couldn't help the smile that crossed his face.