Hi again! Everyone here in the dorm is up and studying for finals, but I
only have two more and they're really easy (kinda), so I wrote yet another
chapter *sweatdrop*
Ahem! Before getting to that though, I'd like to engage in some shameless self-promotion. If you're a Legend of Zelda fan, be sure to check out my other fanfics. Hime Hi is really long, I know, but I'm really proud of it ^_^ Anyways, just wanted to get that in there. Sorry. On with Jack! *drools*
"Don't get yer hopes up, Jack," he said to himself as he caressed the worn wood of the wheel. Wood like this was one of those rare things that actually got better with each sweaty grip, each rough steer. Hands constantly polishing and sanding it down to buttery perfection. "Writin' strange poetry down 'n books- women do that sort 'o thing all th' time."
Subconsciously he found himself staring down at the newcomer on deck, who had perched herself atop an old crate and sat now, still as a statue, captivated by the sea.
What a strange one, this Tabitha McGovern. She was quickly proving herself to be the enigma of his Women of the Vast Universe theory. Through years and leagues he'd encountered hordes of the fairer sex, in all shapes, sizes, colors, ages, and ranks in the scheme of things. And yet, from the most distinguished lady to the most vulgar prostitute, they each fell into one of two categories- the Swanns and the Sparrows, as he'd proudly dubbed them.
Elizabeth Turner, back before she settled into marriage and became boring, was the textbook Swann. Noble, occasionally intelligent, loyal to a fault. They'd go to great lengths to avoid a pirate's company, even if it meant throwing themselves off a cliff to save their integrity. That is, unless they found some practical reason to exploit a buccaneer's resources, in which case they'd tag along and pout, disgustedly, the entire time. A strong one like Elizabeth would stand up to him, the lesser ones just cried in polite lament. Bloody prude rum-burners, the lot of 'em.
Then there were the Sparrows, or bad actresses, as it were. You brought a Sparrow on board with minimal protest as she batted her lashes, measuring up the whole of the crew. Completely vain creatures, they assumed that every man around would break their own necks to ravage them. As if it were that hard. The'd jump into bed after scarce an evening of playing hard to get. The world, to them, was a little island called Me. And no, it wasn't just the trash the tide turned out from Tortuga. Some of the most honorable gentlewomen in all the Caribbean had turned out to be pure Sparrows through and through.
Yet, as hard as he tried, he just could not place Tabitha in one of the categories. At first glance she may have seemed a Swann. Fighting tooth and nail from the ransacked mansion, she would have dove overboard and swam back naively to her island and a host of hells she'd been brought up to never imagine.
But she was not in the least bit noble or loyal or sacrificing. Her companions, friends, and family had all met bloody ends in a blaze of fire and tearing metal, and she barely raised so much as an eyebrow. She didn't seem either bothered nor enthralled when the concept of 'consorting with pirates' came in to achieve her ends. And, may Zeus sink the Pearl, he could swear there was less rum in the cabin since her occupancy.
Would he be forced to add version three? The question was, how freely did the Tabithas spread their legs?
"You'd get a bett'r view up here, lass," he called down, cupping his hands to ward off the deafening wind. She looked up with her emerald eyes... dazzling things. Paired against that raven hair... yes... something familiar indeed.
"I didn't know I was invited." She walked stiffly up the narrow ramp of stairs, her hands still tightly bound behind her back.
"I hardly think you'll be requirin' bondage any further, love," he pointed out, nodding to the railing. "If you jump, it'll save me a rotten trip to Eden's Rock."
"Well I thank you wholeheartedly, Mr. Sparrow, for your permission," she rolled her eyes, rolling her shoulders back in a muted stretch. "Unfortunately, as you may see, I am not currently capable of freeing myself in this current state."
"Ah. Well then." He turned around, removing the long sword at his side from its sheath.
"You're going to use THAT?" She yelped, springing back.
"Well I'm sorry I don't 'ave scissor hands. Now turn around love, an' don't be scared. I've done this a million times." Pursing her lips together she squeezed her eyes shut, slowly wheeling away on her heels. Without effort the blade gnawed through the flimsy rope, leaving her soft, apricot hands and curious attire flawless. "First time's a charm, eh?" A leery glare shot his direction, but his smile proved a quick antidote. "Well now that yer not m' prisoner anymore, why don't ye go make yerself useful, eh?"
"What, you don't have enough underlings to scrub the deck for you?"
"No, no, I was thinking... oh, I don't know," he contemplated, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Sing some high pitched song, 'er skip around. Give this boat a fresh dose o' maiden charm."
She didn't answer, but from the corner of his eye he caught an amused grin break across her face. So that WAS possible. Good to know.
Ahem! Before getting to that though, I'd like to engage in some shameless self-promotion. If you're a Legend of Zelda fan, be sure to check out my other fanfics. Hime Hi is really long, I know, but I'm really proud of it ^_^ Anyways, just wanted to get that in there. Sorry. On with Jack! *drools*
"Don't get yer hopes up, Jack," he said to himself as he caressed the worn wood of the wheel. Wood like this was one of those rare things that actually got better with each sweaty grip, each rough steer. Hands constantly polishing and sanding it down to buttery perfection. "Writin' strange poetry down 'n books- women do that sort 'o thing all th' time."
Subconsciously he found himself staring down at the newcomer on deck, who had perched herself atop an old crate and sat now, still as a statue, captivated by the sea.
What a strange one, this Tabitha McGovern. She was quickly proving herself to be the enigma of his Women of the Vast Universe theory. Through years and leagues he'd encountered hordes of the fairer sex, in all shapes, sizes, colors, ages, and ranks in the scheme of things. And yet, from the most distinguished lady to the most vulgar prostitute, they each fell into one of two categories- the Swanns and the Sparrows, as he'd proudly dubbed them.
Elizabeth Turner, back before she settled into marriage and became boring, was the textbook Swann. Noble, occasionally intelligent, loyal to a fault. They'd go to great lengths to avoid a pirate's company, even if it meant throwing themselves off a cliff to save their integrity. That is, unless they found some practical reason to exploit a buccaneer's resources, in which case they'd tag along and pout, disgustedly, the entire time. A strong one like Elizabeth would stand up to him, the lesser ones just cried in polite lament. Bloody prude rum-burners, the lot of 'em.
Then there were the Sparrows, or bad actresses, as it were. You brought a Sparrow on board with minimal protest as she batted her lashes, measuring up the whole of the crew. Completely vain creatures, they assumed that every man around would break their own necks to ravage them. As if it were that hard. The'd jump into bed after scarce an evening of playing hard to get. The world, to them, was a little island called Me. And no, it wasn't just the trash the tide turned out from Tortuga. Some of the most honorable gentlewomen in all the Caribbean had turned out to be pure Sparrows through and through.
Yet, as hard as he tried, he just could not place Tabitha in one of the categories. At first glance she may have seemed a Swann. Fighting tooth and nail from the ransacked mansion, she would have dove overboard and swam back naively to her island and a host of hells she'd been brought up to never imagine.
But she was not in the least bit noble or loyal or sacrificing. Her companions, friends, and family had all met bloody ends in a blaze of fire and tearing metal, and she barely raised so much as an eyebrow. She didn't seem either bothered nor enthralled when the concept of 'consorting with pirates' came in to achieve her ends. And, may Zeus sink the Pearl, he could swear there was less rum in the cabin since her occupancy.
Would he be forced to add version three? The question was, how freely did the Tabithas spread their legs?
"You'd get a bett'r view up here, lass," he called down, cupping his hands to ward off the deafening wind. She looked up with her emerald eyes... dazzling things. Paired against that raven hair... yes... something familiar indeed.
"I didn't know I was invited." She walked stiffly up the narrow ramp of stairs, her hands still tightly bound behind her back.
"I hardly think you'll be requirin' bondage any further, love," he pointed out, nodding to the railing. "If you jump, it'll save me a rotten trip to Eden's Rock."
"Well I thank you wholeheartedly, Mr. Sparrow, for your permission," she rolled her eyes, rolling her shoulders back in a muted stretch. "Unfortunately, as you may see, I am not currently capable of freeing myself in this current state."
"Ah. Well then." He turned around, removing the long sword at his side from its sheath.
"You're going to use THAT?" She yelped, springing back.
"Well I'm sorry I don't 'ave scissor hands. Now turn around love, an' don't be scared. I've done this a million times." Pursing her lips together she squeezed her eyes shut, slowly wheeling away on her heels. Without effort the blade gnawed through the flimsy rope, leaving her soft, apricot hands and curious attire flawless. "First time's a charm, eh?" A leery glare shot his direction, but his smile proved a quick antidote. "Well now that yer not m' prisoner anymore, why don't ye go make yerself useful, eh?"
"What, you don't have enough underlings to scrub the deck for you?"
"No, no, I was thinking... oh, I don't know," he contemplated, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Sing some high pitched song, 'er skip around. Give this boat a fresh dose o' maiden charm."
She didn't answer, but from the corner of his eye he caught an amused grin break across her face. So that WAS possible. Good to know.