Disclaimer: *Sparrow stands proudly at his helm, glad to be back on the Pearl and away from a certain author. Little does he know…*
Authors Note: See? I can get out chapters quickly! Just takes a good spirt of free time and lots of creative juices. I've beaten those cursed writer's blocks once again…and intend to keep doing it! If only they'd stay away for good…
Four-Sided Eyes
(a.k.a. Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the fangirl)
Chapter 18: Thwarted
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(Jack's POV…)
Lovely day for a stroll. And buying supplies. A captain's work is never done. Walking along the port was a pleasant reminder of the life I reveled in. Life at sea. Gibbs was mindlessly running over the list of supplies and I nodded my head carelessly, only paying him minimal attention.
What really caught my attention was a certain cabin boy walking around with an unknown group of pirates. Could they be old friends of Pierre's? Watching closer, I doubted it. Pierre seemed a little edgy. Not noticeable up close of course, but from a distance, the way his gaze darted around when the other's backs were turned…either Pierre had be indentured into their service and was looking for an escape, or he was keeping an eye out for someone, or something.
"Captain Sparrow," Mr. Gibbs finally must have spotted him, "would that not be our lad Pierre?"
"Aye, it would. Let's go check on him, shall we?"
Gibbs nodded and we followed the group Pierre was willingly accompanying. There had been ample opportunities to slink away. Yes, he might have to run around a few corners quickly, but I have full faith in Pierre's ability to do so.
And this confused me.
He had no reason to associate with these pirates. Not that I was limiting who he would be allowed to associate with, but as I got closer…
They called him 'cabin boy'. Now, that makes me wonder. I'd not been informed of Pierre leaving my crew, and there was no reason for it, either.
Listening to the pirate crew talk more, I was sure of it. Pierre had somehow agreed to join their crew. And they were setting out the next day? This is odd behavior… especially for a cabin boy. One of my cabin boys, no less.
"Pierre!" I smiled and slung my arm over his shoulders, pulling him towards me and startling the group.
His surprise was prevalent. "Cap-captain Sparrow…" he muttered.
"Aye, lad, now where would ye be headed with these fine gents?"
The pirates looked amongst each other.
"I don't know your relation to the lad, Captain Sparrow, but if ye'd kindly release our cabin boy we'd be on our way. We've yet got a lot of work to do."
"Ah," I smiled and kept my grip on Pierre's shoulder tight, something that obviously was unnerving him. "Now herein lies the conflict. Just this morning, I distinctly remember Pierre being my cabin boy…and now he's part of your crew? Care to elaborate, lad?"
He glanced nervously between me and the other pirates. "Well…Cap'n…I…I decided to change crews and was plannin' on finding ye later today and informing ye of the change…"
"But surely ye know it's not wise to be part of two crews at the same time, do ye not?"
He nodded. "Aye sir, and I was plannin' on fixin' it quick like…"
The crew were looking amongst themselves. Obviously this was news to them.
"This be true then, lad? Captain Spriggit does not take kindly to such amusements."
"Aye," Pierre looked down and glanced up at me for a moment. No doubt to see if I would turn him over for such a careless lie.
"No harm done, but I'll be taking me cabin boy back. Good day," I tipped my hat and then turned, keeping Pierre with me.
He walked with me for a moment, his gaze down at the ground, and his expression unreadable. It was possible that he was realizing just how close he was to getting an entire crew of pirates angry at him for lying, or…something else. Gibbs had stopped a ways back and when I reached him, he continued beside us. After getting out of the alleyway, I let go of Pierre and glanced down at him.
"Close call there, lad. Not wise to deceive a captain like that. Nor deceive two with the same lie."
He nodded numbly and glanced back, his expression stiffening. He was making his mind up. But what would his decision be?
Before I could grab his arm, Pierre was sprinting away, heading back towards the other crew of pirates. Gibbs had been trailing behind me and grabbed the boy as he passed him. Pierre was running so fast he nearly knocked the bloke clear off his feet.
"Woah there, lad. No need to be doing anything rash," Gibbs tried to keep his balance and persuade Pierre to turn back around and head with us to the Pearl. Surely he'd need some time to calm down and where else was better than my beautiful ship?
"Calm yerself lad," I grinned at him.
Pierre flashed me a scowl and then struggled to free his arm. "Let me go Gibbs, I have very important matters to attend to!"
"Sure you do, lad, but first ye'll be coming with us…"
Assured of Pierre's eventual soothing, I turned around and continued on, admiring the sights and trying to ignore the scuffle and angry remarks rising in volume behind me. I glanced back after a particularly agitated yell in French, from Pierre, and found the situation unpleasant.
Gibbs seemed to be having trouble with the lad, and since the crowd was already starting to notice this little scuffle I decided to lend a hand. No reason to make Gibbs deal with Pierre all by himself. Funny how the scrawny little lads can sometimes be the hardest to keep a hold of.
"Let me go!" Pierre spat, hissing something in French as well, no doubt a nasty insult.
"Calm yerself, lad, we'll just be going back to the Pearl. You don't look well."
His eyes darted over to me, and the expression behind them…was that a murderous rage?
This caused a momentary hesitation from me. Pierre…what could make him so angry?
As Gibbs was trying to recover his grip, Pierre stepped on his foot heavily. Gibbs pulled it away, cursing colorfully.
Tricky lad, isn't he?
Can't have him get away just yet. Still need him to translate for Janette anyways.
It wasn't that hard to grab Pierre's arms and hold him back. He really must be drunk or distracted… but can he kick. His boot planted itself hard into my gut and nearly knocked the wind out of me.
"Calm yerself lad," I held tighter to his arms and he thrashed again, reaching for his cutlass.
Definitely can't have that. So, I jerked him to the side as I let go of his left arm, and swung him over my shoulder in one swift movement.
"Oof!" Pierre gasped for air.
I continued walking with him, but just as I got a grip on him, he started to thrash again.
And now that he was on my shoulder…he started trying to punch my head.
Gibbs by now had recovered and I was glad of it. Never seen a lad so twiggy and yet pack a punch like that…nor that.
"Gibbs! Tie his hands and feet!"
He nodded and while I attempted to keep the boy restrained, my first mate thankfully tied the lad's hands. Now I only had the two feet and a pair of fists to deal with. As Gibbs came around to tie his feet, the lad let out a string of words that were undoubtedly French, and from the tone, unmistakably agitated.
Gibbs grabbed one of the lad's swinging legs, and before I could warn him, found the other hitting his chin. The lad packed a lot of power in his small frame. Nothing else could have made a sober Gibbs let go and stagger back, only to trip and lay on the ground prone.
"All right, lad." I dropped him to the ground, taking his momentary disorientation and grabbing his hands tightly. "I don't know what this business of retaliating against your captain is, but if ye don't calm down soon, I'll be carting ye off to the Pearl like a-"
I dodged and just avoided his tied fists. Obviously reason wasn't going to work with the lad. Something was in his head, and force would be necessary. And the crowd is only growing.
"That's enough, Pierre," I growled, and jerked him along behind me, keeping a tight grip on the lad's wrists. They were small enough I could put my fingers all the way around the two combined. He stumbled along behind and I nudged Gibbs with my boot.
"Wake up, Gibbs. We've got to keep moving."
He grumbled and sat up slowly, rubbing his chin and glaring at Pierre, who undoubtedly glared back. And put some French in for good measure.
"Come along, lad," I tugged on his arms and headed back to the Pearl.
Pierre's English seemed to have disappeared in his rage, as he snapped back with his French again. Shaking my head a bit, I made sure that Gibbs was back on his feet, and kept a tight grip on Pierre. If nothing else, I commended his valiant efforts. How he found the strength to keep fighting…I don't know. And the looks from the crowd were not pleasant. Not that pirates usually warrant smiles from landlubbers such as these.
The bloody thing wouldn't stop kicking! I growled, jerked around to face my agitated little cabin boy and snapped at the lad. "Confound it! I've had enough of mutiny!"
He sneered at me, but made no reply. I glared back and continued walking. If the brat kicks my shin again…
I tossed Pierre into the longboat and Gibbs pinned him down as I pushed off. Can't have him running off just yet. The lad sure had a fiery temper. And hard boots.
"Now Pierre," I continued to row, the monotony calming my agitation with the lad, "what is yer qualm? Ye can't run off, let alone swim very well with your hands tied like that."
"I could swim well enough," he barked. "And Gibbs heard my argument. I have a necessary task that I must attend to. Is today not my day off? Ye can't be shoving me back to the Pearl already! I don't want…you can't force me to tolerate the Fluff's mindless jabber any longer. I've already taken my brunt of the work, why isn't the rest of the crew returning as well?"
"I'm your captain. And I order you to stay on the Pearl and clear your head."
Pierre seemed to be coiling up for an attack, but Gibbs was too strong for Pierre to throw him off. The rest of the trip to the Pearl was silent, but persuading Pierre up the ladder and onto deck was another matter entirely. I seriously began to consider tying a rope to his bound wrists and pulling him up from the deck. It would have gone much faster.
Cotton nodded at us, and watched Pierre with interest. Not very often that my cabin boys get tied up and forced back to the ship, let alone to be thrown into the crew's cabin and locked in.
"Now stay in there lad, and let your head cool. Cotton will be in later to bring you something to eat."
I received no reply, nor did I expect one. Pity that Pierre is so agitated that I can't get a straight answer out of him. Undoubtedly he'll have calmed down by tomorrow. And then I can find out what possessed the lad to do such a stupid thing.
My shin twitched and I took a moment to rub it. Pierre…
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Reviewers! I know the rest of you are there…you just better reply to this chapter…*sniffle* Do you still love me?
Lady J. Riddle: Whoopie! You came from my parody/spoof to my pride and joy. *grins* Thanks for all the compliments…*blushes* Just know that it took lots of work and lots and lots of really pathetic attempts to get here…and there are still those that make me feel inadequate. But I'm a mistress too? *grins* Mistress, Captain, Commander… what's next?
PED-sarah: *grins* I'm an addiction! Well…my work is at least. But thanks for compliments! Kendra's rather proud of the fact too…she'd kill me if I made her anywhere near fluff-like..
