Haha! Your responses to that last chapter were hilarious! I couldn't stop laughing. In fact, I'm still smiling at the last four I recently read. You guys can't imagine how happy I am to have people love my story enough to go crazy about one cliffhanger. It's so great and my parents can only shake their heads and smile at my happiness. They think it's great, although my dad does give me the occasional glare whenever I suddenly start chuckling at a random moment. But anyway, I am certain you guys want to read on and see what happened to dear ol' Jack Sparrow, aye? Well, sorry, but you guys will just have to wait. We've got to catch up on some ol' rivals first…
Secrets of the CaribbeanWritten By: Riley Barton
[Chapter Twenty-One]
Garret Ansgar shadowed his eyes against the glare of the morning sun as he stared into the distance. He could just barely make out Port Marcail on the horizon, and it was steadily getting nearer. He looked over his shoulder at his crew scurrying about the deck fixing the rigging and cleaning the deck. One small boy on his hands and knees a few feet away scrubbing the wooden planks had briefly paused to follow Ansgar's line of vision. "Anxious t' get to land, boy?" he barked out.
The boy jumped, spraying himself with droplets of water from his scrub brush. "No, Captain, sir," the boy replied, scrambling to his feet; he saluted.
"Then what draws yer int'rest? A bonny lass, mayhaps?"
The boy shook his head. "Nay, sir, but Marcail is me home. Me mum and dad are thar."
Ansgar slowly nodded, deep in thought. He reached up and scratched his chin, his eyes narrowing. "How old ye be, lad?"
"Fourteen, Captain."
"Have ye ever 'eard from yer parents anythin' 'bout Jack Sparrow, then? Whether he lived in Marcail or not?"
The boy thought for a moment, his tongue sticking out of the left side of his mouth. "Me mum did say thar was a boy that runned away from home when he was only a few years older than I. Runned 'way with some lass, I think."
Ansgar's eyes glittered dangerously and a cunning smile crossed his face. "Some lass, eh? Does th' name Scarlett sound familiar to ye?"
The boy's eyes became alert and he nodded quickly. "Aye, that t'was her name, sir! Ye know 'er?"
The captain of the Cobra turned back around, facing the ocean once more. "Aye, boy, I know 'er. Ye get back to scrubbin' that deck now. I want it glistenin' when I come back."
"Aye, aye, sir!"
Ansgar spun on his heel and strode into the captain's quarters. He laughed uproariously as the door closed behind him. "Ye've been found out, ye mangy rats," he said aloud, removing a knife from his boot and twirling it idly. "No one escape's Ansgar and leave 'im wit' an injury wit'out payment. Nobody. Not even the infamous Jack Sparrow and his whore."
It was one or two hours before noon when the Cobra pulled into the wharf at Port Marcail. All hands were on deck running about pulling in the sails and coiling the rigging. Captain Garret Ansgar stood at the helm of his ship, a gruesome grin pasted on his face. He gazed around at the variety of men and woman on the wharf going about their business. His trained eye even took in the small boy nicking a slimy piece of fish from a wooden box resting in the center of a bobbing fishing boat.
One of his crewmembers dropped the anchor and another swung down to the dock and tied a strong line of rigging to it. He signaled the 'all-set' to his captain and the gangway was lowered.
"Go 'head and 'ave some fun, mates," Ansgar shouted to his crew, "but be sure ye're back 'ere by sundown." The sun caught on one of his gold teeth and shone maliciously. "We've got things to attend to t'night."
The crew shouted merrily and ran down the gangway to the dock, most of which heading to the first pub they laid their stoned eyes upon. Ansgar was the last to leave after having grabbed two of his crewmembers and commanding them to stay aboard and watch his ship. Though angry, they had reluctantly agreed after a glare from their captain. Ansgar had more important things to do than baby-sit his ship.
He strode down the gangway and into the crowd of people lining the docks. He walked purposefully through them, shoving anyone who got in his way. He wasn't quite sure where he was going, but he did know who he was looking for.
Everything seemed to fly in slow motion. One second Jack and Rafe were fighting with the pirate captain shouting out taunting remarks, and the next Jack was sliding across the rough stones with Carver rolling a few paces ahead of him. Rafe's face was stuck in a blank expression, his eyes staring, unmoving, at the still figure on the ground; blood was beginning to form a pool around the body of Jack Sparrow.
Suddenly, as if each person standing in the courtyard had been struck by lightning, they all moved into action: Rafe stumbled back a step, dropping his bloodied sword in the process; Will ran to Jack on the ground; Elizabeth fled indoors to find Aubrianna and tell her to find a physician; and Scarlett went to Carver.
Elizabeth's shouts could be heard outside in the back courtyard, and they sent a chill down Scarlett's spine. This could not have happened. No one was supposed to get hurt! You saw the signs, the annoying voice in the back of her mind reminded her. You knew how Rafe would react to Jack being back, and you even saw how angry he was! Why did you let them fight?
Because Jack said no one would get hurt, came a smaller voice –the voice of reason. You were going to refuse until he convinced you everything would be all right.
"Mum?"
Scarlett blinked and took a shaky breath. She brushed a strand of her son's dark brown hair from his face and kissed his forehead. "Are you okay?" she asked, running her hand down his left cheek. She located a few scrapes on his face and arms, but one minor cut seemed to be the worst of it. She sighed in relief and pulled Carver into a hug.
"Mum, is Jack going to be okay?" Carver asked in a small voice, gazing worriedly over his mother's shoulder.
Jack.
Scarlett released Carver and looked over her shoulder just as Will looked up at her. His face was strained. "Take him inside, Scarlett," he said. "He shouldn't see this."
Scarlett could only nod, take Carver by the hand, and rush him inside the house. She intercepted Heidi and quickly pushed her son into the woman's arms. "Take him upstairs and keep him occupied," she instructed.
"Yes, miss!"
Scarlett turned to go back outside when Aubrianna called her name. She stopped and looked over her shoulder to the drawn, frightened face of Jack's mother. "Scarlett, dear, what's happened?" she asked in a strangled voice. She latched onto Scarlett's arm and gave a quick tug on it. "Elizabeth is in near hysterics about Jack. She's sent Marge to fetch the physician. Please, tell me what's happened!"
Scarlett placed her hands on the woman's shoulders and tried to look as reassured as she could possibly muster in the current circumstances. "Jack's been hurt, but I'm certain it's nothing the physician can't handle. Will and I can take it from here, okay? All I need is for you to go upstairs and help Heidi with Carver. I'm not too sure how he'll react to this."
"I want to see my son," Aubrianna demanded in frustration and moved to the back courtyard door.
"Aubri, no!" Scarlett quickly pulled the woman back. She could not deal with two people unconscious, and Aubri would most certainly faint if she saw her son right now. "Please trust me on this. The moment I have word of anything I will come and tell you." Her eyes were pleading now. "Aubri, you've always trusted me in the past."
Aubrianna looked between the door and Scarlett, obviously torn between what to do. With one final look at the door she heaved a sigh and nodded. "I trust you with all my heart, Scarlett, and if you think it will be okay then I believe you."
Scarlett was relieved. "Thank you. Heidi and Carver are upstairs. You'll find them there." She gently pushed Aubri in the direction of the stairs and ran out the back door. "Will," she exclaimed as she burst out through the door. She slowed to a halt as she felt her stomach churn at the sight. This was not good.
"Scarlett, I-"
Scarlett turned on Rafe, sending him a murderous glare. Her hands balled into fists and her muscles tightened. "I want you out," she stated through gritted teeth.
Rafe blinked, staring at her in mild anger and frustration. His gaze flickered to Jack and Will. "You can't be blaming me for this?" he said in disbelief. Scarlett gaped at him, her anger growing in fury. How could he not feel sorry for this? "It isn't my fault the boy ran out," he declared, hoping to prove his innocence. "If he had just watched where he was going everything would be fine!"
"Don't even start with me, Rafe! Don't even try to put the blame on my son. If you hadn't challenged Jack to that duel and tried so hard to get your revenge then none of this would have happened. It's your fault for what happened, not Carver's!"
"That runt is the offspring of Jack Sparrow, of course he's going to cause trouble!"
This was unbelievable. How had this scumbag fooled her so badly? He was nothing better than the dirt on her shoe. "For your own sake, Rafael, I suggest you get your ass off the grounds and out of my sight before I kill you myself. And as God is my witness I will."
Rafe's face twisted into a scowl before he strode away, wiping away the seeping blood from the cut on his arm.
"Scarlett, I need some help!" Will called to her.
She went to him, bending down and placing a hand on his shoulder. "What can I do?" She gulped noticeably, glad that Will had enough of a level head to think straight at that point in time.
"Get me some rags, anything that could help stop this rapid blood flow." He shook his head. "If that physician doesn't get here soon I don't know whether Jack will survive or not."
A/N: I am in a very perky mood. I recently got back from a Toby Mac concert (my favourite singer of all time) so I am in a VERY good mood right now. God bless Liberty University, mate, for having such spectacular concerts. I love that place to pieces for it. (And no one DARE comment on Jerry Falwell because I swear I will refuse to update the next chapter if someone does…warning look)
Anyway, another short, SHORT chapter, but another chapter nonetheless. Your feedback was wonderful, and I thank the few new reviewers I have for your time: Azura1, Capt'n Lea Robins, Lady of the Realm, and Emma 426 (sorry if I forgot anyone!) Love you all! Don't forget to keep those reviews coming! I'm serious, this story would have stopped at chapter two and have never come this far if not for all the reviews I receive. ;)