High Flier

Chapter 5 - Star Gazer

~Pirate Rhi

Sorry about the late update, mates, but after terrible, and sometimes physical, fights with my brother about internet usage, I haven't been able to get on for a while, because now that he's got his own computer, he's been on the internet all the time, so I don't get a chance anymore, but better late than never, eh?

Soccer's back on, too, so I might have to change the day I update on, but I will find time to do it, without making you wait too long.

Also, I forgot that I wrote a horrible cliffhanger into this chapter, BUT, I've turned it into a competition…more details at the end of the chapter.

And (last thing, I promise), for those who read my other story, Caribbean Crusades, I thought I'd let you know that I started writing a sequel, and I'll post it as soon as I get the storyline going, at the moment, it's only really the introduction, and I need to get the storyline straight before I write any more.

I quite enjoyed writing this chapter, so I hope you enjoy reading it…

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After lying in bed for four days straight, Alex was, understandably, sick of sleeping. The normally patient girl was finding her patience worn thin, as she was forever being denied permission to leave the room by her three tormentors. The view from the small, dirt-smeared window didn't change much with each passing day and she found herself longing to be free once again. She longed to feel the wind rushing through her hair and the kiss of the sun on her skin. She wanted to feel herself flying through the air once more. Her legs ached for some exercise.

Deciding that she'd had enough of the invalid treatment, she slipped her bare legs out from underneath the covers, letting them hang there for a second before standing on the wooden floor. She gave the room a quick glance, hoping to see her clothes somewhere, but she did not. She vaguely remembered Elizabeth helping her change into a nightgown and taking her clothes somewhere. To be washed, Alex presumed. They obviously hadn't been returned yet.

Getting an idea, Alex made her way to Jack's sea chest. He was bound to have extra clothes in there. She opened it and pulled out a white shirt and dark brown breeches. She hesitated a little before pulling off her nightgown and changing into the clothes. She felt a bit bad for not asking, but she couldn't exactly walk out onto the deck in her nightgown, could she.

There was one problem, Alex thought as she held up the pants with one hand. They were too big for her and would fall down if she weren't holding onto them. She rummaged about in the chest again, looking for some suspenders to hold them up. Finding that there was a lack of suspenders in the chest, Alex decided to improvise a belt with a strip of cloth, securely tying the cloth around her waist, keeping the pants in place. She pulled out another shorter strip of cloth and used it to tie her hair in a low ponytail, to keep it out of her face.

Pleased with her acquisitions, Alex made her way to the door of the cabin, pushing it open a crack and peering out to make sure the coast was clear, before pushing it open wide enough for her to slip through. She shot a look up at the helm, where Jack was proudly steering his ship. He hadn't noticed her exit from his cabin. Alex made her way down the ladder into the bowels of the ship. She was a woman on a mission.

Alex soon found what she was looking for. In one of the storage rooms, Will was alone, practising his sword fighting. She stood at the entrance of the room, unnoticed, watching his movements. It wasn't until he had finished a routine, that he saw her. He dropped the hand holding his sword to his side and stepped towards Alex.

"Alex. What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in bed." Will said.

"I got bored. 'Sides, I need a favour." Alex said, putting her left hand on her hip.

Will raised a questioning eyebrow. "Yeah, what's that?"

"I need you to teach me how to fight. If I'm going to be staying on this ship, I'm gonna need to know how to protect myself."

"Alex! You're still injured. I can't teach you to fight with your arm like that. You could re-injure yourself. Not to mention what Elizabeth would do to me if she found out. At least wait until your arm's better." Will said, giving Alex an incredulous look, indicating to her arm wrapped in bandages.

"I can't wait any longer. And no one's going to find out. I won't tell anyone if you don't. 'Sides, I'm not right-handed, so that won't be a problem." Alex said, giving Will a pleading look.

Will paused for a moment, mulling it over. He sighed. "All right. If you must." He said. "But you're going to take it easy." He gave me a warning look. "No strenuous moves until your arm's better."

A large smile played on Alex's face, which suddenly lit up. "Thank you Will!"

Will's brow furrowed curiously as he regarded Alex's clothing. "Are you wearing Jack's clothes?"

* * * * * *

Late that night, Alex found herself leaning on the railing at the bow of the ship. She had enjoyed an eventful day, starting with the sword fighting lessons Will had given her. To her surprise, she had actually enjoyed it, and savoured the exercise. Will had proved to be an excellent teacher. Patient and kind, he showed her the correct hand position for holding the sword, and some basic moves, defensive and offensive. She had absorbed the lesson in quickly, storing it in her mind for future reference.

Alex turned her gaze to the inky black sky, dotted with stars and a bright half moon. The night sky always reminded her of her childhood. She faintly remembered going out into the fields every night, with her mother, father and brother. It was a nightly ritual. They'd done it for as long as she could remember. Her father would point out the stars and give their names. Orion's Belt. Big Dipper. Little Bear. Her mother would hold her and her brother close, keeping them warm in the cool night air, listening to her father's deep voice telling stories of how the stars came to be.

Her memories broke away when she heard footsteps come up behind her. Alex turned to see Jack coming towards her, holding two mugs of drink. He handed one of the drinks to Alex, who took it, cradling it with both hands.

"Thank you." She said, returning her gaze to the sky. Her eyes searched out the star that she'd always known as 'her star'. She soon saw it, and found comfort in it.

"Do you know about the stars, Jack?" Alex asked, breaking the silence.

"I know how to tell north from them." Jack replied, looking up at the sky.

"No, I mean, do you know the stars. Do you know their names and how they came to be?" Alex asked. She turned and looked at Jack. "Do you know the tales of the stars?"

"No." Jack admitted. "I don't."

"Then I will tell you what my father told me." Alex said, beginning her favourite story. The one of her star.

* * * * * *

Jack listened in silence as Alex told her story in a soft voice. As far as he knew, it was the first she had shared of her past. She was such a private person. He didn't know anyone else who was like that, so she intrigued him. She told the story with such passion that it was almost like she was reliving the memory. Which, he decided, she probably was.

He felt Alex shiver a little in the cold night air. He automatically put an arm around her and pulled her close to him to share his body heat. He felt her tense a little, but then relax as she got used to the closeness, as she continued with her story.

The story soon finished with the birthing of a new star. My star, Alex had explained.

"My father gave me and my brother a star of our own." Alex said, pointing out her star. "That one there's my star." She pointed to the sky slightly above and to the right of her star. "And that was where my brother's one was. It was extinguished when he died." She added in a small voice.

Jack pulled Alex tighter into him, letting her know that he was there for her. They stood in silence for a while.

"Do you have a star?" she asked after a while.

"No." Jack answered.

"Would you like a star?"

"I would like that."

Alex scanned the sky with her eyes for a short moment before extending her arm and pointing to a star near hers.

"That one there. That one can be your star." She said. "Jack's star."

"Jack's star." Jack repeated softly after Alex. "My star."

* * * * * *

Alex wiped the sweat from her forehead with a towel, as her lungs struggled to get enough oxygen.

"That's very good, Alex. You're learning quickly." Will encouraged. He picked up his own sword, holding it in a defensive position. "Now try against me."

Alex held up her own sword, clashing it against Will's several times, using the techniques that he had taught her. It was only her third lesson, but she had always picked things up quickly, and sword fighting was no exception. Will had been surprised at his student's quick study, but had adapted his lessons to give her a wider range of techniques in a shorter time. However, Alex did have limited movement due to her injured arm, and she had to use her left hand to hold her sword in. This did not bother Will so much, as he used the opportunity to strengthen his left-handed fighting.

Time always went quickly during their practises, and they soon had to finish the lesson and get back up on deck, for whatever chores were sent their way. Alex had recently been given the task of helping out the cook with meals, because she couldn't do much else, even though she tried. Because of this, most of her time was her own, and she could do whatever she liked.

Handing her sword back to Will, and thanking him, Alex left the storage room and made her way to the galley, where she would help the cook with the lunch.

* * * * * *

"I don't understand what you're doing to it." Elizabeth said, exasperated as she unwrapped the bandage on Alex's arm. "It shouldn't keep on coming loose like this. And look at this. The wound has opened again. What on earth have you been doing to it?"

Alex peered down at the wound. It looked rather horrible. A thick angry red line snaked its way down her arm. It didn't hurt much anymore, but she knew that she would always have a scar. She shrugged as Elizabeth dabbed at the blood with cotton wool. "I dunno."

Elizabeth shook her head and started to wrap her arm up again.

"Do I have to have it bandaged still? I'm sick of having it on." Alex asked hopefully. She had always hated having bandages and the like.

"If you're careful." Elizabeth said, giving Alex a warning look.

Alex smiled sheepishly at Elizabeth. "Sure, Liz."

It was then that the door opened and Jack sauntered into the room.

"We'll be dockin' at Port Anderson by nightfall." He informed us. "I'll be needin' both of ye to go ashore and get the supplies for me. We'll be stayin' overnight."

"Sure Jack." Elizabeth said.

Jack handed Elizabeth a piece of paper with a list of supplies that they had to get, along with a handful of gold coins in a small purse.

"Don't spend it all in one place." Jack said with a grin.

Elizabeth smiled back. "I know how you like a bargain, Jack." She said.

"Absolutely. Now if ye'll be excusin' me, I am needed at the wheel." Jack said, winking at the two women before exiting the room, pulling the door shut behind him.

* * * * * *

The sun was setting by the time they docked in the harbour of Port Anderson, painting the horizon with a spectacular picture of reds, purples and blues, promising good weather for the following day.

They had anchored the Pearl quite far out in the harbour in case they needed a quick escape, and they had to row themselves ashore in the small dinghies.

When they reached the pier, Alex climbed out of the dinghy, followed closely by Elizabeth. Alex was holding the list of supplies in her hand, covered with Jack's surprisingly neat handwriting, and the occasional ink blot, while Elizabeth was entrusted to the small purse, which she was clutching tightly.

Will had opted to stay aboard the Pearl, as all the other members of the crew had wanted to go ashore in search of a good drink, and for some, pleasurable company. Jack was off in search of a tavern and a good drink of rum, as per usual.

Elizabeth and Alex did the rounds of the shops quickly, bargaining prices, and organising for the goods to be brought down to the docks early the next morning.

Having completed their task quickly, they wandered the streets in search of one of the less seedy bars, where they could have a drink in peace, without getting disturbed by a drunkard or a slimy old man mistaking them for whores.

They walked up the dimly lit streets, making idle conversation as they did so. But it was when they rounded the bend in the street, into a darker, and less traveled bit of the street that the trouble began.

A shadowy figure stepped out in front of them, blocking their way.

"Alexandra. We meet again." The figure said, his menacing voice cutting through the dark night like a knife, instilling fear in the two women.

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Righto, mates, here's the competition. It's a really, really easy one, but, you have to guess who the 'figure' is. There's only a couple of people who it could be. Just put your answer, and your email (for reasons you'll see below) in a review, and I'll give out a prize to the winning person(s). The prize will be…dun, dun, dun…a portion of the next chapter sent to you early. Sound good? Entry's free, so hop to it.