Usual disclaimers blah, blah, blah!
Chapter 3
Maddy was sitting on the bunk, sobs wracking her body. Jack got up off the chair, and sat beside her on the bunk, putting comforting arm around her shoulder. 'Go on luv,' he said gently, 'Tell me the rest.' Maddy leaned against Jack, drawing strength from him.
'I was sailing my boat to Bermuda to a friends wedding, my compass started going haywire, and I lost my bearings, then I got sucked into a whirlpool, and I woke up on your ship.' The sentence came out in one breath,
'Whoa, whoa, slow down luv.' Jack tugged at the braids dangling from his beard. 'So yer from the future?'
'Yes,' the answer was barely audible. 'What am I going to do?' she wailed, her voice rising with each word, a fresh bout of sobbing juddering through her body.
'Shh, shh, come on luv, tis not the end of the world. Yer alive ain't ya?'
'Alive? Alive? Yes I'm alive, but I might as well be on another planet. I don't belong here.' She wiped the tears streaming down her face.
'Well, I reckon yer going to have to get used to it luv, cos I don't see how yer going to get back.' Maddy looked at Jack, shock and anger in her eyes.
'I'm not staying here. Take me back to where you found me.'
'And then what'll you do luv, eh? Wait for another whirlpool to appear an' throw yerself in? No luv, yer stuck here now, so you might as well get used to it.' Jack got up and went to the door. 'Tom,' he yelled, 'Tom, get some food an' grog fer the lady.' He walked back to Maddy and sat back besides her, holding her tightly as she sobbed in his arms. A big man walked into the room almost filling Maddys' vision, carrying a plate of food and a mug. Madalene hastily wiped the tears from her face, she didn't want these pirates thinking she was soft.
'Here sweetheart,' he smiled at Maddy, 'Get this inside you, an' you'll soon feel better.' Maddy hadn't realised that she was hungry until the smell of the food hit her nostrils. She looked at it, half dreading what it might look and taste like, but to her surprise, it looked very appetizing, and tasted even better. 'Ooh, that's lovely,' Maddy smiled at the man, as she wolfed it down, taking swigs from the mug.
Jack waited until Madalene had finished her food, which didn't take too long. 'I reckon yer needed that luv,' he smiled at her.
'Yes I did' she admitted. 'How long have I been on board?'
'Coupla days. You took a nasty bang on the head.
Maddy thought to herself, '2 days. They'll be starting to wonder where I am, looking for me' She felt great sadness, knowing her disappearance would cast a shadow over her best friends' wedding. Maddy sighed, tears threatening to well up again.
'Hey come on now luv, don't be startin' all that again,' Jack chided gently.
Maddy stood up and walked around the cabin, easing her stiff, aching muscles. 'Can I have a proper look around the ship please? What's her name? What's your name for that matter?'
'Course you can look round me ship luv, her name's The Black Pearl, she's the fastest ship in the whole of the Spanish Main, nah, the whole ocean.' Jack boasted, his face glowing with obvious pride, 'And I'm Captain Jack Sparrow at yer service,' he said, bowing elaborately, sending his braids and beads flying in all directions. Madalene laughed, feeling better than she had since she woke up. 'That's better luv, ya look much prettier when you smile.'
Jack went to the door and yelled for Mr Gibbs, who came scurrying into the room, suspiciously quickly. 'Ya been listening at the door Gibbs?' Jack frowned at the older man.
'N-no Captain, of course I haven't,' the redness of his face betraying the lie.
'I want yer to take Madalene an' show her the ship'
'Me Ja...er Captain? Why me?'
'Yes you Gibbs, your me first mate, it's yer duty to be polite to guests.'
'But, but, she's a woman'
'Oh yes, Mr Gibbs, I'm well aware of that particular fact,' he looked at Maddy, his eyes traveling languidly up and down her body. Maddy blushed furiously and stalked over to the door, the light feeling she'd had, suddenly evaporated.
Mr Gibbs followed her to the door, muttering under his breath 'Tis bad luck to have a woman aboard, and she was found in the cursed place.' He took Maddy up the stairs to the deck, and showed her around the ship, pointing out the different sails and rigging, and he took her down below, showing her where the galley was, the crews' quarters, the brig and the hold, where all the stores were kept. She followed wordlessly, trying to take everything in. Her head started to pound again, making her feel giddily and light-headed.
'Mr Gibbs, Mr Gibbs, do you think I could rest a while, I feel quite faint?' Joshamee Gibbs had a horrible vision of what Jack would do if this woman took ill on him. He took her arm, led her to the deck and sat her on a barrel.
'Are you all right Miss?' He sounded concerned, not just because of Jack. She really did look bad, the gash on the side of her head looking very angry and red. 'Here Eb, give me a hand, we'll take her back to the Captains' quarters.' The two men half carried and half dragged Madalene down the stairs and into Jacks' cabin. They laid her more gently than she expected onto the bunk and covered her over. 'I'll go an' fetch Jack,' Gibbs hurried out of the cabin, calling for Jack as he went.
'What have yer done to 'er Gibbs?' Jack frowned as he looked at Madalenes' pale face. He felt her clammy forehead, she was burning up.
'Nothing Cap'n, just showed 'er round like you said. I reckon she's had too much excitement'
'Aye, Gibbs, y'could be right there. Get me some water from the galley, an' make sure it's clean. Dirty water ain't going to do her any good.' Joshamee Gibbs hurried out of the cabin on his errand. 'Eh Madalene, you all right luv?' Jack whispered gently, stroking her hair as he did, feeling surprised at the tenderness he felt towards this woman he barely knew.
Gibbs returned with the water, and Jack gently raised Madalene off the bed, pressing the mug to her lips. 'Here luv, have this.' Maddy sipped a little of the brackish water, and turned her head away. Jack lowered her back down and left her to have some peace and quiet. He walked across the deck, to the crewman with the parrot, 'Mr Cotton, I want you to check on Madalene every now and then, make sure she's all right. Any change, an' I want yer to fetch me straight away, savvy?' Mr Cotton nodded his head, the parrot at his shoulder bobbed up and down, mimicking the action 'Wind in ya sails, wind in ya sails.'
***************
Jack took to the wheel, checking his compass. It wouldn't be long before they were in Hispaniola. Much as he loved the Pearl and being at sea, it was nice to be on land every now and then. He thought about the woman in his cabin. 'From the future? Hmmm,' he stroked his beard braids lost in thought, 'What am I to do with her?' He grinned lasciviously 'Well I know what I'd like to do with her....!' He laughed out loud, 'Jack lad,' he thought, 'You've been too long without a woman, no wonder you nearly jumped on the first one that came along, half-drowned or not.' He laughed again, a little too loudly and a little too forcibly. The crew nearby looked at him, well used to their Captains oddities. 'Mr Gibbs?' Jack called over to his first mate, who moved across deck to Jacks side, 'What shall I do with her Gibbs? Shall I take her ashore, an' see if someone wants ter take her off me hands, or keep her aboard?'
Jack had told the crew how Maddy came to be with them, and, for the most part, they had taken the news well. There were one or two mutterings from crewmen who hadn't been aboard The Pearl for long, so didn't know what sort of scrapes their Captain was likely to lead them into.
'Well Jack, it's bad luck to 'ave a woman aboard..'
'Yes, yes, yes, I know your thoughts on that matter Gibbs,' Jack interrupted.
'But you don't know what sort'll have her d'you? She might end up with the likes of Burns.' Joshamee Gibbs frowned at the thought.
'So we'll keep her aboard, an' train her up?' Jacks eyebrows raised slightly at the thought.
'I don't see we have any choice Cap'n,' Gibbs didn't like the idea of another woman aboard. He'd felt much happier since Anamaria had taken command of her own ship, that Jack had pirated for her.
'As soon as she's strong enough, you can start training her Gibbs.' Jack ignored the older mans' discomfort by staring intensely at his compass.
Chapter 3
Maddy was sitting on the bunk, sobs wracking her body. Jack got up off the chair, and sat beside her on the bunk, putting comforting arm around her shoulder. 'Go on luv,' he said gently, 'Tell me the rest.' Maddy leaned against Jack, drawing strength from him.
'I was sailing my boat to Bermuda to a friends wedding, my compass started going haywire, and I lost my bearings, then I got sucked into a whirlpool, and I woke up on your ship.' The sentence came out in one breath,
'Whoa, whoa, slow down luv.' Jack tugged at the braids dangling from his beard. 'So yer from the future?'
'Yes,' the answer was barely audible. 'What am I going to do?' she wailed, her voice rising with each word, a fresh bout of sobbing juddering through her body.
'Shh, shh, come on luv, tis not the end of the world. Yer alive ain't ya?'
'Alive? Alive? Yes I'm alive, but I might as well be on another planet. I don't belong here.' She wiped the tears streaming down her face.
'Well, I reckon yer going to have to get used to it luv, cos I don't see how yer going to get back.' Maddy looked at Jack, shock and anger in her eyes.
'I'm not staying here. Take me back to where you found me.'
'And then what'll you do luv, eh? Wait for another whirlpool to appear an' throw yerself in? No luv, yer stuck here now, so you might as well get used to it.' Jack got up and went to the door. 'Tom,' he yelled, 'Tom, get some food an' grog fer the lady.' He walked back to Maddy and sat back besides her, holding her tightly as she sobbed in his arms. A big man walked into the room almost filling Maddys' vision, carrying a plate of food and a mug. Madalene hastily wiped the tears from her face, she didn't want these pirates thinking she was soft.
'Here sweetheart,' he smiled at Maddy, 'Get this inside you, an' you'll soon feel better.' Maddy hadn't realised that she was hungry until the smell of the food hit her nostrils. She looked at it, half dreading what it might look and taste like, but to her surprise, it looked very appetizing, and tasted even better. 'Ooh, that's lovely,' Maddy smiled at the man, as she wolfed it down, taking swigs from the mug.
Jack waited until Madalene had finished her food, which didn't take too long. 'I reckon yer needed that luv,' he smiled at her.
'Yes I did' she admitted. 'How long have I been on board?'
'Coupla days. You took a nasty bang on the head.
Maddy thought to herself, '2 days. They'll be starting to wonder where I am, looking for me' She felt great sadness, knowing her disappearance would cast a shadow over her best friends' wedding. Maddy sighed, tears threatening to well up again.
'Hey come on now luv, don't be startin' all that again,' Jack chided gently.
Maddy stood up and walked around the cabin, easing her stiff, aching muscles. 'Can I have a proper look around the ship please? What's her name? What's your name for that matter?'
'Course you can look round me ship luv, her name's The Black Pearl, she's the fastest ship in the whole of the Spanish Main, nah, the whole ocean.' Jack boasted, his face glowing with obvious pride, 'And I'm Captain Jack Sparrow at yer service,' he said, bowing elaborately, sending his braids and beads flying in all directions. Madalene laughed, feeling better than she had since she woke up. 'That's better luv, ya look much prettier when you smile.'
Jack went to the door and yelled for Mr Gibbs, who came scurrying into the room, suspiciously quickly. 'Ya been listening at the door Gibbs?' Jack frowned at the older man.
'N-no Captain, of course I haven't,' the redness of his face betraying the lie.
'I want yer to take Madalene an' show her the ship'
'Me Ja...er Captain? Why me?'
'Yes you Gibbs, your me first mate, it's yer duty to be polite to guests.'
'But, but, she's a woman'
'Oh yes, Mr Gibbs, I'm well aware of that particular fact,' he looked at Maddy, his eyes traveling languidly up and down her body. Maddy blushed furiously and stalked over to the door, the light feeling she'd had, suddenly evaporated.
Mr Gibbs followed her to the door, muttering under his breath 'Tis bad luck to have a woman aboard, and she was found in the cursed place.' He took Maddy up the stairs to the deck, and showed her around the ship, pointing out the different sails and rigging, and he took her down below, showing her where the galley was, the crews' quarters, the brig and the hold, where all the stores were kept. She followed wordlessly, trying to take everything in. Her head started to pound again, making her feel giddily and light-headed.
'Mr Gibbs, Mr Gibbs, do you think I could rest a while, I feel quite faint?' Joshamee Gibbs had a horrible vision of what Jack would do if this woman took ill on him. He took her arm, led her to the deck and sat her on a barrel.
'Are you all right Miss?' He sounded concerned, not just because of Jack. She really did look bad, the gash on the side of her head looking very angry and red. 'Here Eb, give me a hand, we'll take her back to the Captains' quarters.' The two men half carried and half dragged Madalene down the stairs and into Jacks' cabin. They laid her more gently than she expected onto the bunk and covered her over. 'I'll go an' fetch Jack,' Gibbs hurried out of the cabin, calling for Jack as he went.
'What have yer done to 'er Gibbs?' Jack frowned as he looked at Madalenes' pale face. He felt her clammy forehead, she was burning up.
'Nothing Cap'n, just showed 'er round like you said. I reckon she's had too much excitement'
'Aye, Gibbs, y'could be right there. Get me some water from the galley, an' make sure it's clean. Dirty water ain't going to do her any good.' Joshamee Gibbs hurried out of the cabin on his errand. 'Eh Madalene, you all right luv?' Jack whispered gently, stroking her hair as he did, feeling surprised at the tenderness he felt towards this woman he barely knew.
Gibbs returned with the water, and Jack gently raised Madalene off the bed, pressing the mug to her lips. 'Here luv, have this.' Maddy sipped a little of the brackish water, and turned her head away. Jack lowered her back down and left her to have some peace and quiet. He walked across the deck, to the crewman with the parrot, 'Mr Cotton, I want you to check on Madalene every now and then, make sure she's all right. Any change, an' I want yer to fetch me straight away, savvy?' Mr Cotton nodded his head, the parrot at his shoulder bobbed up and down, mimicking the action 'Wind in ya sails, wind in ya sails.'
***************
Jack took to the wheel, checking his compass. It wouldn't be long before they were in Hispaniola. Much as he loved the Pearl and being at sea, it was nice to be on land every now and then. He thought about the woman in his cabin. 'From the future? Hmmm,' he stroked his beard braids lost in thought, 'What am I to do with her?' He grinned lasciviously 'Well I know what I'd like to do with her....!' He laughed out loud, 'Jack lad,' he thought, 'You've been too long without a woman, no wonder you nearly jumped on the first one that came along, half-drowned or not.' He laughed again, a little too loudly and a little too forcibly. The crew nearby looked at him, well used to their Captains oddities. 'Mr Gibbs?' Jack called over to his first mate, who moved across deck to Jacks side, 'What shall I do with her Gibbs? Shall I take her ashore, an' see if someone wants ter take her off me hands, or keep her aboard?'
Jack had told the crew how Maddy came to be with them, and, for the most part, they had taken the news well. There were one or two mutterings from crewmen who hadn't been aboard The Pearl for long, so didn't know what sort of scrapes their Captain was likely to lead them into.
'Well Jack, it's bad luck to 'ave a woman aboard..'
'Yes, yes, yes, I know your thoughts on that matter Gibbs,' Jack interrupted.
'But you don't know what sort'll have her d'you? She might end up with the likes of Burns.' Joshamee Gibbs frowned at the thought.
'So we'll keep her aboard, an' train her up?' Jacks eyebrows raised slightly at the thought.
'I don't see we have any choice Cap'n,' Gibbs didn't like the idea of another woman aboard. He'd felt much happier since Anamaria had taken command of her own ship, that Jack had pirated for her.
'As soon as she's strong enough, you can start training her Gibbs.' Jack ignored the older mans' discomfort by staring intensely at his compass.