Husband and wife stood together at the helm as the Black Pearl approached the island. They could hear distant gunshots and shouting, exchanging alarmed glances at the level the disputes had descended to. What on earth could have happened for such a riot to break out? They could see the site for the village, a mass of timber and stone, only two buildings actually finished, and it was doubtful that either were habitable. The ground was scorched around old foundations, and Marin found herself seething inside, hating this man Redman for his interference.

The girl who had come to tell them of the fighting, a whore named Savy, stood on the main deck beside Dugan, both transfixed on the island as the ships rounded the headland. The Red Dragon drew alongside, and together they made their way into the natural harbour, both crews horrified at the sight of a gallows built so close to the water, and a general brawl taking place around it. As they drew closer, Savy gasped aloud, gripping Dugan's hand as he reached out in alarm.

'What is it?' he asked her, worried by her wide-eyed stare.

She drew in a deep breath, obviously steadying herself, and glanced warily up at the helm, where Marin and Jack were listening unobtrusively.

'It's Michael,' she said softly. 'My . . . he's one of my regulars. They're going to hang him!'

And indeed they were, for it seemed that the pirates were being beaten back, one of their own returned to the gallows under armed escort, forced to stand atop the wooden frame as the noose was placed about his neck. As the ship drew closer, there were cries of recognition from the pirates aboard as well, Marin's grip on Jack's hand tightening as she recognised him as one of the Dragon's crew who had gone ahead of them.

'Jack, I used to play with him,' she muttered. 'Do something, please.'

Jack glanced down at her and coughed politely, calling out to one of his crew.

'Hugh, do something about that, would you, mate?'

Hugh, a swarthy man with bright, vicious eyes, nodded, clambering up into the rigging a little way for a clearer shot. They were now quite close to the island, the pirates preparing the ships to dock with little fuss. Hugh swung the musket he had commandeered from the British Navy at some point from his back, raising it to aim at the men on the gallows. There was a sharp crack, and the man who had placed the noose about the young pirate's neck fell backwards with a sharp cry of pain, blood spurting from his thigh.

Shocked, everyone gathered there turned, the crowd stepping back a little when faced with two ships, bristling with armed men, bearing down upon them. Under the cover of fearful silence, the young man was dragged down from the gallows and hidden amongst his fellows, much to the relief of one young woman aboard the Pearl. His aggressor, a short, stocky man in his middle years, glared furiously at the ships.

'What right have you to interfere in island business, stranger?' he demanded, his voice sounding harsh in the sudden quiet.

Jack strode to the rail, his gaze cold as he looked on the man who had spoken.

'The right of marriage, mate,' he called back. 'Would you be one Thomas Redman, by any chance?'

Ignoring the question, the man moved forward, pushing through the crowd to stand at the edge of the dock. Marin marvelled at the crowd's restraint. If she'd been among them, he'd be in the harbour by now.

'Right of marriage?' the man scoffed. 'Who would a pirate have to marry to gain rights over this island?'

Jack glanced back at his wife, gesturing quietly for her to join him. She did so, noting the sudden confusion on the man's face.

'The right person,' Jack said, his voice carrying clearly across the intervening water. 'Savvy?'

The man glanced from Jack to Marin, and back again, before turning to address her.

'And you would be?' he asked, a deal more politely than he had spoken before.

Marin raised an eyebrow archly.

'Your employer, Mr Redman,' she said, her voice hard. 'Or should I say, former employer. You were laid off a month ago. I do not believe you were invited to stay.'

Thomas Redman stared up at the diminutive woman who addressed him, astonished to find such steel in a girl he had thought would just give up once she realised he would fight her at every turn.

'Mrs Sparrow, a pleasure to see you,' he began, but Marin cut him off, unprepared to listen to any lies or false pleasantries.

'Mr Redman, you have until sunrise tomorrow to have left this island,' she told him. 'Or you will be run off. Do you understand?'

The pleasant expression dropped from Redman's face as the anger that had marked him out from the crowd returned to colour his cheeks purple with rage.

'You cannot force me away, woman!' he shouted defiantly. 'My men control this island, and I intend to stay here! Pirates don't scare me, and nor do Irish witches!'

At this, Jack's hand went to his pistol, stopped by Marin's gentle touch on his wrist. He glanced down at her, bemused by the humour in her eyes.

'I've been called many things, but never a witch,' she murmured. 'I think it's quite a compliment, really.'

She raised her voice again, ignoring Jack's half-hearted chuckle. It was clear that he would not let that insult to her stand unchallenged, no matter what she said.

'Your men follow you because you pay them, Redman,' she called. 'Not from loyalty, or honour. If you truly wish to see who controls this island, why don't we meet face to face?'

Redman laughed, the sound cruel and mocking as he glanced at his companions, the pirates from the gathering slowly moving aside.

'Aye, we can meet,' he agreed, 'on a battlefield! Your pirates against my men, and we'll see who's really in control!'

Before Marin could answer, Jack had done so for her, his hand still resting on his pistol.

'Done!' he shouted. 'But war is no place for women. I will meet you in my wife's stead, on the headland at noon.'

Redman paused, catching the look of indignation that coloured young Mrs Sparrow's expression as her husband's words echoed across the water.

'Done!' he agreed again. 'And by God, we'll give you a pasting you'll never forget, Jack Sparrow!'

He turned on his heel and stalked away, fully half the crowd from the dock following him as they ignored Jack's parting words.

'Captain, it's Captain Jack Sparrow!' he called, turning to shrug at his wife. 'One day, everyone will remember the captain part.'

Marin stared at him, sudden shock and worry ripping through her mind.

'War?' she asked, her voice low. 'You really mean to fight him?'

Jack smiled grimly, cupping her face between his hands.

'Darling, men like Redman need a fight to convince them who is truly in charge,' he murmured, his hand descending to rest on her swollen belly. 'And I will not risk you, or our child, in a battle you shouldn't have to fight.'

A ripple passed across her womb beneath his hand, and she gasped, gripping his sleeve for a moment as an expression of terror skittered across her face. Jack started, lifting her chin to look into her eyes.

'What is it? What's wrong?'

Marin forced herself to smile gently at him, despite the fear that was even now seeping through her. The sudden pain in her womb was too much as Elizabeth had described for it to be anything other than a contraction, but she wasn't about to tell her husband that so soon before a fight. She glanced at the sun, realising that noon was only a couple of hours away. Could she hide this from him until after the fight?

Sharp eyes on land saw her pause, the grimace of pain that marred her pretty face for a moment, the gaze moving to her stomach, obviously swollen in advanced pregancy. Redman would be interested to hear this, he thought. The wife of his enemy in the throes of childbirth as her husband fights for control of what is rightfully hers . . . yes, Redman would find that very interesting.

*~*~*

That's your lot for now . . . and enjoy it while I'm gone for the next while, okay? *again with the gesturing towards the blue button*