Usual disclaimers... humph!
***
René hauled his Captain and the woman onboard and they both stood dripping with water. "René," he ordered. "Get us home!" He turned to Catherine. "Madame, I owe you my life... are you really a pirate?"
"First mate on the best ship in the Caribbean," she grinned, shivering violently. "Have you any dry clothes? Damn it's bloody cold!"
"Catherine!" Rose scolded, jolted from her shock by the language.
"Sorry... guess I've been hanging around Jack too long!" Catherine smiled.
"Well then welcome to La Libellule," he grinned, his teeth chattering only slightly less than hers. "Let's see if I can find you something warm!"
He escorted the two women into his small cabin, Catherine padding along on bare feet having lost her shoes whilst swimming. He was amused to hear the older one hiss in shock. "Catherine! This is a French ship!"
"So," Catherine shrugged. "There are many nationalities on the sea... English, French, Spanish, Dutch and those with none. You are sailing with a known pirate Rose!" she sighed. "And those second troops could only have known me if George or Stephen had found us! Be grateful for what we have."
"But he is French!" Rose hissed, eyeing the Captain worriedly as he stood to one side, watching their exchange with amusement.
"Rose, we have an accord!" She turned to Thierry. "Well Captain... blankets? Rum?"
"You have expensive tastes Madame," he smiled. "Rum is not easily come by here - but I have a few nice bottles of brandy onboard..."
"I don't care as long as it stops me feeling so bloo... cold!" She grinned, catching herself as Rose raised an eyebrow.
He reached into a chest and passed her a bottle of brandy. "I must apologise for not introducing myself," he shivered as he took off his shirt, reaching for one of the blankets from his bunk. Rose looked away in shock. He grinned. "Thierry Muret, Captain of La Libellule..."
"Kitty Sparrow, First Mate Black Pearl," she replied, smiling as he kissed her hand. "And my Aunt Rose. Rose, can you..." she pleaded.
"Catherine! You cannot undress in front of this... this Frenchman!" Rose whispered.
"What would you have me do? Freeze to death? Needs be as needs must!" Already Catherine's teeth were chattering uncontrollably and her body shook. "Rose, how many times do I have to say that the Captain and I have an accord!"
"You put your faith in that?" she gasped, amazed that Catherine could be so calm.
"I do," she said quietly.
"Well, we've come this far," she muttered. Rose untied Catherine's laces. "I trust you will turn around Captain," she glowered, still unsure if this Frenchman could be trusted despite Catherine's assurances.
"Of course Madame Rose," he bowed, turning his back whilst he removed his own trousers under the blanket. He glanced across, catching a glimpse of Catherine's back as she wrapped the blanket round her, his eyes drawn to the cauterised scar. Any doubts of her claim to be a pirate vanished on sight of such a wound.
"How did that soldier know you Madame Kitty?" he asked curiously.
"What?" She looked at him in confusion. "Oh, Jimmy! I grew up in Portsmouth - he used to play with my brother," she explained.
"I think you gave him quite a shock," Thierry laughed.
"Aye, I probably did!" She clinked her bottle against his, taking a heavy swig. "Salut!" she grinned as she reached for her pistol and started to dismantle it again. "Can I borrow a cloth?" She would have torn another strip from her undershift, but it was soaked and useless.
Thierry watched as she carefully cleaned and dried her pistol, nodding to himself when he realised she knew what she was doing. He would keep his agreement with her, feeling this was one woman he did not want to double cross, despite her size and current lack of clothes. As a smuggler he kept his ears open for those drawing most attention from the authorities and he had heard of the ship the Black Pearl - for him to have heard of it meant it was a dangerous ship.
Catherine unwrapped the sodden bundle of clothes, looking in dismay at the soaked shirt and trousers. "This will take hours to dry in this weather!" she moaned, throwing it across the floor of the cabin in disgust before carefully unsheathing her sword. She upended the scabbard, pouring the cold water carefully away from her before inspecting the blade. "Damn!" she cursed.
"Catherine!" Rose scolded, but this time was ignored as Catherine looked in disgust at the sword.
"Captain, do you have an oily rag?" she asked. "Whoever made this blade knows nothing about the sea!"
"Perhaps he did not think people would be foolish enough to jump into Portsmouth Harbour during a snowstorm in December!" Rose chided. "You realise you can never go back to Portsmouth after that little display? And with a Frenchman!"
"So what! Better than stretching my neck at His Majesty's request," Catherine retorted, shivering as she pulled the final blanket from Thierry's bunk. "You sure I can't persuade you to turn to starboard and keep sailing?" she smiled at the Captain.
"Alas many of my men have family in France," he sighed. "Although the idea of warmth does sound attractive." He looked at her sitting there engulfed in blankets as she took another swig of the brandy. "Perhaps we should share our warmth," he teased.
Rose gasped in shock as his offer, but held her tongue when she heard Catherine start to chuckle.
"Not likely," Catherine laughed. "Last time I did that I ended up with a husband... and I don't think you would want to cross Jack!"
He chuckled in return, clinking his bottle against hers. "Salut then Madame," he grinned. "Salut!"
***
The sloop La Libellule fled swiftly across the English Channel back to her home port of Le Havre. Although she was a sleek sloop, the storms and the tides meant it was nearly twenty four hours before they saw the French coast before them. Catherine's clothes had still not dried, but she was wearing some spare trousers and a spare shirt of one of the smaller crew members. Her pistol was clean and loaded, tucked into her waistband and her hair was plaited in the normal sailor's plait she preferred.
"Come," Thierry offered. "You are welcome to stay at my home for the night for you will find no passage from any Captain at this hour." He smiled at Rose's suspicious glower. "And you can dry your clothes properly at least..."
"You are most kind Captain," Catherine smiled. "If you are sure it is not an inconvenience?"
"Not at all... you can entertain me with pirate tales in payment," he laughed, glad to be home and more so to be there in one piece. "I will have my men see what is available in the morning if you like... I know a few people and you will get a better deal,"
"What's in it for you?" Rose demanded. She did not trust the man and all this talk of accords confused her.
"I owe Madame Kitty my life," he shrugged, "so perhaps this will repay that and if I earn myself a small favour in the future... who am I to argue?"
Catherine realised that Rose was still not convinced and although she was still cautious herself, she had to trust that he would keep the accord. "Captain, could you leave my Aunt and I alone for a moment..."
Thierry bowed and left the two women in the cabin, but he did not go far and made sure that he could overhear what they said.
"Rose! What is the matter?" Catherine sighed in exasperation. "We only left England one jump ahead of George and Stephen... would you rather be back in Portsmouth? I said I would take you to Jack and I will keep my word, but you will have to trust me!"
"But how can you trust him?" Rose protested. "He's a Frog!"
"Because we have no other choice Rose! The die was cast back at The Swan!" she explained.
"And if he breaks this accord you put so much faith in?" Rose argued.
"Well, you'll be ransomed, I'll be a few inches taller and then Jack will kill him... or Jean Claude..."
"That Lact pirate?"
Catherine tilted her head, sure she had heard a noise nearby. "You might as well come back in Captain, since you've been listening anyway..."
Thierry shrugged, smiling ruefully as he entered his cabin. "See!" Rose protested. "You cannot even trust him not to eavesdrop!"
"I'd have done the same," Catherine replied, sighing heavily. "Okay Captain - how do you know Jean Claude?"
"Jean Claude Lact is a famous French pirate!" he boasted. "Tales of how he terrorises English shipping even reach these distant shores!"
"Jean Claude is Quartermaster on the Black Pearl," Catherine retorted.
"That is not possible!" Thierry gasped. "What of his ship, the Swallow?"
"Blown to smithereens whilst careening about two years ago by the Black Pearl... for crossing Captain Jack Sparrow!" she threatened.
Thierry nodded. He had heard rumours about the ship being destroyed although it was not yet common knowledge. He had no doubts that she was who she claimed to be - few but a Caribbean pirate would have known about it. "You need not fear. I will not double-cross you or hand you to the authorities. I may be French Madame Rose," he smiled, "but even I will not break an accord... especially with a pirate!"
***
***
René hauled his Captain and the woman onboard and they both stood dripping with water. "René," he ordered. "Get us home!" He turned to Catherine. "Madame, I owe you my life... are you really a pirate?"
"First mate on the best ship in the Caribbean," she grinned, shivering violently. "Have you any dry clothes? Damn it's bloody cold!"
"Catherine!" Rose scolded, jolted from her shock by the language.
"Sorry... guess I've been hanging around Jack too long!" Catherine smiled.
"Well then welcome to La Libellule," he grinned, his teeth chattering only slightly less than hers. "Let's see if I can find you something warm!"
He escorted the two women into his small cabin, Catherine padding along on bare feet having lost her shoes whilst swimming. He was amused to hear the older one hiss in shock. "Catherine! This is a French ship!"
"So," Catherine shrugged. "There are many nationalities on the sea... English, French, Spanish, Dutch and those with none. You are sailing with a known pirate Rose!" she sighed. "And those second troops could only have known me if George or Stephen had found us! Be grateful for what we have."
"But he is French!" Rose hissed, eyeing the Captain worriedly as he stood to one side, watching their exchange with amusement.
"Rose, we have an accord!" She turned to Thierry. "Well Captain... blankets? Rum?"
"You have expensive tastes Madame," he smiled. "Rum is not easily come by here - but I have a few nice bottles of brandy onboard..."
"I don't care as long as it stops me feeling so bloo... cold!" She grinned, catching herself as Rose raised an eyebrow.
He reached into a chest and passed her a bottle of brandy. "I must apologise for not introducing myself," he shivered as he took off his shirt, reaching for one of the blankets from his bunk. Rose looked away in shock. He grinned. "Thierry Muret, Captain of La Libellule..."
"Kitty Sparrow, First Mate Black Pearl," she replied, smiling as he kissed her hand. "And my Aunt Rose. Rose, can you..." she pleaded.
"Catherine! You cannot undress in front of this... this Frenchman!" Rose whispered.
"What would you have me do? Freeze to death? Needs be as needs must!" Already Catherine's teeth were chattering uncontrollably and her body shook. "Rose, how many times do I have to say that the Captain and I have an accord!"
"You put your faith in that?" she gasped, amazed that Catherine could be so calm.
"I do," she said quietly.
"Well, we've come this far," she muttered. Rose untied Catherine's laces. "I trust you will turn around Captain," she glowered, still unsure if this Frenchman could be trusted despite Catherine's assurances.
"Of course Madame Rose," he bowed, turning his back whilst he removed his own trousers under the blanket. He glanced across, catching a glimpse of Catherine's back as she wrapped the blanket round her, his eyes drawn to the cauterised scar. Any doubts of her claim to be a pirate vanished on sight of such a wound.
"How did that soldier know you Madame Kitty?" he asked curiously.
"What?" She looked at him in confusion. "Oh, Jimmy! I grew up in Portsmouth - he used to play with my brother," she explained.
"I think you gave him quite a shock," Thierry laughed.
"Aye, I probably did!" She clinked her bottle against his, taking a heavy swig. "Salut!" she grinned as she reached for her pistol and started to dismantle it again. "Can I borrow a cloth?" She would have torn another strip from her undershift, but it was soaked and useless.
Thierry watched as she carefully cleaned and dried her pistol, nodding to himself when he realised she knew what she was doing. He would keep his agreement with her, feeling this was one woman he did not want to double cross, despite her size and current lack of clothes. As a smuggler he kept his ears open for those drawing most attention from the authorities and he had heard of the ship the Black Pearl - for him to have heard of it meant it was a dangerous ship.
Catherine unwrapped the sodden bundle of clothes, looking in dismay at the soaked shirt and trousers. "This will take hours to dry in this weather!" she moaned, throwing it across the floor of the cabin in disgust before carefully unsheathing her sword. She upended the scabbard, pouring the cold water carefully away from her before inspecting the blade. "Damn!" she cursed.
"Catherine!" Rose scolded, but this time was ignored as Catherine looked in disgust at the sword.
"Captain, do you have an oily rag?" she asked. "Whoever made this blade knows nothing about the sea!"
"Perhaps he did not think people would be foolish enough to jump into Portsmouth Harbour during a snowstorm in December!" Rose chided. "You realise you can never go back to Portsmouth after that little display? And with a Frenchman!"
"So what! Better than stretching my neck at His Majesty's request," Catherine retorted, shivering as she pulled the final blanket from Thierry's bunk. "You sure I can't persuade you to turn to starboard and keep sailing?" she smiled at the Captain.
"Alas many of my men have family in France," he sighed. "Although the idea of warmth does sound attractive." He looked at her sitting there engulfed in blankets as she took another swig of the brandy. "Perhaps we should share our warmth," he teased.
Rose gasped in shock as his offer, but held her tongue when she heard Catherine start to chuckle.
"Not likely," Catherine laughed. "Last time I did that I ended up with a husband... and I don't think you would want to cross Jack!"
He chuckled in return, clinking his bottle against hers. "Salut then Madame," he grinned. "Salut!"
***
The sloop La Libellule fled swiftly across the English Channel back to her home port of Le Havre. Although she was a sleek sloop, the storms and the tides meant it was nearly twenty four hours before they saw the French coast before them. Catherine's clothes had still not dried, but she was wearing some spare trousers and a spare shirt of one of the smaller crew members. Her pistol was clean and loaded, tucked into her waistband and her hair was plaited in the normal sailor's plait she preferred.
"Come," Thierry offered. "You are welcome to stay at my home for the night for you will find no passage from any Captain at this hour." He smiled at Rose's suspicious glower. "And you can dry your clothes properly at least..."
"You are most kind Captain," Catherine smiled. "If you are sure it is not an inconvenience?"
"Not at all... you can entertain me with pirate tales in payment," he laughed, glad to be home and more so to be there in one piece. "I will have my men see what is available in the morning if you like... I know a few people and you will get a better deal,"
"What's in it for you?" Rose demanded. She did not trust the man and all this talk of accords confused her.
"I owe Madame Kitty my life," he shrugged, "so perhaps this will repay that and if I earn myself a small favour in the future... who am I to argue?"
Catherine realised that Rose was still not convinced and although she was still cautious herself, she had to trust that he would keep the accord. "Captain, could you leave my Aunt and I alone for a moment..."
Thierry bowed and left the two women in the cabin, but he did not go far and made sure that he could overhear what they said.
"Rose! What is the matter?" Catherine sighed in exasperation. "We only left England one jump ahead of George and Stephen... would you rather be back in Portsmouth? I said I would take you to Jack and I will keep my word, but you will have to trust me!"
"But how can you trust him?" Rose protested. "He's a Frog!"
"Because we have no other choice Rose! The die was cast back at The Swan!" she explained.
"And if he breaks this accord you put so much faith in?" Rose argued.
"Well, you'll be ransomed, I'll be a few inches taller and then Jack will kill him... or Jean Claude..."
"That Lact pirate?"
Catherine tilted her head, sure she had heard a noise nearby. "You might as well come back in Captain, since you've been listening anyway..."
Thierry shrugged, smiling ruefully as he entered his cabin. "See!" Rose protested. "You cannot even trust him not to eavesdrop!"
"I'd have done the same," Catherine replied, sighing heavily. "Okay Captain - how do you know Jean Claude?"
"Jean Claude Lact is a famous French pirate!" he boasted. "Tales of how he terrorises English shipping even reach these distant shores!"
"Jean Claude is Quartermaster on the Black Pearl," Catherine retorted.
"That is not possible!" Thierry gasped. "What of his ship, the Swallow?"
"Blown to smithereens whilst careening about two years ago by the Black Pearl... for crossing Captain Jack Sparrow!" she threatened.
Thierry nodded. He had heard rumours about the ship being destroyed although it was not yet common knowledge. He had no doubts that she was who she claimed to be - few but a Caribbean pirate would have known about it. "You need not fear. I will not double-cross you or hand you to the authorities. I may be French Madame Rose," he smiled, "but even I will not break an accord... especially with a pirate!"
***