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"No," Arden said. "But if I ever meet him again, I'll make sure my name is the last he ever hears." Elizabeth remained silent for a bit, then the two girls set about making the food.
*****
When the food was finally ready the crew of the Black Pearl sat down awaiting the meal with anticipation. Working on a ship like that worked up quite an appetite. All looked toward the kitchen as Elizabeth and Arden came out carrying a large pot filled with a stew-like mixture and a tin filled with bread. The two girls sat down with the other pirates, Elizabeth choosing to sit with her husband and Arden choosing to sit across from them next to Julian. The crew was talking animatedly, all but Mr. Cotton, whose parrot was doing the talking for him.
"So Jack," Will said. "What more do you have to tell us of this treasure?" Jack smiled his sly and mischievous smile. "The treasure, Mr. Turner," Jack said, "is located on a small island, the location to which nobody knows." Arden rolled her eyes. "Yes we know that, Jack," she said. "But what of it? What's so great about this treasure?" Jack now looked excited, like a small child who was given something sweet. "The treasure," he said, "is supposedly fourscore the size of the cursed treasure of Cortez." The jaws of the four people listening to him dropped. "Sixty times the size?" said Elizabeth in sheer wonder. Jack nodded. There was no more said about the treasure as the rest of them finished the meal.
*****
Will Turner was accustomed to practicing his fencing three hours a day. For such labors, Jack called him a eunuch, which he didn't like very much. But still the man practiced. He made calculated moves while fighting an invisible foe. He nearly jumped three feet in the air when someone called his name.
"Fancy having someone fight you?" said Arden. The blacksmith nodded, wanting to see how well this girl could fight. The proposition alerted Jack as well, and the captain swaggered down to see what was happening. Arden took out a sword and made the ready stance. Will looked worried.
"Are you sure you don't want me to go easy on you?" he asked with concern. The girl shook her head. They began to fight, Arden matching Will's blows each time. You could tell the blacksmith was holding himself back, and this infuriated Arden. She made her blows quicker, forcing the swordsman to use the potential that everyone knew that he had. They parried and thrust, each time narrowly injuring the other. The entire crew was watching them in interest. Julian had come down from the crow's nest and watched his friend fight with wonder.
The two people were so caught up in what was happening, that Arden didn't see the loose board right behind her. She stumbled, and Will, not realizing she had lost her balance, accidentally nicked her left wrist, which she hadn't guarded in her fall. She winced and fell backward. Will instantly dropped the sword and ran to look at the wound. Jack also came forward, followed by Julian.
"Are you alright?" asked Will with concern. Arden nodded saying, "I'm fine, don't fuss!"
Will pushed up her sleeve revealing a slight slash on the underside of her forearm and a small bird-shaped tattoo right below it. "What is that?" Will asked. Arden, not saying a word, shoved her sleeve down and ran towards the galley, her face bright red. Jack looked after her as Julian followed his friend down.
"Tis the mark of the child of a pirate," Jack said. "Some strumpets used to their children so that a pirate wouldn't harm them, thinking it might be his own. It doesn't usually work, but some still do it."
*****
"Arden!" Julian said, catching up with his friend. Arden spun around. "I couldn't beat him," she said. "I couldn't." Julian smiled at her kindly. "No problems, mate," he said. "How about you and me, right now, hm?" Arden nodded. She wanted to see what her friend had learned since becoming a pirate. Their fight began much like the previous one had. The two parried and thrust, catching their blades which shone in the lantern light.
Arden was getting the upper hand in this fight. She parried with the cold and calculated moves that came with growing up around swordsmen. Years of watching men fight in brawls and duels had taught her well. Julian seemed to be well-trained too. His blade flashed in the light while it caught hers in short parries. He knew that she could beat him at the rate he was going, but he held back, wanting to see how well she could fight. Years of living with pirates had taught him better than any brawl could. In truth, he had learned to fence from any man that would teach him. As Arden gained the upper hand, Julian suddenly switched tactics, putting all of his potential and skill into this fight. Soon it was he who was winning the fight. Arden fought as hard as she knew how to keep from being driven back.
Arden was getting frustrated. Now Julian switched back to the way he had fought before. He wanted to tease her, to see where her drive was coming from. He knew he could beat her, but first he wanted to see her fight. Arden was clearly a talented swordsman, anyone could see that. She lacked the training and practice that it took to beat people like Will Turner or even Julian. The skills she had learned had kept her alive, but they weren't enough to beat her friend in a duel.
"Come on lass," Julian said teasingly. "Is that the best you can do?" Arden swung her blade hard, anger etching her features. They fought each other with growing strength. Julian kept his banter up, wanting anger to be the driving force that made her fight, but soon he found that he was fighting for his life. He put all his strength into his sword as he fought to drive her back. Eventually he got the upper hand. He drove the girl backwards, knocking the sword out of her hands and pinning her back against the wall. Both of them panted, the energy draining from their duel.
"If this is what you wanted," said Arden, "you could have picked an easier way." Julian smiled. His dark eyes were on hers. He looked his friend up and down, taking in her small form, her rust colored hair, and her dark eyes, shining in the light. "You've grown up, lass," he said. Arden looked back at him, completely exhausted. "Thanks, mate," she said. "You too. Now would you mind getting off of me?" Julian smiled, his eyes twinkling in mischief.
"Now why would I want to do that?" he said. He leaned forward, his lips brushing hers in a hesitant, exploratory kiss. She started to kiss him back when he pulled away. She looked at him questioningly. "That was interesting," he said before leaning forward and kissing her again. That kiss was deeper, but still a little bit hesitant. Both of them unsure as to what they were doing, they were caught up in the heat of the moment. None of them realized when the door to the galley started to open...
*****
"So how is it that you met Arden, Jack?" Will asked. Jack was standing at the helm of his precious ship. "Well," he replied, "I had just gotten me ship taken by Barbossa and had just returned to Tortuga to get....provisions when I looked into the water and spied this dress floating in the water. Turns out it was a girl." Elizabeth looked slightly puzzled.
"But Arden said you knew who she was," she said. Jack replied, "Aye, that I did. I didn't know her, but her mother was....well known in the taverns of Tortuga." The Turners understood his meaning. "Her mother was killed by Commodore Steven Lancaster..." he said, his voice filled with hatred. Elizabeth interrupted. "Admiral Lancaster?" she asked. "Why he's in Port Royal. He's staying at my father's palace." A dark look crossed Jack's face. "That man," he said, "is worse than any pirate (with the exception of Barbossa, o' course). While looking for pirates, anyone who stood in 'is path went down. He was the bloody scourge of piracy before Norrington even heard of the Caribbean."The three remained silent for a moment. Then the normally jaunty look returned to Jack's face.
"Now if you'll excuse us, Elizabeth," Jack said. "Your husband and I are overdue for a chat about this treasure and perhaps some rum. Young William, to the galley!" And so they set off for the galley. They climbed down the stairs and opened the door just in time to see Arden and Julian in the middle of doing exactly what Will and Elizabeth had been made fun of about the previous night. Jack cleared his throat loudly. "If you two don't mind," he said, "Will and I were going to discuss the treasure. I mean ye could take your fun someplace else, perhaps your cabin, Arden, or even mine, just mind you stay out of me rum."
The pair turned bright red at the sound of Jack's voice and quickly retreated from the galley. They each went into their respective cabins and closed the door. Within two seconds they came back out and were kissing again in the hall. That kiss was more fleeting, and ended much sooner. "Later," Arden said with a secretive smile on her face.
A/N: Ok, so I guess it's obvious that Arden and Julian are...together. For all of you Jack obsessives (and that one reader who I know says that Jack is hers) there WILL be a LITTLE bit of Jack romance. Not much mind you, but I will add some Jack romance because he's so damn hot!!
"No," Arden said. "But if I ever meet him again, I'll make sure my name is the last he ever hears." Elizabeth remained silent for a bit, then the two girls set about making the food.
*****
When the food was finally ready the crew of the Black Pearl sat down awaiting the meal with anticipation. Working on a ship like that worked up quite an appetite. All looked toward the kitchen as Elizabeth and Arden came out carrying a large pot filled with a stew-like mixture and a tin filled with bread. The two girls sat down with the other pirates, Elizabeth choosing to sit with her husband and Arden choosing to sit across from them next to Julian. The crew was talking animatedly, all but Mr. Cotton, whose parrot was doing the talking for him.
"So Jack," Will said. "What more do you have to tell us of this treasure?" Jack smiled his sly and mischievous smile. "The treasure, Mr. Turner," Jack said, "is located on a small island, the location to which nobody knows." Arden rolled her eyes. "Yes we know that, Jack," she said. "But what of it? What's so great about this treasure?" Jack now looked excited, like a small child who was given something sweet. "The treasure," he said, "is supposedly fourscore the size of the cursed treasure of Cortez." The jaws of the four people listening to him dropped. "Sixty times the size?" said Elizabeth in sheer wonder. Jack nodded. There was no more said about the treasure as the rest of them finished the meal.
*****
Will Turner was accustomed to practicing his fencing three hours a day. For such labors, Jack called him a eunuch, which he didn't like very much. But still the man practiced. He made calculated moves while fighting an invisible foe. He nearly jumped three feet in the air when someone called his name.
"Fancy having someone fight you?" said Arden. The blacksmith nodded, wanting to see how well this girl could fight. The proposition alerted Jack as well, and the captain swaggered down to see what was happening. Arden took out a sword and made the ready stance. Will looked worried.
"Are you sure you don't want me to go easy on you?" he asked with concern. The girl shook her head. They began to fight, Arden matching Will's blows each time. You could tell the blacksmith was holding himself back, and this infuriated Arden. She made her blows quicker, forcing the swordsman to use the potential that everyone knew that he had. They parried and thrust, each time narrowly injuring the other. The entire crew was watching them in interest. Julian had come down from the crow's nest and watched his friend fight with wonder.
The two people were so caught up in what was happening, that Arden didn't see the loose board right behind her. She stumbled, and Will, not realizing she had lost her balance, accidentally nicked her left wrist, which she hadn't guarded in her fall. She winced and fell backward. Will instantly dropped the sword and ran to look at the wound. Jack also came forward, followed by Julian.
"Are you alright?" asked Will with concern. Arden nodded saying, "I'm fine, don't fuss!"
Will pushed up her sleeve revealing a slight slash on the underside of her forearm and a small bird-shaped tattoo right below it. "What is that?" Will asked. Arden, not saying a word, shoved her sleeve down and ran towards the galley, her face bright red. Jack looked after her as Julian followed his friend down.
"Tis the mark of the child of a pirate," Jack said. "Some strumpets used to their children so that a pirate wouldn't harm them, thinking it might be his own. It doesn't usually work, but some still do it."
*****
"Arden!" Julian said, catching up with his friend. Arden spun around. "I couldn't beat him," she said. "I couldn't." Julian smiled at her kindly. "No problems, mate," he said. "How about you and me, right now, hm?" Arden nodded. She wanted to see what her friend had learned since becoming a pirate. Their fight began much like the previous one had. The two parried and thrust, catching their blades which shone in the lantern light.
Arden was getting the upper hand in this fight. She parried with the cold and calculated moves that came with growing up around swordsmen. Years of watching men fight in brawls and duels had taught her well. Julian seemed to be well-trained too. His blade flashed in the light while it caught hers in short parries. He knew that she could beat him at the rate he was going, but he held back, wanting to see how well she could fight. Years of living with pirates had taught him better than any brawl could. In truth, he had learned to fence from any man that would teach him. As Arden gained the upper hand, Julian suddenly switched tactics, putting all of his potential and skill into this fight. Soon it was he who was winning the fight. Arden fought as hard as she knew how to keep from being driven back.
Arden was getting frustrated. Now Julian switched back to the way he had fought before. He wanted to tease her, to see where her drive was coming from. He knew he could beat her, but first he wanted to see her fight. Arden was clearly a talented swordsman, anyone could see that. She lacked the training and practice that it took to beat people like Will Turner or even Julian. The skills she had learned had kept her alive, but they weren't enough to beat her friend in a duel.
"Come on lass," Julian said teasingly. "Is that the best you can do?" Arden swung her blade hard, anger etching her features. They fought each other with growing strength. Julian kept his banter up, wanting anger to be the driving force that made her fight, but soon he found that he was fighting for his life. He put all his strength into his sword as he fought to drive her back. Eventually he got the upper hand. He drove the girl backwards, knocking the sword out of her hands and pinning her back against the wall. Both of them panted, the energy draining from their duel.
"If this is what you wanted," said Arden, "you could have picked an easier way." Julian smiled. His dark eyes were on hers. He looked his friend up and down, taking in her small form, her rust colored hair, and her dark eyes, shining in the light. "You've grown up, lass," he said. Arden looked back at him, completely exhausted. "Thanks, mate," she said. "You too. Now would you mind getting off of me?" Julian smiled, his eyes twinkling in mischief.
"Now why would I want to do that?" he said. He leaned forward, his lips brushing hers in a hesitant, exploratory kiss. She started to kiss him back when he pulled away. She looked at him questioningly. "That was interesting," he said before leaning forward and kissing her again. That kiss was deeper, but still a little bit hesitant. Both of them unsure as to what they were doing, they were caught up in the heat of the moment. None of them realized when the door to the galley started to open...
*****
"So how is it that you met Arden, Jack?" Will asked. Jack was standing at the helm of his precious ship. "Well," he replied, "I had just gotten me ship taken by Barbossa and had just returned to Tortuga to get....provisions when I looked into the water and spied this dress floating in the water. Turns out it was a girl." Elizabeth looked slightly puzzled.
"But Arden said you knew who she was," she said. Jack replied, "Aye, that I did. I didn't know her, but her mother was....well known in the taverns of Tortuga." The Turners understood his meaning. "Her mother was killed by Commodore Steven Lancaster..." he said, his voice filled with hatred. Elizabeth interrupted. "Admiral Lancaster?" she asked. "Why he's in Port Royal. He's staying at my father's palace." A dark look crossed Jack's face. "That man," he said, "is worse than any pirate (with the exception of Barbossa, o' course). While looking for pirates, anyone who stood in 'is path went down. He was the bloody scourge of piracy before Norrington even heard of the Caribbean."The three remained silent for a moment. Then the normally jaunty look returned to Jack's face.
"Now if you'll excuse us, Elizabeth," Jack said. "Your husband and I are overdue for a chat about this treasure and perhaps some rum. Young William, to the galley!" And so they set off for the galley. They climbed down the stairs and opened the door just in time to see Arden and Julian in the middle of doing exactly what Will and Elizabeth had been made fun of about the previous night. Jack cleared his throat loudly. "If you two don't mind," he said, "Will and I were going to discuss the treasure. I mean ye could take your fun someplace else, perhaps your cabin, Arden, or even mine, just mind you stay out of me rum."
The pair turned bright red at the sound of Jack's voice and quickly retreated from the galley. They each went into their respective cabins and closed the door. Within two seconds they came back out and were kissing again in the hall. That kiss was more fleeting, and ended much sooner. "Later," Arden said with a secretive smile on her face.
A/N: Ok, so I guess it's obvious that Arden and Julian are...together. For all of you Jack obsessives (and that one reader who I know says that Jack is hers) there WILL be a LITTLE bit of Jack romance. Not much mind you, but I will add some Jack romance because he's so damn hot!!