Somehow I managed to fall asleep while on deck, and Captain Sparrow took
the liberty of replacing me in his bed. I was too tired to fully awake when
he picked me up so I let myself drift back into dreams. When I woke again,
it was about noon and the sun was too high in the sky to offer direct light
through the windows. I rose very cautiously, looking about the room
tiredly. The room was undoubtedly deserted so I got up.
Carefully, I ascended the steps to the deck and looked around. A couple of the crewmembers were around, but they seemed occupied. So I approached the rear of the ship to look for Captain Sparrow. But, when I got there, no one was at the wheel. I went to the guardrail and looked out over the endless turquoise seas, eyes fixated on the horizon. I could see a coast, but it was not the coast of Port Royale.
"Tortuga," a voice said. I jumped and whirled around to see Captain Jack Sparrow, leaning on the opposite guardrail watching me.
"Don't do that again!" I fumed. He just grinned, taking out his scope and looking across the sea at nothing in particular.
"Sleep well, luv?" He asked, ignoring the fact that I had just yelled at him.
"Fine thanks," I said, turning back to the ocean. I could feel his eyes on me, but I refused to look at him. He was silent, and I could tell he was playing with his scope.
"Dream 'o' anythin' interestin'?" He asked.
"Captain Sparrow, please stop asking me questions! I am your prisoner!" I said angrily, staring at the horizon. He was silent, still looking at me. "And stop staring at me!" I said, turning around. He looked at me seriously.
"Ye're pretty t'look at, luv," he said, shutting his scope and returning to the wheel. Now it was my turn to be silent. He started whistling a pirate's tune. "Tortuga, here we come," he sang softly under his breath. I rolled my eyes and sat down on the steps, putting my chin in my hands. "Gunna have ta replace that dress 'o' yers when we get ta Tortuga," Jack said absentmindedly.
"Provided you get me proper attire, I will be glad to change my clothes," I answered. He just laughed. "What's so funny?" I snapped.
"Nothing in Tortuga is... 'proper.'" He said, grinning, "Rum and whores; whores and rum."
"That is preposterous!" I said, snapping my fingers, "I will stay on the ship then!"
"Nay m'lady," he replied, "Ye're comin' ashore."
"But I don't want to," I protested, "I don't want to go into a vile city!"
"Look at it this way...when ye get home, ye can tell all yer friends that ye visited the vilest place in the world," He interjected, looking mindlessly at the sky.
"What is that supposed to mean!?" I exclaimed, looking at him. He smiled good-naturedly and shrugged in a shifty sort of manner.
"Optimism?" He suggested.
"I am captive on a pirate ship. I don't think that's possible," I retorted, turning my back to him once again. He sighed, approaching me.
"Oh, luv. Is it really that bad?" He settled down next to me and looked me in the eyes, putting an arm about my shoulder. I stared at him blankly. Then I shook my head and looked forward.
"I used to long for moments like this, Captain Sparrow... adventurous moments like those I read in storybooks. I used to long for a dangerous love affair, riddled with all sorts of twists and turns and resistance, but one that would make it out all right in the end. And now that I have the chance for such ventures, I no longer wish for it." I looked at him. "Because I have realized that there are many more things involved that the great storybooks leave out and fail to mention."
"Oh I think I kin change yer mind, luv," Jack said, leaning in close and talking low.
"I don' want my mind changed," I countered, moving away from him.
"I think ye do..." He whispered, following me. He soon had me cornered against the guardrail and hovered over me. He smiled slowly and then moved in rigorously to steal a long kiss. I squealed slightly, trying to escape, but he got me under him on the stair. Finally, I was able to force him off, nearly twisting my wrist in the process.
"Captain Sparrow!" I gasped, probably blushing bright red at the same time, "I do not commend this behavior!"
"Well, it doesn't matter what ye commend, luv. This be my ship," he answered smoothly, pulling me up and holding me in his arms. He brought me to the edge of the boat and bent me backward slightly so that I would surely fall into the swelling water below if he decided to let go of me. I screeched, squeezing my eyes shut and going rigid. He chuckled slightly, leaning forward to kiss me again. "Don' worry. I won't drop ye," he said and then let me slip slightly. I shrieked again.
"You are a vile man!" I spat.
"Vile is as vile does," replied Jack, bringing me back fully on deck. He replaced me on the steps. "Plenty 'o' adventure in Tortuga for young maids 'oo want it," he said, grinning as he stepped back to the wheel. I had nothing to say to him. All I could think about was how awful this was. It was even more awful because I was starting to like the way he was kissing me. That was wrong, wasn't it? It had to have been wrong. It was sinful! I was a noblewoman; he was a pirate. It could just never work out properly.
I sat in silence for the next few hours until sundown. Then we pulled into Tortuga. Its windows glowed rather friendly, but I hated the sight of it. Jack cheerfully boarded me onto the rowboat and we went ashore. The sunset, I had to admit, was absolutely amazing. It looked like a glorious watercolor painting full of oranges, reds, pinks, purples, and blues. The palm trees waved against it as black silhouettes. It was hard to tell that the place had any real substance to it.
"Tie off the boats lads and meet me at the Traveler's Nook," Jack said. He took me lightly on his arm. "Come, Isabelle." I followed, half-willingly, half-unwillingly. Whichever it would end up being, I did not yet know.
I was rather repulsed at the sight of the town. It was dirty. There were barrels of rum and other alcoholic beverages everywhere. There were all sorts of shifty looking men and scantily clothed women. Jack seemed to be rather popular with the women, or rather, infamous, I might say. He got slapped quite a few times upon entering. Each time he would turn and look at me innocently and say, with a hand to his reddening cheek, "I didn't deserve that."
Soon we came to a rather run-down looking place at the back of Tortuga, and I almost found it to be friendlier in nature because there were no odd- looking faces or objects hanging about. Jack knocked on the door and a proper lady opened the door. I was very surprised.
"Captain Sparrow!" She greeted warmly. He kissed her hand.
"Madamoiselle," he said, raising a brow. "I would like to introduce to you Miss Isabelle Brant from Port Royale. Isabelle, this is Madamoiselle Lily from Dunkirk."
"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Brant," Lily said, smiling. "What can I do for you, Jack?" He waved his hand suggestively at me.
"Make her look more...Tortuga," he said with a grin, shoving me gently through the door. Lily laughed.
"Come on dear. Let's get you upstairs," she said. I said nothing. I was flabbergasted. I glared at Jack and he waved rather mockingly as the door closed.
"I don't want to look more 'Tortuga.'" I said bluntly as she began searching through the closet.
"Captain Jack Sparrow is quite powerful. I wouldn't want to go against his requests," answered Lily.
"Please! You're from Europe! A proper society!" I pleaded, "You must know how vile this city is!" Lily laughed.
"Oh it's just all about fun, Miss Brant!" She said, dropping some garments on the bed. "Now take off those English-lady clothes so I can dress you." With a sigh, I removed my garments. When Madamoiselle Lily was finished transforming me, I was sporting a white peasant blouse with a dark green billowing skirt, and a leather corset that was possibly more stifling than mine. I gasped and she laughed slightly, letting my hair down from its up- do and tying a scarf to hold it back. She also gave me some gold hoop earrings and a pirate medallion of some sort with a compass insignia on it. I was equipped with knee-high pirate boots and a belt with several different pouches on it. "There," she said, looking at me in satisfaction. "Now you are ready for Tortuga.
She sent me out the door and I found Jack waiting for me in the street. He seemed very impressed. "Much better," he said, putting an arm around me. "Now it's off to the Traveler's Nook we go!"
I wasn't sure I was ready for Tortuga. Then again, had I been ready for the Black Pearl?
Carefully, I ascended the steps to the deck and looked around. A couple of the crewmembers were around, but they seemed occupied. So I approached the rear of the ship to look for Captain Sparrow. But, when I got there, no one was at the wheel. I went to the guardrail and looked out over the endless turquoise seas, eyes fixated on the horizon. I could see a coast, but it was not the coast of Port Royale.
"Tortuga," a voice said. I jumped and whirled around to see Captain Jack Sparrow, leaning on the opposite guardrail watching me.
"Don't do that again!" I fumed. He just grinned, taking out his scope and looking across the sea at nothing in particular.
"Sleep well, luv?" He asked, ignoring the fact that I had just yelled at him.
"Fine thanks," I said, turning back to the ocean. I could feel his eyes on me, but I refused to look at him. He was silent, and I could tell he was playing with his scope.
"Dream 'o' anythin' interestin'?" He asked.
"Captain Sparrow, please stop asking me questions! I am your prisoner!" I said angrily, staring at the horizon. He was silent, still looking at me. "And stop staring at me!" I said, turning around. He looked at me seriously.
"Ye're pretty t'look at, luv," he said, shutting his scope and returning to the wheel. Now it was my turn to be silent. He started whistling a pirate's tune. "Tortuga, here we come," he sang softly under his breath. I rolled my eyes and sat down on the steps, putting my chin in my hands. "Gunna have ta replace that dress 'o' yers when we get ta Tortuga," Jack said absentmindedly.
"Provided you get me proper attire, I will be glad to change my clothes," I answered. He just laughed. "What's so funny?" I snapped.
"Nothing in Tortuga is... 'proper.'" He said, grinning, "Rum and whores; whores and rum."
"That is preposterous!" I said, snapping my fingers, "I will stay on the ship then!"
"Nay m'lady," he replied, "Ye're comin' ashore."
"But I don't want to," I protested, "I don't want to go into a vile city!"
"Look at it this way...when ye get home, ye can tell all yer friends that ye visited the vilest place in the world," He interjected, looking mindlessly at the sky.
"What is that supposed to mean!?" I exclaimed, looking at him. He smiled good-naturedly and shrugged in a shifty sort of manner.
"Optimism?" He suggested.
"I am captive on a pirate ship. I don't think that's possible," I retorted, turning my back to him once again. He sighed, approaching me.
"Oh, luv. Is it really that bad?" He settled down next to me and looked me in the eyes, putting an arm about my shoulder. I stared at him blankly. Then I shook my head and looked forward.
"I used to long for moments like this, Captain Sparrow... adventurous moments like those I read in storybooks. I used to long for a dangerous love affair, riddled with all sorts of twists and turns and resistance, but one that would make it out all right in the end. And now that I have the chance for such ventures, I no longer wish for it." I looked at him. "Because I have realized that there are many more things involved that the great storybooks leave out and fail to mention."
"Oh I think I kin change yer mind, luv," Jack said, leaning in close and talking low.
"I don' want my mind changed," I countered, moving away from him.
"I think ye do..." He whispered, following me. He soon had me cornered against the guardrail and hovered over me. He smiled slowly and then moved in rigorously to steal a long kiss. I squealed slightly, trying to escape, but he got me under him on the stair. Finally, I was able to force him off, nearly twisting my wrist in the process.
"Captain Sparrow!" I gasped, probably blushing bright red at the same time, "I do not commend this behavior!"
"Well, it doesn't matter what ye commend, luv. This be my ship," he answered smoothly, pulling me up and holding me in his arms. He brought me to the edge of the boat and bent me backward slightly so that I would surely fall into the swelling water below if he decided to let go of me. I screeched, squeezing my eyes shut and going rigid. He chuckled slightly, leaning forward to kiss me again. "Don' worry. I won't drop ye," he said and then let me slip slightly. I shrieked again.
"You are a vile man!" I spat.
"Vile is as vile does," replied Jack, bringing me back fully on deck. He replaced me on the steps. "Plenty 'o' adventure in Tortuga for young maids 'oo want it," he said, grinning as he stepped back to the wheel. I had nothing to say to him. All I could think about was how awful this was. It was even more awful because I was starting to like the way he was kissing me. That was wrong, wasn't it? It had to have been wrong. It was sinful! I was a noblewoman; he was a pirate. It could just never work out properly.
I sat in silence for the next few hours until sundown. Then we pulled into Tortuga. Its windows glowed rather friendly, but I hated the sight of it. Jack cheerfully boarded me onto the rowboat and we went ashore. The sunset, I had to admit, was absolutely amazing. It looked like a glorious watercolor painting full of oranges, reds, pinks, purples, and blues. The palm trees waved against it as black silhouettes. It was hard to tell that the place had any real substance to it.
"Tie off the boats lads and meet me at the Traveler's Nook," Jack said. He took me lightly on his arm. "Come, Isabelle." I followed, half-willingly, half-unwillingly. Whichever it would end up being, I did not yet know.
I was rather repulsed at the sight of the town. It was dirty. There were barrels of rum and other alcoholic beverages everywhere. There were all sorts of shifty looking men and scantily clothed women. Jack seemed to be rather popular with the women, or rather, infamous, I might say. He got slapped quite a few times upon entering. Each time he would turn and look at me innocently and say, with a hand to his reddening cheek, "I didn't deserve that."
Soon we came to a rather run-down looking place at the back of Tortuga, and I almost found it to be friendlier in nature because there were no odd- looking faces or objects hanging about. Jack knocked on the door and a proper lady opened the door. I was very surprised.
"Captain Sparrow!" She greeted warmly. He kissed her hand.
"Madamoiselle," he said, raising a brow. "I would like to introduce to you Miss Isabelle Brant from Port Royale. Isabelle, this is Madamoiselle Lily from Dunkirk."
"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Brant," Lily said, smiling. "What can I do for you, Jack?" He waved his hand suggestively at me.
"Make her look more...Tortuga," he said with a grin, shoving me gently through the door. Lily laughed.
"Come on dear. Let's get you upstairs," she said. I said nothing. I was flabbergasted. I glared at Jack and he waved rather mockingly as the door closed.
"I don't want to look more 'Tortuga.'" I said bluntly as she began searching through the closet.
"Captain Jack Sparrow is quite powerful. I wouldn't want to go against his requests," answered Lily.
"Please! You're from Europe! A proper society!" I pleaded, "You must know how vile this city is!" Lily laughed.
"Oh it's just all about fun, Miss Brant!" She said, dropping some garments on the bed. "Now take off those English-lady clothes so I can dress you." With a sigh, I removed my garments. When Madamoiselle Lily was finished transforming me, I was sporting a white peasant blouse with a dark green billowing skirt, and a leather corset that was possibly more stifling than mine. I gasped and she laughed slightly, letting my hair down from its up- do and tying a scarf to hold it back. She also gave me some gold hoop earrings and a pirate medallion of some sort with a compass insignia on it. I was equipped with knee-high pirate boots and a belt with several different pouches on it. "There," she said, looking at me in satisfaction. "Now you are ready for Tortuga.
She sent me out the door and I found Jack waiting for me in the street. He seemed very impressed. "Much better," he said, putting an arm around me. "Now it's off to the Traveler's Nook we go!"
I wasn't sure I was ready for Tortuga. Then again, had I been ready for the Black Pearl?