Hullo, regular notes, disclaimer etc.
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Chapter Twenty-Six – Dredging Deep
It had been only a few hours, and already Elizabeth felt wrung out like a dishcloth. The men all knew what to do, but they needed leadership, and that she could not give them. Eventually, exhausted by her efforts, she had retired to the Captain's cabin.
Inside, she'd found a second pistol, and a plain but efficient looking sword. She laid the weapons on the polished desk, hoping she wouldn't have to use them. Especially the sword. She could shoot blindly into a mass of men, but she didn't feel strong enough to run a man through. Not when she would be so close, so sure that her actions had killed him. It was too...personal.
Elizabeth flopped back onto the bed. It was comfy enough. She listened to the sea, the crew's shouts. The creaks of the ship. She was lulled slowly into a shallow slumber.
Loua fluffed her hair. She checked her reflection. Time to finish this job. If Mr Raggetti ever found out Jack was still alive, he would spread word that the Raven sisters were not as good as they had been.
"Garath! Bring the young lad to me. I wish to converse with him."
The surly Garath nodded, before plodding below decks. Loua took a deep breath. It was a wonderful thing, this mind power. She could control nearly anything living. Even the sap, still residing in the timbers of the 'Raven' had obeyed her. The ship never creaked, nor was it damaged easily. It was not an obviously living thing, but in it's own way, a ship had a life.
But now, she stood aboard the 'Black Pearl'. It did not respond to her gentle coaxing. She had sat up for hours, trying to speak to the wood, but no answers came. She didn't know why. It was just a ship; ships weren't fussy whom they whispered their secrets to.
A loud commotion forced her out of her reverie. Garath stood in the doorway, the struggling form of Will pinned between his huge hands.
"Oh, Mr Turner, how pleasant. Please be seated."
Loua gestured to a comfy looking seat. Will was thrown into the cushions. He fought to get up, but Garath placed his hands on Will's shoulders, restraining him.
"Now, now, William. Garath, keep a watch outside."
Garath left. Loua pressed a long fingered hand onto Will's chest. Will wasn't even considering escape, not with the gargantuan figure of Garath outside.
"Now, my William, I have a small favour to ask."
"I'll tell you nothing, or help with nothing!"
"Really? Oh well that's a shame."
Loua sat gracefully on the chair arm. She lifted a lock of Will's brown hair, and toyed with it absently.
"What do you want?"
He was curious. Good, she thought.
"Nothing much, just a little...kiss."
Will didn't have time to react. He saw strange images flapping across his vision before he knew what she was doing. All his feelings, everything he knew was being dragged up into his consciousness. And she could see it, couldn't she?
Loua was looking for something. An emotion. Envy, anger or hate. It mattered not which, as long as it was there. But it had to be for one person. Jack to be exact. And yes, here it was. Envy and anger in fact. Oh yes, his mouth had told Elizabeth Jack was forgiven, and a small part of brain believed it. But deep down, where he could only reach if he thought about it he despised the Captain for stealing his ladylove.
Loua drew away. That was enough, for now. Influencing him could come later. Really, Jack had made so many enemies, there were plenty of people willing to kill him.
"You can go now, Mr Turner."
Will nodded vaguely, he stepped out, and let Garath lead him to the brig. He sat down next to Jack. But as soon as he took a good look at the pirate, the feelings Loua had dredged up returned. Like she had stirred up a mixture, bringing things from the bottom to the top.
"You all right, lad? What they do to ye?"
Will edged away from him. He eyed Jack with a look of disgust.
"Nothing I care to share with a pirate."
Jack stared at him. Wide-eyed. He was rarely shocked, but he was now. He ignored the steaming form of Will, and settled back to listen to his ship. Almost immediately, he could hear the timbers whispering hurriedly, all of it bubbling like the sea. At least he was with his beloved ship.
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Okay, another shortie. Review!
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Chapter Twenty-Six – Dredging Deep
It had been only a few hours, and already Elizabeth felt wrung out like a dishcloth. The men all knew what to do, but they needed leadership, and that she could not give them. Eventually, exhausted by her efforts, she had retired to the Captain's cabin.
Inside, she'd found a second pistol, and a plain but efficient looking sword. She laid the weapons on the polished desk, hoping she wouldn't have to use them. Especially the sword. She could shoot blindly into a mass of men, but she didn't feel strong enough to run a man through. Not when she would be so close, so sure that her actions had killed him. It was too...personal.
Elizabeth flopped back onto the bed. It was comfy enough. She listened to the sea, the crew's shouts. The creaks of the ship. She was lulled slowly into a shallow slumber.
Loua fluffed her hair. She checked her reflection. Time to finish this job. If Mr Raggetti ever found out Jack was still alive, he would spread word that the Raven sisters were not as good as they had been.
"Garath! Bring the young lad to me. I wish to converse with him."
The surly Garath nodded, before plodding below decks. Loua took a deep breath. It was a wonderful thing, this mind power. She could control nearly anything living. Even the sap, still residing in the timbers of the 'Raven' had obeyed her. The ship never creaked, nor was it damaged easily. It was not an obviously living thing, but in it's own way, a ship had a life.
But now, she stood aboard the 'Black Pearl'. It did not respond to her gentle coaxing. She had sat up for hours, trying to speak to the wood, but no answers came. She didn't know why. It was just a ship; ships weren't fussy whom they whispered their secrets to.
A loud commotion forced her out of her reverie. Garath stood in the doorway, the struggling form of Will pinned between his huge hands.
"Oh, Mr Turner, how pleasant. Please be seated."
Loua gestured to a comfy looking seat. Will was thrown into the cushions. He fought to get up, but Garath placed his hands on Will's shoulders, restraining him.
"Now, now, William. Garath, keep a watch outside."
Garath left. Loua pressed a long fingered hand onto Will's chest. Will wasn't even considering escape, not with the gargantuan figure of Garath outside.
"Now, my William, I have a small favour to ask."
"I'll tell you nothing, or help with nothing!"
"Really? Oh well that's a shame."
Loua sat gracefully on the chair arm. She lifted a lock of Will's brown hair, and toyed with it absently.
"What do you want?"
He was curious. Good, she thought.
"Nothing much, just a little...kiss."
Will didn't have time to react. He saw strange images flapping across his vision before he knew what she was doing. All his feelings, everything he knew was being dragged up into his consciousness. And she could see it, couldn't she?
Loua was looking for something. An emotion. Envy, anger or hate. It mattered not which, as long as it was there. But it had to be for one person. Jack to be exact. And yes, here it was. Envy and anger in fact. Oh yes, his mouth had told Elizabeth Jack was forgiven, and a small part of brain believed it. But deep down, where he could only reach if he thought about it he despised the Captain for stealing his ladylove.
Loua drew away. That was enough, for now. Influencing him could come later. Really, Jack had made so many enemies, there were plenty of people willing to kill him.
"You can go now, Mr Turner."
Will nodded vaguely, he stepped out, and let Garath lead him to the brig. He sat down next to Jack. But as soon as he took a good look at the pirate, the feelings Loua had dredged up returned. Like she had stirred up a mixture, bringing things from the bottom to the top.
"You all right, lad? What they do to ye?"
Will edged away from him. He eyed Jack with a look of disgust.
"Nothing I care to share with a pirate."
Jack stared at him. Wide-eyed. He was rarely shocked, but he was now. He ignored the steaming form of Will, and settled back to listen to his ship. Almost immediately, he could hear the timbers whispering hurriedly, all of it bubbling like the sea. At least he was with his beloved ship.
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Okay, another shortie. Review!