Archer almost killed him that morning. Not so much willfully, and much of the fault lay with Turner in any case. As it happened, she had passed out tucked in a far corner of the hold, and it was the depth of the shadow there that brought him over. A touch to the shoulder and Archer had sprung into attack without completely waking. The battle remained low, with much grappling as Archer pressed the dagger into service. Tables turned with an unexpected pitch of the ship, and Turner got enough distance to actually see the blade still sneaking toward his flesh. Archer regained the advantage in his moment of hesitation, and soon had him under the fine edge, catching breath and reorienting in the wane of the struggle and its attendant adrenal rush. Turner's eyes narrowed and he hissed at his assailant.
"If anything, I know my own work! What manner of rogue are you, and what have you done with the lady?"
"Shut ye mout lad else the marnin' be stained as t' evening!"
Shoving away the grogginess of the rude awakening, Archer realized who she had under blade, and bit her lip in uncertainty, even as she threatened him. She wondered what would happen if she disturbed the known plot that much by killing off one of the main characters. She might have a portal to wake up, but then again she might be pulled deeper. The Captain's voice filtered down through the deck, blurred through the distance.
"Answ'r 'im ye fool! Oaf that ye are, ye fell or some'at."
"I will not!"
"Lower ye voice then - d'ye jest be wanting t' die dis marnin' then? I can arrange it far ye if ye be havin' it that way, but I haven't really the leisure now, do I lad, what wit de Cap'n an' all, so I don't tink I be force'n me hand now, were I you."
The captain's voice rang out again, closer and a little more urgent.
"Turner me boy, on decks with you!"
"Answ'r 'im by gods!"
Archer committed a little more pressure to the blade, tipping the balance just enough for Turner to get leverage. Archer was unprepared, and was thrown toward the hatch where the light was a little stronger. Turner had time to draw his blade in the approach, and Archer scrambled to stand and draw the sword, retreating up the shallow stair and cringing at both the disadvantage and the loss of the hat somewhere in the hold below. Parrying and retreating, trying to get a sense of the new ground, Archer had no time to reinforce the glamour she wore, and Turner got a good look at her when she passed through a grid of light cast through the grate of the central hatch. Recognition flashed through his face, and in a sudden burst he slipped through her defenses and had his own blade at her throat.
"You're a pirate!"
"Ye be much o' one t' talk, ain't ye then boyo?"
"You lied!"
"I t'ought I were a pirate."
Booted feet came closer, and a new sifting of dust through the hatch provoked Archer to low curses, and a quickly defeated attempt to free herself. Sparrow stood directly above, hunched to see the two of them caught in the light below the grate.
"What's this Turner? Have we rats aboard?"
Archer refused to look up, and scowled at Turner.
"A runaway. An apprentice."
"On a ship of the Royal Navy – not too wise is he now? Bring him up lad."
Archer cursed, and cocked her head to one side, holding Turner's look. He motioned with his blade, giving her just the opening she asked for.
"Aye! Get on then – you heard the Captain."
Archer whirled forward, swinging deliberately wild, crafting a swift and clumsy engagement and giving Turner explicit opportunity to disarm her. The attempt would gel her character a little more. She hadn't been expecting to have to pass Sparrow's judgment. As Turner prodded her through the hold and toward the decks, she pulled as much of the glamour together as she could before she had to stand in the full and revealing sunlight.
Sparrow leaned against the starboard jollyboat pulling on a tail of his beard and scowled at the two of them as they emerged. Archer pulled the best impression of a sullen, irate and rebellious youth she could muster, and kept her lips pressed tight together.
"I don't exactly take to stowaways on my ship, boy. What are you about?"
Archer narrowed her eyes, drew out the silence, and spat.
"You sail under my command, lad, you'd best answer."
Turner shifted his feet, and offered Sparrow Archer's blades. He leaned forward enough to take the sword, and inspected the steel.
"'Tis a fine piece, lad. Perhaps too fine for your station, eh mate? Never you mind that here boy, but draw on a mate under sail again, articles or not, and I'll have you overboard, land or no, savvy?"
Archer scowled and inclined her head in answer. Sparrow shot the blade home in it's scabbard and inspected the dagger. He eyed Archer over the blackened steel, and after a moment's pause, shot it home and handed the whole mess back to Turner.
"Well. Now that you're here mate, we might as well make use of you. We're a few hours out of Tortuga now, so you might want to drop your things in the focsle before you head aloft then."
Turner started to hand the baldric and blades back to Archer, but paused, looking in askance to Sparrow, who shoved himself upright and swaggered into Archer's space, forcing eye contact.
"Aloft?"
"Aye. Can't be pulling into Tortuga flying the colors of His Majesty's Navy, now can I? But I'm the only one here who can take her into the harbor, and I need you running the lines so it would be terribly inconvenient for me if you're going to be falling from the shrouds. But now, right here – you. Get you the pennant down first and bring it to the helm, eh?"
"And if he can't?"
Sparrow laughed and tipped closer yet. Archer's lips pressed tighter, and held ground.
"Being uninvited, he's expendable, savvy?"
Archer flexed hands cramped from the ratlines and scanned the harbor. There was a cluster of sloops closer in to the wharf, and many smaller boats pulled up on the beach and tied against the rising tide. A tongue of land wrapped around the cove, blocking view from the wide canal dividing Isla Torutue from French-held Hispaniola and rising from nests of coral barely navigable by those familiar with the waters. The little island was more mountain than anything, a smoky thalo and viridian in the sinking light.
Turner thumped the last seachest into the jollyboat and joined Archer at the ropes. Sparrow was checking the lines still, and they had a moment before he would be within range.
"Apprentice, am I lad? Think ye t' tell 'im in what?"
"I didn't need to. You fairly wear your thievery and whoreishness."
"Don't be daft boyo. Much as ye, I be doon' but what I hae' to."
"You lie. Every word that falls from your lips is poison, Morgan."
"If t'were poison I'd soon be known of 't now wouldn't I boyo? Let be, eh? Plans change – we make wit' what we be gi'en, eh Will?"
He scowled, but grew quiet, and Sparrow rolled through the last set of lines and joined them. The boat was hauled over the rail, and the held for each other in turn. Turner and Archer rowed toward the lights of the town while Sparrow rifled through the swag, redistributing the stuff in the chests. There hadn't been much aboard, just minimum shot and provisions, so the only booty on the little warship was what the sailors and officers had brought for themselves. The going was slow with the boat loaded so heavy, and Sparrow had the four shares portioned before the dock could be seen through the enclosing darkness.
"I didn't expect to be having a cabin boy, but you did your share of work once Turner here pulled you about. So a half a share to you boy, and be off with you once the boat be tied, savvy?"
"Aye."
"You have a name, boy? Now that the cat loosed your tongue?"
"Morgan Archer."
"Ah. Interesting. Well. Beware sneaking aboard ships in this harbor, mate. Most crews around here do much worse by their captives, and worse yet by those who are even less invited, savvy?"
He sprawled over the plank seat then, fussing with his appearance the rest of the way to the dock, tweaking this sash and that rag to whatever semblance of fine he could manage. Archer concentrated on rowing through the burning muscles, matching Turner stroke for stroke. Every effortless motion on Turner's part goaded Archer on, even once they reached the dock and they were unloading the chests onto the low planks Archer's world was so narrowed she did not see the woman until she nearly ran into her.
"Aye then, I been waitin' long time fo' ye child."
The woman was broad and soft, and resisted even the low light. Archer pretended not to have heard, and jumped to regain the pace Turner had set, reaching into the skiff for the last few canvas bags.
"Aye, I know ye be hearin' me, child. I be waiting fo' ye 'en ye drop ye swag 'ere. I not be far now I seen ye. But don't ye be thinkin' I be spinning tales – we of a kind, child. I know ye better than ye gi'en to account on yeself. Think ye be warn, and ye'll not be so started t' next I hae' chance t' speak t' ye."
Archer chanced a look at Turner to see if he'd heard the woman, but he showed no change of expression. Sparrow was likewise preoccupied, arranging with a gaggle of dock-boys to carry the extra loot into the town proper. Archer shoved the unsettled feeling into the tiniest corner of her mind, and assumed the woman was speaking to someone else, someone whose presence she hadn't had time to note yet. Or one of the dock-boys. Yes. The woman was talking to one of them, and there was no reason for her to take note of it.
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Whew. Another semester down, another three to go.
Many apologies for the length between postings lately. School, you know? But all has not been in vain – I have been spending some quality time holed up in the library with some old maps and reference books. So now, I can actually write about the pretty boat. Sorry, ship. lol I also have been working on diagrams, which I'll post elsewhere and link to in case anyone wants them, once I start using them.
For clarity, yes, some of the plot overlaps that of the movie… chapter 6 should be regarded as beginning at the same time as the flashback-dream the movie begins with. (Elisabeth, being highborn, sleeps much later than our heroes, and is dreaming while action is afoot.)
…I hope I haven't lost my tiny readership with my absence… many apologies! More is on the way!