Author's Notes:
Like I said, I was able to update this sooner than I have been doing for other chapters. And, it's decently long, too! Yay for me! Sides, its too bloody cold here to do anything at all...even inside. I have about 17 trillion layers...and I don't live in Alaska, either! It feels like it though...oh well, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a snow-day...well, another snow-day.
Author Thanks:
Ipsy - Thanks, mate! That chapter was immensely fun to write! Glad you liked it.
Jinxed n Cursed - Thanks for the review! Always appreciated.
TriGemini - Okay, the thing with Christina's actions at the moment are that she likes Jack...she is drawn to him...infatuated...but she feels very guilty about it. She feels like she is betraying her family by just associating with him... If that explanation didn't work, put yourself in Christina's shoes...you were kidnapped by pirates...with an exceptionally hot pirate captain...your family is all dead...you're confused and struggling to make sense of the world, while under the constant attention of said hot captain. Of course you think that he's attractive, but all the time you're around him or being friendly, memories stir up. You start to like this guy as you learn about his friendly/human side and you think that he feels the same about you. Caught between your past and present lives, you try to spend more time around him, trying to figure out what this guy is all about...if it would be a bad thing to give him the light of day...(and seriously, who wouldn't be attracted to Jack...he's enormously hot! but anyone would be also caught in the middle too.) I hope this make sense...I try to convey Christina's emotions as best as I can without making her seem too perfect...prissy...in essence, Mary-Sue. I really don't want this story to turn into one of those where the girl gets kidnapped and by the end of the week, she's telling him that she loves him. *bows for the brilliant comment* As for what happened in when Christina landed in Jack's lap...well, you'll have to wait a while...you'll see. It will all make sense in the future, I promise. But, I'm not telling yet...you'll have to wait in suspense...MWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA *cough* I'm okay, now. Thanks for the review...I hope this cleared this up a bit. If not, email me and I'll explain it further...this took up a lot of space...lol.
Jess58 - Yay! A new person! Thanks for the review, mate! I'm glad you like it. Any loose ends will be explained in the end...I like keeping ya'll in the dark about some things...aren't I evil? But if you have any questions, just email me or put them in a review or something and I'll be happy to answer them...I hope you like this chapter!
What's in a Name?
Last time:
Suddenly, my vision went black and I felt arms catch me before I hit the floor.
What's in a Name?
Chapter 9: Hangovers and Family Friends
~*~
I woke much later with a pounding headache. I sat up and noticed that I was, in fact, in my own bed. The sunlight streaming into the room seemed especially bright. Feeling slightly dazed, I mentally retraced my steps from the previous night. The last thing that I remembered was toddling around Jack's cabin before everything went black. I hadn't done anything that I would regret, had I? If I had, wouldn't I be in Jack's bed? Or at least not clothed? I had all my clothes on and was in my bed, but that still didn't erase that little voice that was taunting me in the back of my head. It kept whispering words of doubt into my pounded brain that led me to seriously doubt what I had or hadn't done.
Groaning, I pushed myself out of the bed and slowly made my way down to the galley.
I walked in and sat down silently, massaging my temples. Colin, upon noticing my arrival, walked over and placed a mug of a steamy something in front of me. I noticed he had the same sort of mug in his other hand and drunk from it once sitting.
"This is positively beastly," I muttered.
"Drink that. Old remedy," Colin grunted.
I nodded and lifted the mug to my nose. It smelled awful! I took a small sip and spat it back into the cup. It tasted worse than it smelled. It tasted like an old leather boot that had been soaked in cod liver oil, something that had been forced down our throats in copious amounts at school. Sputtering, I asked, "What the bloody hell is that?"
"Old remedy," Colin repeated.
"I don't wanna know what's in it do I?"
Colin shook his head. "It works. Don' think about the taste. Just drink it," he instructed.
As I was becoming accustomed to taking orders, I did so. Wrinkling my nose, I took one giant gulp of the scalding liquid and fought the impulse to spit it back out. "I don't know which is worse, the headache or its cure," I muttered under my breath.
"So ye didn't lie 'bouts not drinking. Ne'er been hung-over have ye?"
I shook my head and drank some more of Colin's remedy. In spite of the atrocious taste, I eventually felt better.
Finally, as though expelling demons inside of me, I asked, "Colin, do you now what happened after you left last night? Because I woke up this morning in my own bunk, fully clothed but without any recognition of how I got in said bed."
Colin studied me for a minute or two before shaking his head. "No, lass, I was in me own bed and didnae see ye til this morn."
I grimaced and said, "Excuse me," before speeding on deck and rushing over to Jack.
"Well, if it ain't the sleepin' beauty come to life! Tell me, love, was it Gibbs or Colin who woke you? Because whoever stole that privilege from me deserves a flogging," Jack taunted.
My mind, already struggling from the hangover, fought to find an adequate response. With few other options, and none of them semi-decent, I settled on, "No, Captain. But I would be much obliged if you would enlighten me as to precisely what transpired between us last night."
"Ahh," Jack said, a mischievous light dancing in his eyes. "I'll tell ye love. Ye be a real tiger in bed. One wouldn't think it but you're mighty fierce for someone who looks as weak as a kitten."
Letting out one breath slowly, I whined, "I'm serious, Jack. I don't remember."
"Seems ye've forgotten me name as well, kitten. I be tellin' ye, it's Cap'n."
I glared up at him.
Jack sighed. "You passed out and I caught you before you hit the floor, figuring that you couldn't take another conk on that head of yours. Then I carried you back to Ana's room and tucked you in all warm and snuglike, savvy. You noticed that you are still clothed, aye? Ana said that you had nothing else to wear and wouldn't allow me to help change you even if you did. And then, I tried telling her that you'd be warmer if you slept in the nude...but she wouldn't go for that either. See, I played by your rules, fair and square."
I felt a rush of gratitude sweep through me for him refraining to 'act the pirate.' I leaned up and murmured in his ear a quiet, "Thank you," before lightly kissing his cheek and making my way back down to the galley.
~*~
The sun was setting when I heard the cry of "Land ho!" filtering from the crow's nest down to the galley. I laid down the dish that I had been drying and hurried up to the deck, Colin at my heels. I made my was across the deck and stared wide-eyed at the port.
Never before had I seen a port city apart from Liverpool...and I suppose St. Croix in passing. This, however, was completely different. Pirate ships filled my vision and I realised why Jack and Colin had objected so vehermently to my plan.
Soon we had docked and the crew was given shore-leave until dawn. Colin passed me off into the "capable" hands of Jack Sparrow before joining the throng of crew-members anxious to feel solid ground beneath their feet once more.
"Welcome to the Eastern Tortuga, love. Second only to Singapore..." Jack said, staring off into space for a moment, evidently dreaming about Singapore.
I snapped my fingers and waved a hand in front of his face. "Excuse me for interrupting your, no doubt, lecherous fancies, but I think that we should get going. Preferably sometime before I die of old age," I said sarcastically.
Jack glowered slightly before starting off towards his cabin.
I scurried after him, calling, "Wait! The port is THAT way! Where are you going?"
Seeing as he didn't stop, I followed him into his cabin. I watched from the doorway as he pulled a pistol out from under a pillow and proceeded to rummage in a set of drawers. I was surprised when he turned around with a dress over one arm.
"Put this on, love," he said, tossing me the dress. I caught it, raised an eyebrow dubiously and stared at him. "That get-up," Jack elabourated, pointing towards my borrowed outfit. "Leaves little to the imagination. And imangination from the people we'll be dealing with usually leads to actions...actions that do not come with the consent of the female party."
My mouth opened in a silent 'Oh' of understanding. "Well, turn around," I said in a falsely exasperated voice.
I waited until he had complied before hurrying to change with my own back to him. The dress was a deep blue work dress made of a surprisingly soft material. Whatever Jack was wanting me to hide, wasn't completely hidden in this dress. The soft fabric was form fitting and the neck was a square cut that showed minutely less than the shirt besoted on me with its own plunging neckline.
"Alright, I'm done," I said after turning around.
Jack raised an eyebrow and stated, "Stunning, love."
I rolled my eyes and with nimble fingers, undid my braid and allowed my hair to cascade like a golden waterfall down my back. "Let's go, shall we?" I asked.
"One thing first, Christina. Do not go running off. Do not even try it. I can't afford for something to happen to you and believe me, something would happen. You stick close to me tonight and tomorrow and don't go anywhere alone. Savvy?" Jack said seriously. I nodded. "Good," he said before offering me his arm.
My eyes widened. "What?"
"Play along, darling," Jack stated.
Sighing, I took his arm and allowed him to lead me off the Pearl and into the city.
The streets of a port city are known to be rather 'interesting' places and this was no exception. Whores were everywhere and drunks lay in different places all in various states of inebriation. Gunshots sounded periodically and I could scarely hear myself think. I drew closer to Jack as foreign pirates called after me...not all in any language I knew. My fingers dug tightly into Jack's thick overcoat as we made our way through the streets. Jack led me easily through the chaos and into a pub.
The pub, however, was not like the British pubs that I was accustomed to. Fights were raucous, the women were indecent and the men drunk. I shuddered and tightened my deathgrip on Jack's arm, drawing even closer to him. Jack seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the situation for he laughed good-naturedly at my antics.
We made our way to the counter and Jack called the bartender.
Once the bartender, a burly black man with a grissled face, had come, Jack withdrew a piece of money.
"What'll it be?" the bartender growled.
"Information, mate. We be looking for someone. Black-Eyed Pete. Ye don't happen to know where 'bouts he is, do ye?" Jack asked.
The bartender eyed the money in Jack's hand greedily and pointed to a table in the corner of the pub.
"Thanks, mate," Jack said before flipping the bartender the coin. He led me through the madness and to the table where an old man sat alone. "Black- Eyed Pete?"
"Whose asking?" the man grunted before drinking heavily from his flagon.
"Christina Delcot," I said steadily.
THUMP!
The mug dropped to the table and the man looked up at me, eyes wide.
Jack and I sat down in two of the vacant chairs at the table and Jack signalled the barmaid. Once she arrived, he ordered rum (for him, of course) and water for me.
The man was still staring at me. "I never...What are you doing here Christina?" he asked slowly.
"Its a long story...one that will be told eventually, after I know what I came here for."
The man returned to nursing his drink before saying, "Aye, I'm Black-Eyed Pete."
Jack, previously silent, said, "Alright then, mate. How 'bouts you give this bonny girl the information she needs and I'll buy you a drink and then we're square."
Black-Eyed Pete glared at him. "Who the bloody hell are you?"
"I'm---" Jack started.
But, sensing possible danger, I interrupted. "He's...a friend. Let's just leave it at that."
"What do ye wan' ta know?" Pete asked.
"Well, for one, I want to know about my father...about what he was like as a pirate. But also, I need to know about the treasure. What's guarding it and where it is."
Pete looked up at me and said, "Alright. Yer father was a pirate, ye know that. But for a time, he was one of the richest pirates...at least one of the richest French pirates in the world. But he didn't raid to take prisoners...usually. He had a trademark signature to his raids, so authorities would know that he had raided that ship. A way o' tauntin' them, so ta speak. He would leave everyone on the ship tied to the center mast pole, stripped bare, save the women...and sail off with anything of value on that ship. He would tear up cabins looking for safes, pull out drawers, tear out the hemlines of dresses to see if anything was sewn in. 'E was obsessed. He wasn't a very good man, yer father. As time passed, he grew worse. 'E violated women...treated them summat awful...until he met yer mother. She convinced him into marriage...they had fallen in love and she was pregnant wif ye and wouldn't take no fer an answer. So they got hitched in England and yer father hid the treasure on an island not far from here so it would be protected. Made a vow that ye children wouldnae know until 'e deemed it necessary. Well, obviously it didn't work...ye'll need me help in going after it. I know how to get in an' out safe-like. But now, ye owe me some answers. Why are ye here? Where is yer father? Who is this? And what in the blazes inspired ye to come here?"
"Well, for one thing, I'm here because I'm trying to get myself out of here. This situation isn't exactly ideal for me. It started our when my father died six months ago. Him and Timothy went boating...I don't know exactly what happened...All I know is that somehow it did and my life changed drastically because of it. Mum and I left England after Papa and Timothy died. A week from Port Royale, our ship was attacked. Mum was shot and died shortly afterwards. I was taken to him. After a day or so, he attempted to sell me and my belongings to La Femme. Mum had given me Papa's memoirs during the voyage and I recognized the ship from them. I called out in French and told them who I was and about the treaure, in spite of the fact that I know very little about it myself. I had found a letter glued to the inside of my trunk during the voyage that explained slightly about it and had a list of the ships that Papa had sailed on. Things started to make sense to me and I have been able to slowly piece together aspects of my life that before this didn't ever make a great deal of sense. And now we're here. This was the only way that I could think to get out of the situation with my honour and life still intact. After this ordeal is over, he is going to leave me in Port Royale with money and a place to stay so I don't have to worry about that any more," I explained.
Pete looked into his rum, evidently thinking hard before saying, "He's more than a pirate, isn't he?"
"I don't know what you mean. This man is merely an acquaintance, one whom I am trying my best to let me continue on with my life. He holds no emotional attachment to me nor I to him," I lied. I knew that if I told the truth, he may not be as willing to help.
"Ye be a bad liar, Christina, jes like yer father," Black-Eyed Pete said dolefully. "Nonetheless, I be willing ta help ye. Ye seem ta be tellin' the truth on everything else. I owe it to yer father," he continued gruffly.
"Aye, but for what price?" Jack asked, speaking up for the first time in a while. I turned to see that he was eying Black-Eyed Pete suspiciously.
"Let me rephrase that," I said quickly, hoping that Jack hadn't managed to offend our source of information. "I truly appreciate your words but if I may be so bold as to ask what the benefit for you is."
Pete's expression didn't change and he said slowly, "Girl, ye don' know how things work 'ere. When someone does ye a favour, its good ta repay them. Yer father saved me life years bak and I told him, after he had hidden the treasure, that I would give someone a hand if they needed it."
"Where is it?" I inquired.
"Take me to your ship and I be leading ye to it in the morn."
I looked at Jack, asking him with my eyes to answer that for me.
Fortunately he got the message and said, "Aye, we have an accord. We're on the Black Pearl."
As Jack and I got up to leave, Pete called, "Ye've grown beautiful, Christina. Last time I saw ye, ye were just a little sprite running 'round me knees. I 'spect yer father would be proud," he said to me. Then he called to Jack. "Oy, Captain Sparrow, I hope ye know what yer getting involved wif, wif 'er. She's a stubburn thing, she is."
My eyes widened and I turned around to talk to him more but Jack caught my arm and pulled me back gently. In the brief time that I wasn't looking, Black-Eyed Pete had vanished into the chaos.
A/N: Okay, so how was it? Good, I hope. Please leave a review. I really like all the feedback I can get and if you have a flame...bring it on... I like playing with fire! So, leave a review...Thanks!
Oh yeah, if anyone has the need for another story to read, I would recommend, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Aftermath, by The Quidditch Gals...it is really underappreciated and could use some more reviews!
~CrazyCanoeingGIT
Like I said, I was able to update this sooner than I have been doing for other chapters. And, it's decently long, too! Yay for me! Sides, its too bloody cold here to do anything at all...even inside. I have about 17 trillion layers...and I don't live in Alaska, either! It feels like it though...oh well, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a snow-day...well, another snow-day.
Author Thanks:
Ipsy - Thanks, mate! That chapter was immensely fun to write! Glad you liked it.
Jinxed n Cursed - Thanks for the review! Always appreciated.
TriGemini - Okay, the thing with Christina's actions at the moment are that she likes Jack...she is drawn to him...infatuated...but she feels very guilty about it. She feels like she is betraying her family by just associating with him... If that explanation didn't work, put yourself in Christina's shoes...you were kidnapped by pirates...with an exceptionally hot pirate captain...your family is all dead...you're confused and struggling to make sense of the world, while under the constant attention of said hot captain. Of course you think that he's attractive, but all the time you're around him or being friendly, memories stir up. You start to like this guy as you learn about his friendly/human side and you think that he feels the same about you. Caught between your past and present lives, you try to spend more time around him, trying to figure out what this guy is all about...if it would be a bad thing to give him the light of day...(and seriously, who wouldn't be attracted to Jack...he's enormously hot! but anyone would be also caught in the middle too.) I hope this make sense...I try to convey Christina's emotions as best as I can without making her seem too perfect...prissy...in essence, Mary-Sue. I really don't want this story to turn into one of those where the girl gets kidnapped and by the end of the week, she's telling him that she loves him. *bows for the brilliant comment* As for what happened in when Christina landed in Jack's lap...well, you'll have to wait a while...you'll see. It will all make sense in the future, I promise. But, I'm not telling yet...you'll have to wait in suspense...MWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA *cough* I'm okay, now. Thanks for the review...I hope this cleared this up a bit. If not, email me and I'll explain it further...this took up a lot of space...lol.
Jess58 - Yay! A new person! Thanks for the review, mate! I'm glad you like it. Any loose ends will be explained in the end...I like keeping ya'll in the dark about some things...aren't I evil? But if you have any questions, just email me or put them in a review or something and I'll be happy to answer them...I hope you like this chapter!
What's in a Name?
Last time:
Suddenly, my vision went black and I felt arms catch me before I hit the floor.
What's in a Name?
Chapter 9: Hangovers and Family Friends
~*~
I woke much later with a pounding headache. I sat up and noticed that I was, in fact, in my own bed. The sunlight streaming into the room seemed especially bright. Feeling slightly dazed, I mentally retraced my steps from the previous night. The last thing that I remembered was toddling around Jack's cabin before everything went black. I hadn't done anything that I would regret, had I? If I had, wouldn't I be in Jack's bed? Or at least not clothed? I had all my clothes on and was in my bed, but that still didn't erase that little voice that was taunting me in the back of my head. It kept whispering words of doubt into my pounded brain that led me to seriously doubt what I had or hadn't done.
Groaning, I pushed myself out of the bed and slowly made my way down to the galley.
I walked in and sat down silently, massaging my temples. Colin, upon noticing my arrival, walked over and placed a mug of a steamy something in front of me. I noticed he had the same sort of mug in his other hand and drunk from it once sitting.
"This is positively beastly," I muttered.
"Drink that. Old remedy," Colin grunted.
I nodded and lifted the mug to my nose. It smelled awful! I took a small sip and spat it back into the cup. It tasted worse than it smelled. It tasted like an old leather boot that had been soaked in cod liver oil, something that had been forced down our throats in copious amounts at school. Sputtering, I asked, "What the bloody hell is that?"
"Old remedy," Colin repeated.
"I don't wanna know what's in it do I?"
Colin shook his head. "It works. Don' think about the taste. Just drink it," he instructed.
As I was becoming accustomed to taking orders, I did so. Wrinkling my nose, I took one giant gulp of the scalding liquid and fought the impulse to spit it back out. "I don't know which is worse, the headache or its cure," I muttered under my breath.
"So ye didn't lie 'bouts not drinking. Ne'er been hung-over have ye?"
I shook my head and drank some more of Colin's remedy. In spite of the atrocious taste, I eventually felt better.
Finally, as though expelling demons inside of me, I asked, "Colin, do you now what happened after you left last night? Because I woke up this morning in my own bunk, fully clothed but without any recognition of how I got in said bed."
Colin studied me for a minute or two before shaking his head. "No, lass, I was in me own bed and didnae see ye til this morn."
I grimaced and said, "Excuse me," before speeding on deck and rushing over to Jack.
"Well, if it ain't the sleepin' beauty come to life! Tell me, love, was it Gibbs or Colin who woke you? Because whoever stole that privilege from me deserves a flogging," Jack taunted.
My mind, already struggling from the hangover, fought to find an adequate response. With few other options, and none of them semi-decent, I settled on, "No, Captain. But I would be much obliged if you would enlighten me as to precisely what transpired between us last night."
"Ahh," Jack said, a mischievous light dancing in his eyes. "I'll tell ye love. Ye be a real tiger in bed. One wouldn't think it but you're mighty fierce for someone who looks as weak as a kitten."
Letting out one breath slowly, I whined, "I'm serious, Jack. I don't remember."
"Seems ye've forgotten me name as well, kitten. I be tellin' ye, it's Cap'n."
I glared up at him.
Jack sighed. "You passed out and I caught you before you hit the floor, figuring that you couldn't take another conk on that head of yours. Then I carried you back to Ana's room and tucked you in all warm and snuglike, savvy. You noticed that you are still clothed, aye? Ana said that you had nothing else to wear and wouldn't allow me to help change you even if you did. And then, I tried telling her that you'd be warmer if you slept in the nude...but she wouldn't go for that either. See, I played by your rules, fair and square."
I felt a rush of gratitude sweep through me for him refraining to 'act the pirate.' I leaned up and murmured in his ear a quiet, "Thank you," before lightly kissing his cheek and making my way back down to the galley.
~*~
The sun was setting when I heard the cry of "Land ho!" filtering from the crow's nest down to the galley. I laid down the dish that I had been drying and hurried up to the deck, Colin at my heels. I made my was across the deck and stared wide-eyed at the port.
Never before had I seen a port city apart from Liverpool...and I suppose St. Croix in passing. This, however, was completely different. Pirate ships filled my vision and I realised why Jack and Colin had objected so vehermently to my plan.
Soon we had docked and the crew was given shore-leave until dawn. Colin passed me off into the "capable" hands of Jack Sparrow before joining the throng of crew-members anxious to feel solid ground beneath their feet once more.
"Welcome to the Eastern Tortuga, love. Second only to Singapore..." Jack said, staring off into space for a moment, evidently dreaming about Singapore.
I snapped my fingers and waved a hand in front of his face. "Excuse me for interrupting your, no doubt, lecherous fancies, but I think that we should get going. Preferably sometime before I die of old age," I said sarcastically.
Jack glowered slightly before starting off towards his cabin.
I scurried after him, calling, "Wait! The port is THAT way! Where are you going?"
Seeing as he didn't stop, I followed him into his cabin. I watched from the doorway as he pulled a pistol out from under a pillow and proceeded to rummage in a set of drawers. I was surprised when he turned around with a dress over one arm.
"Put this on, love," he said, tossing me the dress. I caught it, raised an eyebrow dubiously and stared at him. "That get-up," Jack elabourated, pointing towards my borrowed outfit. "Leaves little to the imagination. And imangination from the people we'll be dealing with usually leads to actions...actions that do not come with the consent of the female party."
My mouth opened in a silent 'Oh' of understanding. "Well, turn around," I said in a falsely exasperated voice.
I waited until he had complied before hurrying to change with my own back to him. The dress was a deep blue work dress made of a surprisingly soft material. Whatever Jack was wanting me to hide, wasn't completely hidden in this dress. The soft fabric was form fitting and the neck was a square cut that showed minutely less than the shirt besoted on me with its own plunging neckline.
"Alright, I'm done," I said after turning around.
Jack raised an eyebrow and stated, "Stunning, love."
I rolled my eyes and with nimble fingers, undid my braid and allowed my hair to cascade like a golden waterfall down my back. "Let's go, shall we?" I asked.
"One thing first, Christina. Do not go running off. Do not even try it. I can't afford for something to happen to you and believe me, something would happen. You stick close to me tonight and tomorrow and don't go anywhere alone. Savvy?" Jack said seriously. I nodded. "Good," he said before offering me his arm.
My eyes widened. "What?"
"Play along, darling," Jack stated.
Sighing, I took his arm and allowed him to lead me off the Pearl and into the city.
The streets of a port city are known to be rather 'interesting' places and this was no exception. Whores were everywhere and drunks lay in different places all in various states of inebriation. Gunshots sounded periodically and I could scarely hear myself think. I drew closer to Jack as foreign pirates called after me...not all in any language I knew. My fingers dug tightly into Jack's thick overcoat as we made our way through the streets. Jack led me easily through the chaos and into a pub.
The pub, however, was not like the British pubs that I was accustomed to. Fights were raucous, the women were indecent and the men drunk. I shuddered and tightened my deathgrip on Jack's arm, drawing even closer to him. Jack seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the situation for he laughed good-naturedly at my antics.
We made our way to the counter and Jack called the bartender.
Once the bartender, a burly black man with a grissled face, had come, Jack withdrew a piece of money.
"What'll it be?" the bartender growled.
"Information, mate. We be looking for someone. Black-Eyed Pete. Ye don't happen to know where 'bouts he is, do ye?" Jack asked.
The bartender eyed the money in Jack's hand greedily and pointed to a table in the corner of the pub.
"Thanks, mate," Jack said before flipping the bartender the coin. He led me through the madness and to the table where an old man sat alone. "Black- Eyed Pete?"
"Whose asking?" the man grunted before drinking heavily from his flagon.
"Christina Delcot," I said steadily.
THUMP!
The mug dropped to the table and the man looked up at me, eyes wide.
Jack and I sat down in two of the vacant chairs at the table and Jack signalled the barmaid. Once she arrived, he ordered rum (for him, of course) and water for me.
The man was still staring at me. "I never...What are you doing here Christina?" he asked slowly.
"Its a long story...one that will be told eventually, after I know what I came here for."
The man returned to nursing his drink before saying, "Aye, I'm Black-Eyed Pete."
Jack, previously silent, said, "Alright then, mate. How 'bouts you give this bonny girl the information she needs and I'll buy you a drink and then we're square."
Black-Eyed Pete glared at him. "Who the bloody hell are you?"
"I'm---" Jack started.
But, sensing possible danger, I interrupted. "He's...a friend. Let's just leave it at that."
"What do ye wan' ta know?" Pete asked.
"Well, for one, I want to know about my father...about what he was like as a pirate. But also, I need to know about the treasure. What's guarding it and where it is."
Pete looked up at me and said, "Alright. Yer father was a pirate, ye know that. But for a time, he was one of the richest pirates...at least one of the richest French pirates in the world. But he didn't raid to take prisoners...usually. He had a trademark signature to his raids, so authorities would know that he had raided that ship. A way o' tauntin' them, so ta speak. He would leave everyone on the ship tied to the center mast pole, stripped bare, save the women...and sail off with anything of value on that ship. He would tear up cabins looking for safes, pull out drawers, tear out the hemlines of dresses to see if anything was sewn in. 'E was obsessed. He wasn't a very good man, yer father. As time passed, he grew worse. 'E violated women...treated them summat awful...until he met yer mother. She convinced him into marriage...they had fallen in love and she was pregnant wif ye and wouldn't take no fer an answer. So they got hitched in England and yer father hid the treasure on an island not far from here so it would be protected. Made a vow that ye children wouldnae know until 'e deemed it necessary. Well, obviously it didn't work...ye'll need me help in going after it. I know how to get in an' out safe-like. But now, ye owe me some answers. Why are ye here? Where is yer father? Who is this? And what in the blazes inspired ye to come here?"
"Well, for one thing, I'm here because I'm trying to get myself out of here. This situation isn't exactly ideal for me. It started our when my father died six months ago. Him and Timothy went boating...I don't know exactly what happened...All I know is that somehow it did and my life changed drastically because of it. Mum and I left England after Papa and Timothy died. A week from Port Royale, our ship was attacked. Mum was shot and died shortly afterwards. I was taken to him. After a day or so, he attempted to sell me and my belongings to La Femme. Mum had given me Papa's memoirs during the voyage and I recognized the ship from them. I called out in French and told them who I was and about the treaure, in spite of the fact that I know very little about it myself. I had found a letter glued to the inside of my trunk during the voyage that explained slightly about it and had a list of the ships that Papa had sailed on. Things started to make sense to me and I have been able to slowly piece together aspects of my life that before this didn't ever make a great deal of sense. And now we're here. This was the only way that I could think to get out of the situation with my honour and life still intact. After this ordeal is over, he is going to leave me in Port Royale with money and a place to stay so I don't have to worry about that any more," I explained.
Pete looked into his rum, evidently thinking hard before saying, "He's more than a pirate, isn't he?"
"I don't know what you mean. This man is merely an acquaintance, one whom I am trying my best to let me continue on with my life. He holds no emotional attachment to me nor I to him," I lied. I knew that if I told the truth, he may not be as willing to help.
"Ye be a bad liar, Christina, jes like yer father," Black-Eyed Pete said dolefully. "Nonetheless, I be willing ta help ye. Ye seem ta be tellin' the truth on everything else. I owe it to yer father," he continued gruffly.
"Aye, but for what price?" Jack asked, speaking up for the first time in a while. I turned to see that he was eying Black-Eyed Pete suspiciously.
"Let me rephrase that," I said quickly, hoping that Jack hadn't managed to offend our source of information. "I truly appreciate your words but if I may be so bold as to ask what the benefit for you is."
Pete's expression didn't change and he said slowly, "Girl, ye don' know how things work 'ere. When someone does ye a favour, its good ta repay them. Yer father saved me life years bak and I told him, after he had hidden the treasure, that I would give someone a hand if they needed it."
"Where is it?" I inquired.
"Take me to your ship and I be leading ye to it in the morn."
I looked at Jack, asking him with my eyes to answer that for me.
Fortunately he got the message and said, "Aye, we have an accord. We're on the Black Pearl."
As Jack and I got up to leave, Pete called, "Ye've grown beautiful, Christina. Last time I saw ye, ye were just a little sprite running 'round me knees. I 'spect yer father would be proud," he said to me. Then he called to Jack. "Oy, Captain Sparrow, I hope ye know what yer getting involved wif, wif 'er. She's a stubburn thing, she is."
My eyes widened and I turned around to talk to him more but Jack caught my arm and pulled me back gently. In the brief time that I wasn't looking, Black-Eyed Pete had vanished into the chaos.
A/N: Okay, so how was it? Good, I hope. Please leave a review. I really like all the feedback I can get and if you have a flame...bring it on... I like playing with fire! So, leave a review...Thanks!
Oh yeah, if anyone has the need for another story to read, I would recommend, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Aftermath, by The Quidditch Gals...it is really underappreciated and could use some more reviews!
~CrazyCanoeingGIT