Disclaimer - Same as the Prologue. Just click the back button and save
yourself the trouble of suing me.
AN: Well, I did it! I managed to get another chapter up before the weekend was over! *scattered applause* Things are going to be going a bit slower from here on out because I have to keep writing the rough in my notebook first. I'm almost to the end of everything I've written!
Chapter 6 - Prisoner
Jack stared solemnly out to the sea, not believing his ears.
"So. That's the way of it, is it?" he said quietly.
"Dammit!" Tiger swore, smacking his fist into the flat stone wall of the fort. Jack's face echoed his sentiments.
"WHAT goes ON in that whelp's HEAD?" Jack asked the sky. "Disappears into the Indian Ocean for ten years, doesn't write, no word if he's even ALIVE, and then comes back and steals Elizabeth's daughters!"
The governor was sitting, dazed, on the floor, leaning against the battlements. His powdered wig was askew, revealing a shock of grey- streaked black hair. Jack felt sorry for the poor man. He really wasn't that old, barely sixty, but his worry had added many years to his face, and the wig didn't help in the least. Jack never understood wigs anyway.
"What possible reason could Will have for taking my three daughters with him? He didn't touch my treasury or any other building besides the fort, and even that was just a diversion. He didn't even leave a ransom note..." The man let out a dry sob. "I always liked Will, and he seemed to like me. Why would he take them away?"
Jack suddenly stood up straight.
"I can think of a reason." He made for the exit, calling to Tiger over his shoulder.
"Tomcat, pass the word to any crew you can find. We sail tonight, with the tide." He clattered down the stairs, his boot heels making most of the noise. Tiger leapt to the edge of the stairs and called down after him.
"Jack, where y' going?"
"To get drunk." came the reply. "I need to think."
* * *
Tiger strode through the streets of Port St. Andrew's once more, his thoughts dark and murderous. Most people stayed out of his way, for they knew a flamboyantly piratical man muttering darkly to himself was someone to be avoided.
"Damn him." Tiger growled to himself. "Damn that cradle-robbing wench- fancying bastard. Stealing the most beautiful girl in the Caribbean...If I catch him..." Tiger shut up as he spotted a familiar face. It was Pintel.
"We sail with the tide." Tiger called out to his crewmate. Not waiting to see if the older man had heard him, he resumed muttering.
"WHEN I catch him, I'll kill him." He was pulled up short by a hand catching his wrist.
"Whoa there, lad. Who're ye plannin' ta kill, and what fer?"
Tiger turned around and saw that it was Pintel, who had obviously overheard him.
"Ever heard of Will Turner?"
Pintel snorted. "Yer plannin' on killin' WILL? Lad, rescrew yer head, 'cause it's not on straight!"
"Pintel, he stole White's girls! All three of them, like some bloody Red Indian!" Tiger fumed. This seemed to confuse the older pirate.
"Kidnapped?" Tiger nodded vigorously. Pintel rubbed his grizzled chin thoughtfully. "Well, well."
Tiger glared at him. "Well what?"
"Well...Will could never 'bide by kidnapping. He hated it; thought it was cowardly. I met him because he was trying to rescue a girl me old crew had kidnapped." Pintel frowned. "White's wife, as it happens. Before she married. 'Lizabeth, that was 'er name."
"So ye 'n he are enemies?"
Pintel burst out laughing at that.
"Enemies? W' Bonny Will? Lad, I'd sooner be hated by Cap'n Jack than by Will. Nah, Will saved me life." He grinned toothily. "In a manner of speakin'."
* * *
Mary leaned against the Bluehawk's rail, watching the waves crash against the side of the ship. There was no land in sight, but it was a beautiful, clear night.
"What're ye doin', lass?"
Mary turned to face the speaker. It was the Bluehawk's first mate, an older, grizzled man with an eyepatch.
"Just admiring the ocean, sir." Mary didn't like the look of this man.
"Ye shouldn't be up here. Git ye down t' the cabin."
"But the Captain said - "
"Move it, missie!" he growled, aiming a slap in the general direction of her bottom. Mary dodged and beat a hasty retreat, muttering curses she had overheard from the tavern rats.
"I warned you."
It was Will, speaking without looking at her. Too annoyed to be awed, Mary stamped her foot.
"Can't you yell at them, or something?"
Will sighed, a pained look scored into his handsome face. He looked older, even middle-aged, and very, very tired. Suddenly it hit Mary how serious the situation was. He spoke in a very low voice she strained to hear.
"No, love. I wish I could. But y' see, I'm just as much a prisoner on this ship as you are, whatever appearances may be."
Mary couldn't quite comprehend this, and she told him so. He sighed.
"I am sorry. But I have a deal with that bastard of an Englishman. You three - for my old crew. It pains me, lass, but I refuse to leave them to die. And this devil's crew is here to make SURE I don't leave them to die." Will padded silently away.
Mary stared blankly at the stars for a while, digesting this unexpected information. For a pirate, Will sure had a loose tongue. Soon a yell from a bad-tempered crewman sent her scurrying back to the cabin, but she didn't really mind. This was a puzzle that would take three brains to solve.
* * *
"Weigh anchor! Set the sails!" Tiger yelled to the crew. Jack was sitting on the steps behind him, holding his hungover head. Tiger, noting his Captain's discomfort, took the wheel, the Navigator being somewhere else at the moment.
"Where we headed, Jack?"
"A point east of north, fer now. Here comes Min, boy, get ye'self up into the crow's nest. I need your young eyes to watch for blue sails. I think she's headed for England." Tiger didn't bother to question his Captain, but handed the tiller to Min, the navigator, and climbed nimbly into the Crow's nest, relieving Pintel of duty. The older man smirked at him as they switched places.
"Still got it in yer head t' kill Bonny Will, me boy?"
"Ah, maybe I'll let him explain himself first, eh?" Tiger said with a feral grin. Now that they were underway, some of his anxiety had lifted. He was actually looking forward to finding Will Turner and hearing a full explanation. And THEN he would decide if he could kill him. Tiger kept his eyes trained on the northeast horizon, a smile playing around his lips.
----------------- ---------------------------- ----------------------------- -----------
AN: More reviews for me!! But I haven't gotten twenty yet! Come ON, guys, I see fics out there with five chapters and thirty reviews! Make me feel loved!
Tazz: Yes, I like my cliffhangers. (Everyone! Go read Tazz's fic!! It's really good!)
u-ne-korn: *Confused look* Like what? What special privileges would you like? I suppose I could let you borrow Tiger, if you wish. He can be a lot of fun! ^.~
E-chan: How many variations of E-chan could there possibly be?
Malley: Just out of curiosity, why did you review at the 4th chapter instead of the 6th? And yes, I am working on developing Mary and Gina. When I started the story it was originally just going to be about Carol, but her sisters jumped off the page and tag-teamed me into a headlock and I had no choice but to develop them. Pretty soon they became just as important as Carol. I may even have to find them love interests soon. *Mary: You'd better!*
Thanks for the reviews, guys, but I' a greeeeeeedy little kitty and I want more!!! Muahahaha!!!
Uh, in other words, REVIEW!
AN: Well, I did it! I managed to get another chapter up before the weekend was over! *scattered applause* Things are going to be going a bit slower from here on out because I have to keep writing the rough in my notebook first. I'm almost to the end of everything I've written!
Chapter 6 - Prisoner
Jack stared solemnly out to the sea, not believing his ears.
"So. That's the way of it, is it?" he said quietly.
"Dammit!" Tiger swore, smacking his fist into the flat stone wall of the fort. Jack's face echoed his sentiments.
"WHAT goes ON in that whelp's HEAD?" Jack asked the sky. "Disappears into the Indian Ocean for ten years, doesn't write, no word if he's even ALIVE, and then comes back and steals Elizabeth's daughters!"
The governor was sitting, dazed, on the floor, leaning against the battlements. His powdered wig was askew, revealing a shock of grey- streaked black hair. Jack felt sorry for the poor man. He really wasn't that old, barely sixty, but his worry had added many years to his face, and the wig didn't help in the least. Jack never understood wigs anyway.
"What possible reason could Will have for taking my three daughters with him? He didn't touch my treasury or any other building besides the fort, and even that was just a diversion. He didn't even leave a ransom note..." The man let out a dry sob. "I always liked Will, and he seemed to like me. Why would he take them away?"
Jack suddenly stood up straight.
"I can think of a reason." He made for the exit, calling to Tiger over his shoulder.
"Tomcat, pass the word to any crew you can find. We sail tonight, with the tide." He clattered down the stairs, his boot heels making most of the noise. Tiger leapt to the edge of the stairs and called down after him.
"Jack, where y' going?"
"To get drunk." came the reply. "I need to think."
* * *
Tiger strode through the streets of Port St. Andrew's once more, his thoughts dark and murderous. Most people stayed out of his way, for they knew a flamboyantly piratical man muttering darkly to himself was someone to be avoided.
"Damn him." Tiger growled to himself. "Damn that cradle-robbing wench- fancying bastard. Stealing the most beautiful girl in the Caribbean...If I catch him..." Tiger shut up as he spotted a familiar face. It was Pintel.
"We sail with the tide." Tiger called out to his crewmate. Not waiting to see if the older man had heard him, he resumed muttering.
"WHEN I catch him, I'll kill him." He was pulled up short by a hand catching his wrist.
"Whoa there, lad. Who're ye plannin' ta kill, and what fer?"
Tiger turned around and saw that it was Pintel, who had obviously overheard him.
"Ever heard of Will Turner?"
Pintel snorted. "Yer plannin' on killin' WILL? Lad, rescrew yer head, 'cause it's not on straight!"
"Pintel, he stole White's girls! All three of them, like some bloody Red Indian!" Tiger fumed. This seemed to confuse the older pirate.
"Kidnapped?" Tiger nodded vigorously. Pintel rubbed his grizzled chin thoughtfully. "Well, well."
Tiger glared at him. "Well what?"
"Well...Will could never 'bide by kidnapping. He hated it; thought it was cowardly. I met him because he was trying to rescue a girl me old crew had kidnapped." Pintel frowned. "White's wife, as it happens. Before she married. 'Lizabeth, that was 'er name."
"So ye 'n he are enemies?"
Pintel burst out laughing at that.
"Enemies? W' Bonny Will? Lad, I'd sooner be hated by Cap'n Jack than by Will. Nah, Will saved me life." He grinned toothily. "In a manner of speakin'."
* * *
Mary leaned against the Bluehawk's rail, watching the waves crash against the side of the ship. There was no land in sight, but it was a beautiful, clear night.
"What're ye doin', lass?"
Mary turned to face the speaker. It was the Bluehawk's first mate, an older, grizzled man with an eyepatch.
"Just admiring the ocean, sir." Mary didn't like the look of this man.
"Ye shouldn't be up here. Git ye down t' the cabin."
"But the Captain said - "
"Move it, missie!" he growled, aiming a slap in the general direction of her bottom. Mary dodged and beat a hasty retreat, muttering curses she had overheard from the tavern rats.
"I warned you."
It was Will, speaking without looking at her. Too annoyed to be awed, Mary stamped her foot.
"Can't you yell at them, or something?"
Will sighed, a pained look scored into his handsome face. He looked older, even middle-aged, and very, very tired. Suddenly it hit Mary how serious the situation was. He spoke in a very low voice she strained to hear.
"No, love. I wish I could. But y' see, I'm just as much a prisoner on this ship as you are, whatever appearances may be."
Mary couldn't quite comprehend this, and she told him so. He sighed.
"I am sorry. But I have a deal with that bastard of an Englishman. You three - for my old crew. It pains me, lass, but I refuse to leave them to die. And this devil's crew is here to make SURE I don't leave them to die." Will padded silently away.
Mary stared blankly at the stars for a while, digesting this unexpected information. For a pirate, Will sure had a loose tongue. Soon a yell from a bad-tempered crewman sent her scurrying back to the cabin, but she didn't really mind. This was a puzzle that would take three brains to solve.
* * *
"Weigh anchor! Set the sails!" Tiger yelled to the crew. Jack was sitting on the steps behind him, holding his hungover head. Tiger, noting his Captain's discomfort, took the wheel, the Navigator being somewhere else at the moment.
"Where we headed, Jack?"
"A point east of north, fer now. Here comes Min, boy, get ye'self up into the crow's nest. I need your young eyes to watch for blue sails. I think she's headed for England." Tiger didn't bother to question his Captain, but handed the tiller to Min, the navigator, and climbed nimbly into the Crow's nest, relieving Pintel of duty. The older man smirked at him as they switched places.
"Still got it in yer head t' kill Bonny Will, me boy?"
"Ah, maybe I'll let him explain himself first, eh?" Tiger said with a feral grin. Now that they were underway, some of his anxiety had lifted. He was actually looking forward to finding Will Turner and hearing a full explanation. And THEN he would decide if he could kill him. Tiger kept his eyes trained on the northeast horizon, a smile playing around his lips.
----------------- ---------------------------- ----------------------------- -----------
AN: More reviews for me!! But I haven't gotten twenty yet! Come ON, guys, I see fics out there with five chapters and thirty reviews! Make me feel loved!
Tazz: Yes, I like my cliffhangers. (Everyone! Go read Tazz's fic!! It's really good!)
u-ne-korn: *Confused look* Like what? What special privileges would you like? I suppose I could let you borrow Tiger, if you wish. He can be a lot of fun! ^.~
E-chan: How many variations of E-chan could there possibly be?
Malley: Just out of curiosity, why did you review at the 4th chapter instead of the 6th? And yes, I am working on developing Mary and Gina. When I started the story it was originally just going to be about Carol, but her sisters jumped off the page and tag-teamed me into a headlock and I had no choice but to develop them. Pretty soon they became just as important as Carol. I may even have to find them love interests soon. *Mary: You'd better!*
Thanks for the reviews, guys, but I' a greeeeeeedy little kitty and I want more!!! Muahahaha!!!
Uh, in other words, REVIEW!