Usual disclaimers... why can't I have him?
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Catherine was unsurprised to find Jean Claude and Paul asleep on the bar the next morning, empty bottles of brandy decorating the counter. She sighed, holding her fingers to her lips as she gestured to Theodore and Oran to follow her. She tiptoed through to the kitchen to start breakfast for them all, trusting that the smell of food would wake the two Frenchmen from their drunken slumber. Eventually, bleary eyed and more than a little hungover, they stumbled into the kitchen.
"Ah, this reminds me why I want you to stay," Paul smiled, trying to focus on the plate of food she pushed before him.
"She is ours," Jean Claude retorted. "And she is too much a pirate to stay ashore for long!" Paul sighed theatrically before tucking into his food eagerly despite his queasy stomach.
"Now that the two of you have decided my future," Catherine teased, "what is the plan for today?"
"I must go to the Arbiter this morning and declare that my brother is dead. As his sole family I can claim his estate - mainly his house. This way Mary is forced to beg for my protection for even if the child is male, it cannot inherit because it will be illegitimate..." He grinned. "We can do this nice and legally without having to resort to violence... and there will be nothing Mary can do to stop us."
"What if she denounces us?" Catherine worried.
"At first I go alone," Jean Claude reasoned. "Once I have the papers it will matter little what she says. She does not speak French and even if anyone understands her accusations that you are pirates, I will assure others that you are my crew."
"Does that mean you will cook today?" Paul asked, looking hopefully at Catherine.
"You find out about the baby and I will," she smiled. "I am sure you will be very busy once people realise Jean Claude is back..."
"Not too many will realise I hope," Jean Claude smiled wryly.
"I will go immediately after breakfast," Paul assured her, mopping his plate with a slice of bread.
Jean Claude frowned. "Who is in at the moment?"
"Voiget, Demers, Cusson and Vachon..." Paul laughed as Jean Claude winced at the names. "Oui, I'd better order more brandy when I am out! There will be a party tonight!"
"Well I had better get started now then," Jean Claude sighed. "I will be back as soon as I can." He rose, pushing the stool back from the table in the kitchen and headed out the back door without looking back.
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It was over five hours later when Jean Claude returned, realising why he had chosen to be a pirate. All the paperwork that he had to sign and statements that he had been required to make were enough to make even a literate man weep... but he had what he required and they could go to the house that very afternoon... depending on whether the child had been born. He eased open the door to the kitchen, savouring the smell of Catherine's cooking. He jumped as she barged through the door from the bar, carrying a pile of heavy plates with her. "Sorry," she smiled. "Didn't realise you were back... did you get it?"
"But of course," he grinned, reaching inside his jacket to show her the papers. "Where is everyone else?"
"Theo is upstairs, Oran and Paul are working the bar. He got back an hour or more ago and people have heard you are back... you'd best make an appearance before we have a riot out there! Demers has been in since noon with most of his crew!"
"Any news on Mary?" he asked, pausing by the door before entering the bar.
"A boy, two days ago," she grinned in reply, putting the plates down before pushing him through. The bar went silent as people realised he was there and then suddenly erupted with cheering and clapping. Snaring a bottle of brandy from beneath the bar he walked across to where he could see Alain Demers sitting with his senior crew.
"I thought you'd never get here!" he complained, making a grab for Catherine as she brought more drinks.
Jean Claude's dagger thudded into the table, causing the others at the table to jump. "I'd take it personally if you don't unhand my crew this instant..." he threatened quietly.
"Crew?" Alain gasped, releasing Catherine in surprise.
"Oui, best cook on the seas and not afraid in the rigging either," Jean Claude boasted, winking at her. "Plus today's additional barman will take it even more personally than I would if you don't unhand his wife..."
Alain looked to Catherine, to Jean Claude, across to Oran and then back to Catherine, trying to decide if they were teasing him. He laughed, unable to decide and fearing that his friend was actually serious. "Anyway," he smiled. "What brings you back to New Orleans - we had heard you were dead!" He decided that changing the subject was the safest option.
"Louis marooned me," Jean Claude shrugged. "Persuaded the crew to mutiny and took over the ship..."
"Your own brother?" Alain gasped. "Has he no honour? No shame?" The men with him echoed his disbelief.
"Had," Jean Claude corrected. "Past tense. I am merely here to tidy up his effects..."
"He is dead?" Mutters echoed around the table.
"Oui. The fool went up against the real Black Pearl in that false ship of his... he did not stand a chance!"
Alain Demers shook his head. "Not many ships could try to take the Black Pearl," he conceded, "even with experienced men. But what of you... surely you are looking for a fresh ship if you already are gathering crew?"
"I have my eye on one," he teased.
"As long as it is not mine then it is alright," Alain laughed, draining his mug before looking at him earnestly. "But seriously Jean Claude, are you looking to take on crew?"
"Perhaps..." Jean Claude replied cautiously.
"Good!" Alain Demers smiled. "I am looking to offload my son... give him some experience outside of my ship. It doesn't do a boy any good to be on his father's ship for too long..." He looked hopefully at Jean Claude. "Will you take him?"
"Maybe..." he evaded, silently cursing this unforeseen problem. He could take his pick of men if he were truly searching for a crew, but to turn down Luc Demers without good reason would cause problems. To take him though could cause more. "How old is he now..."
"Fourteen..." Alain answered, looking around the tavern. "Luc!" he cried, "Luc! Come and meet Captain Lact!"
A gangly youth emerged from the crowd to stand before them. "Father?"
"This is Captain Lact. If I can arrange it you'll be serving on his ship..." Alain informed him.
The boy nodded politely. "Captain Lact," he acknowledged, his eyes eager. Clearly he had heard his father's words.
Jean Claude looked to Catherine who shrugged. "It is your choice Captain," she said quietly. "If he does not like the ship we can always put him ashore in the territories..."
He nodded, realising that Jack would not turn the boy away without a fair trial. He looked closely at Alain. "I should warn you that not everything might be as it seems," he warned. "But if I do take him then I will do my best for him, but cannot guarantee his safety..."
"He knows the seas," Alain assured him, "and the dangers..."
Jean Claude realised that there was no way he could politely refuse. "I want to see him fight first," he conceded. "Tonight, when the bar is empty against one of my crew... against Catherine!"
Catherine looked at him in shock, surprised at his choice. She had thought he would have picked Oran. "Captain..." she gasped.
"You mock me!" Alain growled. "She is no match for my son!" Luc looked at Catherine in surprise but held his tongue.
"Tonight we shall see..." Jean Claude said. "I want to see how he fights against the unexpected. I am not asking for him to beat her, just to put up a good show." He smiled. Come back tonight - just you and the boy and all will be revealed. If he goes with us, he goes tonight..." Jean Claude rose. "But I have business to take care of..." He looked up to Catherine. "Fetch him," he said. "We go now."
"Captain," she acknowledged, putting down her tray of empty tankards and going to fetch Theodore. She whistled to Oran. "We're off! Or on... or whatever!" He laughed at her inability to find the right words as she ran upstairs. At last... Mary!
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Catherine was unsurprised to find Jean Claude and Paul asleep on the bar the next morning, empty bottles of brandy decorating the counter. She sighed, holding her fingers to her lips as she gestured to Theodore and Oran to follow her. She tiptoed through to the kitchen to start breakfast for them all, trusting that the smell of food would wake the two Frenchmen from their drunken slumber. Eventually, bleary eyed and more than a little hungover, they stumbled into the kitchen.
"Ah, this reminds me why I want you to stay," Paul smiled, trying to focus on the plate of food she pushed before him.
"She is ours," Jean Claude retorted. "And she is too much a pirate to stay ashore for long!" Paul sighed theatrically before tucking into his food eagerly despite his queasy stomach.
"Now that the two of you have decided my future," Catherine teased, "what is the plan for today?"
"I must go to the Arbiter this morning and declare that my brother is dead. As his sole family I can claim his estate - mainly his house. This way Mary is forced to beg for my protection for even if the child is male, it cannot inherit because it will be illegitimate..." He grinned. "We can do this nice and legally without having to resort to violence... and there will be nothing Mary can do to stop us."
"What if she denounces us?" Catherine worried.
"At first I go alone," Jean Claude reasoned. "Once I have the papers it will matter little what she says. She does not speak French and even if anyone understands her accusations that you are pirates, I will assure others that you are my crew."
"Does that mean you will cook today?" Paul asked, looking hopefully at Catherine.
"You find out about the baby and I will," she smiled. "I am sure you will be very busy once people realise Jean Claude is back..."
"Not too many will realise I hope," Jean Claude smiled wryly.
"I will go immediately after breakfast," Paul assured her, mopping his plate with a slice of bread.
Jean Claude frowned. "Who is in at the moment?"
"Voiget, Demers, Cusson and Vachon..." Paul laughed as Jean Claude winced at the names. "Oui, I'd better order more brandy when I am out! There will be a party tonight!"
"Well I had better get started now then," Jean Claude sighed. "I will be back as soon as I can." He rose, pushing the stool back from the table in the kitchen and headed out the back door without looking back.
###
It was over five hours later when Jean Claude returned, realising why he had chosen to be a pirate. All the paperwork that he had to sign and statements that he had been required to make were enough to make even a literate man weep... but he had what he required and they could go to the house that very afternoon... depending on whether the child had been born. He eased open the door to the kitchen, savouring the smell of Catherine's cooking. He jumped as she barged through the door from the bar, carrying a pile of heavy plates with her. "Sorry," she smiled. "Didn't realise you were back... did you get it?"
"But of course," he grinned, reaching inside his jacket to show her the papers. "Where is everyone else?"
"Theo is upstairs, Oran and Paul are working the bar. He got back an hour or more ago and people have heard you are back... you'd best make an appearance before we have a riot out there! Demers has been in since noon with most of his crew!"
"Any news on Mary?" he asked, pausing by the door before entering the bar.
"A boy, two days ago," she grinned in reply, putting the plates down before pushing him through. The bar went silent as people realised he was there and then suddenly erupted with cheering and clapping. Snaring a bottle of brandy from beneath the bar he walked across to where he could see Alain Demers sitting with his senior crew.
"I thought you'd never get here!" he complained, making a grab for Catherine as she brought more drinks.
Jean Claude's dagger thudded into the table, causing the others at the table to jump. "I'd take it personally if you don't unhand my crew this instant..." he threatened quietly.
"Crew?" Alain gasped, releasing Catherine in surprise.
"Oui, best cook on the seas and not afraid in the rigging either," Jean Claude boasted, winking at her. "Plus today's additional barman will take it even more personally than I would if you don't unhand his wife..."
Alain looked to Catherine, to Jean Claude, across to Oran and then back to Catherine, trying to decide if they were teasing him. He laughed, unable to decide and fearing that his friend was actually serious. "Anyway," he smiled. "What brings you back to New Orleans - we had heard you were dead!" He decided that changing the subject was the safest option.
"Louis marooned me," Jean Claude shrugged. "Persuaded the crew to mutiny and took over the ship..."
"Your own brother?" Alain gasped. "Has he no honour? No shame?" The men with him echoed his disbelief.
"Had," Jean Claude corrected. "Past tense. I am merely here to tidy up his effects..."
"He is dead?" Mutters echoed around the table.
"Oui. The fool went up against the real Black Pearl in that false ship of his... he did not stand a chance!"
Alain Demers shook his head. "Not many ships could try to take the Black Pearl," he conceded, "even with experienced men. But what of you... surely you are looking for a fresh ship if you already are gathering crew?"
"I have my eye on one," he teased.
"As long as it is not mine then it is alright," Alain laughed, draining his mug before looking at him earnestly. "But seriously Jean Claude, are you looking to take on crew?"
"Perhaps..." Jean Claude replied cautiously.
"Good!" Alain Demers smiled. "I am looking to offload my son... give him some experience outside of my ship. It doesn't do a boy any good to be on his father's ship for too long..." He looked hopefully at Jean Claude. "Will you take him?"
"Maybe..." he evaded, silently cursing this unforeseen problem. He could take his pick of men if he were truly searching for a crew, but to turn down Luc Demers without good reason would cause problems. To take him though could cause more. "How old is he now..."
"Fourteen..." Alain answered, looking around the tavern. "Luc!" he cried, "Luc! Come and meet Captain Lact!"
A gangly youth emerged from the crowd to stand before them. "Father?"
"This is Captain Lact. If I can arrange it you'll be serving on his ship..." Alain informed him.
The boy nodded politely. "Captain Lact," he acknowledged, his eyes eager. Clearly he had heard his father's words.
Jean Claude looked to Catherine who shrugged. "It is your choice Captain," she said quietly. "If he does not like the ship we can always put him ashore in the territories..."
He nodded, realising that Jack would not turn the boy away without a fair trial. He looked closely at Alain. "I should warn you that not everything might be as it seems," he warned. "But if I do take him then I will do my best for him, but cannot guarantee his safety..."
"He knows the seas," Alain assured him, "and the dangers..."
Jean Claude realised that there was no way he could politely refuse. "I want to see him fight first," he conceded. "Tonight, when the bar is empty against one of my crew... against Catherine!"
Catherine looked at him in shock, surprised at his choice. She had thought he would have picked Oran. "Captain..." she gasped.
"You mock me!" Alain growled. "She is no match for my son!" Luc looked at Catherine in surprise but held his tongue.
"Tonight we shall see..." Jean Claude said. "I want to see how he fights against the unexpected. I am not asking for him to beat her, just to put up a good show." He smiled. Come back tonight - just you and the boy and all will be revealed. If he goes with us, he goes tonight..." Jean Claude rose. "But I have business to take care of..." He looked up to Catherine. "Fetch him," he said. "We go now."
"Captain," she acknowledged, putting down her tray of empty tankards and going to fetch Theodore. She whistled to Oran. "We're off! Or on... or whatever!" He laughed at her inability to find the right words as she ran upstairs. At last... Mary!
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