Chapter Sixteen
He was just getting his bearings when a trumpet sounded, and the people of the market began to scramble to the sides, leaving a wide gap in the middle. Jack was about to step out when a woman pulled him back.
"Have you no sense? That be very disrespectful." She said.
"To whom?" jack asked, as he stared into her young brown eyes.
"To him." She nodded towards the carriage which had begun to rumble down the cobbled walk way. Drawn by eight white horses, the carriage was one of the most ornate things Jack had ever seen. It was solid gold, engraved with precious stones. Inside Jack just caught sight of a very fat robed man.
"You would have been crushed."
"The horses would've stopped."
"The horses don't stop, I've seen it plenty of times before, especially with small children. That trumpet it's the warning bell, the only one you get. It says move out the way the Royal Carriage is coming."
"Royal?"
"Well, he's like to be referred to as royal, though how he got there I cannot say. You should watch your tongue young sir, these be dangerous times in R'don." The woman said, she was about to walk about but Jack grabbed her.
"Well you see now I wouldn't now, I am only a visitor, we came here by chance, for supplies."
"Visitors to R'don are no longer welcome, I suggest you leave."
"I'm not gonna run away from some stupid wanna-be king."
"Shush! Keep your voice down, there are many who remain ardently loyal to King Philipe, you must not shout your mouth off, when your opinions will be unwelcome."
"And you, what do you think of this 'king'?"
"I think as a visitor you should not stick your nose into politics you do not understand." She once again made to walk off. Jack gripped her arm.
"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, by the way. And you?"
"Am just leaving. A pleasure Cap'n Sparrow, but I advise you to hop back to your boat and leave now."
"Not 'til I have been blessed wit' the knowledge o' your name."
She smiled. "Very well then, Mrs Joanne Baxter-Cress."
"Mrs?"
"I am a widower sir."
"Sorry."
"Don't be, I am not. Now please, leave this place and do not return."
"I cannot 'til I have gathered supplies for my ship."
"You will get no supplies here. The Garter has brought in new laws, no strangers can trade here, no one will sell to you." "Then I must ask you for a favour."
"No, I am sorry sir I cannot. I could lose my head, if I help you."
"What if I swear to protect you?" He put his hand on her bronzed cheek. "Will you help me then?"
"What will I get out of it?"
"Typical woman." He muttered.
"Typical pirate." She said, louder.
He grinned. "Name your price."
"Perhaps you should come back to mine, and we can, talk."
Jack nodded. "Sounds good to me."
She led him back down, the now crowded cobble street. as they fought their way through Jack turned to her.
"Maybe we should get ourselves a trumpet."
She laughed. "I doubt the Garter would approve."
"So tell me more about this Garter."
"He arrived about ten years ago, invaded are small town and killed every man, woman and child that opposed him. It was a barbaric time, when you could not be sure of life from one day to the next. Control of our island kept switching between the Garter and it's people. Eventually an agreement was reached. The Garter has full control over our island, but the killings have stopped, on the surface."
"Apart from the people he runs over in the market."
She nodded, glumly. "And the families he starves to death, by charging them so much in taxes they cannot afford to eat. The agreement has changed nothing, there are still as many killings but not out in the open, they are underhanded, murders that cannot be traced back to him."
"Sounds like a pleasant sorta bloke."
She smiled. "You have no idea."
They reached the end of the market, and Joanne Baxter-Cress pulled Jack down an near by ally way. She kicked open the nearest door, and stood aside for Jack to enter. Jack peered into the dingy room, but could see nothing, it was swamped with darkness.
"I'm sorry." She muttered, as tears began to appear in her eyes. She pushed Jack into the room, and a hand grabbed him into the black. She turned and ran, without looking back.
Jo Baxter-Cress didn't stop running until she reached the entrance to the market, and there once more she interspersed with the crowd. Near a stall selling fake silver, she collapsed against the wall and began to sob.
He had seemed a nice man, but she had led him to his death. He had trusted her, and she betrayed him. she had seen the shock in his eyes when the guards had grabbed him. She buried her head in her hands and lamented for days long gone by when the Garter was a name that had never been heard of.
Meanwhile, Jack had been grabbed into the gloom. One of the guards lit an oil lamp, and the light flickered around the room. Jack stood up, and looked around. Standing close by were five heavily armed guards, wearing the official uniform of the Garter. "Who are you?" One of them demanded.
Jack didn't reply, he was working out how many weapons they had between them.
"Well?" The man who had spoken stepped forward and punched Jack, sending him reeling.
He coughed. "You must know if I have been brought 'ere."
"You have been sent to usurp the Garter, but he is the true king, no one can challenge him. You have come to claim the throne of Rhydon."
"Actually I just came for some rum." Jack said.
A/N Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far!! Please tell me what you think. Many Thanks ^_^
He was just getting his bearings when a trumpet sounded, and the people of the market began to scramble to the sides, leaving a wide gap in the middle. Jack was about to step out when a woman pulled him back.
"Have you no sense? That be very disrespectful." She said.
"To whom?" jack asked, as he stared into her young brown eyes.
"To him." She nodded towards the carriage which had begun to rumble down the cobbled walk way. Drawn by eight white horses, the carriage was one of the most ornate things Jack had ever seen. It was solid gold, engraved with precious stones. Inside Jack just caught sight of a very fat robed man.
"You would have been crushed."
"The horses would've stopped."
"The horses don't stop, I've seen it plenty of times before, especially with small children. That trumpet it's the warning bell, the only one you get. It says move out the way the Royal Carriage is coming."
"Royal?"
"Well, he's like to be referred to as royal, though how he got there I cannot say. You should watch your tongue young sir, these be dangerous times in R'don." The woman said, she was about to walk about but Jack grabbed her.
"Well you see now I wouldn't now, I am only a visitor, we came here by chance, for supplies."
"Visitors to R'don are no longer welcome, I suggest you leave."
"I'm not gonna run away from some stupid wanna-be king."
"Shush! Keep your voice down, there are many who remain ardently loyal to King Philipe, you must not shout your mouth off, when your opinions will be unwelcome."
"And you, what do you think of this 'king'?"
"I think as a visitor you should not stick your nose into politics you do not understand." She once again made to walk off. Jack gripped her arm.
"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, by the way. And you?"
"Am just leaving. A pleasure Cap'n Sparrow, but I advise you to hop back to your boat and leave now."
"Not 'til I have been blessed wit' the knowledge o' your name."
She smiled. "Very well then, Mrs Joanne Baxter-Cress."
"Mrs?"
"I am a widower sir."
"Sorry."
"Don't be, I am not. Now please, leave this place and do not return."
"I cannot 'til I have gathered supplies for my ship."
"You will get no supplies here. The Garter has brought in new laws, no strangers can trade here, no one will sell to you." "Then I must ask you for a favour."
"No, I am sorry sir I cannot. I could lose my head, if I help you."
"What if I swear to protect you?" He put his hand on her bronzed cheek. "Will you help me then?"
"What will I get out of it?"
"Typical woman." He muttered.
"Typical pirate." She said, louder.
He grinned. "Name your price."
"Perhaps you should come back to mine, and we can, talk."
Jack nodded. "Sounds good to me."
She led him back down, the now crowded cobble street. as they fought their way through Jack turned to her.
"Maybe we should get ourselves a trumpet."
She laughed. "I doubt the Garter would approve."
"So tell me more about this Garter."
"He arrived about ten years ago, invaded are small town and killed every man, woman and child that opposed him. It was a barbaric time, when you could not be sure of life from one day to the next. Control of our island kept switching between the Garter and it's people. Eventually an agreement was reached. The Garter has full control over our island, but the killings have stopped, on the surface."
"Apart from the people he runs over in the market."
She nodded, glumly. "And the families he starves to death, by charging them so much in taxes they cannot afford to eat. The agreement has changed nothing, there are still as many killings but not out in the open, they are underhanded, murders that cannot be traced back to him."
"Sounds like a pleasant sorta bloke."
She smiled. "You have no idea."
They reached the end of the market, and Joanne Baxter-Cress pulled Jack down an near by ally way. She kicked open the nearest door, and stood aside for Jack to enter. Jack peered into the dingy room, but could see nothing, it was swamped with darkness.
"I'm sorry." She muttered, as tears began to appear in her eyes. She pushed Jack into the room, and a hand grabbed him into the black. She turned and ran, without looking back.
Jo Baxter-Cress didn't stop running until she reached the entrance to the market, and there once more she interspersed with the crowd. Near a stall selling fake silver, she collapsed against the wall and began to sob.
He had seemed a nice man, but she had led him to his death. He had trusted her, and she betrayed him. she had seen the shock in his eyes when the guards had grabbed him. She buried her head in her hands and lamented for days long gone by when the Garter was a name that had never been heard of.
Meanwhile, Jack had been grabbed into the gloom. One of the guards lit an oil lamp, and the light flickered around the room. Jack stood up, and looked around. Standing close by were five heavily armed guards, wearing the official uniform of the Garter. "Who are you?" One of them demanded.
Jack didn't reply, he was working out how many weapons they had between them.
"Well?" The man who had spoken stepped forward and punched Jack, sending him reeling.
He coughed. "You must know if I have been brought 'ere."
"You have been sent to usurp the Garter, but he is the true king, no one can challenge him. You have come to claim the throne of Rhydon."
"Actually I just came for some rum." Jack said.
A/N Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far!! Please tell me what you think. Many Thanks ^_^