She sat down quietly on the edge of her bed, wondering why she looked so
hideous. 'Could it be? Surely that old woman could not have put a curse on
me. But it must be true, for I am now the repulsive looking commoner I had
described to her in the marketplace.'
"Oh, what to do?" she cried.
But soon she found herself looking at the horrific sight of the town below from her balcony. It was being attacked! But wait, what was that? Gemma peered over the edge a little further and thought she saw someone who resembled her father being carried to town by a man, presumably a pirate.
"Oh no!"
Gemma hurriedly changed out of the clothes she now wore and put on breeches, boots, and a white shirt. She went to her armoire and grabbed her sword that she kept hidden in the back and went to her bed to grab the pistol that she stores underneath the pillow. With all of her effects, she leaped off the balcony and onto the hard ground below. She landed with a thud and sprinted for the town, little tears streaking her face.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Chapter 4:
As Gemma made her way into town, she noticed people running around in all directions screaming for their lives. Another thing she noticed too, though, was that there was no bloodshed. The pirates were chasing people, but they did not seem to want to harm anybody.
'How odd' she thought to herself.
Once again she brought herself to search for her father, scanning the scenery to find any trace of where he might have been taken. Her eyes focused on the gypsy woman from earlier. Anger suddenly filled her insides, and without her knowledge, it had completely taken over her and she had walked over to her, fury building up inside.
"How dare you do something like this to me!" she screeched at the woman.
"What in the heavens are you talking about child?" she replied smugly, a smirk forming on her lips.
"You did this to me! You placed this curse upon me! You are the one causing my suffering!" Gemma took a step closer and smacked her in the face.
"You better pray that there is a cure for this, this, this THING you have done to me!"
"Well, of course there is something that will alleviate your newly found troubles. That one thing will cost you however..." the gypsy said, a gleam of pleasure hinting inside her eyes.
"Don't you think you've already caused me enough pain? Look at me, I'm disgusting!" she yelled with rage.
"That is true, but only for a reason. Before today you were a gorgeous young woman with many hopes and dreams including marriage and adventure. Now, you search for your father, who, might I add, has already been taken captive by pirates, and you must set off to the docks before you loose him forever."
Gemma looked at her with pure shock. How can someone be like this? And her father- was he alright? ' I must go after him now before its too late!' she thought.
Without paying the woman another glance, she turned around and started running towards the docks.
"The key to unfolding your beauty is held within your lover's heart! He must return the feeling!" the gypsy called after Gemma, but she had already turned the corner.
'What did she just yell?' she asked out loud. ' Oh well, no time to think about it now, gotta get down to the docks'. Gemma kept running until she saw the glistening blue water. She inspected the ships using only to find a beautiful black one that people were loading cargo onto.
She stepped onto the gangplank with caution, avoiding all eye contact with others until she bumped into a burly looking man.
"Sorry sir." Gemma said sheepishly. She knew it was a fool's errand walking onto a pirate ship without permission, but she had to find her father!
"You don't have permission to be aboard here mate" he replied.
Gemma looked up into the eyes of the stranger. Something told her these men would not harm her.
"I wish to speak to the captain if you please." She stated.
"What for?" the man asked curiously
"That is none of your concern. Please take me to him at once! I wish to talk about private matters."
Figuring it was about her offering to be one of his whores, he motioned for her to follow. 'Surely ain't purdy like the rest of 'em though' he chuckled at the idea.
Gemma made sure to stay close behind this man. The men of the ship were looking at her peculiarly. Their expressions showed something undetectable, not lust, heavens no, for no man should look at her in this state and feel the urge, but something entirely different.
She soon found herself walking into what seemed to be the captain's quarters. There was a man sitting in the corner with his hat pulled over his eyes and he appeared to be asleep by the faint snoring noises coming from his nose.
"Capt'n Jack, someone's 'ere to see ya!" the man hollered.
At the sudden noise, the supposed captain abruptly sat up and instantly regretted doing so when he fell straight to the floor landing on his butt. Gemma couldn't help but snort as she tried to contain the laughter currently burning her insides at his current situation even though she felt it was rude. But, seeing the captain laugh slightly as well, she assumed she would be just fine.
"Sorry Capt'n, but theres a lass here 'oo wishes to see ya."
"Quite alright Brutus. You may show yerself out now."
The man now known as Brutus strolled out of the cabin, completely unfazed by the captain's fall. Jack stood up and patted down his clothes pretending to get the permanent wrinkles out.
"Now Miss- "Jack stopped, wondering what her name was.
"Doyle, Gemma Doyle. Pleased to meet you." Gemma extended her hand to which Jack took hesitantly.
"Alright Miss Doyle, what is it that you wished to discuss?"
"Well, Captain, I believe I saw you carry my father off. Or was I mistaken?"
Jack thought a moment, wondering what the girl could possible give to him for her father's freedom even though he had no intention of keeping him prisoner. In fact, he was going to let the man go the next morning. But, if there can indeed be a profit, why push it away?
"No, you were not mistaken. It seems that your father and I had a little run in and he wasn't too fortunate. But I can't think of anything you could give me in return for his independence that would even come to me fancy."
Gemma didn't have a clue either, to tell the truth. All she knew was that she had to save her father from becoming a slave to some pirate, even if that meant taking his place.
Gemma held her head down low, hiding her face from Jack's.
"I wish to take his place on the ship. I will do everything you would have intended him to do. I promise I will not try to escape nor will I complain to anyone."
'This girl obviously loves her father. But, it would be sort of amusing to keep her and se what kind of trouble she stirs up on the ship with Gibbs. I think that'll do.'
"Well Missy, it we have an accord."
For the first time, Gemma stared at her new captain and studied his face with awe. Not only was he extremely handsome, but he also had an aura of trust and kindness surrounding him. He most likely would have flirted with her if she were to have looked like her old self, too. This caused her lip to quiver a little at the horrid thought of staying like this forever.
She stuck her hand out to reach his without any further hesitation, and grabbed it with such force, she immediately let go again before once more sticking it back out to shake properly. The moment their bodies touched, she felt pings of emotion flying throughout her body. Emotions such as desire and love, wondering if she could ever be loved looking like this, and unsure about how strenuous it would really be to work on a ship such as this one.
'This will most likely be a trip I'll never forget.' She thought to herself after tagging the captain as "off limits".
"Oh, what to do?" she cried.
But soon she found herself looking at the horrific sight of the town below from her balcony. It was being attacked! But wait, what was that? Gemma peered over the edge a little further and thought she saw someone who resembled her father being carried to town by a man, presumably a pirate.
"Oh no!"
Gemma hurriedly changed out of the clothes she now wore and put on breeches, boots, and a white shirt. She went to her armoire and grabbed her sword that she kept hidden in the back and went to her bed to grab the pistol that she stores underneath the pillow. With all of her effects, she leaped off the balcony and onto the hard ground below. She landed with a thud and sprinted for the town, little tears streaking her face.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Chapter 4:
As Gemma made her way into town, she noticed people running around in all directions screaming for their lives. Another thing she noticed too, though, was that there was no bloodshed. The pirates were chasing people, but they did not seem to want to harm anybody.
'How odd' she thought to herself.
Once again she brought herself to search for her father, scanning the scenery to find any trace of where he might have been taken. Her eyes focused on the gypsy woman from earlier. Anger suddenly filled her insides, and without her knowledge, it had completely taken over her and she had walked over to her, fury building up inside.
"How dare you do something like this to me!" she screeched at the woman.
"What in the heavens are you talking about child?" she replied smugly, a smirk forming on her lips.
"You did this to me! You placed this curse upon me! You are the one causing my suffering!" Gemma took a step closer and smacked her in the face.
"You better pray that there is a cure for this, this, this THING you have done to me!"
"Well, of course there is something that will alleviate your newly found troubles. That one thing will cost you however..." the gypsy said, a gleam of pleasure hinting inside her eyes.
"Don't you think you've already caused me enough pain? Look at me, I'm disgusting!" she yelled with rage.
"That is true, but only for a reason. Before today you were a gorgeous young woman with many hopes and dreams including marriage and adventure. Now, you search for your father, who, might I add, has already been taken captive by pirates, and you must set off to the docks before you loose him forever."
Gemma looked at her with pure shock. How can someone be like this? And her father- was he alright? ' I must go after him now before its too late!' she thought.
Without paying the woman another glance, she turned around and started running towards the docks.
"The key to unfolding your beauty is held within your lover's heart! He must return the feeling!" the gypsy called after Gemma, but she had already turned the corner.
'What did she just yell?' she asked out loud. ' Oh well, no time to think about it now, gotta get down to the docks'. Gemma kept running until she saw the glistening blue water. She inspected the ships using only to find a beautiful black one that people were loading cargo onto.
She stepped onto the gangplank with caution, avoiding all eye contact with others until she bumped into a burly looking man.
"Sorry sir." Gemma said sheepishly. She knew it was a fool's errand walking onto a pirate ship without permission, but she had to find her father!
"You don't have permission to be aboard here mate" he replied.
Gemma looked up into the eyes of the stranger. Something told her these men would not harm her.
"I wish to speak to the captain if you please." She stated.
"What for?" the man asked curiously
"That is none of your concern. Please take me to him at once! I wish to talk about private matters."
Figuring it was about her offering to be one of his whores, he motioned for her to follow. 'Surely ain't purdy like the rest of 'em though' he chuckled at the idea.
Gemma made sure to stay close behind this man. The men of the ship were looking at her peculiarly. Their expressions showed something undetectable, not lust, heavens no, for no man should look at her in this state and feel the urge, but something entirely different.
She soon found herself walking into what seemed to be the captain's quarters. There was a man sitting in the corner with his hat pulled over his eyes and he appeared to be asleep by the faint snoring noises coming from his nose.
"Capt'n Jack, someone's 'ere to see ya!" the man hollered.
At the sudden noise, the supposed captain abruptly sat up and instantly regretted doing so when he fell straight to the floor landing on his butt. Gemma couldn't help but snort as she tried to contain the laughter currently burning her insides at his current situation even though she felt it was rude. But, seeing the captain laugh slightly as well, she assumed she would be just fine.
"Sorry Capt'n, but theres a lass here 'oo wishes to see ya."
"Quite alright Brutus. You may show yerself out now."
The man now known as Brutus strolled out of the cabin, completely unfazed by the captain's fall. Jack stood up and patted down his clothes pretending to get the permanent wrinkles out.
"Now Miss- "Jack stopped, wondering what her name was.
"Doyle, Gemma Doyle. Pleased to meet you." Gemma extended her hand to which Jack took hesitantly.
"Alright Miss Doyle, what is it that you wished to discuss?"
"Well, Captain, I believe I saw you carry my father off. Or was I mistaken?"
Jack thought a moment, wondering what the girl could possible give to him for her father's freedom even though he had no intention of keeping him prisoner. In fact, he was going to let the man go the next morning. But, if there can indeed be a profit, why push it away?
"No, you were not mistaken. It seems that your father and I had a little run in and he wasn't too fortunate. But I can't think of anything you could give me in return for his independence that would even come to me fancy."
Gemma didn't have a clue either, to tell the truth. All she knew was that she had to save her father from becoming a slave to some pirate, even if that meant taking his place.
Gemma held her head down low, hiding her face from Jack's.
"I wish to take his place on the ship. I will do everything you would have intended him to do. I promise I will not try to escape nor will I complain to anyone."
'This girl obviously loves her father. But, it would be sort of amusing to keep her and se what kind of trouble she stirs up on the ship with Gibbs. I think that'll do.'
"Well Missy, it we have an accord."
For the first time, Gemma stared at her new captain and studied his face with awe. Not only was he extremely handsome, but he also had an aura of trust and kindness surrounding him. He most likely would have flirted with her if she were to have looked like her old self, too. This caused her lip to quiver a little at the horrid thought of staying like this forever.
She stuck her hand out to reach his without any further hesitation, and grabbed it with such force, she immediately let go again before once more sticking it back out to shake properly. The moment their bodies touched, she felt pings of emotion flying throughout her body. Emotions such as desire and love, wondering if she could ever be loved looking like this, and unsure about how strenuous it would really be to work on a ship such as this one.
'This will most likely be a trip I'll never forget.' She thought to herself after tagging the captain as "off limits".