Damned to the depts whatever muttonhead thought of disclaimers – bah!
Right, this is where the story deviates. I am posting a toned down version of it on here and a more graphic version on affnet. There is a suggestion of rape in this chapter, so if you have any sort of problem reading scenes like that, don't read it.
Thank you for your reviews, they really help in getting me going when I don't feel like typing. Thanks to Hilary (Lin's been busy this week) for editing and kicking me up the backside every now and then!
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Chapter seven: 'All's fair in love and fighting.'
Jenny spent the next few days literally learning the ropes as Gibbs instructed her which rope did what job, having little say whether she wanted to learn them or not. But the truth was, she was glad of something to occupy her mind and hands, knowing she would probably do something rash if she grew bored. She was also grateful that she did not have time to brood about the coming nights, and Jack's bunk. Jenny eased her aching back, wondering if she would ever get used to the extremely hard work on board, then fetched a sword from the armoury when she saw Jack waiting for her. As soon as she had recovered enough strength from her fever, he had decided to teach her the finer points of swordplay.
Jenny parried Jack's stroke, taking a step to the side, but then Mr. Cottons' macaw squawked and she looked up at the noise.
'Ow!' Jenny dropped the sword, wincing in pain. 'Finer points of sword play? Ha!' Jenny muttered under her breath. Jack was a tough master who frequently resorted to cheating in order to win their duels. 'All's fair in love and fighting darlin,' he'd say. 'The fastest way ter get yerself killed is to assume your opponent will stick to the rules. They never, ever do, so yer have to play dirty, savvy?' Jenny swore she recited the words in her sleep. She picked up her sword, rubbing her hand where Jack had hit it, grumbling under her breath about giving him savvy.
'Ya lost concentration luv. Focus only on me, that way you can anticipate me next move.' Jack lunged at Jenny, making her bring her sword up quickly to parry his sword away from her. She retreated two steps then leapt forward, flattening her sword against Jacks body with the tip at his throat, whilst grabbing his balls with her free hand.
'Dirty enough for you?' Jenny's green eyes flashed in triumph as she grinned at his pain. Jack yielded the duel to her and put his coat and hat back on, watching Jenny as she walked across the deck to go and put her sword away in the armoury, feeling a wave of desire shoot through him. He sighed. 'Bloody 'ell Jack,' he thought, 'Yer goin' ter have a hard time keepin' yer promise not ter touch her.' He turned his attention to the state of the deck, barking orders for it to be cleaned to his satisfaction, anything to stop the indecent thoughts going through his head.
… … … …
Jenny looked surreptitiously around the cabin, breathing a sigh of relief when she realised Jack was not there. She then carried the pail of cold sea water to the side cabin and stripped herself, eager to clean the grime and sweat from a hard days work off her body. She wondered whether she should ask Jack if he would put a drape across the opening to give more privacy from the main cabin but decided she wanted to speak with Jack as little as she could.
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Jack felt about in his pockets and swore when he remembered he had left his spyglass in his cabin. He made his way down the hatch and opened the door quietly, for it was in Jack's nature to be quiet, as you never knew what was the other side of the door. As it turned out, this surprise was one of the more pleasant ones Jack had.
He frowned as he heard a voice humming a tune and crept across the cabin, not daring to breathe. 'Sweet Mary,' Jack thought as he caught sight of a naked Jenny washing herself, oblivious to everything. He bit his lip to keep himself from moaning out loud as he stood and watched Jenny's hands as they worked at cleaning her body. He moved back quickly as Jenny bent down to wash her legs and feet, and decided it was time to go before he was either discovered or he lost all control and leapt on the woman in his side cabin.
Jenny pulled on her clothes once more, wrinkling her nose at the smell and wishing she had clean ones to wear. She turned suddenly as the cabin door opened and John Williams, the cook, appeared. 'Oh. Hello.'
'Hello, sweetheart, just bringin' yours and th'captains' grub.' The cook placed a tray he had been carrying on the table and emptied it of its contents, laying the table as if it were for a Duke, not a pirate captain on the high seas.
'It looks delicious.' It was not a polite lie either. Jenny had been amazed at how edible the food had been since she had come aboard. The porridge in the morning she did not enjoy, but then she had never liked it much anyway, but otherwise she had been pleasantly surprised.
'Thank you lass. It helps that we get food that was intended fer the hob nobs, rather than th'likes of us. Makes it easier ter prepare good food, an' that's somethin' th'captain insists on. Good food equals a happy crew.'
'Aye that's right John,' came Jack's drawl from outside the cabin. 'There's three things that are important to a man, booze, sex and food, not necessarily in that order.' Jack walked into the cabin, looking deep into Jenny's eyes, making her uncomfortable without her knowing why.
'What about treasure?' Jenny retorted, looking away from his intent gaze.
'Ah, that's important ter pirates luv, so if yer a pirate, ya got four things that are important.' Jack dismissed the cook and pulled a chair out for Jenny, a teasing smile playing on his lips which added to her disquiet. 'Get stuck in Jenny, ya know th'drill,' Jack murmured, his voice dropping an octave or two, making it sound like rich velvet. He trailed his fingers across her shoulder as he made his way around the table and sat opposite her, still watching her attentively.
Jenny took a long drink of the ale to try and moisten her parched mouth, then reached out for some bread, catching her breath as Jack reached for the same piece and clasped her hand in his. 'I-I'm sorry, you have it.' She snatched her hand away and busied herself by filling her plate with slices of beef, some potatoes and other vegetables
'I'll have ter fetch th'bath tub from th'hold. You'll be needing a wash soon I imagine.' Try as he might, Jack could not keep a smirk from his face and he stuffed a hunk of bread in his mouth, chewing it to disguise his amusement.
Jenny looked across the table at Jack with growing horror, wondering if he had seen her washing earlier. 'Don't be silly,' she chided herself, 'I'd have heard him if he had.' But she could not help but feel even worse as the doubt nagged at her. She took another gulp of the ale and smiled weakly as Jack leaned over and re-filled her mug.
Jack smiled conspiratorially to himself as Jenny's eyes began to glaze over the more alcohol she had, then leapt to his feet as she stood and swayed unsteadily. 'Easy does it darlin,' Jack laughed, guiding her to a window seat at the stern of the cabin. He went and rummaged through a drawer in a tallboy, before producing a tin and Jenny watched as he got some leaf out of the tin and put it into a long pipe. He lit it, inhaling deeply and soon the air was filled with a sickly sweet, pungent aroma making her eyes sting.
'Want ter try some luv?' Jack held the pipe to her lips and watched with amusement as she drew in a mouthful, then gasped and coughed as it hit her lungs.
'What on earth is that?' Jenny wheezed when she had got enough breath back to speak.
'Hemp luv, just th'thing ter help ya relax.' Jack drew another deep breath, a rapturous smile on his face, then he blew smoke rings into the room, grinning at himself. 'Tis ironic really when ya consider that th'plant this comes from is also used to make th'hangman's rope.'
Jack leaned so close to Jenny that she thought he was going to kiss her, but he gently blew smoke at her, so that she had no choice but to inhale it.
Her head swam as the smoke started to make her feel more woozy than she did before and she tried to focus her eyes on Jack, gasping in alarm when she saw there were two of him, and both were swaying wildly. She shook her head, clearing it of the image, then re-focused her eyes and opened the window, leaning out to get some fresh air. She tensed as Jack leaned against her body and nuzzled her neck, the hard bristles from his moustache scratching her skin, his hands cupping her firm breasts.
'What are you doing?' Jenny shouted, pushing back against him, which made him moan and shudder with desire as her bottom connected with his growing erection. She pushed again and broke free of him and made for the door, cursing under her breath as he somehow beat her to it.
'Now luv, where d'ya think you're going?' Jack's voice was soft, deep, his eyes like pools you could drown in.
'Away from you, you scoundrel.' Jenny's heart was pounding so hard she felt sure Jack could see it through her shirt.
'Jack laughed, 'Scoundrel? Well that's one o'the more polite things I been called luv.' He moved closer again and paused, a hairs breadth away from Jenny's lips. She could taste the hemp and the rum on his hot breath and tried to turn her head away, but found his hands either side of her face. Leaning on the door behind her, he held her head in place while he brushed his lips against hers, his eyes looking deep into hers. A small part of her wondered at how soft Jack's lips were, in contrast to almost everything else about him, then she gasped as he pressed harder and his tongue flicked against them seeking an entrance which Jenny would not give.
'I will not sleep with you Jack Sparrow, now get off me.' Jenny summoned up all her strength and pushed him away, then frantically turned the doorknob, crying out in frustration when she realized the door was locked. She turned and glared at Jack as he held the key up just out of her reach, a smug smile on his face. 'So, you're going to force yourself on me then?'
Jack's face fell in mock sorrow, but his eyes danced with amusement. 'Nah luv, I told ya, I'm not goin' ter make ya sleep wi'me. I'll give ye a choice. Ya can sleep here or in th'brig.'
'THE BRIG? What sort of choice is that, you bastard?'
Jack laughed again, 'Ah, we do know naughtier words then? Well Jenny, ya can sleep here, with me, or ya can do back down the brig. But the thing is I don't want them good clothes spoiled, so ya'd have to take them off before ya go down to the brig.'
'What? You'd send me down there naked? You're despicable.' Jenny shrank further against the door in an attempt to get away from him, but it was useless.
'Nah, not naked luv, you'd still have yer under garments on. But you'd have to go the long way round, through the crew's quarters. Tis an old custom, anyone who goes down the brig for a third time has to be paraded around the ship.' Jack reached out to Jenny and started unbuttoning her shirt, batting away her restraining hand as he slipped the shirt off her shoulders, stroking her arms with the back of his fingers.
'There must be somewhere else I can sleep?' Jenny tried to push Jack away, shuddering when his lips pressed against her neck, his tongue lapping at her skin like a cat at milk.
'Aye luv, there's the crew's quarters,' he chuckled, untying the laces on her breeches, slipping his hands inside and sliding them down.
'NO!' Jenny struggled away, pulling her breeches back up.
'Dunno what yer doin' that for luv, they've got ter come off anyway before ye go to the brig.' Jack's eyes glinted dangerously.
'Why do you want me? You can have whores aplenty at the next port.' The desperation sounded in Jenny's voice.
'Yes I can Jen, but I want a real woman. I've almost forgotten what it's like to make luv to a real woman.' Jack tangled his fingers in Jenny's hair and pulled her to him, kissing her hungrily, lips and tongue exploring her mouth, his free hand sliding down the back of her breeches, moaning as he felt her taut buttocks. He continued exploring her body as he removed each item of clothing, then led Jenny to his bunk, his eyes raking her naked body as he lay on top of her and took her for his own, either not hearing or ignoring the cry of pain as he entered her. He started to get angry at her prostrate figure beneath him and withdrew from her and thinking he had finished, Jenny relaxed slightly.
'C'mon Jenny, it's like fucking a plank of wood luv,' Jack frowned in frustration.
'You forget that I'm doing this against my will.'
'I gave you a choice, you chose this remember?' Jenny tensed as she felt Jack press against her again and then yelped as he drove into her roughly and pounded her urgently, until his back arched and his face was twisted in a look of agony and ecstasy as Jenny felt hot liquid pour into her.
Jack withdrew and collapsed on top of her, breathing raggedly. He eventually rolled off and went to pull Jenny to lie on top of him, but she pushed his hands away and got off the bunk, shivering as she dressed herself quickly. She went and huddled in the chair, shaking and crying softly.
Jack lay there staring at her for quite some time, cursing to himself. He knew he had handled it wrong and in retrospect, realised that it perhaps wasn't a good idea to smoke some hemp as it had made him lose control and he now had an uphill battle to win Jenny over, but he had needed her with a desperation that surprised, even alarmed him. With a last, longing look at Jenny, Jack turned over and gave in to his heavy eyelids.
… … … …
Jenny sat in the chair watching as the dawn started to break, rubbing her eyes. She had barely had any sleep and felt dog tired. She stood gingerly, stretching to ease her stiff muscles, then crept over to the door, glaring in frustration at it when it did not open, as she had forgotten Jack had locked it the previous evening. She wandered over to the windows and opened one, leaning out and taking deep gulps of the bracing sea air. She looked down at the squally sea and gasped at the thought that suddenly came to her. 'Should I jump in?' She looked back at the sleeping figure of Jack on the bunk, then back to the sea, swirling around the hull of the ship. 'Would I be better off dead, than have to endure life on here?' The sea seemed hypnotic and Jenny felt herself being pulled forwards, out of the open window. She was broken from her trance-like state by an arm pulling her roughly away from the window.
'Tis not a nice death luv.'
Jenny's breath came in ragged gulps as she pulled away from Jack's naked embrace. 'I was not going to……' She looked frantically at the open window, trying to work out what had come over her.
'Nah, people never want to, but the sea calls to 'em luv, lures them in, an' before they know it, they're lost.' Jack pulled Jenny back to him, cradling her in his arms until she felt the hardness rising in him and broke away once more.
'I'm quite all right now thank you. I'd like to go on deck now please.' Jenny asked in a voice calmer than the turmoil going on inside her, then walked over to the door and looked at it pointedly.
'It'll be breakfast soon. Have it here, then we'll find ya something to do, savvy?'
Right on cue there came a knock at the door. Jack pulled on his breeches and retrieved the key from his coat pocket, unlocking the door and allowing a crewman entrance with a tray containing two bowls and two mugs. He placed it on the table, then left, smiling sardonically at Jenny.
Jenny bit back tears as she realized the whole crew probably knew what happened the previous night, and she was dreading facing them, wondering if they would try to force themselves on her as their captain had done. She swallowed a spoonful of oats, conceding that they at least tasted better than yesterday morning, then took a drink from the mug, expecting water and getting watered down ale instead.
'Ale? This hour?'
Jack laughed, through a mouthful of porridge, 'Aye luv, sometimes the ale's fresher than th'water. Get it down, it will not kill ya.' He finished off his food, then went to the chest, containing his clothes and effects. 'Here luv, will ya put this on me?' Jack handed Jenny his bandana.
'I'm not sure how.'
'Just put it around me head, then tie it at th'back, I'll soon tell ya if it's right or not.' Jack sat in his chair, so Jenny could reach.
Jenny took the salt encrusted red bandana and wound it around Jack's head, tying it securely. She noted how clean Jack's hair was which surprised her. 'Where are we going?'
'That's great luv, ta. We're goin' ter San Juan, I'd normally go ter Tortuga, but we had a little…. trouble before th'storm hit.' Jack finished dressing, placed his hat on his head and led the way to the deck, whistling to himself as he went.
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