Chapter 5

The Piercin' Pirate

Twigg was kind enough to let Raggeti do his next watch from the bowsprit the morning after, making for a fun job this time. Of course, Raggeti was attached by a line to the foremast, just in case. There was another man on watch from the mainmast, for a higher view.

Pintel, while working around The Aaralyn was sure to keep a sharp eye out for Raggeti. If he happened to slip and fall, and the rope happened to come loose, Pintel would happen be there to carry out the dashing rescue of his matey.

Twigg was also watching Raggeti, because he was a little worried of any incapability. So far Raggeti seemed to prove everyone wrong, of course, there hadn't been a thing to look out for yet. Today would be no different. At least, that's what they all assumed.

"Ey, cap'n?" Raggeti shouted. Twigg looked up and ran out onto the quarter deck.

"What? Did y'see something'?" The captain asked eagerly. Raggeti nodded.

"Aye, I think so. Let me get a better look." Raggeti stood up, holding on tightly to the forestay ropes. He pulled a spy glass from his belt and gazed out in the direction he'd been looking.

"A ship. A real nice rakish look'n un'!" Raggeti cried. By now men had gathered at the bow, looking eagerly outward. Pintel, one of them, pushed through the crowd over to Twigg.

"I know that ship." He said as the black speck in the distance became larger.

"Who is it?" Twigg cried, turning from the sea to Pintel.

"It's Piercin' Pirate. Old ship, captained by ol' Luke Harth. Wunnerful seaman, had the pleasure of sailin' with him a while 'for I picked up Raggeti and ended up on the Black Pearl." Twigg swatted at him.

"I don' care. Put up the white flag, 'for he bomb bards us." Twigg ordered. Pintel laughed, marching off.

"That he would!"

Raggeti started to climb back to the ship but tripped over the forestay boom and splated on the deck. Twigg looked down at him and shook his head. He spun around on his heel and wandered back amidships through the crowd.

Raggeti tried to push himself off the deck, but he was pushed back down by Grapple, who had his foot on Raggeti's back.

"Hullo, mate." Grapple grinned. Some other pirates wandered over mischievously and started to smirk at poor Raggeti.

"Was'a matter, mate? Can't git up?" One of the crooned. This pirate was Mallet, Grapple's best matey.

Raggeti brought his shoulders up to his jaw and pouted, looking quite scared as he usually did when provoked or mocked. One of the pirates kicked him and another spat. Raggeti grunted and pushed himself up once more. He was slammed back to the deck by Grapple.

Bang!

A shot resounded into the sky from Twigg's pistol.

"That will do!" He shouted. Mallet and the other pirates scrambled, but Grapple was late and Twigg grabbed him by the arm. He threw the obviously larger man into the rail. Grapple, on instinct, pushed himself back at Twigg but Twigg pulled out his pistol and stopped Grapple.

"Pintel!" He shouted. Pintel, from where he had just finished his last task, groaned and wandered over. When he saw Raggeti he immediately ran to him and pulled him up.

"Y'all right, mate?" He asked. Twigg growled.

"Pintel, escort our helmsman to the brig. Keep him there for three days, no food, two days without water. If you wonder why, he's in for assaultin' his cap'n." Pintel looked shocked, but obeyed. He let go of Raggeti and grabbed Grapple by the arms, leading him off.

"Thanks cap'n." Raggeti mumbled.

"Didn't do it for you, mate." He scoffed. Once again he spun around and marched off. All through this the Piercing Pirate had let down it's anchor, and the Aaralyn was soon pulling along side it. As Pintel came back above deck, Twigg started calling out orders.

"Let go the anchor, flake in the sails, mates. Do it smartly now! Nay, mates, pay out more anchor! Come now, have you forgotten all this when you were locked away?" Twigg rubbed his forehead, covering his eyes with his hands. He opened them to be perfectly lined up on the portside of the Piercin' Pirate. He grinned.

"Now lay down the plank, ye lazy lot!" He called out. Pintel rushed over the gangplank first, hoping up on it. He started to cross but he was grabbed from behind by Twigg.

"Cap'n first. 'Member that." Twigg stepped around his first mate and waltzed across, Pintel following, and of course then Raggeti following Pintel.

"G'day, Cap'n Harth!" Twigg cried, hopping down from the plank. Pintel landed roughly behind him, bumping into him slightly. Twigg squeezed his eyes shut, embarrassed by his crew and Pintel. Raggeti hopped down next, landing face flat on the deck. Twigg smacked his forehead, not even having to turn around to know what happened.

"G'day... Ey, that... Pintel?" Captain Harth looked around at Pintel, who was still helping Raggeti up. Pintel let go of Raggeti's arm, sending him back to the deck. He held out his newly freed hand to Captain Harth.

"Good to see ya, mate." Pintel clapped his hand heartily into Harth's. They shook for a moment, then looked at Twigg, who was glaring at them both.

"Aaaaan' this is me cap'n, cap'n Twigg." Pintel slapped a hand onto Twigg's shoulder and Twigg shook his hand off.

"Pleasure, I'm sure." Twigg shook hands with Harth.

"So, did you want to talk about something, or did me little buddy Pintel just want see me 'gain." Pintel chuckled, knowing what Twigg was thinking. 'Little buddy? Damn, just take him if you like him that much' Twigg thought.

'Maybe he'll let me an' Raggeti just go with Harth' Pintel thought.

'Why am I still laying on this deck?' Raggeti thought. "Why am I still laying on this deck?" He mumbled aloud. Pintel gasped and pulled Raggeti up swiftly, dusting him off.

"Sorry mate, forgot you was down there." He chuckled. Harth stood there, fully enjoying the entertainment.

"Yes well, since you're here, an' Pintel's such a good friend o' mine, 'ow bout we negotiates an alliance?" Harth finally broke in. Twigg grinned.

"That sounds about right." He turned to Raggeti and Pintel.

"Pintel, see to it that Raggeti is brought back the ship without killing himself." Twigg ordered. Pintel gave a weak nod and started leading Raggeti back.

.....

The Black Pearl had arrived in Port Royal early that morning, with the navy to carefully greet them. Jack, after all was straightened out, immediately asked to see Will. Admiral Derrae agreed.

Bang bang bang!

Will heard a rough knock on his shop door. He sat forward in his chair, looking around a bit groggy.

"It's the navy! Elizabeth's been kidnapped!" He heard a shout from the door. He sprung up and ran over, swinging the door open.

"Jack!" He cried. "You shouldn't have scared me like that!" Jack chuckled mischievously.

"Aye, but I did anyways." Jack shrugged, walking past Will into the shop. He took off his coat and threw it back at Will, expecting him to catch it.

"Ah, it looks..." He took a deep breath. "The same..." He sighed, hoping down the ledge.

"I didn't bother to change it after Jonathan Brown left the shop to me." Will said, tossing the coat onto the ground and following Jack.

"Oh well, I can see that." Jack slid his finger over Will's chair, which was gathering dust, then looked at the tip of his finger. He looked utterly disgusted at the layer of dirt.

"Elizabeth's here." Will said.

"Oh aye? How is she... where is she? I certainly don't see her." Jack looked around.

"She's out back. I asked her a favor for a moment while she stopped by." Will looked out to the back door. "She's fine, anyways. We're hoping, that when Commodore Norrington returns he'll help with the funds, as he promised, for a wedding."

"A wedding!" Jack exclaimed, spinning around towards Will. He squinted and inquired. "What sort of drinks will you be serving?"

"We don't know yet..." Will chuckled. "But, if you are attending, there is sure to be some rum." Jack looked ecstatic.

"Jack?" Elizabeth pushed through the door. "Jack!"

Jack beamed. "Ah, there's the blushing bride!" He cried. He ran over and, without asking her, took her coat.

"Nice to see you too, Jack." She smiled. He tossed her clean jacket onto the dust gathering chair.

"Yes it is nice to see me. I see we're all in the same state of mind here." Jack kissed her on the hand for a moment. Elizabeth tugged, and tugged.

"Jack!" With her free and she slapped him away. Jack backed up and grinned.

"Excuse me, Miss Swann, if you will." Elizabeth gave a disgusted look, then smiled.

"So, when will you be leaving?"

Jack got a little more serious. "Well, I hope to weigh anchor by supper. Not entirely sure though." He paused. "Will you be accompanying me, Will?"

Will looked at Elizabeth uneasily, then stuttered, "Aye."

.....

"So, my friend, you see the ordeal I'm in." Captain Luke Harth finished what he was saying to Twigg. He simply informed him of his late problems.

"Oh yes. I've had problems with those Port Royal navy men and The Dauntless." Twigg sighed. Luke Harth nodded knowingly.

"I'd been getting closer to Port Royal, planning to attack them. Then I heard that they had sent notice to the king. I'm positive they'll be the ones to retrieve me. If they do, I don't know what twill happen to me loverly ship." Luke slid his hand up and down the wood work of the cabin they were in.

"Well, as fellow pirate, I unerstand your ordeal. No doubt The Dauntless will be following me. Although as far as I know, they would've been pointed in the direction of Tortuga to find me." Twigg replied.

"That could make for some problems. Imagine that Admiral Derrae getting his hands on a pirate haven. There'd be pirate blood strewn to the ends o' the earth!" Harth cried, almost a bit too loud. "Ahem... Well, since we're floating together at the moment, we're also a hot spot for His Majesty's Royal Navy. Seeing as we're both highly wanted now."

"It's actually a nice feeling... although an utterly unbearable one." Twigg rubbed his forehead. "My crew isn't helping too much either."

"I can imagine." Harth mumbled.

"Cap'n! We spots a ship. A little schooner just over de 'orizon." A man, dressed from head to toe in red, called into the cabin. Harth shot up from his chair, and followed the man above deck. Twigg was at his heels.

"Out there." The man pointed eastward over the portside rail, past The Aaralyn's deck. Harth took up a spyglass and looked out for the ship spoken of.

"Aye, a little un. No doubt loaded with lovely trinkets though. Women too." The red man smiled.

"Arr, they be trinkets too."

"True." Harth smacked his spyglass back and spun around. "Captain Twigg, I have a plan. If you'll accept." Twigg followed Harth amidships.

"What would that be?" He asked. Harth stopped.

"Weigh yer anchor, let down yer sails and run round the stern o' that ship. Turn yer guns on it. I'll do so forward. Don' shoot unless they don't surrender. Though a tiny ship like that the pretty much have no choice in the matter." Twigg nodded and ran back to the gangplank.

.....

Estrella sat above deck on The Raking. She'd been on ships few times before, so she was quite frightened. Luckily she was not sick.

"Miss Renard! The ship's under attack!" A man cried. She jumped up and looked over the rail, gasping. "It's the Aaralyn!" She screamed. The ships captain came behind her.

"We'll have to surrender. There's no other way." He looked obviously displeased, but Estrella saw a looked of absolute excitement hidden in his eyes. He turned to go back to the quarter deck, but she grabbed him by the arm.

"But what shall I do?" She shouted. He took a deep breath.

"As of now... whatever they tell you to." He motioned out to the Piercin' Pirate, then continued walking away. Estrella bit her lip nervously and ran below deck. Maybe I can hide somewhere, she thought to herself. She pushed through every door and so no place to hide. She realized it probably wouldn't be smart to hide anyways. What if the pirates sink the ship? Thoughts ran wildly through her head. She made up her mind.

"There's no way around it. I'm going to die." She cried running back above deck. She was greeted by the sound of shouting from The Piercin' Pirate.

.....