Chapter 6
Estrella?
"Surrender your ship, and we'll naught do thy harm." Harth shouted. He thought he should talk as English as possible, since these people were obviously high toned. The captain of The Raking glared over at Harth.
"What do you want from us?" He called back.
"Are y'dimwitted? We wants everything. Yer ship, all yer pluner, an' yer women. Thas' all. No harm done." Harth switched back to his normal piraty talk. They wouldn't care of his grammar when they were at the bottom of the ocean.
The Raking was in a state of panic, but there was nothing else for them to do. They had to surrender. "Alright then." The captain said, taking a deep breath. "Men, drop your weapons." He called back to his crew. They all obeyed. Estrella ran over to the captain, up on the quarter deck.
"But, they'll sink The Raking!" She cried. The captain tightened his jaw.
"What else is there to do?" He said, a bit harshly. Estrella looked out to the other ships worriedly. They were all preparing to board.
"I have to hide." She said to herself, running off down the stairs on deck. Before she could make it to the steps below, a pirate landed in front of her. She screamed and ran the other way, bumping into another pirate. These were all men from The Piercing Pirate.
"Ello, pretty miss." The pirate said, taking her by the arms. At that moment Raggeti swung over the aft of the boat and lost his grip. He flew right into the pirate, knocking him away from Estrella. She screamed again and turned the other way, making her way through the crowd of sailors and pirates. Raggeti jumped up and followed her all the way below deck.
"Leave me be!" She cried, throwing herself against the door at the end of the hallway. Estrella jiggled the knob but it wouldn't turn. Raggeti grabbed her by the shoulder and spun her around to face him. He looked absolutely shocked.
"Estrella?" He asked, squinting at her with his one good eye. Estrella pushed back hard against the door.
"H-how do you know my name?" She asked, her eyes growing wide. Raggeti smiled.
"I's me, Raggeti." He said. Estrella glared at him.
"No your not!" She cried. She tried to run past him but he stopped her and pushed her backwards carefully.
"I'm ain't?" He looked down at himself. He felt himself carefully. "I feel like me."
Estrella looked at him closely then once again burst out, "My brother is NOT a pirate!" Though she very well knew he was.
Raggeti once again checked himself over closely. "Well I should think he is." He finally concluded. Estrella squinted at him.
"What happened to your eye?" She cried. Raggeti touched his wooden eye and asked, "Which un'?"
"The-the wooden one." She answered, totally mortified.
"Oh that un'. There was a little problem with watcha call, shivered timbers." Estrella took a step forward, still wary of him. "You wanna hold it?" Raggeti popped the wooden eye out of the socket and held it out to her.
"No!" She jumped backwards, then smiled. "It really must be you." Raggeti smiled triumphantly.
"Edwardian Jonathan Isaac Raggeti Vant! What on earth are you doing on a pirate ship!?" She screamed. Raggeti lowered his head and pouted, taking a few steps back.
"Wait, this is a pirate ship?" Estrella slapped her forehead.
"Never mind." She moaned. "I just thought Mama an' Papa raised you better."
"Mother an' John." Raggeti corrected.
"For you maybe." She muttered. "He always asked you to call him father..." Raggeti popped his eye back in place and sighed, "What do I do with ye now?" Estrella thought carefully.
"Take me back to your ship." She said. She'd never had a real adventure in her life. This would be her chance! Raggeti looked remorseful though.
"The ship is loaded with 'orrible pirates though." He cried. Estrella raised her eyebrows sarcastically.
"Oh and I suppose you're just a lovely, kind flower of a pirate among the thorns." Raggeti shrugged. "I give up."
"I'm going back with you. You're my brother whom I haven't seen since I was a child when you ran off to sail with that horrible man-"
"Pintel." Raggeti finished. Estrella nodded with a harsh look on her face. "Yes, that man."
With perfect timing Pintel strolled up behind them. "Oh, Raggeti, what did you catch? She's a fine un'" Raggeti glared at him.
"She's me sis'!" He growled. Pintel smiled.
"Oh. So that means she's free, right?" Estrella backed up against the wall. Raggeti shielded Estrella from Pintel.
"Most certainly not." Raggeti said. Pintel frowned.
"Ah, so yer one o' those protective older brothers, eh?" Raggeti pouted again.
"We're taking her back to the ship." He said, putting his hand on Estrella's shoulder. Pintel grinned and nodded.
"Aye then. I promise I'll be gentleman." He said, taking her hand. Estrella stuck out her jaw as Pintel kissed her hand softly, then she tugged away when she thought he'd had enough. Raggeti looked enraged.
"That will do, mate." He said uneasily. Estrella rubbed the back of her hand on her dress.
"Aye then. Whatever ye say. Tis' yer sis." Pintel gave what he though was a dashing smile to Estrella. She read it as a ghastly leer though.
"Les' jus' head back to the ship." Raggeti sighed. He lead Estrella by her shoulders past his matey. Pintel just shrugged and followed close behind them.
.....
Will helped Jack and the crew load up supplies onto the Pearl before they set sail. Gunpowder, food, cannon balls, and extra weapons were all tossed up the gangplank. They traveled across the deck all the way to the scuttle, down below, then down through the hall and all the way to they're correct places. Food to the galleys, gunpowder to the hold, and cannon balls and extra weapons to the armory. Will was in charge of taking care of things below deck. Jack threw orders about above deck with the help of Gibbs. Anamaria took charge on the docks, seeing to it that no one else's cargo was taken. Although, given that they were pirates, they could very well take some one else's cargo. They'd just have to suffer the consciences after going against they're word to Admiral Derrae to behave.
"That's the last of it." Anamaria concluded, tromping up the gangplank and over to Jack. Jack nodded.
"Wonderful. By the way, what exactly was there that Admiral Derrae allowed us to have?" He asked, watching the last few things being passed across the deck.
"Gunpowder, cannonballs, weapons, food, and some large trunk. We weren't able to open it to see what was inside though. I'm guessing just more cannonballs though." Anamaria concluded.
"Well, we'll find out later. Lay take care of heading out. I should preserve my voice for the battle we take against The Piercin' Pirate." Anamaria's eyes grew wide.
"You think it was them?" She asked. "That's pretty hasty. They spend their time further north, don't they?"
"Not of the late. Now turn to, Miss." Jack ordered once more. Anamaria nodded and walked off to the quarter deck. Jack watched her off, then wandered over to the scuttle and hopped through. He was greeted by Will.
"Everything set?" Jack asked. Will smirked.
"We're not sure." He was interrupted by the sound of Anamaria shouting out orders above deck. Jack looked upward, then back at Will.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"There was some, er, mysterious cargo." Will answered, glancing back at the hold. Jack sighed.
"I've been informed of that... show me to it." Will led Jack back into the hold where a huge trunk was set right twixt the floor. Jack sauntered over to it and slid his hand down the brim of it. He let his finger close around the lock.
"It's sure locked tight." He mumbled. He pulled back on the lock a few times, each time the lock squeaked a bit but stayed in place. "Hand me your ax." Jack ordered. Will tossed his ax to Jack, who caught it perfectly. He landed a hard blow at the lock, and the whole mechanism fell the floor. There was a gasp. Will looked at Jack. Jack looked at Will, and together they pushed the lid open.
"Elizabeth!" Will cried, pulling her from the trunk. Jack looked only merely astonished, rolling his eyes with a 'I knew this would happen' look. Elizabeth took a few deep breaths.
"You could've suffocated!" Will said, brushing her cheek. Elizabeth coughed knowingly.
"I figured that out already."
"We have to turn around now." Jack sighed, heading for the door. Elizabeth ran in front of him and shielded the doorway.
"No! I want to stay here, I want to stay with you two." Elizabeth managed to look absolutely pitiful and angry at the same time. Jack just gave her an adventurous grin.
"Will?" He looked back at Will like a child would look at his parents to have a friend over. Will smiled.
"Only if she's safe." Will said.
"Believe me, I am." Elizabeth put in. Will didn't like the idea. He imagined Elizabeth being captured by pirates and keelhauled, then pulled up on the other side of the ship would just be her dress. He shuddered.
"She's a darin' lass nowadays, let her indulge her inner pirate, mate." Jack said. Will rubbed his forehead thoughtfully.
"I have no say in the matter." He finally mumbled. Elizabeth and Jack cheered.
"Thank you, Will." Elizabeth moved from the doorway and hugged Will. Jack gave a half smile, as if to say 'How adorable', and it was.
.....
When all the loot had been tossed aboard The Aaralyn and The Piercin' Pirate, Twigg made his way across The Raking and hopped aboard the Piercin' Pirate, Harth there to greet him.
"Looks like all is finished. We'll divide the loot once the ship is destroyed." Harth sighed. "Tis a pleasure to be working' with ya' cap'n Twigg. For a first timer you're pretty good at this." Twigg smiled openly.
"Why thank ye. Tis' a pleasure on my part." He threw a few glances around The Piercin' Pirate. It was quite a large ship in comparison to The Aaralyn. It was about as big as The Black Pearl, with a mainmast, foremast, spanker, and jib. The helm was located in a small cabin set on the quarter deck, where the helmsman could stand and be away from the wind. The mainmast was cross mast with one large sail. The foremast had three sails one beneath the other, and coming off the front two foresails. It was a neatly decked out fighting ship along with built for sheer speed. It had fifteen guns on each side below deck, four at the bow, two at the stern. This was no mistake a lovely ship, capable with the help of The Aaralyn of even fighting off The Dauntless.
"How did you happen to come across such rakish ship?" Twigg as, gliding his hand along the smooth wood of the rail. Captain Harth smiled braggingly.
"Commandeered her. Twas a French ship at once." Harth looked at his ship with loving eyes. "She's been with me ever since." Twigg smiled.
"She's could hold off The Dauntless, even if it did come for you." Twigg said.
"I know, but I have a feeling that won't be the case." Harth came from his dreamy state and became serious. "Now if you'd excuse me, I must turn in." Harth turned and wandered off below deck, leaving Twigg to wonder. What did he mean, that won't be the case? Twigg shook his head and then headed back to The Aaralyn.
.....
"You? You're the ones who stole The Aaralyn?" Estrella cried, coming out on deck. "You're the ones that kidnapped Elizabeth and attacked Port Royal? And you STOLE The Aaralyn!"
"C-commandeered it." Raggeti corrected, backing away from his enraged sister. "Pintel an' I was the ones who was responsible for the taken o' the Miss Swann too."
"What?" Estrella thought carefully as she walked closer to the Aaralyn, Pintel and Raggeti close behind her. "You two!" She spun around at them, causing them to leap back a foot or two. "You two ran past me when you were chasing Elizabeth!"
Raggeti squinted at her. "We did?" Pintel smacked him in the chest. Raggeti backed away and lowered his head, afraid of his obviously more dominant matey.
"Don't hit him." Estrella growled, taking Raggeti by the arm and pulling him to her side.
"I always 'it im. He don' care." Pintel scoffed. "We're best mates. All's taken lightly."
"Maybe it's not." Estrella said, stepping up onto the gangplank. "Come now." She only led Raggeti a few steps over the gangplank before Pintel followed them.
"Okay, fine, maybe it ain't. I beg yer forgiveness." He said it all a bit to playfully for Estrella's liking, and she continued across the gangplank.
"Mr. Pintel, if you'd please, refrain yourself from influencing my brother." Estrella said sharply, stepping down onto The Aaralyn and turning to Pintel. Pintel sat down on the edge of the gangplank.
"Well escuse me if'n yer brother happens to want to be a pirate." Pintel sneered. Estrella growled at him and pushed him side ways off the gangplank into the water. He landed with an extra large splash and a gurgle of surprise. Raggeti stepped forward and went to take off his coat, but Estrella took him by the shoulders.
"Don't waste your time on him." She pleaded. Raggeti looked from Estrella to the water a few times, thinking it all over carefully.
"But, he's me matey." He finally said, taking his jacket off the rest of the way. "'Sides, Pintel don' know how t'swim." With that Raggeti dove off the edge of the ship.
"Man over board!" Estrella screamed.
Raggeti closed his eye tight and plunged into the water, then realizing a very important detail. He couldn't swim either. He immediately kicked upwards, but caught a glimpse of Pintel drifting to the bottom. Ah, may as well, Raggeti thought to himself. He turned back around and started to swim after Pintel. Mainly he just floundered around until he moved forward, and once he figured it out he was able to catch up with Pintel. He grabbed Pintel by his arm and slung him on his back. Pintel...is...heavy! Raggeti swam frantically to the top. One or two times he almost let go of Pintel's arm but he manage to keep a good grasp. Soon he broke the surface and began to kick upwards. He spat water from his mouth trying to breath, but unfortunately Pintel sagged over his shoulder and Raggeti spat in his face. This, thankfully, woke Pintel up a bit.
"Take the rope!" Raggeti heard Twigg's voice calling down to him. He looked around and felt a rope tickle his arm.
"Perfect." He spat water. As soon as he got a good grip he tied the rope around his waist so he could hold Pintel. "Okay." He shouted up. He felt the rope jerk upwards, and began to raise from the water.
"This reminds me o' when I'd go swimming with me friends back in Portsmouth. Aye, we'd swing from ropes a lot." He said thoughtfully. As he neared the top he saw the whole crew looking at him like an idiot because of his irrelevant comment.
"How lovely." Twigg said, helping pull Raggeti over the rail. Once he and Pintel were safely over the edge they dropped down onto the deck and Raggeti let go of Pintel's arms.
"Edwardian!" Estrella cried, dropping by Raggeti's side.
"Edwardian?" Twigg raised an eyebrow. Everyone else laughed hysterically.
"Is Pintel alright?" Raggeti asked, rolling over on his knees by Pintel's side. Estrella sighed and slammed the palm of her hand into Pintel's stomach, causing him to choke out all the water in his throat.
"Yes, he's fine." She innocently. The crew crowded around Pintel, who was regaining conscious quickly. He sat up a bit and glared at Estrella.
"You almost killed me." He coughed. Raggeti looked fearful.
"Lay down, mate, you ain't healthy no more. An' Estrella, apologize." Raggeti ordered his sister. Estrella shrugged.
"Sorry, Mr. Pintel. I thought any upstanding pirate should know how to swim." Pintel smiled though.
"You think I'm an upstanding pirate? Why thank ye, me lovely poppit."
.....