Chapter 7

Ain't that sweet?

Will lounged out on deck, leaning over the rail. The sun had set, but a little glimpse of light still flickered above the horizon. Jack wandered up behind Will and leaned against the rail next to him.

"The song don't lie." He mumbled. Will turned to him, already have noting his presence.

"What do you mean?" He asked curiously. Jack smiled looking a bit dazed.

"A pirate's life is for me." Will figured Jack was drunk, because Jack only said profound things when he was drunk. Still he had to agree with Jack.

"It's nice. Not just sailing, all of it. Still, I couldn't possibly..." Jack squinted at him carefully, trying to get into his head.

"A ship could profit a blacksmith." He said. Will shook his head though.

"No, I need to stay in Port Royal. Certainly I couldn't leave Elizabeth behind, you know, after we marry." Will looked back out over the sea thoughtfully. "No doubt her father wouldn't agree with it either.

"I hear ye." Jack muttered half heartedly. He slung both arms over the rail.

"My father, he was a good friend of yours?" Will asked, still looking out over the rail.

"Very. He was an incredible pirate. A loyal an' trustworthy friend." Jack sighed. "You remind me of him so much."

Will looked down in shame. That's why Jack was persuading him to become a pirate. As far as Will could see, Jack didn't have a best matey. He knew that a lot of pirates, although rough and tumble, still had best friends who they would be partnered with. They would eat, do watches, and fight together. Side by side, back to back. Like Pintel and Raggeti, Mallet and Grapple, and a while ago, Twigg and Kohler.

"It wouldn't do harm to become... a privateer, Jack. Then you could come visit Elizabeth and I all the time. It's pretty much what you're doing now, anyway. With the consent of Admiral Derrae, you're heading after an enemy ship. As your reward, they'll probably let you keep all the plunder and the ship." Jack glared, but it had become too dark to see that.

"No thank you." He growled. "I'm simply doing this-"

"For the reward." Will finished. "Jack, Norrington doesn't want to track you down and kill you. Consider yourself a free man. You're practically a privateer now." Jack pushed himself off the side of the boat and tromped back across the ship. Will followed him.

"Not to offend you, or disgrace your reputation."

Jack spun around and took a few steps back to Will, getting his face. "You simply warned me." He took a deep breath, then spun around and marched off below deck. Will stood in the dark for a while, wondering what he meant.

.....

Estrella cracked her eye open a bit, squinting into the morning sun. She groaned and rolled over on her side with her eyes closed still. Then with a few blinks she opened her eyes to see Raggeti and Pintel standing in the doorway. She jumped.

"What?" She growled, pulling the blankets tightly around her. Pintel, fully recovered, took a few steps into the room.

"I wrote a poem for you." he said, a sheepish grin across his face.

"Lovely." Estrella mumbled sarcastically, flopping back down on the pillow. Pintel began to recite his poem.

Dearest Estrella

Blood is red,

The ocean is blue,

There is not a maid,

As fair as you.

"At least it rhymed." She muttered.

"I stayed up all night writin' it." Pintel put in. Estrella only smiled and rolled her eyes.

"It was quite..." Estrella took a deep breath. "piratical." She finished. Pintel grinned even wider.

"Why thank ye!" He cried. Raggeti waltzed up next to Pintel.

"That was a lovely poem, Pintel. It touched an' inspired me." Raggeti smiled. Pintel scowled and slowly turned his head to Raggeti. Raggeti stopped smiling.

"Wot?" He asked, looking confused. "Wot?" He repeated. Pintel growled and swatted Raggeti on the arm.

"We prepared a meal for you, so when's your ready it'll be for ye in the galley." Pintel sighed, turning his attention back to Estrella. She nodded.

"If you'll excuse me." She began. Pintel nodded knowingly and led out the door. Raggeti looked back at his sister and smiled before he exited.

"I's nice to have ye aboard." Estrella smiled back at her brother.

"Nice to be." She muttered, not really thinking it was. Raggeti tapped his nose to say 'aye' and moved from the doorway.

Estrella hopped from bed and pulled her plain white wool dress over her nightgown, then pulled on her plain black heels and slipped from the room down the hall. She didn't bother pulling her hair into her usual bun, as it wouldn't matter to much on a pirate ship. All had been explained about her to the crew, so now she could travel with them. Really she was sailing as a prisoner, in all terms, but she was seen as a passenger by the crew. Captain Twigg, being sensible, promised to keep her protected, and any man who tried to defy her would be shot dead. The way he said it made her believe him.

Estrella sat down on a lonely bench in the galley, where she saw her food was set out for her. It was obviously better than anything the crew got, a special order for the cooky of their ship. She lifted her spoon and took a bite of... whatever it was.

"You like it?" She heard Raggeti ask from behind her. Estrella nodded. Raggeti sat down on the bench beside her and leaned his elbows on the table.

"Raggeti you look absolutely disgraceful like that." Estrella said. She put down her fork and turned to him. "Let me." She straightened out his back and placed his hands on his knees.

"Now you look like a fine man, Edwardian." Estrella said. Edwar- I'm mean, Raggeti smiled weakly.

"I don' need to look like a fine man, I need to look like a pirate." He said, slumping back over. Estrella rolled her eyes.

"Come here." She sat up and stood away from the bench. Raggeti sighed and followed. 'Now let's see." She looked him over carefully. Then she straightened out his back. She took his sleeves and rolled them up so they wouldn't hang over his hands, she straightened the collar of his shirt, and worst of all, licked her finger and slicked his hair back. "They we are. We'll have to get those ratty old cloths tailored though. Your pants are too short and your shirt is too long." Raggeti looked over himself with a horrified look.

"You look much better then all those other tatty clothed pirates." They both heard snickering from the doorway. A group of pirates had assembled there, and had seen Raggeti's new makeover.

"Yew sure do look loverly." One of them sneered. The burst out laughing. Raggeti pouted and looked away from them.

"Ain't that sweet." One of them fell over laughing. Estrella glared at them.

"It isn't a crime for a man to look upstanding." At that Raggeti slouched over. Estrella smacked him on the arm and he straightened again. "You men are disgraceful confounded clodpates with no respect about you." She snapped. The men shut up and squinted at her.

"Les' go, mates. We'll tell the rest o' 'em up deck." They all walked off chuckling. Raggeti stepped away from his sister and left the room, ruffling his hair as he did.

.....