Chapter 10
Grapple's punishment
The crew of The Black Pearl began repairs on the ship immediately, Will among them, so Elizabeth had a lonely morning aboard the ship. She wandered past the crew onto the quarter deck where Anamaria was. She wasn't steering, just overlooking the work. The ship was anchored anyway.
"I'm not sure, but I'd say this is a step back." Elizabeth sighed. Anamaria grunted knowingly.
"We've got minor damage to the mainmast and the spanker on the mizzen is out." Anamaria said. Elizabeth had no idea what Anamaria was talking about, but obviously it wasn't anything too devastating to worry about. "We'll be back on course soon."
"I sure hope you're not using Jack's compass for this trip." Elizabeth muttered. Anamaria smirked.
"We are." She said simply.
"Do you know where the pirates are?" Elizabeth asked. She didn't understand how they could even begin to guess where this ship was heading.
"They're headed east. Conveniently close to where the Aaralyn is." Jack answered for Anamaria, climbing to the quarter deck. He stood a bit away from the wheel, wary of Ana.
"I won't bite, captain." Anamaria said, grinning victoriously. Jack nodded. Elizabeth smiled. The Black Pearl soared over the high waves that crashed from the storm earlier on, from time to time a few would spray over the deck, but there wasn't to much of a problem. Will soon joined them, after helping with the repair of the main mast. He gave Elizabeth a good morning kiss, then turned out to face the rest of the ship.
"Coming along smart like, Will?" Jack inquired. Will glanced back for a moment, and gave a certain nod. Elizabeth wandered up behind him, laying her hand on top of his and hugging him as they both looked out over the sea. Jack and Ana gave each other equally disgusted looks like little children would and turned their attention back to the ship.
"She's almost ready to weigh anchor." Jack said proudly, embracing the fine work the crew was doing. Ana nodded solemnly, running her hand down the wheel. Jack did the same with the rail out over the deck. "Lovely Pearl," He addressed the ship. "How'd ye get away the first time?" Ana rolled her eyes at him, gripping the wheel in both hands.
"It's just a ship." She reminded him. Jack looked astonished.
"Just a ship? This ain't 'just a ship'." He mimicked her voice. "This is a legacy. When I'm gone, my oldest child will take her, then his child then his child and so on."
"Have ye considered the fact that it would've rotted by then?" Ana provoked. Jack glared at her and continued his proclamation.
"The Black Pearl will be known through out the world that it plunders, and everyone will fear not her captain, but her herself." He sighed lovingly.
"That shouldn't be hard for you." Ana muttered. Jack scowled and turned his head to her.
"That... is enough." He growled. Ana shrugged and continued her examining of the wheel.
.....
Even the next day, Pintel was still bothering Raggeti with the same question he had the night prior to. Raggeti, if you can imagine, was getting outwardly annoyed.
"What if I got down on my knees and begged her to flirt with me?" Pintel asked, following Raggeti into the galley for breakfast before their watch.
"She'd say no." Raggeti answered.
"What if she said yes?"
"That would make me the queen o' England." Raggeti simply, pulling a tray from the table and sitting down near the end Twigg sat. Pintel dropped down on his knees.
"Ye can't stop me from lovin' yer sister. Please!" Pintel said, a little too loud. All the other crew members stopped and starred at them. Pintel smiled and stood up. "That's all men, you can pick yer jaws up now. Nothing to see here." Twigg snickered softly as Pintel took his seat.
"I see you've taken a certain shine to Miss Renard." He said, grinning. Raggeti nearly choked from laughing at the understatement.
"Oh, taken a shine ain't it at all." He said. Pintel gave Raggeti threatening glare, causing his friend to lower his head a bit. Twigg scoffed a silently.
"Can't blame ye." He said subtly. "And it seems as though she'll be here a while."
"Why's that?" Raggeti inquired curiously.
"She said she ain't leavin until 'Edward' leaves too." Twigg said, chuckling and taking a bite of his breakfast. Raggeti looked devastated, how on earth could he possibly choose? Pintel, on the other hand, was ecstatic. He had plenty of time to change Raggeti's mind and work his hidden charm that he thought he had.
"Well, I should get e'eryone above deck for the show." Twigg said happily, standing up. Pintel and Raggeti gave each other uneasy glances, then stood up to follow him.
"You really have yer heart set on thwapin' Grapple, don'tcha?" Pintel asked, greeting Twigg around the other side of the table. Twigg smiled.
"We'll see, Mr. Pintel." Pintel stopped at the doorway, causing Raggeti to bump into the back of him.
"Watch it!" Pintel growled, pushing Raggeti away from him and continuing out the door. Raggeti took a few minutes to recover, then followed Pintel above deck. Estrella was already there, leaning against the mainmast.
"Remind me again how this goes?" Estrella asked when they reached her. Pintel took the liberty of telling her before Raggeti could.
"Well, we take the rebellious un and tie him to this here mainmast." Estrella stepped away from it at that. "Then cap'n, or whoever was offended, gits ta flog 'im." Pintel grinned. Estrella wasn't too happy about it.
"Why do we have to watch then?" She asked.
"For the effect of sheer embarrassment. He'll ne'er live it down." Estrella couldn't see why Pintel found this so amusing.
"So what, you all can watch, why do I have to?" Estrella asked, looking up to see The Bo 'sun leading Grapple. Pintel, Raggeti, and her stepped away from the mainmast and let The Bo 'sun tie Grapple's arms around it.
"Because, me dear, sweet poppit. It's even better for a maid watch his punishment. He won't be lookin' ye in the eye for a while." Estrella bit her lip and back further away from the mainmast back into the crowd. Pintel and Raggeti joined her, watching intently for Twigg to give his speech. When the Bo 'sun was done, Twigg gave a nod of gratitude and slipped the whip carefully from it's sack.
"Ello, mate." he said, grinning. Grapple cringed against the mainmast. Twigg turned his attention to the crew, who, other then Mallet, were watching earnestly. "It seems that as a new captain, some neglect to respect as what I indeed am, the captain. And so, I have taken it upon myself to enforce the respect, by demonstrating for you today, what will happen if you do not abide my wishes." The men fell into a hush, then one called out.
"How many?" The crew nodded, generally curious.
"Well, since he didn't really hurt me I'll go easy on im'. Twenty." Grapple squeezed his eyes shut as he heard Twigg crack the whip a few times, showing off his aim. "well, with out further wait..." He snapped the whip forward, nicking Grapple on the back slightly. Everyone seemed to stop breathing, and Grapple took a few seconds to realize he hadn't been flogged yet. Twigg stepped forward abruptly, seizing Grapple by the neck and turning him to face his captain.
"Now what do ye say?" Twigg asked loud enough for them to hear.
"S-sorry." Grapple said weakly. The group burst out laughing.
"What say?"
"Sorry." Grapple said a bit louder. Twigg grinned and pressed Grapple's face against the mast. "Sorry!" Grapple finally yelled. The crew was in tears laughing. Twigg smiled in satisfaction and stepped away from him.
"I have something ye might want." Twigg said, taking Grapple's grapple from his belt and swinging it. "Very nice, yes... of course ye won't be needing it for a while. Ye'll spend the day tied there, no food or water. I'm givin the crew free range of insulting ya." He turned to his crew. "Men! Kick, spit, call him whatever, don't lay yer weapons to him though." he stepped out of the way and let the crew go harass his helmsman unmercifully.
As soon as they passed by him he flipped the whip around his wrist, letting it hit him, and slipped it back into the bag. He looked up at Estrella, Raggeti, and Mallet, who still stood there. Estrella was there because she wouldn't partake in such piratical behavior. Mallet was there because he didn't like his best matey being the center of humiliation. And Raggeti was there because he was still to thick headed to think of anything cruel to say anyway.
"Miss Renard." Twigg gave her a quick salute. "May I have a word?" Raggeti gave her a warning glance, then walked the other way to find something to do. Estrella followed Twigg to the back of the ship to the helm, wondering what he wanted.
"It's obvious, to you and I, and everyone for that matter, that Raggeti is not leaving this ship." Twigg began when he reached the wheel. Estrella frowned.
"I don't think so, Captain. I know my brother." Estrella said, planting her hand firmly on the wheel. Twigg twitched a bit, and shooed her hand away.
"Maybe not. You don't know how much yer brother has changed from fine little rich boy to pirate. He ain'tcher sweet little Edward anymore." Estrella scuffed her foot on the deck and nodded subtly, knowing he was right.
"Whatever possessed him to take up this life I'll never know." Estrella muttered. "The battles, the rum, the danger, the rum, and weather, and worst of all, the rum."
"Rum ain't poison, miss. Though sometimes you can use it as so, only if you use it the right way. O course that would depend on what kind o' rum, which takes us to whisky..." Twigg droned on uselessly. Estrella rubbed her head.
"At the moment I wish someone would just poison me now..." She mumbled.
.....
"What!?" Admiral Derrae shouted in the face of the soldier. "What do you mean Miss Swann's gone?" As you can see, news about Elizabeth had met Port Royal, and evidently Admiral Derrae's office.
"W-well sir, her fiancé W-will Turner went w-with Jack, Jack Sparrow, er Captain Jack Sparrow. Then, Governor Swann, he-he couldn't find Miss Swann. He thinks she may have been... kidnapped." The soldier said weakly. Admiral Derrae bit his lip to contain his fury.
'It's alright, lad. I'm not angry at you." Derrae said, easing up. "Bloody pirate. I should have known not to trust him." Admiral Derrae sat up from his office desk and began to pace. "We need a ship, someone to go after them..."
"But The Dauntless is after The Aaralyn, and The Aaralyn is, well, gone. There's nothing really left." The soldier said.
"There is." Admiral Derrae scratched his chin, then looked up. "Quick, lad, go tell Lieutenant Gillette and Lieutenant Fosx. Tell them to get in touch with Governor Markeson of Kingston, he has ships, three of them ready to go and many privateers in his favor. We need two. One to retrieve The Black Pearl, and one to retrieve whoever The Black Pearl was retrieving." The soldier gave a horrified look of confusion as he sorted out what Admiral Derrae meant, then nodded.
"Aye then." He dashed out of the room at that. Admiral Derrae sighed deeply and landed back in his chair, rubbing his forehead.
"They don't make soldiers like they used to." He muttered, turning back to his work. Just as soon as he thought there'd be some peace he heard a banging on his door. "Come in..." He droned. Lieutenant Gillette did just so.
"What did he just say to me?" He asked, looking back out the door at the soldier. Admiral Derrae shrugged.
"He probably meant we need ships. Go talk to Fosx, he'll be able to understand." Admiral Derrae tried to shoo Gillette from his office, but the Lieutenant wouldn't move.
"How would we get Captain Jack Sparrow to tell us who we're going after?" Gillette asked. Admiral Derrae stopped for a moment gave him an impatient glare.
"He'll tell. Now go." Derrae growled sternly. Gillette gave a wimpy salute and backed off out of the room, closing the door behind him softly. Derrae couldn't imagine what was going on in the head of whatever captain appointed Gillette when he did.
.....
Estrella leaned against the rail, humming lightly as she watched the sun slowly go down. She couldn't help but admit that besides the evil doing, killing, and stealing (Which could be accounted for as evil doing anyway), being a pirate had some pluses. It'd be better if you just sailed a merchant or traveling ship though, because aboard any of those you could see the beautiful sights.
Raggeti slipped beside her, looking out dazedly at the sea. Estrella smiled at him for a moment, then waved her hand in front of his face. It took a bit to get him to notice.
"You sure have some concentration problems." Estrella mumbled when she finally did get his attention. Raggeti nodded, not listening to her completely. "So where's you friend? You know, that man." She called him that to gain her brother's attention a bit more. He didn't notice though.
"He's 'low deck." Raggeti muttered. "Drinkin' wit the rest o the crew."
"But it's Sunday!" Estrella said, looking off towards the door below deck. She shook her head. "Horrible men..." She muttered. Raggeti blinked a few times.
"Uh huh." He said vacantly. Estrella sighed and again leaned back on the rail. They grew silent and watched the sun set. Not long after Pintel sidled over to Estrella's side and threw an arm around her shoulder.
"Ah! It's evenin's like this reminds me why I took this life. The battles, the rum, the riches, the danger, the rum, and adventure, an' most of all, the rum." He made fluent hand motions with his bottle of rum in his hand. Estrella shook fiercely, trying not to punch him in the face as she brushed his hand away.
"Don't that look like a ship?" Raggeti questioned softly, looking out at the sea. No one heard him though.
"You do notice that I despise you, right?" Estrella asked Pintel. Pintel shrugged a bit.
"'Hem, don't tha-"
"Ye'll git used to me, doll." Raggeti frowned and kicked the rail repeatedly causing their eyes to stray to him.
"What?" They chorused, a bit annoyed. Raggeti sighed and pointed out to the black speck on the horizon.
"I sai' don't that look like-"
"A ship!" They both cut him off once more. Raggeti nodded, satisfied that they finally listened to him... for once. Pintel wasn't so happy though, he spun around, then collapsed half drunkenly, then got back up and ran off below deck to tell Twigg. Estrella just leaned further out over the rail and squinted at the on coming ship. Raggeti popped his newly acquired spyglass, given to every lookout, and checked out over the water.
"It's Pintel's ol' buddy, Harth." Raggeti said simply, snapping it back together. Estrella gave a sigh of relief.
"I thinks it's The Piercin' Pirate, cap'n." Pintel said leading Twigg, swaying a bit. "S-starboard side." He shook his head and rubbed it softly, letting Twigg go ahead of him. Twigg took the spyglass from Raggeti's hand without asking and took a look. Now, even without the spyglass, you could tell who it was. Twigg slapped the spyglass back together, and nodded slightly at Raggeti, who was reaching out for his spyglass. Twigg rolled his eyes and tossed it over the side of the ship to see what kind of reaction he would get, then without another word turned and headed for the helm. Pintel slugged over and looked from over the side of the ship to Raggeti's hurt face and back for a while.
"We'll getcha a new un'." He comforted. Raggeti pouted, nodding. When Pintel had done his friendly deed for the week he left Raggeti with Estrella. She patted her older brother on the head.
"Aw, hey. Just think, after we speak to Captain Harth, you'll have your first amount of riches from being on this crew." She said, ruffling his hair slightly. She took her hand off and rubbed it on her dress. "I suppose you haven't bathed since you ever left the estate."
"Bay-ethed... I think I remember that word..." Raggeti said, scratching his chin thoughtfully. Estrella giggled a bit.
"Some things never change..."
"Hey sis, if we're so rich an' all." Raggeti began. "Why are ya maid?"
"Because." Estrella said beginning to walk away. "After my father died, he left the whole fortune to you. I have no claim..." She wandered off, leaving Raggeti to pick his own jaw up off the ground.