Tudor tread along the lower streets of Port Royal, no longer in her gowns of the past months, but the red petticoat and men's shirt that she was so comfortable in. She turned onto the docks and was ready to take a glance at the unattended harbour master's books. She had no need when hearing a man lead in a song and other voices joining brashly. She smirked . . .it had to be. She followed the sound of the out of sync chorus. She stopped in front of an eerily black ship and looking up she saw the idiosyncratic Captain Jack Sparrow standing at the helm, belting the sea chantey at the top of his off-key lungs, sailors scuttling around and doing different chores. Tudor smiled and swaggered up the unguarded gangplank and slowly came up behind Jack.
"Well, Captain Sparrow . . ." She began, but never got to finish. Jack turned around, took her in his arms and began to dance with her about the deck, throwing his head back and bellowing the sprightly tune.
She let a laugh slip and danced along for a few moments, then as he continued to swing her around the deck, she looked up at him. "I am loath to interrupt your lovely singing Captain Sparrow, but as your opinion of my manners is at stake, I feel I must inform you that I have carried your message to Elizabeth and have come with a response."
Jack brought his head back down and smiled into her eyes. He continued to sing, but nodded to a crewman standing close by, who left to fulfil his captain's unspoken order. Soon, she heard Will's voice from close behind her." Jack, what's going on here? Who is she?"
"This, mate, is the courageous defender of Elizabeth. She brought you a message from your sweetheart." He said with one final twirl, letting her stop directly in front of an anxiously expectant Will.
Tudor had thought of hundreds of ways to speak her message, thousands of witty but somewhat harsh retorts, but when she saw his expectant face, like an eager puppy dog, all her sarcasm was washed away, and even her bitter and hardened view of life could not bring it back. "I'm sorry Will. She doesn't want to speak to you." Tudor said softly, although Will's expression looked as if she has said 'she's done with you chump – apparently she doesn't go for pansy pants scrawny blacksmiths turned pirate!' His obvious pain pulled at something in Tudor, and she thought of how nice it would be to be loved like that.
Will's face was utterly crestfallen, and Jack patted his shoulder awkwardly. He had been there and seen Will and Elizabeth together. He thought love like that would last forever, and seeing things like this happen was what left people cynical and hard. He cleared his throat. "Well, tough luck. I'm sure she'll come around eventually. If it would help at all, you can have your share of the plunder back, mate. After all ye did work for it and my end of the bargain wasn't exactly held up as we discussed." He finished with another awkward cough.
"Thank you Jack. I appreciate that." He said and blinked several times. Then, with the mention of gold, an idea formed. "You, wait a minute, ah – I don't know your name . . ." Will called after Tudor as she turned to leave.
She turned back towards him and repeated her motions of introduction. "Tudor Smith at your service."
"Miss Smith, you see Elizabeth everyday, correct?"
Tudor nodded. "Aye, I'm living at the mansion with Miss Swann while the Governor is away. What of it?"
Will nodded and continued excitedly. "Yes, could you possible come down here every day and tell me how she is? I'll even pay you for your trouble!" He added he Tudor looked at him skeptically.
"You'll pay me?"
"Yes, any price!" Will hesitated. "I just need to hear how she is doing every day. I want to know if she is in a temper, or if she's quarreled with her father or if she has a cold."
"I don't know if you can afford me." Tudor said carelessly, then shrugged. "But I'm intrigued. Getting money without having to kill anyone . . . Alright, ten in gold a day. I'll come to you, don't come to me."
Will didn't even cringe at the high rate. "Thank you so much so much!" Will said and left to return to his work.
Tudor shook her head sadly as he left. "The poor sod has it bad, doesn't he?"
"You have no idea. You haven't had to sail with that smitten pup these last few months. Even had to head back early, couldn't stand it anymore." Said Jack coming up behind her.
"Well," Tudor shrugged. "I've done a lot of things but espionage is new to the resume." She said watching Will closely. Poor daft boy, she thought to herself.
Tudor's head snapped around as she heard her thoughts echoed in Jack's voice. She looked at him, but he was still focused on Will's retreating figure, an odd expression on his face. When his gaze did turn to her his smile returned and he commented lazily. "Resume, eh? Must be a pretty impressive piece of work. What's on it other than espionage, protecting fair damsels and toting foolish drunken boys home?" He knew he was showing his curiosity again, but he couldn't seem to help himself. Who wouldn't want to know more about a woman that could be mistaken for a man, belle of the ball, and outwit a pirate? Wonderful asset to have someone like that around, really. That's all he was thinking . . . really.
She smiled prettily, red hair whipping around her face in the sea breeze. She decided she could tell him. "Tudor Smith, Mercenary Extrodinare – at your service! Available for assassinations both public and private. Competitive rates and year round bookings, offer exclusionary of Lover's feuds and holy wars." She pitched like a merchant, then pulled a small piece of paper out from her sleeve. "My Card." She offered it to him with a grin.
Jack stood stunned for a moment, then glanced at the proffered object in her extended hand. He took it, perused it, and then returned it to her hand. "I can't read, lass." He gave an apologetic smile.
She shrugged carelessly and took it back. "Not important really. Just a list of my locations." Indeed the printed card held the names of London, Paris, Vienna, Amsterdam, Brussels and Antwerp, with Port Royal pencilled in on the bottom.
His focus again shifted to Will, who was now working with some rope to tie a seemingly complicated knot. "Be straight with me – how is Elizabeth without the boy? I've seen her when she though his life was in danger and him as well." He turned and looked directly at Tudor. "They need to be together."
Tudor started blankly ahead into the bay. "She's miserable. Doesn't eat, can't sleep – I don't know if I've ever seen the lass smile." She said with a shrug. "But she's afraid." She said by way of explanation, then turned to Jack. "Well then, I guess I'll see you tomorrow Captain Sparrow." Tudor nodded and turned to go.
"I'm sure you shall." He said with a cheeky grin.
Tudor was out before dawn the next morning, knowing that no one would miss her, as Elizabeth slept late in the morning - or rather stayed in her room late, crying. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to be telling Will everyday, but she could use the money.
The sun started its climb as Tudor came in sight of the impressive ship anchored at the docks once again. She hoped someone would be there and awake. The atmosphere surrounding the ship had greatly changed. The ship's crew was just starting to rouse.
Before she could even completely board the ship, Will came scampering up to her, Jack slowly lumbering behind, clearly woken before he wished to be.
"You're finally here!" Will said excitedly.
"He's been up since bloody 3 AM!" Jack grumbled over Will's shoulder.
Tudor had to repress a laugh as Will tossed Jack a dirty look. "So, tell me? How is she?" Will quizzed.
She looked at him a moment, then started looking around. "Got any food around here?" She asked, holding her stomach.
"In the galley, this way." Jack motioned towards the opposite end of the ship, turned and led the way.
"But what about Elizabeth?!" Will's strident exclamation followed them.
"Oh, bloody hell, let the woman eat! Ye owe her that much for agreeing to this foolish venture in the first place!" Tudor and Jack continued on their way, followed by a pouting but still anxious Will.
"Thanks." Tudor muttered from the side of her mouth as she and Jack continued down the stairs to the galley. "I'm famished."
When they reached the galley door, Jack turned to say something to Tudor, but instead spotted Will still trailing sullenly after them. "Go about your work then mate. We'll come and find ye. She's not about to runaway with what ye're paying her." He said in a slightly more patient tone.
Tudor laughed and shook her head as Will slinked away. "I almost feel bad with how much I am charging him, but then I remember – I'm a mercenary, I do that."
"Is that what ye do? And here I had me this misconception that ye went about killing people for pay." He again graced her with a cheeky grin as he hauled a barrel out from its place.
"Well, that too." She replied as her gaze scanned the room. "Mmm, real food. I haven't been able to eat since I fell in with the Governor. Always have to be so proper." She griped cheerfully. Jack smiled in understanding and set a plate of food and a tumbler of ale in front of her. She immediately started scarfing down some bread the took a quick swig of ale. "You've got good food here. Most ships I've seen sail on Hardtack and musty beer." She said as she took another swig.
"Slow down there lass. Ye'll get to eat all of it." He grinned again. He couldn't seem to stop around her.
She ripped a chunk of bread off the bigger piece, and popped it into her mouth, savouring the flavour. "It's been forever since I had bread like this. Reminds me of the year I spent in the Prague Militia. Best bread I ever tasted that. Lived on it for months." She swallowed then took another giant gulp of ale.
Jack started blankly, jaw hanging ajar, as he watched her down the swallow of drink. His right eyebrow rose above the other as he inquired in a bewildered tone, "What haven't you done?"
"Worked in a fair, wholesome, respectable, steady environment for more then 24 hours – or, well – ever." She said as she finished.
His blank expression cleared as a grin spread across his face. He held up his flask. "Cheers love." He said as he toasted her. She lifted her mug to him as he did to her and winked at him, then downed the 2 inches of brew left in the bottom of the tumbler. He finished his swig, then glanced at her quizzically for a moment. "What duty in the militia would ye need to perform to be so heartily nourished?"
"I was the captain." She said wiping her mouth on her sleeve. "My Mercenary band and I were hired to play vigilantes and protect the city. All my men ate well. Can't let them subside on thin gruel and water. Amazing bakeries in Prague." She smiled in reminiscence.
"Well, seeing as you're finished we best be finding Will before he does something stupid and hurts himself. I can't imagine he's able to concentrate on his work right now." He began to lead her back to the deck in search of the boy. "I don't even know what the hell to say to the crazed boy." She scoffed in frustration. "Last night, Elizabeth ate four forkfuls of her roast beef, but very little else. She didn't quite finish her glass of wine either. She then played on the pianoforte while I read. We then played at cards for a short time. She retired early as per normal." She said in her best snotty voice as they climbed the stairs.
Jack shrugged noncommittally. "Tell him that. He'll glean all manner of presumptions and notions from just that wee bit of news." Will, upon seeing them reappear on deck, immediately shoved the rope he had worked into an unsolvable knot into Anna Maria's hand and came running over. "Are you finished?" He asked.
"Aye." She took Jack's advice and merely repeated what she had said before, only less sarcastic and more detailed. Incredibly more detailed. Will stood in seeming bliss for a moment, then frowned.
"But how is she?" He asked desperately.
Tudor rolled her eyes and looked painfully at Jack for aid. "Let me put it to ye like this. Miss Smith is relatively newly aquatinted with dear Elizabeth, and Elizabeth is rather talented in the way of hiding things . . . Emotions for example. Now, from what I have gathered from this little interlude is that Miss Smith is hoping that by giving you information of the young lass's actions, in detail, you being the best aquatinted with the lady and the one in love with her, you should be the one best able to interpret her current state of well being." Jack inhaled quickly, having used all his breath in the spilling of his unusually long statement.
Tudor nodded in concurrence then returned her gaze to Will. "Aye, pretty much." She said, scrutinising Jack's rant. She nodded again. "Well, without further ado, I think I shall take my leave of you all." She said, then tipped her hat. "Until tomorrow." She said towards Will, then turned to jack. "Ta." She thanked him for the food then headed for the gangplank. She could hear Jack barking orders to the crew as she strolled the length of the dock and turned towards the Governor's home.
