Chapter two: Not more pirates!

I packed all of my things and we went from court. I didn't know this man, yet he seemed kind enough. He kept telling me about his adventures with the undead, armed men, and cursed treasure.

"Your not happy without a good curse, are you?" I asked him as we made our way to the docks.

"No." He said simply. We walked to the end of the pier and I saw a larg black ship. The sails were black as well, and full of holes. I wondered how this ship sailed!

"This is it?" I asked skeptically. He scowled at me.

"This is me pride and joy, madame...The Black Pearl!" I raised an eyebrow and shook my head. I left court...for this? I shrugged and followed him up the ramp.

"Who is this?" A petite and very pretty girl asked. I noticed she had an English accent and was wearing a nice gown.

"Ah, the queen wanted me to take this maid off of her hands...Apparently shes a real party animal!" My mouth dropped open. "Coralie, Elizabeth, the likewise." He said and walked away in his odd manner.

"I dont know what hes talking about..." I said lamely. She gave me a small smile.

"Thats just Jack...Your going to have to put up with his..."dry" humor." I tilted my head to one side and watched as he was directing a very good looking man. Jack was fliging his arms up and down trying to get the handsome man to do the same.

"Oh! Thats Will, my beau." She said noticing the target of my stare. I quickly dropped my gaze, feeling uncomfortable. "Shall I show you to a cabin?" She asked, breaking the awkward silence. I nodded.She led me through a maze below until we reached a door. "This is it." She said and walked away.

I gingerly opened the door, and looked in. It was just an ordinary cabin. A bunk, a desk, a chair, and a small loo off to the side. I set my things down on the floor, and looked through the contents of the desk. I found writing material, a quill, ink and parchment. And a small leather bound journal. It had a lock on it so I didn't bother. I closed the drawers and looked around.

This was it? This was a pirates life? Quite boring. I sat down on the bed, and heard a small "oof" I jumped off and slowly got to my knees. I was afraid to pull up the bed covers, revealing what was under the bed, but I gathered my courage, and did anyway. I was expecting a rat, or a killer, or even something even scarier, but what stared at me back was a small boy.

"Who are you...?" I asked slowly.

"Please ma'am!" He said in a fast whisper. "Don't tell anyone Im hear until we set sail! I wanted to go onto the account, but they said I was too young...You are not going to tell on me, are you ma'am?" He said. He had an Irish accent, and it made him ever the more cute.

"Nay. I wont tell on ye. But you had best get out from under there...Dust bunnies might getcha!" He scrambled out of the small space, and was covered in dust.

"Where shall I hide?" He asked looking around.

"Now wait just a moment!" I protested. "You haven't given me a name..." He gulped.

"My name ma'am,"

"Call me Coralie,"

"Coralie, is John. John Smith." I furrowed my brow.

"Certainly not the son of the man who was one of those to first step foot in the Americas?" I asked.

"The very same, ma...Coralie..." He said my name sheepishly.

"Then I am sure your father misses you."

"No, Coralie...You see my father hasn't been the same since he sailed back to England. He had been shot over there in the savage country...And he has been moody, and ignored me. So, I decided to come onto the account."

"How old are you, boy?"

"I just turned eight."

"Eight years old, eh? Hmm. I dunno if the captain will take kindly to this, but I am sure I can convince him." I assud the young John, not actually sure myself. John looked releavied for a moment. "Now, for your hiding place...Why dont we put you in the linen closet in the loo?" He gulped again.

"I am afraid of the dark miss."

"And you want to be a pirate...?" He nodded.

"Hmm. Well, I suppose we can open the door a little bit, to let light in?" He nodded quickly, and we went about hiding him. It took a good half hour just to do that, then for me to get all settled in, before I went onto the deck again.

"What have you been doing?" Elizabeth asked me as I emerged squinting onto the deck.

"Oh, you know." I said airily. "Just getting all of my things packed and such." She gave me a hard look but then shook it off and left. I raised an eyebrow after her. A shadow fell across me and I turned around to come face to face with the handsome Will.

"Oh, er...Hullo." I said, blushing slightly.

"Hello." He said giving me a warm smile. "I don't believe we've met?" I stared at him a moment, then rememberd myself.

"Oh! Yes.. My name is Coralie...I just came aboard actually. Um, I was once part of the English court, you see, but life was dull, and I met Jack and the queen was all...boy is she just..." I stopped talking, realizing that I was rambling. He smiled.

"I see. Well, welcome about the Black Pearl." He said and walked away. I mentally shook myself and set about walking around.

"Excuse me, Miss?" I turned around again to see Jack staring down at me. I stared back up.

"Hmm?"

"I was wondering why there was a small boy in your linnen closet? Do you always carry one around with you, or is it a new feature?" I bit my lip, and squeezed my eyes shut for a moment.

"I don't take kindly to stowaways."

"Please, Captain..." He looked surprised that I called him Captain. "I just recently found out about him. Let him stay! He is a bright little lad, and I'll take care of him!"

"Do you know how to care for a child?"

"Er...No. But it can't be that hard. Please, sir, just, let him stay? His father doesn't want him, and I don't think he has a mother. He is all alone..." I trailed off. Jack looked at me for a long moment then slightly nodded his head.

"Jest...keep him away from me. I bloody hate kids." He went to walk away before I asked him:

"How did you find out about him?"

"Oh, Elizabeth told me."