Steff7: Oh yeah she is going to fight, and/or be in a fight with Elizabeth...In every story coughcoughmyowncoughcough, you see theheroineand Elizabeth being best friends, or relatives, so I decided to kick it up a notch.


Chapter three: The fued

I was stunned when Jack told me Elizabeth ratted me out. It only ment that she went snooping through my things. I imediately didn't like her. I ran back to my cabin to find John sitting there on my bed like an errent school boy.

"They found me..." He said, lip quivering.

"I know. But the captain said you can stay." John looked up at me, and started sobbing. I ran too him and tried to console the frighened little boy.

"Shh! Now this is not how a pirate behaves! You are supposed to be strong and unafraid! It's alright...You can stay...Do you want to stay in this cabin with me? I am sure we can get you a cot.." He nodded into my chest, still crying. I rubbed his back and slightly swayed. He eventually quieted down.

"Im hungry." He hiccuped. I smiled down at him, and took his hand, leading him out into the hallway.

"I wonder where the kitchen is..." I mumbled. We were walking for a while until we ran into an odd looking fellow.

"Excuse me, sir. We were trying to find the kitchen?" The man looked confused for a moment.

"Aye, the galley is down the hall to ye right." We thanked him and quickly went in.

"Can I help you?" Another man asked as we entered.

"Yes, actually. This boy, John, is hungry. I was wondering if he could get an apple, or something?" The man tossed an apple at me. I caught it and gave it to John. He ate it gratefully.

We strolled up on deck and started when we realized that the ship had set sail.

"Where are we going?" I ran to Jack and asked him. He looked up at the sky before answering me.

"I think we are going to take a trip to the Americas." I gasped.

"How long will that take? What about the savages? Or, anything?" He laughed at my fear but I didn't get a chance to defend myself. The ship gave a lurch and my stomach went along with it. I ran to the railing and threw up everything I had eaten.

"Your seasick!" Jack called out happily as I threw up. I moaned and had to be carried back to my cabin, with John fussing over me the whole way.


"Breakfast!" I heard a familier voice call out from the doorway. I opened my eyes to see Will standing there with a tray of food. I moaned at the sight of it.

"You need to eat." said John, ever alert.

"I need to sleep." I said and rolled over pulling the quilt over my head.

"Hes right." Said Will putting the tray down besides my bed. I poked my head out of the covers, and I wanted to sink into the floor at my aperance. My brown hair was a mess, and I hadn't bathed in a two days. I looked hagard. Will gave me a friendly smile which made me turn red. I looked away and saw John giving me an odd look. I crossed my eyes at him and he laughed. I burried my face into my pillow, and Will left. I fell back asleep without eating.


I was spred out on my bed the next day, quite well now. I was in my corset, bloomers and stockings, reading a book written by Martin Luther, and radicalist in the 1500s who my greatgreatgreat aunt Anne Boleyn liked.

There was a loud knocking on the door, but instead of waiting for a reply, Jack came barging in.

"I hear that you are better today, madame, is this true?" I nodded. He looked me up and down with a grin and I realized that I was basically in my underwear. I shot up and threw on my dressing gown.

"Why do you wish to know?" I asked trying not to get flustered and tightening my robe a bit.

"Well, it seems that you are a part of the crew...yes?"

"Yes."

"Well then, you have to do your share, no?"

"No!"

"No?"

"No."

"But you are part of the crew now. You have to do your share."

"But, sir! I am a lady!" I protested.

"Elizabeth is a lady, but she works." I snorted. "Lady or not, you have to work. I'll not have you lazing around reading books, while I'm short on crew members." I scowled at him.

"Well I can very well swab decks in a dress, now can I?" Jack looked at me for a moment longer, and I felt my stomach do a filp flop. Must be hunger. I thought.

"By the powers your right. I'll be right back." I sat down on the chair by the desk and waited. He came back in a few moments later holding some clothes in his hands. He deposited them onto my bed.

"There ya are. Now, in ten minutes I expect you to be on deck and ready to er...what was it? Oh yes, swab decks." He left with a laugh and I inspected the clothes.

There wasn't anything special about them...Just pirate-ish. Canvas pants, peasant top, and a pair of boots. I rolled down my stockings and got dressed. It took me twenty minutes to get undressed, dressed, and pull my hair up into something that wouldn't get in my way later. I walked to the deck

"You'r late." Jack said spotting me imeadiately.

"Yes." He rolled his eyes, and pointed to a mop and bucket. I moaned.

"After you do that, you can have a break, then you are to polish all of the railings." I glared at him and went over to the bucket.

It took me three bloody hours just to do the decks. Then I as I sat down for my break, Jack yelled at me to get working on the railing.

"Bloody pirate." I mumbled under my breath as I polished the wood.

"Whatcha doing?" Will asked coming up to where I was working. I let out a grunt and jerked my head to the rag in my hand. "Jack got you slaving away, eh?" He laughed. Elizabeth came up to us and put a protective hand on Will's arm. I snorted into the railing.

"Will," Elizabeth simpered. "Why aren't you helping me out?"

"With what?" Said Will, confused.

"The um...my trunk needs to be moved." Will went off to do Elizabeth's bidding. She turned to me. "Are you trying to steal my beau?" She asked still with that simper on her face.

"I don't want him." I lied through my teeth.

"What do you want?" She said just as sweetly.

"First off, I want you to take that southern belle simper off your face." She looked confused, but I continued. "Or I'll slap it off, you snooping little needlenose twit. I am not a slave, or a maid for which you can boss around. If I EVER catch you in my cabin again, I will not hesitate to shoot you." She huffed and puffed for a moment then stalked off, head high. I had to watch that one.

"Do mine ears decieve me?" Jack asked coming up to me now.

"Huh?"

"Did you, a great lady at court, just tell off Elizabeth?" He asked wide eyed. I stared at him for a moment. Then we both burst out laughing.

"Yeah I did, didn't I?" I said after our bout of giggling.

"See, life on the Pearl is doing ya good." I tilted my head and looked up into his dark eyes. He looked back with no emotion what-so-ever. I looked away blushing. Whether he saw that or not, he didn't say anything about it.

"I think ye earned yerself a drink." Jack said finally, and put a hand on my shoulder, stearing me to the galley. I was amazed to see John in there helping the cook, Derack.

"He's a right smart boy, miss." Said Derack, pointing to John who was cutting up an onion.

"Thanks...He's not mine." I said smiling until I caught the look John threw at me. "But, I am his mother now." I said quickly. He went back to chopping.

"Can ye whip us up some rum?" Jack asked hopefully. Derack nodded and filled up two mugs of the amber liquid. I never tasted rum before, and when I took a big gulp(encouraged by Jack) I started to cough and sputter.

"Heavn't ye had rum before?" Jack yelled over my coughing while he pounded my back.

"Only wine." I said at last when I stopped coughing.

"Ye don't know what yer missin." I took another small sip, but made a face at it. Jack sighed as if I was hopeless. In defiance I took another big gulp, but managed only to go "Hdlgdjhajfjh"...mentally that is.

"So, what is court life like?" Jack asked sitting down and gesturing to the chair besides him. I flopped down and then laughed.

"Oop. Sorry. Um...Court life?" He nodded. "Hell. I mean litterally. You got guys who are gay, and everyone knows, but doesn't know, savvy?" I said gesturing wide with my hands. He gave me a funny look before I continued. "And then the queen. Ha. She said I was her faborite...I mean favorite. Yet she didn't tell me that my soon to be husband was into the hobby of stealing my dresses, and wearing them while other people where have sex all around him. Then my parents...they are hopping mad. And my brother is like, this dude." I laughed again. "I'm so sorry. I have been rambling. I need to finish the railing." I said getting up quickly then sitting back down again as the room spun. "Maybe I'll stay here just a wee bit more." I said with a firm shake of my head, and squeezed my forefinger and thumb together to get the point across.

"Wait a minute...You were betrothed?" Jack asked, realizing what I said.

"Well, not really..." I said furrowing my brow.

"What do you mean 'not really'." Said Jack.

"I mean, we didn't um...You know. Didn't uh, consumate the...uh arangement." Jack raised an eyebrow. I got up, and this time I managed to without falling down. I slowly walked to the deck and bent over to grab my rag that was right on the edge of the ship. Just then a huge wave hit and the ship lunged to one side. My foot slipped on the smooth wood and I toppled into the sea.

"Help!" I called out...I think I called out. My head started to hurt, and I threw up, getting water and puke in my mouth as well as drowning. I had never learned to swim before.

"Damnit, Coralie!" Jack yelled looking down at me as I struggled with the waves. I noticed in my state that it was the first time he said my name to me. That was the last thing I rememberd before I passed out.


"How, and whydid she fall off the ship?"

"Couldn't hold 'er rum."

"I don't think she should be on this ship." The last voice was definately Elizabeth's. I was awake, but I kept my eyes closed.

"No. I think she might be of some use...She swabbed the decks pretty well." Said Jacks distinct voice. I smiled inwardly at his praise.

"Jack!" This was Will's dulcet voice. "She is a lady of court, and you had her swabbing the decks!"

"Hey! Thas how you started. And besides, she is part o the crew now. She has to do her share."

"Well good. She should. But she doesn't act like a lady from court. She told me that I was a twit, just because I looked at her the wrong way." My eyes snapped open at that last remark from Elizabeth.

"So not true!" I said, sitting up.

"You've been awake this whole time?" Said Jack. I nodded.

"You little eavsdropping"

"Elizabeth!" Jack shouted. "That is enough. Now Coralie," I gave an inward shake when he said my name. "Did you call Elizabeth a...twit?" He asked, his was face serious but his eyes were dancing.

"Only because she went snooping through my room, hoping to find something to get me in trouble!"

"Wait a minute, wait a minute..." Jack said, holding his arms up. He pointed a ring clad finger at Elizabeth. In the moment that they stared each other down in, I grabbed my robe and threw it over my almost bare shoulders. "You said Coralie told you to go into her room to get some towels." I let out a furitive noise, almost like a cat.

"Er..." Elizabeth said, stalling. I jumped up from the bed. My reflexes have always been...well like a cats'. I was quick, and nimble. I tackled her and pinned her to the ground. I really didn't weigh more than her...less actually, I was just a bit taller.

"Your bitch!" I screamed, slapping her and pulling her hair. She tried to push me off but I had her legs and arms pinned. I pulled back my arm to punch her when someone grabbed it. I was being pulled off of Elizabeth by Jack. His strong arms went about my waist as I kicked and lashed out trying to get at Elizabeth again.

Will didn't help her up, but she scrambled to her feet alone. She glared at me. I was still being held by Jack but I went limp. He loosened his grip on me. It was just what I wanted. I wrenched out of his grasp and went flying again at Elizabeth. This time Will caught me up and held me.

"Get the hell out of here!" He roared at her. "Your instigating." She turned beet red.

"Well why don't you just stick up for her, huh? Why don't you be her beau. You seem to like her a lot more than you do me." It was my turn for my face to turn red. She stormed out of the cabin. Will slowly set me down and I brushed back the loose tendrals of hair that escaped my bun.

"There is no way that you are a lady of court..." said Jack proudly.

(a/n: long chappy this time. I am going to start on Vixen, and the sequal to Fox Island today.)