Chapter eleven:

"Coralie? Is that you?" Markus asked, walking into my cabin.

"Your not wearing your dress." I said nasitly. He pursed his lips tightly, but didn't reply to that remark.

"Why did you run away?" He asked instead.

"I didn't, the queen banished me from court."

"Excuse me, sir," Markus adressed Jack. "I am told you are the captain. I request to take this girl back with me." Jack gave a snort.

"She is a part of me crew. She isn't going anywhere." I felt a surge of gratitude towards Jack at that moment.

"Well, sir," Markus argued in his sickly sour voice. "She is my wife, I have every right."

"She aint your wife." Jack said, pulling his cutlass from his belt.

"Hey now. I don't want any violence. Can I at least have one moment with her alone? Then I will be gone." Jack looked at me. I gave a slight shake of my head, but he said yes. After everyone but Markus left, he turned to me.

"You little whore!" He hissed, and slapped me hard across the cheek. His many rings cut into my flesh, and I felt the warm trickle of bloody slowly decend the side of my face, and onto my chin.

"Markus," I said, backing away. He grabbed my shoulder and threw me on my bed.

"Ja" But before I could make out the rest of Jack's name, Markus clamped a hand on my mouth.

"I wouldn't say anything if I were you." He said hoarsely. I bit his hand, then let out a bloody curdling scream. Jack, Derack, and David came running into the room.

"Get off of her." Jack said in a low voice. When Markus didn't move, Derack came forward and grabbed the back of his colar and threw him across the room.

"Get off this ship." Said Jack, and Markus ran out of the room followed by David and Derack. Jack then turned to me. "Are you ok? Your bleeding." I put a finger to my cheek.

"Only a little..." Jack handed me a handkercheif, and that triggerd my memory.

"What was it that girl gave you?" I asked, putting the piece of cloth up to stem the flow.

"Oh, that," Jack said, not answering the question.

"Well?"

"It was a ring." He said in a mumble.

"Thats it?"

"Well its not just any ring. It was me great grandmums ring." I closed my eyes for a moment, to collect my thoughts.

"You risked being captured...for a ring? You made me sleep in the same room with you...for a ring?"

"Not just any ring, love." Jack said, an odd smile on his face. I raised an eyebrow and took away the handkercheif. The bleeding stopped and I threw the now useless rag on the floor.

"Thanks." I said in a small voice.

"Any time." I looked up at him as he turned around and walked out the door. I gave a gusty sigh, and shrugged my shoulders to no one.

"Coral? Can I come in?" I looked up from my journal as I heard Will's voice. I had found a better hiding place for it since everyone read it. I slipped it under my matress and then opened the door.

"Hmm?" I gestured to the chair that I was recently sitting in and took the bed for myself.

"How have you been?" Will asked, seriously.

"You came here to ask me how I've been?" I laughed.

"So."

"Fine."

"Thats it?" He looked at me with his peircing eyes.

"What else is there?"

"'What else is there'? What do you mean, 'What else is there'? You were attacked by a man who hunted you down, and you ask 'What else is there?'"

"Can you stop saying that? It's annoying. I am fine. Its not like he did anything anyways." Will raised one eyebrow and my stomach did a little flip flop. He looked...atractive when he did that.

"Alright. But can you stop biting my head off everytime I try to check on your well being?" He asked.

"Well you always sound so bloody sardonic!" He started to laugh.

"What?" I was almost hurt that he wasnt taking me seriously.

"Sardonic is hardly the word," He drawled. "Im more...pessimestic, and so I have reason to be, if you ever cared to look at my life."

"Ah, here we go with a sob story, geesh."

"Your life isn't the only one thats not sherries and giggles, Coral." He said, losing his calm and cool demenour.

"So? And its shits and giggles, by the way. If your going to be a downer, just leave." He studied me for a moment, and I wished I could reach up and take my words baack, but it was too late, they were already uttered.

"Fine. If my precance isn't wanted, I'll go elsewhere, perhaps...Elizabeth would like some company? You do know that we are going to drop her off in England, don't you? She is fuming." He turned and left, leaving me to think why they were leaving her behind.