Chapter twelve: All the Young Dudes

The next morning I woke up to a sinlge apple on my bedside table. I layed there on my side looking at it, wondering who the hell would sneak into my room, leave an apple, and sneak out again. I reached out and grabbed it, while sitting up. I felt the reasurring rock of the ship and knew we were once again sailing. Maybe this time our destination wouldn't be so unclear.

I took a bite of the apple, happily munching on it as I looked about my very messy room. There were clothes hanging on the chair and piled on the floor, my desk was a mess with papers and books that I had brought along with me, and there was an odd smell coming from the loo. I got up and decided to clean up the place.

Lately I had taken to sleeping in my day clothes, abandoning the dresses for more suitable pants and shirts. I broke in the pair of boots Jack had gotten for me on my arrival, and he left me last night before I went to bed with a promise of teaching me how to aim a pistol, and swordfight. I was truly becoming a pirate.

I finished my apple and started to pick up the clothes, deciding what needed to be washed, and what was clean. I tied a strip of cloth in my hair to keep the remander of my once long locks off of my face.

Two hours later, I was on the floor scrubbing a spot of gunk when there was a knock.

"Come in!" I grunted, as I gave the floor one last swipe and stood up.

"Hello." Will said, coming in with a smile, and his hand behind his back.

"What? Im kinda busy right now, I still have to clean the loo, and then wash all of these clothes," I gestured to the huge pile that was on my made cot. He smiled at me. "What?" I asked, suspicious.

"You look nice with your hair like that..." He said simply, then held out a package wrapped in brown paper.

"Whats this?" I asked with a beamused expression, taking the parcel.

"Open it!" I ripped off the paper and it was a box.

"You got me a box?" I joked, sitting down and opening it. I gasped. Inside was a stack of parchment, two quills and a new bottle of ink. I looked up at Will.

"For me?"

"Duh. I thought that you could use it," I set down the box and jumped up, hugging him.

"Thanks so much!" I squealed, after giving him a death grip hug. I let go and he rubbed his neck.

"Ouch." I snorted, and looked down at the writing tools again.

"Wow. Really, thanks."

"No prob. I'll see you around then." He turned and walked out of my cabin. I stood there staring after him, wondering what possesed him to get me those things. I cleared off my desk, and put away my new presents. Then, I gathered all of my dirty things to go wash up on deck.

I hated washing the clothes. You had to take a pole, lower them down, dunk them in the sea water, then scrub them a bit. It was a long, invloved process that left your hands sore and your clothes stiff and gritty with salt...But it had to be done.

I was standing, leaning over the railing at the very front of the ship, just by the figure head when like people always do, I heard footsteps.

"Need help?" Jacks voice came from behind me. I shook my head no, and straightened up, hauling my clothes up with me.

"Whatcha doin?" He asked.

"Clothes. But, if there is any other way, please, tell me." Jack's eyes widened.

"There is...Make someone else do it. I betcha if you asked anyone on the ship, they would do them for you."

"Nah," I said, wringing out my pants. "I don't want someone cleaning my knickers for me. I can do it, its just a pain in the arse." Jack laughed, and leisurly leaned against the railing.

"So, what are your plans for dinner?" He asked, plucking at a spot on his jacket.

"Um...eating?"

"Ha. Why don't you have it in me room with me, eh? I think it would be nice." I raised an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"Why not."

"Fine." Jack gave me a sexy grin and sauntered off. I shook my head and collected all of the wet clothes. As I was walking back to my cabin, I noticed some raised voices in the galley. My curiosity took over and I snuck in, unnoticed into the kitchen. It was Will and Elizabeth.

"You haven't been paying attention to me!" Elizabeth whined and paced the kitchen. Will stood still by the wash basin we did the dishes in, face like stone.

"I have other duties other than doting on you, Elizabeth." He said cooly. "Jack has been demanding of my time, and he wanted me to help teach Coralie to swordfight."

"Coralie!" She shrieked, standing still. "Your teaching that pathetic"

"You learned to defend yourself, just as she needs to." Will said calmly over her ravings. "It is after all what needs to be done. You didn't object when you learned. Why are you afraid of her?"

"I am not afraid of that whore. I would just love to gouge her eyes out though. Those stupid pathetic green eyes that are too big for her head. She doesn't have what it takes to be a pirate!" Elizabeth screamed.

"And neither, apparently, do you." Will said, starting to walk towards the door. "That is why you are going to be deposited in England, where perhaps you will find that life...better suited, shall we say, for your...attitude." Will walked out, glanced at me, and winked. I stared after him, and Elizabeth finally saw me.

"YOU!" She screamed, charging towards me, face of thunder.

"Me."

"Your dead." She spat, stopping right in front of me, her face inches away from mine. I looked around as if amazed.

"Funny, you'd think I'd have stopped walking around."

"This is all your doing!" I rolled my eyes theatrically and yawned as if bored. I turned on my heal and stalked away.

"I didn't say you could leave!" She called after me. I walked into my cabin, shutting the door. She flung it open and started to come towards me.

"Don't make me call Jack or Will." I said, backing away from her.

"Oh, yes. Call your little squad of protectors. They only like you because you are a "pretty face", and you knonw as soon as they bed you they are going to drop you off somewhere, just like me."

"Ah, there is where you are wrong Elizabeth," I said in a mystical voice. "I am not YOU." At the last word, I shoved her away from me and she went sprawling onto the floor. "AND DONT YOU EVER FORGET IT!" She lay there, staring up at me, eyes wide, and a look of frightenment on her face.

"If you ever, come near me again," I spat out at her. "I will kill you." David and Will came running into the room.

"Bloody hell!" David cursed. He ran forward and helped up Elizabeth. Will just watched them as they both walked out.

"I would bet Jack's gold teeth that they end up together." He said, shaking his head.

"Hey now!" Jack said loudly, waltzing into the room. "No one bets me teeth without me permission!" We all laughed.