Sorry about the lack of updates, reality seems to be getting in the way of our fun! Anyhow, onwards!

conversation and propagation
information dissemination and tribulations no hesitation
indoctrination, affiliation, penitentary and jail evasion

- The Coup

Before long everyone found themselves gathered together in the master bedroom, where Doll was animatedly re-telling the tale of the wonderful masquerade, complete with hand gestures and acting. Her father was looking at her with wide eyes, looking like he'd fallen down from the moon. Jack was once again seated in the sofa, looking for all the world like a cat that had just eaten the cream, and the canary to boot. Lijah was standing in front of the window, enjoying the view and listening to Doll's excited voice with half an ear. An occasional chuckle could be heard from her, while Jack was almost doubling over, roaring with laughter.

When Doll had finished convincing her father that she wasn't making the story up, even swearing on the bible, which had caused yet another laughing fit, she settled down on the end of the bed. Will started to sit up before he noticed the little men with hammers inside his head.

"Oh, my head! What did I do last night?" He gave Jack an accusing stare, which Jack returned with his usual lopsided grin.

"Oh come on whelp, 's not my fault ye can't hold yer liquor, now is it?"

Will closed his eyes and tried to shake his head, but found that it was rather impossible. Instead he just lay back on the pillow. "You, or your rum, will be the death of me, old pirate!" he exclaimed, putting his arm over his face. Jack laughed, and started to fiddle with his hair. It soon became apparent that he wasn't going to succeed with whatever he was trying on, so he turned towards Doll.

"Would ye mind helping me with the hair, lass? I'd ask the giglet over here", he pointed towards Dalila, who gave him a frosty glare, "but she's always so rough with me poor head. Braids too tight she does, gives me a headache for days." Dalila snorted and turned back to the window, shaking her head and mumbling something about 'old daft fool'.

Blushing bright red, Doll nevertheless reached out her hands for the little bag of pearls. She gave Lijah a slightly desperate glance, but the girl merely grinned and turned her attention to the conversation. Sitting next to Jack on the couch, she started to tread and weave the little wooden pearls into his hair – clumsily at first, then more steadily as she went along. It was as if the pearls jumped into her hand themselves, she knew exactly where they fit. She could even take the time to study his profile – or not, she realised as three pearls plunked on the floor.

"Got a cure for that head of yours," Jack said innocently.

"Does this involve sharp swords and necks in any way," Will groaned, still not moving his arm away from his eyes.

Jack sniggered. "Might, if we're lucky. Did yer pretty wifey ever teach ye 'bout the Code? She seemed to know her pirates, that g – lost another one there, luv."

Mother? Doll thought. Whatever could she know about pirates?

"There's no Code here, Jack. Just us landlubbers trying to make a living."

"That so? See, there's a bit there about not leaving a mate behind. Seems you're pretty left behind, eh?"

Will lifted his hand a little, squinting at the pirate. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying ye should come with us tonight. Get a taste of the ocean again. Ye are a pirate still, ain't ya, Will?"

"I… Jack Sparrow, what the… what are you up to?"

"Get out of that bed and I'll show ya. Ah, ye're in no shape to get up by yerself." With that, Jack got up, unfastened pearls spraying across the room. Will quickly sat up and gathered the covers around him, holding up a hand.

"Nono," he said, looking a little panicked. "I'll get up, just… get out!"

Jack let out a bark of laughter. "Ye haven't changed a bit, whelp. C'mon, don't be shy." And he proceeded to lift the struggling man out of the bed, to the giggling girls' great enjoyment.

"Wait," Will said suspiciously, in mid-struggle, "doesn't the Code say that the one who stays behind is left behind?"

Jack looked guilty all of a sudden, but then shrugged. "They're really more guidelines…"

As Jack got ready to leave the room, Delila spoke up, still facing the window. "Aren't you forgetting something, da?"

Jack, still with an armful of Will, looked at his daughter. "What? Me forgetting something? Never happens." Delila just looked at his reflection in the window, face passive and patient, until he finally gave in. "Okay, what?"

"Well, for one, the Pearl is rather busy right now, you have a ton of crates filled with silk that needs to be", she coughed slightly, "relocated. And with all the new crew you hired there really isn't any room for guests."

Jack slumped his shoulder, nearly dropping Will in the process, a downcast look appearing on his face. "So, do you have any bright ideas, lass?" he asked, sounding sulky.

"In fact, I have." Delila turned towards her father, eyes sparkling with mirth. "We'll take my ship instead."

It took another hour before everyone were dressed and, in Jack's case, braided properly. From that point on things took a turn for the worse.

The girls found themselves sitting at the foot of the staircase, watching their fathers argue in the hall.

"Jack," Will said, mustering all of his patience. "You and your daughter are welcome to stay here until you can get away safely. My daughter and I have no business on a pirate ship."

"Business we've got," Jack said, winking at Doll and completely ignoring her father's glare. "Pretty company we lack."

"Let's discuss this in private," Jack said stiffly, pulling Jack into his study. Doll looked at Lijah.

"Are you hungry?" Lijah nodded eagerly, and they went into the kitchen, where the leftovers from last nights binge was evident. "What a mess," Doll sighed.

"Yeah, this is my dad's doing all right." Delila thought. She'd cleaned up after him more than once, and knew what a pig he could be at times. Then her eyes travelled to the bottle of rum standing on the kitchen table. She had in fact never even tasted rum; her father was really strict on that. Drinking and women didn't go together. He always got a haunted look in his eyes when he said that, as if he was remembering some horrible event, but Delila never brought it up. Jack had done a lot of crazy things, it was better not to ask. She suddenly got an idea. "Hey, Doll, have you ever tried rum?"

Doll followed Lijah's gaze to the bottle. "No... father doesn't hold with drinking. I didn't even know we had that in the house."

Delila sneered. "Knowing my dad, it's probably his fault." She glanced around. "Oh well, they won't be needin' this anymore." she said, hiding the rum in her wide skirt, winking at Doll. "Ready to go?"

Do you think they'll ever get around to actually leave the manor? Stick around and find out! -