Chapter VI - Monotony

Maids' work.  That's what she was doing.  All to occupy her time.   The white handkerchief swept along the last bit of her desk; although she didn't really use it, it was something to clean.  When sure that it was sparkling in the sunlight pouring through the porthole, she moved to the wardrobe and wiped it down.  Once finished wiping every mote of dust she could reach, Rachelle sat on her bed, hands folded in her lap.

Oh this was boring.  Jennifer looked lazily up at her then lowered her head back to her red paws.  She was curled up in her basket, looking to be about as bored as her mistress.  After a few minutes of blank staring, Rachelle stood and began to pace.  There had to be something to do, there absolutely had to be!  Her diary was tucked away in a trunk, but what would she write?  "I'm bored," repeatedly?  Was there no mercy?

Perhaps when she got to port things would pick up.  She had heard, brief snippets of course from the soldiers, that the Caribbean was a thrilling, exhilarating place to be.  If one excepted the pirates.  However, the men did love to battle, being in the army and all, and so would gladly fight any pirates that came near (this was excitement and fun for them).  But normal people, again excepting the pirates, thought the Caribbean an entertaining place to be. 

She couldn't wait to reach Port Royale and meet her fiancé.  He was a fine, upstanding man from what she had been told and being away from home should prove to be quite entertaining.  Still, her mind wandered to the hushed stories of the men on board, who spoke of a pirate so evil, so vile that Hell itself had spat him back out.  And his first mate who seemed to be just as bad.  She hadn't heard much more on the subject, but hearing about someone that horrid sent chills up her spine.

However with the warm sun shining in the room and the quarters bright with day, it wasn't such a horrible subject to dwell upon.  The shivers were subdued with warmth, any shadows cast in her mind expelled by golden light.  At least the topic was entertaining and kept her mind occupied.

Perhaps a book would help her.  Did she have the patience to read, though?  She wanted to start her adventure.  At first she thought that being on a boat would be an adventure, or the start of hers, but being locked up in a room was not her idea of an escapade.  If she wanted that, she could have stayed at home.  At least at home she would have had her harp, or her mother playing piano as they sang.  Or embroidery.  She had a lovely piece she was working on, half done, and desperately wanted to finish it, especially now.  But she had thought that she wouldn't need it, heading off on this "adventure."

Her puppy yipped a few times, reminding her of her friend, her dog's namesake.  Jennifer had wanted adventure as well, and look where it got her.  Perhaps being on an adventure, but not being an active participant was much better.  At least she would survive, and could say she travelled to the Caribbean from England.  How many women could say that?  Not many. 

She of course, would not mention the fact that she was stowed away in her room, waiting for permission to leave, to meet her future husband.  Telling people the full truth of her time sailing wouldn't be as entertaining as having them believe she had done something.  Her mind went to her fiancé again.  Trusting her Father's judgement, she knew the Commodore would be an excellent man, a great provider.  His character she knew nothing about, but that wasn't the point of good breeding, good matches.

Sitting back down on the edge of her bed, she tapped her fingers impatiently on her knee.  There had to be something to do.  Jennifer padded over to her and sat at her feet, staring up with her wide, brown eyes.  Lifting her dog up, she heard noises from the room beside her.

"Why do those men have to be so noisy when they work?" she cooed to the dog, scratching her behind the ears.  "I wish we could do something.  Maybe a trip up on deck would be fun?"

The pup just continued to gaze up at Rachelle from her lap, her prim pink dress becoming slightly wrinkled from Jennifer's weight.  But neither cared.  Stroking the dog's soft fur was something, and something was what she had been wishing for.

"Two months of this," she sighed.  "And two more months to go.  How will we manage?"

Giving a sharp bark in reply, Jennifer snuggled down on Rachelle's lap, getting comfortable.  Her tail wagged spasmodically as the young woman petted her.  Eyes blank and staring off into nothingness, she tried to jog her brain into working.

What could she do in a virtually empty room?  Her dresses had been stuffed into crates for the two months at sea.  Perhaps it was time they were shook out and allowed to air.  The creases must have been becoming pretty bad.  Lifting her pet up then setting her gently to the floor, Rachelle then stood and went to the eight crates.  Two of them were her dowry, and the other six had her things.  Five were full of dresses and personal items, the last one stuffed with her hygienic products, like soap.  

Opening one of the crates filled with her dresses, she carefully lifted them out, one by one.  She shook out the first one, then laid it out on her bed.  True, she had a few dresses in the wardrobe, but it was no where near as large as the one she owned at home.  Her favourite and most expensive dresses were kept there.  They could not afford to be kept in crates.  Winkles would destroy them and they had to stay hanging.

"Is this not just so boring?" she asked down to Jennifer, stroking the dress on the bed, smoothing it.  Grabbing it again, she shook it once more and repeated the smoothing process.  Then she set it aside and took out another dress, a light gold one.  After that was her light blue dress and to her taste, a tad too low cut.  But her aunt had insisted, as it was fashionable.

Standing straight and breathing properly so she could get air in her lungs, her eyes drifted to her dog. 

"It is hard work having to bend over and breathe."

Jennifer just cocked her head questionably.

"The corset, silly."  She smiled and went to her mirror, which she had hung on the wall the first day she had arrived.  Although it was sin to be vain, she had to make sure everything was perfect.  Her makeup had not been smudged and her light red hair still hung perfectly around her, so all was fine.

Returning to her crates of dresses, she continued to unpack and cover her bed in her clothing.  Delicate fabrics from all over the world coated her bed, in all sorts of shades.  Light red, light green, pinks and peaches.  They were all so beautiful.  She was quite lucky being the daughter of a rich family, to have such great items.  And the dresses weren't all.  Her brush was made of the finest ivory, everything she owned had at least some gold on it.  Everything was expensive, at the height of fashion and absolutely beautiful.

She sat on her bed in a huff, avoiding the skirts surrounding her.

"I must be pretty bored, Jenny, if I am taking inventory."  Forcing herself back up, she went to the desk and opened a drawer, the only thing she used.  From it, she took out a beat up Bible and returned to her bed.  Flipping through it she began reading.  It was tedious, it was slightly boring and it was everything she had read before . . . but at least it was something to do.

At least she had finished with the dresses.

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*Feels better than she has in days*  Thanks guys!  (this is Suk)  The reviews are awesome.  I've been feeling really down about fanfiction because I've got some flames lately . . . But now I realise that for the one asshole who hates me, there are ten wonderful people who think I (and as in the case of this story, Mika[2]) should continue writing!  Thanks bunchels!

And yeah *laughs* lots of people went into PotC for Orlando and came out loving Johnny.  Jack Sparrow (Captain Jack Sparrow!) is just so sexy.  For me, Johnny Depp is an amazing actor and he is definitely good looking, sexy even, but I'm not obsessed with him.  However, I totally love Cap'n Jack Sparrow.

Anyhoo, keep reading and reviewing, and we'll keep writing.  The sequel has been on hiatus for a week or two because Mika is going off to University (she's going to Waterloo if any Cunucks are wondering) so she's been packing and getting ready and such.  But don't worry, we'll continue writing when she has the internet (I guess she's in a dorm or something) and I'll be posting steadily from home.  :)

Sukkumbus

(PS: sorry the chappie was a bit short, but you try writing a chapter on being bored! Lol.  But it's all good eh . . .)

(PPS: that IS why Jack gave up his rum, but the reason why we even wrote it in is because it's like "WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING?!  HE'S GIVING UP HIS RUM!!!"  So yeah.  :P)