Chapter four: Come together

"I wont be gone long, I promise," Abigail vowed quietly to her eldest sister, Josephine. The younger girl looked up with woe-filled eyes, then back down at the wood on the docks of Kingston.

"Give father a kiss every night for me." Without saying anything more, Abigail–her heart and head heavy–walked up the gangplank and onto the large merchant ship, sailing her to England.

"Welcome aboard, Mrs. Hampton," the ship's first mate, Gregory, said eloquently, giving her a small bow. Abigail set down her small trunk, and looked at her surroundings. The ship was massive, but not out of the ordinary.

"Its Miss...Mr..?"

"Charelston. Let me show you to the cabin you will be inhabiting. I trust you will find not a better one aboard." She smiled at the young man, and followed him below.

"What the?" Abigail was literally thrown off her small bunk with a forcible blow to the starboard side of the ship.

Boom

There it was again, and this time, she was thrown across the room. She landed painfully on her trunk, which broke under her weight.

Boom

Those were cannons! She instantly knew the sound, picking herself off from the floor, and wrenching the door open to see the whole ship in a state of panic.

"Pirates," She heard a sailor mutter, as he quickly rushed by her, when she was headed up to the deck.

"Miss, I should think you want to stay below." Charelston said, rushing past her, one hand with a pistol, the other a sword. She ignored his heeding, and continued up the steps, blind curiosity taking affect.

She was instantly rallied. Pirates had swarmed the deck, and the crew were fighting for their lives.

"Ello, luv." Someone grabbed her from behind, and without a by-your-leave, swung over to the larger of the two ships.

"Who is that?" A man was striding towards them. Must be the captain, Abigail thought. She was set down, but the man who grabbed her kept his hands on her shoulders tightly. This had happened all so fast, her head spun.

"Dunno. But she was on deck, and I just plucked her clean off."

"Then take her into the same room as the other." Other? What other? Was there more captives?

"Sir...is that a good idea?"

"Just do it." Snapped the captain, and stalked off to survey the battle in his favor.

Big mistake.

Abigail was thrown neatly into a small cabin, landing on something soft.

"Oof. Geeoff me." It said, pushing at Abigail's back. She scrambled to her feet and got a good look at the person she had landed on.

It was a woman, most likely around her age, or younger. She had long brown dirty hair that hung around her face. But she was a slight little thing. In fact, if it weren't for her voice, Abigail would have thought her a child.

"Got you too, eh?" the woman asked, standing up.

"Excuse me?"

"Me name is Clara. The captain took me from my hall, and you are...?" Abigail shook her head slightly, and ran her fingers over the skirt of her gown, smoothing it out.

"Abigail Hampton. I was on the ship they were attacking." She looked around and saw a spider descending silky web, and blew on it lightly, sending the spider cascading across the room. After a few moments pause, Abigail reached into her dress pocket, and produced a small bottle filled with dark amber liquid.

"What's that?" Clara asked, eyeing the liquid uneasily. Abigail took out the stopper, and dropped three drops on her tongue.

"Its for...medical reasons." She could feel it coming on again, and she needed to lay down quick. Without asking the other woman, she laid out on the bunk, and fell into a deep sleep.

"Laudanum," Clara whispered. Suddenly, cannon fire ceased, and the door was thrown open.

"She's asleep?" Jack asked, incredulous. Clara nodded, and jerked her head to the small bottle still in the womans hands. He cursed, then took Clara by the wrist and propelled her up the set of stairs, and to his own cabin.

"I need your mind," He said in explanation as she glared at him. She rolled her eyes. They entered the large room, to see a table in the middle, with Gibbs, Parkinson, and Johnson sitting at it, two seats still unoccupied.

"Sit," Jack demanded, and Clara–shooting a look of wryness– sat. "Now...we have over ten hostages, including the lovely," he put an emphases on 'lovely' "Clara. We need to know exactly how to handle this." Parkinson shifted uneasily in his chair, not liking to openly discuss this with one of said hostages in the room.

"Need to use the lavatory?" Clara asked in the sweet tone which Jack was starting to realize as Clara at her worst. Parkinson shot her an avid glare, and turned his head, quelling all thoughts of strangling her.

"Exactly what are the statistics?" Johnson asked, leaning back in his chair, ignoring the silent feud.

"Well, two women, and eight men. Most of them are just merchant sailors. But we did manage to take the first mate." Gibbs answered for Jack.

"Aye." Jack agreed.

"Well, I say a hundred pieces of eight apiece." Parkinson said, his eyes blank.

"Men...honestly. Don't you know anything?" Spoke up Clara for the first time. She stood up, which caused massive discomfort, but made not a movement towards the cabin door.

"Apparently, if you are berating us, we don't." said Jack dryly, folding his arms across his chest.

"Well, I hate to have to explain it, I mean...its so simple,"

"But you will," Growled Jack, growing irritated. Clara shot him a hard look, but stopped needling the men none the less.

"Well...with me, per say...just one slip who I am...and they would be willing to throw all of Sandiniti's gold at you. Im sure, same goes for the opium addict sharing my room," There were a few inhalations and glances thrown about the room as the men shuffled around. "Her clothes were wealthy enough. The ship came from Kingston...best bet is to try there first. Now...the first mate. A lot can go for him. Same thing, sailed out of Kingston. Honestly," By this time she had walked around the oval table twice.

"And, per say, you are?" Parkinson spoke first.

"Clara Sandiniti. I was sure you would have collected that...I mean; 'Sandiniti's treasure', what dim lot you can be, even for pirates." Jack ignored the slight on his kind, but stood up, placing a rough hand on Clara's shoulder, and shoving her back down in her seat.

"Antony never had children," Gibbs scoffed, but was silenced at her fierce glare.

"Very well. I think the wench has a point." That awarded Johnson with the glare of Parkinson's.

"Well...I do hope I get some of the ransom?" The men only stared at Clara.