The quartet sat around the fire, Captain Garrison on June's right and Jack on her left with the dancing island girl on his left. They had feasted and the conversation had been sparse, but now that the food was gone they had to converse about something. So June, using her dull upbringing, began polite tête-à-tête.
"So Captain Garrison, what brings you to this Caribbean paradise?"
The man stretched out on the ground and made a pillow for his head in the nook of his arm. His features were broad and softer than Jack's, and he was probably younger. A fine British to say the least. "I come with a order from the king, to cause as much trouble for the Spanish as possible."
"So you're a privateer." Jack stated plainly but there was a weighted decision behind it. "You're no better than a pirate."
"I'm an Officer ordained by the king to undertake acts of piracy, but I am no pirate." Each men threw their dice but Garrison cast the lucky number seven. He turned his attention from the beaten pirate Captain to June. "What brings you here? A lady like yourself should be at home safe and not risking the dangerous world of sea."
June let a peel of laughter ring merrily through the night. "Well then you do not know a woman's heart. You see a woman born in shackles of expectation, set on by males, wants nothing more than to seek adventures and set courses of her own choosing."
"A woman hindered by their destiny needs only to seek comfort in their husband. He will provide many adventures for her." Garrison looked up at June and slyly placed a hand on her thigh.
The pressure of his hand was unexpected as was the lust in his eyes. June wanted to look away, to look at anything but him, and yet she couldn't. "How can a husband find love in a wife, who could not love herself for not taking a chance?"
Jack couldn't tear his eyes away from the hand that lay intentionally on June's thigh. Its presence made him burn in anger, but the iciness in June's remark chilled him.
"You must have faired many adventures," June began again, politeness returned, " why don't you entertain us."
"Well," the hand still rested forgotten, a pink elephant amidst the group, "I braved many adventures in crossing the ocean alone. You see there was a storm and we lost most of the animal cargo. We would have starved, I suppose, before pulling into a port but I harpooned a shark, which brought us fresh meat for the voyage. Have you ever tasted shark meat, Captain?"
Jack hadn't, but before he could answer Pola, the island girl, spoke. "Shark meat is wonderful, and unless it is lanky game it can sure fill the stomach. If not cooked properly though, it can leave foul toxin in a man that will leave him in the bushes for weeks."
A sickening memory seemed to slide across Garrison's face before he masked it. "Yes, well. Has anyone knowledge of the Battle of Blue, a few years past?"
"Oh yes," June had been told many times of that battle off the coast of Jamaica, "the battle between the British and Spaniards, fought over the graves of ships long gone. 'Twas dangerous business I hear. The Spanish, I believe, had brought about the battle by attacking a merchant ship, which carried letters to the navel officers from their wives and loved ones. Thus the name Battle of Blue, for the men were homesick and needed those letters to boost their morale."
The group was slightly taken aback by this brief history lesson. They were all staring at her dumbfounded and she was uneasy under their gaze. Garrison was the first to regain speech for he had a story to tell.
"Very good." He praised her for her knowledge, and she smiled in acceptance of his praise. "My ship was just pulling into port when we heard the battle going on a mile up the coast. Thinking they might need more men we went to investigate, and sure enough they did. After assessing the situation we saw that the British were low on firearms and my own ship had rarely any to speak of. If something didn't happen soon we would have lost, so I made the ultimate decision."
He paused for dramatic flare, in which time Jack rolled his eyes. June seemed captured by the tale though and it sent Jack wild; he had stories to tell too. "I emptied my cargo and any valuables on another ship, along with my crew. There was one Spaniard ship that caused more casualties than the others, so I unfurled my sails and headed straight towards it. I was sacrificing my ship, for the good of Briton. You see, in these dangerous waters you had to be careful or you'd find yourself speared with a mast of a long ago buried ship, so the Spaniards had no where to run. To insure victory I lit a barrel full of dynamite that would explode upon impact, and when the two sterns touched I jumped over board and managed to swim to safety. Because of my daring feat, victory was ours."
A round of applause broke from the girls, but Jack just sulked in silence. None of his stories were as great as this he could never compare.
"Jack you must have a lore or two, tell us why don't you." Garrison sneered as if reading Jack's mind. "Some sort of harrowing feat, dastardly deed, no? Maybe political literacy, no I wouldn't think so. Did you ever stub your toe?"
"That's enough!" Jack roared getting to his feet in defiance. Captain Garrison was better than him, fine he'd admit it, but a no good pawkie bastard wasn't going to shame him in front of June.
"Jack?" June rose to her feet too allowing Garrison's hand to finally fall off. "I can't believe the way you're acting. Captain Garrison I'd like to have a word with you." She looked around at Jack, still standing there anger bubbling from him. "In private."
Captain Garrison stood and took June's arm, "Right this way Miss."
As Captain Garrison lead June away, Jack slumped in defeat.
(Break)
June was livid and as soon as they got out of hearing range she turned on Captain Garrison.
"I would appreciate it Captain, if you treated Jack without enmity but with respect. I would also prefer not to be treated like a common wench."
"Excuse me?"
"You've been showing off and placing your hands in places they don't belong, and I find that offensive." June spat back, "And for further information, I've read Sir Jonathan's autobiography, and know that you stole his story of Battle Blue. You probably were still suffering from shark meat during the time of the battle. I at least, had the decency not to point out your lies in front of the others." With that she turned on her heals and marched back the way she came.
(Break)
Blake had offered Jack his hut for the night, as his crew shared the neighboring one, and that is where he retired after June left with the Captain. Pola tried to comfort him for a while, in the ways only a woman could, but he wouldn't have it. Now he was alone a dram of rum in hand and a pint or two in his belly.
The hut was small and cozy, with a thatched roof and crude mud peat walls. It was empty save a miniature wooden table with a metal basin, and a collection of skins for a bed. A small fire burning in a hearth for warmth and there was kindling logs stacked beside it.
As Jack gazed into the fire he almost missed the movement in the corner of his eyes; an intruder. Climbing from the bed he faced the open door, and June standing there. "What do you want?"
She was shocked by his gruff inquiry but understood his reasoning. "I've come to speak with you."
"What, was Garrison's story telling skills not as good as his skills in bed?" He fell back into bed shaking his head.
"I understand your disappointment, but I have no intention to sleep with Captain Garrison." June came forward and sat down next to her Captain. "Aren't you the least curious about what we talked about?"
"No. And you're wrong if you think it's right to tell me."
"Oh I know much about right and wrong, and the only right thing, right now, would be me in your bed."
He found her lips around his, the utter shock of it all leaving him dumbfounded, as her tongue lead his in the race of passion. Their hips came together as June climbed on top of him, and his member became a stiff rod. They melted into one another, deepening the kiss, and drowning in the intoxication. As the moon fell to reunite with the western horizon, Jack and June united in a way they would never forget.
A/n: Tête-à-tête means conversation. Please review, I hope you liked it.