Chapter five
Mari smiled as she remembered how petty her wants had been then. Now all she wanted to do is see her brother again. But she had long since believed he was dead. And yet, through it all some part of her had never quite given up hope and kept bringing her back to Tortuga, she had taken up the life of a pirate after the sea turtle had 'dropped her off' a few miles off shore from Tortuga.
Mari looked out to see, there was something big off the starboard side. She stood up and called down to Jack.
"Captain look off the starboard side! We've got something approaching at a good speed."
She watched Jack pull out his spyglass and look in the direction she had indicated, heard him curse then he shouted,
"All hands! We got the navy on our tail! I want to see that boat as less than a speck to our rudder! Come on you mangy dogs I want this ship going full blast! Unfurl all sails! Get those rudders going full! Come on faster you slugs!"
Everyone rushed about trying to get his commands going as fast as he was saying them. Orion screeched loudly looking in that direction!
"Mari keep that pigeon under control or it gets blasted!" jack called up to her where she was unfurling and tightening sails. She almost fell as she called back down to him after looking in the direction of the naval ship!
"That was his warning captain; he means the ship is out of sight. Do you want to know how far out of sight captain?"
"If your pigeon can do that yes." Jack called up.
Orion flew off towards the ship, about six minutes later he came back and landed o Mari's outstretched arm.
"Six miles Captain, give or take an extra half." She called. Jack nodded up at her.
The ship suddenly lurched forward as they slowed the rudder a little. Mari, caught unawares, lost her footing and plummeted to the deck. A rope from the rigging caught around her ankle and stopped her at about twelve feet from the deck. Nobody heard the crack but Mari winced in pain as she felt her ankle brake. Will and Gibbs rushed up to help her down. Will held her up to keep her from falling and Gibbs cut the rope. Orion circled above screeching nervously.
"Oh hush! I'm all right" Mari snapped at the bird. He bird fell quiet and landed on the rail as they helped her down. Jack the monkey was screeching and chattering its head off as though that was the funniest thing in the world. Next thing it knew it was pinned under the razor sharp talons of Orion.
"Hey birdie, killing the monkey is my job." Jack said the bird released the monkey and it took off for the rigging.
"What happened up there luv?" jack asked as they reached the deck.
"Nothing, just lost my balance, it's not as dry as a desert up there you know." Mari aid, still trying to keep her dignity.
"Oh, well then be more careful, won't be able to find a new crew member for a while yet." Jack said then went back to the wheel.
Mari started to make for the cabin but as soon as she put pressure on her ankle it gave way, she fell to the deck and looked at it, and it was bleeding from where the rope had cut into her skin. She swore under her breath and Will helped her to her feet.
"Let's get that patched up." He said.
"No, I'll be ok, we need to keep the ship going." Mari argued.
"Don't worry it'll be ok without you for a few minutes." Will said.
They went below deck and Mari sat in a chair and examined her ankle. Upon further study she realized she hadn't broken it, she had just twisted it in its socket. She gritted her teeth against pain, took a firm hold on her ankle and twisted. Her other leg almost kicked Will but he dodged and it came in contact with the table.
"What did you do?" He asked as he looked at the now broken leg of the table.
"The rope twisted my ankle out of its socket, I needed to fix it." She said unconcernedly. Will just stared at her. He then sat down in a chair opposite of her.
"Ok, give me you ankle." Will said the bandages in one hand, and a herbal poultice in the other.
After a few minutes her ankle had been wrapped and splinted, with part of the table leg no less. Mari was just about to get up then remembered her locket.
"Oh can I have my locket back?" She asked. Will pulled it out of his pocket but hesitated before handing it to her.
"Can I talk to you for a minute?" He asked. Mari looked at him, confused.
"Uh, sure I guess. Is there something wrong?" Mari asked.
"No, but I just have to ask. Where did you get that locket?" Will looked her dead in the eye as he asked that. Mari hesitated before answering. But she did answer.
"It, it was my brother's, he gave it to me a long time ago, before he died." Mari said in a quiet voice.
"When was the last time you looked at it? I mean the portraits?"
"Why do you ask?" Mari asked suddenly suspicious
"Because I looked in it, and the woman's picture in it is my mother, and the boy's picture is…mine." Will said.
Ok, i just had to leave a cliffie, please don't hate. And please review. Oherwise i'll just have to blast jack's head off.
Jack: Hey! Why Am I getting dragged into this? And why my head?
Shadow: Because you're more annoying than the monkey, savvy?
jack: Ok... i'm off to find the monkey. -goes off to searhc- Hey rum!
Shadow: -sighs- Ok, please R&R thnka you and i apologise for no personal wite backs on the review it will be in the next chapter. But i must goes and prevent Jack from basting his head off when he tries to shoot the monkey because he will be too drunk to nocite which way the pistol is pointed. In fact, i might 'accidently miss' the monkey too...