Chapter 5:
A Plan of Action
The Interceptor II was being prepared for its noon departure. After a heated argument, Commodore Norrington finally gave into Jack's unusual reasoning and allowed him to bring the Black Pearl into the harbor.
The slave had hidden her rowboat in a small grove of trees just outside the bay. She crept along the shoreline until she reached the place where the Black Pearl was moored.
Jack paced around the pier, waiting for Rose and Norrington to complete the preparations to their ship. He shaded his eyes against the sun. What was taking them so long? Just then, he had a mental image of the Commodore kissing Rose. He squeezed his eyes shut. "Owh! Bad image!!!" he thought, trying to forget the picture.
Will walked up behind him, dressed in a white shirt, brown tunic, and brown rolled-up pants. He tapped Jack on the shoulder. Jack jumped. "Whoa! Oh, it's you! Don't scare me like that, mate!"
Will smiled apologetically. "Sorry," he said. "Is it just me, or do crazy ideas run in your family?"
"Ohhh, it runs in the fam'ly, alright." Jack answered. "But I didn't know it affected the women!"
They both laughed at this remark, but their laughter was cut short when a girl with black hair and sun-tanned skin approached Jack. It was the slave-girl! Will motioned to Jack to turn around, which he did, and nearly jumped to see her behind him.
"I hope you're Jack Sparrow." She said.
Jack quickly composed himself. He smiled at the woman who was obviously a pirate. "That'd be CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow, love."
"Well then, Captain, I want to join your crew." She said, being very straightforward.
Jack eyed her. "What's your name, lass?" He asked the bold female.
"Raven Montiero." She answered.
"Where'd ya come from?" Jack asked.
"I was a slave on another pirate's ship. But I escaped last night by stealin' a small rowboat from the ship. I rowed 'till I got here."
Jack spotted the sword hanging at her side. "So why would a slave have a sword?"
"I found it on an enemy pirate that was killed on the ship. I took it and hid it under me bed 'till I could escape."
Jack could tell she was a crafty woman. "Fine, you're in, Raven!"
She thanked Jack and hurried aboard the Black Pearl.
"Well that was unexpected!" Jack said. Will nodded in agreement.
"Will, come on!" Elizabeth called. Will ran to where the Interceptor II was anchored and joined Commodore Norrington was boarding the ship with Rose.
Rose was holding an extremely long, leather-bound case. Commodore had seen it with her belongings, but had never asked her what it was. "Rose, what is that?" He asked, stepping in front of her.
Rose looked at him grimly. "Let's hope you never need to find out." She said.
"Rose, please. I can't allow that on the ship unless I know what it is!" Norrington said, smiling slightly.
Rose gave in. She undid the three brass latches on the box and opened it to reveal a slender rapier that was longer than most rapiers. In spite of this, it appeared to be very light and easy to maneuver. It was a sword custom made for a woman. Commodore Norrington ran his hand over the gold inlaid brass handle. He pulled his hand back as Rose snapped the case shut. "I'll let you have a closer look later. I don't everyone in Port Royal to think you're sailing off with a mad-woman."
The Commodore and Will looked at each other knowingly. Women didn't often carry their own weapon.
They boarded the ship. Rose took the sword down to the cabin she and Elizabeth were sharing. Oddly enough, it was hidden, and could only be reached through a secret door camouflaged as a panel in Commodore Norrington's stateroom. As she entered the stateroom, she noticed a key hanging on a peg in the wall next to the secret door. There was also a note attached to it. It was written in very neat handwriting.
Rose, this is the key to this secret door and your cabin. Look closely at the panel of wood directly to the right of this peg. The keyhole is hidden well, but easy spotted from up close.
- James
She searched the wall until she found the keyhole. After opening the door, she descended down a short flight of stairs. Once she reached the hall, she began to wish she had brought a candle with her. She searched in the dark for the doorknob. Finally, she found it and opened the door. Rose set the swordcase down on one of the two small beds. The small room was cozy and warm, but dark as it was lit by only one candle on a wooden desk in the corner by Rose's bed, which was the closest to the door. Along with the two small beds and the desk, there was a screen to change behind and a wooden beam to hang dresses on. Another special feature of the room was the door. Tiny holes in it, not even big enough to see through, allowed air to circulate through the cabin.
Elizabeth opened the door and walked in. She was wearing a lightweight, baby blue dress with white flowered patterns. Rose's dress was also a lightweight dress that was indigo blue with black accents. As it had been at Elizabeth's wedding, Rose was the only one wearing a corset.
Elizabeth looked at Rose curiously. "How do you manage to wear a corset?" She asked.
"You have to get used to it." Rose replied. "Once you have worn them a while, you don't notice them. AND, I come from London, so I wasn't given much choice. I had to get used to them, whether I wanted to or not."
"Will doesn't care whether I wear one or not, and I'll never wear one again!" Elizabeth declared as if she was telling the world she wasn't afraid to defy society and its fashions and standards.
Rose picked up the four spare dresses and hung them on the dress rack. A light tape came from the door, followed by Commodore Norrington's voice. "Rose. Elizabeth. We're casting off." He said, then left.
"Are you going to watch?" Elizabeth inquired.
"No," Rose answered. "I've seen so many of these that they have ceased to hold my interest."
After Elizabeth left, Rose went about examining every nook and cranny of the room. She had never seen it before. "Commodore must have thought I need a special cabin to be safe." She thought. "He must not have thought that I needed a secret room to be safe on the crossing. But now he does. After all, this is, in a sense, war." She picked up the box containing her sword and rubbed her hand across the leather. Then, she set it back on her bed and walked over to the desk in the corner by her bed. Rose pulled out the chair and sat down. She opened the single drawer and found an inkbottle, a stack of parchment, a blank journal, and five quills. For a moment, she wanted to write something, but the next, the thought she wanted to write about was gone.
Rose stood up, pushed the chair back up under the desk, and went back to her bed. She opened the case and took out her rapier. She began slashing and cutting at imaginary enemies. She went this way and that way, practicing many of the skills Commodore Norrington had taught her. She was concentrating so hard that she failed to hear the knock at her door.
She whirled and twisted, all the while being completely oblivious to the now continuous knocking. Finally, the person at the door grew impatient and opened the door.
"James!" Rose cried and dropped her sword in surprise. It clanked as it hit the ground. She had been caught!
"Well, Rose. If you're going to practice your fighting skills, you should find a better opponent than the air!" Commodore laughed.
Rose blushed as she picked up her sword, even though she saw the humor in the situation.
He took a step forward. "May I?" He asked, indicating that he wished to get a better look at her weapon.
Rose placed it in his hands. He turned it over, noting the fine craftsmanship. "When did you get this?" He asked.
"My father gave it to me two years ago. He was always telling me that if I were going to sail with him, I would have to learn to defend myself. I remember when he brought my first sword home. Mother nearly fainted when she saw me with it! Father taught me everything he knew, and I learned quickly. When I finally managed to defeat him in a duel of blades, he had this rapier custom-made for me."
"It suits you well." Commodore said. He rubbed his finger across the keen blade. "I've never seen a sword quite like it. It was clearly- oww!" The sword hit the ground with a clatter.
"Oh, James! Are you alright?" Rose asked concernedly.
"Just a slight nick on the finger. Nothing serious." He said.
But Rose's female instincts were telling her to help him. She went and pulled a piece of cloth from her bag and quickly bandaged the wound. "I'm so sorry, James! I always forget to tell people how sharp the blade is."
Jack took it upon himself to show Raven his ship.
AnaMaria watched with pure contempt and hatred. Jack, she could see, had taken a quick liking to the newcomer and she feared that Raven might attract Jack's romantic attention.
"I can't believe I'm on the Black Pearl!" Raven thought.
After giving her the grand tour, Jack showed her to her quarters. The room was small with two beds and two hammocks. The hammocks and one of the beds were clearly occupied, but the other bed looked as if it hadn't been used in a while.
"This is where you'll sleep." Jack said.
If Raven had been anyone else, she might have said something, but for her, anything was better than what she had on the Stormeye. Then they went back on deck and joined AnaMaria, who was at the tiller. "I want ya up here with me an' AnaMaria. If we're attacked, you'll help man the cannons." Jack told her.
AnaMaria watched Raven with hawk eyes. She just couldn't wait to see her screw up and show Jack that she wasn't fit for his crew.
Sorry I haven't posted in so long. I've been really busy. I will have chapter six up as well as a short bio for Rose soon. I promise!
A Plan of Action
The Interceptor II was being prepared for its noon departure. After a heated argument, Commodore Norrington finally gave into Jack's unusual reasoning and allowed him to bring the Black Pearl into the harbor.
The slave had hidden her rowboat in a small grove of trees just outside the bay. She crept along the shoreline until she reached the place where the Black Pearl was moored.
Jack paced around the pier, waiting for Rose and Norrington to complete the preparations to their ship. He shaded his eyes against the sun. What was taking them so long? Just then, he had a mental image of the Commodore kissing Rose. He squeezed his eyes shut. "Owh! Bad image!!!" he thought, trying to forget the picture.
Will walked up behind him, dressed in a white shirt, brown tunic, and brown rolled-up pants. He tapped Jack on the shoulder. Jack jumped. "Whoa! Oh, it's you! Don't scare me like that, mate!"
Will smiled apologetically. "Sorry," he said. "Is it just me, or do crazy ideas run in your family?"
"Ohhh, it runs in the fam'ly, alright." Jack answered. "But I didn't know it affected the women!"
They both laughed at this remark, but their laughter was cut short when a girl with black hair and sun-tanned skin approached Jack. It was the slave-girl! Will motioned to Jack to turn around, which he did, and nearly jumped to see her behind him.
"I hope you're Jack Sparrow." She said.
Jack quickly composed himself. He smiled at the woman who was obviously a pirate. "That'd be CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow, love."
"Well then, Captain, I want to join your crew." She said, being very straightforward.
Jack eyed her. "What's your name, lass?" He asked the bold female.
"Raven Montiero." She answered.
"Where'd ya come from?" Jack asked.
"I was a slave on another pirate's ship. But I escaped last night by stealin' a small rowboat from the ship. I rowed 'till I got here."
Jack spotted the sword hanging at her side. "So why would a slave have a sword?"
"I found it on an enemy pirate that was killed on the ship. I took it and hid it under me bed 'till I could escape."
Jack could tell she was a crafty woman. "Fine, you're in, Raven!"
She thanked Jack and hurried aboard the Black Pearl.
"Well that was unexpected!" Jack said. Will nodded in agreement.
"Will, come on!" Elizabeth called. Will ran to where the Interceptor II was anchored and joined Commodore Norrington was boarding the ship with Rose.
Rose was holding an extremely long, leather-bound case. Commodore had seen it with her belongings, but had never asked her what it was. "Rose, what is that?" He asked, stepping in front of her.
Rose looked at him grimly. "Let's hope you never need to find out." She said.
"Rose, please. I can't allow that on the ship unless I know what it is!" Norrington said, smiling slightly.
Rose gave in. She undid the three brass latches on the box and opened it to reveal a slender rapier that was longer than most rapiers. In spite of this, it appeared to be very light and easy to maneuver. It was a sword custom made for a woman. Commodore Norrington ran his hand over the gold inlaid brass handle. He pulled his hand back as Rose snapped the case shut. "I'll let you have a closer look later. I don't everyone in Port Royal to think you're sailing off with a mad-woman."
The Commodore and Will looked at each other knowingly. Women didn't often carry their own weapon.
They boarded the ship. Rose took the sword down to the cabin she and Elizabeth were sharing. Oddly enough, it was hidden, and could only be reached through a secret door camouflaged as a panel in Commodore Norrington's stateroom. As she entered the stateroom, she noticed a key hanging on a peg in the wall next to the secret door. There was also a note attached to it. It was written in very neat handwriting.
Rose, this is the key to this secret door and your cabin. Look closely at the panel of wood directly to the right of this peg. The keyhole is hidden well, but easy spotted from up close.
- James
She searched the wall until she found the keyhole. After opening the door, she descended down a short flight of stairs. Once she reached the hall, she began to wish she had brought a candle with her. She searched in the dark for the doorknob. Finally, she found it and opened the door. Rose set the swordcase down on one of the two small beds. The small room was cozy and warm, but dark as it was lit by only one candle on a wooden desk in the corner by Rose's bed, which was the closest to the door. Along with the two small beds and the desk, there was a screen to change behind and a wooden beam to hang dresses on. Another special feature of the room was the door. Tiny holes in it, not even big enough to see through, allowed air to circulate through the cabin.
Elizabeth opened the door and walked in. She was wearing a lightweight, baby blue dress with white flowered patterns. Rose's dress was also a lightweight dress that was indigo blue with black accents. As it had been at Elizabeth's wedding, Rose was the only one wearing a corset.
Elizabeth looked at Rose curiously. "How do you manage to wear a corset?" She asked.
"You have to get used to it." Rose replied. "Once you have worn them a while, you don't notice them. AND, I come from London, so I wasn't given much choice. I had to get used to them, whether I wanted to or not."
"Will doesn't care whether I wear one or not, and I'll never wear one again!" Elizabeth declared as if she was telling the world she wasn't afraid to defy society and its fashions and standards.
Rose picked up the four spare dresses and hung them on the dress rack. A light tape came from the door, followed by Commodore Norrington's voice. "Rose. Elizabeth. We're casting off." He said, then left.
"Are you going to watch?" Elizabeth inquired.
"No," Rose answered. "I've seen so many of these that they have ceased to hold my interest."
After Elizabeth left, Rose went about examining every nook and cranny of the room. She had never seen it before. "Commodore must have thought I need a special cabin to be safe." She thought. "He must not have thought that I needed a secret room to be safe on the crossing. But now he does. After all, this is, in a sense, war." She picked up the box containing her sword and rubbed her hand across the leather. Then, she set it back on her bed and walked over to the desk in the corner by her bed. Rose pulled out the chair and sat down. She opened the single drawer and found an inkbottle, a stack of parchment, a blank journal, and five quills. For a moment, she wanted to write something, but the next, the thought she wanted to write about was gone.
Rose stood up, pushed the chair back up under the desk, and went back to her bed. She opened the case and took out her rapier. She began slashing and cutting at imaginary enemies. She went this way and that way, practicing many of the skills Commodore Norrington had taught her. She was concentrating so hard that she failed to hear the knock at her door.
She whirled and twisted, all the while being completely oblivious to the now continuous knocking. Finally, the person at the door grew impatient and opened the door.
"James!" Rose cried and dropped her sword in surprise. It clanked as it hit the ground. She had been caught!
"Well, Rose. If you're going to practice your fighting skills, you should find a better opponent than the air!" Commodore laughed.
Rose blushed as she picked up her sword, even though she saw the humor in the situation.
He took a step forward. "May I?" He asked, indicating that he wished to get a better look at her weapon.
Rose placed it in his hands. He turned it over, noting the fine craftsmanship. "When did you get this?" He asked.
"My father gave it to me two years ago. He was always telling me that if I were going to sail with him, I would have to learn to defend myself. I remember when he brought my first sword home. Mother nearly fainted when she saw me with it! Father taught me everything he knew, and I learned quickly. When I finally managed to defeat him in a duel of blades, he had this rapier custom-made for me."
"It suits you well." Commodore said. He rubbed his finger across the keen blade. "I've never seen a sword quite like it. It was clearly- oww!" The sword hit the ground with a clatter.
"Oh, James! Are you alright?" Rose asked concernedly.
"Just a slight nick on the finger. Nothing serious." He said.
But Rose's female instincts were telling her to help him. She went and pulled a piece of cloth from her bag and quickly bandaged the wound. "I'm so sorry, James! I always forget to tell people how sharp the blade is."
Jack took it upon himself to show Raven his ship.
AnaMaria watched with pure contempt and hatred. Jack, she could see, had taken a quick liking to the newcomer and she feared that Raven might attract Jack's romantic attention.
"I can't believe I'm on the Black Pearl!" Raven thought.
After giving her the grand tour, Jack showed her to her quarters. The room was small with two beds and two hammocks. The hammocks and one of the beds were clearly occupied, but the other bed looked as if it hadn't been used in a while.
"This is where you'll sleep." Jack said.
If Raven had been anyone else, she might have said something, but for her, anything was better than what she had on the Stormeye. Then they went back on deck and joined AnaMaria, who was at the tiller. "I want ya up here with me an' AnaMaria. If we're attacked, you'll help man the cannons." Jack told her.
AnaMaria watched Raven with hawk eyes. She just couldn't wait to see her screw up and show Jack that she wasn't fit for his crew.
Sorry I haven't posted in so long. I've been really busy. I will have chapter six up as well as a short bio for Rose soon. I promise!