You Forget One Very Important Thing Mate – (3)
Ashley walked back onto the top deck, the salty air rushed into her face and she breathed it in deeply.
"Miss.Sparton?..Miss Sparton?" said a voice from behind her.
"Wha' do ye want Will?" She asked rolling her eyes and turning to face him.
"Jack, wants a word with you," Will said.
Ashley nodded, and looked up onto the higher part of the deck, where Jack stood at the wheel, she began to walk over to him, and as she did so, a fat, imposing excuse of a man strode over to her.
"Well, well well, aren't you a pretty one?" he grinned slyly.
"I have no time for this," Ashley said trying to walk past the man, but he blocked her path.
"Women ain't sposed ta be on ships ya know," He continued.
"Wha'?" Ashley replied.
"Aye, The penalty is death for any woman found aboard a ship" The man said, looking her up and down in a manner that made her feel sick.
"Excuse me?...I think not!. Your Captain damn well said I could come aboard!" Ashley argued back, but the man grabbed her wrists.
"Let go!" She demanded.
"Ye won't be getting away that quickly, If tha' captain won't give ye some kind of punishment I will," The man said, trying to lead her towards the crews cabin.
Ashley grimaced as she heard the sound of a gun trigger being pulled back.
"Billfold, what's goin on 'ere?" said a familiar voice. It was Jack.
"It was the girl sir, just thinking I should teach her a lesson. She was mouthing off to me for no reason sir, thinks she owns the ship. She ain't nothing more than a woman, won't rule over nobody, it's about time somebody taught 'er that," The man known as Billfold replied, releasing Ashley from his grip.
"Ye are a devilish lying bastard, damn ye, I am a free woman, and I have as much authority to make war on the whole World, as he who has a hundred sail of ships at sea, and an army of 100,000 Men in the field; and this my conscience tells me; but there is no arguing with such snivelling uppies, who allow superiors to kick them about deck at pleasure" Ashley spat coldly, glaring at both Jack and Billfold with loathing.
"Back to work Billfold, I'll sort this lass ou,t" Jack said, putting his pistol back into its holster and motioning over to the rest of the crew.
Billfold grunted and walked off, leaving Ashley staring at Jack.
"Wha'? So ye believe him?" Ashley questioned as Jack led her back over to the helm.
"No, Billfold is nothing but a lying wretch, he shall meet the end of a blade one day," Jack said.
"I intend to make sure that the blade is mine," Ashley said, fuming with anger.
Jack laughed and Ashley said "Turner said ye wanted me for something?"
"Aye, Tain't much use for fools, you may make use of it- that nor nothing. But now, you look here: you're young, you are, but you're as smart as paint. I see that when I set my eyes on you..." Jack began. "I was thinking ye might want this back after our little fight in the alley,"
He handed Ashley her cutlass. She took it and gazed up at him. "Ye trust me?"
Jack said nothing, he merely grunted and led her to the galley.
"You can cook?" He asked.
"Captain, just because I'm female doesn't mean I can cook. I was brought up in the streets with boys. Weren't much time for cooking," Ashley said.
"Well, what did ye do then?"
"They taught me the law of bullet and blade," Ashley said.
Jack nodded and brought the girl back onto the top deck.
"Well, if ye don't cook nor do any other woman's work I shall have ye doing whatever it is that I please," Jack grinned, opening a small cupboard on the top deck.
"And my order is that you scrub the decks," Jack exclaimed shoving a brush and bucket into her hands before wandering down to his cabin.
Ashley rolled her eyes; it was a habit that she always had, as well as waving her hands around when she was talking to someone. She filled the bucket with seawater. Which is dirty anyway, so why do I need to scrub the decks. Im probably making them twice as dirty. But if that's the way dear old pirate dad wants it. Ashley thought, as she got down on her knees and began to scrub at the hard wood; her mind drifting onto more important matters than dirty sea water.
I wonder if I should tell him I'm his daughter? I can't go on pretending to be 'Miss Ashley Sparton' much longer. They're bound to see the tattoo eventually. And I'm sure to end up introducing myself as Ashley Sparrow to someone by accident. If he did find out, he probably wouldn't want me anyway.
(Jacks POV)
I walked into my cabin. Confused and needing a drink, to say the least. I remembered Ana Maria's words Watch out for the girl; she's just like you Jack. Ashley was the spitting image; she even said things the same way as I did.
"Confound it all!" I muttered, upon discovering the severe lack of rum in my cabin.
I opened all of my draws and cupboards. No Rum.
"Ah well, we shall just have to stock up In Port Royal" I said aloud.
"IF we ever get there," said a voice.
I turned around to see Will in front of me.
"We need to talk, Jack," Will said. Oh great, a lecture from the eunuch.
"About wha'?" I asked sitting opposite Will behind my desk.
"Miss Sparton,"
"What about her?" I asked.
"She's a young lady. What do you intend to do with her, Jack?" Will asked.
"I intend to treat her as a member of the crew. Which she is, all I have to get her to do is learn the Pearls Articles and sign the account" I replied.
"Your really letting Miss Sparton turn to piracy!…What about the men on this ship? I already saw the incident with Billfold, Jack," Will replied.
"She wanted too. I simply fulfilled her request. Any man who lays a hand on her will suffer the consequences. In fact, I may even read out the articles to remind the crew," I said, grinning – irritating some of them was always a favourite past time of mine.
"I was thinking….Wouldn't she be better off in Port Royal with Elizabeth and I?" Will exclaimed.
"What do you propose she does when she gets there, hmm? Your not looking for an apprentice are you? I hardly think the lass would be fond of that,"
"I'm saying, we could look after her. She could become a fine young woman if she put her mind to it," Will proposed.
"Eh?..I highly doubt that mate, she's more of a man than you are. Judging by her attire of choice, she won't fancy prancing around in frilly dresses all day," I said, standing up and disappearing out onto the top deck. I heard Wills footsteps follow behind and he appeared next to me. We were both looked at the same thing. Ashley.
She had finished scrubbing, by the looks of things, and was now sat up in the crow's nest, looking out at sea.
"You don't honestly expect that girl to live in a world of rules and what's proper and improper, do ye Will?" I asked him.
"You don't honestly expect that girl to live in a world of law-breaking, profanities and pirates, do you, Jack?" Will asked, beginning to climb up towards the crow's nest.
"OI! What are you doing?" I asked and followed him up.
"Ah, so what do I owe the pleasure of your company today young William?" Ashley asked, seeing Will first. Then I showed myself.
"Ah, a double visit I am truly honoured!" She said sarcastically.
"We came up to say hello, love," I replied.
"Hello then! You can go now…" Ashley snorted, shifting her gaze back out onto the horizon.
"Miss Sparton you're being most impolit-" Will began.
"Miss Sparton you're being most impolite!" Ashley mocked him and grinned before grabbing ahold of a rope and swinging down from the crows nest. I followed her lead, however, Will found it easier to climb down.
Ashley looked up and him and laughed "Wha's the matter…. to much for you to bare?"
He didn't reply though, he simply moved to stand next to me and gazed out at the ocean- he seemed fixated on something. I waved my hand in front of his face, and finally he spoke:
"A Ship," he said, pointing.
"A merchant vessel! This should be easy enough," I said. "Ashley, what plans do you have love?"
"Plans? You're the captain…you think of a plan!"
"I have loads of 'em in me head love, I want to see what you can think of," I replied- wondering if there was any true Sparrow nature in her.
"Uh.. How about, board, steal everything and go!?" Ashley proposed.
"Good plan, woman!" I cheered. "CREW! PREPARE TO BOARD! TAKE ALL YE CAN!"
"GIVE NOTHING BACK!" Ashley added, and I could only grin at her.