A/N: PLEASE someone enter my fan art contest!There...I'm done.
Here's the moment you've all been waiting for. With out any further ado...CAPTAIN JACK SPARROW!
peace, love and lipgloss,
Mlle.Fox
Mignonette awoke slowly, shifting her body trying to become comfortable, finding only a thin straw mattress and a hard wood floor, her muscles and joints aching in protest. Finally, her eyes fluttered open, taking a minute or two to register the sights around her. She was in a ship…but a different ship. The wood was black, faded only by age and use. She saw that she was in a warm galley, the wood stove bringing soothing warmth to her bones. Pots of something edible, skeptically pleasant tasting bubbled and brewed. Suddenly a bright colorful green parrot, the kind Mignonette had only seen once in storybooks, flew in the door and landed on a small table in the center of the room. He cocked his head to look his beady little black button eyes at her before squawking out,
"AWK! RED AT NIGHT! RED AT NIGHT!" Mignonette furrowed her brow at the curious comment, when a tall thin old man with a white beard and a cotton bandanna wrapped around his head walked in the doorway by her head. She tried to sit up, but she was still too weak to do so. Instead she lifted her head around to look up at him. He looked down at her only once, smiled and nodded silently before walking back out, the parrot quickly flying after him. Too confused to call the man back, Mignonette laid her head back down and tried to think about what position she was in. She remembered her name, her heritage and her purpose for being on the open sea. She remembered her sister, her late parents, and then with a start and a gasp she remembered the pirate attack. Dread filled her being when she realized that she had been kidnapped by the pirates!
Meanwhile, the man with the parrot made his way topside to the bustling deck of the Black Pearl. Crewmen pulled in fishing nets, adjusted the sails, tied down ropes, scrambled up the riggings, mended old sails and swabbed the decks. The man silently made his way to the Captain's cabin, located below the helm deck. He knocked only to hear a precise Cockney call out,
"Enter!" The man silently came in, brushing past the tattered old curtains by the door. In the room was the ship's handsome young blacksmith and second mate, Will Turner. He sat on the edge of the Captain's round desk, full of charts and maps. His wife, Elizabeth, the woman with the sun kissed brown locks was standing, her arms crossed, her expression annoyed. And sitting in a chair, his tall lithe form framed by the golden sunshine streaming from the bay windows lining the back wall was the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow. He was golden tanned, with long black hair held back by a red bandanna, woven with various beads, braids and dreadlocks. His plaited beard and mustache hid a deceptively youthful, handsome face with high cheekbones. His eyes undoubted, his best feature. Deep brown framed by sailors kohl, they held deception, wisdom, cunning, adventure, freedom and secretly, a good heart. His brown Cavalier boots propped up on the table, his clothes worn and once a bright shade of blue, his white shirt now yellowed completed the picture of a perfect rogue. He closed his log book and addressed the old man with the parrot,
"Ah! Mr. Cotton! I take it by your presence that our guest has arisen from her beauty sleep?" Mr. Cotton nodded only to have Elizabeth interrupt, her voice laced with frustration,
"Three days unconscious is hardly beauty sleep, Jack." Jack's eyes shifted to glare an annoyed expression at the woman before saying cordially to Cotton,
"Mr. Cotton, see if you can get any food down her aye? Some nice warm broth perhaps?"
"WIND TO THE SAILS! WIND TO THE SAILS!" squawked the bird on Cotton's shoulder. The tall man then silently left, leaving Will to raise an eyebrow and comment to Jack,
"Think it's best for the ship's mute to tend to her? She will no doubt have some questions."
"Which Elizabeth shall answer once she is done yelling at me." Jack said picking up a chart. Hands now on hips, Elizabeth said to Jack,
"I have barely begun to yell at you! That girl was the only survivor of that pirate attack Jack! We need to lay the bodies to rest, but you won't allow it! Gibbs is a nervous wreck with all this dead aboard! Not only is it unsanitary for the crew, it is unnecessary!"
"Elizabeth, now that the girl is awake, we can begin to give those poor souls their last rites. But I wanted to make sure no husbands or fiancés or brothers or cousins of the young miss were among them. The last thing I need is a hysterical female wailing over never seeing her loved one again and not having a chance to say goodbye! Exhibit A!" Jack said indicating Elizabeth. Elizabeth rolled her eyes and muttered,
"I suppose that's reasonable" she said.
"Knew you'd see thing my way, Luv. Now, why don't you attend to the young miss hmm?" Jack said smiling smugly. Elizabeth shook her head and stomped out in a huff. Will told Jack who returned his attention to his charts,
"Aren't you curious to know who the young lady is? Surely she would want to speak to you."
"My dear William. The lady in question is injured and weak. It shall be a while before she thinks to ask for me. Besides, I've got a ship to run. Now, go out and tell Gibbs to correct our course by ten degrees, South by Southeast." Jack ordered.
"Aye aye Captain." Will sighed standing and exiting the room. Once alone, Jack lifted his eyes to the door to make sure he was gone. Then he stealthily shifted a yellowed parchment from the bottom of his maps and charts. It was a coal drawing of the young lady he had found. An amateur artist, Jack was taken with her beauty and knew he had to draw her since the moment Will had walked over the gangplank, her still form hanging limp in his arms. So for the last three nights he had relieved the silent Cotton of duty to watch over the girl and draw her still form. He even spoke to her as if she could hear him, telling her all about himself. He found it a pleasant release, safe in the knowledge she never heard a thing and his mysterious past would still be secret. And while there was attraction, Jack knew there could never be anything more. She was just a passing figure in his life, probably never seen again once they reached Tortuga. He figured that once she awoke the spell would be broken by a whiny little voice, terrified of pirates, or a spoiled temperament of the upper classes. Then all Jack would have is another collection of drawings locked away in his truck, a reminder of another appreciation of beauty. In the meantime, he could still imagine her soul to be every ounce as beautiful as she was in appearance. And that was enough for Captain Jack Sparrow.
While Jack was cleaning up his artwork, Elizabeth Turner was entering the galley, seeing Mr. Cotton ladle a bowl of hot beef broth. He smiled at her and then shifted his eyes to their patient. Elizabeth looked down to see the woman with bright blue green eyes register surprise over seeing a woman in knickers and a waistcoat. Elizabeth sat on the floor, her legs tucked under her as she asked,
"Feeling better?" Mignonette hesitated, and then spoke with a strained voice, dry with thirst,
"Yes…yes I am thank you." Elizabeth noted the educated tongue laced with a hint of French, maybe some Italian influence as well. There was also something…majestic in her tone, but Elizabeth couldn't place it. Instead she asked while taking the bowl from Mr. Cotton,
"Nothing hurts too terribly?"
"My whole body aches, but I think that's from lying on the floor too long." Mignonette answered, her growling stomach praying that bowl was for her.
"Good…here…for your strength. Think you can sit up?" Elizabeth asked.
"I may need some help if you would be so kind." Mignonette replied. Mr. Cotton instantly knelt down and put his hands under her arms, lifting her up. Her body screamed in protest as the blood started to move back in her joints, but Mignonette only released a small whimper. Soon, Mignonette was sitting up on her own, and Elizabeth took a spoonful of broth and brought it to Mignonette's lips.
"Here we go…got it?" she asked as Mignonette sipped gratefully. She sighed,
"That's wonderful! So have you any water to drink?"
"Finish the broth first and then we'll get you some grog." Elizabeth told her.
"Oh no thank you I would prefer water." Mignonette told her. Elizabeth furrowed her brow,
"There is no fresh water aboard. And the grog helps you fight off scurvy."
"What's scurvy?" asked Mignonette. Elizabeth and Mr. Cotton exchanged dubious glances.
"You don't even know what scurvy is?" asked Elizabeth.
"No…what is it?" asked Mignonette feeling rather foolish now. Elizabeth raised another spoonful to Mignonette's lips,
"Don't worry about it. Just take my word that you don't want it." Mignonette blushed terribly in embarrassment as Elizabeth continued to feed her. After a while, Mignonette took the spoon, and then the bowl as she continued to gain strength. All the while asking Elizabeth guarded questions. In the course of a half hour, Mignonette had learned that this was apparently not the ship that attacked but rather another pirate ship that rescued her. She found out the crew was dead and only she survived. She told Elizabeth she had no relations aboard when Elizabeth asked,
"So what's your name?" Mignonette hesitated. She knew by Elizabeth's manner and speech she was of noble birth. She would have heard of Mignonette Amelia Renaldi, Princess of Genovia. And Mignonette knew she could not risk them knowing her true identity. Rescuers or not, they might hold her for ransom! So she simply said,
"Minnie…what's yours?"
"Elizabeth Turner. So…what business did you have in the Caribbean?" asked Elizabeth knowing there was more to this girl than meets the eye. Mignonette thought up a lie in record time,
"I was…escorting my mistress…a merchant's daughter to Port Royal. I am one of her maids. Or at least I was…my mistress died in the attack."
"What was your mistress's name?" asked Elizabeth suspiciously. Mignonette recalled the alias the Genovian Captain had thought up for her,
"Miss Patrice St. Nickolas. Her father is Sir Clark St. Nickolas." Elizabeth nodded recalling a Sir Clark St. Nickolas in Port Royal. Genovian by birth, he now imported into the colonies the finest olives, olive oil and Genovian pears the small country had to offer. And now his daughter was dead…such a tragedy. Elizabeth was shaken from her thoughts when Mignonette asked,
"Ms. Turner? May I speak to the Captain now please? It is imperative I speak with him." Elizabeth smiled and stood to her feet saying,
"Tell you what. You practice walking about a bit with Mr. Cotton, and I'll ask the Captain if he's ready to speak with you. Okay?"
"Very well. That will be all then." Mignonette sighed waving Elizabeth away. Elizabeth frowned at that. It was not done intentionally to insult Elizabeth, but the dismissive manner spoke of someone used to giving orders, not a maid used to taking orders. Even more curious now, Elizabeth left the galley to find Jack, hoping that he could glean more from the girl.
Mr. Cotton helped Mignonette to stand, and he slowly and patiently helped her walk around the galley, not saying one word to berate her when she stumbled. Soon, she was slowly limping about the galley on her own, using the furniture for help, when Elizabeth came back in followed by Will.
"Oh good! You're walking!" Elizabeth proclaimed. Mignonette nodded,
"Yes…thanks to Mr. Cotton here." Cotton's lips smiled at that as Elizabeth said motioning to Will,
"Minnie, this is my husband, Will. He pulled you from the cargo hold."
"Then I must thank you for my life sir. You have no idea how grateful I am." Mignonette told him thinking of Genovia. Will smiled and nodded,
"Think nothing of it Miss. Now if you will permit me I can help you up to the Captain's quarters." He came forward, an arm wrapped around her shoulders to support her, and hand in hers as she said,
"Thank you Mr. Turner. You are most kind." Elizabeth followed behind the pair as they slowly made their way out the galley. The inner hall was dim, with just a few rays of sunshine lighting the way through the floorboards. As they neared the hatch and the ladder, laughter, voices and the sounds of work started to become crystal clear. Every step up was a little painful for Mignonette, but she kept silent, only squeezing Will's hand when it got to be too much. She noticed too that with each step up, the noises on decks grew quiet. The sun blinded her for a moment, but her eyes adjusted to see every eye of the motley crew upon her. She gulped down her nervousness, and kept her eyes forward on the goal of the cabin across from her. Every now and then she dipped her head in a cordial greeting as if she were back in Genovia greeting her subjects. Finally they reached the door and Will released her hand to knock. Mignonette raised her hand to smooth her hair, for the first time realizing her hair was a tangled mess.
"Enter!" called Jack from within. As Will opened the door, Mignonette thought to herself, That voice…I know that voice…They went inside and round the corner the curtains made. Mignonette's eyes glanced around the room, noting how it was a bedroom and an office all in one. Then her eyes caught the sight of Jack. He was standing looking out to the horizon, a compass in hand.
"Here she is Jack." Will said.
"Captain, William!" the compass snapped closed before he turned." You must call me Captain in front of guests!" When their eyes met, Mignonette was taken surprised. After a lifetime of horror stories, so far her experiences with pirates were proving them all false. A woman pirate, her kind pirate husband, and now a pirate captain she found incredibly handsome. Jack cleared his throat, putting down the compass to focus his eyes else where. Didn't expect her to have such beautiful eyes…he thought to himself. Focusing on the task at hand, putting on a mask of indifference, Jack raised his eyes to hers again, saying,
"Milady…welcome aboard the Black Pearl. I am Captain Jack Sparrow, at your service."
"I…I am honored Captain to be aboard a ship that treats passengers with such reverence." Mignonette told him. She tried not to shiver in delight when a crooked smile tugged up the corner of his lips as he motioned towards a chair,
"Have a seat Miss…?"
"Minnie…my name is Minnie, Captain Sparrow." Mignonette said as Will helped her to sit down. Jack immediately noticed the way her legs tucked under in a lady like fashion, betraying her cultivated breeding.
Maid indeed…he thought coming round to sit on the edge of the desk before her. She did not duck her head in submission, but she looked him straight in the eye, as an equal.
"So, Miss Minnie. Elizabeth tells me you did not have any close relations on that ship of yours." Jack said.
"No…as I told Mrs. Turner, I was traveling with my mistress, Patrice St. Nickolas to Port Royal to meet her father, Sir Clark." Mignonette said keeping her story straight.
"Aye we did find dozens of trunks full of fine ladies apparel on board. A little too fine to be a merchant daughter's though…" Jack suggested testing her reaction. Calmly, Mignonette replied,
"Well…Miss St. Nickolas was always a little spoiled by her father…but I shouldn't speak ill of the dead." Seeing her head bow in reverence, Jack was suspicious, but he then thought of how to trap her,
"Yes terrible tragedy about your mistress Luv. Sorry we didn't save her before it was too late…but I don't think Miss St. Nickolas will mind if we sell off her wardrobe in Tortuga for a small profit, do you?" Mignonette's eyes widened at that, but she realized maids don't have fine clothing. She would have to go without. So she replied,
"Well…it surprises me you would be so callous with one's processions…but if you will permit me to set aside some personal items for her father…than I see no problem with it." Jack scrutinized the woman before her. It was a perfectly reasonable request for a maid to make. So why did he feel as if she was pulling a fast one on him? He replied,
"Of course. However you must realize, Miss Minnie…we have no intention of going anywhere near Port Royal." This caused Mignonette to pale,
"What?"
"I can't risk my crew or myself by walking straight into the grips of pirate hunter Commodore James Norrington of His Majesty's Royal Navy. Your best bet will be to find a boat at Tortuga to take you to Port Royal…some fools do risk it after all." Jack explained.
"But…but I am expected in Port Royal!" Mignonette exclaimed. Jack shrugged,
"Not once word gets round about your ship sinking down to Davy Jones…or what's left of his Locker rather."
"But…I must get to Port Royal!" Mignonette told him.
"Sorry Luv…no can do. You'll have to settle for Tortuga." Jack said.
"Captain Sparrow! You will take me to Port Royal!" Mignonette said her tongue slipping back into command mode. Jack stared her down, slipping off the desk. He put his hands on both arms of her chair, leaning in close to her face. She backed up a bit and gulped as he said,
"Give me one good reason why Milady." She tried to appeal to his sense of decency,
"Well…I…I have a little sister…Genevieve…we…we just lost our father…I'm all she's got." Jack didn't turn his intense eyes from hers as he asked,
"Is she in Port Royal?"
"…No…" Mignonette said shaking her head. Matching the shaking of her head, Jack smiled contented with himself as he said,
"Then there's no need to go to Port Royal then." He backed away, trying to return to his chair, when Mignonette stood on shaky legs and said,
"If you shall not go to Port Royal, return me to Genovia then!" Jack stopped, turning towards her. His head cocked to the side in thought, a finger tapping to his chin.
"Genovia…Genovia…is that the teeny weenie kingdom between France and Italy about this big?" Jack said pinching his thumb and pointer finger close together. Mignonette smiled,
"What it lacks in size, Genovia makes up for in spirit." Trying not to become captivated by her smile or the way her eyes lit up talking of home, Jack laughed,
"Not a chance darlin'." Mignonette's smile faded,
"What?"
"Miss Minnie, not only is Genovia way out of our way, we'd have to cross the Spanish to get there…They're worst than the English. Sorry…" Jack told her turning to his charts. Mignonette looked to the Turners desperately,
"But…but…"
"Jack…can't you even consider…" Will started, speaking on her behalf. Jack gave him a pointed stern look,
"Mr. Turner…don't indulge her…You know the risks same as me."
"Captain Sparrow please! What of my sister?" pleaded Mignonette coming around the desk to stand before him. Jack raised both of his pointer fingers and said,
"Tell you what Luv. I've got a mate in Tortuga that has these…carrier pigeons he's trained to go all around the world…When we dock there, I'll let you send a letter to your sister telling her you're safe and on your way. Maybe you can send a letter to your Master St. Nickolas informing him of his daughter. Sorry Milady. That's all I can do for ye." Mignonette hung her head in defeat as Jack said,
"Now Will and Elizabeth can take you below to find your trunk. You're going to need a fresh dress to work in." Mignonette snapped her head up,
"Work?"
"No one gets a free ride on the Pearl, Missy. Now…dismissed." Jack smiled scooting her out with his hand. Mignonette opened her mouth to protest, when Elizabeth grabbed her arm and pulled her along saying,
"Come on Minnie. I'll help you look." Mignonette closed her mouth and set her jaw, glaring at Captain Sparrow before she let Elizabeth help her walk out. Will watched them go, but when he turned his head back to argue with Jack, he stopped seeing his Captain upending a bottle of rum down his throat. Jack finished his drink and sighed wiping his mouth on his sleeve,
"Well…managed to survive that…"
Down below in the cargo deck, Minnie pointed out to Elizabeth which trunk had belonged to one of her maids. Elizabeth was sifting though it finding a dress that wouldn't be too hot or revealing for the pirate crew, leaving Mignonette to search her trunks for her valuables. Freesias of her family, her diary, her jewelry and one traveling outfit she tucked away in a trunk. Finally, she found her father's ring. It was shaped like the Renaldi coat of arms. A ruby shield with an amethyst chevron, a gold lion holding a gold letter 'G'. The filigree made up the band, sapphires woven on one side, emeralds on the other. Now it was her ring. The ring that marked her as Queen of Genovia. She tucked it back into its pouch and draped the cord that tied it around her neck, keeping it close to her heart. She heard Jack's voice giving orders in the distance and glared up in the direction. She vowed that she would find a way to make the Black Pearl take her to Genovia. Nothing would keep her from her sister, her people or her crown. Not even the insufferable Captain Jack Sparrow.
A/N: Here's a few coming attractions from Mlle.Fox. Enjoy!
Temptation
Winifred 'Freddy' James has sworn off men and chocolate...both go straight to her thighs. Determined to lose those pesky last twenty pounds, Freddy knows that any distractions will keep her from her goal. But when she's sent by her boss at Lady Luck magazine to interview the world's most eccentric, handsome and eligible bachelor chocolatier...this can only be trouble. Can Freddy handle the temptation that is ten billion calories of magical candy factory and its equally sweet and tempting creator?