Disclaimer: Disney owns POTC, I own my OCs.
A Sparrow's Shadow on the Sea
To Die For
"Open the ports and run out the guns! Make ready to fire!" Jack shouted, as he angled the Pearl toward the crippled ship.
There were only a handful of crew members visible on the deck of the merchant ship, and we clearly out gunned them. Still, it could be a trick. Jack chose to approach them aggressively, to intimidate them to think twice before choosing any different course of action than a peaceful surrender. It wasn't his usual style, and I was wary of this particular engagement. My senses alert, I watched as the scene played out, careful to notice anything out of place or subversive.
A hailing shot was fired across the bow of the merchant ship, as we circled around to get into position to board.
As the Pearl glided alongside the ship, Jack shouted to the captain, "It would seem you've encountered some difficulties! Not surprising, considering your meager crew. Where, pray tell, are the rest?"
"Sent the rest of the crew out in longboats, to a nearby island, in search of assistance," the merchant's captain replied.
"He's lying," I told Jack quietly, as I stood behind his right shoulder.
"I know," he responded, then asked, "How do you know?"
"He looked away when he answered, down and left, classic lying behavior," I said quietly. Who would've ever thought my degree in psychology would come in handy here?!
Suddenly, a shot whizzed through the air, hitting one of the lanterns on the quarterdeck. Almost immediately, another shot rang out. I looked to see Gibbs holding a musket, still smoking. In my peripheral vision, I caught sight of a man falling from the yardarm of the merchant ship.
"Bloody buggering hell," Jack muttered. He then addressed the captain, "Well now, that wasn't very nice! You would do well to carefully weigh the wisdom of your next command! I've sunk ships for less!"
Jack's expression was stoic as he waited patiently for a response.
Gibbs approached. "The fool thinks he be crafty enough to take us on," he whispered, "Makes ye wonder what their cargo be."
The tenseness of the situation was clearly beginning to annoy Jack. "I'm losing my patience! Drop your weapons and prepare to be boarded! NOW!" he shouted.
The merchant's captain glanced around at his small assemblage of crew, then nodded to them. He looked shifty, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something underhanded was going on. They finally dropped their weapons to the deck of their ship.
"This doesn't feel right, Jack," I said fretfully, "They're up to something."
"I suspect the remainder of their crew is hidden away somewhere, planning to ambush our boarding party," Jack whispered to Gibbs and I.
"Aye, but there couldn't be more than a dozen or so," Gibbs mentioned, "If we're careful, we can easily take 'em."
Jack was thinking, scheming really, trying to devise the best plan of action. Finally he said to Gibbs, "We'll keep a small group on the Pearl. The rest…" Jack shouted loudly, "Prepare to board!" He made a big show of his order, hoping to be the center of attention.
Jack turned to me. "I don't think it wise that you board, luv," he said earnestly, "But I won't stop you. It's your choice. Just, please, be careful." He looked into my eyes, searching for an indication of my intentions, although we both knew I would board with him.
I kissed him fiercely, saying, "I love you, Jack."
He touched my cheek for only a moment. "And I love you, Eve." He turned to Gibbs, "Let's do this!"
Grappling hooks were thrown and the two ships pulled together. Planks extended across, and the majority of the Pearl's crew boarded the merchant ship. The crew that remained aboard the Pearl withdrew the planks to the deck, as a safety measure.
And there we stood, on the deck of the merchant ship, with a lying captain and his handful of crew, waiting for the inevitable. The tension of this stand-off was unbearable.
Jack, however, appeared to be perfectly at ease. His behavior didn't betray any of his suspicions. In fact, he swaggered and swayed much more than usual, as he strolled the deck.
"So, captain, I don't think you've been entirely truthful with us," Jack slurred in a pleasant, conversational tone.
"I don't know what you mean," the captain responded with feigned innocence.
"Well, you mentioned you sent your crew for help, in the longboats," Jack said, as he strolled drunkenly about. "And yet, you still seem to have your full assemblage of longboats present." He gestured grandly. "One wonders if, perhaps, in their haste to seek help, they forgot the boats, and just swam to nearby non-existent island."
The jig was up and everyone knew it. Just then, the remainder of the crew made their appearance on deck, armed and ready to fight to defend their broken vessel.
"Ah, well, now that everyone's present, let the games begin then," Jack said, as he drew his sword.
I followed his lead, as did the rest of the Pearl's crew. And the games did indeed begin.
A slovenly, red-faced man who was sweating profusely chose to engage me, no doubt presuming I'd make an easy adversary.
"Let's see what yer made of, little girlie," he snarled, as he thrust his sword clumsily at me.
I easily sidestepped to avoid him. His repulsiveness was a constant battle to ignore, but I tried my best to remain focused. I was only vaguely aware of the fighting around me, and of the anguished screams of men, as they met their fates and thudded to the deck. And, for a split-second, I remembered how much I hated the smell of blood.
I had been successfully blocking the man's attempts to thrust his sword at me, when I was suddenly aware of a stinging sensation on my left arm. I glanced down to see my blood creating a large red stain on the linen of my sleeve. He'd cut me! The ugly, red-faced, pig of a man had sliced my arm! Shock and disbelief merged with a feeling I had never experienced before. A feeling that bubbled up from the very depths of my soul, like molten lava. I fought against him with renewed vigor, fueled by my anger and adrenalin.
And I was cognizant of a number of strange, random thoughts that popped into my mind as I fought with this man. Jack's voice telling me, "You hesitate, you die, luv," as he taught me to sword fight so long ago. I thought of my distant ancestors, the Vikings, and felt an odd kinship with them, as I clashed swords with this stranger. Ruby's voice saying "Don't go doin' no t'ing crazy." Too late for that! And I thought of the baby inside me, whom I must protect at all costs from the advances of this foul man who sought to do me harm.
His stamina was waning. The sweat poured from him as he countered my aggression. I swung hard and caught his leg with my blade, slicing the flesh of his thigh as if it were a smoked ham.
"Bloody wretched witch!" he swore, spraying saliva over his sweaty shirt.
His movements had quickly become sluggish. A glance at his leg and the profuse amount of blood that had soaked through his breeches made me realize what had happened. Femoral artery! He was slowing bleeding to death. I knew then that I had two choices. Continue to keep him busy, until he collapsed of his own accord, or to seize the opportunity as it presented itself and dispatch him myself.
Just then, he stumbled, and without even thinking, I thrust. We stood blinking at each other for only a moment, although it seemed to last an eternity. The sword in my right hand, plunged halfway into his rotund abdomen, and my left hand held over my mouth. We mirrored each others shocked expressions, then he fell to the deck.
I had to use both hands to retrieve my sword from his body. I stood looking around at the chaos enfolding on the deck, and yet not seeing any of it. Men had died, and were dying, all around me. The deck of the ship was littered with bodies, and sticky with pools of congealing blood. I felt lightheaded and nauseous.
Suddenly, someone slapped my shoulder. "Keep yer wits 'bout ye, lass, we ain't done yet!" Gibbs shouted, as he passed me by, on his way to assist another of the Pearl's crew.
I looked around with renewed clarity. Where was Jack? I could feel panic starting to rise within me. I didn't see him anywhere. Oh God, no! I frantically started to scan the decks. Not wanting to look, in case I saw him there, lying in a pool of blood, burbling his last words. No, he wasn't there! He hadn't been killed or wounded.
Finally, I caught sight of him in the shadows, sword fighting with the captain. A wave of relief washed over me just as I saw the captain lock swords with Jack. And Jack's weapon was wrenched from his hand, clattering onto the deck. My own sword slipped from my fingers at the same instant. The captain of the merchant ship was poised to strike at Jack with his sword. I reached to my waist, pulled out my pistol, and cocked it as I rushed toward them.
"Oh no you don't!" I said, holding the pistol steady with both hands. Unaware of any pain from my wound, I leveled it at the back of the captain's head, aimed and pulled the trigger. A spray of blood splattered Jack's face as he stood wide-eyed. The captain swayed, and collapsed in front of him. Jack quickly retrieved his sword and rushed toward me.
"You're hurt, luv," he said as he enveloped me.
"Are you?" I asked him, feeling slightly dazed.
"I'm fine, not even a scratch," he replied.
"It's over, Cap'n, we have the ship," Gibbs said, as he approached us. "Good Lord, Jack, the lass is hurt!"
"I'm taking Eve back to the Pearl, Gibbs. You and the crew handle what needs to be done here, savvy," Jack told his first mate.
"Aye, Cap'n, 'tis second nature to us," Gibbs replied, "Ye go tend to yer bonny lass, Jack. Make sure she gets fixed up right."
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A/N: There you are, my dear readers! My very first attempt to write a deck battle! Hope you enjoyed it! My sincerest thanks to all who read and reviewed! You're the BEST!