If you're still here, I salute you! Hey all, well AWE has been released since I last wrote anything and I loved it. Enough hints about a possible Pirates 4 in the DVD or what?! Anyway, back to the tale ...

Disclaimer:

I own nothing which you recognise from Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean. Historical references and persons (such as Edward Low) are from books and internet sites. Tess Ella O'Sedna / Shade, Peter and Jonathan Stealer, Celia Whiteside and Michael Calico are characters created by me and thus belong solely to me.

UNDER LASS SHADE

Chapter 3: Kleptomaniac?!

Dawn was breaking and the sky was quite a sight to see; the pale fresh cold sky tinged with the bright gold of the day's coming sun. It would be hot later, I could tell that much. And normally this kind of display of freedom would have me singing like a lark and grinning like a maniac, but today I was sulking. Sat on deck beneath the mast, I was toying with a pack of fortune telling cards and a piece of dried meat, shooting the occasional dark glare at Jack. I didn't care if I was acting childishly, I wanted him to notice my anger. Of course, really, I guess I was just annoyed at being caught out. Which was another thing - how had he known I was down in the hold? Anyway, Jack had been resolutely ignoring my attempts to get his attention, and had remained as solid as a harbour wall since we'd spoken in the hold, refusing to answer any questions I asked. Refusing to speak at all, actually. Maybe he was afraid of what would come out 'is dirty mouth.

I sighed loudly. Again. Since I'd been dragged out of the hold and unceremoniously dumped on deck the whole crew had come to learn I was onboard so there was hardly any point in being quiet about it. Gibbs seemed especially smug, yet as ever, he was still wary of superstition, so I flashed the card in my hand at him, tutting and frowning.

He wandered over, trying to peer at what I was doing without getting too close.

"Lots of swords ... lots of swords... Bodes ill, methinks ..." I was muttering barely imperceptibly, but Gibbs was listening more and more intently. Realisation dawning, he leaned back, hands on hips and eyed me suspiciously. He'd known me all my life yet I could still wind him up.

"Don't you tell me you're at yer tarot card thingies again." Raising an eyebrow, Gibbs looked toward the Captain and prepared himself to bellow. "'Ere Jack, the lass is doing Tia-Dalma-type stuff again. And it's mighty bad luck ter bring a woman aboard, like I told yas! Oh we'll be striking black winds fer this, don't you know it..." Gibbs shook his head and glanced at me, whereupon I smiled sweetly and flashed him another card.

"This is yours, Joshamee. The Tower." And I handed it to him, watching the gradually contorting expressions on his face as he scrutinised the card depicting the toppling, burning tower with something akin to glee. I swear to God and Davy, he was the easiest person you could ever hope to fool.

Laughing, I looked up to see Jack's stern eyes on me. "Get up the bloody mast and don't go givin' me crew any trouble, or you'll be off this ship like I told yas." Geez since when did he become such a slave driver?! Well, probably since I turned up uninvited on his ship only to seek free passage to Tortuga and complicate matters whilst I was at it.

"Wow, I'm so sorry for messing up your sodding life." I muttered under my breath, "Just like you did mine."

I'd been issued an ultimatum too, by the darling Captain Jack. If I was too disruptive, unruly, or a liability, I'd have to jump ship. Or be pushed 'off' ship, to term it better. I was back to being the little 12-year-old again, but I really could not afford to be dropped in the middle of the ocean. Not now, when the hardest part of heading to Tortuga was over. Naturally I would have preferred to stay as a stowaway; that plan had meant I didn't have to do anything but exist unnoticed in the hold for the journey. Being noticed had led to the doing of ship duties just like everyone else, just like I had done before. Really, Jack was treating me exactly the same as the rest of the crew, but he could have been a bit nicer about it. He owed me explanations, about my Mother at least if not about how he'd found me on his ship. Yes, he may have known The 'Pearl inside from out but, if I may say so myself, I'm good at covering myself up. Heck, I'd spent most of my life harbouring secrets and telling lies, that had to count for something.

"Tess ..." Jack's voice was low and warning me. He was almost growling. I knew him well enough to tell he was angry, but why? So I'd snuck onto his ship. Big deal. In effect he'd just gotten a temporary extra pair of hands, so what did he have to be this angry about?

"Yes Captain?" Ok, so playing the innocent may not have been the smartest idea.

"Nest. Now." He cast dark eyes at me, Gibbs by his side, hands on hips, raising eyebrows at me. I considered myself told, packed up the cards and began to ascend the mast. I was good at this; I'd done it many times before and earned the name 'spider monkey' as a result but to my horror my legs practically gave out before I'd even made it half way. Usually, I considered myself as good as the men of the crew if not better, and this blatant show of weakness on my part horrified me. Had four years attempting to be a lady really taken it out of me this bad?! I paused, gripping the mast with my knees to stay up. I was pretty screwed; I could hardly go down, was having problems going up and yet I couldn't exactly stay in this position for long before falling. It was a dilemma alright.

"'AVIN TROUBLE LUV?!" I knew who that comment had come from; trust Jack's anger to dissipate at my expense. I daren't look down; it wasn't that I had trouble with heights, I just didn't want to give Jack the satisfaction. So I gritted my teeth and pulled my aching legs up the next foot of mast. It wouldn't be long till Tortuga at any rate and then I could just bugger off and hopefully never see that man's stupid jeering grin ever again. On the other hand, having a good fight with him might well be very satisfying; there was actually a helluva lot I could get off my chest in one go. I guess I could wait until we reach land, then yell at him and follow up with running off as fast as possible, just so I didn't have to hear his responses. Ah, but his responses might be worth hearing ... At any rate, nothing had to be decided until Tortuga, and that little trail of thought had distracted me sufficiently for the rest of the mast climb. I swung my leg over the crow's nest railing, although there weren't even any crows in the cage with which to pass the time, and settled myself for the coming heat. The sun was already burning off the mist, and having been up all night I wanted some kip. Disallowed kip was still kip, even if Jack caught me at it.

It was late morning before Jack called for Gibbs. Tess' prediction had been right and the sun was almost at mid mast, hot and fierce.

"Ay Cap'n?"

"Did ye see what she did with them cards?" Jack's eyes stayed on the horizon as Gibbs's brows knitted.

He lowered his voice and glanced upwards at the nest. "Well she read 'em, din't she?"

Lazily Jack raised an eyebrow. "If I didn't love it so much meself I'd say the damn rum's addled yer brain. I mean, did you see where she put 'em? And she's asleep by the way."

Gibbs's eyes were fixed upwards on the nest; "She put 'em in that pouch she carries. It's up there with 'er."

Inwardly, Jack groaned. In reality he knew that she'd never leave anything lying around unless it was for a purpose, but there was nothing wrong with hoping. This meant the getting of what he wanted would take a little longer, and perhaps a bit of force. Unfortunately, and he hated to admit it, outwitting Tess O'Sedna was not the easiest of tasks. He grinned to himself. This wasn't really that surprising- he had practically brought her up, after all.

"What d'ya want with them bloody cards anyway?" Gibbs moved over to take the wheel as Jack leant against the mast, still looking out to sea.

"It's not the cards. It's the ring she stole from me."

"Her Mother's ring?" A loyal friend as well as first mate, Gibbs had also been present for all of Tess's life and knew most, at least, of what Jack spoke.

"Ay. I want it."

"Why? I thought you gave it to her Mother in the first place."

Jack folded his arms and sighed. This matter was more complicated than Gibbs was used to. More complicated than he was used to as a matter of fact, but as long as he didn't think about it too much and just did it, he wouldn't be too confused.

"I did. She gave it back to me when she died and I swore I'd give it Tess when she was old enough to understand. I never got a chance because the scallywag nicked it from me."

"Mm. Pirate."

Jack smiled.

"So what yer saying is, you want that ring back just so yoy can give it to 'er properly."

Jack's grin widened. "Of sorts. But not really. I want it back so I can give it to Mikael." He said this with the sort of dramatism that would bring a shock of realisation and wonderment to Gibbs's face.

"Ah, Mikael." Gibbs began to chuckle as the plan sank into his brain. "Ay I can see what yer doin' Jack." He paused, thinking all aspects of it through before frowning. "What I can't understand is why..."

Jack strode towards the bow, narrowing his eyes against the strong sunlight and searching for the rocky turtle island that was Tortuga on the horizon. "They're worth much more together than they are apart." He took the spyglass from his pocket and raised it halfway before turning back to raise his eyebrows at his first mate. "All in good time Gibbs. All in good time."

Hahaha ... what? What was that?! A cliffhanger? Yeah. Keep it comin' ... :D