AKAfredandgeorge: inspiration only comes so fast, hun. And did anyone see the twist coming? Huh? Huh? Oh, and "arse"? Are we Irish now?
DragonDancer219: Here's more, however soon it is!
Starsplash: I really am trying to turn out the updates, sweetie, but I want them to be of a certain level of quality as well, so that is why they tend to take some time.
AKAFredandGeorge: well if it was all a bed of roses, it wouldn't be interesting, would it?
--
Kipp was wondering what was taking so long, he had stalled the other captain for over an hour, and still no signal from his man. He had complete faith in Jace's abilities, even if he was more in the habit of using them for not so honest endeavors. The ship's bell should have rung about half an hour ago, signaling that they had Sera and that they were ready to go, but no sound was forth coming from the Huntress. Kipp was getting worried and the other captain was starting to get suspicious. Too soon, it seemed, Kipp ran out of reasons to keep the other crew ashore and stood by silently, watching the last boat pulled up and stowed on the Ojos Verde hoping that Jace had had enough time to get Sera and back onto the Huntress. Knowing Jace's work, it would most likely be at the very least a half a day before they even realized that the little girl had gone missing. But by that time they would be well on their way back to Port Royal.
The Ojos Verde was just raising anchor as Jace called for his men to return to ship. He joined his men pushing the boats free of the beach and hopping in before the water was high enough to swamp his calf high boots. He set himself to one of the oars with a smile. Jace would have gotten Sera within half an hour, and he had over twice that amount of time. He could now bring the Huntress back to dock in Port Royal, and, hopefully, start a life with the woman he loved.
--
Katrina held Sera close, not daring to close her eyes. Every time she did, she could see the bodies of the guard that Kipp had left on his ship. Distrustful of the morals of a captain that would allow kidnapping, Kipp had taken the majority of his crew to the island, in case the captain had decided to dishonor the armistice. The crew on deck just made up the skeleton guard, plus one extra.
She was sure that the glassy look in Andre's eyes as he stared, unseeing, would haunt her dreams for a long time to come, as would the blood slowly pooling beneath Link's head, and the other four crewmen, all lying inert on the deck. She shivered involuntarily and Sera moved closer to Katrina in her sleep. Katrina tightened her hold and tried to relax. But soon she felt tears slipping silently from her eyes and she knew she would get no sleep that night.
--
Kipp stared at the letter in his hand, rereading it and his jaw was clenched, things simply were not adding up. First he had arrived on his ship to find three of his crew dead, the other three were in bad shape and the ship's surgeon didn't hold much hope for any of them. Then Kipp had found a note in his cabin. It was from Katrina, explaining that she was really in love with that Edmund creature and that she was leaving with him, and to please forget her.
He gripped his hand tighter and felt the ring biting into his skin. The very ring Katrina had been wearing earlier that day as Kipp kissed her. That and Jace was missing. He looked at the letter again. It was indeed Katrina's writing, but it was uncharacteristically shaky. The 'please forget me' stabbed at his heart like a knife. He opened his hand, revealing the ring smudged with his own blood. Determined, he wrapped his hand in a clean strip of cloth and decided that Katrina would know no peace from him until he had a straight answer straight from her instead of vague explanations and lies on a piece of paper. He knew they were lies because of the truth he had seen in her eyes.
He strode onto deck, shouting orders and taking over the wheel from Taidhgan, who readily gave it over to his stormy-eyed captain.
--
Katrina had been unceremoniously escorted above deck to see Edmund who was standing at the aft with a cruel smirk on his face. Katrina's heart twisted at the sight of Jace standing by him, the poor boy looked panic-stricken, which was so very far from his usual cockily confident countenance.
"Ah, my dear." Edmund's smirk grew. "You are just in time to see me make good on my promise to you."
"What are you-" Katrina cut herself off with a scream as Jace was bodily thrown over the side of the ship. She rushed forward and shoved an empty barrel over the railing before she was restrained. "You said you'd let him go!" she screamed at Edmund.
"I said he'd be alive. I let him go, he has a chance to live, even if he does not take advantage of it." He shrugged with indifference.
"You bastard!" Katrina broke free of the men gripping her arms and slapped Edmond across the face with as much force as she could muster, taking satisfaction in the angry red hand print that started showing immediately.
Edmund very nearly growled. He stepped forward, grabbed a handful of Katrina's hair and brutally wrenched it backwards, forcing Katrina's head back and making her cry out in pain. "You will never do that again." He breathed in her ear. "I promised no harm to the children, I made no similar promise as to your own safety. So you would do well to do as you are told. Is that understood? IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?" he yelled when she didn't respond. Katrina glared at him with contempt.
"Yes." She hissed between her teeth.
"Good." He released her and flicked his hand, signaling for his men to take her back to her cabin.
--
Kipp had been at the helm all night and had finally surrendered the wheel at Taidhgan's insistence that he get something to eat and a few hours of sleep. It felt like he just closed his eyes when his first mate came crashing into his cabin without knocking.
"Captain, the lookout found something, something I think you should come and see."
Kipp grumbled, but if Taidhgan, the very one who had persuaded him to rest, was the one to rouse him, then it was most likely important. He slipped his shirt over his head and joined his man at the rail on the foredeck where he was handed the telescope and trained it to where Taidhgan indicated.
"Steer closer." Kipp commanded and continued to watch as the order was relayed and they drew closer. Soon, it became clear, a figure sprawled over a barrel. As they got even closer Kipp noticed that it wasn't full grown, more the size of a boy with a familiar looking crop of messy black hair.
"Pull her right up alongside!" Kipp yelled. He picked up a length of rope, tossing one end to Taidhgan and tying the other about his waist.
"Captain are you sure-"
"Nope." Kipp cut off his first mate and dove into the cool waters of the Caribbean. Other crewmembers, seeing their captain go over the edge rushed up and grabbed hold of the rope. Alex ran to the side and watched as Kipp grabbed the figure off of the barrel and then yelled for the others to pull. Once they were high enough, Kipp was relieved of his burden and he then pulled himself over the side, untying the rope as he knelt by the boy that his men had laid on the deck. He pushed the soaked bangs off of the boy's face. "Jace." Kipp said. Every bit of exposed skin on the boy was sunburned, his face still held the ugly yellow of a fading bruise and he was dehydrated. The boy cracked open his eyes.
"Kipp." He smiled slightly, pulling at his dry and cracked lips. "I knew ye'd find me." he continued in a hoarse voice.
"What happened?" Kipp asked gently, checking the boy over for other injuries, there was a bump on the back of his head, but that was all to add to the list of damages.
"I botched it. Got caught, I did, and got knocked out. Next I knew we was sailin' and I was brought on deck and tossed over the side."
"They gave you a barrel?" one of the crewmembers that was crowded around the two asked in a disbelieving tone.
"Naw, that was Miss Katrina. She pushed it over the side then screamed at the man, I could hear her from the water."
"You saw Kitten?" Kipp asked, drawing the boy's gaze back to him.
"Well, yeah. I was told the only reason I was still alive was because she agreed ta go with that guy."
Kipp's jaw clenched. "I was supposed to give you a message too." Jace looked up at the captain. "If you follow, he'll kill Miss Katrina."
"Why does he even want Kitten and Sera?" Kipp wondered almost to himself.
"Somethin' abou' some fortune or somethin'. I heard them talkin', they thought I was still knocked out." Jace smiled slightly. "They said that guy has ta marry Miss Katrina to be able ta control some big mass o' money."
"Marry her?!" Kipp exploded. "Full sheet men!" Kipp called out. "We got a ship to catch!" many of the men grinned and some cheered. They all loved the hunt.
"But he'll kill her!" Jace tugged on Kipp's sleeve.
"Not if he needs her." Kipp picked up the boy and set him on his feet. "Let's get something on those burns, they look pretty bad, and something for you to drink."
Jace grinned. "Just water." Kipp told the boy, who immediately started complaining.
--
Katrina watched in dismay as she coast line slipped slowly along with the days. She was on one of her short and very closely guarded trips onto the deck that she was allowed infrequently. She was no expert on geography, but from what she vaguely remembered from the maps spread over Kipp's desk and the talk of the men, they were past the colonies of Florida and Georgia, and almost halfway up the coast of the Carolinas. She could also feel the absence of tropical heat, which she had gotten so used to, from the sun. She looked down at Sera standing by her side and put a hand on her shoulder, hugging her small form against herself and wondering what her life would be like.
"Morning ladies." A voice said in Katrina's ear as a hand 'innocently' brushed across her butt. She could have brushed it off if his hand didn't start to travel up her side. Katrina's blood ran cold and she spun to slap Edmund, who caught her hand. "Tsk, tsk. I thought we had talked about this." There was a glint that Katrina didn't like in his eye. "Seraphima, why don't you go on down to your cabin? Daddy wants to talk to your future mommy for a moment."
Sera's eyes widened and she nodded. She knew Kitty was afraid of her dad, which in itself made Sera apprehensive of the man. Katrina watched the little girl disappear down the gangway. She closed her eyes briefly, trying to steel herself for what ever Edmund was up to. She knew she was on thin ice and the coming confrontation would not be pleasant.
Edmund's hand grabbed her shoulder and spun her around. "I forgot how fiery you were, Minx." He said so close his breath was filling her face. "As much as I like a little heat, you have loose that fire. In fact I think it is time to talk about your behavior.
You, of course will be the faithful and loving wife. So long as you please me, I see no need to send the brat to a boarding school. But as long as she is around you, you will not corrupt her against me. If you do, I will send you away."
As for me, I will be enjoying myself and will most likely not be around the manor much and I see no reason why I should change my ways. Any maid or girl comes to you with one of my problems, you will give her some money and send her on her way. Understood?"
Though expecting something of this nature eventually, Katrina still was shocked at the implications of his words and she mutely nodded.
"Good." Edmund smirked. "That is more like it, now, show me a little fire." He crushed her to him and kissed her with enough force to bruise her lips. With a muffled squeak, Katrina fought against him until she felt his smirk growing. He let go abruptly and she stumbled back. "Maybe I will spend a bit more time at the manor." He laughed and walked away, leaving the guards to bring her back to her cabin that she shared with Sera.
--
Kipp was growing more frustrated with each passing day. He was pushing his ship and crew to their limits, but they seemed to be gaining nothing on the Ojos Verde. Also frustrating to him was that Jack had headed back to the Caribbean after Kipp's insistence. Jack had played his part and now would be of no farther use now that the captain knew the Pearl and would most likely fire first and ask questions later, his uncle seemed to have that effect on people. But right now, Kipp really wished that he had the fastest ship in the Caribbean with him.
Right now Kipp was standing at the helm, the coast of the colonies sliding by on his left, and silently cursing himself for leaving too few to guard his Kitten.
"Kipp?" a tentative voice broke into his mental tirade.
"What?" he barked rather sharply from lack of sleep and worry. He instantly regretted it when Jace visibly shrunk from him.
"Ya need to get some sleep and food." Jace looked down at the deck, scuffing his boots against the smooth wood.
Kipp ran a hand through his hair with a slight huff. "Did Taidhgan send you up here?" he made sure to not let his frustration into his voice.
Jace looked up. "No. Kipp, the whole crew is worried about ya. Ya're not actin' like you."
Kipp finally took his eyes off the horizon and looked at his young charge. Jace really was a little too much like Jack. The boy was a little imp with a penchant for getting into trouble and an uncanny ability to get out unharmed, but he still had his rare moments when he was caring and without ulterior motive.
After a moment Kipp nodded. Get Taidhgan to watch the wheel, and wake me in four hours or before if the ship is spotted. Jace gave a small smile and turned to leave but stopped at the top of the steps. "Kipp?"
"Yeah?" the captain called back.
"Do you even have a plan?"
Kipp grinned. "That's where being related to Jack Sparrow comes in handy, I'll just make it up as I go."
--
Well I was hoping to get at least four pages done. Then I got stuck on three, and then I had a burst of inspiration and ended near five! Yay!
Oh, and happy belated Fourth to all who celebrate it (and even those that don't)!