Book Two - Chapter Three: A Memorable Introduction

The crew of the Roving Maid enjoyed their leisure time as usual. The captain, who was currently indisposed, had not told them how long their port of call was to be exactly. All they knew was that they were waiting for the first mate to reappear from his journey into London.

Pintel and Ragetti were sitting by some crates on the pier and enjoying a game of woman watching. The pickings were slim in this small town which meant that each woman was contemplated with a fair amount of detail - followed shortly by immense laughter. While breaking away from the chuckle they got out of whistling at a very unimpressed old maid, Pintel spotted a beauty in her prime coming from around a street corner. He grabbed Ragetti by the arm and pointed in the direction of their next target. Obviously the woman was far out of their station but the game did not require successful entreaties.

"There's a fine one," Pintel said quite conspicuously. Noticing that the woman seemed to be looking for something or someone, he called out directly to her, "Sure it's not me you're lookin' fer, love? I can be quite friendly, promise," and then continued to snicker.

Ragetti joined in, "Aye, quite friendly!"

The woman took notice of them and came walking directly to them. This had them startled. They felt as though they should run away but they were so confused by what was happening that they remained frozen in place. The young woman was not the least bit hesitant and while a large smile on her face swung her arms around Ragetti's neck and embraced him tightly. Ragetti began to tremble and darted a look at Pintel for a sign of what he should do.

"Master Ragetti, my dear friend, I am so pleased to see you again," the beautiful young woman said.

Ragetti pulled back from her embrace and held her at arm's length. He looked her up and down several times. Part of him knew it to be little Amelia Barbossa yet a larger part of him could not accept that recognition. Amelia Barbossa was just a little girl, not half his height and not half as…developed. While examining her over and over again he was muttering nonsense about how it could not be her.

"Have you forgotten me already?" Amelia asked quite disheartened.

Ragetti could not answer and, upon seeing Barbossa coming round the corner now, he let go of Amelia and bolted back up the gangway of the ship. Pintel stood there smiling sheepishly. Amelia embraced him too though she received much less of a response than what she had from Ragetti.

Barbossa, now in front of the Roving Maid, called for hands to help with the trunk. Pintel was one of the hands made to go. He was thankful to break the awkwardness he had just endured.

Amelia went to her former cabin. It had changed a great deal since she was little. Barbossa promised to rearrange it. Already he began positioning a place to put up a tarp to divide to room for his daughter's privacy. Once her trunk was placed into the cabin, Barbossa left her to unpack and get settled. Amelia enjoyed the freedom of being able to remove all of the excesses of her life at the Academy. She conjured up the memories of her childhood, letting her hair down and removing the layers of finery that adorned her body. She did not have very many light and flexible pieces of attire but she was able to adjust the materials that she had. She had some pieces that had been left behind from before she was sent to London, though most were much too small for her now, some were salvageable with minor adjustments. A basic under dress was nice and simple, but she placed on shorted loose trousers underneath.

Once quite comfortable, Amelia left the cabin, ready to take on whatever task needed to be done. Deck swabbing, cannon cleaning, rig adjusting, or even helping stitch up a man would be a welcomed change from the tedious lessons she endured at Hawthorn's Academy. The moment that Barbossa saw her he sent her straight back into the cabin.

"No daughter of mine will be flouncin' around like that!" he argued. "If I've learned a thing or two 'bout the appearance of women, it's that loose hair makes fer a loose woman."

All of Amelia's preparation had been for naught. She fastened herself back into her layers of skirt and pinned back her hair. This would not be the least bit useful for doing any of the duties she had hoped to do as a common crew member.

Once back in a proper ladylike fashion, Amelia was permitted to walk about the deck.

"I won't last long if I'm trapped in corsets and petticoats at sea," she complained to her father.

"Aye, but ye won't last long without them either," her father replied.

Barbossa refused to continue the conversation or justify his reasoning further. It was one thing having a child run about the ship, but all that seemed childlike in Amelia had grown out of her now. Barbossa would not leave his daughter unattended to be the temptation of the untrustworthy bilge-rats that manned the ship. The only man that Barbossa trusted with his daughter was Master Ragetti, believing him to be too simple to attempt anything vile with the young woman he had been so protective of in the past.

It began to seem that more than just her cabin that had changed since Amelia was last here. No one would give her an order. If she took it upon herself to work on something, one of the crew members would quickly relieve it from her and do it instead, saying that she did not need to bother herself with such labours. Each time she countered their good intentions by insisting that she would love nothing more than to be of use. She had only been there half a day and already her hopes of feeling at home were being dashed. Amelia found herself too much a lady to be a pirate and too much a pirate to be a lady. Since her father would not listen to her entreaties, Amelia felt compelled to take the matter to a higher authority. Although she knew that she and Captain Jack Sparrow had never got on exceedingly well, he always tolerated her presence so long as she was made useful. He would surely not protest to her earning her keep now just had she had done in the past. Especially, she figured, since he would probably be in a drunken stupor, in which case it would be the opportune moment to negotiate with him.

"Ragetti," Amelia called, Ragetti awkwardly came to attention, "is the Captain ashore in the tavern?" she asked ready to go down to meet him.

"F-f-fraid not, Ms. He's been in his cabin since dawn," Ragetti stuttered.

Amelia was delighted, "Well, that works out perfectly, then," she said and charged towards the captain's quarters.

Ragetti wanted to stop her but could not bring himself to physically stop her or utter comprehensible words.

Amelia knocked quite loudly on the captain's door, not expecting him to be in a state of consciousness. It took numerous knocks before the door was answered. Standing there was Captain Jack Sparrow, seemingly drowsy and hardly dressed. He was initially quite perturbed by the interuption.

"What it in the name of -" he shouted, but after the few seconds it took for his eyes to adjust a very different expression came to his face. His brow quickly rose up and a wily smirk took over his face. "Well, hello, hello," he flirted.

"Captain," Amelia said quite assertively, "am I or am I not to be a proper member of your crew?"

Jack was not prepared to do much thinking or reflection so he furrowed his brows, "Come again?"

He staggered to keep his footing until at last he leaned himself against the doorpost.

"Captain, I have worked very hard to gain a least a fraction of respect, and though I know my absence has been lengthy, I cannot help but believe that I have earned the right to be treated in the same manner and be allowed to participate in the crew's duties as you, as captain, would so see fit."

Jack began to slowly sway – unintentionally - and his smirk returned as he said, "My dear, girl, you may participate in as many duties as you please. Especially my duties. In fact, I insist on your participation…now, if you would like…I could think of a few duties in need of immediate...attention."

Amelia was confused by the captain's insinuations. Barbossa quickly inserted himself into the situation and blocked the space between his daughter and his captain, pushing him back and closing the door in front of him. Jack stood in the doorway a few moments longer, staring at the door and trying to piece together the events that just took place.

Barbossa was not the least bit pleased with his captain's conduct or his daughter's inability to follow instructions. He was, however, secretly pleased with his daughter's determination, which he felt reflected his own inability to be idle.

"You've made yer point," he said to his daughter in a tone that made him sound as though he was quite defeated.

Amelia just smiled, knowing that she had been in the right all along. While her attire was not to be discussed again today, she was at least allowed to take on a task or two. In fact, upon accepting his defeat, Barbossa sent his daughter on her way to help the men below deck.

When Captain Jack Sparrow had recovered from his previous night, the Roving Maid left the English coast, heading back southwards. It was a good forty eight hours later since Amelia's initial return to the ship that Jack finally took any notice of her. He did not have the heart - or the death wish - to ask either the young woman or Barbossa if that was in fact the young Ms. Amelia Barbossa. Instead, he took aside Bootstrap Bill Turner, and asked him.

"That there, girl," he said in a low tone of voice, "that's not Barbossa's own, is it?"

Bootstrap gave a little laugh and replied, "Aye, Captain, it is the very same. None among us could hardly recognize her. But that be what the years can do. Children do grow as sure as the tides will change and in less time."

Jack thought it over. He was fine with having Ms. Amelia Barbossa back aboard, his only issue was that now she was no longer a child her sex was far more apparent. He knew himself, and he knew the ways of men. Jack's fear was that this young lady would not be quite so aware of the dangers that would surround her in this type of business.

"One more question," Jack addressed to Bootstrap. "When I was…you know," he said making a suggestive face and wringing his hands.

"Indisposed?"

"That's the one," he agreed. "I didn't say anything to Ms. Barbossa, did I?" he asked in full fear that his indiscretion may have compromised not only the young woman but also her capabilities of respecting him as a captain.

Bootstrap removed all humour from the subject and after thinking over his response, said in a very calm yet awkward manner, "Captain, in truth, you did appear to the girl while quite…How shall I say? You revealed quite a side of yourself to the poor girl."

The captain bowed his head and rubbed his hand over his eyes in shame of his conduct. "Anything else?" he inquired hesitantly.

"The young Ms spoke to you of something quite directly. I heard not what it was myself, but from what's been said amongst the crew, you seemed to have extended an invitation to the girl to join you in your…well… in your activities at the time," Bootstrap answered as truthfully as he felt comfortable to do so, which was not in much comfort at all. Had the woman in question not been Hector Barbossa's own daughter the subject would not have been so awkward. Many times woman of all types had been discussed aboard the Roving Maid in all types of contexts.

"Did Barbossa see or hear any of this?" Jack asked, entirely unwilling to hear the answer and so he buried his face in his hands and spoke through the breaks between his fingers.

"Aye, Captain. Barbossa was the one to put you back in your cabin," Bootstrap admitted.

Jack knew that his image as a captain - along with his own conscience - called for him to make some apologies. He was unsure on how to approach Barbossa on the subject and so he decided to direct himself to Amelia and let Barbossa hear about it through her.

Jack found Amelia sitting on the steps mending a pile of the crew's garments. It was not her idea of a proper duty. She felt that her gender and useless education was being exploited unfairly. The captain slowly meandered over to where she was. He tried to make it look very inconspicuous, as though he had not noticed her there. In practice he just looked ridiculous, slowly stepping backwards and holding the deck rails until he came to the steps, which he sproceeded to tumble on before turning and looking down at where his foot had hit. Amelia had watched him sauntering over but said nothing. Jack looked at Amelia who had obviously been watching him and felt his own awkwardness. He stood there lingering, deciding in his mind how he should proceed in addressing the girl, especially since Barbossa was keeping quite a close eye. Amelia looked at him looking at her and waited for him to speak the words he was so obviously trying to form. The long silence was quickly becoming quite unbearable by both individuals.

"Captain?" Amelia finally said, inviting him to speak his mind.

Jack took in a deep breath before speaking.

"I don't believe that I have yet officially welcomed you back to the crew," he said sheepishly.

"No, not exactly," Amelia agreed. "But I wasn't entirely expecting a great warm welcome from you. I'm sure that I caused you some grief, having to readjust your schedule and all."

Jack allowed himself a small laugh at the thought of having a schedule and then quickly checked himself. "No, no grief," he confirmed. "I wish to apologize for my ill reception of you the other day. I confess that I have a poor memory for what took place exactly, but from what I understand, my conduct was…inexcusable."

Amelia interrupted him by saying, "There is no need, Captain. I have been around long enough to know your conduct when the ship's been docked. It was only to be expected, especially with my own decision to be so bold in the first place."

Jack jumped in at the end of her words, "Not so bold," he insisted. "The fault is mine. I am quite grateful that you were able to come back to sail under my colours."

Amelia blushed at the sincerity the captain was uncharacteristically showing at this moment. Jack did notice the blush that came to the young woman's cheeks and felt quite satisfied with himself. He also caught sight of Barbossa and quickly took his leave of the young woman who felt quite dissatisfied for having no choice but to return to the disgusting pile of worn clothes. To delay her work further, she called for the captain's attention.

"Captain."

He stopped and turned his attention back to her.

"If I may ask, what is your current course? I should like to know from you directly what purpose I may adopt on the ship, at least for this time."

Jack thought a moment and then replied, "There's a craft that was sunk some months ago. It was thought that their plunder was lost but rumour has it that it was relocated on a coast along Corvo."

"And we are to salvage it, then, I suppose?" she said with a sense of mischief.

"Nah, you're one of us now," Jack replied playfully, "we're gonna bloody well steal it!"