Chapter Twenty Eight
You can't teach old Pirates new tricks...
I swung down from the tree, I had my sword ready, but what I wasn't expecting was that the chief had seen me the entire time! His arm shot back at me with lighting speed, I couldn't dodge it. It cut the fabric to my coat. I quickly swiped for his head but his sword caught mine. Minutes later, our swords were still clashing but I noticed no one else was fighting, they were all staring.
The chief tried to cut my feet but I jumped and landed in a split. I could feel my parents eyes concentrating on me. The Spaniard tried to make short work of me and slice my head open with his sword, but I caught his sword in mid-swing with my palms. Waves of pain ran through me as his sword pierced my flesh, but I held up. Soon, blood started running down my arm and forming a pool in the sand.
"Hurts...no?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow and smiling victoriously.
"No" I growled pushed his sword up, drop kicking him. I quickly grabbed my sword and prepared for a fight, but the Spaniard chief stayed down.
"Please" he whimpered "spare me" I put my sword to his throat and sighed.
"Sorry, mate, I don't take prisoners" I said, I rose the sword high above my head, and his head fell to the sand! I looked up from his lifeless body and put my bloody sword in its holster, then I walked over to the ocean and dipped my bloody hands in the water. The salt water stung, but I've hurt worse. I looked up and saw that my parents were disgusted with my act of piracy. I glanced over to the 'Pearl and the crew was singing merrily.
When I boarded the Black Pearl Kayla rushed to my side and hugged me hard. "How are your hands?" she asked urgently, taking up my arms and turning my palms over.
"I'm fine Kayla...clam down" I said I looked over to see a smiling Jack at the stern. I slipped my hands out of Kayla's and walked up to him, my heart thundered with every step I took.
"Beautiful" he said, I slipped my cut hands into his warm and muscular ones. I layed my head on his shoulder and watched our crew celebrate, I was so comfortable.
"They think it's over" I whispered and Jack sighed.
"It's not even close, love" Jack said looking down at me. I gave Jack a quick kiss on the cheek then had to leave because Kayla yelled for me.
"Brittney" she said grabbing my shoulders "we need to get to the nearest port" she growled then her eyes flashed again.
"Why?" I asked, frantically.
"We just...we need to!" she said, her grip tightening on my shoulders. I nodded reluctantly went back up to Jack and told him the plan. I looked over to where my parents' boat was but they were gone.
*The nearest port for us was Galveston. It was halfly under Caribbean control and the other half under Spanish control. When we docked I went to Kayla "why did we need to port?"
"Davy was chasing us from underwater... he can't here" Kayla clarified, I nodded and turned to Jack, who had just left the helm.
"Well, as long as we're here we should go get some more rum" I said slyly.
"Aye, aye to that!" Jack laughed then Kayla's eyes flashed again.
"What?" I whispered to her, she shook her head and Jack pulled me off of the Black Pearl, to get some more rum.
*When Jack and I were coming back, rolling two barrels of rum, I saw familiar blue sails. "Oh, damn" I said and Jack looked up.
"It's fine, love...what's the worst they could do?" he asked, huffing and puffing from rolling the heavy barrel.
"Sink the Black Pearl"
"Well, there's that" he said pushing his barrel faster, I giggled. When we reached the Black Pearl we had to stop and rest for a minute.
"Ya know what, Jack? I like this" I said with a half smile, staring up at the crescent moon.
"What? Being a pirate?" he asked, sucking in air. I nodded and we sat on the huge barrels of alcoholic liquid.
"Now if I see my parents I can fight them" I giggled, staring over at Jack, who smiled and tapped his knees.
"And win" Jack finished, I smiled and after a few moments of silence (and Jack's heavy breathing) we rolled the barrels of rum on to the Black Pearl, making Gibbs and Creep roll the other nine.
Chapter Twenty Nine
Drama?...Na...I prefer rum...rum is good
For the rest of the night all of us aboard the Black Pearl went to Jack's favorite bar. Of course he knew everyone in there, as he did in most places he went. Everyone knew the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow, especially since he was the captain of the Black Pearl. Jack, Gibbs, Kayla, Crepsley, and I all sat down at a table. Kayla and I talked whilst Gibbs and Crepsley listened and Jack ordered all of us rum.
"So, your parents are getting back in the saddle again, aye?" Gibbs asked, tapping the table.
"Aye, and doing a very bad job" I answered with a laugh.
"Aye" Crepsley agreed, sipping his rum, the bar maiden gave me my rum in a tall glass. I didn't think I could drink it.
"What are you going to do when you see your parents?" Kayla asked, pushing her rum towards Jack, who happily accepted it.
"Probably going to fight them" I answered sipping my rum, then, both the devils walked in.
"Oh! I see them!" Jack said pointing at them and gulping down rum.
"Aye, there they be" Gibbs said turning and looking at the pirates that sail the sea's without sin. They sat down at the bar, it wasn't long until someone yelled at them, we all turned around and faced the drunk pirate who was yelled at my parents. I just smiled and sipped my rum.
"What are you doing here, in those clothes? Are you here to get your daughter? You don't have a chance with her" the drunkard yelled. My cover was blown, not like I was trying to hide.
"I bet you're enjoying this" My father hissed, glaring at me.
"Every wonderful moment" I said, gulping down more rum.
"Brittney..." my mother whispered, her eyes glassed over.
"That's me" I said, setting the glass rum down, my father grasped my arm and yanked me forward. But, Jack was holding my hand the entire time and he pulled me back into my seat, beating my father's strength.
"Jack, let her go" My father growled, all of the pirates in the bar were silenced.
"No, I don't think so, Eunuch" Jack said "you see...you're wearing pirate clothing...we are in a pirate bar...so I can do what I want" Jack said with a smirk "besides" Jack now held my waist tightly "she's mine...I've made her mine a few times now" Jack grinned, I blushed, and my father roared with anger.
"You...you touched my daughter?" My father growled, his shoulders hunching and his body rising and falling with his furious breathing, my father was about to pounce on Jack, so, I pulled out Charlotte's sword (it was the closest to me) and stood.
"I am above age, it is my life, I can do what I fancy." I said and pushed Jack gently back down on to his stool. "Now, are we going to fight or are we going to chatter all night?" I growled and pulled out my magic sword, all of the pirates got on their hands and knees (except our table and my parents).
"Why are they doing that?" My mother asked I gave a dark laugh.
"You didn't do your homework, huh?" I asked with a smile and I showed them my wrist. Their mouths fell open and I could see the whites in their eyes.
"My daughter's a Pirate Lord!" my mother cried, but not proud crying, she was about to crawl up into a human ball and cry.
"I know, isn't it amazing?" I yelled happily. "Now, my sword here wants to kill something because our ship hasn't gotten attacked in a little while...and if I keep it waiting any longer...it'll go crazy" I said casually.
"Fine...a fight it be" my father growled, stepping closer to me.
"William!" my mother gasped. Without warning, I took a swipe for his head but, he ducked and took a swipe for my stomach, the pirates cleared half the bar just for our fight. He almost stuck my feet, but, I jumped and landed on our table. In response my father jumped on the table next to the one I was on and our swords clashed.
Finally, I took control of the situation and kicked my father in the chest, making him fall onto another table. I jumped down with a sly grin on my face "had enough, pops?" I asked, his foot shot up and kicked my sword out of my hand. He stood up with his sword to my throat "oh, I'm so scared!...I'm shaking in my boots" I said, then kicked him in the groin and struggled to get my gun out.
He returned, pointing his sword at me, but, he was looking down the barrel of my nine millimeter pistol. "That's cheating" he breathed.
"Hello? Pirate" I said then the door was knocked down and many red coats with powdered wigs came in, barring large guns. "You cheated" I growled.
"Hello? Father" he said with a sly grin.
"Put down the gun, Princess Brittney" the troops ordered.
"That's not my name" I said with a smile.
"Put down the gun, Brittney...shooting him will solve nothing" said Kayla, I sighed and slowly lowered my gun, keeping my finger on the trigger. My father tried to stick me in the stomach, but I dropped to the floor and kicked his feet out from under him. He fell down and busted his chin on the table that was behind me.
"That was fun, we should do it more often!" I said cheerily getting up. I looked at the front guard and shook my head "Princess Brittney? No, no more...it's Captain Brittney."
Chapter Thirty
Debt.
It was a dry and warm night, Fredrick Collins had decided to walk home after a poker game with his friends. It wasn't a very far way to walk -less than a mile- and though the night was dark, the dock was lit up with torches of crews getting ready to shove off.
Fredrick was a port master.
He loved the sea. He always wanted to sail the seas ever since he was a little boy and kept that dream alive as he grew up. He'd made his own two daughters appreciate the sea, they would often fantasize about becoming mermaids and owning starfish. But now that they'd grown up and left home, he spent his time at the local bars, winning, and occasionally losing poker games. Fredrick walked quickly to keep warm.
He was only wearing a light cotton and trousers, and even though it was a nice night, his arms and legs were soon covered in goose bumps. He didn't mind. His wife would have a hearty glass of rum and a plate of chicken and mashed-potato's waiting for him when he got home. He'd enjoy them all the more after a good, brisk walk. Trees grew along the edge of the port, making it very dark and hard to see anyone from the east side.
But Fredrick had no fears, on the contrary. He loved the night. He enjoyed listening to the sound of the old boards creek and crunch under his feet and the waves lapping softly against the deserted boats.
Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.
He smiled, when his daughters were young he'd often pretend that there where monsters underneath the boards, lying and waiting to eat them. He'd make scary noises when his daughters weren't looking, sometimes they'd burst into screams and run for home at top speed, and Fredrick would follow after them, laughing.
Crunch. Crunch. Snap.
Fredrick stopped and frowned. It sounded like a board broke, but how could have it been? He would have felt the board go down. And he was walking on new boards. He stood still, waiting and listening for about half a minute, when there where no more sounds, he continued his walk, but this time at a faster pace.
Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. Cru- Snap.
Fredrick stopped again and, for the first time, the fingers of fear began to squeeze around his beating heart. He slowly began walking again, heavily breathing, heart racing, sweat pouring down his brow.
Snap.
Fredrick's eyes shot open, the sound was closer this time, lower down, and suddenly Fredrick couldn't stand it anymore. He broke into a run. Fredrick was a large man, but fit for his age. Still, it had been a long time since he'd run this fast, and after a hundred yards he was out of breath and had a cramp on his side. He slowed to a halt and bent over, gasping for air.
Crunch.
His head shot up. The foot steps were coming toward him!
Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. Snap. Snap. Snap.
More rapidly now. Then they stopped. As he looked before him he saw a young girl with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes, carrying a huge load of something. The girl was very thin, she looked...hungry "are you alright?"
Fredrick asked stepping closer "Can I-"
Snap!
The sound came from directly behind him, loud and menacing. The girl jumped back quickly, out of the way. Fredrick had just enough time to glance back and see a silver sword glimmering in the moon light. Soon, pain ran through his neck. He let out a moan just as his head rolled off his shoulders and his body fell, nothing from the shoulders up...
*"Thank you for helping me, love" Jack said as I came closer, holding a huge bag of gunpowder
"It was nothing but...why did you need to kill him?" I asked, gently kicking the lifeless man's arm.
"Ah, I um, owed some people some money and this is how I'm repaying them" Jack said motioning down to the dead man and taking the heavy sack from me.
"Who was he?" I asked as we walked down the dock, back to the Black Pearl.
"Fredrick Collins...not much of a talker, but he cheated in every poker game he was ever in" Jack answered, slinging the gun power bag over his shoulders.
"Wait, how much money did you owe the people?" I asked suspiciously.
"Let's just say enough to buy another Black Pearl, love" Jack replied
"Oh, Jack..."
"It's alright, love, my debt is paid, let's go celebrate, shall we?" Jack said wiping the blood from his sword and motioning back towards the bar.
"I think we have to get back to the Black Pearl" I whispered, Jack sighed ruefully.
"Oh, yes...that..." he said sadly looking down at the boards of the dock, I slipped my hand into his and smiled at him.
"Its alright, darling, you've got me...and nine barrels of rum" I said happily, Jack smiled.
"Yes, love, and that's all I need" he said putting his arm around me as we walked back to the Black Pearl.
"Jack?" I asked quietly, laying my head on his shoulder.
"Yes, love?"
"Do you owe anyone else?"
"No one in...in uh, too particular" Jack said softly, he was using his lying face. Jack's lying face was when he stared at his feet and either gave a small smile, or sighed. I tightened my hand around his and he glanced up to me, a smile on his face. "We can have our own celebration" he whispered, smiling devilishly as the moonlight shone down on him, giving him a ghostly glow.