Sorry for the rather slow start. I promise this will get more action packed, eventually. J
Chapter Four
Madeline lay awake in her cabin. It was such an early hour that none of the crew had awoken. They were all in their hammocks, dreaming of gold and rum or having nightmares of the Cracken, who had been dead for quite some time. It was foolish, or so Madeline thought, to fear the Flying Dutchman now-a-days. Due to it's new captain, it is now a peaceful enough ship who ferries those who die at sea to the other side.
There was a knock on the door. Not a sharp knock. A drunken, slow knock. With this little piece of information, she knew exactly who it was at the door. "Come in, Jack." She called. The door creaked open and her captain walked into the room. He closed the door behind him and stood there for a moment. "What do you want?" She asked, impatiently.
He chuckled, "You're the only lady I know who would be so rude to a man who has done nothing to her."
"Lady?" She snorted, "Hardly." He looked at her sword that lay on her desk, newly shined as of the morning before. "Come out with it, will you?"
"You want freedom." he stated, his old cocky smile back on his face.
Madeline nodded, unaware of where he was going with this random fact.
"And what is freedom, but a ship and the open sea?" he sat on her chair and put his feet up on her desk. "I can get you such a thing."
She sat up and looked at him, "And, let me guess, you want something in return? I have been doing this for years, Jack, I know how this game is played."
"Mao Rong Nu is a powerful man, Miss Gibbs. Many a pirate fear the likes of him." He pointed to Madeline, "He want you. And he wants me."
She looked down to her hands, "I know."
"Then we must fight." Her head shot up, giving him an 'are you crazy?' look. "He won't stop until I am dead, and you are his wife. Now, we don't want that do we?"
"What does this have to do with my freedom?"
"Give me a moment to explain." He put his hands up and motioned around him, "You want this. You want a ship, a crew, and a map. If we fight, we will need to gather many ships to go against those of Moa Rong Nu. And after we have won, there will be many ships all gathered in one spot, how hard would it be to simply commandeer one of them?"
Madeline's face lightened up. "Of course!" She laughed in delight, "What a brilliant idea, Jack! I could simply kiss you!"
Jack smirked, "If you wish."
She stopped and looked at him, "The only place that would happen is in your dreams, dear Jacky."
He shrugged and patted the bed, "Tomorrow we make port in Tortuga, there we will gather ships to fight."
"How are you so certain there will be ships wanting to fight?" She asked skeptically.
He smirked, "Just need the proper leverage, love."
Now the ball is rolling, aye? Things will pick up pace after this.
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DIDN'T UNDERSTAND? Here's what happened…
Mao Rong Nu (the man who had captured Madeline in the first chapter) is after both Jack and Madeline. He wants Jack dead, and he wants to marry Madeline. He has many, many ships trying to find them. Jack and Madeline must fight back by gathering many ships as well. They are going to do that in Tortuga. Jack promises that after it all, if she helps, he will make sure that Madeline gets one of the ships, so she can be free to sail the seas.