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The Haunting Place	By : Lktwoozee Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (All) > General Views: 11161 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 26
- 27
- 28
See previous chapters for other disclaimers, warnings, and
notes.
Dear AFF Readers: Sorry for the delay! Aff's crash took a big chunk out of a lot of
previous chapters, so if you started reading this fic in the past few months you might
want to go back and read it in its entirety. Especially 'Jack's Tattoos', my personal favorite,
was missing the majority of text. Again, sorry for the delay!

Review Response: A few observant readers want to know how
Maren is avoiding pregnancy. Well,
she�s not quite �avoiding� it, per se.
The timeline is approximately a month for the entire fic, so even if
Jack knocked Maren up their very first time (unlikely), she wouldn�t know about
it during this story because of the time constraint. (But just because I know and you know that Maren won�t be getting
pregnant doesn�t mean Jack knows, so expect some mention of pre-Industrial
contraceptive soon).
Keep those questions and reviews coming, ya know I luv �em!

Author�s Note: I was watching the �why�s the rum gone?�
scene and this chapter just poured forth.

Chapter Twenty-seven: Fresh Water
�[Quick
Pet!]� Kristy shouted from top deck, �[It be rainin�!]�
And indeed,
it was. The grey hours that hovered
over the ocean a little while before sunset had sprouted warm morning showers
that streaked silver against the black wood of the Pearl. It was just what Maren had been waiting
for. A great clamor of clang and curses
and the bustling medium appeared from the stairwell, three tin basins stacked
up in her arms. She wore no cloak to
shield herself from the pattering weather, not seeming to mind the raindrops
that dampened her hair or clothes.
Instead, she busily set up the basins that she had borrowed from the
mess, one after the other in a little row.
To prevent the metal tubs from sliding around on the rocking deck, she
carefully placed a large stone in the middle of each, then looked on
approvingly as rainwater started to pool at the bottom of the bowls.
Several
surrounding pirates peered curiously at her, frankly bewildered. �Miss Attle,� Teller spoke up, scratching
his head, �Whatya doin�?�
�Need fresh
water.�
�Oh,� his
eyes drifted from the basins to Maren and back, �Reckon Cook Brewster has
some-.�
Swiping
several wet strands of hair from her forehead, Maren snorted, �Cap�n Sparrow
says I�m not to touch the ship�s drinkin� water for anythin� but drinkin�.�
�Er,�
confused, Teller asked, �Why else would ye �quire fresh water?�
�Fresh
water has many uses,� she answered evasively, nose in the air.

* * *

The concept of keyholes was not
something that Nathan had never truly contemplated before this day. Really, what was there to think about? Key goes in, twist and lock, nothing goes in
or out, plain and simple. It wasn�t so
much the actual keyhole that mattered in the equation, but the mechanics hidden
in the door. So why bother reflecting
on a mere byproduct of the locking process?
Because, Nathan decided, keyholes were altogether far too small!
The Irish
cabin boy had his face pressed against the splintered door of the guest
quarters, one winking eye hovering over the controversially tiny keyhole. It cast a yellow glow over his face from the
candlelight inside. Everyone once in a
while, a flutter of cloth or wisp of pale hair or a flash of bare limb would
pass into vision through the gap, but it was a mere glimmer of what Nathan was
praying to witness. Damn the man who
invented keyholes so cursedly miniscule!
How was he supposed to spy on a bathing Maren through an opening no
bigger then his finger?
The Black
Pearl kicked underneath him as she broke over tide, heading straight to Carcelero. They were due to arrive that afternoon and
Maren, mindful of an approximate week of sailing with a ship full of
sweat-soaked, salt-caked, and very stinky men, was keen on washing up before
returning to civilization. Not to
mention, Jack�s personal stench was starting to rub off on her.
So for this
venture, she had recruited the help of Nathan, who was all too keen on aiding
Maren in heating the rainwater she had gathered earlier that morning and
delivering it personally to her cabin.
What Maren didn�t know was that Nathan was also keen on catching sight
of her in the buff, hence the present struggle with the keyhole. Nathan shifted his weight on his sore knees
and felt his heart leap (among other parts of his anatomy) as he spied nude
shoulders.
The sudden sound of a throat being
loudly cleared almost startled the boy out of his skin. Guiltily, he jumped to his feet and spun
about to face Captain Sparrow smirking at him with his eyebrows cocked. Looking frantically from door to Sparrow,
from Sparrow to door again, Nathan struggled to invent a viable excuse for his
current situation, but his panicked brain was not being very
corroborative. All he could manage was
to sputter some sort of inarticulate apology.
To the boy�s great relief, Jack
didn�t say a word, just chuckled softly to himself. He swaggered right past the boy and down the hall, pausing at the
corner to glance over his shoulder and pointedly nod his head in Nathan�s
direction.
Nathan�s forehead scrunched in
confusion.
A little more obvious, Jack
motioned again, making his beaded hair jiggle.
Nathan blinked stupidly.
Muttering and slapping his head,
the pirate captain marched over to the cabin boy and grabbed him by the collar
to tug him impatiently along. Some
people just couldn�t take a hint!
�I-I�m sorry, Cap�n sir,� begged
Nathan, tripping over his own feet as he was hauled after Jack, �Did�n mean no
harm, honest!�
�Relax boy,� releasing his shirt,
Jack paternally mussed Nathan�s red hair, which only bewildered the youth more,
�Far be it for me to fault �nother man for wantin� to see a naked woman.� Abruptly, Jack turned a sharp right and
Nathan obediently scuttled after him.
They entered the iron hold, having to duck down to accommodate the low
ceiling. Most of the ship�s tools and
supplies for haul repair and pumping were located here, tied down in an orderly
fashion.
�Then,� he gulped, �yer not angry
with me none, Cap�n?�
Jack placed his flittering fingers
against the wall as he walked further into the hold, sliding his hand along the
wood. �Course not,� he barked in
amusement, �It only occurr�d to me that perhaps ye might fancy a more revealin�
angle then the one permitt�d by that unsatisfactory keyhole.� His fingers arrived around an insignificant,
round knot in the woodwork and using his nails to pry it out, opened a hidden
hole.
Nathan�s mouth fell open, when Jack
benevolently motioned, like the pope granting a pardon, for the boy to have a
look. On the other side of the wall,
faint splashing was heard along with Maren�s cheerful humming. Jack winked wickedly and pressed a finger to
his pursed lips for silence. Nodding,
Nathan leapt forward and shoved his hazel eye against the gap. It took a few seconds for his vision to
adjust to the soft candlelight. The
secret opening was low in the guest quarters, hidden on the leeside of the
dresser, and it permitted a wonderfully clear view of the resident medium.
Slightly disappointed, Nathan
noticed that Maren was wearing her chemise, but luckily it appeared as though
she had only recently put it back on, because it still clung to her wet skin in
ways that made Nathan�s voice crack.
Her damp hair leaked more water along her shift, adding quite pleasantly
to the �wet linen effect�. She was
presently washing laundry in one of her steaming basins and when she turned to
grab a pair of stockings, Nathan witnessed the bodice stick intimately over her
generous bust. Giddy excitement pulsed
in his blood. The shift was practically
transparent! And was that a pink nipple
he spied?! Sweet siren, the God of
Cabin Boys was feeling magnanimous today!
Giving Nathan a friendly rap on the
back, Jack leaned over and whispered in a slur, �After she�s done bathin�, mind
ye clean up in here when yer finish�d, savvy?
I�ll be very piss�d if I return here and step in somethin� [unpleasant].� Conspicuously, he tapped his nose and rose
to leave Nathan to it. After all, Jack
mused, every strapping, young lad should have a decent wank every now and
again; good for the heart and Maren wouldn�t belittle something that was
beneficial to the lad�s general health, would she?
�Lookin� like she done bathin�,
sir,� Nathan whispered back, informative and helpful, but not moving an inch
from his place over the crack, �She be doin� yer laundry now.�
�My what?� his eyes wide and
panicked, Jack inadvertently shoved Nathan aside rather roughly and peered
through the hole. There was Maren,
flushed pink from her recent wash, now scrubbing one of Jack�s dingy, white
shirts. Why of all the daft
things! �No!� Jack stood up and ran as
fast as one can while bent over, bursting out into the corridor and still
reciting his denial, �No, no, no! No
good, stop! Halt!� Nathan gawked after him, then with one last
stolen glance at partially clad Maren, begrudgingly replaced the knot into its
opening, deciding that Cap�n Sparrow might not appreciate being spied on,
especially when he was bellowing that loudly.
[BANG!] The door was swiftly kicked open.
Oh Christ in Heaven, she cleaned!
Maren shrieked in surprise and covered herself and
her chemise with the soapy shirt, but relaxed marginally when she realized it
was only her eccentric lover, wide-eyed and fuming. Overhead, tied to the bedposts, were two lines of twine that
Maren had borrowed from the galley hold.
Strewn about on these makeshift clotheslines was a large part of Jack�s
assorted wardrobe, now soggy and lye smelling.
�My clothes,� near hysterics, Jack
stormed over to a pair of trousers and ripped them down, �The clothes are
clean!�
�Aye,� puffing out her considerable
chest and smiling proudly, Maren nodded, �The clothes are clean.�
�Why are the clothes clean?�
�Well,� Maren humphed, �I decid�d
since ye already order�d me to play seamstress and sew yer damn buttons back on
yer waistcoat-.�
�Hey, ye break it, ye fix it. Ye�re the one that tore them off, might I
minds ye!�
�Did�n hear ye complainin� at the
time!�
His temper sparking, Jack started
pacing in agitation and his arms flailed about, �But [why] are the
clothes clean?!�
��Causin� I could�n stand the
stench o� them anymore,� Maren brandished her hands around to equal Jack�s
feverish gestures, �How do ye �pects me to replace them buttons ifen me eyes
wo�n stop waterin� from the smell? And
once me mind was set to be washin� that waistcoat, I went �head and scrubb�d the
rest o� it! Got a problem with that, [Cap�n]?!�
having said the word �captain� as one
would say �plague rat�.
�Aye,� frustrated with palms
itching to shake some sense into Maren, Jack threw his fresh britches into the
closest basin, �Washin� is the worst thin� for clothes, ye stupid git. Rinses the warmth right out o� them, that�s
[common knowledge], that �tis.�
�That�s [bullshit], that
�tis.�
�-and the stitches unravel and the
threads break and the fabric fringes!
In a matter o� weeks those clothes will be nothin� but tatter�d ruins-.�
�No, they [were] in
�tatter�d ruins�. I should know,
should�n I? I just spent near two
hours sewin� up rips, and hems, and tears, and slits, and bloody, bleedin�
bullet holes!� she began to shout, �[Bullet
holes], Jack! Is it too much to be
expectin� a wee bit o� gratitude, considerin� I didn� even want to be ye damn
seamstress in the first place?!�
�Who ask�d ye then, woman?!� he
hollered back, approaching her like a cat prowls, �Seamstress maybe, but I only
want�d ye to fix the buttons [ye] ripp�d off! Never [ever] did I order ye to act as a laundress!� They were nose to nose, breathing in each
other�s hot breaths. Chocolate and
indigo eyes flashed dangerously at each other.
A brief staring contest ensued.
Jack hissed, �Why are the clothes clean?�
Maren seemed to deflate a little,
��I just want�d to do somethin� nice�for ye.�
�such a clever bitch, a haggard
sigh fell from Jack�s lips. �Damn it,�
he muttered to himself and abruptly surrendered his temper for a more
satisfying emotion, delivering a lip-crushing kiss. Squeaking, Maren quickly overcame her surprise and returned the
bruising embrace with equal passion. He
was squeezing her arms and stealing her very breath away. Abruptly, Jack released her, feeling
properly sated for the moment.
Brushing their noses together in a
teasing manner, he spread his arms out with opened palms as if to placate
her. �Look, I �ppreciate the
thought. It be quite evident ye thought
ye were doin� me a favor and that�s somewhat sweet, I�ll concede. But people have certain standards as it
pertains to pirates, me dear, and one o� those standards is a certain �naval
fragrance� that takes years o� sea air and sun sweat to cultivate. I have a reputation to adhere to,
savvy? Besides, �twas a definite waste
o� yer time, to be sure,� he shrugged, apparently finding some humor in the
situation, �I�m so filthy, I�ll have me personals back to normal in no time
flat.�
An evil smile graced Maren�s
pouting lips as she slowly drew closer to Jack and he found himself
involuntarily taking a step back. �What
ye reckon that water is for?� she pointed to the extra basin, still steaming
with hot water.
Jack took another step back,
shielding Maren away with his arms, �Oh, no.�

* * *

�Ooh, yesss,� Jack groaned
appreciatively, his head lolling back as Maren grazed the warm washcloth over
his neck and down his shoulder blades.
Arching his back into her kneading hands, he shivered pleasantly while
little treks of cooling water slid down his torso. He practically purred.
�See, silly Cap�n? Almost done,� soothed Maren, leaning down to
soak the rag again, �Washin�s not so bad, is it?� She held out his left arm so she could run the soap over his
forearm and bicep, grazing over the trailing scars and his boatswain tattoo.
Perched in the middle of the guest
cabin, Jack sat on a stool in his Muslin drawers, his feet soaking in the
basin. Relaxing, he kept a contented
smile on his face and his eyes closed.
�On the contrary,� he pointed his index finger in the air, �[Washing]
is still a wretch�d and superfluous pastime.
However, [being] wash�d is a different matter entirely,
would�n ye agree? A very pleasurable
practice, if I may say so, and a capital engagement on the condition that the
washer be a bonnie, buxom, and beautiful lass.�
�I swears,� she huffed, indulgently
passing the rag over his sculptured chest again, even though she had already
washed it thrice. She couldn�t keep her
hands off that lean physique! Beginning
at the collarbone, Maren traced along his sternum and wrung the cloth, letting
water droplets dance down his stomach.
She wiped along his abdomen, every pass moving further down. Her empty hand was also pawing at his body,
caressing her palm over the smooth muscles of his stomach and grazing her
fingers teasingly under the hem of his drawers. His eyebrows rose in interest, but Maren ignored his dark stare
and straightened out, �Ye could charm a crocodile to tears, Jack, but there�s
no chance in Hell ye can con yer way out o� one o� me washes.�
Shuddering when Maren�s breasts
lightly brushed his shoulder, Jack snorted, �Still a waste. Why I had meself that bath at the Turner
place not too long ago. Ca�n �member
the last time I had two baths in such close proximity.�
�Ups with yer arm,� she nudged his
shoulder, urging Jack to obey, then began to aggressively scrub his underarm,
�this be the last bit.� It admittedly
tickled, but Jack tried his damnedest not to giggle like a horse�s arse. Maren passed the sopping washcloth over his
skin, rinsing away the drying soap and grime.
Satisfied with a job well done,
Maren stepped back to admire her handiwork (and the mouthwatering view). Shirtless and trouserless, Jack glistened in
the lamplight like polished bronze. His
body was clear of dirt and sweat, his tangled and damp hair was freed of the
faded kerchief, and his face was momentarily clean of kohl. This permitted the brown color of his eyes
to lighten a shade, causing Maren to peer curiously at him. Perhaps it was a trick of shadow or
maybe�Maren�s brow scrunched as she gently grasped Jack by the chin, turning
him this way and that, all the while staring at him intently. With his hair slicked back, his eyes so
bright, and that healthy glow to his skin, Jack appeared�rather pretty, to tell
the truth.
Suddenly, an epiphany struck Maren
and some things started to click together like delectable puzzle pieces in her
mind. The dreadlocks, the raggedly
clothes, the beaded trinkets, the dirt, and yes, even the kohl were not just
mere decorations or expressions to Jack, they were also [distractions]-
distractions from his more aesthetic elements.
Jack was covering up the fact that he was a pretty boy! Well, that was interesting. Confident, arrogant, always-so-self-assured
Jack might actually be insecure about something! He tried so hard to change his natural beauty into a strange
exoticness, to disguise his all around loveliness for something much darker and
handsome. Very interesting, another
clue to hint at the enigma that was Captain Jack Sparrow�
�What?� paranoid, Jack asked. A pensive woman was usually a woman up to
trouble.
�Nothin� really,� Maren grinned
and, noticing Jack�s golden smile in return, inquired curiously, �Just
wonderin� how ye lost them pretty teeth o yers.�
�Syphilis.�
Breath catching in her throat, the
color of Maren�s face paled to a foamy green.
�Jokin�!� Jack laughed and
immediately had to ward off the punishing slaps and punches Maren was
assaulting him with. �Oh, stop it, I
was just havin� a bit o� fun. Sorry
luv, could�n resist. But ye should�a
seen the look on yer face- ah!
Ah-ouch!� Maren�s hand shot out and was mercilessly twisting his left
nipple, �Ah! Oh-okay, I surrender! Have
mercy! Jesus Christ, letgoletgoletgo!�
she did, smirking in triumph. �I lost
me ivories in a bar brawl. Some
cowardly dog clobber�d me mouth with a wooden club,� he shrugged, hand hovering
protectively over his left pectoral, �Happy, ye hellcat?� Before Maren could make a properly snide
remark, Jack wrapped his arms around her, playfully capturing her against his
warm body. �Ye forgot to wash a certain
somethin�,� in his huskiest voice, Jack cooed into her ear and caught her hand,
blinking innocently. He then proceeded
to guide said hand towards the wet Muslin that still covered his nakedness,
�I�d hate for ye to miss a spot.�
A brassy bell started ringing on
deck, causing Jack to roll his eyes and abruptly release the flushed medium in
his embrace, �Bullocks.�
�What �tis it?� the disappointment
in Maren�s voice was all too evident.
�We�re drawin� close to Carcelero,�
Jack was already gathering his dry clothes and throwing them on, slurring,
�They need me topside.�
�But Jack,� Maren attempted to stop
him from pulling his britches on, but not for the reasons Jack would�ve hoped
for, �At least put on somethin� clean, after all the work I did.�
Tossing his old, linen shirt over
his head, Jack shrugged innocently and gestured to the hanging laundry,
�Everythin�s wet, sweetheart. Why that
would be positively deleterious to me health, absolutely detrimental to be
sure. Would�n want to catch a cold, now
would I?�
�But Ja-ack-.�

�[But Ja-ack,]�
teasing, he mimicked her in a most unflattering falsetto and swiftly dodged one
of his flying stockings that Maren had sequentially thrown at his head. Jack stepped into his boots, knocking his
heels on the floor to scoot his feet in.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed his repaired waistcoat and
snatched it up to inspect the buttons for himself. Each black button was tight and secure, threaded over six times
alternately, like Kristy had taught Maren when she was a girl. There was also a tear in the back and a
loose hem that had been meticulously mended with dainty little stitches. It was obvious that Maren had put forth a
tremendous amount of effort for Jack.
Smirking faintly, Jack brushed his fingers along the tiny threads.
He became of aware of Maren
watching him, waiting meek and expectant.
Nodding approvingly, Jack overlooked the fact that the vest was still
slightly damp and put it on anyway. The
happy smile on Maren�s face would�ve put the sun to shame! How simple it was to please this woman! Hurriedly, she grabbed his kerchief and tied
it around his head, while Jack held up his charmed hair. Overcoat, affects, and assorted bands and
jewelry followed.
�Oh yes, �fore I forget,� three
inches from the vanity mirror, Jack was reapplying his kohl. His jaw gawked open while he traced the
bottom lids and his eyes fell on Maren�s reflection, �Gotta close the guest
quarters for proper vacancy soon. Ye�re
certainly not the obligatory �guest� the circumstances should require
anymore. Ye�re a crewmember now, best
start treatin� ye like one.�
Behind him, Maren�s expression grew
anxious.
Shutting one eye as he moved to the
top lid, Jack chuckled at Maren�s concern, �No worries, pretty one. I shan�t be tossin� ye to the hold to bunk
with the slimy bastards I call me crew.
What sort o� brute do ye take me for?�
He switched eyes, �No, I have a better idea. There�s a repository, more like a spacious closet really, in the
stern corridor, very near me own cabin in fact. Understand, it�s not much to gander at, kind o� cramp�d, but I�ll
have it clear�d out soon �nough. Some
old furniture in there too, so ye can store yer whatnots and other
necessities. Now there�s no bed, just a
hammock. But that hardly matters now,
does it? Ye�ll not use it, considerin�
ye�re me official bedwarmer, since I�ve lost me coal tin.�
It was true (at least the part
about sleeping in Jack�s bed; as for the coal tin, it�s doubtful he ever even
owned one in the first place, using the excuse of losing the imaginary coal tin
to warm his chilled toes on Maren�s legs whenever he damn well pleased). Since returning from Port Royal, Maren had
yet to actually sleep the night in the guest cabin. She�d pass out sated and exhausted in Jack�s bed and would awake,
contented and rested in his arms come morning- well, there was one exception,
two days ago. The night at the helm (a
hot blush crested her cheeks at the memory), after her eyes were drooping and
her head kept nodding off, Jack finally ordered Maren to go to bed. �But which bed?� she had wondered. She didn�t want to be presumptuous and
invite herself to Jack�s cabin. After
all, he wouldn�t be there and they hadn�t technically fornicated that
night. Did she have a right to expect
to bed with Jack, even on nights when �sleeping� was the only activity on the
agenda?
Maren had decided to play it safe
better the sorry; she slumbered in the guest chamber, but was awoken a few
hours later. Clad only in trousers,
Jack had tiptoed into Maren�s room and quickly slipped into bed. Half asleep, Maren mistook his intention for
coming and attempted to roll over and initiate some sexual play, but Jack shook
his head, pressing her back down, �Hush luv, did�n mean to wake ye. Go back to sleep.� Gratefully dozing back off, Maren felt the comforting heat as
Jack spooned against her and whispered into her ear as a shy explanation, �My
sheets were cold.� Since then, Jack had
made of point of �ordering� Maren to sleep in his bed every night and warm his
sheets properly in lieu of his phantom coal tin.
�Savvy?� Jack�s slurring drawl
disturbed Maren from her thoughts.
Having finished his kohl, Jack was staring at her expectantly.
�Aye Cap�n,� she said.
�Splendid,� swaggering in his
blatantly sexy style that made Maren�s mouth water, Jack approached her and ran
his hand appreciatively over her thin chemise, �Get dress�d quick, littl�
laundress. Ye�re to come with me and
Gibbs to Carcelero for me triumphant return.�
His chapped lips scraped her brow in a brief kiss, then Jack abruptly
spun about and left the room. The heavy
tread of his boots faded down the hall.

* * *

�Walk it
down, ye lazy bilge rats! First man
that falls that boat, gets to court me cattails tonight!� Anamaria was
bellowing at the men lowering the rowboat by pulley. Jack watched on approvingly with Gibbs next to him, who was
spitting in his hand and smoothing his wiry hair down in a sad attempt at
hygiene. The Black Pearl was anchored
at high noon in Padre�s bay, a deserted bit of land located near a farmer�s
road that led straight to Carcelero.
Things were going splendidly.
They had yet to be spotted by either peasant or officer and the weather
was fair.
�Miss
Anamaria,� calling her over, Captain Sparrow procured a small bag of dates from
his many pockets and began munching on the sweet fruit. He spoke around his full mouth, �Stay still
and quiet �till dusk falls, then sail the Pearl to the port and make harbor
�round six o�clock. Be extravagant
�bouts it, big production ifen ye get me meaning. Pick thirty men, [punctual] men, who can be trust�d not to
get too carri�d �way. Rendezvous with
me in the main square. Have we our
orders?� As an afterthought, he offered
Anamaria some dates.
�Aye sir,�
yet she shook her head at the proffered bag, �Wait here tills sunset, birth at
six, thirty men to meet ye.�
�Wonderful,�
he popped one last date into his mouth, tucking the sack away, �Have I
express�d just how much I appreciate yer dependability and diligence as o�
late?�
�Not half
as much as ye should, Cap�n.�
�Gibbs, how
long shall ye require to locate Mister Izmir?� addressing his First Mate, Jack
turned his face to loudly spit out a few seeds.
�Depends,�
the grimy pirate answered evasively and flicked one of Jack�s stray seeds off
his boot, �Izmir be a cranky coot, paranoid as Lucifer in a convent. Even when I finds him, he�ll be jumpy �bouts
meetin� ye face to face. He be wantin�
security on his terms.�
�If I do�n
see him personally, we do�n do business.
No compromises.�
�Aye sir,�
Gibbs nodded, �Give me an hour o� two to warm him up, pump a few drinks in the
ole devil. He�ll be trustin� me soon
�nough. Why we were almost kin once,
did I e�er tell ye that? Aye, Izmir was
briefly engaged to me second cousin, Anne, God-rest-her-soul.� Crossing himself, Gibbs absently drank from
his leather flask, �But Anne�s brother put a stop to that, could�n stand
Spaniards as I recall.�
Tsk-ing,
Jack ignored the incessant gossip of his First Mate and glanced about for other
matters to attend to. And found one
standing at the railing, Maren was bent over the edge, giggling at the
water. Curious and leaving Gibbs to
continue his story to thin air, Jack swayed over to the merry medium. He glanced down at the blue waters and was
pleasantly awarded with the blessed omen of dolphins gathered round the
hull. They were jittering and swimming about
as Maren laughed and cooed at them.
�That�s
good luck, that is,� he startled her.
She jumped a little, but smiled sheepishly when she realized it was
Jack.
�I think
they�re absolutely adorable! Ne�er seen
them so close �fore.�
�Smart
littl� buggers, they waitin� for us to toss the trash out, so they can pick
through for scraps,� explained Jack, �Bill once told me dolphins be the
reincarnations o� drown�d sailors.
That�s why we do�n eat dolphins o� hunt them. That�s also why they swim in a ship�s wake, they want to
remember,� then added in a bit of melancholy, �I wonder if Bill counts as a
drown�d sailor.�
Suddenly,
there was a great commotion among the porpoises. Several were clicking loudly, splashing and anxious. Some started to jump high out of the ocean
and a few were spitting water from their mouths and blowholes. It might have been Jack�s usually
intoxicated imagination, but he thought they appeared royally pissed off. He muttered, bewildered, �Ne�er seen them do
that.�
�It�s
Kristy,� sighing, Maren watched the ghost hovering above the water, making
crude faces at the marine animals.
�[Come
on, ye blubber-brain�d, cock suckin�, sorry excuse for fishes!]� Kristy
taunted them, laughing maniacally as the dolphins flailed about in agitation,
�[Yer mother be walrus� cunt and yer father be a pirate�s supper.]�
�All set,
Cap�n Sparrow,� Anamaria shouted from the rope ladder.
�Very good,
call the men, Madam Bosun,� bellowing back, Jack tugged on Maren�s elbow, �Do
ye speak Spanish, luv?�
Shrugging,
the medium followed Jack to the bow of the ship while Anamaria yelled at the
men to �fall on deck� for the Captain�s departure, �Only the wee bit I need�d
as a barmaid. �Uno-dos-tres�, tequila,
�pagame, bastardo� and the like.�
�That�s
it?� Jack asked.
�Well,�
itching her scalp, Maren�s voice lowered conspicuously, �Ifen I comes �cross a
Spanish haunt, I can always use the ghost as a translator.�
Jack
appeared genuinely impressed, �Ye can do that?�
�Aye,�
Maren smugly furthered, �Ye see, ghosts do�n actually [speak] any sort
o� language, that�s how I understand them all. But they remember how, that�s the important thin�. They remember their native tongue and if I�m
there to make them �ware o� the words being said, they can turn �rounds and explain
the meaning to me.�
�Whoa,�
truly impressed, Jack paused, watching his crew stand at attention.
�Only
trouble is I can understand the language, but I still ca�n speak it.�
Waving her
off to continue the conversation another time, Jack spoke grandly at his
assembled men, �Gentlemen, I leave ye in the charge o� Anamaria. I trust in yer obedience and character-.�
�Arr-wind
in his sails!� Mr Cotton�s parrot interrupted.
�-have a
pleasant evenin� and I�ll be seein� some o� ye soon. Now have off and get back to work, ye bile-ladden sons o�
cows! Someone man them nets, there�s turtles
to be had in these waters! And damn it,
so help ye bastards if I return and there�s still garbage in the mess!� There was a great bustle and scurry as no
pirate wanted to be the last man standing still. Jack turned around with the coy satisfaction that only comes with
absolute unquestioned authority, �Shall we Miss Attle? Mister Gibbs?�
Both First
Mate and medium nodded, following Jack down the rope ladder, into the rowboat,
and slowly to the road to Carcelero.

* * *

[Pagame, bastardo~ Pay up, bastard!]

[What was supposed to be a brief intro-scene became an
entire chapter! I can�t stop writing
cute Jack/Maren moments, I-just-can�t-stop (especially when Jack is in a state
of undress)! Anyway, next chapter- our
dynamic duo explores the sites and sounds of Carcelero~ corrupt traitors,
homicidal ghosts, and Jack plays �tour guide�, oh my!]

Year of Cheers
Thanks a Lot,
Citadel
- 26
- 27
- 28
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The Haunting Place