Adult-FanFiction.org : Movies

Bittersweet Homecomings	By : JennyPugh Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (All) > General Views: 3442 -:- 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
- 4
- 5
- 6
Usual
disclaimers.

Thanks to A Depp
Girl, Chubby Bunny, RandomGal, Mrs Sparrow, SectorLutter, Rose Pearl,
beatlechicksteph, slytheringurl, Katrina, joe and Chelsey for your reviews and Hilary
for editing.

Most of you prefer
two separate chapters a week, so that is what I will do. Here’s the first..

…

Chapter five:
‘If you promise to behave pirate, I might see fit to release you.’

‘Well, goodbye
Jenny.’ James Norrington stood stiffly in the hallway of his mansion, unsure
whether to embrace her or not before deciding against it. ‘I hope things turn
out well for you back home.’

She merely
glared at him and turned her back, leaving the mansion with her head held high,
leading the group consisting of herself, Henry Marston and a troop of ever
present marines. ‘Not yet, be patient,’ she warned herself the nearer
they got to the harbour. Her heart sank when she saw Boothe and Hall waiting by
the gangplank of HMS Sutherland. She had forgotten all about them. The
group came to a stop at the foot of the gangplank whilst they waited for
Captain Gillette to come and give them permission to board.

A drover went
past with a herd of goats taken from one of the smaller boats and one of the
creatures leapt up, causing a slight panic amongst the others, distracting
everyone as they tried to move out of the way. Jenny siezed her chance and
jumped into the water, swimming for a group of dorys huddled together at anchor
a short distance away, reasoning if she could hide amongst them for a while,
she would have a better chance of escape. She had not reckoned on Thomas Hall
being able to swim strongly and jumping in after her. Jenny fought her way
through the water, gasping and spluttering as she swallowed water in her panic
to get away from the big man but he caught up easily and lunged for her. Her
waterlogged dress started to drag her down and Hall grabbed her hand, yanking
her back to the surface again but they were too close to one of the small
fishing vessels and she looked in horror as a hull loomed large over her and
she tried desperately to move away, but Hall’s grip on her was too tight and
she winced as her head collided with the boat. Then everything went black.

…

‘You fool!’
Henry Marston exploded as he watched the marines drag his unconcious daughter
from the water. ‘I want her alive, you blundering idiot.’

Thomas Hall got
himself out of the water with some difficulty, frowning broodily at the older
man and ignoring the dark look he got from his partner. ‘Well I stopped her
from escaping didn’t I? Don’t all thank me at once…’

‘Get her on
board.’

The men looked
around at the speaker and upon seeing that it was the captain, picked Jenny up
and carried her onto The Sutherland.
‘’Jones, show
the way to the sick bay.’ Captain Gillette looked at Henry Marston and smiled
thinly. ‘We have a surgeon on board, he will take good care of your daughter.’

‘Thank you,
Captain. I am much obliged to you.’

‘Not at all.
Come, I will show you to your quarters personally.’ Charles Gillette did not
see that it would do any harm to be as charming and courteous as he could to
his guest in the hope that Marston would send Governor Norrington a favourable
letter. He did not intend being a mere Naval Captain for very long and the more
favours he could curry, the more people who thought of him as a good and kind
man, the better.

… … … …

Jack cast a
critical eye over the main mast and nodded, drawing sighs of relief from the
workers, then he strode through his ship, inspecting each repair closely until
he was satisfied that The Black Pearl was seaworthy once more. The
trademen had been mightily impressed with the payment they received and it
showed in their workmanship. Jack had ordered the crew to stop working on the
repairs and start getting supplies in some hours ago, and they only had to wait
for the last of them to be brought aboard and they would be off, heading
straight for Port Royal. He glanced across at a scrawny black man who was
hovering around as if in two minds and decided to see what he wanted.

‘Is there a
problem, mate?’ he drawled as he swayed along the deck, drawing a look of alarm
from the man.

‘Ah… no suh.’

‘Then why are
you still aboard?’ Jack smiled dangerously, showing his mouthful of gold teeth
which un-nerved the man even more.
‘I… I want to
work for you, suh.’

Jack regarded
the man for a time, impressed that he held his gaze even though he was clearly
uncomfortable. ‘You a slave?’

‘Yes suh. I
was…’

‘What happened,
and it’s Captain, not sir.’

It was Jack’s
turn to be regarded as the gangly man weighed up whether to trust him or not.
‘I… escaped su… Captain.’

‘How?’ Jack
settled himself against the port rail and folded his arms. He had a feeling
this conversation could take a while.

The black man
shoved his hands into the pockets of very worn breeches and looked to the deck
before slowly bringing his gaze upwards to meet Jack’s. ‘I was workin’ aboard a
blackbirder, an’ the captain was… he was rapin’ a child. I stopped him.’

‘Ya killed him?’

‘Yes, I killed him.
We had just left Port of Spain so I jumped overboard and swam for shore.’

Jack looked at
him sceptically. ‘C’mon mate, let’s hear th’whole story.’

He sighed then
shrugged, realising he had nothing to lose. ‘I was a fisherman in Africa. Not
in a small boat but a large one with two masts and I was taken and forced into
slavery. The blackbirder I was on hit a storm and the was a lot of damage and
some of the crew lost their lives. They found out that I could sail so I was
pressed into working for them. When we reached our destination, the captain
arranged that I stayed on board and that I was bonded to him. We sailed back to
Africa and picked up more slaves, then headed back to the Caribbean. We dropped
some of the slaves off at Port of Spain and as we weighed anchor and left the
port, I found the captain raping a child in his cabin. She was no more than
eleven.’ He stopped and stared into space as the memories took hold and Jack
allowed him the time to remember before gently prompting him once more.

‘I wrapped my
manacles around his neck and strangled him then went back on deck as if nothing
had happened and jumped overboard, making for some trees that were growing in
the water beyond the wharf. The crew tried shooting at me but I got away.’

‘How’d ya get th’manacles
off?’ Jack was curious as to how he had managed it. He always found it a
problem unless the keys were handy.

‘I waited until
dark then went to the smithy and threatened the smith’s wife. Then I stole a
boat and sailed away, ending up on this land where I have been working and
hiding ever since.’

‘Why d’ya want
ter join this ship?’

‘It is a pirate
ship. I have heard pirates only see the man’s abilities, not the colour of his
skin.’

‘Mr. Gibbs,’
Jack called as the quartermaster appeared over the side of the ship. ‘It
appears we have a new crewman.’ He turned back to the black man. ‘What’s yer
name mate?’

‘John.’

‘What’s yer given
name?’

He stared at the
strange looking white man before him in amazement. No-one had ever asked him
for his given name before. ‘Olabisi Ba, su… Captain.’

‘Welcome to th’Black
Pearl, Olabisi.’ Jack held out his hand, smiling as the former slave
grasped and shook it. ‘Davy here will show yer where everything is.’ Jack
released his grip and shot his arm out, grabbing Davy Phillips as he walked by,
and pulled him back. ‘Won’t ya mate.’

‘Aye Cap’n. This
way,’ he replied with a grin, jerking his head towards the hatch then carried
on his way with an extra shadow.

‘Make sail,’
Jack ordered, closing his eyes with relief that they were finally on
their way.

… … … …

Jenny knew she
was at sea even before she was fully concious. The movement and noise were too
familiar to her now. She gradually opened her eyes, peering through the gloom
to try and make out something, then groaned as pain shot through her head.

‘It is all
right, just lay still,’ came a gentle, reassuring voice.

She looked
around at a bespectacled man leaning over her and tried to shift away from him,
stopping as the pain increased tenfold. ‘W-who are you,’ she whispered. ‘Where
am I?’

‘I am Luke
Martin, surgeon on HMS Sutherland.’

‘Oh God,’ she
groaned as the memory came flooding back to her. ‘Where are we?’

‘On board…’

‘I know we’re on
board,’ she snapped contemptuously. ‘Whereabouts? How long have I been
unconcious?’

‘We are just
about to clear the Caribbean islands. You have been unconscious for nearly two
days.’

‘I must…’ Jenny
tried to sit up but found that her hands and feet were bound, anchoring her to
the bed. ‘What?’ she burst out, straining against the bonds.

‘I-I am sorry,
it was not my idea,’ he apologised, having the good grace to look embarrassed.

‘No, I’ll bet it
wasn’t,’ she snarled, blinking away tears of frustration and anger. ‘Am I to be
chained the whole voyage?’

‘That all
depends,’ came another voice, beyond the bunk she was in. ‘If you promise to
behave pirate, I might see fit to release you.’

Jenny looked at
the sneering face of Captain Gillette and sank back into the pillow, despair threatening
to wash over her. ‘I am hardly likely to jump overboard in the middle of the
ocean now, am I?’

‘No, which is
why you shall remain bound until we are well clear of the islands. Then and
only then, you will be released, so long as I have your word.’
‘But I am a
pirate, surely my word means nothing?’

‘Are you trying
to talk yourself out of being free?’ he mocked, his cold blue eyes looking
closely at Jenny. ‘To think, I actually thought you quite a catch once.’

‘Well the
feeling was not reciprocated, I can assure you,’ she replied scornfully,
smiling to herself as the captain turned on his heel and stormed off.

‘Here,’ Luke
Martin had made himself scarse when the captain arrived, but returned with a
bowl of broth which he placed on a nearby table while he helped Jenny to sit up
a little. ‘It would be best to keep on the right side of the captain, you know.
He does not suffer fools.’

‘He must be very
hard on himself then,’ she quipped, enjoying watching Martin trying not to
smile. She fell silent as the surgeon spooned the broth into her mouth then lay
back down as the ties were digging into her wrists and beginning to hurt. ‘Do
you know why I am here?’

‘No, it is none
of my business.’

‘I fell in
love,’ she whispered, tears springing to her eyes once more.

‘I-I…’ Luke
Martin picked the bowl up and went to go back to his work, but her hand
strained against the tie and grabbed him, preventing him from moving. He
shifted uncomfortably. Injured men he could deal with but crying women were
another matter altogether.

‘I fell in love
with Jack Sparrow. Have you heard of him?’

Martin
spluttered in shock. He most certainly had heard of the infamous pirate
and could scarcely believe that this woman would be involved with him.

‘Who are they to
judge me, to judge Jack? Yes he is a pirate, but he is a good and fair man. Do
that not count for anything?’ The tears were flowing freely now and Luke Martin
shifted uncomfortably in the chair. ‘How dare James Norrington think he knows
what is best for me. How dare they try and force me to live how they
want me to. I am a widowed woman, not a child,’ she sobbed, feeling as if her
heart was truly breaking. ‘Oh Jack…’

Martin felt her
grip loosen slightly and snatched his hand away, hurrying back to his small
cabin just off the sick bay and shutting the door on the woman’s sobs.

… … … …

‘Cap’n, we
crossed the equator a while back,’ Joshamee Gibbs worried, looking about
anxiously.

‘So?’ came the
bored reply.

‘So we never
gave an offering to Neptune, did we?’

‘You an’ your
bloody superstitions Gibbs. Go an’ offer him somethin’ now.’

‘It is too late.
You have to do it as you cross the equator.’

‘Well we’re
never sure exactly where the bloody equator is, so go an’ do it now or it will
be you I’ll offer ter Neptune.’

‘Aye Cap’n.’
Gibbs hurried below to fetch some coins to throw overboard, leaving Jack
standing at the helm shaking his head.

‘Olabisi, can ya
steer?’

‘Yes Captain
Sparrow, I used to steer the fishing boat back home.’

‘Good man, come
here an’ let’s see what yer like.’ He stood and watched as the lanky man took
the wheel and steered the course, handling the helm expertly. ‘Looks like
I’ve got meself another helmsman,’ he mused then glanced up at the sails, a
look of horror spreading across his face. ‘Loose all sails,’ he yelled, making
those closest to him jump in alarm. ‘Do it now!’

The crew
scurried up the rigging and let loose the sails, but it was soon apparent why
their captain was so troubled as the wind dropped and one by one, the sails
hung limply from their masts and yards. The doldrums.

…

A collective
groan sounded about The Black Pearl only punctuated by a cry of anguish
from her master.

‘Why?’
pleaded Jack looking skywards then covering his face with his hands in despair.
‘Why?’ ‘Run out th’sweeps, we’ll go as far as we can an’ hopefully get
past it.’

‘Aye Cap’n.’
Gibbs ran below to organise teams of men to take over the rowing, using the
strongest first, hoping that they would indeed get past the doldrums soon.

… … … …

Jenny looked
insolently at her father as he entered the sick bay and turned her face away
from him.

‘Look at me, you
wretch,’ he ordered, grasping her face with his hand and turning her head back
round, his fingers digging painfully into her cheeks. ‘What is this?’ He took
the beaded braid in his hand and looked at it scornfully then dug into his
pocket and pulled out a small pen knife.

‘No!’ She tried
turning her head again, but it was held fast and she cried out as her father
cut the braid from her head, slinging it to the floor. ‘You have no right to do
this to me, you bastard.’

‘You had better
learn some manners before we get home. And yes, I can do this to you.
You are still my daughter.’

‘Not any more.
As far as I am concerned, I am an orphan and what you are doing is kidnap,’ she
hissed vehemously, launching a mouthful of spittle at him.

‘Y-you little…’
Henry Marston went to throw himself on to his daughter but found himself held
back.

‘Please Mr.
Marston, this is a sick bay. Not the place for this sort of behaviour.’ Luke
Martin held the older man with a strength that belied his slight frame and mild
manner.

‘Do you know
what she has just done,’ he shouted, fishing a handerchief from his pocket and
wiping the spit from his face.’

‘Yes, and I also
know you violated her by cutting her hair against her wishes,’ he replied
placidly. ‘Now I would really rather you left please.’

Henry Marston
looked at the surgeon, debating whether to argue the point but then noticed one
or two marines watching from the doorway and decided that discretion was the
better part of valour and left.

‘Thank you,’
Jenny whispered, straining against her bonds to look at the braid on the floor.

‘Here, I will
keep it safe until they release you,’ he picked the braid off the floor and
held it in his hand.

‘You are very
kind,’ she smiled, tearfully.

‘Just because I
am part of the Kings Navy, it does not mean I always agree with their methods.
Get some rest, we should be past the islands soon and hopefully Captain
Gillette will release you.’

…

Jenny eased her
stiff limbs gingerly and tottered across the deck floor of the sick bay under
the watchful gaze of the surgeon and the captain. ‘I should like a wash
please,’ she asked of Charles Gillette, ignoring his sneer. ‘I may be a pirate,
Captain, but I am still a human being and I would appreciate it if you would
treat me as such. Tell me,’ she smiled sweetly, secretly fingering the braid in
her pocket that Luke had given her just before Gillette appeared to set her
free. ‘Would you despise me as much if I were any other pirate’s woman, than
Jack’s?’ Her smiled broadened as her remark hit home and Gillette’s face
reddened with anger.

‘ I despise all
pirates. You are all scum!’ he spat, leaning in so his face was mere inches
from hers. ‘I will treat you civilly, that is what my station requires of me,
but do not think for one moment I am doing it out of the goodness of my heart.’

‘You have
goodness in your heart? There is a surprise,’ came the riposte and Jenny had to
turn away to hide the smirk spreading across her face.

‘Perhap I can
arrange for a bath tub to be sent to Mrs. Samuels’ quarters for you captain? I
know that you are a busy man.’ Luke Martin had served under many captains and
had the role of soothsayer perfected.

‘Thank you Mr.
Martin, I would appreciate that.’ With a cold look at Jenny, Charles Gillette
strode from the sick bay, slamming the door shut behind him.

‘It would be
better if you did not antagonise everyone, you know,’ he chided, shaking his
head ruefully.

‘What? You think
I should be the dutiful woman and let everyone else decide my life for me? I
think not, Mr. Martin. Now if I can go to my cabin?’

‘Of course, I
will show you where it is.’ The surgeon led the way along the corridor and down
a flight of steep steps and a little way along another corridor until they came
to a small cabin. ‘Your father’s cabin is next door and Boothe and Hall’s is
just along there.’

‘I feel greatly
reassured,’ she replied sarcastically, but was immediately contrite. ‘I am
sorry Luke, I just do not know what to do.’

‘There is
nothing you can do until you reach England. Perhap you would like to help me in
sick bay? I am always grateful for a helping hand.’

She smiled
gratefully, ‘Thank you Luke, I would love to help.’

‘Right, I shall see
you in the morning then.’ Luke Martin smiled warmly at her then retreated from
the cabin, leaving her truly alone for the first time since she had been aboard
The Black Pearl.

She went and
looked out of the stern windows, tears rolling down her cheeks as the islands
of the Caribbean got smaller on the horizon then she sank down onto the window
seat and buried her face in her hands, sobbing openly and wailing Jack’s name
over and over.

…

A blackbirder
was the name given to ships that transported slaves.

…
- 4
- 5
- 6
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Bittersweet Homecomings