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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
- 7
- 8
- 9
See previous chapters for Disclaimers, Warnings, and Notes.

Chapter Eight: Le Petite
Maren�s conscious
bobbed to the surface of wakefulness like a buoyant lure in a fishing
pond. �Ye deaf gel?� Kristy shouted, �Ye not hear all that
commotion?�
The ghost waved her hands in Maren�s face.
�Mmm�what the devil?�
cheek creased with pillow marks, Maren begrudgingly sat up. Above, hurried footfalls and excited shouts
were carrying down. �What time?� she
mumbled through drowsiness.
�Littl� �fore
noon,� scolded Kristy, �Lazy arse!�
�Noon?� hopping from
the soft embrace of the bed, Maren picked up her old dress from the floor. She was a taken slightly aback, when had she
ever managed to sleep so late? Maybe
the time when she was struck with that fever, but she was more on her deathbed
then sleeping. The truth was Maren
probably would have enjoyed a longer slumber schedule but could never have
afforded it. Now was a different story
though, she could get used to this.
�Why ye not wake me up?� she busily dressed, the brown wool so much
harsher than the slick satin of the night before. �I be havin� the strangest dream.�
�I be havin�
the most entertainin� night!� grinning evilly,
Kristy didn�t finish, hunting for some coaxing from Maren.
�Fine,� Maren sighed,
brushing her hair viciously, �what ye see?�
Kristy exploded, �First,
�member Paulson, that pirate light-on-his-feet, ask�d ye for a corset? Well, he fancies this older fellow, name o�
Newall, now Newall he knockin� boots with this other lad, Teller. Teller and Paulson us�d to be lovers, only
Newall do�n know it. Last night,
Paulson corners Newall under stern deck and they have a tumble, then Teller
catches them in the act! So I �spects,
�Oh there�s goin� to be a bitch o� a row here,� but no! Inteady, Teller jumps in, swear to God! Now it be like one o� them Roman orgies ye
hear tell of, right in front o� me!
Could�n believe me luck!�
Maren paused in
plating her pale hair to stare blankly at Kristy, �Anythin� else?� she asked
sarcastically.
�Aye,� beamed Kristy, �Jack sleeps in the nude!� The red
blush detonated, while Maren tried to concentrate on her braid. �Got dozens o� tattoos, by the way, I
was right �bouts the horse reference,� as
sweetly as if she was singing in a choir at church, Kristy chimed.
More stomping and
yelling sounded, �Would ye go have a look-see already? Find out what all that hubbub be �bout, I�ve
got to wash me face,� desperately Maren changed the subject. Her disobedient imagination spun out of
control, decorating Jack�s naked form with all assortments of exotic body
art. The cool water from the washbasin
helped a bit, at least washing the flush away, but not the delicious images.
Kristy stubbornly
waited for Maren to finish and they both wandered to the deck together. Hustling pirates, shouldered past Maren, not
even acknowledging her presence, performing hurried tasks. Something serious was happening, no doubt,
it reminded Maren of a kicked up anthill, seemingly chaotic order. She caught sight of Gibbs and Jack on the
upper deck. The Cap�n stood at the
starboard railing, one eye squinting through a telescope and Gibbs was next to
him, gazing intently at the horizon. At
her approach, Gibbs noticed her and smiled.
�My sleepyhead,� he
laughed, �ye miss�d breakfast.�
�Leave her alone,
Mister Gibbs,� Jack spoke, still with the telescope pointed out to sea, �I
keeps tellin� ye, I ravish�d her completely senseless last night, into the wee
hours of the morn. Then we had at it
again, o� course, the poor gel be exhaust�d and bowlegg�d to boot, I bet.�
Gaping, Maren
beseeched Gibbs, �He�s lyin�!� she proclaimed.
�I know me dear,�
assured Gibbs, �Ye be too clever to fall for the Cap�n�s hogwash.�
�I can hear ye, Mister
Gibbs,� Jack sang over his shoulder, tearing his vision from the telescope.
�Aye sir, yer type be
hearin� everythin�,� agreeing, Gibbs left to shout orders at half a dozen men
tightening sails.
�What�s goin� on?�
Maren inquired to Jack, who had returned to studying the distance.
�An ole friend,�
smiling darkly, he gestured her closer and gave her the telescope, �Take a
gander, luv.�
Maren uncertainly
peeked into the eyeglass, �It�s the bloody ocean Jack.� She jumped when he laid one agile hand on
her hip, spinning her northward and another equally nimble hand, raising the
telescope a little. He leaned his head
over her shoulder, his beaded beard tickling her neck. The scent of rum and salt seeped from him
and Maren inhaled deeply to better acquaint herself with it. Numbly, she raised the telescope to Jack�s
eye, transfixed by the sight of his handsome features so near her. Subconsciously perhaps, she held the
telescope close to her face, so that Jack had to brush his cheek against hers
to gaze through the eyeglass.
Gracefully, he readjusted her stance again then relented the telescope
to her. Still, he kept his hands upon
her and his head inclined next to hers.
Maren looked through the eyeglass and saw a speck of ship in the
distance. �What �tis it?�
�A boat,� Jack slurred
in her ear, matter-a-factly, �big wooden things, what floats on water.�
Instantly, Jack knew
his wisearse comment was a mistake.
Under his fingers he felt her tense up and she turned two slitted eyes
to glare daggers at him, �Ha ha,� she
said without humor, �Now what type o� boat-,� she shut Jack up before he
answered, �-serious now!�
�That is a pirate
ship,� he spoke slowly, against her hair, �The ship be Le Petite-,�
�LeBlanc?� Maren�s
interrupted.
�Aye, Cap�n
Jean-Pierre LeBlanc, the only decent seaman that France ever retch�d up, still
a slimy Frog though,� what might, in the vast alternatives of space, have been
jealousy edged Jack�s voice, �Ye know him?�
�No, but I heard �bout
him and Le Petite in the pub,� concentrating, Maren stared out through the
telescope, totally forgetting the pirate captain still hanging on her. �Givin� chase?�
�Aye, Le Petite�s a
fine ship, but aint nothin� compar�d to the Pearl. Reckon we�ll catch her in �round two hours, maybe less, if
LeBlanc decides to take his chances in a fight.�
Abruptly Maren lowered
the scope, �Fight?� she peeped anxiously.
�Ahh,� Jack hugged her
waist, resting his chin on her head, �Do�n fret none, me bonnie medium, ole
Jack�s here to protect ye. Aint no
scary pirates goin� to be stealin� me newest acquisition.�
�Why are ye still touchin� me?� sharply,
coldly Maren spat. It was the
�acquisition� part that got Jack in trouble, she hated it the first time he
called her that and she hated it even more the second time around. Why hadn�t he just hugged her and reassured
her like a gentleman? She would have
loved to abandon herself, wrapped in his comforting arms, leaning her body
against his, and burying her face in the crook of his neck. �But no!
He goes and ruins the moment!� she thought bitterly.
Jack was feeling two
things simultaneously, offended and an impulse. Well Jack had lived thus far on a series of lucky impulses and he
survived to tell the tale. So without
any delay whatsoever, Jack did as the lady requested and dropped his arms
away�then promptly bit her shoulder.
Maren shrieked and
flailed away from him, quite undignified.
�I knew
it! What I say, eh?� like a champion boxer, Kristy hefted her arms up in
victory, �A biter! That�s what I
said, a biter!�
�What is wrong with
ye?!� Maren screamed several pirates, turning about to see the show.
Jack innocently laid
his fingers upon his chest as if to ask, �Who me?� but remained quiet, clearly
enjoying Maren undone. Gibbs and Anamaria, the lady pirate still wary of Maren,
approached to investigate the fuss.
�He bit me!� she
pointed accusingly at Jack.
�She�s crazy, too
much sun, thinks she can talk to ghosts,� twiddling his finger next to his
temple, Jack gazed at Maren with mock-pity.
�Now children, do�n
make me separate ye two,� Gibbs pinched the bridge of his nose.
�Crazy?!� Maren
advanced on Jack, clenching her fists.
�Ye the looniest man I ever met!
And ye bit me!!�
�Just a littl� one,�
Jack demonstrated by pinching his thumb and forefinger together, keeping the
tiniest space between them and baring his gold teeth.
�To hell with ye Jack
Sparrow-,�
�Captain, luv.�
�Who cares?! Go play ye childish littl� war games and
chase Frenchmen to the River Styx and back.
Blow big holes in each other ships like the big manly blokes ye are and
have a pissin� contest for kicks. Poke
yerself with swords till ye puke for all I bother! But save yer pervert�d innuendos and yer filthy gropin� hands for
someone, anyone else! Hear me
Sparrow?! Leave me ALONE!!� She marched off, red-faced and now embarrassed
that the entire crew on deck watched her every move fixedly. Jack saw her disappear below deck, then
reappear again, �And for Christ�s sake�be careful!� and there it was. Concern and fear as plain as the sun in the
sky and Jack had been too daft to notice.
�Nicest thing any
woman�s ever said to me,� he joked with the crew, who chuckled loudly then set
back to work when they caught Gibbs� warning glare. How could he have missed it?
She was concerned for him, not for herself. Oddly enough that really was the most flattering thing a woman
had ever done for him, so what does he do?
He mocks her. Oh he didn�t
regret the bite, he considered the bite and her reaction hysterical really, and
on general terms he never regretted anything, just wasn�t iiihisiii way to regret things. But he was disappointed, which is slightly different. He should have scooped her up and whispered
sweet securities into her ears until she relaxed properly�then bit her.
�Jack,� Gibbs
artlessly smirked at him, �Did�n ye ever grow out of that phase, ye know the
one, where ye went �round tuggin� littl� girls� pigtails and hittin� them �til
they cried?�
�Nope,�
proud, Jack stood tall, hands on hips.

* * * * *
An hour passed while Maren was
sulking in her room, Kristy driving her batty with lectures and mingling, then
finally gave up being ignored and rejoined the action upstairs. Hearing the looming roll of the canons being
moved, Maren was overwhelmed with curiosity and decided that watching the fight
was much better than not watching it.
The first thing that greeted her, besides the
bright afternoon sunlight, was a Nathan pouting. �Hey now, what�s this long face for?� Maren consoled smiling.
�Cap�n�s orders,� he ground his teeth, �Cabin boy
stays bellow deck.�
�Oh I be sorry boy,� honestly, Maren was relieved, but some lies are
worth telling. �So we�re catchin� up to
Le Petite?�
He stared at her oddly
and said clearly, �We�re right on top o� her,� pointing an obvious finger
towards the port and sure enough, the French galley, barely half the size of
the Pearl was steering about, baring its canons like a wicked grin. �She�ll never get the chance to fire,�
Nathan added almost bored, still moping, �Cap�n Sparrow�s pullin� a stud,� he clarified, �Maneuver where ye swing �bouts and
nab her by the stern, normally a ship this size can�t be doin� somethin� that
dexterous, but the Pearl�s not just any ship.�
Maren didn�t respond,
she bolted to the upper deck to Jack strutting like a king with Gibbs and
Anamaria flanking. Gaily Kristy waved
from atop the crow�s nest shouting, �View�s great up here!�
�Cap�n what�s
happinin�?� she skidded to a halt in front of him, breathless.
�Piracy,� Jack
furrowed his brow, �Could�ve sworn ye were here for that part.�
�I mean what�s the
plan!� the panic etched her voice, so she took a deep calming breath, aware a
sweat had broken out on her temple.
�Plan?� Jack asked
incredulously, �well, we be plannin� to shoot at that other ship there,�
exaggerating, he gestured to Le Petite, �then jump aboard,� another punctuated
physical demonstration, �indulge in some elaborate swordplay,� hands waved
about violently, �steal whatever�s not nail�d down, and burn their sails.� The blank stare he received urged him to
continue with snapping fingers, �Oh and a victory party tonight where we drown
in liquor, vomit and piss, most likely some song and dance too, is that what ye
steerin� towards?�
�That�s it?� stunned,
Maren gaped her mouth like a drowning fish, �That be the bloomin� brilliant
strategy o� the piratin� genius, Cap�n Jack Sparrow?�
�There is one more
thing,� Jack removed his hat and coat lovingly, �Be a dear, Maren and tuck
these �way in me quarters, please.�
Maren�s logic was
dumbstruck, so she just did what Jack instructed her to. Dazed she took his things and walked dumbly
to Jack�s cabin. A pirate battle, what
was she doing here? Her thoughts either
sprinting in her mind too fast to see or there were no thoughts to see because
none were there, Maren dutifully entered Jack�s quarters and set his possessions
on the dining table.
Wham! The door
slammed shut and there was no denying the metal click as the lock was secured
from the other side. �No worries,
Maren, ye�ll be safe in here,� Jack called through the door.
�Jack! Ye can�t-,� but
he could, Maren threw herself against the unyielding wood and shook the iron
lock, it didn�t budge. He tricked her,
hands down fooled her! Pounding, no
longer anxious but angry as the devil, Maren shouted, �Jack ye bastard!! Let me OUT!! NOW!!� Needless to say,
aid wasn�t forthcoming.
Blood pounding, Maren crawled onto one of Jack�s
worktables, carelessly scattering the gadgets and papers on top. She pressed her face up to the window like a
hungry child lusting after pastries in the bakery shop. �Please do�n be doin� anythin� daft
Jack�like diein�,� she whispered to no one.

* * * * *
This was Jack�s
element. The adrenaline was tenfold
more potent and addicting then any drug or drink. The Black Pearl was perfectly perpendicular to La Petite�s stern,
he imagined the delightful sneer on LeBlanc�s pointed face, when he realized he
was fucked, his canons aimed uselessly at starboard and no time to rearrange
them to fire from stern with the Pearl�s crew leaping aboard any moment. That very moment was vast approaching. Jack unsheathed his sword, admiring young
William Turner�s craftsmanship as it glinted gemlike. His mind raced ahead to Port Royale, where the happy Turner
couple was doubtless flaunting their happiness in one-way or another. A small pang in his gut reminded Jack that
he missed them, his friends.
Returning
to the present, Jack yelled, commanding and menacing, �Open FIRE!!� The boom of the canons rippled the ocean
water and shook the Pearl like a cough.

* * * * *
It couldn�t be
helped, Maren was terribly, guiltily excited.
The flash of steal, the roar of canons, and all presented right in front
of her nose, a twisted epic stage.
Initially, Maren squeaked pitifully and bit her fingers raw when Jack
first engaged a beastly French pirate in combat. But around the eleventh man he soundly walloped, Maren wasn�t so
worried anymore. In fact, she prayed
for more challengers to affront the Pearl�s great Cap�n. Jack was breathtaking and magnificent in
warfare, Mars himself would turn green with envy. Such ferocity, such skill, so very virile and she mourned how
irrational she was the night prior, when she wasted the chance to experience
all that pirate exuberance firsthand.
Why hadn�t she kissed him, really kissed him?
In ten minutes, though
it stretched to days for Maren, the majority of the conflict was over. Cap�n LeBlanc, wisely avoiding a slaughter,
or worse, the sinking of Le Petite, drew the white flag himself, doing so with
dignity and honor. The blaring cloth
looming over their heads, LeBlanc�s crew obediently cast their weapons
aside. Laying his hat at Sparrow�s
feet, LeBlanc guaranteed the unconditional surrender of Le Petite for the next
seventy-two hours. By taking the hat
and tossing it back to LeBlanc, Jack agreed to spare the ship, all went
according to the Code.
Except there was
always that one�the one fellow who figured he�d make a quick and easy name for
himself. Always looking for shortcuts,
cutting corners, his ambition far surpassing his ability, and this witless pirate
was named Roberto, who wasn�t a particularly cruel man, just an intolerable
one. Patiently, he waited for the
advantage and this wasn�t to be confused with cowardice, it was only piracy at
its most basic level.
Le Petite�s crew was
rounded up, each squatting on their knees, hands clasped behind their heads,
except Cap�n LeBlanc who, because of his station, was authorized to stand
stoically, guarded by Gibbs with a pistol drawn on his back. Pompously, Jack oversaw the removal of Le
Petite�s cargo, deducting enough supplies for one-week adrift, common courtesy
if a ship surrenders so cordially.
Munificent in mood, Jack consented to forgo the burning of the sails and
settled on dousing them instead, a procedure in which the aforementioned cloth
was brutally torn down, the damage extensive but repairable, and cast the sails
into the ocean. The benefit for the
losers being that wet sails can dry and still function, while sails in ashes
are worthless. The profit for the
winners, the defeated ship is dead in the water for a few valuable days and the
grudge between the two adversaries is less formidable. This action caused Jack to receive an
amiable nod from Cap�n LeBlanc.
Satisfied, Jack walked
leisurely up to LeBlanc, some well deserved gloating coming; ready and willing,
Roberto swept his sword off the ground and sprang up, thrusting towards
Jack. The flicker of movement allowed
Jack barely a second�s response, he deftly had dagger in hand and deflected the
blade, but didn�t stop its forward motion�
Maren cried out and
covered her eyes, falling off the worktable hastily. Agile with alarm, she grabbed a heavy chair and assaulted the
window next to the locked door with it.
The glass shattered, braking shards crackling in a strange destructive
song. She hauled herself over the tall
window with the help of the chair as a step.
It was a miracle she didn�t critically cut herself when she landed
solidly on her side, wind escaping her lungs in a hardy gasp. Adeptly, she bounced to her feet, her side
sore. Maren ran, skirts hoisted up to
her knees, damn modesty, panicked sobs tearing from her mouth, damn dignity
too.
The gangplank loomed
ahead, in another world and another life, Maren would have stalled, a tad
frightened of heights, but not now, not when Jack was bleeding to death aboard
a piddling French galley ship. Her
boots pounded the planks as she bounded across, never wavering in her course or
speed. Paulson, called out to her confused,
but she was beyond noticing, Jack was hurt!
�Jack was fine. She saw him healthy as ever, laughing and
conversing with Cap�n LeBlanc, quite definitely not withering on the blade of a
sword.
�Jack!!� Maren howled,
surprising both captains by throwing her weight pleasantly against him, her
arms wrapping stoutly around his neck.
She hugged with all her might, face tucked under his neck, relieved
tears wetting his vest.
�Hello Maren,�
uncertainly, Jack peered unfocused at the top of Maren�s blonde head. Quickly, she leapt away, bending down to
Jack�s waist, pawing his shirt and un-tucking it from his trousers. �That tickles!� Jack giggled girlishly, then
quipped, �Later ye naughty gel!� to
LeBlanc�s questioning gaze, Jack explained, �Madly in love with me, can�t keep
her hands off.�
Raising his shirt to
expose a lean-muscled stomach, kissed copper by the sun, and purposely ignoring
an alluring tattoo peaking out from the waist of his trousers, Maren ran an
unbelieving hand over unmarred skin.
Jack scarcely could swallow the raspy groan in his throat. �But I saw him stab ye!� aghast, she spun
him by the waist to inspect his back, �Ye were skewered right through!� Owlishly, her wide eyes sparkled as she
straightened out, marveling at Jack�s luck.
�That buffoon?� Jack�s
thumb jerked over to a trampled Roberto, three of the Pearl�s men tying him
ferociously to a mast, faced into the unrelenting wood. Smiling conspicuously, Jack lured Maren
closer with his wiggling index finger �He miss�d, couldn�t hit a whale with
harpoon,� Maren puffed daintily when Jack spread his loose shirt and vest away
from his frame, revealing a set of blade-sized holes that went straight through
his clothes, ��Tween ye and me, �twas a littl� close for comfort.�
Maren�s laughter
quaked her entire body, enormous guffaws of release, surged from her mouth like
a testament. �I-I thoughts ye were done
for!� her dimples were so vast, there was very little face left, �I broke-I
broke yer window!!� Wiping her tears
away with the palm of her hand, the other clasped her aching stomach,
breathless from her excursions. �I flew
out here�like a bat out a hell! I think
I scar�d Paulson half to death!� she took great gulps of air into her spasming
lungs, �Kristy, curse it where are ye?�
More infectious giggles, �I even sprint�d cross the gangplank, I hate
heights! All for nothing, I be such an
idiot!!� Attempting to calm down, she
sighed heavily, occasionally sniggering to herself.
Cap�n LeBlanc gibbered
something smugly in French, Jack grinned threateningly back, �Yer one to talk.�
�What ye doin� to
him,� Maren inquired about Roberto, the shirt now torn from his back.
�Flogging, mon bella,�
LeBlanc winked.
�Maren! Where ye been?�
Kristy floated up from lower deck of Le Petite, glowing with enthusiasm. ��Twas a spectacular occasion to be
sure, that there Coliseum in boy-lovin� Rome do�n stroke balls to this!� The ghost
lewdly paused to examine a passing pirates rump, while indifferently saying, �Tell
Jack, there be a safe hidden in the wall behind a picture o� that tart Venus
wossoname, in LeBlanc�s cabin. Threw a
gigantic tiara in there �fore the mayhem commenced.�
�Kristy says, Capn�
LeBlanc has a tiara lock�d up in a safe behind a picture o� Venus in his
quarters,� Maren passed on.
Hissing, LeBlanc
muttered in French, before realization dawned, �Why ov course, I sought �twas
peculiar for Jacque to travel wiz a voman�uneless, you be ze medium he waz
searshing for, may wee?�
Suddenly, Jack took a
step meaningfully intimidating, piercing eyes wiping the sneer off of LeBlanc�s
face, �No more Jean-Pierre, yer man attacked me after surrender, I be in me
rights to sail Le Petite in a fiery inferno directly to Davey Jones�s with
every Frog aboard blazing too.
Insteady, ye and me are goin� to fetch that bleedin� tiara and whatever
else be in that iron box o� yers, then we have a heart-to-heart, �bouts if the
subject should come up, how old Sparrow�s gone soft and is sailin� with his
latest mistress, �cause right now I�m takin� the word medium out o� yer English
vocabulary, savvy?� He cocked his
pistol and gestured LeBlanc towards the captain�s quarters.
�Cap�n Sparrow?� a
large pirate, in charge of flogging Roberto waved Jack over, �I-I got a
problem!�
�What?� Jack was
loosing his cheery disposition, annoyance creeping into his voice. He left LeBlanc to Gibbs� guard and stalked
over to see what the massive sailor was pointing at, �Why ye clever bugger ye,�
tattooed over every inch of Roberto�s bare back, was a colossal portrait of
Jesus Christ.
�Please Cap�n
Sparrow,� the ogre blubbered, �Do�n make me whip our Lord and Savior, me mum
would roll over in her grave if she knew!�
Sighing
and shooing him away, �Fine, fine,� Jack took the lash himself. Now as Jack had stated before, he wasn�t a
religious man, always having the doubting certainty that if Jesus of Nazareth
ever personally met Jack in the flesh, the Son of God might recant on his
declaration of all men being spared from Hell. Yet, with the King of King�s gazing benevolently from some cur�s
back, brown eyes so loving and forgiving, Jack just couldn�t bring himself to
do it. Better safe than sorry, he
declared. Resentfully, he tossed the
whip away, mumbling frustrated to whoever might be listening. Compromising as best he could, Jack punched
the bound Roberto squarely across the jaw, �Let that be a lesson to ye!� he
waggled his finger.

* * * * *
�Sing me a
song,
Of a lad that is gone!
Say could that lad be I?
Merry o� soul
He sail�d on a day
Over the sea to Skye!�
Maren was drunk, and
when Maren was drunk, she sang, her trilling mezzo-soprano delighting her
pirate audience. It was night and the
crew of the Black Pearl was celebrating their victory and Le Petite�s
embarrassment. Some pirates were
playing instruments, some were dancing, all were clapping, and more were
drinking. They whistled to Maren, not
demeaning and lewd, but admiring and fondly.
Flattered, Maren curtsied, spreading her satin skirts like wings, she
had changed into the olive dress for the festivities.
�Miss Attle,� Nathan
piped up, and immediately regretted it, his face purple from
mortification. The activities all
silenced and gazed expectantly at the red-hair-and-faced boy, �Would�would ye
care to dance with�with me?�
The chorus of cheers
that burst from the crew was deafening, a chanting looming up, �Nathan! Nathan!
Nathan!�
�Why I be honored,�
Maren reached her hands out to take his and they twirled around the deck when
the music commenced, Maren leading and ignoring the occasional stomp on her
feet as Nathan garbled apologies. The
song was lively and quick and the crewmembers jeered playfully at their little
�lady charmer�.
In the crow�s nest,
high above, Jack had retreated to better watch the fun. He wasn�t being antisocial, wasn�t Jack�s
way, he needed to be alone with his Pearl was all, suitably thank her for all her
talents. As he stared down, feeling the
slightest twinge like God must feel, he followed Maren�s every movement. From the mugs of mead she knocked back like
any man, employment in pub must honed that particular skill, to the pretty
chanteys she belted out, more on key than Jack ever hoped to be. She was so merry, spinning Nathan about the
floor, laughing and singing along to the music. Jack decided he required a dance too, but for now contented
himself with watching her.
The number was over
far too soon and Nathan said a hurried, �Thank ye!� his pubescent voice
cracking, before bolting down below.
�Hope he do�n
go to the port closet to wank off,� Kristy spun
around dancing as well, �That be where me threesome headin� tonight!� On cue,
Paulson, Newall, and Teller strolled away from the carousing and nonchalantly
existed below. Kristy applauded, �Ooh! There they go, see ye �round Maren!� The wraith
sunk under the floor, grinning sadistically.
�Bye, ye deviant
pervert ye!� Maren said outloud the universal motto of all drunks, �I love her,
she be a good friend, God I love her!�
The music picked up again, a gay Irish jig this time. Tipsy but stable, Maren hunted for another
face she knew, �Mister Gibbs!!� she cried, swooping down upon the first mate in
a crowd of drinkers, �Mister Gibbs dance with me!�
�No, no, no,� Gibbs
resisted her feeble tugging on his arm, �I do�n dance a lick!� However, he was powerless to oppose the
unanimous shove the group gave to his back, bellowing their teasing. He staggered unsure along with Maren, eyes
bolted to their prancing feet, sweating bullets and occasionally chortling at
his clumsiness.
�Anamaria, will ye
dance with me?� some unlucky pirate was struck firmly across the face.
�Ye doin� fine Mister
Gibbs,� Maren twittered, �A natural, I swear!�
�Liar!� he retorted,
panting for air.
Again the song ended
and Gibbs bowed grandly to Maren, then to the heckling assembly around
them. John �Cupid� Thomas, nicknamed
Cupid because of his pretty boyish looks he still wore at age twenty-five,
approached Maren, and it could�ve been her imagination or the booze but she
swore the revelry quieted a bit. �Will
you dance with me?� he asked gently, heavy-lidded.
Jack saw Cupid strut
over to Maren like a peacock and talk with her, no genius required to guess
what he was saying. �I want me dance
now,� glaring, he climbed down from the crow�s nest.
Charmed, Maren nodded
happily, swooning into his arms as he led, unlike her two prior partners who
dragged behind her like sagging meat.
She lost herself in the cheery music, dizzy from the spinning, but
unwilling to stop. The dance was a
polka, upbeat and catchy, Maren hummed along, leaning her head onto Thomas�s
shoulder. Her vision pointed away from
him, so Maren missed the bawdy wink he gave his fellows or the lick of his
lips.
�Psst! Cupid, Cap�n�s coming!� a hoarse whisperer
warned Thomas, who promptly released Maren and disappeared.
�Hey,� Maren
complained before focusing her vision on Jack�s smirking figure, �Jack!� gleefully
she stretched her arms out to him, �Dance with me!� she juvenilely whined.
�Ye know the song
boys!� bellowing, Jacked motioned to the players to begin. A familiar and favorite tune sounded,
chorusing the splendid pirate�s life. �Ye gave me a start ye,� Jack said
conversationally as he gathered her in his arms, one hand draped around her
waist, urging her closer, and the other hand clasping hers tenderly.
�How�s that?� allowing
Jack to set the pace, she was reminded of the overpowering waltz he swept her
into in Tortuga after he�d kissed her.
This time she moved willingly with him, fully appreciating his grace and
enjoying the flex and ripple of muscles pressed against her. They danced closer than her three previous
partners and their teasing eyes never separating.
�Heard that singing,
thought some mermaid had swam aboard me Pearl.�
�No,� Maren furrowed
her brow, mock-confused, �a mermaid couldn�t iiiswimiii aboard a ship, she�d have to sort o� swim and
then jump like a dolphin does!�
�Would ye just take
the bloody compliment, Maren?�
�Would ye just say the
bloody compliment, Jack?�
He laughed down at
her and conceded, �Ye have a very beautiful voice.�
�Thank you,� Maren
toyed absentmindedly with Jack�s looped earring with her free hand, oblivious
to Jack�s sharp inhale. �Did it hurt?�
Of course Jack had
speculated many times prior on the sexual experiences of Maren, could hardly
call himself a man if he didn�t wonder.
Until then, he hadn�t been completely convinced of her virginity, women
were notoriously devious when it came to their maidenheads and Jack had been
tricked before. But this was the
irrefutable proof, Maren was absolutely ignorant that by fiddling with
something as supposedly innocent as an ear, she was electrocuting every nerve
in his body, charging his flesh with erotic intentions. She had no clue whatsoever. He finally answered, hidden chuckles seeping
out, �Only the first time luv, littl� sting is all, the others were
quite�enjoyable.�
�Enjoyable? Be barbaric if ye ask me, shovin� metal bits
in one�s skin,� shuddering Maren, peered curiously at Jack who was slowing
their dance, a decisive sheen in his eye.
�Maren,� Jack drew
their dance to an end, but kept his hands lingering in place, �I just
�member�d, I wanted to show ye the tiara Kristy found�she here now?�
�No,� she answered
evasively, �Should I fetch her?�
�No!� he said perhaps
louder then intended. For what he really wanted, the absence of Kristy was a necessity, �I�ll
just be showin� ye, for now anyway.�
Like Little Red Riding
Hood and the Big Bad Wolf, Maren went freely to Grandma�s House. The fact that the Cap�n was retiring to his
cabin with a beautiful woman, didn�t escape the attention of the crew, but they
grinned silently and saved their heckles for the morning.
Upon reaching the
door, Jack scolded Maren as he gestured to the mangled window now bordered up,
�Ye broke me window!�
�Aye well�ye bit me!�
Maren said matter-a-fact, �Even!�
Thrusting the door open, Jack motioned for Maren to enter first, she
did. �Where is it?� eagerly Maren
asked.
�Dining table,� before
shutting the door, Jack caught the leering glances of some of his crew, he
winked and held his finger up to his pursed lips for silence.
�Wow!� the shock in
her voice informed Jack that Maren had located the tiara. She was examining the small diamond and
sapphire crown dreamily in her hands, eyes alight like those jewels, �No wonder
LeBlanc took the trouble to hide it, it�s incredible-,�
The locking of the
door spoke clearly and concisely through Maren�s intoxication. Spinning around, she glared at Jack propped
up leisurely against the door, twirling the keys around his fingers and staring
at her darkly. �Third condition, Cap�n,
no sportin�,� she cautioned him in a singsong voice.
�Aye I know, I know,�
mournfully Jack tossed the keys aside and swaggered towards Maren, �But I got
somethin� else in mind, believe it or not.�
�Drinkin� involv�d?�
the question stopped Jack dead in his tracks, shocked. Maren rolled her eyes, �Right, course there
is.�
�And,� Jack raised a
finger, jogging towards his latched trunk.
�Chocolates?� excited,
Maren interrupted.
�Aye chocolates too,
if ye like,� offhandedly he added, striking the chest with his fist to unclasp
the locks. Opening it, he retrieved a
bottle of champagne, a bigger, Maren had annihilated the box last night, bag of
chocolates, and finally, �Close them blue eyes Maren.�
�Yer out o� yer mind,�
she snipped, �not with a knave like ye �bouts.�
�Please,� he
exaggerated a pout, swaying to and for as his lip stuck out, �it be a surprise,
honest!�
Like a martyr she
sighed, clamping her eyes tightly shut, but keeping keen ears for Jack�s boots
approaching too close. She heard some
rustling and clinking, then Jack rising to his feet, but he stayed his
distance, �Right me dear, have a look-see!�
Blinking, Maren saw
Jack before her, his eyebrow quipped and the devil�s own smile gracing his
lips. In his proffered hands, an
ornately decorated pipe with a glass bowl attached to the top, �Opium?�
�Aye,� Jack explained,
�have to be makin� this a secret though, �tween ye and me. Found this in LeBlanc�s safe too. Now, I do�n allow me men to be chasin� the
dragon while they sail on me ship and usually, what I do�n permit them to do, I
do�n be doin� either,� shrugging flamboyantly, Jack made the excuse, �but this
bein� yer first pirate battle and all, I decree it a special occasion.�
Maren shook her head,
skeptically, �I be flatter�d Jack, but I do�n hold with no opium.�
�Oh,� masking his
disappointment, Jack commented dryly, �I suspects ye right, dainty thing like
ye mixin� alcohol and opium, be retchin� up in me quarters all night.�
Biting the bait, Maren
fixed fists to hips and bristled, �Dainty thing? For yer information Cap�n Jack, I have�n vomitt�d since I was
thirteen-year-old gel. If ever there
was a woman what could hold her drinks, I be that woman!�
Slamming
the proverbial trap shut, Jack offered her the pipe, �Prove it,� he challenged.

* * * * *
�So like,� Maren
hushed Jack even after he finally managed to stop giggling, �What if�we agin�
backwards, ye know, like we be born all old and then instead o� diein�, we just
be crawlin� back up into our mother�s womb?
Eh? Think about it.�
�Whoa,� Jack exhaled
more smoke, waving his hands in the cloud it produced.
Maren and Jack, in
drug induced inspiration, had removed all the pillows and blankets and even
Jack�s mattress to spread about on the floor, to create their very own opium
den, Jack insisting this was how things were done in the Orient. Now they reclined on the ground head to toe
from each other, gazing happily glazed eyes towards the ceiling, Maren even
wore the tiara on her head, but it was lopsided. The champagne and chocolates were ingested long ago, but they
still had the opium pipe, which they passed casually between them. Every time, Maren pressed her lips to the
mouthpiece, she imagined Jack�s lips upon it as well.
�Ye know, I envy ye,�
at her persistent tapping, he handed her the pipe, �Ye goin� to converse with the Cap�n James Romulus, the Father of all Pirates.�
�The father of all
pirates,� Maren repeated for no reason other than it sounded neat. �Pir-ates, pi-rates, pirates,� she said
somewhat satisfied.
�What the hell was
that?� Jack started laughing again.
�It be a fun word, ye
know?� Maren reiterated, �Pi-rates sort
o� like a pie with rats�I do�n know, stealin� it o� somethin�.�
�Maren?� fidgeting, he
grasped her hand and started examining the fingers, �Maren, Maren, Maaarreeen,
that be a fun word too. Its also one o�
them�wossaname�tip o� me tongue�means two things, same time, innuendo!� Jack
beamed triumphantly.
�Inn-uen-do,� spoke
Maren.
�Aye, yer name means
�from the sea� like marine, get it?�
�Whoa,� she blew more
smoke, this time from her nose.
�I like yer name.�
�I like yer name too,
Jack,� they giggled to themselves.
�Jaaaack?�
�Maaareeen?�
�What ye feel like
right now?� stretching, Maren reached her arms above her head, straightening
out the tiara, which only increased the amount of tangle in her hair. She couldn�t be bothered, only extended
further, hissing as every muscle in his body twitched suggestively.
�What?�
�Ye know, what does
opium do to ye? It be different for
everyone.�
�Do�n know, maybe
relaxed? Definitely thirsty, everything
be a damn lot funnier I can promise ye that,� vaguely, he sensed a strange
vibration from Maren as she stretched again, sniggering as bones popped,
tugging away at Jack�s hazy comprehension.
�Why? What ye feel?�
A laugh, so
deliciously intriguing it slapped Jack�s libido cross the face, basked from
Maren�s mouth, �I feel�sensual�very, very sensual.� Maren was becoming deeply enthralled with this new emotion, like
a seducing wine, a delicious chocolate, soft inviting satin, Maren was feeling desirable.
Jack felt his blood
simmer to boiling and they lulled into silence. Reluctantly, Jack accepted that she probably didn�t know what she
was saying and resolved himself to a change in subject matter, �Quit hoggin�
the smoke, Maren, give Jack a puff.�
�Too�out o� it Jack,
get it yerself,� whispered Maren.
Grudgingly, Jack sat up, ignoring the slight vertigo that touched his
head. Maren still had the opium pipe
clasped in her right hand which was stretched above her head. Crawling gracefully like a cat, Jack leaned
over her strewn form, reaching for the pipe, �Jack?� Maren murmured quietly,
causing Jack to peer down at her, their heads now level, faces a foot
apart. �Do ye want me Jack?� her eyes
reflected blue flashes in the candlelight.
�Aye,� Jack replied
plainly, huskily.
One small hand curled
around the collar of Jack�s shirt and pulled him down to her. Their lips touched lightly at first, just a
solid press of mouth, testing the waters, but Maren�s tug was insistent and the
kiss deepened deliciously. Tongues
caressed lovingly, and lips stretched to claim the other. The movements were slow and languid, nothing
like the frenzy experienced in Tortuga.
Opium had loosened Maren�s voice and now she was exotically moaning deep
alto delights into Jack�s questing mouth.
He still hovered above
her, propped up on his hands in the world�s most pleasurable push-up. Maren�s hands were beginning to travel, one
dove into the mass of charmed hair upon Jack�s head, the other meekly stroked
his neck with her fingernails. Breaking
the kiss, glad to hear Maren�s wanton groan, Jack muttered, breathy, in her
ear, �Do ye want me Maren?� then sucked her lobe aggressively into his mouth,
nibbling teasingly.
�Oh Jack�yes!� she
choked, turning her mouth to meet his again.
The rising temperature between them gave way to more fevered kisses, now
loudly smacking in the quiet room.
Suddenly, Jack�s
quite unfamiliar conscious became obnoxiously talkative, �She be drunk, Jack.�
�So am I,� he
retorted.
�You did this on purpose,
Jack�
�So what?�
�So she�ll be mad,
Jack.�
�She�ll get over it.�
�She�ll be hurt, Jack.�
��no she wo�n,� but
there was less conviction there, �She said so herself, she wants me.�
�So why drink and drug
her, Jack?�
�That�s not how it
went!� the defense was viable in Jack�s opinion.
�Sure Jack, whatever
ye say.�
�Shut it, ye talk too
much. Did�n I drown ye in alcohol along
time ago?�
�Ye cheat�d to have
her.�
�Pirate,� was all Jack
replied.
Resolutely, Jack�s
thoughts returned full force to the withering barmaid below him. She was arching her body, with some ache she
couldn�t name yet, frustrated that there was no other contact against it, Jack
still suspended out of reach. Using his
elbow to prop himself up next to her, he freed his left hand to caress her bare
shoulder. This tiny touch was exactly
what Maren was searching for and she greedily sucked Jack�s bottom lip in her
stimulation, begging for more. Jack
growled his appreciation, viciously attacking her elegant neck, nipping and licking
a trail from ear to collarbone. Maren
tossed her head from side to side, dizzy from the passion and the opium in her
blood, somewhere something stirred, a strange new sensation craved acutely like
a ravenous hunger.
Desirous fingers
swooped from tickling the shoulder, to groping her left breast, demanding and
rough, while he still voraciously sucked at her throat. �Oh�god,� Maren whimpered, now intensely
aware of Jack�s breathing, it was ragged and shallow, almost animalistic and
all together blatantly male. His slick
tongue lapped down her chest and to the generous swell of cleavage he had
admired since their first encounter.
Two dark eyes pinned their sight onto Maren as he sank his teeth
greedily over the crest of her heaving bust, erotically enchanted by the harsh
cry that fell from her swollen lips and the curving of her neck while she
tensed, then abruptly relaxed.
�Did�n mind that bite, did ye now?� blowing cool air against her wet
bosom, he kissed it tenderly, and then licked dreamily, �In fact Maren, ye�ll
have to ask me nice and sweet-like to bite ye again.� Silence and stillness answered, �Maaarreeeennn?� he cooed
childishly, �Come on, beg a littl�-,� Jack was interrupted, not by an imploring
medium, or by a moan, not even a snivel, but by a delicate tiny snore. �No, no, no,� quickly, he brought his face
to hers, indeed Maren�s eyes were closed and lips partly open, unquestionably
asleep. �Son o� a bitch!� pounding his
fist on the wood floor, he groaned, his erection now painful in its strain
against its bindings. Vainly, he
attempted to wake her by tapping her cheek lightly, �Come on now luv, ye can�t
be leavin� ole Jack like this, he needs ye real bad!� The slumbering maiden was as stubborn as Sleeping Beauty in her
tower. He kissed her desperately,
shoving his tongue into an unresponsive mouth, �Please Maren, lookie, I be the
one beggin� now, aint that fun?�Oh Shit!!�
Bitterly, he accepted a cruel and, in his opinion, unjust defeat. Jack rolled off of Maren, mindful of his
swollen organ, before methodically and precisely banging his head upon the
floor a few times, �Ye�ll be the death o� me.�
�And that�s how Jack
learn�d his lesson �bout mixin� alcohol, drugs, and sex!� the conscious
returned.
�Oh�sod
off!!�

* * * * *
Kristy was gazing at
the stars in the crow�s nest, ignoring the sleeping Nathan who should be alert
and on duty. It had been a good night
she decided, even though she couldn�t partake in the more carnal pleasure of
the evening, it was still a terrific spectacle to behold. Dancing, music, bawdy tales and jokes, and
to top her off, the three handsome devils in the port closest not only
performed an energetic show, but rallied the strength to make an encore. Quite an evening�
A door banging open
and shut stirred her from her musings, but failed to arise the cabin boy from
his slumber. Most of the crew had
already retired, to Kristy�s dismay for people are categorically boring in
sleeping, Kristy had thought Maren was among them. Only a skeleton crew kept
the ship sailing. Daring to dream
something of interest was happening, Kristy sunk down the mast and steadied
herself upon the upper deck. Well
indeed, something of interest was occurring.
She blinked her ghost eyes twice, but the image before remained the
same, Jack was carrying Maren like a babe, her olive skirt draping down and a
magnificent tiara perched upon her hair.
Maren�s head was limply resting against Jack�s shoulder, mouth gaping as
she quietly snored. Hustling, Kristy reached the couple, snarling, �If
ye responsible for this Sparrow, I�ll swear I be goin� poltergeist on ye sorry
ship!�
The Black Pearl
focused onto the irate spirit and Kristy felt it watching, �Course Maren
be a big gel, what can take care o� herself,�
she added hastily, nervously avoiding any conflict with a thing that shouldn�t
technically be able to focus in on anything.
Jack slipped below
deck and down the hallway, kicking open the guest quarters. Unceremoniously, he plopped Maren onto the
bed, sighing again in self-pity. He stalled
before leaving, tenderly swiping her hair away from her face with ringed
fingers. Sentimentality got the better
of him and Jack removed her boots for her, tickling her toes briefly to check
for any response, there was none.
Peeling the blankets from under her, he tucked her in. Sure, he could�ve stripped her naked and rid
himself of the tension in his trousers right then, but that just wasn�t Jack�s way, he�d rather hump a corpse. �Kristy,� Jack spoke to thin air, �If ye
here, ye be me witness, did�n lay an indecent hand on her, savvy?�
Kristy, who was lying
on the bed next to Maren, nodded though, of course, Jack didn�t see. He peered suspiciously about and left
shutting the door behind him, with one last regretful look at Maren seducing,
but still very unconscious, body. Then
the door burst open again-
�Almost forgot
something,� Jack nabbed the tiara off of Maren�s head, smiling to himself
before placing it on his on head and swaggering off.
�Is
that opium I smell?� tsk-ing Kristy abandoned Maren to sleep it off,
continuing her track in permanent insomnia.

* * * * *
Her head hurt, Maren�s head really hurt, and
the sorry dog-romper shouting, �Land ho!
Port Royale!� didn�t help.

Years of Cheers
Thanks a Lot,
Citadel
- 7
- 8
- 9
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The Haunting Place