Troubled Seas
The Open Sea
“I said out with you! Nasty, smelly, disgusting specimen! You’re no daughter of God! You belong to the devil you do!” The old woman continued to rant. An audience began to grow, people coming out of their houses to watch the strange spectacle.
Whispers past through the crowd, “Just look at her, ashamed of herself…” “Well she should be! Just think what she’s done to her family…” “It should have been her that died, not her precious brother…” “Damn shame the storm didn’t drown her too…”
Kate gathered her skirt in one hand and leapt on to the Black Pearl, it was a five foot gap between the dock and ship, but she made it. Her hands immediately began to untie the ropes that trapped the ship to the dock, she moved with blinding fury, unrelenting. “Hurry Jack! Hurry!”
Jack looked from the crowd and back to Kate. It appeared she was not lying about being disliked by the town. He was not surprised by the hostility of the islanders but he was shocked that it was directed at such an innocent looking victim. Jack wasn’t a particularly self-less man, but he felt that Kate might have to be the exception to his rule. As much as he would have preferred to have Kate as his ‘Bonny Lass’, it seemed now would be an extreme abuse of power to force her into that position.
Jack followed Kate’s lead and jumped onto his ship. Kate had finished detaching the boat and was now running toward the hull of the ship. “Set sail before they start shooting!” Kate screamed in fear. She ducked down on the floor of the ship and covered her head with her hands.
Jack chuckled as he took control of his ship. “You look ridiculous Love.” Kate moaned and remained in her crouched position. “First thing we are going to have to do is buy you some proper attire for the life of a crew member. Of course you’ll keep a dress or two for ‘special’ occasions, but other than that, they won’t be of much practical use.” Jack continued to chat amicably as the Black Pearl continued to pull away from the dock and gain distance from the angry mob.
About an hour into the voyage, Jack changed topics. “So have you had a chance to think about my proposition?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“I accept,” Kate stared blankly out toward the deep blue ocean.
“What?” Jack asked caught off guard.
“I’ve thought about it, and I decided that I’m going to have to pay you back eventually, for taking me with you, and I think that this is the best way to do so. I have my freedom, because you granted me that as part of the deal, and you have me for all intents and purposes. I would be delusional if I thought I was ever going to find a respectable man to leave the sea for and marry, so I assume you’re the best I can do,” Kate’s voice had a deadly quality to it.
Jack suddenly felt uneasy with the deal that had sounded so sweet to him when he had first proposed it.
Whispers past through the crowd, “Just look at her, ashamed of herself…” “Well she should be! Just think what she’s done to her family…” “It should have been her that died, not her precious brother…” “Damn shame the storm didn’t drown her too…”
Kate gathered her skirt in one hand and leapt on to the Black Pearl, it was a five foot gap between the dock and ship, but she made it. Her hands immediately began to untie the ropes that trapped the ship to the dock, she moved with blinding fury, unrelenting. “Hurry Jack! Hurry!”
Jack looked from the crowd and back to Kate. It appeared she was not lying about being disliked by the town. He was not surprised by the hostility of the islanders but he was shocked that it was directed at such an innocent looking victim. Jack wasn’t a particularly self-less man, but he felt that Kate might have to be the exception to his rule. As much as he would have preferred to have Kate as his ‘Bonny Lass’, it seemed now would be an extreme abuse of power to force her into that position.
Jack followed Kate’s lead and jumped onto his ship. Kate had finished detaching the boat and was now running toward the hull of the ship. “Set sail before they start shooting!” Kate screamed in fear. She ducked down on the floor of the ship and covered her head with her hands.
Jack chuckled as he took control of his ship. “You look ridiculous Love.” Kate moaned and remained in her crouched position. “First thing we are going to have to do is buy you some proper attire for the life of a crew member. Of course you’ll keep a dress or two for ‘special’ occasions, but other than that, they won’t be of much practical use.” Jack continued to chat amicably as the Black Pearl continued to pull away from the dock and gain distance from the angry mob.
About an hour into the voyage, Jack changed topics. “So have you had a chance to think about my proposition?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“I accept,” Kate stared blankly out toward the deep blue ocean.
“What?” Jack asked caught off guard.
“I’ve thought about it, and I decided that I’m going to have to pay you back eventually, for taking me with you, and I think that this is the best way to do so. I have my freedom, because you granted me that as part of the deal, and you have me for all intents and purposes. I would be delusional if I thought I was ever going to find a respectable man to leave the sea for and marry, so I assume you’re the best I can do,” Kate’s voice had a deadly quality to it.
Jack suddenly felt uneasy with the deal that had sounded so sweet to him when he had first proposed it.