The Empress of the Seas

When I woke up the next morning I stood up and looked into the horizon. The whole crew was already working and the man Gibbs was at Jack’s side talking to him.

“She really Emma Read, Jack?” he asked in a hushed tone.

“Gibbs, do I look like the type of person who would lie to ye?” Jack asked turning to him. Gibbs raised his eyebrows. “Ok, don’t answer that but yes she is Emma Read.”

“And ye trust her not to take over the ship or anything? Ye didn’t even put her to work,”

“Me and Emma have a… history together…” he answered and Gibbs smiled. “But putting her to work is a wonderful idea. EMMA!”

My ears heard him scream but I ignored him as I watched the sea gulls fly through the horizon; so free.

“EMMA!” he yelled again from right below me. I looked at him and noticed the crew starring at me wondering how I got up there.

“WHAT?!” I yelled back very irritated.

“Come down here!”

“No thanks,”

“If ye don’t come down, I’ll come up!” I laughed.

“Yeah, right, ye wouldn’t touch that ladder. And ye’re right it’s very broken and unsteady but I still don’t see what’s wrong with it.” I smiled down to him then turned back to the horizon.

“Fine then,” he said and called a crew member to him as he walked to the ladder. “Sam, go get her.” I laughed even harder.

“No way! And not just because of the ladder, I’m not getting on Emma Read’s bad side!” Jack rolled his eyes as I grabbed the rope and slid down.

“Smart choice,” I said to Sam and he just looked at me terrified.

“Doesn’t that hurt?!” Sam said before realizing he just talked to me and he looked like he just saw a ghost.

“Wow Jack, Yer crew doesn’t listen to ye and now I hear that they can’t even take a little rope burn?” His fists were clenched as he glared at me. I patted his shoulder. “It’s OK, I hate ye too.” I walked a few steps toward the middle of the deck as the crew went back to their jobs. “Well thank you for the show, now what did ye want me for?”

He took a deep breathe and then smiled before speaking. “Ye are to swab the decks,” He walked past me to a closet under the stairs and took out a bucket and brush. “Here ye go,” I refused to take it.

“Ye’re kidding,”

“No love, I’m very serious,”

“Don’t call me that!”

“Well love,” He said completely ignoring me and putting down the bucket and putting the brush inside. “I suggest ye get started,”

“Come on Jack, Emma Read does not swab the decks-”

“Well someone has a bit of an ego now don’t they?”

“Like ye don’t? Ye know what I can do, why make me swab the decks if anything?”

“Enjoyment,” he said and started to walk back to the helm.

“Remember the last time we had a sword fight?” I asked him and he froze almost waiting to be shot or something. “It’s ok, I won’t hurt ye… for now.” Now the entire crews’ attention was on us as Jack slowly turned back around. “I won that fight Jack.”

“Yes ye did love but what does that have to do with now?” He replied taking a few cautious steps forward.

“Well I never got my prize,” I said walking straight to him and getting right up in his face, “And I want it.” Knowing Jack he would have tried to kiss me right there and claim that was my prize but my eyes told him different. I stared at him for a while as the crew got anxious about what would happen next.

“What about another sword fight?” He said knowing the damage I could do with him attending to my every whim for a whole week.

“Ye win I scrub the entire deck”

“And if ye win?”

“Ye do everything I say everyday that I stay here,” I smiled to myself as his crew gathered around.

“Now those prizes aren’t fair, love, nor are they the same”

“Scared ye gonna lose?” I took Sams’ sword and ran my hand up and down the blade. Sam just stared at me then ran back to the crew

“No but I don’t agree to a bet unless it’s fair,”

“How gentleman like of ye,”

“Me? A gentleman? Now what was it that ye said last night…?”

“Fine, if ye win I have to scrub the decks everyday and do what ever ye want for a week.”

“A month,” He smiled taking out his sword.

“Two weeks,” I held out my hand.

“Deal,” he went to take my hand but instead he fell backwards thanks to me.

“Yer gonna have to do better then that Sparrow!” I yelled as I ran across the deck. I could have won right there but where’s the fun in that? He glared as he chased me around and I laughed as I gracefully blocked his every move.

“Ye’ve gotten better love”

“Sorry I can’t say the same about ye though,” He aimed for my stomach but I jumped out of the way. “Ye haven’t changed a bit! Ye’re so predictable!”

He jabbed his sword at me but I easily avoided it by spinning around. When I turned back he was gone. As I stood there stupefied I was roughly flipped me back around and didn’t even have time to breathe when someone kissed me. I pushed them away but I was still trying to understand what had just happened. That same person pushed me down, straddled me, and had his sword at my throat.

“Sorry love, I win.” Jack said and I felt myself getting drunk by just smelling his breathe.

“Shut up Jack! Now get off!”

“I think I should get a little extra prize…”

“You’re right…” I smile then kneed him where the sun don’t shine and he rolled off me. “Hope you liked it,” I said then started to head to the galley but Jack called after me as he tried to stand up.

“Where do ye think ye are going?” he said then walked over to me and put his hand on my shoulder.

“Don’t touch me.” I spat so coldly shivers went up half the crews’ spines.

“I think the deal was that ye swabbed the decks and, oh what was that other part… Do what I say and I say go swab the decks.”

I turned around and punched him then grabbed the bucket. “What in bloody hell was that for?!” he yelled holding his nose.

“The deal was that I listen to you and swab the deck but ye never said not to punch ye.” I looked around to see the crew starring at me. “What are ye looking at?!” I shouted and they immediately ran to their positions. I let out a sigh before bending down to scrub the decks.

A few hours later I was half way done and dying from the heat. I turned around to see Jack looking into the horizon drinking a bottle of rum. I starred at the water in the bucket for a few seconds before dunking my whole head into it. When I came up I pulled my hair back with my clip that was hanging from my shirt and continued scrubbing.

"Care to explain why ye just did that love?” Jack asked from behind me.

“It’s hot Jack, What do ye think?”

“Ye could have just gone swimming!” he laughed and I looked at him.

I stood up and walked to the edge of the ship and jumped on the railing taking a rope that hung from the middle of the mast.

“What are ye doing?” Jack asked but I ignored him jumping back down and went down to the galley. He followed me repeating his question but I merely tuned him out. I found a big cloth and folded it a few times then ripped it so it wasn’t too long.

“I’m going swimming!” I finally yelled at him when we were back on deck as I sat on the railing. I wrapped the cloth around me like a bathing suit so when I got out you couldn’t see anything, grabbed the rope, and swung across the ship and jumped into the water. Everyone was looking over the edge as I floated there.

“Emma! Get up here now!” Jack yelled to me.

“Why?” I asked calmly.

“Ye aren’t done swabbing the decks!”

“I believe the deal was that I swabbed the decks, I never said anything about finishing…”

“Emma Read! Get up here now!”

“I still don’t see why?” I answered with my eyes closed. I could just imagine him getting pissed off.

“Cause the other part of the deal was that ye do everything I say for two weeks!” I rolled my eyes and slowly swam to the ship and climbed the rope that was thrown in for me. After getting out Jack made me scrub the same spot on the helm until high noon. When he finally let me go the crew went down to the galley and I went to the middle of the ship and laid down right there.

“Ye do know there is no sun out to get a tan right now,” Jack said standing over me after a few minutes and pointing out the cloudy sky.

“What’s yer point?” I asked not moving.

“My point is ye still have to do what I say…”

I sighed before springing up to a cross legged position. “What’s next, Captain?”

“Swab the decks.”

“But I already did that!” I whined and fell backwards like a little kid. Jack crouched down next to me and smirked.

“Do it again,” He was enjoying his power way too much!