Post by tancred on Nov 29, 2003 12:36:38 GMT -5
Gabby did not answer Calen's question, and Calen didn't repeat it. The entire row back was now a very quiet one. Only Jack the Monkey made any noises.
Back aboard the Pearl, it was now well after noon. Grabbing quick sandwiches, everyone seemed to go their own way, oblivious to much of anything that was going on in the rest of the ship. There was no deffinate course now, but with the finding of the maps, Jack launched the Pearl off in the general direction of the North American mainland.
Jack had given a small room to Jose, to serve as his navigator's quarters. More cramped than that on the Queen of Sea, it would have to do. At least it had a decent bed. And it was to that room that Jose and Gabby retreated. He sat in the small wooden chair next to his desk, and she sat on the bed. Jose poured over the map that he had found for a little while. Gabby sat there holding her dagger, and staring intently upon the blade. It was only after a little while that Jose realized what Gabby was doing.
"Gabby," he said. "Is everything alright?"
"Just thinking about what Aimee said earlier," sighed Gabby.
"Ah," said Jose. "That took me by surprise, as well. I can see that it hurt you. Not only because of the accusation, but because of...."
"Because of Ed," finished Gabby. "Yes. I did what I had to do. But I still can't help but feel awful about it. And what of her incinuations? That's gossip that's bound to be spread about the whole crew before long."
"Well," ventured Jose. "As to the rumor, we both know it to be untrue. And I think its safe to say that our friends know that, too. That is all that matters. And...you did do what you had to do with Ed. It will take time, but the feeling will subside eventually. I'm here to help, and Gavin is, too. I think we can count on some of the others, as well. You are not a bad person, Gabby." He slowly took the dagger from her, and sheathed it at her side. "Don't think about it for now."
Gabby smiled. "Ok," she said meekly. "What are we to do now?"
"I think I should confer with Ana about the map that she found," answered Jose. "Maybe I could leave you to our maps? The ones Jack has here are not mine, but they shall serve. We need to find a good place to land for safe harborage. Not sure where we should land along the Gulf Coast."
"I'm on it," said Gabby enthusiastically. "I'll try to find us a good landing spot. Preferrably one well enough away from any settlements. Talk to you later?"
"Count on it," said Jose with a wink. He kissed her upon the forehead, and left.
*********************
Jose found Ana sitting topdeck next to the wheel. Jack was at the wheel, but too preoccupied with Aimee and the monkey (which kept crawling down everyone's shirts) to pay any attention anything else. Ana sat with her back propped against the wall of the ship. The Sioux map was in her hands, and there was a glint in her eye. Jose sat down at a right angle to her.
"What do you think of that map you found," he asked. "Is it connected at all with De Soto's?"
"I'm not sure," answered Ana. "It could be. The fact they were found together, and detail roughly the same areas of land is rather interesting. If I could decipher everything here (more pictures than words), then I might have a better idea. We'll see."
Jose broached the next subject carefully. "Ana," he said, "about what Gibbs said about you being my squire...do you remember it now? I think its coming back to me. I think it did happen."
Ana hesitated. "I think I remember it, too," she finally said. "We were both drunk, though. Surely, we can't be held accountable for something we said when we weren't quite all up there in our heads?"
"But an oath is an oath," said Jose. "I swore to be your knight, and you swore to be my squire. I consider myself a man of my word, and pirate though you be, I think you keep to your word more often than not."
"What exactly do knights and squires do for each other," inquired Ana.
"What Gibbs said is correct," informed Jose. "A squire is the servant of the knight, and does things for him like take care of his horse, weapons, and armor, sing his praises and represent him well in tournament, court, and battle. However, I like to look upon it as more comradeship in arms. A knight and a squire are friends, but they are more than that. They are like brothers. They both help each other. It is just that one is not a full knight yet, and until he is, serves the knight. But the knight takes care of the squire as well. Watches out for him, protects him, treats him like family, rewards him accordingly."
Ana's mind held fast to the words "family" and the thoughts of having a brother. Her family had been stripped of her. She trusted and loved Jack and Gibbs in their own way. Only Emil was left to her. Like an older brother he was. And a very dear one. Still, Ana missed her mother and thoughts and fantasies of what other family members she could have had. The idea of having another brother appealed to her. She smiled slowly. "That does not sound bad," she said. "Not at all. We did swear an oath, after all. And as I recall, some of that was that I get a good share of loot, food, and the governorship of an island!" She winked at Jose, and smiled wide.
Jose smiled too. He felt he could trust Ana. And she had been nothing but nice to him. But he also wondered how she being his squire would affect his plans and goals for the journey. She was a pirate, after all. Still, from the whispered stories of her past that he had garnered, it seemed like Ana had little choice in the matter. Or at least there were great extenuating circumstances. And perhaps, under his influence, he could help bring about possitive change in her? Looking at Ana, and reading the joy in her face at the prospect of having another brother and at that of seeing her homeland again, Jose wished her happiness. He hoped there could be a change.
*******************************************
Somewhere else along the sea, two ships drew side by side, and docked with each other. A wide plank was dropped from ship to ship, and two captains met in the middle, Captain George the Blade and Captain Carlita Thellen. They sized each other up silently for awhile. Finally, George spoke. "I hear you be after the Pearl, its crew, and any loot it might have or get. True?"
"I've heard the same of you," countered Captain Thellen.
"Well, if both reports be true," said George, wishing to cut to the chase, "then I believe we have a common foe. We could join forces, crush the Pearl, and take the loot!?"
"We could," said Carlita. "But would it be safe? We've spotted more than one large ship of war lately!"
"You mean that Royal Navy galleon," sneered George. "We met up with it just yesterday afternoon. A rather undecisive battle, but one we came out the better for. Last we saw of that idiot Captain Hawkins, he was licking his wounds, and heading back to New Providence with his tail between his legs!" George laughed long and hard.
"He could still get another ship, and come after us," pointed out Carlita cautiously.
"But we'd have quite the headstart on him," said George. "I don't think we'll have to worry about him for awhile. What are you so eager about going after the Pearl for, anyway?"
"Lets just say," answered Carlita, "that Jack Sparrow and I have some unfinished business. He escaped me once. Never again! Any loot we might get along the way would just be a bonus. And what about you? Why so intent to go after that ship?"
"All sorts of things," said George. "Loot, revenge, bloodlust--the usual piratey things. But we also have some women there that are ours. They need...rescuing . One in particular." George rubbed his hands together and licked his lips as he thought of Gabby. Coming out of it, he said, "So let's not waste any time. Do we band together and capture the Pearl or not?"
"We do," answered Carlita. She offered her hand to George, and the grizzled pirate took it. Both crews cheered loudly at this turn of events.
"I'm coming for you, Jack," thought Carlita. "You and your friends had better beware!"
Back aboard the Pearl, it was now well after noon. Grabbing quick sandwiches, everyone seemed to go their own way, oblivious to much of anything that was going on in the rest of the ship. There was no deffinate course now, but with the finding of the maps, Jack launched the Pearl off in the general direction of the North American mainland.
Jack had given a small room to Jose, to serve as his navigator's quarters. More cramped than that on the Queen of Sea, it would have to do. At least it had a decent bed. And it was to that room that Jose and Gabby retreated. He sat in the small wooden chair next to his desk, and she sat on the bed. Jose poured over the map that he had found for a little while. Gabby sat there holding her dagger, and staring intently upon the blade. It was only after a little while that Jose realized what Gabby was doing.
"Gabby," he said. "Is everything alright?"
"Just thinking about what Aimee said earlier," sighed Gabby.
"Ah," said Jose. "That took me by surprise, as well. I can see that it hurt you. Not only because of the accusation, but because of...."
"Because of Ed," finished Gabby. "Yes. I did what I had to do. But I still can't help but feel awful about it. And what of her incinuations? That's gossip that's bound to be spread about the whole crew before long."
"Well," ventured Jose. "As to the rumor, we both know it to be untrue. And I think its safe to say that our friends know that, too. That is all that matters. And...you did do what you had to do with Ed. It will take time, but the feeling will subside eventually. I'm here to help, and Gavin is, too. I think we can count on some of the others, as well. You are not a bad person, Gabby." He slowly took the dagger from her, and sheathed it at her side. "Don't think about it for now."
Gabby smiled. "Ok," she said meekly. "What are we to do now?"
"I think I should confer with Ana about the map that she found," answered Jose. "Maybe I could leave you to our maps? The ones Jack has here are not mine, but they shall serve. We need to find a good place to land for safe harborage. Not sure where we should land along the Gulf Coast."
"I'm on it," said Gabby enthusiastically. "I'll try to find us a good landing spot. Preferrably one well enough away from any settlements. Talk to you later?"
"Count on it," said Jose with a wink. He kissed her upon the forehead, and left.
*********************
Jose found Ana sitting topdeck next to the wheel. Jack was at the wheel, but too preoccupied with Aimee and the monkey (which kept crawling down everyone's shirts) to pay any attention anything else. Ana sat with her back propped against the wall of the ship. The Sioux map was in her hands, and there was a glint in her eye. Jose sat down at a right angle to her.
"What do you think of that map you found," he asked. "Is it connected at all with De Soto's?"
"I'm not sure," answered Ana. "It could be. The fact they were found together, and detail roughly the same areas of land is rather interesting. If I could decipher everything here (more pictures than words), then I might have a better idea. We'll see."
Jose broached the next subject carefully. "Ana," he said, "about what Gibbs said about you being my squire...do you remember it now? I think its coming back to me. I think it did happen."
Ana hesitated. "I think I remember it, too," she finally said. "We were both drunk, though. Surely, we can't be held accountable for something we said when we weren't quite all up there in our heads?"
"But an oath is an oath," said Jose. "I swore to be your knight, and you swore to be my squire. I consider myself a man of my word, and pirate though you be, I think you keep to your word more often than not."
"What exactly do knights and squires do for each other," inquired Ana.
"What Gibbs said is correct," informed Jose. "A squire is the servant of the knight, and does things for him like take care of his horse, weapons, and armor, sing his praises and represent him well in tournament, court, and battle. However, I like to look upon it as more comradeship in arms. A knight and a squire are friends, but they are more than that. They are like brothers. They both help each other. It is just that one is not a full knight yet, and until he is, serves the knight. But the knight takes care of the squire as well. Watches out for him, protects him, treats him like family, rewards him accordingly."
Ana's mind held fast to the words "family" and the thoughts of having a brother. Her family had been stripped of her. She trusted and loved Jack and Gibbs in their own way. Only Emil was left to her. Like an older brother he was. And a very dear one. Still, Ana missed her mother and thoughts and fantasies of what other family members she could have had. The idea of having another brother appealed to her. She smiled slowly. "That does not sound bad," she said. "Not at all. We did swear an oath, after all. And as I recall, some of that was that I get a good share of loot, food, and the governorship of an island!" She winked at Jose, and smiled wide.
Jose smiled too. He felt he could trust Ana. And she had been nothing but nice to him. But he also wondered how she being his squire would affect his plans and goals for the journey. She was a pirate, after all. Still, from the whispered stories of her past that he had garnered, it seemed like Ana had little choice in the matter. Or at least there were great extenuating circumstances. And perhaps, under his influence, he could help bring about possitive change in her? Looking at Ana, and reading the joy in her face at the prospect of having another brother and at that of seeing her homeland again, Jose wished her happiness. He hoped there could be a change.
*******************************************
Somewhere else along the sea, two ships drew side by side, and docked with each other. A wide plank was dropped from ship to ship, and two captains met in the middle, Captain George the Blade and Captain Carlita Thellen. They sized each other up silently for awhile. Finally, George spoke. "I hear you be after the Pearl, its crew, and any loot it might have or get. True?"
"I've heard the same of you," countered Captain Thellen.
"Well, if both reports be true," said George, wishing to cut to the chase, "then I believe we have a common foe. We could join forces, crush the Pearl, and take the loot!?"
"We could," said Carlita. "But would it be safe? We've spotted more than one large ship of war lately!"
"You mean that Royal Navy galleon," sneered George. "We met up with it just yesterday afternoon. A rather undecisive battle, but one we came out the better for. Last we saw of that idiot Captain Hawkins, he was licking his wounds, and heading back to New Providence with his tail between his legs!" George laughed long and hard.
"He could still get another ship, and come after us," pointed out Carlita cautiously.
"But we'd have quite the headstart on him," said George. "I don't think we'll have to worry about him for awhile. What are you so eager about going after the Pearl for, anyway?"
"Lets just say," answered Carlita, "that Jack Sparrow and I have some unfinished business. He escaped me once. Never again! Any loot we might get along the way would just be a bonus. And what about you? Why so intent to go after that ship?"
"All sorts of things," said George. "Loot, revenge, bloodlust--the usual piratey things. But we also have some women there that are ours. They need...rescuing . One in particular." George rubbed his hands together and licked his lips as he thought of Gabby. Coming out of it, he said, "So let's not waste any time. Do we band together and capture the Pearl or not?"
"We do," answered Carlita. She offered her hand to George, and the grizzled pirate took it. Both crews cheered loudly at this turn of events.
"I'm coming for you, Jack," thought Carlita. "You and your friends had better beware!"