Angel Discovered Ch. 02

"What? What is it?" he implored, his eyes turning from fear to flint.

I looked back at him and touched his face, caressing his bare cheek and slight beard, "Nothing to do with you, Jack, really. It's just that Bernard told me that my brother is still alive," I looked down at my hands again and bit back tears, "Alexandre... he was pulled from the sea. I fear how the news will affect him that I've left him behind."

"Your half-brother? The one who traveled with you?" Jack asked, clearly relieved.

"Yes. He is almost crippled, he is so sick. He suffers from horrible pain and spasming. His mother died not a year after he was born. My mother and I took care of him when his siblings turned their backs. They said he would die. We did not let him," I lifted my chin, my tears temporarily at bay, "Even though, he is my best friend. He's handsome, charming, smart, and funny. He can make me smile no matter how dark my day is."

"Then we shall seek to rescue him," Jack began, "I should think he'd become more robust with a life at sea."

I laughed, "He certainly enjoyed our crossing on The Dolphin . But, Jack, you mustn't put yourself in further danger. I won't allow it."

"Oh, luv, danger is what I do the very best. Are you not in the company of a pirate who survived the Kraken, a sinking ship, and the ladies dressing room at The Paris Opera."

"The Paris Opera!?" I exclaimed, "I was beginning to wonder how you understood Bernard's accusation. But, I thought you were from England... you have no accent."

"I'm from everywhere, luv. French is my first language, but I ran away from Paris with one of the stagehands and lived most of my young life on the quays on the south coast of England. Finally, I stowed away aboard a ship and aimed my sights on becoming an admiral. I lost my accent from living around so many differnt types of people and the language is rusty because I don't have quite the chance to speak it as I once did," he paused and grinned at me, twining my blonde locks around one long finger, "that is, until you came along."

"Your mother... she sang in the opera?"

He looked down, "she was an aspiring prima donna, but she fell more on the side of a lavish lifestyle and less on the side of nurturing her talent. She was also an expert duelist."

"Now you're just teasing me," my eyes popped in surprise and disbelief, "La Maupin was your mother?"

He simply nodded. It was so hard to tell when Jack told the truth even though he did it more frequently than not. His actual tales were so fantastic, they defied belief. I simply smiled, "Okay, Monsieur Maupin, tell me another tale."

Jack began by removing his shirt. "There was once a very beautiful angel princess who fell from the sky and landed in the blue Caribbean sea..." Jack continued, removing his breeches. "And she met a horrible pirate and melted his heart into a ruby," with that, he removed a large beaten up ring with a red stone shining from under the grime from the smallest finger of his left hand and placed it on the ring finger of my left hand, "And they fell madly in love and saved her brother from the hands of the evil Bernardo, a French magician with only one power, to make things shrink, shrivel, and die."

"And they lived happily ever after," I finished, reaching up for him and pulling him down onto me.

"And forever and ever," he said before sealing his fairy tale with a kiss.

I was already damp from his earlier ministrations and eager to feel him inside me once more. He bent and kissed my collarbone while he ground his hips into mine, denying me what I truly wanted but raising me so high I felt I'd burst.

"Now, Jack, now!" I moaned, tortured with impending ecstasy.

He grinned down at me, "Is that the way an angel asks?"

"No," I cried, "It's the way a princess asks! No give me all of you now, or so help me, I'll have you beheaded!"

He laughed and dutifully complied, sheathing himself to the hilt. I moaned, feeling split in two, but sated. Jack's head rolled forward, his long twisted locks splilling down to tickle my breasts. After a moment's indulgence, Jack pulled out of me and thrust back in until I cried his name aloud. Soon he knew he could control me with just a twist of his hips or a dip of his pelvis. He leaned up over me, still joined, and grasped both of my ankles in his hands. He pushed my legs back so that my knees were by the ears and pounded his cock into me until I could scarecly breathe, let alone think. I rose to meet him, though I know not how, until I finally crashed and shattered, my mind exploding in colors I'd never seen in the world before I came to the Caribbean. Jack let my ankles go and moaned his pleasure into my ear and he pumped his seed into my womb.

After a few moments to recover my muscles, I turned onto my side. Jack curled up against my back, my small frame synching neatly with his longer one. I dozed as soon as his arm came around me and I heard his breathing steady. At that moment, I knew I could never sleep alone again.

***

When I woke, the cabin was dark, save for a shaft af moonlight angling in from the large windows. I extricated myself from Jack's tangling limbs and pulled on my discarded dress. I found a small dagger on the bedside and with a fw sure slices, I'd freed most of the bulky lace and silk, leaving a simple white cotton bodice and skirt.

I opened the door silently and slipped out onto the deck in my bare feet. Immediately, I heard Cotton the Parrot squawk "Lady bird!"

I looked above of me and saw Cotton leaning agaist the large wheel on the quarterdeck. I raised my hand and Cotton responded in kind with a smile. Ahead of me, I saw Will Turner leaning against the rail of the main deck, "What are you doing awake?" he asked me without prelude.

I walked towards him and leaned there, too. I looked at the bright moon and it's reflection on the water rather than at him, "I cannot sleep. It seems I was never meant to sleep aboard ship."

He stayed silent and turned to face the water, so I continued, "The last time I slept on a ship, a hurricane caught us and crashed us on the shoals. I'm afraid I shall have to be noctural and keep watch for fear of it happening again."

I watched Will out of the corner of my eye. He nodded wearily, "I was wrecked at sea when I was just a boy."

We stood in companionable silence for a few moments until Will turned to face my profile, "How well do you know Jack?"

I laughed, sure I was blushing again, "Not well, yet very well."

He nodded and swallowed. I could see he had had some breeding that made him hesitant to ask anymore questions.

"And what brings you out this evening?" I ventured.

He sighed, "I also can't sleep. Too much to think about."

"And Miss Swann? Your fiancee?"

"Miss Swann is asleep, I presume," he began, "However, I do not presume to consider our lives entangled anymore."

The finality of his statement made me cut short my line of questioning, so I began anew, "Where are you from, then, Mr. Turner?"

He smiled. His smile revealed the bone structure of an English lord and made him look at least five years younger than he had looked to me previously, "I lived near Southhampton, England until I was twelve and then I made Port Royal my home."

I was unused to such straightforward answers as much as I'd been around Jack and I found Will refreshing, "May I ask why you left England?"

He looked back at the calm sea and answered, "My mother... passed on. I had heard my father was a merchant sailor in the Caribbean, so I came to find him. However, my ship was attacked by none other than The Black Pearl and Elizabeth's father and former fiance pulled me from the sea. I made my life in Port Royal," he paused and turned back to me before continuing, "I was a blacksmith there and I made the finest swords."

"So, you're not a pirate?"

"No," he began but then shook his head, "Well, I found out that my father was a pirate... is a pirate... and I certainly find myself in the company of pirates. Perhaps I am a pirate."

"You are only who you choose to be, Mr. Turner," I began, echoing my mother's sentiment of choice. "Not that piracy is a bad choice. It's just a choice."

"And who are you, Miss Angelique?"

"I am just Angel, a reformed princess and current pirate. My past is my past and for the moment, my home is The Agility and I am soon to see St. Thomas."

Will laughed. He seemed so warm and good-natured to me then, his laugh dispelled all of my notions that he was an angry man. He reminded me a great deal of my brother Alexandre, and I told him so.

"I am honored, then, Miss Angel, that you compare me wih one so close to you," he looked wistful. "However, I am glad you've not chosen to compare me to Jack."

I was about to mention that I had and found him refreshingly honest, but I withheld and pressed on, "Why St. Thomas, anyway? What awaits us there?"

Will shrugged, flippantly. "It's not a very pretty place, I can assure you of that. It's rather loud and dirty. There are whores," Will colored slightly and was about to apologize but I shook my head and stifled a laugh. He continued, "And there is more rum, whisky, and ale than could fill the Caribbean Sea. However, since Tortuga has recently become rather fanatical about pirates selling their wares, the black market in St. Thomas has flourished. I assume Captain Sparrow would have us set to port there and sell off a bit of this finery," he indicated the ship with a wave of his hand, "and make money. And, it never hurts to let the crew carouse for an evening," Will smiled, albeit a little bitterly.

"You obviously don't like Jack, so why are you sailing with his crew, if I might be so bold?"

Will looked back at the water and did not answer for a long time. I was beginning to think he wasn't going to when he spoke, "He owes me a debt and I'm still waiting to collect."

I nodded and he turned to face me. He bowed his head slightly and grasped my hand in his. He smiled sweetly at me, "Thank you for the pleasure of your company, Miss Angel. But, the sky is beginning to turn pink, and I think we should both get some sleep lest there be a rough day ahead."

"And thanks to you, Mr. Turner," I answered and he turned away from me. "Oh, and Mr. Turner, please call me Angel. I shall have no more titles, no matter how innocent they might sound."

He smiled at me, the same smile that reminded me of Alexandre, "Angel it is. And I'll have only Will from you, if you please."

I nodded and we turned from one another. Cotton the Parrot squawked again, "Good night, Children!"

I smiled at Cotton the Man and said good night before I entered Jack's door.

I slid out of my dress. Jack was facing away from me, so I spent a moment enjoying the sight of him naked before sliding into bed behind him. As I laid my arm across him, he murmured something in his sleep that sounded a lot like, "Love."

***

Will had been right about the following day. I woke a few hours later to an empty bed and a tossed ship. When I look through the large windows, I saw the rain lashing agains them and a flash of lightening. The thunder was a distant rumble, but the sound of the howling wind was enough to rouse me. I pulled on a pair of loose breeches and tied them with a piece of my shredded dress. I pulled on Jack's discarded shirt, hoping despite the dangerous circumstances to find him on deck without his shirt.

I was let down, as he was fully dressed at the wheel. He was shouting commands with lots of odd sounding words like "foaksle," "broach," and "reeve." From where I was standing, I could see everyone, even Elizabeth Swann, hard at work and I felt useless. Suddenly Jack yelled, "Grab that line! The mizzen is going slack! Make fast the line!"

I heard the line zipping through a cleat and grabbed for it on instinct. The rough rope cut against my palms and I uttered a cry, but I caught it and held fast. It pulled me hard to the side, but I dug in the heels of my low boots enough to stop me from doubling over the oaken gunwale and cracking my ribs. I pulled hard and finally managed to drag the rope to the cleat. I had no idea how to tie it, but the problem was taken out of my hands as Cotton secured the line and the sail caught the wind at her strongest. Within another twenty minutes of frenzied activity on deck, most of which I spent with Cotton, who let me "help" him tie off other ropes, the skies were clear, and our heading was still sure to St. Thomas.

Jack strode towards me and I crossed my arms and grinned at him. He was angry that I'd come on deck, but Cotton stepped in front of me and and unfolded my arms. Seeing the blood dripping from my palms made the full force of my pain hit me in the stomach. It also made Jack stop in his tracks. Before Jack could speak, Cotton should his head and his parrot squawked, "Lady bird, fix lady bird."

Jack nodded and bent to kiss my forehead and turned wordlessly back to his wheel. I was confused. I thought he'd take me and mend my hands. Instead, Cotton steered me towards Elizabeth who stood, hands-on-hips, at the doorway leading below decks. Cotton the Parrot clarified, "Lady. Lady bird fix."

I stopped. I was in pain, but I knew better than to let myself be led away by a wolf who glared at me every chance she got. She spoke, finally, her tone clipped, "Come along then, I haven't got all day."

Cotton patted my arm and against my better judgement, I followed her down the stairs. It was musty and humid below decks. I heard the scurry of rats and possibly other creatures, but my mind was too focused on my palms to give them a second thought. I'd never thought of Elizabeth sleeping down here among the men, and the thought made me a little sad. She led me through a row of hammocks to a dry (well, mostly dry) corner where she'd arranged a sort of nest of discarded clothing in a small hammock. It looked clean and new, and I figured it belonged to the former owners. She lit a gas lamp and the light sent large brown waxy looking bugs scattering. Elizabeth seemed not to notice as she searched through a small valise.

She came out with a silver can that I saw bore the mark of the East India Trading Company. She instructed me to sit and I did so without question. She brought a ewer of of fresh water, sat across from me and opened the ointment. She held out her hand for mine and I held back a moment too long before she snapped, "Oh, for the love of God, girl, I'm not going to injure you!" When I'd given my left hand over, she washed it and inspected Jack's ruby that I'd foolishly left there.

"I'd rather have to cut off your pretty hands than bear to live with no place to showcase your fine jewels," he voice dripped with vicious loathing. I pulled my hand back.

"Really, Miss Swann, I am capable of doing this myself," I began to rise, "I needn't suffer your attitude any longer than you must suffer my presence."

She sighed and placed a staying hand on my arm, "Please," she began, "I will be civil. Just please let me finish."

I nodded, the blood sprouting afresh on my palms. She resumed cleaning the left one, leaving the right to clot. After she cleaned it, she smoothed some clear salve from the tin on the abrasions and wrapped it in fresh-looking linen. As she was repeating with the right, she spoke, "I am sorry, Angelique. I just... I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm not normally so catty."

I nodded, "It's okay. It must be hard living out here."

As she finished wrapping my hand, we sat in companionable silence. When she'd finished the last knot, I spoke, "If you don't mind my asking, what is wrong?"

She looked up at me, her normally wary eyes clear and sad. She took a deep breath before continuing, "I don't even know. I should be married to Will. He won't even look at me anymore, though." She pressed the heels of her hands over her eyes and dropped her elbows to her thighs.

I waited a long time before I spoke, "Well, you've tried to talk to him, right?"

She shook her head to the negative.

"Well, couldn't that be the problem? Usually people in love talk every once in awhile," I started.

She popped her head up and snapped, "I know that! But, like I said..." she finished with a wave of her hand and turned her head towards the guttering lamp.

"I know, but if you talk, he'll listen," I started. When she began to protest, I cut her off, "Come, now, Miss Swann, I've seen the way he looks at you. His gaze does not contain a drop of malice."

She looked back to me, her eyes a little brighter.

"And surely, you know how to tempt him," I continued with a small smile.

She cocked her head to one side, questioningly.

"Come on now, Miss Swann. Do not be coy."

She colored, and I knew her confusion was due to true innocence, but I was shocked. "You mean to say that you've never... not with Will... or Jack... ever?"

She laughed at my question and my incredulity, "No. Never."

"Oh, well, there's no problem then," I began, my eyes bright, "If you could seduce Will and convince him you've never been with Jack, he'd surely take you back!"

Elizabeth caught my enthusiasm and grasped my arm, "Maybe you're right!" But as soon as she'd started she backed off and lowered her gaze. "But, probably not. I don't know the first thing about seduction... or lovemaking for that matter."

I waved my hand, "Oh, that's silly. Every woman can tease and taunt to get a man to do her will," she looked up again as I finished, "And, as for the art of making love, that is easily taught."

"Oh, and who can teach me? Jack?! Ha!" she retorted, crossing her arms.

I looked down at the floor before responding, "Well, where I am from, we girls practice on one another." Just as Elizabeth gasped at my suggestion, Marty stuck his head below decks and called for us to come aboveboard. We'd made port.

I stood and made for the stairs and had my foot on the botton riser when Elizabeth caught my elbow. "We'll talk more about this later, I hope."

It was my turn to blush. I nodded my reply.

***

With regard to St. Thomas, Will had been very wrong. It was a beautiful island, with lush green mountain forests making it sparkle like a rare emerald floating on a sea of sapphires.

The port was busy. Most of the ships were in disrepair and looked forlorn next to The Agility . Many greedy looking eyes turned towards us, obviously expecting a ship loaded with green sailors, unprepared to for the hustle. However, once Jack disembarked, his figure struck a cord with the other pirates, and most ignored us. Cotton and Marty went ahead to secure lodging for Elizabeth and I, while Jack, Gibbs, and the rest of the spare crew headed into the bustling trading area. Will tried to lead us the way Cotton had gone, but I steered him towards the market.

"Come on, Will. It's daylight. And we'll stay together. I just want to peak around."

Elizabeth twined her arm through mine and patted her long sword, "I have taken care of myself before, Will. We'll be just fine."

Will obviously didn't want to leave us, but feeling outnumbered, he shrugged his shoulders and walked away, muttering under his breath.

Elizabeth and I worked on a plan for the evening. We'd wait for Will to get a little bit drunk, then Elizabeth would seduce him to our room. I stayed mum about my evening plans, but I'm sure she ascertained that Jack would be entertaining me. But, the best laid plans... well, you know.

We shopped that day for new dresses. Elizabeth traded her sword for two in suitable condition. We also managed to barter what little else we carried for some kohl, rouge, and lip stain. We adjourned to our room to paint one another, twist our hair into submission, and alter the dresses to fit us. Her's was newer, a deep burgundy cotton with a sheen. The bodice was cut square and low. A hint of Valciennes lace showed at her decolletage and again in the skirt. Her light brown locks were swept into a knot that could be easily undone. A hint of the the cosmetics enhanced her cherubic lips, strongly defined cheekbones, and light brown eyes.