Fic: 'Devil's Own Luck'
Jul. 1st, 2007 12:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dwgmThis is a reply to a couple of drabble challenges at Black Pearl Sails, though at almost a thousand words it's hardly a drabble. There will be at least one more part to this, perhaps several, and it may turn spoilery for AWE -- not that we need to warn for that any more, really. Many thanks to ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
hereswith for editing!
~ Devil’s Own Luck ~
Chapter One
“The devil’s own luck!” squeaked Favisham, cringing at Mrs. Favisham’s scowl.
“I’ll devil you!” she snapped, but curbed her ire when she dealt with Jack, much to his relief.
‘Twasn’t as though he’d planned to clean up at Favisham’s expense when he’d sat down to cards with him. Owners of the finest brothel in Port Townsend, the Favishams were, and Jack’s winnings were equally fine: the better part of a week’s profits (or so Mrs. F. claimed), and the hand (Ha!) of a fairer prize, a (reputedly) well-born virgin they’d acquired and had been planning to sell to the highest bidder.
Winnings heavy in his pockets, Jack trod behind Mrs. F., up the stairs to their best room, the one with the balcony overlooking the garden, with a view of the harbor beyond. The girl was there, sitting on the bed in a robe of red silk, her face white and set under the paint her mistress had no doubt insisted upon, eyes huge and dark, and curling hair the color of carrots, clashing mightily with the robe. Jack winced slightly, at both the affront to his sense of aesthetics and to the apparent youth of the girl.
“She’s seventeen,” said Mrs. F., having noted Jack’s expression, "and she’s been well-coached. You’ll have no cause to complain – will he?” This last bit thrown at the chit, along with a baleful glare.
“No, ma’am.” Her voice was soft and sweet, and shook slightly.
Good God.
“Mrs. Favisham, I—“
“You’ll do right by her, I know,” Mrs. F. said to Jack, adding to the girl, “Captain Sparrow is truly a Gentleman of Fortune, Miss Arden. Youngest captain in the Caribbee and, besides bein’ blessed with the devil’s own luck, he’s a real ladies’ man.”
The old harridan gave a coy smile, and Jack nearly winced again. “Miss Arden?”
“Arden Forest,” said Mrs. F., dead serious.
Jack gaped, and then had to stifle a laugh. "As I like it, eh?" he quipped. The girl flushed, and Jack grinned, took off his hat and placed it over his heart. "From the east to western Ind, No jewel is like Rosalind."
"Rosalind?" said Mrs. F., frowning. "'Her name's Arden!"
"Ah... yes. Well, in any case, I'll be as true a lover as ever sighed upon a midnight pillow. You have my word on't." He winked, and 'Arden' pinked vividly, a mixture of fear, astonishment, and (Jack felt sure) admiration on her pretty phiz.
Perhaps it would be all right. Seventeen was young, certainly, but not too young. Moreover, he'd had a virgin or two in the past and felt he'd learned from those encounters. Her fate determined, it was possible a kindly providence had led him here tonight, rather than some randy old satyr who wouldn't have a thought beyond his own pleasure.
Mrs. F. smiled benignly, and said, "I've no doubt you'll treat her well. You shall call me if you need anything."
Jack bowed her out, then turned back to the girl. She rose, abruptly, clasping her hands together. Nervous, poor chit.
"Would you like something to drink?" she said, breathlessly. "There's wine!"
"Aye, and you shall join me in a glass," Jack said, and followed her over to a dresser laid with linen, silver tray and goblets, and a cut glass decanter. As she moved, he could not help savoring the curve and sway of the nicely rounded backside beneath the red silk, and his fingers fairly itched to loosen the tie that set off her slender waist. Patience! The wine would do them both good.
She poured, taking some time about it, then faced him, the two goblets in hand and a shy smile on her lips.
"Shall we toast?" she asked.
"Aye." He took one of the goblets, and raised it to her. "The sweetest flower in all the field." Compliments never came amiss in situations like this.
She raised a brow, and pointed out, "That's Juliet."
"So it is," he agreed and tossed off the wine.
"A little more?" she asked, immediately.
"Of a surety." She refilled his goblet. He sipped more slowly, watching her as she did the same. And then three things happened at once: he said, "Odd aftertaste to this wine. Bad year, maybe. Not like Mrs. F. to..."; as he spoke the girl had set her goblet down and backed away, an alert look on her face; and finally, a wave of dizziness swept over him, too strong to have been an effect of the libation itself. He frowned, a chill going through him. "Did you put something in this?" He lifted the goblet, but it slipped from his nerveless fingers.
He took a step toward the girl, whose hand was suddenly clapped over her mouth, eyes widening; stopped, swaying on his feet for a moment; tried to move again, and collapsed gracefully to the floor.
He lay blinking at the ceiling, until the girl came, hovering, all flames, with bright spots of color in her cheeks, and eyes as dark as night and cold with contempt. She spoke: "Poison I see hath been his timeless end."
Poison! He reached for her, gasping, "Juliet... no!" but caught nothing but air, then knew no more.
~.~
hereswith for editing!~ Devil’s Own Luck ~
Chapter One
“The devil’s own luck!” squeaked Favisham, cringing at Mrs. Favisham’s scowl.
“I’ll devil you!” she snapped, but curbed her ire when she dealt with Jack, much to his relief.
‘Twasn’t as though he’d planned to clean up at Favisham’s expense when he’d sat down to cards with him. Owners of the finest brothel in Port Townsend, the Favishams were, and Jack’s winnings were equally fine: the better part of a week’s profits (or so Mrs. F. claimed), and the hand (Ha!) of a fairer prize, a (reputedly) well-born virgin they’d acquired and had been planning to sell to the highest bidder.
Winnings heavy in his pockets, Jack trod behind Mrs. F., up the stairs to their best room, the one with the balcony overlooking the garden, with a view of the harbor beyond. The girl was there, sitting on the bed in a robe of red silk, her face white and set under the paint her mistress had no doubt insisted upon, eyes huge and dark, and curling hair the color of carrots, clashing mightily with the robe. Jack winced slightly, at both the affront to his sense of aesthetics and to the apparent youth of the girl.
“She’s seventeen,” said Mrs. F., having noted Jack’s expression, "and she’s been well-coached. You’ll have no cause to complain – will he?” This last bit thrown at the chit, along with a baleful glare.
“No, ma’am.” Her voice was soft and sweet, and shook slightly.
Good God.
“Mrs. Favisham, I—“
“You’ll do right by her, I know,” Mrs. F. said to Jack, adding to the girl, “Captain Sparrow is truly a Gentleman of Fortune, Miss Arden. Youngest captain in the Caribbee and, besides bein’ blessed with the devil’s own luck, he’s a real ladies’ man.”
The old harridan gave a coy smile, and Jack nearly winced again. “Miss Arden?”
“Arden Forest,” said Mrs. F., dead serious.
Jack gaped, and then had to stifle a laugh. "As I like it, eh?" he quipped. The girl flushed, and Jack grinned, took off his hat and placed it over his heart. "From the east to western Ind, No jewel is like Rosalind."
"Rosalind?" said Mrs. F., frowning. "'Her name's Arden!"
"Ah... yes. Well, in any case, I'll be as true a lover as ever sighed upon a midnight pillow. You have my word on't." He winked, and 'Arden' pinked vividly, a mixture of fear, astonishment, and (Jack felt sure) admiration on her pretty phiz.
Perhaps it would be all right. Seventeen was young, certainly, but not too young. Moreover, he'd had a virgin or two in the past and felt he'd learned from those encounters. Her fate determined, it was possible a kindly providence had led him here tonight, rather than some randy old satyr who wouldn't have a thought beyond his own pleasure.
Mrs. F. smiled benignly, and said, "I've no doubt you'll treat her well. You shall call me if you need anything."
Jack bowed her out, then turned back to the girl. She rose, abruptly, clasping her hands together. Nervous, poor chit.
"Would you like something to drink?" she said, breathlessly. "There's wine!"
"Aye, and you shall join me in a glass," Jack said, and followed her over to a dresser laid with linen, silver tray and goblets, and a cut glass decanter. As she moved, he could not help savoring the curve and sway of the nicely rounded backside beneath the red silk, and his fingers fairly itched to loosen the tie that set off her slender waist. Patience! The wine would do them both good.
She poured, taking some time about it, then faced him, the two goblets in hand and a shy smile on her lips.
"Shall we toast?" she asked.
"Aye." He took one of the goblets, and raised it to her. "The sweetest flower in all the field." Compliments never came amiss in situations like this.
She raised a brow, and pointed out, "That's Juliet."
"So it is," he agreed and tossed off the wine.
"A little more?" she asked, immediately.
"Of a surety." She refilled his goblet. He sipped more slowly, watching her as she did the same. And then three things happened at once: he said, "Odd aftertaste to this wine. Bad year, maybe. Not like Mrs. F. to..."; as he spoke the girl had set her goblet down and backed away, an alert look on her face; and finally, a wave of dizziness swept over him, too strong to have been an effect of the libation itself. He frowned, a chill going through him. "Did you put something in this?" He lifted the goblet, but it slipped from his nerveless fingers.
He took a step toward the girl, whose hand was suddenly clapped over her mouth, eyes widening; stopped, swaying on his feet for a moment; tried to move again, and collapsed gracefully to the floor.
He lay blinking at the ceiling, until the girl came, hovering, all flames, with bright spots of color in her cheeks, and eyes as dark as night and cold with contempt. She spoke: "Poison I see hath been his timeless end."
Poison! He reached for her, gasping, "Juliet... no!" but caught nothing but air, then knew no more.
~.~
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-07-01 08:31 pm (UTC)until the girl came, hovering, all flames, with bright spots of color in her cheeks, and eyes as dark as night and cold with contempt.
Gave me such a clear image of her, "all flames"--a lovely bit of prose right there.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-01 08:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-01 09:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-01 09:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-01 09:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-01 09:34 pm (UTC)Yes, and this is another prime example. This one is going in some interesting directions in my head, not as originally planned. Such fun! Very happy you enjoyed it!
no subject
Date: 2007-07-01 10:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-01 10:38 pm (UTC)*tongue firmly in cheek*
Delighted to learn there will be more. Even I wouldn't leave Jack in such a fix.
Hope RL isn't continuing to give you fits, more than usual.
Do you have the summer off work, at lest?
Felaine
no subject
Date: 2007-07-01 10:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-01 11:01 pm (UTC)Very happy you enjoyed this. Poor Jack has some pretty bad luck with women -- or good luck, depending on how you look at it. I was going to do it as a Young!Jack story, but I think I'm going to skip ahead to post-AWE so I can use some of those characters. Fun stuff!
I hope your summer is going well, too!
no subject
Date: 2007-07-01 11:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-01 11:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-01 11:16 pm (UTC)I posted one a couple weeks ago and will (hopefully) be posting another this week. I have also started two others.
See? My muse is really working.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-01 11:19 pm (UTC)With Jack's face and voice afresh, this is a great beginning to something we ALL know t'will only get better.
Without bad luck, it would seem Jack would have none at all. Does he plan these things, or does he just make them up as he goes along?
Dare I venture to ask what he might learn from his....eh, third or fourth virgin? I suppose, don't drink the wine would be first, eh?
Don't keep us on the edge, luv! We'll be a-needin' more..............Kerry
no subject
Date: 2007-07-02 12:23 am (UTC)*is envious of
no subject
Date: 2007-07-02 10:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-02 02:55 pm (UTC)But how cruel...to leave us hanging about Jack's fate.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-03 07:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-03 07:07 pm (UTC)Have a happy Fourth!!
no subject
Date: 2007-07-03 07:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-03 07:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-03 07:11 pm (UTC)Glad you liked the first part of this. I'll have another bit up by tomorrow, I think. :)) (Also will be editing your chapter, so no worries there -- yay for vacation time!) Thanks for the comments -- very much appreciated.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-06 12:01 am (UTC)Hooray for literate!Jack - always love that you feel as I do, that it's very important that he be so.
"Odd aftertaste to this wine...."
Uh oh....
He lay blinking at the ceiling, until the girl came, hovering, all flames, with bright spots of color in her cheeks, and eyes as dark as night and cold with contempt.
Marvelous! Like Jack, I was having a bit of trouble with a redhead in that richly colored red silk, but now you've gone and made the combination perfect with this line!
Also: delightful name, Favisham. :)
And lucky me! *dances little jig* Just when I was ready to give in and read despite stated cliffhanger - there's the next bit on my f'list! *bounces off to read more*
no subject
Date: 2007-07-06 12:21 am (UTC)Just like him to think Providence put her in his way. Jack, when it seems too good to be true -- it's too good to be true!
Looking forward to the next part!
no subject
Date: 2007-07-06 01:11 am (UTC)There's a small, tiny part of me that enjoys the fact Jack thinks she's a virgin and instead of turning down the girl or *asking* if she's yet ready to sell herself for the first time, he jumps right in thinking NOBODY can say no to Jack - and he's roundly punished for it. (I'm sure you didn't intend that, but it's entertaining nonetheless. *G*)
no subject
Date: 2007-07-06 01:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-06 01:45 am (UTC)He does! But one can't help but admire his spirit of optimism, even when things look dire.
Definitely too good to be true in this case. *G*
Very happy you enjoyed it!
no subject
Date: 2007-07-06 01:50 am (UTC)It was at least in the back of my mind, I have to say. As
So happy you enjoyed!
no subject
Date: 2007-07-06 04:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-06 04:21 pm (UTC)... it's women will be his undoing, if anything, methinks ;)
no subject
Date: 2007-07-06 04:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-06 04:55 pm (UTC)'Tis why we love him so, after all!
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Date: 2007-07-06 10:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-08 04:50 pm (UTC)And I love Jack as a sort of literary/Shakespearean scholar. It adds a very interesting layer to him.
Off to read Ch 2
no subject
Date: 2007-07-08 07:48 pm (UTC)