Drabble Series: 'An Execrable Business' (31/?)

[dwgm]

400 words today, theme: "North". Many thanks to my dear hereswith for beta reading, editing, and excellent suggestions.

Previous bits...

1. Tortuga 2. Happiness 3. Festive 4. Last Minute 5. Calm 6. Truth 7. Bargain 8. Spook 9. Down 10. Wounds 11. Moon 12. Monsters

13. Beauty 14. Name 15. History 16. Service 17. Advice 18. Captain 19. Awe 20. Cross 21. "You've made a big mistake" 22. Heroism 23. Gold 24. Echo

25. Greed 26. Advance 27. Challenge 28. Adventure 29. Sentence 30. Treasure

And here's today's...

31. North


~ An Execrable Business, continued...

Jack took the helm to guide the Pearl from Tortuga's crowded harbor, and kept it as they eased from the bay into the open sea, revelling once more in the fresh, clean breeze, the movement of the ship under his feet, the sense of freedom, unbound from land. He was quite looking forward to heading out into the Atlantic. Blue water sailing, they hadn't done any of that in many a day. And the Pearl seemed to sense Jack's anticipation and elation at the prospect, sailing large in an evening breeze that was just abaft the beam, water hissing along her sides and her bow wake white in the rising moon.

"We'll head out northeast, by Grand Turks," he told Barbossa, who joined him briefly on the quarterdeck. "I've a couple of vile miscreants stashed in the brig I want to drop at Cockburn Town."

"Miscreants? Tortuga's full of miscreants."

"These were exceptional."

Barbossa sniffed. "A cabin boy, and now miscreants. If we'd stopped more'n four days the ship would've been full to the scuppers with the scaff and raff of Tortuga."

"It was an interesting few days of shore leave, sure enough," Jack agreed with a crooked smile.

Some time later, Bill came trotting up the companionway, grinning.

"And what are you so happy about, Mr. Turner?" Jack asked.

Bill said quietly, "Barbossa went to see those fellows of Claypool's in the brig."

Jack frowned. "He did, did he?"

"Aye. And got nothin'. They're both dead drunk. I gave 'em a few bottles, for medicinal purposes, when you told me you'd changed your mind about leaving 'em on Tortuga."

" Bill, it ain't only your sword that's sharp," Jack approved. "A sound idea, very sound indeed."

"Why thank you, Captain," Bill said with a bow. "We're takin' 'em to Cockburn Town? Barbossa told me."

"Aye. I suppose we'll have to stop and row 'em to shore, if they're that well-to-live. But we'll make sure they know Smith's with us. Don't want 'em going back to bother Joe and his people, and they're the sort that might."

Bill nodded. "How's Smith doing? I barely caught a glimpse."

"Fine, I expect. Straightening up me cabin. What else are cabin boys for?" Jack smirked, and batted his eyelashes, and Bill shook his head, though he chuckled, too. Jack said, "Go say hello! You can tell him I'll be there in a while."



TBC...

Comments

[jillianfish.livejournal.com]

Geez, sorry, I've been away for a couple days with no internet so I'm just now playing catch up. I squeed when they got to the Pearl and started sailing and am very excited to see how Nell straightens up Jack's room. I loved the imagery when she was looking around at the mess. And I am really enjoying how you've made Bill into a right-hand man/confidante of Jacks.

I'm off to read a series that you rec'd in a post a couple days back. Something about Jack, Elizabeth & son. Am definitely looking forward to it.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

florencia7's J/E&Blaxton stories are such a treat! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! And thank you for letting me know you're still enjoying this one -- I really appreciate it!

[p0wdermonkey.livejournal.com]

Heh! Bill's interrogation techniques beat Barbossa's :)
But I do hope Jack isn't ignoring too many dangers at once...

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Time will tell. ;) Thank you for commenting!

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

Mwahahahaha! Bill! Awesome! *hugs the old man*

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Bill's not really so old here, this being pre-mutiny, but Jack would probably join you in calling him "old man", just to tease.

[florencia7.livejournal.com]

I love how you portray Jack and Bill's friendship, the understanding between them! This series is a great backstory for both of them.

And I only wonder... will Jack recognize his cabin once Nell is finished with it?... ^^

*waiting for more & more & more!*

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! There's a lot of Jack & Bill backstory that could be written. I'm so glad you're enjoying this little adventure! More up soon. :))

[pearlseed.livejournal.com]

Okay, Nell's got the cabin to rights, Miz Mary and djarum can scootch over (and me too, changing my name to jello, cos there's always room for), and my money's on Nell's heart being in her throat when Jack hits the Great Room's doors...

"Jack...batted his eyelashes, and Bill shook his head, though he chuckled, too." Using one of Nell's tricks, if I remember correctly, that's funny! Only man on the planet that could carry that one off! And Bill's Good! Drunk men tell no tales, eh? Wonderful, funny, and causing oh,boythere'smorecoming!itis.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Only man on the planet that could carry that one off!

I think you're right!

So glad you enjoyed this, more up soon! Thank you for commenting!

[mary684.livejournal.com]

Figures Barbossa would go try and finagle some information and good on Bill for being one step ahead of him. Jack best get his mind on his ship and off his cabin boy before he finds himself in a world of trouble. However, I do believe it's a bit late for that, quite smitten with Nell, isn't he?

Probably a good idea Bill gets to see the cabin before Jack. Just in case.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Maybe not a world of trouble, but there are some squalls ahead. I'm so glad you're finding the story interesting! Thank you for commenting.

[compassrose7577.livejournal.com]

Don't be batting your lashes at Bill, Jack. He knows you too well!

Barbossa does seem to be one of those people that just can't leave anyone to their own devices. I guess that must be the commander coming out in him.

A Smith aboard!! I can get behind that!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

A Smith aboard!! I can get behind that!

LOL! I didn't even think about that! I bet that gave you a thrill in CotBP when Jack said his name was Smith. *g*

[compassrose7577.livejournal.com]

Yeah, gotta admit, I had that moment of "I wonder if he's a relative?"
Could be... we certainly have some bizarros, that's for sure: fugitives from the Federal law, moonshiners, gun bearers in lion hunts on the Mississippi River, refugees from warrants hiding as chicken ranchers in Mexico (and that's just this century). Why not a pirate?

Anyway, makes for good daydreams!