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dwgm450 words, with thanks to my dear ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
hereswith for beta reading, editing, and excellent suggestions.
Previous bits...
And here's today's...
43. Deed
~ An Execrable Business, continued...
“Sit here, hang on tight, and admire the view,” Jack instructed Nell, carefully but urgently pressing her to do so. “I’ll send Bootstrap up.”
And then he was gone, descending with startling speed and apelike dexterity. He started shouting orders even before he gained the deck, and she could hear him faint but clear from her lofty, swaying perch. Instantly there were men swarming everywhere, up the ratlines, out onto the yards, obeying Jack’s orders to trim and brace and crack on more sail with wonderful enthusiasm.
Nell made herself as small as possible, clinging as men moved around her, and presently she was treated to the sight of the Pearl turning in a wide arc to her new bearing, every sail set to catch the light but steady airs. The ship’s wake spread out behind for more than a mile, and her bow wave rose higher and whiter as her speed increased. She was beautiful, dark, deadly, and swift, and the spark of elation that had emanated from Jack and expanded to engulf the crew caught Nell, too, and she laughed aloud.
Finally, Bootstrap came for her. “All right, Lucky Nell, let’s get you down from here. Remember, clap on tight, one hand for the ship, one hand for yourself –
“—and mind the swell!” she joined in, with a grin.
Her expression turned to one of grim determination as they descended, for it seemed to her that climbing down was far more frightening than climbing up. She set each foot and hand with redoubled care, and all the while marveled anew at the ease with which Jack, and indeed most of the crew, moved about when aloft.
When she finally jumped the final few feet to land on the black deck, Jack was there, coming to her and hoisting her up a few inches with joyous strength to kiss both her cheeks.
“Lucky Nell!” he exclaimed, setting her down again, and he said to those nearby, “She saw that Frenchie first, lads, I told you she’d bring us good fortune, did I not?”
There was laughter, and back-slapping (somewhat painful, this) and general cheer, and Nell's heart soared.
But then she found herself standing at the rail between Jack and Barbossa, and studying the French ship, now hull-up and visible in more detail.
Jack turned away to give some instruction to Bootstrap, and Barbossa took the opportunity to speak. "Ever seen a piratical action, Lucky Nell?"
Nell looked up at him. His face held amusement, contempt, even a modicum of pity; his eyes revealed a man apt to cold-blooded violence. Her heart, soaring only moments before, froze.
She did not reply, but peered out again... at their prey.
TBC...
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 31. North 32. Coat 33. Good and Evil 34. Sickness and Health 35. Lost 36. Court | 37. What if? 38. Island 39. That can't be 40. Prophesy 41. Ten Years Later 42. French |
And here's today's...
43. Deed
~ An Execrable Business, continued...
“Sit here, hang on tight, and admire the view,” Jack instructed Nell, carefully but urgently pressing her to do so. “I’ll send Bootstrap up.”
And then he was gone, descending with startling speed and apelike dexterity. He started shouting orders even before he gained the deck, and she could hear him faint but clear from her lofty, swaying perch. Instantly there were men swarming everywhere, up the ratlines, out onto the yards, obeying Jack’s orders to trim and brace and crack on more sail with wonderful enthusiasm.
Nell made herself as small as possible, clinging as men moved around her, and presently she was treated to the sight of the Pearl turning in a wide arc to her new bearing, every sail set to catch the light but steady airs. The ship’s wake spread out behind for more than a mile, and her bow wave rose higher and whiter as her speed increased. She was beautiful, dark, deadly, and swift, and the spark of elation that had emanated from Jack and expanded to engulf the crew caught Nell, too, and she laughed aloud.
Finally, Bootstrap came for her. “All right, Lucky Nell, let’s get you down from here. Remember, clap on tight, one hand for the ship, one hand for yourself –
“—and mind the swell!” she joined in, with a grin.
Her expression turned to one of grim determination as they descended, for it seemed to her that climbing down was far more frightening than climbing up. She set each foot and hand with redoubled care, and all the while marveled anew at the ease with which Jack, and indeed most of the crew, moved about when aloft.
When she finally jumped the final few feet to land on the black deck, Jack was there, coming to her and hoisting her up a few inches with joyous strength to kiss both her cheeks.
“Lucky Nell!” he exclaimed, setting her down again, and he said to those nearby, “She saw that Frenchie first, lads, I told you she’d bring us good fortune, did I not?”
There was laughter, and back-slapping (somewhat painful, this) and general cheer, and Nell's heart soared.
But then she found herself standing at the rail between Jack and Barbossa, and studying the French ship, now hull-up and visible in more detail.
Jack turned away to give some instruction to Bootstrap, and Barbossa took the opportunity to speak. "Ever seen a piratical action, Lucky Nell?"
Nell looked up at him. His face held amusement, contempt, even a modicum of pity; his eyes revealed a man apt to cold-blooded violence. Her heart, soaring only moments before, froze.
She did not reply, but peered out again... at their prey.
TBC...