A Spot of Blackmail

A week later, Anna was back in the tavern again, looking better than she had in months and actually feeling happy. She had gotten caught up on her sleep, in addition to having the beginnings of a very nice suntan, two new bolts of silk, an entirely new education in the things one could get up to in a hammock, and something like a rapport with the Pearl. That, in combination with Jack’s determination, had gotten Anna to change her opinion of sailing (on the Pearl, anyway). She actually liked it, even though she hadn’t admitted it yet. Admitting it would mean admitting that Jack was right, again, and he was insufferable enough about getting her to take a vacation in the first place.

When Anna got back to the tavern for the first time after her vacation, she had discovered that the place was still standing, and that pirates made decent tavern keepers when they had to. They’d actually made some money, and from the looks of things, there had only been two or three serious fights and they’d had the furniture fixed already.

“Well, that’s nice of you.”

“It wasn’t so much nice as necessary. We started it.” Anamaria grinned at her. “Good fight, though, and they won’t be insulting the rum here any more. By the way, you might want to hire that apprentice friend of yours.”

“What’s wrong with…never mind. I really don’t want to know. Did you kill anybody, or did you only persuade them to keep their opinions to themselves?”

“We didn’t actually kill anybody. It was tempting, but Gibbs allowed as how it would be bad luck to kill people in your taproom. Personally, I think he didn’t want to deal with getting the blood off the floor. Seems he doesn’t like other people’s blood all that much.”

Anna grinned. “Can’t say as I blame him. It’s a pain in the neck and several other places, trying to get blood off these floors. So how’d you like to go back to pirating and let me run the place for a while?”

“Best idea I’ve heard all day. Where’s Jack?”

“Last I saw of him, he was down at the harbor with the Pearl. He said he’d be up here eventually.”

“Oh, I’ll wait, then. Maybe I’ll get a couple hours’ vacation of my own, even.”

“I’d recommend it. This place gets to you after a bit.”

“It does at that. See you later.” Anamaria left and Anna went on about reacquainting herself with the place and dealing with the normal things she dealt with. She was figuring out where to put a bag of onions when she heard somebody at the back door.

It turned out to be Jack, along with the strangest-looking person Anna had ever seen. He was about four feet high, very old, completely bald, and wearing something that was quite possibly the yellowest garment in Tortuga. It looked like a sheet, but he wore it like a robe.

“Jack, what’s going on? Who’s he?”

“He’s a priest or some such, from China.”

“What’s he doing here?”

“Well, he’s here by mistake. He thought he was going to Singapore. He doesn’t speak English.”

“What’s he doing in my tavern?” Jack looked pained.

“The Pearl took to him, so we’re taking him back to Singapore. I haven’t been there in years anyway; it’s about time I did, and it’s getting a little too naval around here lately. Problem being, he can’t pay for the passage. So he offered to bless the Pearl for me.”

“You’d take that as payment?” Anna was surprised.

“They’ve got ways, luv. Their blessings stick, and so do their curses. Anyway, if it had been the old Pearl I’d’ve taken him up on it. But since she doesn’t need it now, I thought I’d let him bless this place for you.”

“But…” Anna was interrupted by a spate of something absolutely incomprehensible from the monk. Jack grinned.

“He says it needs it. There are devils living here.”

“You can speak that?”

“Not a word, but I understand a bit of it. He says if you let him chase the devils out, you’ll have good luck till I get back.”

“Well, all right. It can’t hurt, anyway, and I’ll take whatever luck I can get.” So for the next three hours, the taproom filled up with the smell of incense and the sound of chanting. When the monk wasn’t chanting, he was dancing on the tops of the tables. Anna allowed as how it looked impressive, even if it didn’t really accomplish anything. When he was done, he unleashed another torrent of language at Jack, sat down, and looked satisfied.

“He says it took a lot of work, but he chased the devils out. Which means I can go off to Singapore with him and not worry about you.”

“Since when do you worry about me?” There was no sting behind the comment, only amusement.

“He said it, luv, I didn’t. He also said to tell you that you shouldn’t worry about the Pearl either.”

“Well, I suppose at least he’s got a vested interest in her being safe. On the outgoing trip, anyway.”

“You’re a cynic, luv. I’ll be back. Trust me. Or trust the Pearl if you don’t trust me.”

“Pirate, remember? I’d be insane to trust you.” They grinned at each other.

“You’re not terribly trustworthy yourself, you know. You’re the one who handed your cousin a snake.”

“That’s different; that was blackmail and the bastard deserved it.”

“I’ll give you that one, but don’t get comfortable with it. You’re not the blackmailing type, luv, and I’ll be disappointed if you’ve taken it up when I get back.”

“I’m not planning on it, believe me. If your friend here really has blessed the place, I won’t need to.” The monk looked up, grinned at Anna and unleashed another flood of gibberish at Jack, who looked surprised.

“Well?”

“He says if we leave on the next tide, we’ll have good fortune on the way there and great fortune on the way back. And he says to tell you your fortune will be great if you know it when you see it.”

“What’s that mean?”

“Couldn’t say, luv. But if he’s right, we’re leaving in four hours and I’ve got crew to collect and work to do. Any of mine come here, send them down to the Pearl, will you?” Jack and the monk left again, and Anna looked around her taproom.

“I’ll know it when I see it, huh? Well, I hope it makes itself obvious.” She went back to shifting supplies around, and three and a half hours later she had things arranged to her satisfaction, had sent three of the Pearl’s crew down to the pier, and had decided to see if the tavern had really been blessed or not. She left the tavern and went up to the highest point over the harbor, and watched the Pearl set sail for the first time since she’d met Jack. The lowering sun flashed off the gold leaf on the stern, as if the ship were winking at Anna. She found herself grinning back, and she watched until the Pearl cleared the harbor and headed for the open ocean where she belonged, to seek her fortune. Anna went back to the tavern, so her fortune could seek her. As long as the Pearl knew where to find her, she’d be happy enough to wait for it.

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A/N: I know, yet another of my non-ending endings. Unfortunately, grad school has eaten my brain and I don't have any brilliant ideas!