Apprentice To The Sorcerer

“Engagement off the port bow!”

I woke with a snort. Scorby shot off my lap and made for below deck, her tail out like a bottle brush. My bleary, sun-stunned gaze took in two ships in the far distance, directly in our course. A shadow made me look around just in time to see Jack walk by me with the spyglass. He raised it, peered through it a moment, and chuckled. “Pirates attacking English schooner,” he said. “I don’t recognize the jack flying, but I probably wouldn’t.”

As he raised the glass again, Gibbs sidled up to him. “Captain, how goes their battle?”

“Not very well for either side,” Jack said. “The wolf’s crew hasn’t got the hang of staying with the wind, apparently, and the naval vessel seems surprised anyone would attack her.” He laughed again. “Shall we give aid to our cousins? I leave it up to you men.”

“We don’t need anything,” Lloyd said. “But it would be nice to cut loose.”

His opinion had many back-ups. Jack eyed me askance. “Up to patchwork, Lei?”

“I can do it,” I answered. “Probably not much good in the actual fight though.”

Jack nodded. “Sail us up, Mr. Gibbs,” he commanded. “Don’t get too close. Let both ships see us but stay out of cannon range.”

We hovered nearby. Jack described what happened to us, kept his eyes glued to the spyglass.

“They’re boarding,” he said. “English captain fighting hard. He’s outclassed by the blond he’s fighting. Blondie must be the pirate captain.” He paused. “Aye, he’s got the command. Blast, but he’s a big man! Must stand nearly seven feet.” He focused in on something and chuckled. “Here it is men, the precious cargo. They’re carrying tea.”
This amused Jack so much that he handed the spyglass off to Gibbs.

Gibbs took up the monologue, ignoring Jack’s peals of laughter. “Naval officer down,” he said with no little amount of relish. “Crew has surrendered. That didn’t take long. Now why would a military ship be carrying tea? And why would tea be worth a fight?”

“I’d say it’s something else being shipped in tea crates,” Jack said, “But by God, it’s funny anyway.” He leaned on the rail and smiled. “Maintain position,” he said to Gibbs. “Let them approach us, if at all. Give them a chance to figure out what’s what.”

Soon enough, the pirate vessel made her leisurely way toward us. It seemed I blinked and our ships were parallel. Jack cupped his hands and shouted over. “Ahoy! Ye be needin’ a phyisk?”

I didn’t mind Jack volunteering my services. I felt it a welcome thing to practice my skills by now. I hadn’t had to do any real doctoring in weeks.

“Ahoy!” The blond captain replied. “Permission to come aboard?”

“Half yer number,” Jack shouted.

Mokulu already had my medicine chest on deck by the time I thought to go get it. We stood beside it and waited for the pirates to board. I recognized the captain instantly. It was Peter Blood. Piracy certainly had improved his physical appearance, which had to be an unusual occurrence.

Blood, unhampered by injuries and a cell, did indeed stand well over six feet tall. He came aboard like Apollo, all golden in the sun with muscles bulging. He and Jack sized each other up in an instant.

I looked at the two men, marveling over the differences. Blood towered over everyone; Jack stood less than six feet tall in his boots. Blood was a barrel of a man, and almost as dark as a negro. Jack was slender, like a whip, and though dark he did not compare to Blood.

Of the two, Blood had the more savage mien. Jack stood almost like a socialite in a garden party, unaffected and cool. His calm demeanor seemed to slightly dampen Blood’s aggressive stance.

“Captain Peter Blood,” he said, thrusting out his hand.

“Captain Jack Sparrow,” Jack answered, shaking the hand. “Weren’t to be interferin’,” he assured Blood. “Merely introducing us.”

“Interference would have been more overt, yes,” Blood said, smiling easily. “I’ve heard of you, of course, but I never thought I’d meet you. The sea is large.” Blood shifted on his feet. He tied a ribbon from his hair around the scabbard and hilt of his sword, showing peace. Though he could snap it like a thread, that wasn’t the point of a peace knot.

“Lads,” Jack said, following suit. We all found something to secure our weapons with. I could see Blood’s crew watching us through a glass, and many of them already copying their captain. They looked a hungry, ragged lot.

“Eat with us?” Jack asked. “We have plenty.” Apparently he’d seen Blood’s men as well.

“We’d be honored, Captain Sparrow,” Blood replied. His eyes slid past Jack and fell on me. A large smile broke out over his broad face. “Bless my soul,” he exclaimed. “If it isn’t Lei! If I’d known you were on board…” He came over to me and clapped me on the shoulder. “So you joined up with this legend?” He cast Jack an appraising look. “Smart of you,” he said, but to which of us he addressed I knew not.

“Let’s see what you’ve learned,” Blood went on, leading me to a few men at the rail. “You don’t mind, do you Captain?” he asked Jack.

“No, Lei is quite eager to attend,” Jack said, watching Blood carefully. I heard a warning in his voice. He wasn’t certain how I knew Blood, but he wasn’t worried…yet.

Blood watched me in silence as I ministered aid to his men. Several times he went fully alert, especially as I cleaned wounds out with Tia Dalma’s spirits. He observed how I washed my hands between patients and my method for stitching a wound. “Very nice stitches, boy, very nice,” he murmured. “You’ve been busy.”

“That I have, Captain Blood,” I agreed. His presence didn’t make me nervous even though he’d gained a mountain of muscle since I’d seen him. Blood was a compassionate man; I’d seen that with my own eyes. “You look well, by the way. I’m glad to see you escaped.”

“Hard it was,” Blood said. I heard the touch of Gaelic brogue in his rough voice. “Got sold to a plantation. Took me long enough to get free.”

“Many of us are ex-slaves,” I replied.

“I see that.” Blood leaned close to me, reaching out to correct the way I wrapped a man’s arm. “If you wrap it across the wound first, then go down a few inches and back up, you have the thinnest amount of bandage where the range of motion must be free, while keeping the wound adequately padded.” He showed me what he meant swiftly. I thanked him, wondered why I hadn’t thought of that, and was about to move on to the next patient when Blood whispered to me. “None of them know either, do they?” he said in French.

I looked at him swiftly, meeting his eyes to see if he alluded to what I believed.

He did.

He’d never let on he knew before.

“No,” I answered, following his lead with the language. “Only my brother, Mokulu. Please don’t give me away.” I said it without emotion, determined not to give Jack any reason to watch us more closely.

“I won’t.” Blood smiled at me. He held a bandage tight for me while I tied it off. “You’re a very brave woman for a privileged governor’s daughter,” he said. “I’ll say no more about it, but you should hear it at least once.”

“I’m not brave, Dr. Blood,” I said, forgetting his new title. “I’m just happy to be free. I’m sure you can relate.” I didn’t know how he knew who I was but I couldn’t ask him here. I wanted to get him alone and ask my questions.

“I’m not sure a few years of slavery compares to being raised for it from birth,” Blood replied quietly. “So, do you like your new captain?”

“Captain Sparrow is the best,” I answered, “Begging your pardon sir.”

“He certainly has a reputation for chaotic efficiency, if there be such a thing,” Blood chuckled. “Oh, I’m not offended you should claim his high status in favor of mine,” he said. “Sparrow has experience and style. I’m just out to revenge myself against King and Country.”

“Enjoying it?” I began to sew up another man, having to work swiftly due to his blood loss. The deck had a puddle of blood spreading out on it.

“Absolutely. I don’t miss being a surgeon one bit.” Blood propped his man up while I worked on him. “What books do you have to work from?”

I listed my meager collection. Blood gave me an appraising look. “You paid a lot of money for a few of those,” he said.

“Captain Sparrow gave me all my books,” I corrected.

“Wise,” Blood replied. “He knows your value to the ship. And what of these papers of the priestess, Tia Dalma?”

“They’re in the bottom of the locker,” I said, pointing with my chin to the chest I worked out of. “You are welcome to read them if you like.”

“I can only speak French, I can’t read it,” Blood laughed. “Well, it looks as if your captain wants to get on with a meal,” he said. “If he doesn’t invite you to join us, I’m going to request it.”

“As it please you, Captain Blood,” I murmured.

“Good lad,” he said loudly, slapping me on the back.