PoTC: Voyage of the Devil's Dowry

DISCLAIMER: As usual, the stuff that dosn't belong to me, dosn't. The stuff that does, does.

Author's Notes: Had down time for a while. Muse wants more reviews. C'mon!! Lol. This is a pretty dry chapter and some of it confuses even me. I hope you guys don't mind if my muse takes a break. It's hard right now for either of us to think. Plus, the yummy goodness will come soon, I promise. I bet you guys are like "Where's the sex scenes?" There will be one and it will be soon. Tell me though... Think it'll be Sage and Jack or Sage and Kain or what? I'm not telling.

Dawn came and Sage awoke the next day feeling entirely refreshed. She looked around the room at the three empty hammocks. ‘Kain and Jack, must already awake.’ She thought to herself. She paused on the third one and frowned. “Christian.” She said to herself. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Sage made her way to the door and out onto the deck. Looking around she realized the crew was dealing the only way they could, labor. It was as if nothing had happened the day before. Lareyna and Julia were scrubbing the deck. Gabriel was on the quarterdeck pulling ropes. Jack and Kain were setting a far distance from each other on separate barrels, looking very angry. Everyone else, she assumed, was below deck.

She walked toward Kawho who seemed very interested in his pan flute. “Kain,” she started, “Has anyone charted where we are yet? I’d like to know how far off course we be.”

Kain slowly turned his head to look at her, being careful not to expose the side with the wound. “Yes, Cap’n” He spoke in a dry, sardonic voice, “Jack did that when he woke up this morn.” He forced a bland smile. “He said that we be somewhere near the island o’ Barbados which means it will take a whole day ta catch up now.” He told her.

Sage nodded, squinting her eyes at him. She started rubbing her chin, thoughtfully. “Aye. I see. Anythin’ of importance botherin’ ye, Kain?” She asked him.

Kain looked at her and shook his head. Returning to his normal voice and forgetting to hide his face, he said, “Not at all, Cap’n. I just… I just had a rough night that’s all.”

She gasped, seeing a cut wound beside his lip, “What’s that?” she asked him touching the scar softly.

He shook his head to get her hand off of him. “Don’t touch me.” He said irritably. He softened his voice after seeing confusion cross her face, “I was sharpenin’ me sword last night and cut meself. That be all.”
Sage gave him a sideways glance, nodded, and walked off. She knew good and well that Kain was to good with a sword to cut himself. Especially across the lip; there was something else going on and she wanted to know what. Sighing, she rubbed her hands on the legs of her pants and walked over to Jack. “So,” she started, “We be that far off course then.”

Jack nodded, confirming what Kain had told her, “Aye. We’re far of course and if I were you, dove, I’d stop at Barbados ta get some rations and maybe some boots and fittin’ clothes for yer first mate there.”
She smiled and glanced at Kain. She was so used to his clothes, now, she had completely forgotten that Kain was wearing her brother’s clothing. Her smile turned to a frown quickly and she turned back toward Jack, “Seems the best ta me.”

Jack smiled at her, “Alright, then? I’ll get the crew down below and ye tell the ones up here. I put ‘ole Jolly Roger up in the crow’s nest this mornin’. I told him ta call when he sees land.” He told her.

“Right.” She said, turning away from him to go tell Kain what the plan was.

“I heard.” Kain said as she approached him, “New clothes. Barbados. I got it.”

She laughed, “Alright. I just thought I’d come over and tell ye meself. Here.” She said, holding out her hand.

“What be this?” Kain said, holding out his own hand as she layed 6 gold coins in the palm of his hanI doI don’t need this.” His voice was sincere and it cracked at the sentiment.

“What are ye going ta do, Kain? My mum’s not here ta bail you out of this mess. People don’t just give away clothes and we don’t want ta be stirrin’ up any trouble right now. Just go buy the clothes.” She told him firmly, nodding to punctuate her meaning.

Kain opened his mouth to say something, but before he could speak Jolly Roger’s voice called down from above. “Cap’n, Barbados is comin’ up sho should readready to dock.”

“Aye!” Sage called back up to him and then looked back at Kain, “Was there somthin’ ye wanted ta say ta me?”
Kain shook his head, “No,” he said, “I just wanted ta thank ye.” Sage only smiled.

“All hands prepare ta dock.” She called out to the crew, “No pilferin’ on this trip, ye swabs. This be a food supply stop only. Buy yer own rations and then return here.” Minutes later the boat docked at Barbados and the crew assembled to get their orders.

“Carver aianaiana will stay wme ome on the boat. Ye will buy their rations for them. If I find out anyone kept somethin’ that didn’t belong to them they’ll meet ropes end.” She looked to all of them and waited for them to leave before turning to Carver and Diana. “Ye two will take care of this ship while I go lay down. I don’t have the strength ta be up and about right now. If I find either of ya leave the ship for any reason you’ll get the one-shot pistol.”
They nodded and watched as she made her way to the cabin “What eating her?” Diana said, looking to Carver.

Carver pointed to his eyes and traced lines down his face, putting his mouth into a frown.

“Sad. Yes.” Diana said, “Little Christian gone. Make captain sad”
Carver’s eyes widened in surprise, he pointed at Diana roughly.

“Yes. Me sad too, I just no like be sad.” She nodded.
They both walked off to sit on the edge of the boat to rest.
Meanwhile, in town, Kain was at the tailor paying his his new clothes and asking the tailor to wrap them in a package. “No wet, stinky clothes this time.” He mumbled to himself.

“You look rather familiar.” The old, balding tailor said in a think English accent, squinting at Kain, “Have you been in here before, young man? What’s your name?”

Kain sighed, looking out an open window. There was a café right next door and women were sitting around drinking tea. If they so much caught word of his name another incident like before would happen. He swallowed loudly, wanting to give his real name, but knowing he shouldn’t. ‘I really have a problem.’ He thought to himself, ‘I actually like the attention, I think.’ He sighed again as the tailor handed him the package, “Russell.” He told the tailor, “My name is Mr. Russell. I’m just passing through.” It was the only name he could think of.

The tailor nodded and watched as Kain turned and walked out.

Hours went by and finally somewhere around the late afternoon, Captain Harmon walked onto the deck, yawning and stretching and looking around. She counted the crew and found only Kain wasn’t there. “Oy, Jolly!” she called toward the crow’s nest. “Where be Kain?”

Jolly Roger’s head peered over the side and said, “He’s not back yet, Cap’n! I’ll give ‘er a look about and get back with ye if I see ‘im.” Sage waited only seconds before his head reappeared. “Aye, Cap’n.” he called down, “He be comin’, but there be females chasin’ him again.”

“Damn that man!” She said to hlf. lf. Then, calling at to the crew, “Okay get ready to move. We don’t want none of them tryin’ ta jump on the ship. He’ll be lucky if he makes it.”

The crew started quickly scuffling about, letting out sails and turning rudders. Sage quickly ran to the wheel and got ready to turn it. They were pretty far away from the dock when Sage turned to see that Kain had almost made it.

Kain was out of breath by the time he got to the boat. Praying to all the higher powers, in one quick movement he threw the package holding his clothes onto the deck of The Devil’s Dowry and then jumped with all his might, barely catching the edge of the boat. He climbed up on the deck and collapsed, breathing hard.

As they sailed away from the angry mob of girls that gathered on the docks of Barbados, Sage walked over to where Kain was trying to catch his breath. She laughed coldly. “When,” she said angrily, “When are ye goin’ ta be learnin’?” Her hands rested firmly on her hips. “I’m sick of this, Kain. I’m damn tired of it and I mean it, I’ll not be takin’ anymore of it.”
Slowly, he pulled himself up to a sitting position and looked up at her angrily. “Sage…”

“Do not use me real name, bilge. I have half the mind ta lock ye in the hold. Maybe I should stick ye on an island by yerself with nothin’ but a gun and a shot ‘o powder? Does any of that to ye’? If it doesn’t ye better straighten up, Kain! Next time anythin’ like this happens I’ll kick you of the plank meself. Aye?” Sage’s face was red with anger. No one had ever gotten her this mad before. The whole crew was staring as if she was yelling at them. Even Jack looked shocked.

“Aye. Cap’n!” Kain muttered, standing up quickly and stomping off to his cabin.

“What are ye…” Cap’n Sage was getting ready to address the crew when suddenly from above came Jolly Roger’s voice.

“Cap’n Sage, ma’mm. There be somethin’ off starboard side ye might want ta be takin’ a look at.” His voicee she shakily.
Sage’s interest peaked as she grabbed a nearby telescope off of a barrel-top. Rushing to the right side of the ship, she opened it and looked around. At first she saw nothing but sea, but then she looked slightly to the left and saw a tiny island. “Aye. It be an island.” She called up to him, never removing her eye.

“Aye. There be someone on it.” Jolly Roger said, laughing.

‘How in the 7th circle of hell can he see that well?’ She said to herself, staring hard at the island. “Jack.” She called, “take the wheel.” When he didn’t come, she called again.

“Aye love,” he ca, ju, jumping up off of a barrel, apparently he had just been sleeping.

“Get me over ta that island.” She said, raising an eyebrow and pointing. Something about the way Jolly Roger had laughed told her to smile. She didn’t know why. Suddenly, the first real smile since the night her brother had disappeared crossed her face.