DEAD MAN'S TAVERN II

[lilaney]

"Ye great dam fool! Git outa the high lines! ye'll mess'em up"
Lil was greatful for the stiff wind this high up the mast; if she thought hard enough
all her memories would be blown right out of her mind.
Everything would be fine.

Hearing the sounds of shouting and cursing from the Crow's Nest she turned slowly to see Gordy
struggling with some sort of contraption.
"Gordy! It is me! What the hell are you doing!?"
Lil began to monkey climb over to where the able bodied seaman seem to be attaching a tri-pod and strings to the side of his railing.
His struggles so engrossing he did not notice his quarry was two feet from him, idly looking over his shoulder by the time he was ready to fire.
"Demmit! He got away! Gordy grumbled as he began to dismantle what looked like a homemade slingshot.
"Gordy? Where you going to ping me with stones and shot?"
Gordy jumped at the nearness of Lil's voice. He turned a guilty face on her.
"Well, it keeps the others out of my line of sight. Ken't see nuthin when the line monekys are scrabbling around up here. How's I suppose to do me job, eh?"

Lil looked around the horizen, the rock of the boat was more pronounced up here.
Like the rocking of a smooth cradle, and, all at once Lil never felt more tired in her life than she did at that moment.
"May I come in and join you at your post?"
Her words were polite and succint, like she had been taught all those years ago.
Gordy gave her a shrewd eye, and nodded. Watching Lil climb over the rail and ease herself into a cross-legged position, not a yard away from him.
"How's our cookie doin? Did e enjoy meh gift? The birds sed it'da be a nice mention from us"
Lil nodded a slight smile at him.
"Yes, it was a wonderfully thoughtful gift. I bet Martin will have a reward for such friendship, once he is up and about again."
Gordy's eyes were back on the sea, hungrily searching the horizen for a threat.

Lil had a feeling he had forgotten she was even there, and after a while, she believed it herself.
Her mind began to wonder.
That villianous cloud had broken all her mental blocks against past deeds and all the nefarious attacks in her life. She knew if she was going to keep sane, she must either think them through, put a reason on them, or, simply block them back up again to be dealt with at a more convinient time.

"Neh, nuthin out there. I'll ask the birds what they think. They's know a lot, birds. To bad them's ain't proper english birds. These twitters got too much flip in their caws and squeaks can't recognize halfa what they say. Now, a nice english jackdaw, they's good listening, gots great counterpointe."
Gordy stood up suddenly and putting his hands to his mouth began squawking and screaming in what he must have thought was a really good imitation of a sea bird's cry.

Lil was ammused at the preformance.
It reminded her of a parlor party she once hosted and the horridly snobbish baron's daughter's rendition of 'Gone a hunting' she had sung {screached} and played {banged out} on the pianoforte.
The memory gave her heart a tug as it thought of the warm Medditeranian waters of her youth.
'has it been that long ago?' her thoughts reviewed over the past twenty five years of her life.

Gordy was still occasionally screaming, and listening as some birds did seem to reply to his calls.
Lil watched him, unlooking, and thought hard.
"I have lived so many lives in all my short time on this planet."
Her thinking aloud made Gordy flap a hand at her.
"SHHHH!!! This is the best gossip in weeks!! he called again, and the nearest sea bird cryed back.

Gordy laughed aloud and flopped back down on the narrow platform on the lookout post.
His shining eyes and contented look just begged to be asked about what he had learned.
Lil raised an eyebrow at him. Gordy gave a small bounce of glee, like a child with a new toy.
"Oh! You sassy Jack-lass! This'is the best news! Them birds claim we's going home! And they says not to worry a bit, you'll get yer feathers back."
Lil tilted her head.
"Feathers?"
Gordy shrugged "now, I can't be always translating. You ask'em yerself if'n you want clearer answers." and then, suddenly blinking, he realized that there was a stranger in his space.
He flapped his arms at Lil in a really good imitation of a bird defending its nest.
"Go on! Git! Yeh ain't got no right to be sundry upping me place of work! Go on with ye, yeh addle-pated harpy!"

Lil, realizing that the lucidity of the moment was gone, humbly left the Crow's Nest. All the while Gordy tried to sling pebbles at her with his slingshot.
She kept her head down as the rocks gently bounced off her shoulders.
"En, stay out!"
Lil jumped back down onto the main deck and spied Briggs watching her warily. She felt more herself now, and knowing it would simply get his back up. She winked and blew him a kiss.
He crossed his arms and huffed angrily at her "Do not interupt my men while they work!"
Lil gave a mocking debutante bow that had her almost prostrate to the deck.
"As ye wishet, me lord!" her laughing tone seemed to upset him more.
She wandered to the back taff rails of the ship, viewing the wake as the ship cut through the ocean's waters. Lil knew eventually this part of her life would come to an end, she would deeply miss it, for she had never had such a high time of fun than when she was on the lamb with friends.

"Friends" she mumbled and smiled slightly. It did not occur to her until just that moment that in all her life's adventures this was the only time that she had had true friends to call her own.
A brisk wind blew up and brought with it a spray of salt water, and suddenly Lil felt naked; her heart jumped as she panicked and her mind raced around trying to remember something important.
"Where are all my blades and knives?"

[Hibernian]

"It could have been worse, at least nothing irreplaceable was broken." Brother Timothy surveyed the cabin one last time, the clean up was over, the debris and trash taken care of and he would dare even a novice with his master breathing down his back to do better.

Yet there was still the matter of hardware to be taken care of, hardware in the way of not hinges and beam buckles but a wide collection of blades and throwing stars. It was a miracle, or perhaps the skill of the thrower, that no one had ended up a blade or star embedded in an inappropriate spot. The same could not be said of the cabin walls. Three of the four walls all had chunks of wooden beams and wall boards missing. Brother Timothy had decided to leave them as found, badges of honor in memory of the battle fought and won this day. After all how many crews take on a spirit of hell and live to tell the tale. Then again, "consider the crew."

Gathering up the various throwing and stabbing implements as well as his own bag, the monk went in search of their owner.
"Best bet will be the sick bay, Elinor didn't look good and most likely Lil is not far."

[Blackjack Roberts]

Blackjack waited in the shadows of the hallway until he saw Dr. Gander leave. The burning in his forearms had subsided, thanks to the herb soaked bandages, but he was indisposed to have the doctor insist on examine them should they be discovered. He wasn't sure if Drake had heard Martin's comment on the 'burns' or not, and the last thing he wanted was more questions that he did not have the answer to. For now his shirt hid them well and he hoped none would notice his lack of the usual bracers.

As soon as the ship's surgeon had turned the corner he slid silently from the concealing shadows. Jack could always say he was coming to check up on Elinor if the captain was still present, and Malcolm could always be warned by covert means if needs be.

Barely cracking the door to the surgery he breathed a sigh of relief. Apparently captain Wench had removed her husband to more private surroundings, and he trusted Elinor and the cook completely. Swinging the door wide he strolled in, Elinor was sleeping peacefully. He favored Martin with a wink as he laid one ringed finger to his lips. His huge friend nodded as Blackjack made his way over to his cousin and pulled Duckie's stool up close to the cot.

"How ye feelin', Mate?" Jack placed one hand gently on Malcolm's shoulder.

"About the same as I did that day we walloped each other with them branches for the better part of the day playing Knights of the Round table." The raven-haired man grinned. "It's good to see you again, Cousin."

"Aye." Blackjack grinned, pulling his hat off to lay across his lap. "Aye, ta both accounts." He was pleased that Malcolm seemed much stronger than he had. The sawbones certainly knew his trade.

"Cousin?!!" Martin exclaimed from his own cot. "The two of you are cousins?!!"

"Aye, Mate." Blackjack grinned. "But ye don't know the half 'a it, yet."

Turning back to his stricken kin Jack sighed heavily. It was time to tell his cousin what he had withheld earlier for the sake of the man's health. Now he was certain that both their necks could depend on the information Malcolm needed to know.

"Listen, cousin." Roberts began. "There's something ye need ta know about the situation ye've waltzed in to."

"More like dragged into, but I understand your meaning." Malcolm chuckled, then winced with the pain it brought.

"I'll give ya that one, Mate." Jack shook his head. Some of Malcolm's old humor was returning. "But this concerns our other cousin."

"Cade?" Malcolm wondered. "What could Cade possibly have to do with all of this?"

"Cade!" Martin burst out. "Cade Jennings?!! Are you two related to Cade Jennings?!!"

"Afraid so, Mate." Roberts cocked his head to one side as he turned in the cook's direction. "If'n ya please, I'll be thankin' ya ta keep that bit 'a knowledge under yer hat."

Malcolm sighed. "So what has he done to get mixed up in all of this?"

Roberts turned back to his cousin. "Fer one he's gone and pilfered the ship half 'a this crew were sailin'. Fer another he's gone an done on purpose what ye did by accident."

Malcolm's eyes widened. "You mean he..."

"Aye." Jack's blue green eyes dropped to the stained floor. "As far as I can tell he were the protégé 'a one Mad Jack Wolfe, and he betrayed the man with his new wife. Cade did this with something neither you, nor I with Jenny Blackwood, had the benefit of. Full knowledge that he were cuckolding another man. I then believe he stole the lass' ship in an attempt ta lure her back ta him."

"Dear God!" Dagget exclaimed.

"Now if'n ye wish ta keep yer somewhat soiled reputation in Jack Wolfe's eyes, ye can never let on that Cade be our cousin." Jack's eyes locked with Malcolm's. "We both know that Troy herself were burnt ta the ground fer such indiscretion, and I've little doubt Jack Wolfe can be as vindictive as Menelaus where his wife be concerned."

"I would agree, Jack." Malcolm looked shamed by the knowledge of what he had inadvertently done.

Blackjack smiled and placed his hand on his cousin's shoulder again. "It's settled then. As far as Mad Jack will ever know neither you, nor I are in any way related to..."

The one time highwayman's words broke off as the door to the surgery unexpectedly opened, and he cursed himself for letting his guard down.

[Hibernian]

Most people don't realize it, but seven out of ten monks agree that the most serious problem they encounter on a daily basis is the lack of pockets in a habit. Walking mid deck on his way toward the doctor's quarters Brother Timothy was demonstrating why he was one of those seven monks. A scroll under one arm, the remains of a sword under the other, all the while trying to mange a double handful of daggers of assorted size and what appeared to be throwing stars from the Far East.

"I swear on all that's holy, sometimes, it's like traveling with children who never pick up after themselves. You'd think that Lil would have missed these by now and come looking. Perhaps there should be a finder's fee, hah I could charge her three Our Fathers and three Hail Marys for the lot." Pleased with himself and his little joke the monk stated to laugh and as he did so he lost his grip on the stash of pointed objects just as he reached the door to the surgery. Hearing a voice on the other side he could just barely understand every other word.

Quickly he used his elbow to open the door....

[lilaney]

Lil crossed her arms across her chest; she suddenly felt cold.
Without her steal to keep her warm, she felt horribly exposed.

Turning from her beloved Sea, she headed back down into the bowels of the ship.
'cannot believe I left my things behind!' cursing herself silently
she headed for the monk's chamber.

Seeing the door closed, she rapted softly on the old wood.
Shuffling from one foor to another in a very good imitation
of a small child needing to use the privy, she hopped in place as she
waited anxiously for the footsteps inside to reveal itself as her ships
only saviour at sea.
As the door opened, Lil was looking down at her bare feet.
'Now, where did I leave my shoes?' she thought as the light
from the opened door crossed over her toes.
"Oh! Brother! Thank God, pardon but, I left some of my things behind.
Might I have my equipement back, please? Just some simple dirks, some
small throwing blades, a couple of sharps and three stilletos."

The chuckle that came from the booted feet in front of her was definitely not
that of the brown-robed brother of the cloth.
Lil's head whipped up, as she was then staring into a set of smiling eyes.
Duckie quirked an eyebrow.
"So, I finally caught you un-armed then?"

[Captain Jack Wolfe]

Jack took a pewter cup off a shelf by the bed and filled it with wine.  He handed it to Honour, then filled a cup for himself.
"It would seem meant to be," he smiled.  "I mean, the odds of our paths crossing once more---"
"Were considerably improved by your searching every nook and cranny in the Caribbean for  me during the past year and a half," Honour interrupted.  She took a sip of wine and sighed.  "You're such a hopeless romantic."  She had meant it as a slight, but something happened to her voice that made it sound more like a compliment.
"A hopeful romantic where you're concerned, love," he countered.  He held his cup out to her.  "To our daughter, Zara Wolfe."
Honour clinked her cup against his.  "To our daughter."  She smiled at the memory of their baby girl.  But her smile faded as she thought about how long she had been apart from her precious child.  Too long.  Too many delays.  But that would all change now.
"We have to go right away," she blurted.
Jack paused and gave her a slight smile.  "I haven't even said yes to going to Wales yet."
"Don't screw with me, Jack.  I know you want to see her.  You need to see her.  So don't act like this is some sort of negotiation."
"But, what about your ship?"
"You're aboard her.  Half of it's mine, remember?  You weren't hit on the head that hard."
"I meant the other ship.  The stolen one."
Honour drank some wine and shook her head.  "What of it?  It's gone.  We could spend months chasing after that bastard Cade.  Faced with the choice of running him down or seeing Zara again, I choose Wales.  I've been away from Zara too long."

Jack leaned back on the bed and regarded her.  "What will your crew say?"
"They'll understand.  At least I hope they will.  What about yours?"
"That's the sticky bit," he said grimly.  "To change course for Wales, that means we go off the Account.  And that won't sit well with some of the men.  Many of them are wanted back in the Commonwealth.  It would be a death sentence for them to go back."
"I see," Honour said quietly.
After a long pause, Jack said, "I'd like to say I'll miss them..."
Honour blinked.  "What?"
"We can pick up more crew on Castille del Fuego.  Or St. Kitts or Nevis, on our way through the Windward Islands.  I still have friends there."
"You... you're saying yes.  Aren't you?"
Jack finished his wine and grinned at her.  "Yes."
Honour practically leapt out of her chair and landed on top of Jack, peppering him with kisses.  "Thank God!  I knew you'd say yes!"
"Honour?"
"Oh, Jack, you are going to love Zara!"
"Um, Honour?"
"And she will love you, too."
"Honour!"
She paused and looked down at him.  "What?"  He was wincing.
"My head, remember?  Not that I mind having you in this delightful position again..."
"Oh!  I'm sorry!" she said, sitting up quickly.
"No, no, it's fine.  Maybe if we took it a little slower?"
"I was just so happy," she said.  "I got carried away."
"Far be it from me to dissuade you from showing your appreciation, love..."
"No, you're injured.  You need to rest."
"Now that you mention it, I'm feeling much better as we speak.  Your kisses have healing powers!"
"Really?"
"Why, yes!  Please, continue with your treatments, doctor.  You patient awaits!"
"All right.  But there's one thing I meant to do."
"What's that?"
Honour smiled sweetly, and slapped Jack upside the head.

"OWW!!" he yelled.  "What was that for?!"
"For snooping through my things!  Thought I forgot, huh?"  She rolled off of him and returned to her chair, and casually poured another cup of wine.  She tossed her blond mane and gave Jack a smirking glare.
The clanging in his head subsided slowly.  "I hope that made you feel better."
"Oh, don't be such a baby.  I didn't hit you that hard."
"I thought we had decided my snooping was for the best?"
"No, I decided I was glad to no longer be burdened with keeping that particular secret from you.  That doesn't excuse you from going through my belongings."
"What do you mean, 'that particular secret'?  You mean there's more?"

Damn, Honour thought.  Jack had always been able to get her to say too much by making her angry.  And he could make her angry without really trying.  Any other man she could dismiss with a laugh and never reveal the truth.  Not Jack Wolfe.  If he wasn't getting into her bed, he was getting under her skin.  His talent for aggravating her was still impressive, and she caught herself wondering for a fleeting moment if his other talents were still as finely honed.  Honour reluctantly shoved aside the thought and downed the rest of her cup of wine.  Double damn.  Between the day's events and the tainted brownies, the merlot was going straight to her head.
"Stop trying to change the subject!" she argued.
"All too frequently, your secrets are the subject, darling."
Honour rolled her eyes.  She had fallen into the classic trap.  Never get into and argument with Jack when he was the more sober party.
"You are impossible!" she deflected.
"Not impossible," he smiled enigmatically.  "Just highly improbable."
"Don't start with the riddles, Jack, please?  It's been a strange enough day as it stands."
"All right.  That's fair.  Things have taken a bizarre turn.  I'm not sure I even want to know what was really going on with that... thing.  Or why it was threatening you."
"I'm not sure I believe it myself.  Can we find something else to talk about?  Something pleasant for a change?"
Jack smiled.  "I know just the thing..."
"Now just wait a minute.  I know that smile."
"No, not this time," he laughed.  He leaned forward and took Honour's hand in his.  "Tell me about Zara.  All about her."
Honour smiled proudly as she looked into her husband's eyes.  "Jack, she's the most beautiful little girl the world has seen.   She has luminous blue eyes and delicate features, with skin almost the colour of almond butter.  Her brown hair is thick and curling, almost long enough to braid when she was born."
"She sounds perfect.  I suppose she's got your defiant chin, too?"
"And your temper."
"God help us all!" Jack chuckled.  "And you're certain Zara is a girl?  I mean, they dress babies up so that you can't tell what the devil they are.  Boy, girl, ferret-- it's tough to say some times."
"Yes, Jack.  I checked, more than once.  No stem on the apple," she said with a wink.
"There's a cruel twist of fate, don't you think?" he asked as he refilled their cups.
"How so?"
"Jack Wolfe, the father of a little girl?  Think about it.  What irony."
"There was an Eastern philosophy you told me about one time, where things happen in order to keep the Universe in balance.  What was it you called it?"
"You mean 'karma'?"
"That's the one!"  Honour patted Jack's hand.  "Consider the scales level again, dear."

"I'd prefer to look upon our daughter as blessing, not a device to make me the butt of a cosmic joke!" he laughed.  He took a swallow of wine and sighed heavily.  "Where do we go from here, Honour?"
"Wales, silly.  Have you been looking down my bodice instead of listening to me again?"
"No, love.  I mean you and me.  What's next for us?"
"What makes you believe I've thought that far ahead?"
"Haven't you?"
Honour reluctantly met Jack's eyes.  "Ever since things went wrong between us, I quit making plans.  Whenever I've dared try, something happens to ruin it all.  So I don't bother any more.  Less disappointment."
"Surely you had a reason for coming back to the Caribbean.  I can't see you leaving Zara on a whim.  And it can't be because of a forgotten hairbrush."
"I... I wanted to secure Zara's future.  I felt she would have a better life here in the New World.  That's why I went to Barbados and purchased a plantation," Honour explained nervously, "so she would never have to want for anything, and she could grow up where she was... where it all started."
"So you got your plantation after all.  I'm glad.  Does it compare to the one you originally wanted?"
"Almost," she fibbed.   He didn't need to know just yet how she had bought the plantation before she originally left Barbados for Wales, and covered up the transaction.  "But then I tried to get passage back to Wales, and it's been one misadventure after another."
"Maybe you were waiting for me to find you?"
She gave him a pained look.  "That blow to the head really addled you, didn't it?"
"What's the matter, love?  Afraid of a little Divine Providence?"
"Jack, I never expected to see you again.  Zara is the embodiment of the best of us, and through her, I knew I'd always have a connection to you.  Whether I wanted it or not."  Honour paused, and met Jack's eyes once more.  "Yes, Fate has brought us back together again.  And I do want you to see your daughter.  Our daughter.  But the rest of it...  can we for once take it slow?"
Jack smiled.  "A gentle merging, instead of a full-on collision?"
"Do you have a double entendre for everything I say?"
"I try.  I like the way you blush."
Honour swirled the wine around in her cup.  "And I like the way wine drips off your hair, unless you settle down," she quipped with a smirk.  "Oh, look who's awake!"

The ship's cat, Lil' Puddin', had come out of one of his favourite napping spots and was rubbing against Honour's legs, purring loudly.
"Someone else is happy to have you back," laughed Jack.
She giggled and picked the sleek grey cat up in her arms like a baby.  He in turn stretched his neck so he could touch his nose to her cheek briefly.
"He kissed me!" she exclaimed.  "You put him up to this, didn't you?"
"Not at all.  He's only ever that affectionate with you.  The lucky beggar slept with you the other night whilst I was being all noble on the floor."
"Puddin' gets special privileges.  I like the way he purrs."
"You could get me to purr..."
"And put an end to torturing you? "  She paused and licked her lips seductively.  "I'll think about it."
Jack laughed loudly. "Then I shall continue to hope!"
"Good," Honour smiled, and turned her attention back to giving Puddin' a long overdue belly rub.

[lilaney]

Lil gaped for a moment, finding her voice was tougher than she thought.
She finally strangled out
"What are you doing here?"

Duckie stepped aside and motioned for Lil to enter with a gentle bow,
"Looking for answers"
Lil noticed, as she eased by him hugging as close to the opposite wall as she could, he
was still smirking slightly.
'God! I hate being unarmed!' She thought hard as she scanned the now scraped and battered room.
"Where are my things?"

Duckie leaned against the opened doorjamb; arms crossed, he glanced around the room in a cursory way.
With a slight shrug he watched Lil who began inspecting the room a bit more thoroughly.
"Did not see anyone, or anything in here when I came in. Think that the Brother might have picked them up?"

Lil stopped searching at Duckie's words, she did feel like she was invading the private space of a holy person, seeing all his
things laid out and open for anyone's prying eyes.
"I wonder where he took my blades?"
"What I am more concerned with, is what happened here? I have not seen that many holes in a wall, in oh, about six months."

Lil shook her head, keeping the awful memories at bay.
That dam dark shadow was truly a wicked being.
"If you pardon, I do not wish to speak of it. Truly, I believe Brother Timothy will be able to tell you a truer tale. Or, maybe the Captains?"
Lil having given up the search as a bad job, headed for the door.
As she began to cross the lintel, an arm eased across the space, blocking her way.
Her insides twisted, she felt her adrenaline kick in.
Either she was going to kill him, or kiss him.
'But, acording to Queensbury Rule, it is now his move' she thought logically,
so she waited on the doorstep to see what the good doctor was up too.

"It must have been bad to shake up a Valkyrie like you."
His whispered concern was almost her undoing;
Lil felt she had been fair in waiting for him to make the first move, but, she felt that was a low blow.
She moved to shove his arm out of the way, only to be encircled, enveloped and pulled towards his chest into a deep, warm hug.
Lil tried to resist, her efforts were useless.
Duckie held fast until he felt the woman in his arms relax and begin to lean into him, accepting the hug he gave.
Accepting the concern and friendship he held out to her.

She felt so small in his arms; Drake had always thought she was bigger than this.
'Odd, how things are not always what they seem' he thought as he felt Lil lean further into him.
He could feel her fatigue in the way she put her arms around his waist and began to hug him back.
"I believe you need a drink; a nice long nap and when you are ready, a willingly ear. What do you say?"
Lil had had her head burrowed deep into this man's chest, soaking in the warmth and comfort that he offered;
upon hearing his voice, she felt as if a bubble had popped and reality came flooding back in.

She stepped back from him, he allowed her to go, though, she sensed it was not his choice to do so.
Lil looked up into his face, his eyes held so much promise for her, she could see all the answers there.
What she could not do, was unlock her heart to ask the questions; instead, she felt her defenses come back.
Quirking an eyebrow, she crossed her arm back over her chest.
"Dr.'s orders?"
She was not dim, nor witless, she could see the sadness cross his face for a moment, and then his defenses came back.
He shook his head sadly, and turned and walked silently out, and away from Lil.

With the wind knocked out of her sails and feeling quite at a loss for words, Lil fidgeted for a moment; deciding upon a course of action, she took the Dr. at his words and headed for her cabin.
"He is right, I need sleep. I am certainly not thinking clearly at all. What is happening to me?"
She continued to mutter to herself and she got undressed, crawled into bed and spent the next four hours tossing and turning, before falling into an exhausted sleep as she heard the blessed words of "Land ho!" being cried out from one rather daffy lookout from the Crow's nest.

'Good; land..' she sighed as a dark, dreamless sleep finally overtook her.

[Hibernian]

The door swung hard and slammed loudly against the wall followed quickly by the crashed of the armory falling from the monk's hands.

"Certainly Brother you know how to make an entrance."
"Truly sir, the better not to stumble into situations or conversations where one is not expected. With but the clash of steel upon the deck all will know of my approach and guard well against a penance for acts that should not my knowledge become. As a monk amongst pirates I am perhaps and for the better  the last to know when the tide has shifted and the game is afoot."

Their eyes briefly met as the thoughts raced in their minds to consider the friar's words and exactly how much of their conversation had he overheard. Blackjack gently shooked his head as if to silently indicate to his cousin that in this case silence was indeed golden.

"Brother, even the gentiles had their apostle, do not we pirates deserve equal?"

"You sir are a character, of which type one day I will determine, but for now do not even think me in the same league of the apostle. I am but a simple friar with a vision to see through, and amongst you I will remain until such a time in the future when I am taken elsewhere. But now to the matters at hand, or at least those that were once in the hand."

Looking at the various sharp objects at his feet, "I believe good sir several of these belong to you. The metal stars are interesting, I've never seen them used before, something you picked up on your journeys?"

But before Blackjack could answer, the monk had spied Elinore on the far cot and was moving toward her, the daggers and throwing stars now completely forgotten.

[Blackjack Roberts]

Blackjack walked over to the pile of throwing weapons and quickly stowed the throwing stars into their usual hiding place. Luckily, he had decided in the heat of the unearthly battle not to unleash any of the poisoned darts. For one, he was certain that the addition of the poison would have had no more effect than the stars. For another, he didn't want to inadvertently kill any of the mortal combatants.

The rest he gathered up, assuming them to belong to Lil, and made his way over to Elinore's cot. Lilaney had pulled out all the stops while she had been protecting the young scribe. Jack recognized six of the daggers as the ones that were hidden in the bracers he had given to her before they had set out on LaVille du Traitre.

The monk was mumbling something beneath his breath, which Roberts took to be a prayer. From somewhere within the wide sleeves of his robe Brother Timothy produced a small vial that Jack recognized from the times his mother had taken him to church, a vial of Holy Water.

"Something amiss, Friar?" Blackjack remembered many of his Catholic mother's teachings, and knew something of exorcisms. For a moment he feared that the vile spirit had taken refuge in the young girl.

Brother Tim placed a few drops of the blessed liquid on his right thumb and traced the sign of the cross three times across Elinore's brow.

"Perhaps nothing, Blackjack." The holy man replied. "But of all of us, Elinore was touched most deeply by the evil. Better safe than sorry, I always say."

Replacing the water back into his sleeve pocket Brother Timothy looked at Jack and grinned. "Dr. Gander is an excellent healer of the body, but it is left to those of us who have been called to heal the soul."

"Sancte Michael Archangele, defende nos in proelio; contra nequitiam et insidias diaboli esto praesidium." Blackjack whispered the opening of the prayer to the Archangel Michael.

The monk's eyes widened in surprise. "Jack! You never told me you were Catholic."

"My mother was Irish Catholic." Blackjack mused thoughtfully.

"Your father?" The monk queried.

Blackjack grinned ruefully. "English Protestant."

"Well, nobody's perfect, you know." Brother Timothy chuckled.

Elinore's eyes fluttered open, feeling as if the weight of the ages had been lifted from her. The dark images and thoughts that had haunted her dreams evaporated like a morning mist before the warm rays of the sun. The monk and the pirate smiled, somehow knowing that now the threat of the vile spirit was truly defeated.

[Elinor Hakebourne]

Spying upon the two gentlemen standing near her cot, her eyes moved from Brother Timothy to Blackjack. "One question," She immediately muttered upon waking, "Who was it that knocked me out like that?" She felt around the back of her head to the bruise that still lay there, as tender as earlier.

"Me, lass," Blackjack responded, bending down so he was at eye level with the scribe. "Couldn't be helped," He murmured, avoiding her gaze. "You'd be lured in by the...thing that had taken up residence in the cabin. The only way I could help it not invade further was to knock you out." He looked pained as he spoke these words, as if this confession took a great deal to divulge. "How's your head?" He asked softly, returning his gaze to her own.

"It hurts, but it's just a bump. It'll fade," She said confidently. She hoisted herself up on one elbow, swinging her legs around to the side of the cot, as if to rise to her feet. The motion was so swift that a shocked Blackjack had to hastily scoot backwards in order to miss getting hit. "Don't worry about it, Blackjack," She murmured, getting to her feet. "I do have one thing to say to you, though," She continued, moving closer to him. "Don't throw your pistol at me again, please. That was far from pleasant," She finished. "But," And at this she turned to both highwayman and monk, "Thank you. I wouldn't have wanted to be the reason this spirit gained form on the ship."

With that, she left the infirmary in search of Lil, Julian, and food, leaving Brother Timothy and Blackjack slightly stunned in her wake.

"Guess our fair Captain's giving her lessons again..."

[Martin Montgomery]

 Martin sat up on the edge of the uncomfortable cot that he'd been on for the past few .....had it only been hours since his wound had opened? He was shocked and surprised at the two men's revaluation of family ties,but he himself had a past that even his closest friends on board new nothing about. "Your secret is safe with me my friends!" He made sure that his leg wasn't bleeding and decided to give the cousins a bit more privacy. "Well you two, I think I feel well enough to head down to the galley and supervise the Taylor boys while they do all the prep work for supper! Standing up and weaving slightly the big man made his way from his cot to the doorway,holding to the doorframe he turned to say a jaunty farewell,to the cousins.As he turned his gaze fell on Elinor sprawled across a cot futher away,his eyes closed in silent prayer,martin left the surgery and pulled the door almost closed. "Dear Lord Above" He whispered "Let that girl recover from the horrors of this voyage! She does not deserve the Hell that she has reaped by associating with the likes of the rest of us!"

[Martin Montgomery]

Slowly Martin made his way from the surgery forward towards the galley mulling over everything he had found out just by being in the right place at the right time. Roberts, Malcom, and Jennings COUSINS! Welsh Wench and Captain Wolfe,PARENTS! Evil spirits loosed from the treasure chest of Saint Dimas! Welsh Wench possesing incredible magical powers! Roberts owning either Magical or Blessed objects! WW and Captain Wolfe seeming to agree that the ship needed to return to England! And yet most intriguing by far, Lil's iron reserve seeming to visibly crumble under the calm,cool and rather sedate assault of the good Doctor Gander!! With his head feeling light and the dark passageway beginning to spin,Martin placed one large hand upon the worn wooden wall. Suddenly the big man became lost in his own past....... It was a beautiful spring day. Cool crisp air, bright shinning sun, and two young people out on a carefree ride through the countryside. In an instant the big cook realized he was seeing his past. The young man he was watching was himself years earlier. He remember the day vividly,it was burned into his brain. The day was.......painful,but he could not look away. He remembered preparing the picnic basket and riding out to the secluded copse of trees,very early that morning. He had set up a small but comfortable area,blankets and a prepared firepit to ward off any possible chill. The basket,blankets and other special items he had stored in a chest to keep them free of pests. The riders stopped on a small knoll overlooking the prepared site,Martin had then asked the young woman if she wanted to turn back or press on. He knew that he'd asked the question with a lump in his throat the size of his massive fist,but he had held his voice steady. Though the colors of his vision were clear,Martin couldn't hear ANY sound.He knew the answer yet he wished to once again hear the sweet voice that had agreed to go forward. He also knew the sounds that were present when the day had been new,happy birds singing,a pleasant breeze rustling the high branches of the trees,the contented munching of their mounts as they grazed,taking advantage of the short stop. The two rode slowly to the copse and Martin,after first taking care of the horses,led her to the little glen. He could hear in his mind the small exclamation of joy as she surveyed the prepared area. Lighting a fire as she had spread the blankets,the big cook again felt the lump of fear in his throat,was his being here once more going to change the day? He could not bear the thought of loosing the precious memory,so with a quickly beating heart he watched raptly.  The meal went as he remembered,including the part where he spilt hot tea on to her leg!  After finishing the otherwise enjoyable meal the two lounged together closely and time passed,as it does between the young. A smile creased the elder Martin's face as he remembered his own feelings from fifteen years back. Had it been so long?!?! The two had regained control of themselves and were now were resting together,contentment seeming to shield them from the brisk air,each pointing out the shapes they could imagine,out of the fluffy clouds as they passed,with stately progress,the few branches that tried to enclose the clearing's open roof. It had been a thoroughly enjoyable time for the young people and she had turned to him,asking him how long he had planned this. He felt a pang that he could not hear her voice just once more,even as he watched his younger self reach towards the basket again and emerge grasping a small box,quickly tucking it into his beret,a brief flash of bright sunlight reflecting off of a Golden Horsehead Pin. It was her first token to him,given during a sleigh ride a year earlier at Yuletime. She was laying there,nestled in the crook of his left arm. He knew that he had spoken then,but for the life of him he couldn't remember WHAT! The past Martin had crushed the soft headgear in his right hand until she had laughingly made him release the poor distressed thing to her. She had begun to smooth it out and checked to see that her pin was still firmly attached. Her mouth had formed a small "O" as the box had tumbled free,to land in her lap! She picked the small box up with trembling fingers and her eyes..........Her Dark Beautiful Eyes.....the eyes that had captured him Heart and Soul.....were bright with unwept tears. She opened the box and........."OY There Martin!! Ye shouldn't be out of your sick bed! Do'ya want to be on Duckie's bad side!?!?" The dark haired,dark eyed woman disappeared in a bright flash of blinding PAIN!!  The big cook had walked into the solid oak doorframe that led into the Galley! Ye Gods .....His head hurt!!!! "Help me to my own Blasted bunk boys and if ye tell anyone about this .....You might be on the next meals Menu!!!"   

[Welsh Wench]

"Honour, where are you going?"
Jack had looked up from upending the bottle of merlot, watching the last drop hang on the lip of the bottle. Shaking it didn't seem to produce any more.
Honour had gently put Puddin' down on the bed and had headed towards the door.
"I have half a ship to run, you know."
"MY ship. My running. Your half is just along for the ride, Honour."
She stuck her tongue out at him.
"Just because you managed to reproduce with me doesn't give you a license to run rough shod over me, Captain Wolfe."
He chuckled. "Would I do that?"
"You wouldn't because I wouldn't let you. I have an errand to run. And then we need to gather our principle crews together and discuss that puff of smoke that tried to take my Elinor and had plans to take our child. Shall we say....eight bells and a few lobsters with drawn butter?"
Jack tipped an imaginary hat to his wife. "You want the ship moved a bit to the left, too, Madame?"
"If you can manage that, yes."

She closed the door and walked down the companionway. And what she saw stopped her dead in her tracks.
It was Duckie.
And Lilaney.
And they weren't exactly talking about septicemia.

Wench drew back into the shadows of the companionway, holding her breath and not moving a muscle.
'Damn, I hate this! I feel like a voyeur.'
She heard their muffled talk and then Lil's voice sharply uttering, 'Doctor's orders?' and take a defensive posture.
Wench's heart sank. Two of her dearest friends were falling head over heels and then Lil had to break the spell.
Duckie walked one way and Lilaney the other.
Wench stood there for a minute, letting them each walk to their respective rooms.
Lil to her bunk, Duckie to the infirmary.

Wench went into the room that she had comandeered from Briggs and went over to his armoire. Which was now hers.
Carefully she took it out of a small chest that held her jewelry and what-nots. She gently lifted out a small valuable, blew on it and polished it on her chemise, then laid it in a velvet bag and drew the strings.
Carefully she made her way down to the bunk where her dear friend, the one who had given her the bracers, was resting. She knocked softly on the door frame.

"Martin? Are you up for a quick visit? If you are too tired, I could come back."
He looked over and smiled. "Not at all, Captain!"
She grinned broadly. "We shall have none of that 'captain' nonsense, especially when we are alone here. Martin, have I ever told you that most of my best times were with you?"
He laughed. "I thought for sure they were with Captain Wolfe."
She felt the colour rise in her cheeks. "Well, a different kind of fun, I guess. But I remember how you paid off my debt to the merchants of Glen Livet when I ran up Captain Daniels' accounts---"
"---which you promptly paid back--"
"--and you dumped the fifty-five gallon barrel of water on me---"
"--only to calm you down--"
"--and then you smacked me--"
"--because you were hysterical---"
She stopped. "Martin, we could go on and on like this all night long. But the thing is, when my life was chaotic, this crew was the only sense of normalcy in my life. And I love each and every one of you and I am afraid that I don't show it as much as I should."
He patted her hand. "You do just fine, Wench. We all have our baggage. And our secrets. But we make it through the hurdles of what we call 'life'."

Wench looked down and said softly, "We know only what we want others to know, Martin. I have my secrets and heartaches. You have yours. Lil has some, Jack has quite a few. Elinor is just starting to experience it. Black Jack is loaded with secrets that he guards in his heart. And I have a feeling that Brother Timothy may not have always been a monk."
She handed Martin a small velvet bag.
He looked at her questioningly. She explained, "One of the crewmen was fishing. He caught a large grouper and when he fileted it, he got more than he bargained for."
Martin opened the bag. Inside was a golden horsehead pin.
She watched as the big man turned the pin over and over in his hand, touching it tenderly.
Wench could feel her eyes filling up with tears as Martin didn't look at her but continued to stare at the pin.
She reached out, tenderly touched his hand and said, "I don't know who gave it to you, Martin, but I know it means the world to you. And whether it was a stroke of fortune or some divine intervention, it has now come back to you."

Martin looked up at her, a tear trailing down his cheek.
"Thank you," he whispered.
Not bearing to see the glimpse into his past that he so carefully guarded, she felt her voice catch as she said softly, "You are so welcome, my dearest friend."

Just then, the call from above was heard.
"LAND HO!"

[Blackjack Roberts]

Blackjack reached into his shirt and produced a spare black silk head scarf  where he deposited the remainder of the throwing blades. Tying the bundle up he looked up long enough to assure himself that Malcolm was resting peacefully, then picked up the weapons.

"Well, Friar, I do believe it be high time the mistress 'a these be reunited with them." He grinned. "Though at the moment I believe our scribe would benefit from a collection of her own."

Brother Timothy chuckled. "Gave you a bit of a pause there did she?"

"Aye, to a point." Blackjack grinned. "Yet: O' my word, an she knew him as well as I do, she would think scolding would do little good upon him. She may perhaps call him half a score knaves or so: why, that's nothing."

The monk's eyes widened and Malcolm chuckled as the pirate produced a thin black tobacco cigar and lit it before continuing. "Still, I've a feeling our demure little scribe has taken away some good from her encounter, and I'll not be the one to tempt that fate a second time. Though I have become rather jaded to mere words, I've little doubt young Elinor is no longer a lass of them alone. And, though I've little use for it at the moment, I have come to value my hide."

The cry of  "Land Ho!" wafted through the open porthole. Blackjack smiled at the effect his quote from Shakespeare had on the holy man. All monks were well educated from times of old, and he knew the meaning would not be lost.

"Now, with'n yer pardon, Friar. I'll be takin' Lil's property ta it's rightful owner." Roberts again fell into the role he had played for the past six years.

Just before he reached the door it opened and Duckie entered. "What on earth are you doing back here, Roberts?" The surprised physician asked, slightly perturbed from recent events.

Blackjack grinned. "Came ta check on me mates, Sawbones. An' at see if'n I could get me a chance ta even the scales with that scurvy dog ye seem set on keepn' whole."

Dr. Gander's ire broke. "I'm telling you for the last time, Blackjack Roberts, as long as Malcolm is under my care you'll not touch him! Is that understood?!"

"An' I'm telling' ye that as long as that back stabbin' vermin is aboard his health be a moot point." Jack shot back chillingly. "If'n yer so conserned with his well bein', ye'll do well ta get his bloody arse off'n this ship."

The doctor and the buccaneer glowered at each other  for a few tense moments, then Blackjack shoved the bundle of knives into Duckie's hands.

"Any ways the blighter isn't alone long enough fer me ta do anything ta him. So at least ye can save me the trouble a' returnin' Lil's weapons ta her afore we makes land fall. See'n as how we tends ta stir things up no matter where we land, I've little doubt she be need'n 'em far more'n I. What I need be a full bottle with a loose cork."

Drake watched Blackjack storm out the door and vanish. "What in Hades could Jenny have seen in that insufferable bastard?" He half whispered to himself.

Malcolm laughed uproariously until he began to cough. "Ducks," he finally wheezed still chuckling, "If you believe that little act, 'Ol Squints here has a bridge in London I've a mind to sell you."

[lilaney]

Ol' Ed and young Jim stood by the rail as the newest coastline came into view.
"O'l Ed? which port is this'un?"
Ed scratched the spot on his head that was slowly going bare and shrugged.
"Them's all look aloik to'me Jim."
He wheezed a moment and then chuckled.
"Eh, ye get to usta the movin' of the Ol' Girl and ye aint gonna wanna ever leave either."
Jim reluctantly looked away from the inviting coastline and frowned slightly at Ed.
"Leave what?"
Ed limped slowly away, back to tarring the stay lines, he turned and stared in wonder at the young pup.
"Why, ol Poseidin's realm, Amphitrite's pride."
Jim continued to look puzzled. Ed sighed 'I ein't dying 'till they make young ones as smart as I once was.""
The sea you daffy Jack! now back to yer lining, ya rope monkey!"
Jim scurried up the man lines and was gone from sight.
Ed looked and the ever-advancing coast of land.
"Eh.. land always brings trouble."
Muttering he nodded solemnly to Briggs and slowly shambled back to his tasks.

Briggs watched the old tar from his vantage point on the Quarterdeck for a moment and pondered inwardly if he would still be at Sea at Ed's advanced age or, would he even make it to Ed's old age?
Josiah shook his head, and refocused on the tasks before him.
"Oy! You! Get that line laid right!? Want to get someone else killed?"
Briggs loved bellowing, it made the day go by faster.

Drake could hear Briggs all the way in his state room.
He tried to block out the sound of activity that occured everytime the ship prepared to pull into port.
He continued to stare at the weapons before him.
Ducky liked things in order, precise and to the point. Which was why Lil's blades had been cleaned, sharpened and put in order of size, weight and lethal potential, laid out neatly on his personal desk.

He leaned forward in his desk chair, fingers laced in front of his face and stared at the blades.
' What would one say when giving back weapons?'
He ran over several ways in his head.
Seriously handing them over with a poker face at her door.
He cringed as in his mind, Lil glared at him and slammed the door in his face.
Drake ran his hands through his hair and stood up suddenly, he rounded his chair which now stood between him and desk.
He stared at the innocent blades and thought again.

Almost an hour passed and now he was sitting on his bunk staring at the blades from across the room.

Drake could feel it was time to make rounds on his paitents.
The draw of his proffesional mind battled inwardly with his personal mind.
Sighing heavily, his oath won out and he headed out the door, glancing only a moment back at the blades.

The thumping, banging and swearing was what drew Lil slowly out of her black, dreamless sleep. Lil opened her eyes and stared at the overhead above her, which would be the main deck of the ship.
Which in her mind meant they were much closer to land than she thought.
After a healthy bout of swearing quite colorfully at the ceiling, Lil rolled over and sat up. 
She was tired, much more so than before she went to sleep.
Her mind was running faster than she could catch up with.
"Ah, Drake, you are making me crazy."
Lil enjoyed the dark of the cabin; it felt to her like the space would keep her secrets as long as the lights were out.
"I am such a dork, why would I screw up such a nice moment?" She asked herself; getting dressed in the dark was old hat to her. She always kept her clothes neatly at the end of the bunk. Lil liked chaos as much as the next sailor, but, when it came to her personals, she had a rhythm that had to be met or she did not feel right about the day.
"Sailor superstitions, gotta love'em."
Her mind continued to whirl around the last time she was near the good doctor.
"For heaven's sake! It was just a hug! God! Lilianna, what the hell are you going to do if he ever held your hand? faint?"
She picked up one of her many scarves and wrapped it around her waist, without her blades on, she needed to improvise her protection. Scarves were wonderful for their multi-purpose usages.
Feeling it was time to go, she opened the door to let in the light.
The cast of dim light from the hall threw the cabin into contrast and Lil sighed as she focused her mind to come back on task, and to not think of Dr. Gander.

Would have been easier said than done if Lil had not taken three steps out of the door and crashed right into someone.
"dangnubbit, Duckie!"
Blackjack sat up from the pile that he and Lil had become on the floor.
Quirking an eyebrow he smirked knowingly at the now scarlet-faced nurse.
"Really? That bad, love?"
Lil refused to look him in the face, even after she scrambled back to her feet and they were both standing.
Blackjack patted her roughly on the shoulder.
"Well, thanks for the tumble, love. Maybe next time you can reherse with the right gentleman?"
Lil looked up, anger flashing in her eyes.
"Back to normal, now eh? Have a good one. I'm off."
Blackjack swaggered away, if Lil was not having a bad time of it, she would have complimented him about his figure.
"Maybe next time."
Her head now set squarely on her shoulders she made her way back to the Brother's stateroom.
A soft tap on the open frame and the brother looked up from his papers.
"Pardon, Brother Timothy. But, have you seen my weapons? Last place I left them was here."
The Brother smiled and shook his head.
"No, that was hours ago. You missed supper, by the way. I gave them over to Blackjack, who I believe left them in the care of Dr. Gander. Have you seen Elinor yet? She told us you were asleep in your cabin."
Lil felt a thrill race down her back.
Her beloved blades were in Drake's hands?
"Uh, no, thank you, Brother. I have not seen Elinore. I will find her as soon as I retrieve my blades. What time is it?"
Brother Timothy told her it was two hours before sunset and she'd best hurry or there would be no food left at all.
Lil was furthest from hunger than she had ever been in her life.
Even brownies did not sound apealing at the moment.
Leaving his doorstep she walked straight down the hall towards the Surgery.
'I have to get my blades back. Who knows what he'd do with them.'

Thoughts fled from her mind as the Surgery door opened and Dr. Gander stepped into the passageway.