June, 1605. Santo Domingo Port.

Jack would be slipping into the small tavern, The Sailor's Delight. It was a known hang out for the town's pirates. Where they would gather to drink, enjoy the company of a wench. As well as tell others about their stories on the open seas, but today it was a more somber day.

It would be the day that set Jack off on his life down the road from going from a pickpocket to a pirate. Just as the young man stepped inside, the slight roar of the crowd dulled. Each man looking to the young Jack, as they had been sharing stories about the youth's father.

"We be sorry to be hearing about your father, Jack. He was a good man and a good pirate." One man would say, getting Jack to nod lightly. There were more words of sorrow towards Jack, talking of what type of man his father was.

Jack nodded lightly to each man, before coming to a stop at the table of Captain Walters. He was the captain of The Drunken Sailor, and just as well known as his father. "I wish to be a member of yer crew, captain. I know I be young, but I be a fast learner." Jack said.

Captain Walters laughed to that. "Boy. Ye be stricken with grief over yer father's death. Be going home and find yerself a wench to marry." The captain waved the young Jack off, which only ticked the youth off more.

Slamming a fist down on the table. "I not be put off so easily. Now ye going to be allowing me to be one of yer crew, or do ye be daft in yer hearing? I not be taking no fer an answer." The young Jack hissed at the male across the table from him. With the outburst getting a hush over those present.

Captain Walters just stared at Jack for a long moment, before he started to crack up laughing. "Ye got guts, boy. Maybe more guts than brains! Ye want to be on me ship? So be it, and I be hoping you be knowing what ye be getting into. Got tell yer mom, and we be setting sail within the hour. Ye not be there, we leave without ye."

Jack nodded once before he turned to head out, and back to his home. Where his mother waited already knowing by the firm look in her son's eyes, what he had done. "Jack. I know I can't talk you out of this. Take yer father things. May they serve you well." Mrs Morgan looked down as Jack moved by his mother, and into his father's study. Gathering up his father's swords, daggers and pistols. One of his crew had managed to get them and brought them home with the news of his death.

Nothing was said between mother and son as Jack headed for the ship, it would be just as Jack reached the ship. That he heard his mother's voice again. "Jack. remember one thing. Always follow yer heart, Jack. No matter what. It's what yer father would want." Jack nodded and hugged his mother one last time, before walking up the gang plank to the Drunken Sailor.

The next six years were pure hell for the young Jack. Captain Walters worked the young hard, but also taught him everything he knew of the seas. Most of the time Jack was used as a work horse, but Jack kept his mouth shut and done as he was told. Anytime they were attacked, Jack was right in the thick of things. Proving his worth over time as a crafty and at times, a ruthless fighter.

By the time they returned to Santo Domingo. Jack had been voted by the newer and younger members of the crew to be captain, but the older men had voted for Captain Walters to stay captain. So Jack led the younger members from the Drunken Sailor.

As they sat in the Sailor's Delight. Jack caught wind of a recently docked ship. The Pandora. It was a merchant ship that had pulled in to port to make deals with the pirates. Jack moved and gathered his crew, and pulled them off to the side. "Alright men. We be taking that ship come night fall." The men nodded. "Now go get ready." The men nodded again, and took off to their homes to get their things.

Come night fall, Jack and his men slipped onto the ship. With him using hand signals to direct his men. Slowly but surely, they checked and found no one on board. The hull loaded with food and drinks, as well as a few cannons. As quietly as they could, they would get the ship ready to hit the open waters.

Just as the Pandora started to pull away from port. The original crew showed up. With their captain cursing up a storm, with Jack moving to stand on the side railing. It was the first time he showed who he would become. "This will be the day that you always remember as the day that you were robbed by Captain Jack Morgan!"

Over the next four years. Jack and the Pandora looted and robbed various ships as well as finally catching up to the ship that killed his father. The Pirate's Death, the prize ship of the royal navy. " Hoist the colors!" Jack yelled out to his men, just as they pulled along side it. " Fire!" The cannons on the Pandora opened up. Landing well aimed shots to disable the Pirate's Death cannons.

Before pulling away to bring the ship up and around for another broadside. The Pirate's Death opened up with it's remaining cannons. As both ships traded cannon fire, before Jack and the Pandora pulled up along side. With this crew using hooks to draw the ships together. That's when the battle hit it's brutal climax. Sword to sword, pistol to pistol on the deck of the enemy ship.

The fight would last another hour, before the crew of the Pandora stood victorious. Capturing half of the crew of the Pirate's Death. Jack stood before them all, save the captain who his men where guarding. " I give ye boys a choice, come sail under my colors. It be better pay, and more rum and women. But if ye be sailing under my command. Ye be treating women and children with respect. Ye force anything with them. I be shooting you on the spot. " The captured sailors nodded in agreement.

"Good. Now ye be helping with the looting." A wave of hand as he left them in the hands of his crew. Moving towards the captain of the Pirate's Death. " Tie him to the mast. Let the bastard sink with his ship. " Was all Jack said as he moved to the Pandora. It would take a couple of hours for his strengthened crew to unload the Pirate's Death of it's loot.

Once they sailed back a bit. "Open fire!" Again the Pandora's cannons opened up. Shot after shot rocked the Pirate's Death, before it blew up, sinking the ship. Getting a loud cheer from his crew, and a smile to watching the ship sink. " Father. Ye be avenged. Rest in peace. " Removing his hat and placing it over his heart, the crew fell silent in respect. before looking to Jack. " We have a heading Captain?"

"Aye boys, let head home." The crew nodded and set about getting the ship to head home, with it being a few days from sinking the Pirate's Death. That a storm hit, transporting the ship through time and space to Rhy'Din. Pulling into dock before Jack moved to head into town. " Ye boys wait here. " The crew nodded as he moved into town to find out where they were at.

It was then he was jumped by a captain of another ship, and some of his crew. Thinking Jack was an easy mark, which they soon found out that he wasn't. As Jack killed two of the man's crew, and watched the captain take off. With Jack following to see which ship he went to. Remembering the name Neptune's Revenge. Jack smirked to himself as he turned to let his crew off the Pandora. Heading to a small dock tavern.

Come night, Jack would again gather his crew together. "Some local captain tried to rob me. We be paying him back tonight. " Motioning his men to follow, as they again stole silently onto the Neptune's Revenge. With them stealing what they could carry and taking it back to the Pandora. With Jack stealing a necklace from the captain's quarters, and at the moment something told him to never let it go.

From that day forward, Jack and his crew returned to their looting and plundering ways. This time off the coast of Rhy'Din. Sometimes making port in the city, out of sight of the local Watch. Who were now out looking for him for his crimes against the merchant ships sailing in and out. It would be three years later when he again docked near the city. That things would change.

It would be when he met Ileen McGowan. A local resident of Rhy'Din, whom would be the one that the necklace he held onto for the last three years, belong to. It was by chance that Jack eventually got it out of her. As Ileen was visiting her dead sister's grave, Bridget McGowan. With him standing not far behind her. After he put his coat around Ileen, who was wet and cold from Jack pushing her off his ship. That one moment lead to the next, where Ileen told him of her sister and her necklace.

The moment Jack returned it to Ileen. Everything changed between them. Both now wished to be close to the other, to see what the future held for them both. With both hoping that the other was in that future.

The Destruction


After the initial shock of being left in this city, Ileen and Bridget took things they always did, with a shrug and moved on. They were familiar with being left behind, hell that happened the moment they had been born. Their parent's not realizing there were two of them, had not taken it well. Unable to make a decision between which one to give up, they gave up both of the girls to a family that was brimming with life. They were good people.

Rhydin while it was quite large, was not hard to maneuver. Each finding their own niches, complete opposites in this. Ileen found a job quite quickly at a place called the Red Dragon Inn. Unused to other life forms and special magic's, it had taken her by surprise but was soon melding into the mix and was quite happy to do so. Still unrelenting in her lust of salty depths, plans had been put on the back burner until enough coin could be made to build the Sloop she so wished for. The blueprint's hand sketched, it would come to be at some point.

Bridget busied herself with the cabin and property they had managed to buy with the remaining money they had put away from their parent's will and made it a home for the sister's.

Time passed, coin was short and the money Ileen made at the Dragon was only enough to keep them fed. It was around this time, that part of her well hidden nature reared it's head and she sought out what she knew to exist in Rhydin, but was not often spoken about openly.

Contacts were made, stealth was simple as she blended so easily. Outwardly, there was nothing about the woman that would have ever given anyone the inclination that she was responsible for several incidences that had been noticed by the local Watch. She was always present with a grin and deemed a tremendous flirt. Her demeanor unchanging.

Bridget knew not to ask questions of her sister, because she always got the same answer. The same explanation. After awhile, she simply stopped. But, after sometime, the Tavern the younger had always wished to open, was possible. Rightfully named, The Rogues Heart Tavern, business flourished and all seemed to be well. Perhaps they would stay.

It was then, someone walked into Ileen's life and everything changed. Riley McClancy. What a tall drink of water he was. He was a coworker at the Inn, a fellow tender and the two hit it off instantly. Hit it off in the sense that they danced around one another for months, until what was apparent could no longer be denied.

Ileen's practices, continued. Pockets were finally heavy and she began to work on the Sloop. Able to commission outside help, a shipwright and his helpers were hired and before she could blink, the ship was finished and was named The Wayward Wench, strangely enough.

Life continued, love was found and a future was being planned. Other than Bridget, Ileen had never experienced the type of dedication and warmth she found with Riley. He by all accounts had staggered the flighty one and it no longer seemed untouchable to consider planting roots.

Around Yuletide of that year, their engagement had transpired. Bridget was ecstatic that love had finally found Ileen and with such a wonderful man. Their friends all giving their blessings, it was as if the planets had aligned, destiny perhaps found. Their wedding planned.

Their relationship, while it seemed so very honest, was not. Out of a desperation to not put a shadow over what she had found, Ileen was essentially living a second life that Riley was not aware of. Absolutely terrified he would find out, a decision was made.

Approached by a member of The Blackrose, a proposition was extended and accepted. This would be her last dance in that world. She would see to it. Able to now move between Provinces, the trip to T'sel was within reach.. Six removed from the mix, she had not blinked, having become numb to it all. If not, she would have lost her mind and everything attached to that.

What she had not expected, was being detected. Her being followed for some distance by one she would later come to know as Kristof, the name of the ship taken to memory by the opposing entities, her time would come. And it did, but not immediately. Him having an ally with some of The Watch, it wasn't hard to find her. Or who they thought to be Ileen.

It was with absolute shock and dismay when Ileen had been summoned to the one supposedly having hired her to be paid and it was someone else. Someone she actually knew. More so his wife, it was at that moment Ileen's world began to spin out of control. Her conscious at that moment, took over, for until then, she had been anonymous. Now, she would be found out.

Leaving her with no choice, her own choice, she told Riley everything leaving not one detail out. The box of banknotes thrown into the fireplace and set ablaze, he had exploded violently. This of course was expected, but what came after that was not. He may as well have tortured Ileen, for the words he cut her down with ripped her to shreds. The woman he had given his heart to, was not one he knew at all. Going as far as spitting on her, it was at that moment that Ileen snapped, but not completely. That would come later.

That same day, death came calling. Kristof and his men not knowing Ileen was an identical twin, it was her they thought they were watching on the deck of the Sloop as it was in the dry docks for the seasonal inspection of her hull. It was not. The ship dangling there in the air, Bridget had been waiting for her sister. It was the day they were to pick out the fabric for her wedding dress. There were no witnesses, only what was found. That being Bridget dead, on the dry dock floor, one side of the ropes holding up the ship severed, leaving it's enormous side upon the woman, crushing her.

A pendant worn taken from her neck by Kristof as a token, leaving him smug. It was worth nothing but the emotion put behind it. Bridget had worn it since they were children, a gift from Ileen. A cameo with two flower petals on the inside. The sister's favored flower's. They were each other's world.

From that day forward, things moved in slow motion. Many coming to her in support, only six being aware of the truth of the situation. The one person she needed acted as if he never had even met her. Had never loved her. Had never shared a promise with her. Ileen was left as a shell, her sister's death her own doing. Something she was unable to live with, but was too angry to end her own life. Not until justice was served, Ileen's justice. That too would come.

The Wayward Wench left to rot in the same berth. It was on a brisk winter day, Ileen simply vanished.

Failure.

Fate's Folly

Upon her return to Rhydin, Ileen was on a mission and not one that was openly regarded by anyone. She simply seemed to be going through the normal paces of things. The first place she went was to their cabin. The whisper of the woods holding the sound of her sister's laughter, offering beams of light that she could only think was Bridget's smile. It lit up a room, it always had.

Unable to go within the structure, many hour's were spent day after day, simply sitting in the small meadow that made up the front of the property. Staring at the structure while she tried to get her mind under control and thoughts in place, they all ran together and she wondered if the knee jerk reaction had been premature to return.

Able to get her job back at the Inn, Toby had been more than gracious to do so. Knowing she had worked hard for years at such and dipping her into the middle of those that frequented the Red Dragon, had the possibility of being good for her.

Taking a room there, it wasn't often she rested her head on the musty pillows, but she had a place to turn.

Keeping to herself mostly, her charm and flirtatiousness being a brightness all it's own while she tended bar. When her shifts were over, she headed to the familiar of the docks.

It took two days for her to dare herself to go into the dry docks and that particular slip. When she had, she was shocked to find the Sloop still there. Her emotions at an all time high, she moved around the ship day after day, not touching it but reflecting on it's debilitated state and how it got that way. Which only infuriated her even more so.

Plans made, she would focus on getting the ship back into sea worthiness and then she would take the fateful trip to T'sel.

But the fates didn't see it that way.

One evening, a larger than life Pirate swaggered his way into the Inn. Captain Jack Morgan. He was an unknown, by her. Ileen knew most of the seedier types that roamed the realm, but he was one she had never seen. Nor had anyone else as was the speculation from some. The more she watched him, the more she realized that perhaps she would not need to repair the Sloop post haste. While he wasn't bad to look at either, Ileen wasn't focused on such things. She was unwilling to even remotely think on that aspect.

Night after night, day after day, they would flirt back and forth, words shimmering between them and laughter a constant. The casual knowing of him accomplished. The coves rather unknown by most, Ileen was in that area quite often and was able to pinpoint his ship, The Pandora as he made the name well known. A right fine ship it was in fact. It's crew rather formidable as well.

When the time was right, Ileen approached him. Her proposition made. Knowing the summer Gala would be in full swing the following weekend in T'sel, it made sense. The Harbor would be deserted, all attending the courtly affair that she knew Kristof would be present at. While she wanted his demise, she also wanted that pendant he had so boldly snatched from her sister's neck. That pendant truly overran the want of his death in some strange way. Stealth could be made, an easy slip into the harbor, onto his ship and then back out into open waters, undetected. She would deal with the rest later.

There was a certain arrogance about the Captain, which was not surprising. He was bold, he was mocking and took her not seriously as was also not surprising. While Ileen was nice to look at, he would find out swiftly there was much more to her than met the eye.

A confrontation between them being key to it all, it had been rather scathing on all levels. Him threatening to hold her captive in his brig after she had changed her mind, given the impassive nature of him. He had even acted on such until it had turned physical and he shoved her off of the gangplank of his ship.

They had parted on very bad terms.

Jack spotted Ileen at some point later that night as she cut through the woods and headed for the cemetery. He stood in the shadows, listening and watching her as the drenched woman sat before her sister's headstone, talking to her as if she were right there with her.

Particular things catching his attention, it was with much hesitation and mistrust, he had approached her. Words she could not reasonably believe falling from his lips as they didn't make sense to Ileen.

What he claimed remained to be seen, but there was something different in the way he said it. He had the pendant. Or he claimed he did.

Returning to The Pandora with him, Jack had led her into his quarters beneath the scrutiny of his crew and had produced the item. Sitting down, Ileen could only stare. It was her sister's pendant. The cameo rough and tarnished, but with a rub of her thumb it came clean.

Sight moving to him, such thick question there....at that moment...two worlds collided and splintered into million shards.

"There are winds of destiny that blow when we least expect them. Sometimes they gust with the fury of a hurricane, sometimes they barely fan one?s cheek. But the winds cannot be denied, bringing as they often do a future that is impossible to ignore."

Serendipity


Day's passed and the sand moving through the hour glass seemed to be going much too fast.

Ileen was used to being alone. She took security in this, a security she could trust. But with every hour, she wished to be surrounded by this Pirate she so sweetly called her Knave. Was she incredibly tempted to take flight? Yes. Did she do so? Yes. A couple of times in fact.

With as much passion as there was between them, there was even more so when they argued. A heady blend of business versus pleasure, their headstrong nature's playing with that balance that was already so teetered upon. But it would be for now as they danced not so fluidly around one another.

Days went on and somehow an accord had been reached between her and the Captain. He would fund the repair of the Sloop, but she would return his favor by working for him. No matter how long that took. It being an excuse for the two of them to a degree, it kept Ileen within the mix....his mix without blurting out in some courtly way that they were falling headlong. There was also a decision made that she would travel with him and his men. A place, belonged.

No longer simply going through the motions, she worked alongside Jack's crew. Yes, she was teased by most of them, but she teased right back. It all taken in stride, in that short period a camaraderie was formed, a solid one at that. She didn't take advantage of the relationship she had with their Captain, her Captain. Blood, sweat and tears went into the constant running of the Pandora....and then the repair of the Sloop.

More and more of her belongings ending up in his quarter's, nights were spent, all of them wrapped around one another. Seeing no point in keeping her room at the Inn, she had turned the key over to one known and let her know she could use it if she wished as it was paid for through the month.

At times, Jack and Ileen became the focal point for many at the Inn. Such a rambunctious duo they were, but it was clearly obvious that something enormous had dawned between them. Many happy for that, it had come byway of a teasing of them. That taken as it was, things that even they were not conscious of, laid out on the table.

The silks ordered and delivered that would make up the Sloops mast's, that had been an adventure all itself at the Marketplace. She would positively remember that day. It had been full of mischief and playfulness. And from that point forward, if she ever met someone with the last name of Simms, a smile would birth and memories would trickle.

A frustration with the hull of the Sloop keeping nerves on edge, it wouldn't hold and with each dip that was made into the inky depths, a sense of possible failure not only touched her, but it touched the Captain as well the crew. But one morning, the seal held and much celebration was had. Such a simple thing, but it meant so much.

They were all on a schedule, the extended period within the city of Rhydin, stretching on. Knowing the ship was one of the reasons for this, not to mention the matter of the Watch with Jack, Ileen would work until at some point, Jack would taunt her into taking a lazy little break. The back breaking also a way to help keep her thoughts from the pending threat that was looming over them. Those breaks spent with him, one afternoon they had vanished into the woods and she took him to the cabin.

Another chunk of trust formed, Jack had handled her with kid gloves, knowing what it meant to her. Maybe even him. Never once wavering from her side, he stood within that structure and from the puffs of dust and shuttered windows, he eased her into believing that she didn't have to tear it down. She didn't have to let the levels of grief consume again. There were possibilities, there always was and the decision was made. They together would renovate the cabin back to a live able level and use it themselves. An escape of sorts for them.

Still, the matter of the alley incident and the Watch swirled around them. Jack had told her there was a meeting of sorts that would happen between him and a member of the Watch to discuss what had in fact happened that day. He of course had needed Neddy and he set a path to find her, which he did. The old woman through her age and mental instability, had somehow found clarity and gave Jack her word to help him as he was not a killer. He had actually defended her against those two who seemed to take advantage of the fact that while she roamed the streets of Rhydin, she was still vulnerable to those that got sadistic pleasure in knocking her to the slimy cobbles.

However, there was still the fact of his other crimes and that he was wanted for several. That in a word, terrified, Ileen.

To worry over someone, was a new emotion for the red head. From one extreme to another, Ileen had in the beginning thought before it was known it had been Jack in that alley that fateful day, to go to the Watch herself and turn herself in for what was committed. It made sense at the time, because she knew they would look at her and perhaps take more leniency than they would for the Pirate. But it was too late, a wanted poster had been circulated throughout the city.

Struck with the realization of what she would do for him, mostly it was kept to herself. Knowing they both lived lives without there being someone else involved on a personal level, that was hard to come to terms with. Extremely so. But she couldn't manage to wrap her mind around the fact that he had been brought into her life, only to be ripped from it a moment later. She refused to accept this. She would not allow it and what was the further awareness, was that he would not accept it either.

And so it went on....

The Sloop, Bridget's Revenge, is fast, agile, and has a shallow draft. Her size and weight being over 100 tons. She is generally rigged with a large mainsail which is attached to a spar above, to the mast on its foremost edge, and to a long boom below. She can sport additional sails both square and lateen-rigged. The better for chasing Captain Jack Morgan, around the sea's.

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The following morning after the two had left the other's side from the Pandora. Jack had slipped off to the cottage n the woods, leaving Ileen to her own devices that morning. With Jack taking a few crew members with him to add the last few touches to it. That being bringing the furniture to the cottage, and making sure each piece was placed where it needed to be placed.

They would later meet up at the inn, staying there for a short while. Before heading off towards the docks, with Ileen talking Jack into taking the Bridget's Revenge out to sea to test her out fully. So they took a longboat out to where she was docked, and once on deck. With Jack telling Ileen that this was her ship and to take command. As he wouldn't disrespect her on her own ship by assuming command.

She preformed like a seasoned captain on deck, calling out the needed orders with the crew snapping to their posts. Slowly the sloop pulled out to the open seas, before at Ileen's request. Jack took command of the helm, with no words to his crew. They didn't need him to tell him what to do. His control only lasted for a short while, before he turned control back to Ileen. With both agreeing that the Bridget's Revenge needed to be armed. Allowing her to be a force on the seas, so upon heading back and docking the ship. They again took a long boat back to the drydocks, with Jack sending his men out to get the cannons that Ileen wanted. So they could arm the sloop. Ileen also suggested that they rid the sloop of the captain's quarters, to allow the Bridget's Revenge to carry more. Jack agreed and told his men of that as well.

While his crew took care of that, he would lead Ileen through the woods to the cottage. Where she was shocked to see how well Jack and his crew had rebuilt it to make it their hidden home. After the two went for a swim, and some playful bickering back and forth. The two sat down for dinner, a simple one which Jack cooked. Before the two headed to bed for the night, as each day passed. The two were becoming closer and closer.

In death itself there can be nothing terrible, for the act of death annihilates sensation; but there are many roads to death, and some of them justly formidable, even to the bravest: but so various are the modes of going out of the world, that to be born may have been a more painful thing than to die, and to live may prove a more troublesome thing than either. Charles Caleb Colton: Lacon.


To Feel The Kiss Of Eternity

Time spent at the cemetery, Ileen needed the closeness of her twin, so very much. Comment made by one at the Inn, it had not been directed at her, but simply spoken in reference to this person's own loss. "You get over it after awhile.."

Ileen had instantly said. "You are wrong, so very wrong. You learn to live with your loss, you never get over it..."

Thankfully, Jack had taken her from the situation, with that way he had and brought her demeanor back around to what it was until the mention was made.

Crouched down before the headstone, Ileen crossed herself and ran a fingertip over the letters chiseled into granite.

"I miss you, sister mine....with every passing day, I miss you more. I know you're watching and smiling wherever you may be...please take care and tell Jack's folks, he is fine...and so very bright. Thank them for me, for without them, there would be no him..."

A monarch butterfly choosing that moment to land on the stone, it fluttered it's wings and pulsed there in languid motions. Reaching out to it, careful not to touch it's wing's, Ileen wiped at the wetness dripping onto her cheeks and rose.

"We will return soon....please linger..." A turn and she made her way out of the gates and back to the life she was now coming to cherish.

"Gr??m th?, Bridget..."

Another Day In The Life


The time it took to get back to shore was too long in Ileen's mind, but in truth it wasn't long at all. Too much rolling through that brain of her's, Ileen stood observing the men through most of it. Roth being formidable, the man was precise and dripped his lifelong dream as he lived it. While some of the other's were green to a degree in years, they were not in the way they went about their job, when it was not a job in their eyes...not at all....they did what they loved.

Joe still looking rather unsure of himself, Ileen realized the whole incident had sincerely unnerved the man on many levels. When they got back, Ileen would send him to check on his wife and children, then perhaps he would be able to think a bit more clearly, which is exactly what her and Jack would need from him. Pressing from her stance, she went below.

Jack had been thinking on the same thing, and once they were docked again, he sent a few of his men out to help the other in checking up on their families. With him moving onto the deck of the sloop, with Roth pointing towards the area below deck. Nodding lightly as he moved to follow Ileen below deck, as the rest of the crew set about getting both ships docked fully and properly. " What be on yer mind, love?"

Standing in what used to be her cabin, a box was being unpacked. It containing several weapons, including blades and another proper flintlock, she was blowing at the scoop and giving it a wipe when he came in.

"I ain't letting them go...it was made clear what was going on...by all of them. But, tell me if I'm wrong...something ain't sounded right about any of this, it was too sloppy, much too sloppy even for Tim. Joe says they can describe the other men that were with Tim, I think we need to speak with all of them together, including Roth and pay a visit to someone..." Brow quirking.

" I be thinking that as well. I be thinking that it be Amy that be the mastermind here. " Leaning on the door frame to her cabin. "And I be sending part of me crew to be helping the men as they check on their families." Watching her a moment, before moving towards her. " Let's be waiting till the others be getting back. Then we be going to see her. "

At that moment, Roth poked his head in and nodded to Jack before looking between the two of them. "They be done..." Ileen glanced at him and nodded. "Send them on if you will to go home and check on everyone. Tell them to be back in a couple of hours as we need to talk to them, and Roth...need you s'well...." He nodded and turned quickly to rush back above deck. "Aye Captain..." Looking back to Jack, she gave him a wee lil grin, but not so much. "Gonna think I be permanently winking at you, darlin'..."

Jack looked to Roth for a moment, then back to Ileen. " First we be needing to be getting that healed up. " One finger point to her black eye. " People be thinking that I be smacking ye around. " An offered arm to her. "That be unless ye be liking the black eyed wench look. " Teasing her on that as he winked at her.

Taking Jack's arm, she was still trembling, her nerves more than shot today. However, it would pass. SCOTCH! Nothing like getting thrown back into the mix all at once after so long. "I haven't looked at it yet, it feels disgusting though...all squishy..." Then a glance up to him. "Let someone verbally assume you smacked me....let them..." Moving above with him, the weapons had been slid into the pack and it was placed across a shoulder.

He chuckled to that as he moved to walk with her. "I not be having ye be getting in trouble with the local Watch. " That down to her as he walked with her back on deck, then turned to lead her off the sloop. Moving to walk with her towards one of the local, yet small time healers. One of the ones that really needed the money. " Besides. Ye be having a big mouth at times. "

"I be knowing where you can get yourself a kajira that works like an orc and doesn't speak and behaves..." Retorted. "But then you would have to worry about your injuries when you did so..." All sing songy, the longboat taken then rest of the way in, they were deposited on shore near the Pandora. "Someone be needing to get their children out of there before we talk to her.." That murmured, her humor had dampened slightly in that.

He just looked at her on that. " Ye be doing that I be locking ye up with the loudmouth. " Leaving it at that before they now started towards town, carefully weaving their way to be in the dock area. " Wench. " Murmured before he nodded in agreement about the children. " Aye. They be innocent in this. "

A chuckle to his words, her hip a constant bump against him, she couldn't get much closer to him. The sun beginning to set, the crowds had thinned out immensely. "We ain't ever gonna get outta here tomorrow at this rate..." Still hoping to spot Neddy, she again did not.

A hip bump in return to counter her own. " Be looking like we be here for a few more days at the least. " Murmured in return to her. " We be taking care of this mess fully before we be able to set sail. " Looking down at her again, with a light wince to how bad the black eye was.

"Just don't tell me I'm ugly, it feels bad enough, I don't even want to see it..." Having caught his wince there.And it did, Tim had clocked her pretty good, it hurt at the bone of the eye socket which was deep. "Where are we going?" Nodding to his former, Ileen was ignoring the odd looks she was getting from passerby. "Aye, needs to be done..."

Jack nodded as he lead her to a small hut, and motioned her to head inside. " Just be getting ye fixed up. " Winking at her as he moved to let her slip inside by herself. With him waiting outside, while looking around at the few people that were out and about at the moment.

Ileen looked at Jack, and the one eye went wide. "I ain't going in there by myself, have you lost your mind?!" That in a hushed whisper. Instantly assuming he was referring one of those magicks voodoo people.

He sighed to that, before he moved to head inside with her. " Ye be a baby. " Teasing her as he looked over his shoulder to her. " Come on. "

Looking at him as if to say "And?!" she brushed around him with a grunt and followed him. The hut one roomed, there wasn't much there, couple of shelves on either thatched wall, each containing brown vials and small bottles with corked tops. Off to the back one, there was a large jar within something floating in it. Upon closer inspection, she tilted her head and realized it was a brain.

The elderly woman looked up from what she was doing. " 'ello, Miss Silver. Can ye be fixing her eye up? " Jack motioned to Ileen, getting the elderly woman to look at her. "Ye not be allergic to healing, are ye lass?" She narrowed her eyes a touch at Ileen and her swollen eye.

When Ileen turned to the woman, she was struck by how very minute she was and leaned slightly so she could get a good look. "Allergic to it? No....I um....well....just..." Ileen was stuttering. "Just don't zap me or something..." Flinching as the woman touched the hugely swollen lid. "Och.."

The elderly woman nodded as soon as the woman touched the black eye. Ileen would feel a soothing touch following, that is if she allowed it to work. It would slowly heal the deep bruising, as well as any headache caused from it. Jack meanwhile just watched the two.

Strangely enough, not only did she feel the pain slowly begin to pass, her nerves began to settle as well. Gaze kept to the woman ten fold, the swollen lid began to relieve and the mere slit that had once been, was beginning to allow a show of her eye. What had been a tremendous pain on that side of her head submitting to the touch, Ileen drew in a slow breath but was absolutely silently otherwise.

Once the healing was done, the elderly woman nodded as she sat back down. With Jack paying the woman, before turning to lead Ileen out. "Thank ye fer the business!" The elderly woman seemed pleased that there were still some willing to come to her. Sure to get Ileen to smile that Jack was a good man to help the elderly woman out like that.

"Thank you, ma'am..." Said as they left the small construct, she tilted the old woman a wink and included. "I may have something for you to sew closed, I will surely return..." Meaning Jack's lips, she blinked a few times and was rather shocked at the fact whatever she had done had worked and touched the eye. Back to normal.

The elderly woman nodded to her, with Jack smirking at her as he turned to walk with her again. " Be keeping it up wench. " Looking down at her as he would let her lead the way to where they would go now. Now that she was calm and healed fully.

Ileen's posture and stance back also to normal it was a lazy gaite and she shot him up a grin. "I will love....always....keep it up..." He could take that anyway he so desired and chuckled. Taking his arm, thinking they deserved at least a shred of humor before they were tossed back into the chasm of circumstance.

Another smirk at her. " Ye better be doing that. " Teasing her as he hip nudged her, before looking around to see if he could spot any of the crew yet. " Be hoping that no more mess after this. " Muttered to her. " Be looking for some relaxation soon. "

"Been nothing but a mess since the moment I tripped into your life..." That muttered, no mirth in her tone. Not too far away, a small clearing, not far from the area that led out to the cabin, there beneath the trees and well within sight, stood several of the crew and in the mix was Joe.

"Don't be blaming yerself fer what happened. " Murmured back to her. " What's done is done. " Hip bumping her again, before moving towards the crew. " What be the news? " Joe looked up and moved forward. "Our family be safe, captain. But the men that helped Tim, took off with his wife and children. We found out by talking to people that they were part of his family."

Shooting him a look, she didn't comment on it again for the moment and her attention turned back to the matter at hand. "Did they say if it was willingly or not?" Sounded like to Ileen, that Tim's wife was either in cahoots with the other, maybe a lover or that these men were extorting from the small family, but that was clearly unlikely considering no strangers had been found on the Sloop. Both ships now highly guarded, there was no worry of it happening again...much.

Joe looked to Ileen now. "They all be in on it, as an elderly woman told us what she heard one night. She told Roth that the day that Tim was sick. The plan was for Tim to steal the sloop, and get crew in the next port and come back here. Pick his family up and use it as a way to hassle other ships."

When Joe said 'old woman', Ileen looked up to Jack and then back to Joe. "Does the old woman have a name?"

This time Roth answered. "Aye. It was Neddy." Joe and the other men nodded in agreement as it seemed some of the crew knew the woman.

The relief instantly crossing Ileen's features, she was swiftly back to the matter at hand and crossed her arms over her chest. "Jack...what are you thinking?"

Jack had crossed his arms as he listened to what both Joe and Roth told him, before looking to Ileen. " If Neddy be saying they be gone. " Joe spoke up. "She said they left moments after you and Ileen left." Jack nodded to the man. " Be meaning they be gone by now. "

"I think we need to pull the Sloop as close into the Pandora as possible, without causing damage to either and run a heavier watch until we get out of here. Maybe they will feel safe if they hear we are gone and come back around in the hopes we don't return. But if they do, that leaves the matter of your families...I could be speaking for myself, but most times I've found once they run, they ain't got the bullocks to return...at least not to a common place..." Leaving that out there.

He nodded in agreement to Ileen on that. " Ye be hearing her men. Be bringing the Bridget's Revenge closer to the Pandora. " Joe nodded and turned to lead a few of the men off, as he looked to Roth. " Be leaving the watch of the ships in yer hands, Roth. " Roth nodded as he took the rest of the crew with him, to set the watch order. Jack then looked to Ileen.

"Guess we don't need to go check on Neddy..." That stated, Ileen watched the men go and looked up to Jack. "Be about the best we can do, sure as hell not calling on the Watch for any of it. Maybe you will get your relax after all.."

"Be good to be knowing she be alright. " Jack murmured back to her. " Aye. Rather not be involving the Watch in this, as they be asking questions I don't be wanting to answer. "


(Taken from live play between, Captain Jack Morgan, Ileen McGowan and various crewmen. )

Having gone their separate ways earlier in the day, Ileen had made a stop for a game of poker and had eventually returned to the Pandora after checking on the Sloop. A relief of the men present, they switched as the next group took over and Ileen now found herself helping the Gunner Apprentice with the resetting of several guns after they had been inspected for the month. One or two having shifted with the trip the previous day, a question as to why had been answered and the refit made. While she didn't offer much in the way of weight, Ileen still sat there on the deck, feet against the wooden holds and kept it from at least not wavering off line of where it should be. Now if the damned thing rolled the opposite direction, that would be an entirely different story now wouldn't it?

Jack would just be making his way back to the Pandora, as he had made a few stop with the familes of some of the crew. Letting them know that their husbands would be heading off soon again, this time it would be freely. Each one thanked him for stopping by, before he set off again. Now moving up the gangplank of the Pandora, with a brow quirk to the current postion that Ileen found herself in. Shaking his head as he moved in her direction now. "Their familes be knowing that we be setting sail soon."

"Any abnormal concern?" Glancing up to him, Ileen wiped her forearm across her face as mosquitoes were swarming somewhat with the late day sun steadily falling towards the horizon. Giving Jack a nod, Percy only took his attention from the task at hand a mere moment before it was back previous and he was wondering how Roth did this for all those years without loosing his mind.

"They just be wanting to be sure that they be safe this time. I be telling them that they will be." Nodding to Percy, as he moved out of the way to let the lad learn on his own. "Ye be Percy? Ye be listening to what the crew be telling ye, lad. Oh and this one." Vague wave of hand at Ileen. "She may be a woman, but she be knowing her way around a ship."

A wave of Percy's hand to her, signalling the cannon was steady, Ileen shifted her feet slowly, not that she would have been able to stop it in the first place but the effort was there. Coming to her feet, a wipe was given her legs with slapping hands. Percy gave Jack a toothy grin. "Aye, Cap'n, I be him." A chuckle to Jack's latter words, Percy went back to what he was doing. Walking off a step or 12, Ileen leaned on the rail far enough to be out of earshot, ignoring his insult. She may be a woman, which got a growl from her. "Did you let them know they would be checked on daily?"

Jack nodded to Percy again before moving to lean by Ileen, with a smirk to her growling at him. "Aye. I be having people in the docks that be checking on them." He then lightly nudged her. "And no need to be growling. Just be making sure we don't be having a repeat of Tim's actions." Murmured to her.

"I would prefer going through ten Tim's then there be the excuse of my being woman, don't let that doubt anyone." Could he blame her? "That's like me saying to someone. Jack may be a man, but he be knowing how to darn a sock." Looking at him, she quirked a brow and kicked her heel against the deck. "Admit it Jack, you don't take me seriously because I am a woman."

"Fine. I be not using that anymore." Nudging her lightly again as he turned to look out at the sea now. Hands resting on the railing of the ship. "And I be taking ye serious because I know what ye can do." Side glance to her again. "Ye being a woman just makes my night more fun."

If it wasn't she was a nattering female, she was wanting to get married and knocked up so she could clean a bloody house all day long and pine after him, not to mention she was an excuse to sailing because she's a woman. While it was all in teasing, she teased him step for step in return, but she never insulted him outright. "You can have a fun night with your hand, Captain Morgan." That muttered, she stepped away and it was with an easy stride, she headed for the plank.

He watched her a moment, as he smirked at her. "Ye be enjoying those nights as well, love." Moving up to her side. "How be the ships?" Guessing that is what she had been up to since they parted ways. She was his nattering wench and he was her pirate knave. They were even on that.

"You saw them for yourself, Jack." Reaching into the pack, she held out the small pouch to him, about half full. "Aye, I do, and I don't take those nights lightly and make them a mockery." Still, voice kept between the two of them, not was there a change along her features. She would not tell him, but it mattered to her what he thought of her. If the shoe was on the other foot, would it be well received?

He nodded lightly to that, as he took the pouch. Just looking at her for a moment. "I do as well, love." Murmured to her as he brushed his lips against her own. " And ye should be knowing that I be caring fer ye. " Softly to her and inbetween them now.

"Caring for me? One moment you profess a lifetime of plans together, and the next you be caring for me. Alright." Her whisper coming against his lips. "I be caring for you as well." Chin lifted. "I'm done for the night, Captain. May I go?"

He quirked a brow at her. "Ye be knowing what I be meaning." Murmured to her. "Aye ye may be going." Turning to move down the gangplank. Then glanced over his shoulder to her. "Be heading towards the inn if ye be wanting to join me."

"Enjoy yourself." Watching him go, he had stepped off first and she turned to head the opposite direction.

Off towards the inn he swaggered.

Later that night.

Ileen wasn't mad, or fuming, or yelling, or anything else and maybe that was a bad thing. Pulling her arms around herself, she was heading back to the docks and kept her head down.Those milling around her not even remotely seen, her own thoughts consuming her at a tremendous level.

Jack would take a short cut to get ahead of her, before stepping in front of her by a few feet. "Ileen. What be the problem?" Crossing his arms now. "And don't be beating around the bloody bush. If it be about what I be saying earlier about ye being a woman. I be sorry fer that."

Footfalls halting, Ileen looked up to him, a frown so deeply placed. Unable to look at him, if so all of it would have come tumbling out. Her thinking she was breaking the one rule she had set for herself where he was concerned, and she was. Absolutely. "I don't think this is going to work." Her even saying those words had her feeling as if a blade was ripping through every nerve ending. "Please hold the Sloop and I will repay you as soon as I am able. The cabin is your's." Rounding him. *

He blinked to that as he looked to her, as he shifted to block her path again. "Will ye just be telling me what be wrong?" One hand grabbing her shoulder now. Eyes narrowing slightly at her, trying to figure out what had changed so suddenly.

Fine, he wanted to hear it, so be it. Whirling in front of him, she threw up her hands. "One moment you preaching about your freedom, the very next moment you teasing me relentlessly about getting pregnant and wanting to settle you down, but then the next moment you telling me I will never settle, then you have the nerve after we have talked so much and have been through so much in such a short time, that you care about me?! REALLY JACK! That's nice to know. Have I ever once pinpointed you to the wall and ripped you apart about anything teasing or not?! No, I have not! Then you are going to belittle the one thing I ever called my own, to one of your crew about not letting me being a woman cloud his thoughts of me?! That ripped me apart! No, I am not some dainty little woman that likes baking her HUSBAND cookies and rubs his feet every night, but I sure as hell ain't gonna kiss your ASS either. I am only who I am. This is NOT going to work. Blame me, blame whoeever....but I ain't doing it!"

He blinked at her as she went off on him, not saying a word till she had finished. Just staring at her for a long moment, which seemed to last even longer as he Let his mind race over what she had said. "I be sorry, Ileen. I never be meaning to hurt ye, but if that is how ye be feeling. I can be respecting yer choice." Murmured softly.

Taking a step slowly back, it was almost as if she had been slapped and she nodded very very slowly. "I never counted in this from the get go, I did what you told me. I followed my heart. I'm sorry I wasted your time." Turning, she was positively numb and continued to the Pandora. "I have to get my things."

This time he grabbed her arm. "Ye never be wasiting me time, you stubborn hard headed woman." Looking to her. "And we both be following our hearts." Still holding that arm. "Ye be willing to be giving this up without a fight?" Now spinning her to face him.

"Why fight when the battle cannot be won, Jack? The one thing that I told you I would never do is cage you, but that is exactly what your words tell me I am doing over and over and over. We professed so much to one another and I thought finally I was no longer being punished, I shouldn't have to prove myself or change for someone who is in love with me the way I am in love with them. I have never made your heart the brunt of my jokes." Looking down at her arm.

He nodded lightly to her words as he let her arm go now, before he turned to head for the Pandora now. "Be sorry if I hurt ye, Ileen." A look over his shoulder. "If ye be thinking the we just be needing some time apart. Then maybe that should be what we be doing. I be heading fer the ship, and as fer the work that be done on the ship. " A pause there. "Ye don't be needing to pay me back."

"I have to get my things." He could tell her all he wished that she was not to pay him back, but that would not be the case when all was said and done. She would work until she could not any longer do so, period. "If you don't want me coming to get all of it, please just use the packs under the bed and throw it out here to me, if you would." Standing there, she couldn't watch him any longer and looked away.

"Oh bloody hell." Looking over his shoulder again. "I be bloody sorry for what I said!" Whirling around to face her. "Ye be bitching at me about what I be saying about ye trying to cage me." Now lifting a finger to point at her. "Yet ye be forgetting that everything I be doing fer ye up to this point. That I be doing fer ye! That be something I normally not be doing fer anyone. Ye be talking about how ye be accpeting me fer who I am, but ye not be seeing that I be doing the same fer ye." Still pointing at her. " Aye. I just be teasing ye with all that talk, but ye be shooting teases in return! What the bloody hell do ye want from me?!"

"For me? The only thing I have ever needed for you to do for me is love me. I'll burn both ships into the water, I'll burn the cabin to the ground tonight. None of it matters. None of it, as long I have that. And the only thing I've given you, is me. Think about that, Jack." Reaching up, Ileen snatched the pendant from her neck and let it fall to the ground at their feet. "I have seen everything you have done for me and you know everything I have said to you in ALL of it's regard or do you not bloody well remember?! I try my best to show my love for you and I'm mocked and laughed at. I get it, Jack, all of it! But remember, I'm just a WOMAN! Just the one that does in fact love you." Shoving past him, she walked rather fast up the plank of the Pandora and ignored the looks she was getting from his crew.

He watched her again as he picked that pendent up and turned to follow her up the gangplank now. Not saying anything to the crew as he followed her in to the cabin before moving to place the necklace back around her neck again. "Aye I be knowing that ye be a woman." A pause. "My woman." Murmured to her now. "And I do be loving ye, Ileen. Stay." That near a whisper.

"Aye, I do tease you, but I don't tease you about our future and what that could be. If I didn't love you, Jack. Your words wouldn't hurt me the way they do at times. But I won't fight for something that isn't mine in the first place." Dulcet in the whisper. She didn't turn to him, she couldn't. But, she did reach back with a hand and stroked at his cheek.

"Ye daft woman." Whispered in her ear. "Ye be the only woman that I ever be allowed to step on me ship, and be touching her the way ye be doing. As for our future together?" Now turning her to face him. "Yer my woman." Letting her look into his eyes to see that he was done teasing. He was dead serious.

Pressing her forehead to his chest, she had begun to cry silently and murmered. "Aye I am entirely daft for letting you allow me to fall in love with you." And that was the truth. Looking up at him, she was having a problem putting something into words and it probably sounded more than ridiculous when she did. "I know at times I can be too rough and tumble for you, and at times I should be much softer, more softer. I am trying, and I know you are trying everything you do, Jack. Everyday it hits me harder and harder. At times I don't know what to do with that."

He nodded lightly to her words again. "Let's be resting tonight." Murmured softly to her. "Nay more talk for now." Moving his hands up to her cheeks. "We both need to rest and think on what we both just said. Stay here with me." Murmured again to her.

"Aye. I won't go anywhere." She didn't mean just now, she meant always.

Nodding lightly as he pressed a kiss to her cheeks. "Nor be I, love." Murmured back to her.

Raising to her tip toes, she wrapped her arms about his neck and just held him. Held him so very close. Nothing more said of it, breathed in his scent and closed her eyes. Dark by this point, their surroundings also just as quiet.

His arms moved around her, slipping around her waist and lifted her up off her feet, as he held her close. Not saying anything at the moment as he just held her.

This tenacious dance they did, self combusted on them every once in awhile and it was always seemed to be her that struck the match. Maybe the emotional one of the two, she was afterall a woman. Such a heady mix that was them, what neither of them realized was that they had taken something that should never have crossed paths and put it to the test. Regardless of what that meant. Good and bad. Heaven's surrender perhaps, ninety percent of the time it was the best of everything.

It was one hell of a dance they were involved in as he shifted to cradle her in his arms and moved to the bed to lay her down on it. Pulling away long enough to remove his gear, before he moved to join her on the bed. Not a word said, as he laid on the bed with her.

Boots kicked off, they landed on the floor and she rolled into him no sooner than he layed down. Arms resuming themselves around him, she may have just crawled all over him considering she was nearly completely atop him. Just needing to be close, to breathe and just be. Not another word between them would be spoken, there was no need, not now.

Jack was just heading back towards the ship, after doing one last check himself on the families of his crew. Along the way, he started to amuse himself with a song.

"Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me.
We pillage plunder, we rifle and loot.
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.
We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot.
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho."

A swig of rum as he moved closer and closer to the two ships. The Pandora and the Bridget's Revenge, as both ships would set sail this time. Both with their true captains. Jack on the Pandora and Ileen on the Bridget's Revenge.

"Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me.
We extort and pilfer, we filch and sack.
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.
Maraud and embezzle and even highjack.
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho."

A smirk crossed his lips for a moment, as he found himself amused at the song he was now singing. Due to how it fit him and now Ileen now.

"Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me.
We kindle and char and in flame and ignite.
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.
We burn up the city, we're really a fright.
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho."

Now making his way up the gangplank as he wrapped up the song with a glance around at the gathered crew.

"We're rascals and scoundrels, we're villians and knaves.
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.
We're devils and black sheep, we're really bad eggs.
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.

We're beggars and blighters and ne'er do-well cads,
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.
Aye, but we're loved by our mommies and dads,
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.
Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me."


"Alright men! We be setting sail! We be taking both ships out, so some of ye will be under Ileen's command." No need to say more than that, as he looked to Ileen now. "Be getting to yer ship, Captain McGown." Winking at her as he looked to the crew that stayed on the Pandora. "Let's be hitting the seas, ye dogs!"

Within Reach of The Horizon


The journey to the unnamed island had gone off without the first hitch. Time was spent opening up the Sloop and bringing it to full speed at 12 knots, several times of it's own accord. Her masts holding steadily, there was not the first waver of such and took the wind as if it was embracing an old friend.

A dance of quickness, the Pandora had caught up and Ileen brought the Sloop around close enough to note the smirk dawning across Jack's features. The two crews hooting and hollering between, Bridget's Revenge may have been a smaller ship, but the two complimented one another as if they had been built side by side.

Ileen was happy at the way she handled, this being the first time she had actually let the Sloop run its own course in such a way, for many years. While Bridget's Revenge was being sailed upwind that day, the proof would be in the pudding once she was sailing downwind, as that was one of the only drawbacks to the speed of a Sloop.

Upon arrival, it was late in the day, and the sun was just beginning to makes its descent into the horizon.

While the island itself was only several miles in total, it was nothing in comparison to the amount of foliage that seemed to swallow it up. The beach lines being wide, however they were not expansive. During mating season, sea turtles took up every square inch of it with their egg beds and even through the summer, the trail lines could still be seen.

http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/o540/Ileenmcgowan/deserted-island.jpg

Springs running rapid through the deep underbrush, spider monkeys danced from limb to limb, high within the tree tops that formed a constant canopy, almost leaving some areas as that of a rain forest.

http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/o540/Ileenmcgowan/DesertIslandCover.jpg

While quiet, there were moments when screeching and howling did occur, but it was dank of the night when this happened. The island itself being quite foreboding it was leaving a mind to wonder what secrets it held. Which were many.

http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/o540/Ileenmcgowan/thumbnailaspx.jpg

Hammerhead sharks and dolphins frequent its waters. High cliff walls climb 800 feet above the waters and provide prime nesting spots for sea birds such as boobies, gulls, and frigate birds.

http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/o540/Ileenmcgowan/deserted-beach-island-slkdl-1.jpg

The island point is rimmed at its base with a forest of green mangroves and a wide swath of lava (but there is no volcano) and shell sand. Along the shoreline hundreds of marine iguanas bask in the sun ? a large colony. There is also a large colony of sea lions that include several bulls, the enormous males.

(To be continued...)

Ancient Breezes

When Jack and Ileen came through the forest, they drew closer and closer to the sound of the crewmen's voice's. "I ain't nae clue wha' th' hell tha' bae, lad..." Percy was standing there, hands crammed into his pockets, that forever present cigar of his, smoking away.

Jeremy stood there stupefied, but at least he was thinking out loud. "Look's like tell of some shrine..."

Another 12 sets of shoulder's kinda shrugged, some were more concerned about the tipping of their bottles of rum, than anything. Not to mention what could be held inside. The front doors made of something that looked like iron, thick chain's were laced several times through the door handles.

Placing them rather easily, as the two Captain's drew closer, some of the men parted and what they were faced with was not of the expected.

The pack slid from her shoulder to thud on the forest floor, Ileen's mouth was dropped fairly open and she glanced at Jack, just briefly.

Right there in front of them stood an implausible chapel or what looked to be one, it could have been a small temple. With walls slanting inward, arches of curious angles, and summit of many peaks, the lower walls were thickly encrusted with a green lichen, which sent forth little blossoms shaped like bells. The blossoms stirred in the breeze, and fell to the damp ground.

In absolute wonder with what they were now faced with, Ileen was careful as she began to walk around the structure. While the hanging wisps of foliage bathed across it's large roofing, the dwelling itself lightly spoke of far away chimes in the lick of gentle breeze, telling tales of yester when perhaps life of some sort throbbed between it's wall's.

(tbc)

Ancient Breezes 3


The crewmen looked between both Captains and decided they were going to take their time in pondering this. A couple of them pulled up a sit on a nearby fallen tree trunk, while a few other's were sharing goodly swallows from a community bottle they had acquired.

Ileen in the meantime was leaning over and looking at that old and rusted lock that was holding the chains together. Giving them a rattle, she started muttering to herself. "Shouldn't be too hard to get that off."

And then for some reason, she crouched down and began feeling at the dirt in front of the doorway. There was a slab there, but it had been covered over by years of season and wasn't too far down in the damp ground.

Reaching her knees, she continued to feel and it wasn't long before she was back on the right side of the structure, still feeling with her hands. It was much easier than trying to gauge by foot what was there and what was not. For all they knew, this abandoned place could be boobie trapped.

A mutter then up to Jack. "Let them vote, but don't act on it till we can look a bit further at the perimeter, we don't know what's out there. Rising, she wiped off her knees and started walking.

"I ain' so sure 'bout this, Captain..." Scotty said to Jack. "Who knows what could bae comin' aroun' an' lobbin' our heads off..?"

He did have a point and most of the crew nodded, but Percy popped around the suck on his cigar. "Aye, but jus' b' thinkin' wha' might b' hidden in ther', think 'bout's it..."

A motion towards the building itself. "Ain't like we ain' already goin' t' hell!" Which got a round of laughter from the rest of them.

The following day, came as most did. Activity at a high, way before dawn, Ileen was right alongside the crew and gaining possibility for the morning.

Jack's word's lingering heavily in her mind about the possibility the island could be sitting on a volcano itself nagging at her, even in her dreams the night before. Because of it, she was not full of the piss and vinegar she was generally known for.

Maintaining a position at the Starboard side of The Pandora, there were ledgers and charts strewn there on the deck, her coffee nearby as well. A constant source of information gathered, she knew she had spoken with a Harbormaster some years ago and the subject had been precisely that of underground activity.

The notes strewn sloppily from page to page, obviously she had written them on the premise she would never have the need to consider them. But there they were, the thought birthed and present.

Underwater volcanoes are formed as the surface of the Earth rips apart since the ocean surface is denser than the underlying mantle it creates pressure on the mantle and the surface cracks.

The sea floor sinks down on the mantle and the pressure on the molten rock below decreases as a result of the crack. Due to the reduction in pressure there is a lot of buoyant liquid, which is molten, rock that is formed and it tries to come up. So when the liquid rock, which is called "magma", finally comes up through the fissure on the sea floor, it is called "eruption". Magma when it comes out onto the earth surface is called "lava". At times the lava blocks the fissure and also at times piles up in several layers to form underwater ridges.

The presence of water near these fissures greatly makes it different from surface volcanoes.

The impact and the nature of eruption also change with the environment. The difference is because the pressure of water is more than the pressure of air.

So the eruptions in case of underwater volcanoes are massive explosions and the results are as massive as an island. There are many islands that have been formed as a result of these eruptions. The thermal conductivity of water is much more than earth or solid rock particles, as a result of which magma is transformed into glass much more faster than in case of volcanic eruption on land surface.

The spyglass never far from her eye, sight was trained on the volcanic rock in specific areas of the beach line and what they had assumed were coves. Obviously, they were not that precisely.

Thus the explosive boiling is considerably reduced between magma and the seawater. The lava that is formed in case of underwater eruption is also different from the lava of a terrestrial eruption.

When lava comes in contact with the surrounding water a solid crust is formed and the lava flows in that crust consistently, thus forming a structure, which is called "pillow lava". Due to the immense heat that is produced during a volcanic eruption the ocean or the water body becomes really shallow where the volcano erupts. At times there are various chemicals dissolve in the water which come out under the earth's surface.

Scurrying to gather up the items haphazardly blowing there in the breeze, the charts were rolled and she hurried to lower a long boat into the high tide.

"Roth..!" Calling over to the Bridget's Revenge when she got close enough. "You and several other's, post haste, we be going back to that island...!" He nodded and rushed to do as ordered and they were soon approaching the rock.

Jack smirked as he looked at Ileen. " Ye be going first. " Nudging her lightly as Jeremy returned with some torches, as he took one of them. Then handed her one as well.

" Be leading the way, captain. " Smiling at Ileen now as he waited for her to lead the way into the tunnels now. So going to get it later from her.

The way Ileen looked at him, should have dropped him dead on the spot. Grabbing the torch, his ass was her's when they were alone. Guaranteed. More than likely he wanted her to make the move, that way if something went wrong, he could blame her. Or better yet if something BLEW up, she was the first to explode.

Casting the light into the darkness, her eyes adjusted slowly and it wasn't long before she was climbing down a rotten ladder leaned against the dirt wall. Quite deep it was, she was attempting to keep an eye on the floor she couldn't see and dealing with the rungers which threatened to snap beneath her slight weight.

"Wait till I'm all the way down afore you go putting your weight on it, Jack!" Called up to him, it wasn't a request.

He smiled to the look that she gave him, knowing she would so make him pay later. That is if they got back from this venture alive that it. " Be hurrying up then! Ye be moving slower than an old woman! " Called back down at her as he waited till she was at the bottom to start climbing down. " One of ye boys head back and be getting some rope. " Roth nodded and took off this time.

"Maybe you can use the rope to hang yourself..." Muttered up to the gaping hole top, a spider chose that moment to crawl across her hand and it was either fall or drop the torch. She chose the former and hit the ground below not too hard, as it was only twenty feet or so.

Surrounded by darkness, Ileen turned slowly and waved the flame towards her right and left. The right was a long narrow passageway, while the left was a solid wall. Except for some non descript carvings at either wall, there was nothing nearby.

From above, she could hear the thunder of footsteps, they echoed down below and caused small rock and dust to fall in sweeping waves. From the forest floor, dark eyes watched the men as they ran to and fro. None stopping them, or making themselves known, there was no verbal contact between them. They simply watched....and waited.

Jack finally reached the bottom in time to watch her flailing around with her torch for a moment. " Ye be swatting at flies? " Lifting his torch up to look around for a moment. Before heading down one of the pathways, looking over his shoulder to her. " Ye be coming? " Looking forward again as he drew one of his pistols, just incase they might run into someone hostile.

Following behind him, Ileen gave him no response, at least not to that. He was racking up a scorecard in the black book of her brain. The tunnel began to turn, left for awhile in a slant, then to the right.

Still upon those walls, the markings went from abstract letter's, to almost symbols she could not quite make out. "I don't want to know what that is all about..." She didn't have the willies, but she did give pause when there was a full skeleton of a human body around one corner. Just kinda splayed there in front of them. "Maybe that's your ex lover..." Dead pan to an extreme.

As Roth hurried back with the rope, he thought he caught movement from the corner of his eye but kept going. "Dun know what you men are doing, but stop goofin' off...!" Called out, he was soon in the temple and leaning over the edge of the opening. "Captain, where you want this rope?!"

He looked over his shoulder to her again, taking note that she was being far to quiet for once. He'd have to remember to toss her into tunnels again, not that he actually would. But it seemed to kep her quiet. " Nor do I be knowing. "

Looking to the writings on the wall then towards the human skeleton. " It be one of yer ex lovers" Fired back at her. " They be above us. " Murmured to her on the comment about the men, before turning to head back towards the hole they came down. " Be tying it off to something sturdy!"

"As if there are so many..." Muttering, she stopped to his next words and stepped out of the way as a huge hunk of ceiling fell to the floor.

Roth glanced around and tied the rope off to the alter and tossed the other end down into the darkness. "Done!"

"Well, then we're safe unless I convince them to eat you..." Said on the fringes of her heart beating out of her chest. Swimming to a level where she could stand, Ileen's mouth was hanging open in a rather comical way if she wasn't so disturbed by what she was seeing.

A glance back to Jack then the shore, nestled there next to the bones were skulls, what she assumed to be human ones. Dragging herself from the water, her pants nearly fell off from the water weight and she gave them a hitch as she tiptoed around the site.

Searching. For what she had no idea. It seemed like too much effort for an eating ground. But what they didn't know was it was a sacred feasting ground. Not too far away, was a makeshift chair, twined together by long roots and dried pelts. "I ain't got a good feeling about this, Jack..."

"Ye be lost without me to be pestering you. " Muttered to her, as he followed to the shore, and nearly started to chuckle as she nearly lost her pants. He followed her out, glad he wore a belt to keep his pants up. He then looked around for a moment again. " I be thinking this just be the hide out of some cult that be devoted to animals. " Murmured to her again.

Ileen was nodding in agreement with him, until something caught her eye that was sunk into the sand beneath the chair. It was some sort of container. Non descript but wooden, that much she could tell. "Help me, love..." Yanking on the arm of the chair as hard as she could, it snapped off and sent her flying onto her back with a yelp.

He turned just as she asked for his help, and went sprawling on her ass. Getting him to chuckle at her. " There be an easier way love. " Drawing one of the swords that he kept on him, and hacked through the chair to get to the container. Then sheathed the sword, as he moved to pick it up. Still chuckling to her all sprawled on her ass.

"Now you tell me...!" Crawling to her feet, her wet head was smattered in sand as was her entire back. Been in worse predicaments by far, she guessed.

" Ye be the stubborn one. " Pointing that out to her as he moved to set it on the rather poor makeshift table. Checking it for traps, before opening it up with a tilt of his head. " Well. I'll be a nattering wench's lover. " So taking a shot at her.

"Aye, you are..." Leaning around his shoulder, Ileen positively squealed! In an annoying way in fact, loud and high pitched. Inside the box, it was full of gold coins, and perhaps a few trinkets of the shiny sort.

Bouncing, she grabbed his arm and was shaking it soundly. What they were not hearing, was Roth hollering for them down in the other tunnel. "I told you, Jack!"

He turned his head to her squealing. " Ye daft woman! " Clamping his hand over her mouth for a moment. " Now how we be getting it back? " Seeing that she seemed to have all the answers. " There be no way we be able to be swimming back with this. " Now closing the box back up.

"Stick it down your pants..." Seemed a fair answer to the quandary. Glancing around, that did leave them in a bit of a pickle didn't it. Not for long though. "Take off your shirt, we can wrap it in it and tie it to your belt...unless you want me to take mine off and do it..." Insert sweet smile right there.

That was of course stated after she licked his hand and was able to speak.

He narrowed his eyes at her on that. " Ye just be liking it when I be taking me shirt off. " Now removing his shirt, and used it to tie the lid on tight, then tied it to his belt. " Be leading the way, and stop ye gawking like a horny teenager." No comment on her removing her shirt.

Of course, the bantering between them was about to reach an all time high. "You would complain if I didn't gawk at you, and you know it..." Giving a certain part of his chest a lil tweaking twist, she danced away and was heading back into the water when the assault of dust and rock began to shower down upon them.

"Hurry up old man...!" Waiting for him when she reached waist deep, she was still grinning....madly in fact.

" Least I be getting a break from you drooling! " Fired back at her as he gave her rear a smack before she could get away. Once they were back on the other side. " I be doing all the work! " Now starting to climb back out again, checking to make sure he didn't lose anything on the trip back.

"Captain's, we got a problem up HERE!!!!!!!!!" Finally the bellow shot its way down the tunnel just as they came out of the water again.

Jack was lucky, for she was about to rip him apart once again and make him mincemeat about relationships and why didn't he just shack up with a dainty hooker trollop crab infestation.

Alas! Roth's voice changed all of that and she snatched up her boots. "If you dropped any of it, you're going back to fetch it...!"

He looked down the pathway, before looking at Ileen as he plucked up his boots and pistols. " Ye be going back in after anything I be dropping, nattering trollop. " Muttered as he slipped his boots back on then moved to make his way back the way they had come. After grabbing his torch.

"You're the greedy pirate remember?!" Another snatch of her pants given, the torch was next and the wound their way back to the open floor of the portal quite fast.

Hanging down into it, was Roth....obviously relieved to see the two of them. "Blade arrows came whipping through the trees and hit a couple of them men. Already got them back to the ship's but we be thinking whoever it be, be waiting for the rest of us to come outta this god forsaken shack!" He was sweaty and his eyes kinda buggy.

Jack muttered a curse to that. " They be waiting for us. " Untying the box from his belt and tossed it up to Roth. " Be careful with that! " Roth nodding and tossed it up. Luckily Jeremy was waiting and caught it, as Roth climbed back up. Jack nudging Ileen to the rope. " We be finishing this later! Be getting yer slow butt in gear!"