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Tale 5: “Goodbye Jaques.” – Part 3.

  “Aye, Captain. Same as always, no cheating and we just loos’n our pants we were.” Sandy spoke up. “I even warned Barry to not make the fool’s bet. These three are just raw ‘bout it.” He held up his finger, “Aye, this point there be two. So I’ll amend, these two be raw. Sir.”

  Grabbing a chair and spinning it so he could lean on its backrest, the captain looked intently at Ruby, “I’ll grant you favor, One-Eye.” The big man started ughing, “I’ve pyed with yous long enough to know not to py with ya.” Seeing the predicament that Cutler was in, Jaques pointed at him. “Alrighty, Toxic. Now then, if’n ya be agreeable, I’ll end this peaceably. A few shings for you and Ronald to compensate for get’n Lunden dead and that be the end of it.” Captain Jaques scratched his chin, “O’course Ruby would be the winner…” he looked to the others. “For anyone that bet against her, that is.” Tapping his boot to the rise and fall of the ship, the captain added, “Yer about to die, Toxic. Be think’n hard on yer actions.”

  More concerned with his own life rather than Cranky’s ck of funds, Cutler nodded. “Agreed cap’n.”

  Captain Jaques waved his hand to the guards that followed him below deck. “Take these two into the brig until morning, then they get ten each, they do.”

  “Aye, Captain.” One guard walked over to Ruby, “Come along Cutler.”

  Withdrawing her dagger from the man’s neck, Ruby left the blood on her dagger and sheathed the gem-studded bde. “All yours.” She announced and kicked Cutler away from her. “Bastard.”

  Repcing the chair from where he got it, Captain Jaques curled his finger at Ruby, “My cabin girl, now. We’ve some negotiations to be discuss’n.” Hearing the low mumbles from the crew, Jaques nodded and felt relief that his words were tough enough for the time being. When Ruby walked up to him, he grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed. “You killed a fuck’n rigger, one of your guys. Daft girl.”

  Minutes ter, Ruby found herself sitting across the big table looking at her captain much like she did two years prior, before she lost her eye. “Shocked I am. Last time t’was here, tied up I was.” Ruby pointed to the chair she’d been tied to. “Mayhaps my captain tell me why or what business hims has of me, aye?”

  Chuckling to himself, Captain Jaques removed his cap and hung it on the back of his ornate seat. “Myself be lots of things, One-Eye, but yer captain I sadly and barely qualify for. All be told.” Unsure how he was going to say what he needed to say, Jaques took a longing moment at the woman he mostly regarded as his daughter. Pouring a gss of wine for himself, Jaques sipped the fruity drink and reminded himself of the investment that he put into Ruby. While she was a natural rigger, able to run the masts and ropes as though born to the way, the young dy pirate cked the ability to fight without nearly turning into a barbarian in her basic and lumbering attacks. He’d seen it too many times in her first month that she tried to use strength over her agility. Months ter and many trainers, Jaques stood in wonder when Ruby used her ferret-like reflexes just swinging on ropes, or even traversing the yard arms in an effort to keep the sails in order. His true pride came from seeing her with a boarding party. While he kept sergeants in control of the hand-to-hand, it was Ruby’s natural leadership and the fshes of her wicked dagger that the marines learned to trust.

  -I don’t have to say a word, it’s like she knows what I’ll say, or one better…does something I am not thinking about.-

  Jaques mused to himself, and set the goblet on the table. “Ruby.” He sighed and grumbled, “Damn your charms girl.” He chuckled, “I had made up me mind that you’d likely hang for your next infraction, savvy?” He tapped his fingers on the table, “Which now having seen ya, I can’t do. I’m spoil’n ya rotten, girl.”

  Noting the confusion that was on her captain's face, Ruby turned in her seat and threw her legs over the arms of the big chair. “Ahh, surely the good capt’n be jest’n me fool ears.” She reached for a small bottle of rum that had been left at the end of the table. “If’n ya not be mind’n, sir.” Waiting for Captain Jaques to nod, she gave the older man a wink and popped the cork, downing a healthy chunk before wiping her lips clear. “Okay, let’s hears it. Serve up yer piece, Captain.”

  Running his hands through his bck and silver hair, Captain Jaques took a deep breath. “First, lemme have it said that many moons, my head has snaked the problem, aye?” She watched Ruby raise one eyebrow, “Aye. Problem that arise’d concerns ‘The Ghost Spade’ and her luck, it has. As, just nearly me own luck too, as it were.”

  “I fail to see how that has one silver to do with me, captain.” Ruby scoffed and downed more rum. “Ye knows maywell as Ruby does, that one good raid’n be the thing to settle the vipers tongue.” She ughed, “Ruby didn’t herself be aware that Jaques was the superstitious one here, aye?”

  Sitting up and pulling his royal blue coat tightly around his rge frame, Captain Jaques waited for Ruby to finish. “Me men always be prattle’n over minor charms and curses, nay child, that isn’t the quagmire.” He paused for a sip of his wine, “Tis that this run o’foul luck has chased us across the Med for an extended time of a month, comprehend?” Thinking about what he needed to discuss, Captain Jaques balled up his fist and hammered his table, making his wine spill. “Tongues are dark, that the be. Mine old ears picked a copper an heard two there were, contempt’n mutiny, me first mate..ol’Big Bubba hisself. Alongside that be me first cannoneer, Powderface Merton was agreeable.”

  Recalling the two men the captain had referred to, Ruby shrugged. “So?” Ruby inquired and sat up from her rexed position, getting serious at the talk of mutiny. “Captain, you know I’ll be beside you, I have stomped Big Bubba in sparing many times.” She ughed, “...and Powderface is good for nothing except his aim with the heavy iron.” She leaned on her hand, “End the rebellion now, and make them an example. You would have done it before, what’s the difference now?”

  “Amazed I be, girl. How you slip from scoundrel to dylike in just a few words.” He chuckled. “Ol’Jaques finds himself in a precarious position. Ya see, ss.. They only be squirting foul to your name.” He sighs and pours himself another gss of wine, trying to relieve his annoyance. “If’n ya go, then there not be any problems…me thinks for the time being.”

  Finishing off the bottle of rum, Ruby sat back in the chair and fixed her eyepatch. “Fine, once we are in Alexandria, I’ll pack up and go. No foul.” She pointed to Captain Jaques, “I didn’t want to kill Luden, and I spared Cutler. Surely that will cut their tongues a bit, aye?”

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