Pirates of the Caribbean Oneshots

Doubts

"She'll never make a pirate!"

Teague raised his chin, meeting a pair of scornful green eyes.

"Why not?" he asked calmly.

"She's a woman," was the reply he received from Patsy, a stocky man with a thick head of blonde hair.

"So is your Quartermaster," Teague reminded him, his tone level.

"That's different," muttered Patsy.

"How?"

"She wasn't a governor's daughter."
The last two words were a sneer of hatred from a dark-haired man leaning on the railings of The Misty Lady.

Teague arched an eyebrow, turning to the woman that was the subject of the dispute between his crew.

Her eyes were sparkling with defiance, hands on her hips as her blazing gaze raked the men that made up Teague's crew.

Her slender frame was taut with anger, back straight and head raised.

"And what in Heaven's name has that got to do with anything?"

"She's lived a life of luxury, waited on hand and foot! Never held a sword, avoided the outdoors in case she'd get tanned! There's no place here for a woman like that! Just because you're blinded by love doesn't mean we'll accept her-she's no better than a wench!"

"Don't talk about me like I'm not here!"

"Easy Roxanne," murmured Teague, laying a hand on her arm.

She shook him off and strode over to the last man who'd spoken.

He was about six feet tall, solidly built, with scarred features and a long sword at his side.

Roxanne stood at five feet seven and was half the width of the speaker.
She shrugged off her black frock coat, throwing it to Teague before drawing her sword.

"Roxy..." murmured Teague.

She turned her firey gaze on him.

"First, it's mutiny and you, as the captain, should be settling it.
Second, I'll be damned if I'll stand and let them talk me down because of my upbringing.
Third, I'm going to prove myself worthy with a sword and earn respect, so, shut up Teague!"

Shocked, awed, Teague bowed his head and stepped back.

With the exception of his sisters, no woman had ever spoken to him like that, especially not on his own ship.

Her remark on mutiny had touched a nerve though. He hadn't thought of it like that, but it was mutiny, as he'd given an order and the crew were challenging it.

The man Roxanne was facing, Bill, had a cocky smile on his lips as he drew his sword.

"All you have to do is disarm me," he said.
"Knock the sword out of my hand."

Roxanne smirked as she lunged forward.
She'd been sparring with Teague already before boarding the ship and knew the basics.

Bill parried her first blow lazily, then flicked his blade at her head.
Roxanne dodged neatly, aided by the fact she was a good four inches shorter.

After parrying two of his strikes, she brought her sword up and spun on her heel to catch him across the wrist.

Bill cursed but managed to keep holding his sword.
He slashed at Roxanne's shoulder, she sidestepped neatly and caught him across the hip, drawing blood.

Thier blades clashed as she lunged forward again, aiming for his stomach.

He sliced down, she raised her blade, slammed it against his and twisted, jerking his sword out of his hand.

Before Bill could react further, the point of Roxanne's blade was at his throat.

Roxanne tossed her hair out of her eyes.
"Not bad for a governor's daughter who's never held a sword."

Bill was open-mouthed as she twirled her sword, scattering drops of his blood off the blade.

"How...where..." he stammered.

"Ask your captain. You don't really think he's stupid enough to bring me onto a ship and not teach me to use a sword do you?"

Roxanne smiled sweetly at Bill and twirled her sword again.

"Anyone else got objections to Roxanne being onboard?"
Teague asked.

Another man, his brown hair in a long ponytail, stepped forward.
"I do. I don't see why we should accept her just because you love her."

"Haven't I just proved I can handle a sword?!" Roxanne exclaimed in exasperation, sheathing the weapon.

"You have to earn your keep though. You need a job, like the rest of us. Being the captain's lover doesn't mean you can sit on your backside all day."

Roxanne released a string of foul language that shocked the assembled men more than her skills with a sword.

She strode off in the direction of the captain's cabin but Teague caught her elbow, halting her and turning her back to his crew.

"Can you sew?" he asked.

Roxanne scoffed.
"Obviously. I was taught from the age of seven."

Teague smiled at her.
"You've just earned yourself a place in this crew as my sailmaker."

"I don't believe her!"

Roxanne cursed again.
"Get me materials and I'll bloody prove it!" she hissed.

Teague stepped inside his cabin, emerging with a torn shirt and wooden box.

"There. Fix that."

Roxanne sat down, threaded a needle and, within ten minutes, held the shirt up for inspection.

Teague took it, checked her work and smiled.
"Lads-and lassies-Roxanne is your new sailmaker!" he announced.

A woman around the same age as Roxanne stepped forward.

"I'll show you where the women sleep."
Her smile was friendly, revealing very white, even teeth.

"No need Sahara. She'll have my quarters," Teague said.

Sahara nodded.
"Aye Captain. Can I have the keys to the store?"

Teague pulled a ring of keys from the pocket of his scarlet frock coat, passing them to Sahara before taking the wheel.

"Grab me a wine too. Roxanne, do you want anything?"

Roxanne shook her head, wrapping her arms around Teague's waist.
She stood behind him, her head resting against his upper back, between his shoulder blades.

She buried her face in his long, trinket-filled black dreadlocks, inhaling the smell of wine and gunpowder.

A smile touched Teague's lips as he gazed out to sea.

He loved Roxanne Sparrow with all his heart and couldn't wait to see what thier future would hold.