A Pirate's life for Me

Nineteen

Thomas and Ruby were whispering to each other late into the night, or what they assumed was night from the dark room they were imprisoned in when they heard the door unlock. A huge grotesque man wandered in, closely followed by a very well dressed shorter man who had a snide smirk on his face. "Well well well... it looks like one third of our puzzle is already solved." He said smugly rubbing his hands together. "Now all we need to do is wait for the crew upon The Pearl to find you're missing and we'll have the rest of them.." he said glaring at Ruby. "Who??" She replied sarcastically. "The crew. Upon The Black Pearl... your dear Mama and Papa..." The short man said bending down to be closer to her. He held a lantern that lit up Ruby's tanned face. "Could you be more specific?!" She said in a pirate twang. "You know who I mean... the great Captain Jack Sparrow and Angelica Teach... not to mention your close acquaintances William and Elizabeth Turner..." Ruby shrugged "Never heard of them Mister.. now do be a good man and let us go?" Ruby said sweetly. "You know exactly who they are, and you know they'll come for you, and that's when I'll attack." Ruby took every word the man said in but tried not to react. "Looky here you... I'm merely some wench that travels around a bit.. and this, well this is my brother.. or so we think. We are absolutely no use to you whatsoever.. so what say you let us go now and we'll forget all about this little situation?? That sounds like a bloody good idea to me!!" She said attempting to encourage the man. "No. I think I'll stick to my original plan thank you.... And wench??" He chuckled. "No man would ever pay to lay with the daughter of Jack Sparrow... they would just take it for free." He spat in her face before turning abruptly and leaving the room. The larger man slamming the door shut.

"Well now we know.. what they want." Thomas said nervously. "But why??" Ruby said scrunching her eyebrows and thinking. She knew her father had many enemies what pirate didn't, but she didn't know why she was being held against her will. Any real man would have had it out with her father in person. Then again, Jack's greatest fear had always been that Ruby or Angelica would have been used against him. Now she knew he was right. She lent back against Thomas before saying. "Are you with me?" He cocked an eyebrow in confusion before turning his head as best he could "baring in mind we are tied together I would say yes I'm with you." "No I mean are you really in?!! There will be no going back after this. We will have to do what we need to do to escape.. and that's not always on the right side of the law." She said seriously. Thomas swallowed. "Ruby I would go to the ends of the earth for you.... I'll cope with a little crime. Besides I'm a pirate aye?" Ruby smiled bashfully before biting her lip. She was thankful the room was dark and he couldn't see her blushing cheeks. She composed herself and said "Right.. pull away from me as hard as you can." "But Ruby the restraints, it will slice your skin." "I'll be fine. Just do it. You've got more strength than me. I'll work on my wrists." Thomas nodded and began pulling with all his might. Nothing happened for some time and they were both feeling the strain on their torsos. Ruby could feel her shirt dampening and knew it must be from the blood caused by the chaffing of the rope. "It's no use." Thomas said frustrated. "Hang on.." Ruby said with a slight smile. She wriggled and wriggled lower and lower until she was almost lying flat on the ground, the ropes were now extremely tight against her chest. "Can you feel my hair??" Thomas shocked but began moving his hands until he felt her tresses. "Umm yeah. It's lovely." "Not the time." Ruby said struggling to breathe against the rope. "Pull it free." "What??" Thomas scolded in a whisper. "The braid, it's piled up and kept in place with a small dagger." "You're a Angel." Thomas said as his hands felt all around her head before tugging the small object in her hair which allowed her braid to fall free and her hair to cascade around her shoulders. "Got it." He said proudly before she struggled to sit up and gasp for breath. They heard the lock in the door again and both froze readjusting themselves so that they looked as similar as they had before. Ruby's breath was caught in her throat. "The master says you're allowed some water." The large man said holding two goblets. "Well that's awful kind but one would need one's hands to take a sip?" "Well I'll leave it here then shall I?!" The man smirked before leaving the room.

"Cut your ropes." Ruby said as she wriggled against the ropes restraining her. "Stay still. I don't want to hurt you." Thomas said before fiddling with the sharp object he had found in her hair only moments prior. Eventually after a good while he had frayed the rope restraining his hands. After what felt like hours, his hands were finally free as he began work on the large knot that held them together by the ropes around their bodies. Ruby squinted hard to try and see the knot, growing up on ships she knew her stuff and guided the young man to undo it as best as she could. Eventually the ropes were loosened and Thomas began work on the bonds tying her wrists together. "What's the plan once we are free?" He asked and she eyed the goblets. "Now that truly is a good question." She said with a smile that very much replicated her father's.