As the Black Pearl left once more from the port of Tortuga, Jack rummaged through the crates and barrels in the belly of the ship. There were a few small leaks, but Jack did not care. Now, he didn't much care about anything.
He clasp the relatively large, chain less medallion in his paws as he scampered around. He wanted to make sure there would be no escape this time. No mistakes. The woman wouldn't be able to save him. He wouldn't be able to save himself.
It wasn't as though Jack Sparrow was all that important, but it was well known that the pirate had much luck in the way of the world and had various connections with those whom Cortez wanted; the one who ruled with the most power, and who held the empire in his hands. Sparrow would become a mere pawn in that man's destruction.
Finally resting on a crate stored in the corner of the dark hull, the monkey waited for, in Jack Sparrows own words, the
opportune moment.
*Port Royal Fort*
Norrington tried to focus on his job. It was only midmorning and he still needed to prepare the Dauntless and its new accompanying ship, the Enthrall for their voyage to England. It was only to be a five month journey; Norrington was to accompany the royal trade ship, the Allay, from the rendezvous at Singapore to Norway and back. But that in itself would be uneventful. The Allay was sailing in from the Americas with the premature land's still plentiful wood and harvest, and since there were no truly expensive items on board, Norrington suspected it was to be a dull journey indeed.
However, now the Enthrall was accompanying his flagship instead of the Interceptor and that threw once again into sharp focus, the losses that he had sustained within the last weeks.
He had been able to steer away from Elizabeth and the blacksmith and indeed hadn't seen either of them since the escape of Sparrow. But that would only be a matter of time. Elizabeth had already written him an invitation to her wedding, as well as an additional letter expressing the more painful fact that the invite had not been an accident. Luckily, this trip would eliminate a need for an excuse to not arrive.
But why would he want to return to Port Royal at all? There really was nothing here for him at all. True enough the town was beautiful, and for the majority of the time peaceful, but there were several such places. In Port Royal there was pain, not brutally so, but more of the dull heavy heartedness that could drive a man to madness.
Though Norrington's mind had slipped from task, his conscience had not completely left the present. Norrington was well aware of Gillette's eyes and so continued to pretend mapping a way to Singapore. "Lieutenant," Norrington called, more to ease Gillette's mind than actually know, "How long before the Enthrall and Dauntless are to be ready?"
"The Enthrall is waiting upon the load to the Dauntless, sir," Gillette answered, appeased at Norrington's apparent concentration. "There is only a full load of water left, most of the food is stored within the Enthrall."
"How long until we can set sail?"
"I would say an hour and a half, sir."
Norrington nodded. A short time in the matter of things. He was ashamed to admit he would be happy to go.