Chapter 6: 1718 A rashly Departure
It was midday and the sun burnt down on the cliffs mercilessly, but all the same a fresh breeze coming from the sea brought some cooling which made this wonderful summer day much more bearable. Beside this did the little rivulet and the overhanging leaves of the dense virgin forests also spent chilling and shadow to escape the midday heat.
It was silent all around the place aside the permanent swoosh of the waves and the silent whisper of the wind. There was only one sound which seemed not to fit with this peaceful surroundings – the sound of metal clashing against metal while two swift figures ran and jumped over and around the rocks and the mossy cliffs, each of them eagerly making an effort to avoid letting the other use a possible advantage.
Jack Sparrow followed every move with his eyes Caithleen Stevens made and he would not have been able to deny that he was much more interested in her but within the duel they fought out up here...
He smiled to himself when he beheld her.
She looked bewitching the way she stood up there on the rock – captivating like a wild flower, adorable and tempting. She was of a seldom kind of natural beauty: pure and true. The wind played with her black hair and its untamed curls and her smile found its equivalence within her grey eyes shimmering within the sun.
Caithleen was a fearnaught to the core, a pirate lass, savvy and inventive, and she knew very well that his whole attention just belonged to her within this moment. Therefore her smile got a bit broader.
With an elegant move she tossed her hat aside. The sleeves of her shirt she had already rolled up and her sword lay firmly within her hand while she buried her bare feet steadily into the ground. She was short of breath and her chest raised in the rhythm of her gasps but her reddened cheeks told a different story. She wasn't willing to give in yet...
The twine which held her shirt close loosened during their skirmish and the now open piece of cloth made Jack sense which female attractions she hid underneath. The same applied for the tight black pants she usually wore together with her boots.
Jack wasn't able to turn his gaze away and Caithleen laughed when she got aware of his dreamy mien: "Jack! What's wrong? For sure you'll not hesitate to fight against me because I'm a girl, eh?"
"Certainly not, love and I bet you're much better in the know than me that this would not put me off doing it! But to be honest, my sweet, if I look at you standing here in front of me, scant of breath and alluring with your heavily raising chest and your reddened cheeks there are coming some things to my mind I would prefer to do together with you instead of having to train sword fight at this hour."
Although she was already used to his gaze she blushed up to her ears – pretty much to his personal zest – and he added: "Ah, I see you're aware of what I'm talking about aren't you, love?" His grin widened and his gaze wandered unashamedly from her lips down to her chest: "Admit it, Caithleen, it would please you much more as well to feel my lips and my touch upon your skin right now."
"Where from did you get this awareness?" Caithleen teased him.
"Oh! That's easy! I own this unique and for sure not erring awareness due to my inimitable sense for your deepest and most clandestine desiderata, love. It's in your eyes. Savvy?"
"Is that so?" Caithleen gazed at him challenging and before he was able to give her a reply she offended him her sword still within a firm grip: "Well then, you should make a try then to earn your prize..."
Jack jumped back and warded her off – once, twice – until she slipped through underneath his next strike which brought her straight to his back. He nearly lost some strands of his dark curls when she raised her sword again.
Jack made a rapid turn.
He pushed her sword aside, grasped her hand and dragged her towards him: "Don't declare it untrue, darling, you're exactly in the know that there is only one prize being worth to fight for. Means this makes you the prize. It's always a pleasure to see you blush up. So, tell me, Caithleen Stevens, what will I get if I win? Eh?"
"First of all you have to win, Jack Sparrow! As I said: If you want me to be your prize you have to earn it..."
She breathed a kiss upon his lips, then she pushed him out of her way and within a split second her sword lay within her hand again its tip pointing at Jack's chest: "And now you'll tell me what I'm supposed to get if I win."
"Wait and see!"
Jack hesitated for a moment then in a flash he pushed her blade aside with his own, let himself down on his knees and caught her ankle by surprise with a determined grasp. He pulled her from her feet, jumped up and within the same moment she felt his blade close to her throat.
"Jack!"
Caithleen's eyes widened in surprise and disbelief but he just shrugged and said only one word: "Pirate!"
His eyes were sparkling when he tossed his blade away. He let himself down on his knees again and placed himself upon her feet with a contented smile that she wasn't able to move them any more.
Caithleen raised on her elbows and beheld him: "You don't fight fair, Jack Sparrow!"
"There's no reason for me to fight fair, love. Already forgotten? I'm a pirate – and I want my prize now..." He struck the curls out of her face and the soft gaze out of his dark eyes he beheld her with belied his words and his actions. He never had in mind to vanquish her, he just wanted to take her by storm once again...
"What's the meaning of this? Am I the defeated then?"
"No, love. Never!" Jack helped her to sit up and dragged her into his arms: "No, Caithleen Stevens, if I would love to vanquish a girl I would have searched for a different kind of girl but not for you." He cupped her cheeks with his hands and added silently: "I don't want such a different kind of girl, love, and that's why I'll always be both in the end: the winner and the defeated. As long as you want me..."
"That's the truth then?"
"Aye!"
"Then you earned your prize, eh?"
Jack closed his eyes when she started to caress him and when she loosened his belt and his sash with briskly fingers before her hands slipped under his shirt. His chilled skin felt tender and soft and underneath her fingers she felt his heartbeat.
Their lips found each other – wildly and impassioned – and they sank into a deep kiss full of ardent longing and this one single wish to feel each other.
His hands caressed her legs, her tender body and her alluring breasts when she buried her face within his hair and surrendered to him.
Caithleen's voice sounded hoarse when she whispered into his ear: "For sure I want you, Jack Sparrow. Always! And the most right here and now..."
It needed no more additional words when they both started impatiently to tear on each others clothes until they finally felt each other skin to skin, their fingers intertwined, their legs mingled and his hips rubbing against hers while their kisses grew more and more passionate.
When Caithleen lay within his arms somewhen later – her eyes closed in sweet exhaustion, her lips reddened from his kisses, her cheeks and chest blushed in sensual enjoyment after they sent each other over the edge and panting for air – Jack, still out of gasp himself, beheld her for a while.
He enjoyed keeping taps on her until she opened her eyes. With a smile he asked: "What's this, love? That exhausted?" He gave her a wink: "Seems as if I'm really in the know about what to do, eh...?"
She returned the smile still caught within the suavely drowsing of doze she drifted into: "If you're already in the know about how to send me over the edge now, what else will wait for me then later on...?"
"Well, let's say it this way, love – I've not the slightest idea, but I'm hell-bent to find it out..."
"Me too and we own a whole lifetime to do so..." She whispered and pulled him into another kiss.
"Yes, love, you're right. A whole lifetime." His lips grazed her ear: "I love you, Caithleen Stevens, and if I would have to I would sail for you to the end of the world – and over the edge as well if necessary..."
He covered her lips with his again and when she raised her hips against his to grant him entrance, when he felt her tightness surrounding him and when he heard her sighs of pleasure he was very well aware that he wanted to feel her – again and again and again...
The dull rumble came from the other side of the island and it found its way to their conscience only by slow pace.
Jack and Caithleen had fallen asleep upon the mossy cliffs, still keeping each other within a tight embrace and arms and legs still wrapped around each other as close as possible. Obviously they were much more exhausted due to the fact that they couldn't get enough from each other than due to their simulated duel...
That was why Jack's fluttering eyelids opened only reluctantly when the annoying sound recurred. He blinked several times to get used to the sun and stopped short. This sound did not belong to a tempest like they were usual and like they used to happen once a day within this season. Therefore it was too permanent and therefore it recurred too constantly. In addition there were no clouds to spot at all.
Rapidly he sat up: "Caithleen! Wake up! We fell asleep and as it seems something's going on at the port."
She did not need long to get what he was talking about. They hurried to gather their clothes together lying spread all around the place and to slip in. As soon as hats, shoes and swords also found their right place again they started to climb up some rocks to get a better view over the island and its backside.
However, the little port lay out of their sight and for the first moment both of them weren't quite sure what really was going on over there. Then they saw a sail vanishing behind the coastline and they meant having spotted a flag at the stern of said ship.
They changed a rapid look and Jack expressed what they both thought: "The Spanish! They attack the port! You know what this means. If they surround the isle they will also find the passage and the bay. Caith! We have to warn Patrick and Rosalind. They have to ready the ships!"
"Isn't it possible that we'll stay unchallenged?"
"I don't know, love, but this is supposed to be a rather small hope. Better let them find us on the open ocean than within this secret hideout. At sea we'll be able to outrun them and to be honest it's much easier to find a new ship than such a unique place like this. Come", he grasped her hand and helped her up: "let's hurry:"
Without looking for their way they hastened down the path leading towards the little cottage with its whitewashed walls.
Jack grasped Caithleen with her shoulders: "Go and inform Pat and Rose. I'll search for Jacobsen and Bill meanwhile. And, Caith, don't waste any time with searching for our belongings. Aboard we'll find enough of them and if it's over we'll return here soon."
She just nodded and while she stumbled into the cottage Jack ran down the path until he reached the home of Bill Turner being totally out of breath.
He didn't waste time knocking but tore open the door and went in. The same moment he stood rooted to the ground when he found out that a pistol got aimed at him.
"Oi!" He raised his hands within a pacifying gesture while shying away from the gun: "No need to hurry, mate! It's me, Jack!"
Bill lowered the pistol and beheld the boy in a mix of surprise and affright: "Jack! What the hell did you have in mind? It was by a hair's breadth that you ended up with a bullet in the middle of your brow!"
"Never mind!" Jack caught himself rapidly: "And to be honest there's no time to think about such trifle!"
"You should catch your breath first, lad, and then I suggest you start telling me what happened from the beginning. Will you?"
"Yes! Everything's fine with me! It's just that the Spanish started cannonading the isle's port. We heard it and we saw at least one ship until it vanished behind the coastline. If we won't do anything there won't be anything left of the town and the harbor but smoldering debris..."
"The Spanish you say? And just one single ship?" Bill shook his head: "No, son, they never come with just one ship. And there is only one man within these waters who's on the hunt for pirates and all those who dare to help them. They are not the Spanish, Jack, it's Don Esteban de Vargas, authorized representative of his majesty the King of Spain. Accredited to kill every pirate he will come across. He captured Caithleen's father and his crew and..."
"...he's the one who burnt them all alive." Jack finished the sentence: "I know about it. Caith told me."
"Are Patrick and Rosalind already in the know?"
"Caith is with them."
"Well done, lad. Then we'll ready the ship. I'm convinced that we won't take the risk to lure the Spanish here." He hesitated for a while then he added: "This will mean we've to leave the bay for a while as it seems."
Turner's face reflected his feelings and his discomfort and Jack had a slight idea what or better who it was he was in sorrow about.
He turned round and shouted towards the chamber at the upper floor: "Elianor! Hurry! We have to leave and you have to accompany us aboard. I would explain everything to you if there would be time enough but there isn't."
"Aboard?" A voice asked from above. "Why?"
"Trust me! It's necessary! Take only those things you're in need of!"
"Bill, what is all of this about? No one will ever come to this bay because no one who's not aware how to find it will find it.
Elianor came down the stairs. She resembled Caithleen and Rosalind in a way – wearing pants and boots, shirt and jerkin, her honey colored hair hidden underneath a bandana, a hat and a belt within her hand. She placed her hat upon her head and just wanted to wrap her belt round her waist when she stopped short and let her hand sink. Instead she grasped for her sword and her pistol without putting them to the belt.
She was a pretty lass and there was no doubt how it could happen that Bill Turner fell for her from one moment to the other. Her narrow face got dominated by her big blue eyes and her full and fine carved lips. She was somewhat older than Jack and Caithleen but not much and when she stood in front of him Jack was able to spot why she did without the belt:
Elianor Turner was with child.
Within her eyes still skepticism got mirrored but she trusted enough in her husband for not to search too long for refutation.
This just did change when Bill turned towards Jack: "Listen to me, lad, I want you to take Elianor aboard the 'Wing'. I want you to take her to London equal what might happen to us. Got me?"
"What is this supposed to mean, Bill Turner? First you want me to accompany you but now it's the 'Wing' for me and not the 'Stream'? Pat and Rose will set sail together, won't they?"
Bill ignored her and grasped Jack with his shoulders: "Well then, Jack! Did you get me? Want your promise, son. Take her to London even if she might protest during the whole crossing. I don't want her to get harmed and she must not get caught by the Spanish! By no means! You understand..."
Jack nodded: "Aye! I promise, but Bill, it's time to leave..."
"One moment, gents!" Elianor glared at Jack and Bill by turns: "Why London?"
"Is this really of relevance, dear?" Elianor did not answer and Bill added with a sigh: "Why don't you want to get me? Is it so difficult to understand that I would not be able to suffer it if something would occur to you. To both of you?" He gently touched her slightly swelled belly.
Elianor swallowed hard and it was not to miss that she was close to tearing up.
Bill beheld her and stroked her cheek: "Return to London, sweet. This life is not a life for a child. I promise I'll follow as soon as we'll get through this."
"Don't tell me that you're willing to give up this life, Bill Turner!" A bitter smile appeared upon her lips as if she was in the know about much more than she was willing to say: "Is there another life for you at all? And what do you think will happen if they'll find out who the father of our child is?"
The alarm bell got rung and every further discussion got interrupted. It was time to leave and none of them knew if and when they would return to the bay.
The gangplank got pulled in when Rosalind and Caithleen came aboard and Jacobsen drove the crew of the 'Eagle's Wing' on to hurry: "Set sail and weigh the anchor you rotten landlubbers! Make haste! You're not here for your pleasure!"
"That will do, Mister Jacobsen." Rosalind grinned then she shouted: "Fasten the gangplank and cast off! We're going to have a rendezvous with the Spanish!"
"Aye!" Jacobsen turned towards the men: "You heard the captain, gents! And you all know what such a rendezvous means – a proper prey for all of you!"
Jack watched how Rosalind and Caith came aboard. His hands flew over the wheel barely after the lines got loose and he slowly veered the 'Wing' into the bay.
He wanted to render the helm to Rosalind when they came up to join him but she just shook her head: "Stay where you are! You proved yourself more than once to be a good captain. I trust in you that you'll not run my ship aground today of all days."
Since the attack which nearly sent the 'Wing' down to the deep depths of the open ocean and which cost the lives of dozens of good men almost a year passed by.
Due to these circumstances they dragged the 'Wing' ashore to mend her and Rosalind used this chance to fix her ship not only rough-and-ready like usual but from her keel up to her masts.
Jack loved the ship since he set his first step on its planks and since he was allowed to take its helm for the first time it felt as if he and the 'Wing' got bound by something special. She followed him willingly when he sailed her through the narrow passage. Meanwhile he knew its perils in his sleep and even blindfolded and he was very well aware how to avoid the hidden reefs and shallows.
What he asked himself was if this rash departure which almost resembled a flight was really wise. No one knew about the passage and the bay except those who were living there or who were members of the crews. And even if the Spanish would succeed in finding the passage it for sure did not mean that they would succeed in getting through it. It was much more thinkable that they would run aground without coming to see the hidden bay at all.
But it was idle to think about it any more. The decision was made and they would face the Spanish at sea.
"What's wrong with her?" Jack pointed towards Rosalind with his head, who leaned against the rail being obviously deep in thoughts while watching the 'Silver Stream' how she sailed through the bay taking course towards the passage.
"Don't know." Caithleen replied with a shrug: "She and Pat had a rather violent discussion about how to go on when we reach the Spanish and as it seems Patrick's the one who won."
"Was it about the fact that he wants her to sail the 'Wing' to England?"
"Wherefrom do you...?"
"Elianor is aboard the 'Wing and Bill charged me more than once with taking her to London by all means."
"To London?" Caithleen frowned.
It obviously turned out that Patrick's plan provided that he would face the Spanish on his own while he wanted Rosalind to take flight...
"As it seems you've nothing better in mind but hanging around together, eh?" Rosalind suddenly snarled at them harshly: "You're not my helmsman because it provides you another chance to whisper sweet nothings with my daughter! You", she glared at Caithleen: "will join Jacobsen with preparing the guns! And you", her attention turned back at Jack: "will take care that we get through the passage unharmed!"
"Aye, ma'am!" Caithleen and Jack changed a worried look until she went to the deck to search for Jacobsen, not aware what might have caused the change within Roasalind's mood that quickly.
"Which course, captain?" Jack tried to keep on acting the naive boy. Possibly he would get some answers concerning her bad temper that way.
"To the open ocean!" Rosalind answered her gazed fixed on the 'Silver Stream'.
"You won't attack the Spanish together?"
"No! Patrick wants me to cruise out of harm's way."
"Did you make up a concourse?"
"If it should become necessary we'll meet at Tortuga. But let's hope that it won't become necessary."
"Don't worry. Pat's a good sailor. He's in the know about what to do."
"Stop that idle talk, Jack Sparrow! Patrick and Bill are egregious fools even if they are some of the best sailors all around the seven seas. Vargas shows up here for only one reason – he searches for us since Patrick freed us from his vessel. To him being a pirate means having lost every right to live. Mark my words, Jack, and mark his name. You'll come across him again – equal what will happen to us today."
Within this moment Roaslind seemed to age about several years. A shadow darkened her face and for a split second it looked tired and grey. She blinked and the moment was over: "Bring us to the open ocean, Jack. It's not time for us to mourn yet..."
Jack, Caithleen and Jacobsen succeeded in convincing Rosalind to surround the isle opposite to the 'Stream' and even if this was against Patrick's order she did not withdraw this order and the longer they sailed close to the coastline the feeling that something was not like it was supposed to be increased.
Since Rosalind went below to her quarters Jack was in charge and he tried to act the captain as well as possible.
He and Caithleen agreed about the idea that something worse but just a hot tempered argument must have occurred between Rosalind and Patrick. It happened every now and then that they did not agree about their new foray or the next prey, but this time it was something different and maybe one reason was that this Spanish commander got that close to the passage and their hideout and that this Spanish commander was exactly the one who killed captain Stevens many years ago.
True or not neither Jack nor Caithleen had a better idea...
Following his inner voice that something must be definitely wrong Jack finally ordered: "Mister Jacobsen, strike the skull and crossbones and set the Spanish flag. They won't take into consideration that there could be a Spanish merchant sailer all around within these waters. If this maneuver will work they will think we belong to them. This will provide us time."
"Aye! I'm already on my way, lad!"
"So you really think we can outsmart them?" Caithleen sounded skeptical.
"If I'm wrong or not will turn out soon but it's worth the try. If we would be able to take them under crossfire it would grant us a great vantage."
The wind swelled the canvas and the 'Wing' was able to surround the isle much faster than Jack would have guessed. Due to this circumstance they reached the cliffs offshore the port and its bay shortly before sunset. The same moment a cry came from the crow's nest: "Sail ho! Straight ahead!"
"Why here? This does not make sense! Take the helm, Caith!" Jack grasped for his spy glass and had a look though it: "What the hell...!" He lowered it just to have another look a second after: "This cannot be possible."
"What's the matter?"
"Have a look on your own, love." He passed the spy glass over to her.
"What does this mean?"
"This?" Jack gave her a bitter smile: "This, Caith, means that we're straight on our way to end up within a trap! They never attacked the port and the town. They're just firing their guns off! We let them dupe us! Bugger!"
"What can we do?"
"We've no choice, love, but to follow Patrick's order and leave. And all we can hope is that he'll find it out as well. For now we'll heave to and make our exit."
Jack closed his eyes for a moment. He did not want to make a decision like that but he was very well in the know that they would not have the slightest chance against those heavy armed Spanish warships.
Therefore he ordered: "Mister Jacobsen set full canvas! Every sail we have left. This is no raid! It's a trap..."
