READ:
First of all, I'm sorry for taking so long; I got a new motherboard for Christmas and I had to move all of my things
from my old computer to this new, faster one. It was not easy, let me tell you, and it took forever and a half.
Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas breaks! :)
ALSO:
A reviewer (Chandler Bing, I believe it was) asked a few questions, but because this person doesn't have a FF account,
I will have to post them here:
1. Why would Gov. Swann let her go off with a pirate?
He wouldn't let her; Elizabeth didn't let him know. It will be explained more, later in the story.
2. What is a Frenchman doing in Italy?
Capitaine Chevalle is the pirate lord of that district, it would only make sense that he is there.
3. How can she read Latin?
She was taught bits of Latin by her father- a knowledgeable, well-traveled military man.
4. What is the deal with Elizabeth and our dear William?
Read and find out, ;)
To be frank, I was sure I explained these things rather well in the previous chapters. :S
Though it isn't uncommon for a reader to misunderstand or things of the like. If anyone has
anymore questions, please feel free to ask so I can clear things up for you.
(Or re-read the fic to find the answer you've been looking for.)
P.S. (VERY IMPORTANT): Nearly every piece involving Neptune in this fiction is
purely of my imagination. The spring, the necklace and ring, the Latin scripts were all
manufactured by me. Neptune's wife and their romantic history is not mine, and can be found on Wikipedia.
Chapter 21: Evening Star II
Katherine admired the beauty of the artifacts as she, William and Gibbs came to stand at their captain's side and absorb the magnificence of the two items.
"I be a damned fool.." The elder male breathed in amazement, observing the way the pieces of jewelry glimmered in the flickering light of the torches.
"Well, I certainly thought that there wouldn't be anything here, Jack. It seems you've proved me wrong," Turner spoke as he sent him a quick look.
Grinning proudly as he fondled the enchanting ring while it shimmered, "O'course I did, whelp! I never go wrong when to comes to shinies and things of that nature."
Suddenly, Jack's chocolate hues flickered to the unsuspecting brunette and he went behind her, gently pushing her silky locks aside, "Jack..? What are you-"
"Rewarding you, love," He said as he draped the amulet around her neck and clipping it in, "for your assistance throughout this endeavor."
Katherine gazed down at the gorgeous medallion as it hung loosely just above her breasts, "Jack, I cannot accept this.."
"Why not?" He said as he slipped Neptune's ring onto a bare finger, smirking, "It's compensation!"
She brushed her hair aside to remove the necklace, "I understand that, and I-"
The young woman froze; the amulet wouldn't come off. It refused to detach. All three men were bewildered as they noticed this. The pirate captain attempted to remove his own historical adornment, only to find that it would not slide off his finger.
"Oh bugger…" Jack breathed as he glimmered at the concerned Katherine.
A thought suddenly came to the first mate, and he suggested, "Lantern oil to remove them?"
"Ah-ha! Great thinkin' Gibbs!" Sparrow smiled merrily, "I knew there was a reason I kept you around!" He then jauntily made his way to the exit of the shrine with Katherine's hand clasped in his.
At that comment, the older male rolled his eyes as a deep scowl painted his visage while he left the shrine with Will following behind.
Once on the surface, the three men pushed the heavy stone block in front of the entrance to the shrine, believing that it may stall whoever decides come after them in hopes of retrieving the sacred ornaments. They then hastily made their way back to the awaiting Black Pearl and its crew.
As soon Jack had climbed up from the dinghy after Katherine had boarded the ship, he immediately began barking orders, which the brunette paid little attention to as she left to her quarters. The heat outside had dealt quite a blow to her stamina, even in her lighter garb. She couldn't even begin to imagine how exhausted she would be if she still wore that overbearing gown on their little treasure hunt.
She gazed at herself in the old vanity in her cabin. The necklace was securely clasped; there was no way she would be able to slip it over her head. Katherine couldn't help but wonder why it locked once it was around her neck.
"I suppose it's the price we pay for obtaining mythological treasure.." She murmured as she sat on her bed with a slight huff. Still a little tired from the trek back, she unknowingly dozed off once her head flopped back against the pillow.
.
Katherine awoke an hour or so later; opening her eyes to greet the grinning Jack Sparrow, seated comfortably on her bed.
"Ye know.." He began gradually, his tone deep in a husk, "I don't recall allowing angels aboard me wondrous vessel.."
Heat rose to her cheeks at his comment. She averted her gaze as she rose from the bed and ran a brush through her cascading chestnut locks with a soft smile, "Do you say such things to every woman who boards your ship, Jack?"
"Certainly not, darlin'!" Sparrow exclaimed, feigning shock while she laughed, causing him to smile at the sight, "I only tell it to the fairest of maidens,"
Katherine gazed at him, hazel hues sparkling, "I wonder how many of those you have met in your lifetime?"
"Only one."
"Pardon?" She questioned, having not heard his murmur.
Jack abruptly stood before swaggering to her side, "Nothin' at all, me love. Now, come and join me at the helm, aye?"
Smiling gently, the ivory skinned woman placed the brush down and left with him to the deck of the ship. Once outside, the sun stuck down on her again, though not quite as forcefully as earlier in the day.
The pirate lord rested a hand against the small of her back as he led her to the helm, "Ye know love, you should be gettin' a little more sun, aye? Add some colour to your pale skin!"
"Jack, I am of English-Irish descent; it's very difficult for someone with similar blood to have darker skin without burning horribly." She smiled while he nodded.
"Ah, o' course." He spoke while in thought. The man remained quiet for a moment longer before replying, "On second thought, I prefer yer milky skin. I can't imagine you having dark skin like me.."
Slowly caressing the soft skin of her arm with his callused hand, Jack seemingly fell into a daze. A warm smile developed on her petal lips as she watched the varying display of emotions cross his face. Lethargy, contentment and tranquility.
"Jack Sparrow!"
The sudden bellow awoke him from his preoccupation and his dark gaze flickered to find the source of the call. His eyes fell upon an approaching ship and promptly recognized the vessel by its craft. He swallowed forcibly, a slight worry dipping into him.
"Lord," Gibbs breathed as he cursed their luck, approaching the two, "The Gallant Matron."
Will exclaimed in question, "Who are they?"
"The Gallant Matron belongs to a band of female pirates. Venomous and cruel women, the lot of em'." Levi provided as he stood at Turner's side with a sneer as he eyed the ship as it released it came to a halt beside the Pearl.
A heavy, wooden plank was suddenly dropped from the Matron and onto the Pearl as the female buccaneers began to cross over.
"Well," A woman, whom Katherine assumed was their captain, spoke in a patronizing tone directed at Sparrow, "we've finally caught up to you, Jack."
He spoke coolly with a shrug, "Why, I never knew ye were comin' after me, dearest Augustine."
Sneering, her red painted lips drew back into a snarl, "Don't play coy with me, Sparrow! I'll have your head!"
"Voy a rasgar su cabeza!" A woman on Augustine's left barked at Jack before speaking in a heavily accented Spanish tone, "We need those artifacts, so hand them over!"
Katherine took this opportunity to stand closer to Gibbs. She hadn't a clue what the Spaniard had said, but it sounded menacing. Quietly, she whispered to Gibbs, "Do you know any of these women..?"
"Aye, lass. That I do." He muttered back to her before explaining, "That woman there is known as Augustine, the cap'n of the Matron. The Spanish woman who just threatened to be tearin' off Jack's head is Valentina, the first mate. The rest I'm not too familiar with…"
She breathed, pursing her lips in contemplation, "Oh…"
Augustine's deep blue eyes flashed to Katherine as her lip curled into a dark smirk, "And who's this, Jack? A new playtoy to replace Angelica?"
Every female pirate belonging to the Gallant Matron began to laugh along with their captain. Augustine then asked as her chuckling died, "Or, perhaps she's simply there to pass the time while you search for Angelica?"
Jack remained silent, which began to concern the brunette. She glanced to William for a clue, though he shook his head; knowing just as much as she.
"Leave the two of them outta this.." He met gazes with Augustine again before returning to his original self, bearing a sultry smirk, "perhaps yer a tad jealous that it isn't you sailing with me across the seven seas?"
She bellowed harshly, "No, Sparrow! The flings and nights of passion that you've had with me- no.. with all of my crew are over!"
Katherine's jaw fell slack. With this woman's entire crew, including her? There was approximately six of them all together, possibly including this Angelica whom she had never heard of. She made a mental note to ask the all-knowing Joshamee Gibbs about her later on.
Noticing the flabbergasted expression of the newest addition to his crew, Jack quickly remarked, "I did no such thing! You lie!"
"You did it to Angelica too. Don't deny it, Jackie," One of the women spoke in an alluring tone. Katherine was immediately getting bad vibes from her.
"I did not…" He attempted to find the proper wording, "copulate with Angelica; though I know all of ye enjoyed it, especially you, Lynette."
The woman, Lynette, smiled seductively, "Of course I did. How could I not, with that big-"
"Lynette!" Their captain interrupted fiercely, "we did not come here for you to roll around in the sac with Sparrow in one more time!"
The blonde pirate placed a hand on her hip with a wink at Augustine, "Not just me, Captain. All of us.."
Katherine paled; this woman had no sense of decency. If such provocative things were said around the noble people which the brunette associated herself with, the women would faint and the men would be appalled.
Thankfully, Gibbs chose to intervene, "Ehm, you ladies said ye wanted the jewels from Neptune's spring, aye?"
"Yes, that is originally why we were here." Augustine crossed her arms, proving herself to be the dominant one of their league of females.
Katherine chose to speak then, hoping they would answer a question that had been aching inside her, "But why do you want them?"
The captain of the Matron seemed a little intrigued that the sole female aboard the Pearl had decided to speak after the redhead had insulting her by saying she was nothing more than a tool of pleasure to Jack Sparrow.
"You see, after sleeping with my crewmates for months and myself recently after, Jack broke into a precious chest of maps inside my cabin as I slept after our lovemaking."
The Caribbean pirate lord then commented quietly, "What we did was hardly making-love. It was more along the lines of a good fu-"
"Silence that mouth Sparrow!" She barked angrily, clearly not pleased with her loss of the map to Neptune's spring. Returning to the task at hand, a low growl ruptured in her tone, "Either way, we are not leaving without the artifacts of Neptune and Salacia."
OH NOES. How will they get outta this one? And Jack's quite the playboy, isn't he? ;)
REVIEW TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!