Chapter 14:
Kat rushed though the busy streets of the Port Royal market. The sun was on its way toward the horizon line, but too many people were excited about the execution that was going to be held the next afternoon. She tried to keep her mouth shut and rage from building as she rushed by women who threw out awful stories of pirates an even worse . . . some of them were of Jack. Some were there the last time they had tried to hang him in the square and told story of his escape with help of the blacksmith.
She pushed her way through the line of people and almost knocked a woman over. The woman turned and grabbed Kat on the arm, "Kat! Oh my goodness, thank the Lord I found you!"
"Elizabeth?" Kat looked at her. She held little Emily in the arm opposite of the one that had her arm and saw a little boy that had to be little Jessie glued to Elizabeth's right side, "What are you doing here? Where is Will?"
"Come with me," Elizabeth guided both Kat and her two children into the alleyway next to an old shop.
"What is going on?" Kat asked as Elizabeth told her to hold Jessie and to keep him quiet. She picked the young boy up easily as he wasn't much older than Olivia had to be.
"Your father has sent a bulletin looking for you. I had to come and find you before the watch did," Kat told her to keep going by nodding her head, "They took Will."
"What?"
"Jack probably told you that Will helped him escape from being hung the last time he was in Port Royal. They locked Will up until the execution is over with to make sure he doesn't interfere again. I tried to reason with my father, but even as the Governor he can't do anything. I don't know what to do. The house is very foreboding without Will there. I do not feel safe."
Kat put her hand on Elizabeth's shoulder, "Go to my cousin's until Will is set free. She lives not too far from here just past the tailor. It's a large gated tan home with a willow out front," Kat described the home as well as she could, "Go there and I'll see you as soon as I can. You have to think of your children at this point."
Elizabeth took Jessie's hand when Kat put him on the ground next to his mother, "Where are you going?"
"The jail house. I must speak with Jack," Kat stared at her in the eyes, determination glowing brightly, "I know there will be guards, but I'll take my chances. Find Harriet and tell her who you are and why I sent you there. You'll be fine. So will Will."
"And what about you and Jack?"
"I'm going to see to that now," Kat mumbled looking into the street, making sure it was clear of any soldiers and made a straight line to the jail house. She moved quickly, but assured. She needed to look in control and blend in with everyone else. The last thing she needed was to stick out. Hopefully no one will notice the un-escorted woman walking down the roadside. She didn't want to make herself known until she actually reached the jail house. Then she would let her powerful name known.
She rounded the last corner and put her head high to show her confidence.
'Look proud; indifferent to everything. Be like him,' she squinted at the thought, 'Just this once be like him, then never again.'
The soldier at the bars knew it was her as she approached, "Evenin' Miss Benikins. I believe that your father is looking for you."
"Yes, well you can imagine after the incident with pirates he wants to keep a good eye on me. He knows where I am going," Katerina said trying to sound as the snobby, powerful woman her father wanted her to be, "I would like to see the prisoner."
"Which one, Miss?"
"What do you mean which one? The pirate of course!" she yelled at the stout man, scolding herself for referring to Jack that way.
"I'm sorry, Miss. I'm under strict orders. No one is to see him," the guard tried to keep his imposing figure, but found it quite difficult with a raving mad female standing in front of him, "I cannot let you. I have my-"
"Excuse me!" Kat stepped forward staring him in the face, "I have my orders from my father! So unless you want to turn in your military office by the end of the night, you will open that door for the fine lady."
The soldier was backed up against the wall and nodded quickly, not wanting to upset her further. He opened the door for her and stood back, "There you are, Miss."
"Thank you," she lifted the skirt of her dress and stepped inside, "And guard . . . I expect that you do not listen to my conversation with the scoundrel. I do not wish to be disturbed. Understand?"
"Yes ma'am," he nodded his head and closed the heavy doors behind her.
Kat glided down the stairs, careful not to catch her dress on any rough or sharp edges. She listened carefully for any movement within the cells below, and hoped that Jack was the only one on his block. She didn't want anyone to hear what she had to say. Just Jack.
She turned the corner to see Jack sprawled out on the floor of the cell, face up, possibly looking unconscious. Kat ran up to the bars and looked in with worry on her face, "Jack? Captain Jack Sparrow?"
"Aye?" he popped his head up upon hearing his name and stopped dead in his movements as he saw the beautiful woman before him. She wore a dark red dress with a low neck line and a flowing skirt that rippled as the woman walked. Her ebony hair was in curls upon her head and framing her lovely face which held brown eyes he knew better than anything. Jack immediately knew it could only be one person, "Kat, what are you doing here?"
"I had to come and see you," she sat down right outside the cell and stared in at Jack as he made his way off the floor and to her side, "He is preparing to execute you tomorrow afternoon."
"I thought as much," Jack sighed, "Although I thought it was customary around here to kill us pirates at dawn."
"Not for you, my friend," another voice carried over from the cell next door.
Kat furrowed her brows and went the next cell down where Will leaned against the wall separating him and Jack.
"Elizabeth said that they locked you up too," Kat sighed and shook her head. She held up a hand to stop him when he looked worried for his family, "She and the children are fine. They are with my cousin at the moment."
"Thank you," Will nodded to her with a slight smile and then nodded to the wall again to tell her to go back to Jack.
"So how is it to be done, then?" Jack asked and looked at the ceiling before Kat came back into view.
"They're turning it into an attraction. 'The execution of the infamous Jack Sparrow' as they call it. Can you imagine it?" Kat was at the verge of tears, sometimes the tears would catch in her throat.
"Why are you actually doing here, Kat?"
Kat stood in the darkness of the barracks looking through the bars at Jack and spoke softly as if she didn't want anyone else to hear her, "I don't want to see you die tomorrow, Captain."
"There is nothing you could do about it, luv."
"Yes there was. There was something I could have done about it," she pointed at her own chest and began to pace, "I could have been more careful. I could have never stepped foot in the Tortuga Harbor. If I could have been more careful and took hold of my temper . . . I could have . . . could have done something to prevent all this. You would be safe on the Black Pearl and I would be sitting here. Waiting for a marriage."
"A marriage that you are not ready for," Jack said gaining her attention again.
"Possibly . . . but at least neither of us would be in the situation that we are both in now. You are awaiting execution and it is my fault. If you hadn't saved me from those pirates in Tortuga that night- if had never mentioned that my father was wealthy you wouldn't have taken me onto the Black Pearl . . . then I would never had . . ." she paused and her voice was choked up in her throat. She wasn't ready to say it. She couldn't. But if she didn't say it now, when would she ever have another chance to say it?
"You would have never what?"
'Fallen in love with you,' she thought to herself as she raised her eyes to meet his.
She quickly looked away and focused on the keyhole for the cell door, "Never mind. You just have to believe it is my fault."
"That's not true. You know it isn't. I would have come back here, with you or not. True, the rum needs fixin' and the ladies aren't too friendly-"
"Captain," Kat said in a scolding tone.
"Well, you get the idea," he took one of her hands through the bars, "It didn't have to be Port Royal. I could have been caught at any Port. It ain't your fault."
"But you weren't caught at any Port. It was this one. That man has had it out for every pirate since I have gone missing- if not before. Fed by his immense greed, he doesn't care who has to die to get it," Kat tried to focus, but everything was a mess and she didn't know how to think straight, "I'm so sorry, Captain."
"Jack."
"What?" Kat looked at him.
"My name's Jack," he smiled at her, softening her face. She sat back down next to him as he looked at her in the eyes and then looked at the ground, "Will you be there tomorrow? At the execution?"
"I cannot," Kat said both her head and voice shaking.
"I need someone there for me," he kept a strong hold of her hand.
"Please⦠don't make me watch you die," Kat whispered, "I cannot take it."
"I want to look out on that crowd and find a face of a true companion, and loyal crew member. I need someone like you out there, Kat," he cupped her face in his hand, "I need someone out there that I love."
Kat's eyes widened and she backed away from him slightly, "What are you saying, Jack?"
"I need you, Kat," he looked at her from behind the bars, "Plain as that."
Kat stood stunned and silent at him, he couldn't have just said that he . . . loved her. He needed her. Kat sat back down next to him once again and stared into the dark pools of his eyes. Her brow furrowed and her bottom lip started to shake as she looked at him. She knew then . . . she would never love anyone as much as she loved him at that moment.
Suddenly a little smile broke on her face and she started to laugh lightly, even with the tears running down her face, "I need you too, Captain Jack Sparrow."
Without another word she leaned against the bars, barely able to reach his lips on the other side. She kept her hands at each side of his face, making sure she kept contact with his skin. Jack cupped her right cheek with one hand and held one of her hands next to his cheek with the other. The kiss started out soft and smooth, and then turned to a passionate filled desire. Kat stopped after a few seconds and backed her head away, opening her eyes slowly.
"Still not as good as the other," Jack commented shaking himself out of his dream like state and opened his eyes.
"Well, it would have been better if there were not bars between us," Kat said blushing and smoothing out her dress.
"That I don't doubt," he chuckled and caressed her face, "I just wish we had that chance."
Kat closed her eyes and felt Jack's hand try to wipe away the tears that were still falling down her cheeks, "I need to get you out of here."
She opened her eyes to meet his, "How do you plan to do that?"
"Harriet will help me," she touched the side of his face and played with some of the trinkets in his hair as she stared at him lovingly, "I will find a way to set you free, Jack. I will not let you down."
"You never do," he smiled.
"I'll be by tomorrow . . ." she gave him another light kiss through the bars and turned for the stairs. He kept his eyes on her, leaning on the cell's bars.
"Love you, Kat," he smiled at her as she disappeared up at the stairs.
"About time you told her," Will commented.
"Shut it, Turner."
Kat made sure that the guard 'understood' that she never there and walked fast paced down the road. She was fearful of the coming day, yet she was overfilled with joy. Jack loved her. She could have danced her way to her cousin's too totally entranced in her own thoughts to mind the people around her. After half an hour she reached Harriet's home and knocked on the door.
"Kat!" Harriet smiled and grabbed her around the waist, "Are you okay? Your father-"
"Is looking for me, I know. Do not worry, if he really wanted me home, he would have already dragged me back. Did Elizabeth and her children get here safely?" she walked into the entrance hall.
"She did. She is in one of the spare bedrooms, asleep with her children. I am so sorry for her," Harriet and Kat went into the sitting room.
As they walked Kat saw Olivia running as fast as her little legs could go, "There's that girl!"
Olivia jumped into Kat's arms, burying her head into the soft, red fabric of her dress, "Olivia miss Kitty! And Kitty almost missed Olivia berday," Olivia pouted and looked at Kat in her eyes.
Kat laughed at her and looked into the little girl's eyes, "Well, shame on me! Just look at how much you've grown. I'll soon have to buy stilts to look you in the eyes!"
"Kitty funny!" Olivia laughed and looked at her mother, "Kat staying?"
"I don't know," Harriet crossed her arms and looked at Kat, "Are you?"
Kat looked at the ground and whispered, "That's what I am here to discuss."
"We have the time. Robert is out for the rest of the night," Harriet ushered Kat and Olivia into the next room where they talked a night ago, "Well, Kat?"
"I need help to free Jack," Kat said bouncing Olivia on her knees.
"You want to what?"
"Free Jack," Kat said simply, "The problem being the get away. I know how to get Jack away from the shooter, but the actual get away is rather tricky."
"Tell me what you have so far," Harriet sighed and listened to Kat's plan. She nodded once Kat was finished, "I know the perfect route. But what about the get away ship?"
"The Black Pearl should be there by tomorrow," Kat sighed.
"You are so sure. Just by that I would be expecting my whole plan to go up in smoke," Harriet rocked her semi-conscious daughter in her arms, hoping that she would fall asleep sometime soon.
"Why is that?"
"It is a pirate ship. They will not come back."
"Yes they will. They have before," Kat gave a heavy sigh, "Do you have another extra room for me? I do not want to go back to the estate."
"Why don't you fetch your carriage? You could sleep on the way back."
"I don't have one."
"You walked here?" Kat picked up her skirt to show her mud covered boots as proof, "Of course you can stay. I'll get Dena to help you."
"How long has she been here?" Kat asked from her seat and looked up at her cousin with Olivia asleep in her arms.
"It was only a couple of weeks after your disappearance," Harriet said with a frown, "She was inconsolable about you. My uncle didn't make it any easier for her. He nearly broke her and then tossed her out. I couldn't let her go on without a friend or a job."
Kat nodded and ground her teeth in anger toward that monster, "Thank you, Harriet."
"No thanks necessary," Harriet smiled and patted her on the back, "She grew up with us. She is more than help. She is a friend."
"That she is," Kat smiled and looked over Harriet's shoulder to Dena.
She stood in the doorway with a folded sleep shift, "I hope you don't mind, Harriet, but I saw her come this way and prepared one of your old shifts for her."
"I don't mind at all," Harriet smiled and nodded at her as she passed.
Dena stepped toward Kat and stood a couple of feet from her. She looked at the ground and looked so ashamed.
"I am so sorry for what I did," Dena whispered, "I thought... I thought that he was holding you."
"Oh, Dena," Kat stood quickly and grabbed Dena in a hug, "I don't blame you. You're forgiven. I probably would have done the same thing."
"But your friend," Dena leaned back, "He will be killed."
"Not if my plan goes accordingly," Kat smiled and hugged her friend again, "I missed you."
The next morning Harriet looked into the spare bedroom to find Kat sleeping peacefully. She closed the door softly and retrieved Olivia from her room. She dressed in her casual wear and went down the road with Olivia in tow. The guards were taking a break and she had no problem finding a way into the cell block.
Even during the day the jail house still had dim lighting and Harriet had to be careful where she took a step or to look out for young Olivia. She turned the corner to find a pirate sitting against the wall with his tri-corner hat over his eyes. He was humming a song and whispering the lyrics every few seconds. Form the next cell over she heard a second person echoing his song back to him. Harriet cautiously stepped closer to make sure it was the same man. As soon as he heard them he tipped his hat up to see her.
"Well, I wasn't expecting you," Jack said clearing his throat, "Where's Kat?"
"Sleeping," Harriet sat next to the bars, "Poor dear walked here all the way from the estate."
"What do you want? I thought you didn't care for pirates," Jack acted nonchalant and looked over his nails as if they fascinated him.
"I decided to try," Harriet bowed her head, "We have a plan. Kat is going to get you out of your pickle and out of the shooter's range. Then you two will flee down an alleyway that will lead you to the bay where hopefully your crew will be waiting."
"The Pearl will be there," he got up and walked toward the bars.
"You so sure?"
"I saw the sign. She will be there."
"If you are so sure," Harriet rolled her eyes and Olivia peeked out over her lap.
Jack looked down to see the little girl, "Who this be then?"
Olivia stepped forward and looked at him, pointing at her chest, "Olivia! You a real pirate?"
"Of course I am! I am Captain Jack Sparrow of the Black Pearl!" Jack said proudly.
Olivia looked at him, tilting her head from side to side, "You a eunuch?"
"Olivia!" Harriet yelled.
Both Jack and Will laughed at the young girl.
"You sure have been around Kat haven't you?" he reached out and rubbed the child's head, "How old you be?"
"I be thwee!" Olivia said proudly, lifting her head high, "Almost four."
"Almost four! That makes you old enough to be a part of my crew!" Jack saw the young girl jump and down, "But mind you, you can't come on my ship until you are old enough. And have your mum's ok."
"But that will take forevwer!" she whined.
"Time will pass like nothing."
Olivia began to laugh again as Jack began to tell her some of his exploits and the trouble he would get into. Harriet stood by watching the joy that Jack was bringing to her daughter.
'Maybe not all pirates are as bad as they seem,' she thought and gave a small smile and turned serious again, "Captain Sparrow."
"Aye?" Jack raised his head looking away from Olivia.
"I'm sorry for what I've said," Harriet placed her hands on Olivia's shoulders, "But I fear for Kat's safety. You understand, don't you?"
"Aye," Jack said softly.
"I didn't think it was safe for her on the sea. But you know better! You know what would be best for her, because you know both sides of the story and you know her. Please, think of the best for her."
"I always do," Jack said. Harriet nodded and started to walk toward the stairs.
"Momma? Can I say somthin' to Uncle Jack?" Olivia pulled on her mother's dress. Harriet nodded, a little surprised by what Olivia called him. She smiled and ran over to Jack's cell bars. She waved for him to lean closer and started to whisper to him, "When I old enuff, are you comin' back?"
"Aye, I give you my pirate's word," he smiled at her.
"Tank you!" she tried her best to hug him through the bars and ran back over to Harriet, "See you then Uncle Jack!"
"Bye, luv," Jack waved to the little girl and nodded to Harriet, "M' Lady."
Harriet smiled and left with Olivia having a good grip on her hand. Olivia stuck her tongue out at the guards as they passed them, mentally scolding them in her head, knowing that if she said it out loud she would get into trouble.
Jack looked at the lace on the ground, more and likely came off of Olivia's dress.
"Now I know why she loves that little girl so much," Jack muttered.
Harriet and Elizabeth stayed behind for the execution as they saw Kat off. She dressed in one of Harriet's dresses and put her hair up like the day before. Unknown to many others she wore a pair of riding boots, nice pants and a silk shirt under her gown. Because of the dress's tight fit, no one would see the difference.
She stood close to the shooting 'stage' and watched as they dragged Jack out of the jail house. Kat held her breath as she saw that her father and Captain Belstrude followed him with Governor Swann at the end. The Governor didn't take any pleasure from this event, he even looked ashamed of the outcome of it all. Both of the other men held their heads high and proud smirks grew as they knew they were in charge of this man's death. They stood to the side as a man began to mutter off the charges.
Jack scanned the crowd and finally found her eyes in the crowd. He focused on her and gave her a sad look. She heard the soldiers click back their hammers preparing to fire.
'No,' Kat jumped on the wooden platform and in front of Jack. She faced him as the shots connected with her back. She clenched her teeth as she felt the bullets hit and tried desperately to cut Jack's ropes with a small knife.
"You stupid girl!" her father yelled at her from a few feet away.
"Kat!" he whispered, grabbing her once the binds were off his hands.
"Run . . ." she whispered back. Jack looked up as the other guards and the captain came running at him. He turned to the side and saw the small alleyway that Harriet had explained before. He grabbed Kat into his arms and began to run for the opening.
The soldiers began to fire upon him, until they were halted by Captain Belstrude, "Stop! You may hit Katerina again!"
"Stop? We must stop him at all costs, Captain," Mr. Benikins yelled, "At all costs!"
The captain hesitated only a moment before he ran after Jack and the injured Kat with his pistol on his belt and sword at his side.
He saw Jack toward the end of the alley and yelled at him to halt. Jack stopped and turned around. The captain was in the middle of the alley and close to catching up with him. Jack looked around, hoping beyond everything that Kat was going to be all right. He picked up a bottle of rum from the street and threw it at a pile of crates suspended at the side of the alley. The crates began to topple and fell before the captain, blocking his way to the two. Jack smirked and began to run toward the bay again.
Jack made it to the bay and saw the Pearl not more than two minutes from shore. He sat Kat down on the ground and looked at her, "Kat, can you hear me?"
Kat groaned and opened one eye with a smile on her face, "Of course I can hear you."
"You're not hurt!" Jack said astonished.
"Of course not! I was to be a distraction, not planning to kill myself," Kat stood up and started to take off the dress to reveal the riding attire beneath. Along with a very heavy tin that blocked the shots.
"Very clever," Jack smiled, "You amaze me a little more than you should."
"A nasty habit of mine," she teased him as she tied her bandanna back on.
He held out an arm for her to take, which she did as she had before.
"Let's get to the Pearl before your fiance fights his way through those crates," Jack nodded behind him and they both ran for the dock where the Pearl had already docked. Kat kept up with him well enough across the beach and to the wooden dock. They heard yelling in the background, soldiers trying to find a way to get to them. Kat smiled knowing that they would be too late. The Pearl was there and ready to make way. It was the fastest ship in the Caribbean. No one would catch them.
Jack suddenly slowed as he came closer to the Pearl and held out an arm to stop her from going forward as well. His adventurous and victorious smile disappeared and was replaced with worry.
"What's the matter?" Kat asked.
"There's something wrong," Jack said staring up at the Black Pearl, "It's too quiet."
Kat stayed completely still for a moment before she too didn't hear anything. No shouting from Gibbs or Anamaria giving orders. No pulling on the rigging or footfalls from the crew as they rushed about. It was too quiet.
"Where are they?" she asked and worried for the crew who had become like family.
Then from the side of the ship came half a dozen of the King's finest. Jack pushed Kat behind him and turned so they both could run the other way. There behind them was Belstrude with another dozen of his men. Kat grabbed Jack's hand and looked at the uniforms surrounding them. Luck was not in their favor.
"You really think we wouldn't go after your ship first?" Belstrude asked and brought his sword out to point directly at Jack, "It was easy enough. They were waiting not too far from shore to pick up their captain."
"Where's my crew, mate?" Jack asked in a tone that Kat had never heard before. It was dangerous and very much pirate.
"They're where they belong. In the brig," he nodded toward the Pearl.
Kat sighed in a little relief. At least they were still on board and alive.
"They will come to swift justice, just as you will," Belstrude nodded at him and then looked directly at Kat, "Release your captive and it will at least be swift."
Jack pushed Kat behind him further. He knew how this would end. She would go back to him, or worse her father. She would die inside and everything of who she was would be gone. He wouldn't let that happen. He gave her a promise. He was intent on keeping it.
Kat looked between the two captains and knew that neither of them would back down. She looked down at her hand still in Jack's and their lack of any kind of weapon. There was no chance of escape. They weren't getting out of Port Royal. At least not together. Kat touched Jack's shoulder and made him turn to her.
Jack eyed the men around them and then looked at her, "If we can talk some sense into your captain, maybe..."
"Jack," she whispered and shook her head, "Unfortunately you won't have a good enough plan for this. But I do."
"I'm all ears," he whispered back.
She smiled sadly and gave him one swift kiss before she let go of his hand. He watched her carefully, unsure if he was going to like this plan of hers.
"Timothy," she turned to the Naval Captain and held her head high, "I am willing to strike an accord with you."
The rest of the men began to laugh at her, but she kept her composure and looked directly at Belstrude, the only man who didn't dare laugh at her. He lowered his sword and got his company back into order. He nodded toward her and without a word told her to continue.
"If you were to let Captain Jack Sparrow and the crew aboard the Black Pearl free- let them sail out of here without being followed and without any threat or promise of future pursuit..." Kat took a deep breath and collected all the courage she could. She closed her eyes and let the breath go, "I will agree fully and completely... to your proposal."
"Kat! No!" Jack took a step toward her and a few of the other uniforms pushed him back with their bayonets.
She looked over her shoulder toward Jack, "I won't stand by and be the cause of more deaths of the people I love. Not again. Not when I can do something about it."
It was the only thing she could do to make sure he and the Pearl were safe. She would gladly give that trade without hesitation. Kat turned forward again, her lip quivering in heartbreak as she felt everything in her chest fall to ash. This was what it felt like to die.
Belstrude stepped forward and looked closely at her, "You would agree to my proposal? Fully and completely, without a struggle?"
Kat looked at him in the eyes as she held back her own tears, "Every written word of it. If you agree with my terms. Captain Sparrow, his crew and the Pearl... for me. Do we have an accord?"
"You would be completely mine," Belstrude said and grabbed her bandanna from her head and caught some of her hair in his hand. He looked over Kat's shoulder at Jack and took a long smell of the strands in his hand. Jack struggled not to push the men away from him and kill the blighter himself. He looked at Kat and touched her cheek with his finger, stroking the skin to her lips. He licked his own lips and nodded, "We have an accord."
Kat let out a controlled sob and nodded.
"No! I don't agree!" Jack jumped toward them, but was caught by at least four men. He struggled and tried to run toward Katerina. To grab her and make a run for it. They could get out of the bay just the two of them. They could do anything, "Kat, don't do this!"
"Men, escort Captain Sparrow to his ship, release his crew and let them go," Belstrude commanded his men and quickly tore her bandanna in half. He threw it in the bundle of Jack's things that were walked up the dock to him, "And be sure to give Captain Sparrow his personal effects back. Don't want any of that filth staying behind."
Kat didn't dare turn around. She heard him struggle and call out to her. She also heard what must have been the hit that knocked him out. It was the only way that he would stop, she knew. And she hated herself for it to come to that. She couldn't watch the Black Pearl sail away for the last time. She couldn't...
Suddenly it was hard to breathe and another sob escaped as her legs folded beneath her and she collapsed on the dock, unable to control her emotions. Behind her, she heard the crew come up form the brig and yell at her to get up and come along. They didn't understand. They didn't know the deal that she had struck for her personal Hell and their freedom.
"Go!" she screamed through her tears, her nails scratched against the rough wood of the dock, "It's been decided! Gibbs, take them! SET SAIL!"
A few still moments, a silent standoff between the King's Navy and a pirate crew. Suddenly she heard Gibbs and Anamaria start to shout orders to the rest of the crew to set sail. She hard Cotton voice his displeasure with a 'shiver me timbers', but no other arguments were heard. She could almost feel the wind that carried them out to sea caress her back. She curled over herself and held her stomach as she let the tears fall. As far as she was concerned, she was now dead to the rest of the world.
Harriet heard the commotion from her home and arrived at the dock sure to see the Black Pearl sailing away with her cousin. Instead, she saw the Black Pearl sailing away but Katerina was still on the dock, inconsolable. Harriet rushed forward to get to her cousin when a man tried to stop her from going forward. Arthur Benikins shook his head at his niece to tell her to let her be. Harriet scoffed at the man, tore her arm from his grip and ran to her cousin. Kat looked up to see Harriet and immediately gripped her as if she was the only thing in the world.
"Shh, Kat. It's okay. I have you. Let's get you cleaned up," Harriet picked her cousin off of the dock and started to walk with her back to her home.
"Where are you going with her?" Arthur Benikins asked.
"She's going home with me, Uncle. She has had enough heart break . . . she needs rest," Harriet growled at him.
"She needs mental help if she planned to leave with that pirate!" he began to laugh.
"You need the help, Uncle," Harriet muttered dragging Kat to a nearby bench to try and gather her cousin. She ran her hands over Kat's face and pushed her hair back, "What happened?"
"I saved them," Kat sobbed, "Timothy a-agreed to let them go."
"Why? What did you do?"
"I-I.. I am to be married," Kat let out a loud sob and continued, "I am not to struggle... I am to be Mrs. Belstrude."
"Oh no," Harriet said, grabbing her cousin protectively, giving Kat her whole shoulder to cry upon, "It's going to be all right, Kat."
"I couldn't let them kill him, Harriet. I . . . I wish that those bullets had killed me," she choked back more tears, "It would be less pain than this."
"Shh, let's get back to the house and to bed. You'll feel better in the morning."
