12. How To Summon a Sea Goddess
Jack was drinking again, which ought to feel normal because that was what he always did, but instead a heavy knot formed in Rose's belly whenever she looked at him. He did it so very demonstratively too, like he really wanted to stress into her the fact he was no good.
Well, too late for that. If he wanted her to not care about him he should never have brought her on his visit with his daughter. Having once experienced it, it was impossible to unsee caring, sober Jack.
"Cheers, Rose." He unsteadily raised his bottle.
"Cheers, Johnny," she hissed, but not before making sure nobody else was around to hear.
He scowled darkly at her. With his eyes again highlighted in black, he could produce the most formidable scowl.
"You…" he began, but then lost his balance and sat down clumsily. "I'll get you later. Evil woman."
Rose turned her back, burying her face in her arms. She wanted to scream, or cry, or maybe first scream, then cry. Why was he like this? Why did she care?
One night had not been enough. Not nearly enough. Besides, she wanted more than a skilled lover, she wanted him body and soul. But that she would never get, damn the man. If he could not even give it to his flesh and blood daughter, Rose would not deceive herself into believing he would give it to her. He was a pirate and a scoundrel, just like he had said.
She felt an arm around her shoulder and looked up into Elizabeth's sympathetic face.
"Want to talk about it?"
"Not really."
"Oh, this is new!" Elizabeth touched the white seashell pendant Otohime had given Rose. "It looks a bit like my husband's, that he inherited from the former captain of the Dutchman. Beautiful!"
"Thank you." Rose did not feel like describing her strange undersea adventure. She did not feel like talking at all.
"Shall I tell you about the island we found?"
"Please do." Rose appreciated her friend's perseverance. She was really trying hard to cheer her up.
"It's a perfect place, with the most beautiful lagoon surrounded by sharp cliffs, and since we had time over we even built a fireplace for the sacrifice. It will work for sure. We also restocked the rum, for which I'm thankful." She glanced at Jack.
"Sounds perfect." Rose tried to smile.
"And also, something is beginning to show… look." Elizabeth pushed out her stomach, exposing a tiny bump.
"Aww. I'm happy for you." Rose placed her hand on the slight swelling. "How long are you gone?"
"Soon three months. I know exactly when it happened." She grinned.
Rose's smile waned as she was reminded of Elizabeth's and her husband's predicament. One day ashore, ten years at sea… If their plan to strike a deal with Calypso did not work, Will's child would not meet their father until he or she was over nine years old. Harsh.
"A baby!" came Jack's slurred voice. "I like babies."
Elizabeth looked at him with surprise. "You do? I'd never have guessed."
"Land ho!" cried Gibbs, and they all turned their attention to the approaching island. It really did look perfect, small and uninhabited, reminding Rose of the one where they had gone to forge the silver sword.
As they went ashore, Hector capered away with a happy grunt, finding lots of tasty plants to chew. The island was small enough for them to let him run loose.
They unpacked the rest of the necessary items and began to build a fire.
"How is the summoning performed?" asked Rose.
"First we drench the pig in rum, then we slit its throat with the silver sword, and lastly we burn the sacrifice," explained Jack. "As long as we keep pouring rum over the fire, Calypso won't be able to leave."
"Wait, what? We're killing Hector?" Rose stared at him.
"We have to."
"No! No way!"
"Oh come on Rose, are you going to be like that again? You've eaten salted pork all of this journey. What's the difference?"
"Those pigs I didn't know. This is Hector we're talking of!"
As if he recognized his name, the pig came trotting up to them, buffing Jack's leg with his snout. The pirate looked down at the animal with dismay.
"Here's an idea," said Gibbs, who had overheard their discussion. "Why don't we create a wooden pig, cover it with salted bacon and use that for a sacrifice? I mean, it's worth a try, and if that won't work we can resort to Hector."
"Alright, you softhearted wussies," Jack conceded, still looking annoyed. "You make the pig. I'm going to sleep." He demonstratively lay down, pulling his hat over his face.
The other three set to work, and soon had – in Rose's opinion – a very good likeness of a pig. Its head was a coconut still in its green husk, its body a piece of driftwood and the four legs sturdy sticks. For the tail they had used a piece of string and the ears were palmleaves. Since it was supposed to be a black pig, they painted it with a partly burned stick.
When they had finished wrapping the entire thing in salted pork, Gibbs went to rouse Jack. "Time to get started."
Jack eyed their work critically but said nothing. Instead he took the sword, jabbed it into the pig's coconut head and poured a bottle of rum over it all.
"What a waste," he said sadly.
"Time to get the jewel," said Elizabeth. "Rose?"
Rose took off her boot and felt the familiar hardness in its toe. But when her hand came out, she found herself holding a smooth, grey stone instead of the expected diamond. With a pang of disappointment she looked at Jack.
"How could you?"
He pulled something gleaming out of his inner pocket. The Heart.
"I told you. I'm a bloody pirate and a scumbag. Untrustworthy." His gaze was hard, but Rose got a feeling his annoyance was mostly directed towards himself.
"You bastard!" Elizabeth had drawn her sword and jumped on him furiously, but he obviously had expected it, drawing his own sword and meeting her assault with his usual grace and ease.
"Jack, be reasonable now! There are hundreds of ways to retrieve your ship, but no other way to free Liz' husband," Rose called, backing away to avoid being caught in the middle of the skirmish. "You don't wanna do this!"
"No, I do wanna do this." Jack feigned a strike on Elizabeth's right side and then hit to the left. She fended it off just barely, and put out her foot, trying to trip her opponent. He easily stepped over her leg and struck at her left side again, putting more force behind the action. Again she fenced it off, but had to take a step backwards to keep her balance.
"Do something!" Rose nudged Gibbs, who had been staring at the combatants, his hand on his own sword but seemingly unsure what to do.
"Right." Drawing his sword he joined Elizabeth, who gave him a grateful smile. The two of them were a more equal match for Jack, who had broken a sweat, but still seemed undaunted.
The fight moved in Rose's direction, and she made to fall back, but before she could lift her foot Jack had taken a quick leap behind her, catching her in his arms. She felt a chill as the cold steel of his sword touched her throat.
"Back off and drop your swords," he called sharply to Elizabeth and Gibbs. They gaped at him, hesitating with their weapons still in hand.
Rose said nothing, shocked at the extent of Jack's betrayal. Only yesterday morning she had been in his bed, with his arms around her like now – but instead making love to her, now he was threatening to take her life.
No. No! This was wrong. He was not going to kill her, it was an empty threat. He would never hurt her. She knew he would not hurt her.
Slowly raising her hand, Rose placed her fingers over Jack's, moving the sword an inch to the side so she could turn to face him.
"I won't permit this," she said, looking him straight in the eye. "I'm not letting you sink this low."
His sword came back to touch her neck. "You can't save me," he hissed, his gaze stubbornly turned away. Then, louder, directed at the others: "I said drop the swords."
Rose could not see if they obeyed but did not care. She was leaving for the afterlife soon anyway, and besides, Jack would not hurt her. He would not hurt her! She cupped his cheek, and now he finally met her gaze, his eyes widening in surprise as she stood on her toes and kissed him straight on the mouth.
"Damn you, woman." He pushed her away and pounced on Elizabeth and Gibbs, who apparently had kept their weapons in hand, for they met his attack with no delay.
Meanwhile, Rose sank to her knees as the bravery abandoned her. She felt an odd mixture of anger at Jack's threatening her and relief that she had judged him right. He had not hurt her, and now she knew for sure he never would.
But what if he wounded any of the others? She cast a frightened glance at the fight. Elizabeth was pregnant, she must not get hurt either. When fencing with sharp weapons anything could happen.
Then Rose got an idea. Perhaps the sea goddess could put a stop to this. She picked up the tinderbox Jack had placed beside the fireplace, and with shaking fingers she struck the steel with the flint over the wooden pig. After a few tries she produced a rain of sparks, and that was all it took; the rum ignited and soon everything had caught fire.
A pungent smell of burned bacon and alcohol spread among them as smoke billowed up in a grey column. From the lagoon came a low rumble, like thunder. The clangs of steel ceased as the other three realized what Rose had done, and all eyes were turned to the water. It had become unruly, with bubbles forming like in a huge, boiling cauldron. The rumbling increased into a nearly deafening crescendo, and then a massive structure of seaweed and various sea creatures formed in the center of the lagoon. It looked humanoid, with a face, body, arms and legs, reminding Rose vaguely of the painting Vertumnus, the one with a man's face made up of fruit and vegetables.
"It worked," she cried, temporarily forgetting the fight over the Heart in her relief that the wooden pig had been a suitable sacrifice.
The strange creature in the water changed, solidified and morphed into a woman, thrice as tall as a human being. Her skin was brown, decorated with a pattern of black marks, and her ebony hair was worn in matted, messy braids. Her black lips were drawn back into a snarl and her furious glare pierced Jack and Elizabeth.
"How dare you summon me again, Pirate Lords?" She pronounced the words slowly and distinctly in an accent Rose did not recognize, her dark voice echoing between the surrounding cliffs.
Jack mutely held out the Heart of the Ocean towards her. It had changed. No longer was it a cool, blue diamond; in the presence of its owner it had become crimson, pulsating with power, beating like a living heart.
"You… It was YOU! You took my heart, Jack Sparrow." Calypso pointed accusingly at Jack. He flinched guiltily and took a step backwards.
"Captain," he mumbled. "It's Captain Jack Sparrow."
Gibbs gawked at Jack with bulging eyes. "The dishonest lover was you?"
"A sea goddess' lover?" Rose stared at him too. "Not that I blame her," she added silently.
"You never cease to amaze me, Jack. How could you steal her very heart?" Gibbs shook his head in disbelief.
"Borrow. I only borrowed it! And I was going to return it." He backed another step as Calypso towered over him, fuming with rage.
"How could you return my heart after you had sold it?" she growled.
"I was in a bit of a predicament at the time. But hey, I brought it back to you, no harm done, savvy?" Again he raised the throbbing jewel.
The sea goddess reached for it, but Jack was too far away.
"Quick, someone pour more rum over the fire, as soon as it stops burning she can get to us," he cried.
Elizabeth emptied another rum bottle and threw more firewood on top.
"You shall get it back, Calypso. I just need one tiny, tiny little favor." He put his index finger and his thumb close together.
"You dare bargaining with me OVER MY OWN HEART? That you stole?" bellowed Calypso.
"Borrowed," he corrected. Then his voice became beseeching, and he very nearly made puppy eyes at the goddess. "Just one little thing. It's easy for you, Tia. I mean Calypso. I just want my ship, savvy? I must have her back. I need her."
"Curse you, Jack Sparrow. Curse you!"
"Please."
Shaking with rage, Calypso roared out her frustration and anger. Pebbles rolled away from under their feet and the ground trembled.
Then she waved her hands in an intricate pattern, and Rose felt a breeze against her face. It grew in strength, stirring the grass around her, and within moments it had become a strong gale. The palms bowed to the ground, and by the beach the Barnacle nearly tore its moorings as the wind increased. Strangely, the only thing unaffected by the storm was the fire. It still burned merrily, its smoke forming a straight column.
"She's coming! It's her!" Jack shaded his eyes with his hand and stared at a rapidly growing point on the horizon. Rose recognized the ship from all the drawings and models in his house.
The Black Pearl came to a halt next to the fishing boat, and long strands of kelp began to cover its sides, reaching, searching for something. One of the persons milling around on the vessel got caught in the slimy tendrils and was pulled overboard. Now a huge assembly of small crabs welled out from the rough waves and carried the unlucky sailor ashore, until he lay by the goddess' feet.
The man struggled against his seaweed bonds, but they were wound tightly from his neck down to his toes. He looked to be in his forties, with a rough face covered with scars and a scraggly beard, and on his head he wore a triangular captain's hat. A small capuchin monkey clung to the hat, looking at Calypso with large, frightened eyes. Rose felt sorry for it.
"A captain for a heart," said Calypso.
"Deal," said Jack, and taking a careful step forward he dropped the necklace into her outstretched hand. As soon as it touched her palm the goddess began to shrink, losing some of her fearful appearance and becoming more like a human woman.
She was pretty, ample and sensual, and looked at the gem like one might a great treasure. She stroked it almost reverently, her finger following it's ruby contours.
Jack took the hat from the bound pirate, and shaking off the monkey he placed it on his own head. The man scowled up at him.
"Jack Sparrow. I should have known this accursed wind was your doing!"
"It's Captain Jack Sparrow." He gave the other a smug smile.
Calypso had finished admiring her heart and turned her attention back to Jack. "This ship will bring you no happiness, Jack Sparrow. She is a curse!" Her voice was no longer a loud roar, but still sounded ominous. "The Black Pearl is making your heart black too – already she is pulling you away from what really matters. Another Pearl… Who will hate you in time."
Jack stared at her mutely, his smile slowly waning.
"All is not lost yet. There are choices, and there are sacrifices."
Then she went on to Elizabeth, who had just added another piece of driftwood to the fire. "King Elizabeth of the Brethren Court, I am grateful to you for what you did not long ago, when you made sure I was freed from my human form. But it is no easy thing you wish for. Your husband is stuck outside time, immortal and bound to the ship. It will not allow him to go – for the Dutchman must have a captain."
Elizabeth stared at her in dismay, tears filling her eyes. "Is there really no way?"
Instead of answering, Calypso turned to Rose. "It's time to leave. Your afterlife has long awaited you."
"I don't want to." Rose felt her lip tremble. Calypso reached for her but she backed away.
"You wish to stay here?"
Rose nodded quickly. Her heart was racing uncontrollably, she did not want to die.
"Well, you can't," said the goddess flatly. "The Heart kept you alive this long – my heart. Without it you will fade away, stretch out like butter scraped over too much bread, until nothing remains of you but a thin shadow. A ghost. And when that happens, you will be forever stuck in this world, seen by nobody, feeling nothing, never to move on to the afterlife."
"Don't do it, miss, if you don't mind my interrupting," said the bound pirate. "I tried the ghost life for ten years and it's nothing I can recommend."
"Aye, 'twas horrible!" Rose looked up to see a group of motley sailors who apparently had come from the black ship. The one speaking had a wooden eye.
Rose felt trapped. She did not want to die, but she did not want to be a ghost either. She was caught between a rock and a hard place, none of the choices at all appealing.
Then Jack made a sudden move. He dashed down to the water, snatching the Heart from Calypso's hand and quickly scuttled back to safety. He tossed the necklace to Rose who automatically caught it.
"Foolish man! Give it back!" roared Calypso.
"I need to borrow it again, sorry."
"Damn you, Jack Sparrow! Curse your black heart! Soon your pathetic fire has burned down and then I'm coming for you."
Jack only grabbed another rum bottle and emptied it over the fire, with huge flames erupting as a consequence.
"Rose, give me my Heart. You have no right to it." Calypso imperially held out her hand.
Rose swallowed, looking from the jewel to Calypso and back again. They would run out of rum soon, and what would then happen? She was only delaying the inevitable. Whatever was she going to do?
A/N:
Yes, what should she do? And will she ever forgive Jack? At least he gave her the Heart back, preventing her turning into a ghost, but he also held a sword to her neck. Not the average loving boyfriend, that man.
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