Chapter 16

Jack had decided with that sentence that his conversation was more important than waiting for governor Trelawny and had left to Gibbs all the papers that the governor of the Islands had given him.

Nodding to James and guiding Miriam, they went together through the streets of Port Royal towards a house that was on a hill, quite inside the city, overlooking the sea.

The propriety had belonged to James and, luckily, it had remained abandoned until a month ago, when he had recovered it again.

James opened the door carefully, leaving his coat at the entrance. He went quickly to the kitchen, giving orders to his only employee (the cook) to set the table for three and went back to the hall.

Although Jack and James had remained as acquaintances for a long time, the former had entered his house only twice: When he was in Port Royal, James had realized that Jack preferred to stay in taverns or on his ship sleeping. So, obviously, Jack began to prowl. The poor girl, however, didn't seem to know what to do with herself; she probably had never seen anything like that in her entire life, even though James' house was definitely smaller than any mansion around.

James decided to clear his throat and looked first at the girl "... Miriam?" She nodded "You can go anywhere around the house, not counting the first floor but, please, don't break anything." The girl nodded and disappeared from his sight, James sighed a bit "Should we discuss this with a drink?"

"Only if it's rum." Jack replied quickly, following him to a drawing room. James shook his head to that answer, but pull out a rum bottle from a cabinet and served the drink in two glasses, which he put in a main table. Jack grabbed his, anxiously "God, I always miss drinking this."

"As if you didn't drink it in your own ship when no one is looking." James snorted at that and this one winked at him "Well, what did you have to show me?"

Jack gulped down the entire glass "Lovely Miriam received a letter, about a week or so ago before I arrived in Tortuga, from our mutual friend."

"Elizabeth." James whispered, a bit reverently.

Jack nodded and pulled out the letter "Ye can read it if ye want."

With his hands trembling, James reached to grab it and turned it around to read everything.

Natal, Governorate General of Brazil. Tavern 'A Aranha Dourada'.

From Beth Turner, to C.T. Johnston

Dear Jack,

To be honest, I didn't know whether to write this letter or not.

We will stay here on Portuguese lands because, apparently, there has been news of a man in Singapore named Liu who has been trying to get the territory and power of Sao Feng and, right now, it might be difficult to get in. You can't imagine how furious Tai Huang is about that.

In any case, I was trying to decide if asking you to help me get Singapore (because you owe me one), but there may be a problem if we continue to be in danger and without moving from where we are. I'm not sure, since it has only been two months and my nausea could be anything, but I could be pregnant and I fear for the life of the baby. However, I need some power; not only because I'm a lord, but also because I'm a king.

I don't know what to do, Jack. Please, I need something. You can't expect me to live the life of a sailor's wife.

Kind regards,

Elizabeth.

P.S.: I saw the Pearl, by the way, but the situation didn't look good. Would it be possible that we can meet so that we can talk? Anyway, I hope all is well in your cases.

James took a deep breath after reading it, folded it, and laid it on the table. He poured himself another glass and sighed, closing his eyes tightly.

"What in god's sake is she thinking about?" he managed to say.

"Well, it's Elizabeth we're talkin' about. If that woman is somethin' is persistent." Jack shrugged "In any case, I may have an idea of what to do, but it also means that I'll resign from my position."

"What position?" James shook his head, confused.

"My position as pirate lord." he declared, pouring himself another glass of rum.

"Can you even be a pirate if you work for the Crown?" he asked, raising a brow.

"Privateer." he shrugged at that "And it could happen that I would lose my job in the possible future."

James seemed about to speak, but apparently he thought better of it and nodded, knowing that, with his past, it was a possibility.

"There must be something we can do." he said to Jack.

"She needs a position as a lord of the sea and she can't have that if she doesn't go to Singapore, and that could happen once she has more… bulge." he mentioned frowning "If she gives her position to her first mate, well… She wouldn't be a pirate lord and she doesn't want that. And I still owe her one."

"I thought pirates were used to being betrayed." James raised his eyebrows.

Jack shrugged "I try not to betray…" James almost choked on his drink and Jack huffed "Alright, fine… I might have my own personal reasons, plus some things surroundin' a goddess, who might want to do some revenge."

"What? Are you talking about Calypso?" James frowned "Would she have the power to do that?"

"Maybe not directly, but she could pull a few strings so she can get whatever she wants… I have no idea if this is a plot she created, but I can admit that Elizabeth is somehow right in not to being cut out to just be a sailor's wife." he shrugged a bit, moving his hands.

James looked a bit worried about that, but only sighed "So, is a goddess moving us all right now?" he huffed "I'm starting to hate a bit these pagan gods, using humans for their own ends."

"I can't really say that ye're alone in that, mate." Jack said, raising his glass as if he was toasting with him "Knowing Calypso a little, I'm almost sure that all of this is for somethin' greater than her own vengeance."

"I don't think that'll help me to stay calm…" James said, letting out a dry laugh "It almost feels as if we are condemned to a destiny."

Jack grimaced "Thanks for the positivism, Jamey." And he let himself fall into the armchair in which he was seated "If I gave mine, she could stay in the Caribbean in maybe Shipwreck Cove, be protected, but…"

"Yes, yes, you end without it." he interrupted, trying to ignore that once more Jack had called him 'Jamey' "Are you going to give it to her or not?"

Jack raised a finger, seemed about to say no, but closed his mouth again and sighed, pouting.

"... Most possibly." he admitted, grimacing "God, this is going to kill me… Again."

Despite what he had said, James noticed that Jack had blushed slightly and wondered if he had some sort of feelings for Elizabeth. He didn't ask, though, and pretended he hadn't seen a thing.

"I can help you with that." James joked with a little smile, even if he knew that he probably wouldn't kill him "In any case, Sparrow… If you continue as you are now, you will be fine. And, I suppose you can count on me if you need anything."

Jack frowned at that, looked at the glasses, at the bottle and then at James "... How much have ye drunk, mate?"

"Not enough to tolerate you." he replied quickly.

"And he's back!" he said, happily.

James looked up to the ceiling, desperate "Remember me once again why we're working together."

"We need it, mate. Desperate measures, desperate times and all that."

"... You know it's the other way around, Sparrow, right?" he deadpanned.

"Of course." he smiled "But it's still fun."

"Should we prepare a letter?" James decided to say, changing the topic "How long would it take for it to arrive and for her to come?"

"Well… In total, around three months approximately." he counted and sighed "I think I'm givin' her more than what I owe her."

"You can tell her that." James replied.

In the end, they quickly prepared the letter, Jack putting his instructions and a hammered coin attached to it, telling James that it was not his piece of eight, but it was like a symbol of him giving her his title.

Since they finished that, Jack decided he should go, as he still had a report to leave, in this case to the commodore since the admiral was still out.

They had discussed what to do with Miriam and had considered leaving her on Shipwreck Island once Elizabeth was there. For the moment, she would stay at James's house, since Jack didn't have a place and didn't seem to want one. Miriam, of course, was delighted to be able to live in James's house for the time being and James was only grateful that she looked like a responsible person and that she was nothing like Elizabeth in her youth.

They went back to the Fort together, as James had something to consult with Groves and Gillette about their duty as lieutenants for the next few weeks.

As he was talking to his two friends about how to divide the work, he caught a glimpse of Jack going towards them. He had almost expected that he would expend more time with the commodore, for he knew they still owed him some money he had earned on his last expedition.

"You're here earlier." James commented, frowning.

However, Jack was too serious at the moment and grabbed James by the arm to lead him away from the other two; James blinked a little since that was as rare as seeing Jack angry.

"I've found somethin' quite interestin' in the commodore's desk and I may have taken it." He shrugged when they were out of range.

"Sparrow, that's stea-" James pursed his lips, almost upset.

He couldn't finish, as Jack interrupted him by putting a piece of paper against his chest and telling him with his eyes to read it. James nearly glared at him, but snatched the paper from him and opened it.

There was nothing interesting; just a report from a few French ships and James could almost feel himself getting irritated. But Jack seemed to read him like a book because he sighed, desperately, and pulled a paper out of his coat.

"Compare the writin'." he specified.

James then realized that the other paper was the one that Jack had found on Vane's ship that time and, as he compared the handwriting, he realized that the lettering was too similar, if not the same.

He looked up, surprised "Would it be possible?" he mentioned.

Jack shrugged a bit "The handwritin' is the same, but I can't guarantee that. It could have been forged." James raised his eyebrows at that, remembering quite well that Jack had been able to deceive governor Trelawny with the same trick. Jack seemed to interpret that look in a wrong way "Don't look at me; I don't gain anythin' by accusin' the lovely commodore we have here."

"Except that if you did that, you could put me in that position with that deal we have with the governor." James replied, though he did it carefully, to not accuse the other. He sighed "I wasn't blaming you although, if I can speak freely, you could have done it and thus earn what you owe me and end all of this."

"We aren't countin' Vane on that, because he wants to get back at me." he pointed out "And I win nothin' if I don't catch the person that is helpin' him."

James relaxed a bit at that and nodded "I know… That's why I wasn't blaming you." he sighed "Should we tell this to the governor?"

Jack shook his head "Not yet, I don't trust this. It sounds too easy, but we should keep an eye on the commodore, just in case. We can tell the governor that we have a suspect, but that we're not sure and we want to catch him in the act."

"That should be enough." James nodded, agreeing.

After reassuring the other two lieutenants that all was well, they went together to the governor's office and quickly informed him of their new finding.

"It's good to see that we're making progress in that situation. And maybe with this new information…" He put a finger on his chin and looked at them both "I received information that there would be a Spanish pirate near Cuba, and who better to ask about Vane than a pirate? Maybe he knows something and besides, he has stolen some goods from the Crown and we need to get them back."

"It sounds like a good idea and we would kill two birds with one stone… Metaphorically speaking." Jack seemed to have thought about it, but nodded.

"Yes, that's what I thought." the governor said, pleased "Well, then you should prepare your trip for this. I want you both on this case and the sooner we get this figured out the better."

"Both of us?" James asked, surprised.

The governor nodded with a small smile, since he knew a bit how much James wanted to be at the sea again, after being on land for two months.

"Yes. As for the rest of the men, I trust you can choose good officers. I'll sign a paper for you so that you don't have problems." He pulled out a paper which he signed, sealed and gave to Jack "Give this to the commodore. That's all, gentlemen."

They both thanked him and left the office, still a bit surprised.

James had been so cheerful that he had practically forgotten a slight problem with all that, and he remembered it at one point, stopping and groaning, exasperated.

"What?" Jack asked, frowning.

James looked at him, rolled his eyes and bit his lip a bit. He sighed "Miriam."