Call Me Captain
Epilogue: New Dawns to Pursue
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters.
Well, here it is folks! The last installment for now! Catch the "for now" part? I am debating as to write a sequel or not for this epilogue presented quite a few new twists to the story. I'll be sure to keep everyone updated.
Once again, thank you for your replies! I hope this is an adequate ending to the Call Me Captain story.
(text note: the references to "story-telling" have to do with the island scene in which Elizabeth and Jack swapped "stories" that eventually led to a ".."' moment, if you know what I mean. You've got to have a bit of "story- telling" to get this kind of ending, after all!)
** = dream sequence
Enjoy!
~@~
** Jack Sparrow forced his eyes open against the oncoming array of bursting aureate and glimmering scarlet. The dawn was bursting forth from the calm sea and all bowed down to his grandeur. The suns rays were no delusions, as Jack had often dreamed of finding his one dawn again. Rather, they melted into the thin morning air and brushed his face with a warm hand, kissing his brow with ungoverned light. The heat radiated into his skin and sunk within the darkest and coldest corners of his awakening body. He wasted no energy on a smile, nor a blink. Simply, he sacrificed his body to the light and felt life flood into his veins in return.
Jack Sparrow was heading home, returning to the only love that could make the dawn rise and heavens set each night.
Suddenly, high above the black sails of the Pearl, a shadow cast itself in the sun's wake and sped across the wooden planks, causing Jack to raise his coruscating brown eyes to the bursting vault of heaven. There, against the yawning sky of morn, a small sparrow sped through the air. Its flapping wings and smooth movements were reflected by the sunlight shadow it cast upon the ship. The sparrow gave a sudden sharp flap of his wings and disappeared further into the sky, allowing the arms of dawn to embrace it fully. The rays of burning embers stole the bird into their radiance.
Jack Sparrow was coming home. **
Elizabeth woke up with a start and found her body twisted in the light sheets of her bed.
"Jack," she whispered as his smiling face once again resurfaced from her dream and into her mind's eye again. In her dream he had stood tall and proud upon his ship, as the sparrow flew over his head and disappeared into the morning.
"Always look to the dawn for a Sparrow in search of a Swann," Elizabeth whispered to herself as she wrapped her shoulders with a light blanket and stepped out of her bed. The cool ground sent a relaxing shock through her feet and she shivered as she made her way quietly across the floor of her room. Peaking through the closed curtains, she saw that night was fleeing from the approach of the sun. The household was still asleep as well as her nosy nurse.
Without a sound, she pulled the curtains back slowly. The view of the dark sea reflected the surrender of night to coming day. A few low clouds speckled the sky. A thin morning fog had risen from the sea as a ghost would from a grave. Without movement did it rise, filling the space between sea and sky with a mist of shadowed vision and askew direction. Soundlessly it rose, and motionlessly did it move. Slowly it reached from its tomb of the melodious waves and grasped at the edges of humanity, gripping the small coastal port with hazed arms of mist. It sank between ships, slithered through streets, and hung over the awakening town with an opulent tone of ominous morrows. Though the fog's haunt was a short one, as the blazing chariot of daybreak made its way across a blushing sky of ticking time. Thus, the fingers of fog loosened their somber grip on the living and returned to its crypt of the deep, to come and haunt another day.
Looking out to the rising sun, Elizabeth felt haunting fingers of her own loosen their grip on her heart. It had been two months now since she and Jack had separated ways. The time seemed to pass tediously for the waiting Elizabeth though she knew with a heavy heart that time worked in different ways when sailing on the high seas. Days were not days when you sped across the horizon. Rather, time was marked by the rising and falling of the shifting sun. Calendar dates did not cross a true pirate's mind.
And that he was. Jack was a pirate. He always was and always would be. There was no changing that course in his path of life. It was set in stone, just as the stars are set to shine each night. No wisp of change could turn the course of such a man's life.
However, Elizabeth could not help but realize that Jack had changed greatly for her, if only in a small way outwardly. Why, who ever thought that the infamous Jack Sparrow would send a letter by way of merchant to Port Royal when at nearby Tortuga! Elizabeth was smart enough to know that letter writing was not one of Jack's keen hobbies. Taking the letter from the small pocket in her nightdress she slowly unfolded the curled paper. It was smooth and flimsy from her countless readings. In fact, her eyes moved over the words without the words even transferring to her mind. She knew them by heart.
Love-
In Tortuga now. Had to meet with a few local scalawags and barter a bit. I mean this in the best of terms, love. Only a little blood was shed. Not mine of course, mind you! You'd be happy to know that I acquired quite a lovely bit of treasure for my lovely first mate, also. Once again, just a little blood on the part of acquiring. I am a few days from business's end and only a few more until I reach Port Royal. And yes, love, I know you're thinking I'll be caught. I'll improvise when I get there. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow after all! A little faith dear. Plus, I've got to sneak in your gift somehow. Looking forward to your "stories". Never did hear the one of your rogue rescue of my crew. Might need to hear that one twice. Or more. You're such a good "storyteller", Mrs. Sparrow.
Until the dawn brings the Sparrow, Your Captain
Elizabeth sighed and folded the letter again before placing it in her pocket. The curvy handwriting, no doubt belonging to AnaMaria, was a daily reminder of hope. She could not help but smile as she imagined Jack dictating this letter, a smug smile punctuating a word here or a chuckle connecting words with his mischievous glint of eyes. Memories of her island "storytelling" brought a grin to her own face again. Jack was a good listener.
Her heart fluttered as the first rays of dawn burst from the sea's horizon.
"Always look to the dawn for a Sparrow in search of a Swann," she whispered again, biting her lip as her eyes began to widen and her spirit soar.
Where dream had foretold, so had it happened. Where fog had cleared, so had become clear. Where words of a letter had been written, so did the writer sail.
Two small specks could be seen rounding the small corner of Port Royal's distant eastern shore. The dawn had brought the Sparrow.
Tears glistened in Elizabeth's eyes as she recognized the sails of the Black Pearl speeding alongside another ship. His treasure? Perhaps it was apart of Jack's plan. A plan, however, seemed very superfluous as Elizabeth had prepared her small sack for days now. In a instant she would be running to the port and the prospect of Jack's warm arms around her once again made her mind fly all the faster. There would be no time for the officials to arrest Jack for they would be sailing away by morning's full birth.
Elizabeth's hand sank slowly to her belly. It bulged slightly under her loose clothes and brought an automatic smile to her pink lips.
"You're not the only one with a treasure, my captain," she whispered to the scene of dawn and ship. The blushing sky enwrapped the ships in its arms with hues of aureate awakenings and yellow yawns.
"What you get from story-telling," Elizabeth laughed to herself and felt her senses come alive with the thought.
And two Sparrows made their way down to the docks as they headed out to meet the dawn's bringing, one with a grand story to tell. A story of the future, a promise of tomorrow. After all, another Sparrow to the world meant another dawn to pursue.
THE END
~@~
Comments?
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters.
Well, here it is folks! The last installment for now! Catch the "for now" part? I am debating as to write a sequel or not for this epilogue presented quite a few new twists to the story. I'll be sure to keep everyone updated.
Once again, thank you for your replies! I hope this is an adequate ending to the Call Me Captain story.
(text note: the references to "story-telling" have to do with the island scene in which Elizabeth and Jack swapped "stories" that eventually led to a ".."' moment, if you know what I mean. You've got to have a bit of "story- telling" to get this kind of ending, after all!)
** = dream sequence
Enjoy!
~@~
** Jack Sparrow forced his eyes open against the oncoming array of bursting aureate and glimmering scarlet. The dawn was bursting forth from the calm sea and all bowed down to his grandeur. The suns rays were no delusions, as Jack had often dreamed of finding his one dawn again. Rather, they melted into the thin morning air and brushed his face with a warm hand, kissing his brow with ungoverned light. The heat radiated into his skin and sunk within the darkest and coldest corners of his awakening body. He wasted no energy on a smile, nor a blink. Simply, he sacrificed his body to the light and felt life flood into his veins in return.
Jack Sparrow was heading home, returning to the only love that could make the dawn rise and heavens set each night.
Suddenly, high above the black sails of the Pearl, a shadow cast itself in the sun's wake and sped across the wooden planks, causing Jack to raise his coruscating brown eyes to the bursting vault of heaven. There, against the yawning sky of morn, a small sparrow sped through the air. Its flapping wings and smooth movements were reflected by the sunlight shadow it cast upon the ship. The sparrow gave a sudden sharp flap of his wings and disappeared further into the sky, allowing the arms of dawn to embrace it fully. The rays of burning embers stole the bird into their radiance.
Jack Sparrow was coming home. **
Elizabeth woke up with a start and found her body twisted in the light sheets of her bed.
"Jack," she whispered as his smiling face once again resurfaced from her dream and into her mind's eye again. In her dream he had stood tall and proud upon his ship, as the sparrow flew over his head and disappeared into the morning.
"Always look to the dawn for a Sparrow in search of a Swann," Elizabeth whispered to herself as she wrapped her shoulders with a light blanket and stepped out of her bed. The cool ground sent a relaxing shock through her feet and she shivered as she made her way quietly across the floor of her room. Peaking through the closed curtains, she saw that night was fleeing from the approach of the sun. The household was still asleep as well as her nosy nurse.
Without a sound, she pulled the curtains back slowly. The view of the dark sea reflected the surrender of night to coming day. A few low clouds speckled the sky. A thin morning fog had risen from the sea as a ghost would from a grave. Without movement did it rise, filling the space between sea and sky with a mist of shadowed vision and askew direction. Soundlessly it rose, and motionlessly did it move. Slowly it reached from its tomb of the melodious waves and grasped at the edges of humanity, gripping the small coastal port with hazed arms of mist. It sank between ships, slithered through streets, and hung over the awakening town with an opulent tone of ominous morrows. Though the fog's haunt was a short one, as the blazing chariot of daybreak made its way across a blushing sky of ticking time. Thus, the fingers of fog loosened their somber grip on the living and returned to its crypt of the deep, to come and haunt another day.
Looking out to the rising sun, Elizabeth felt haunting fingers of her own loosen their grip on her heart. It had been two months now since she and Jack had separated ways. The time seemed to pass tediously for the waiting Elizabeth though she knew with a heavy heart that time worked in different ways when sailing on the high seas. Days were not days when you sped across the horizon. Rather, time was marked by the rising and falling of the shifting sun. Calendar dates did not cross a true pirate's mind.
And that he was. Jack was a pirate. He always was and always would be. There was no changing that course in his path of life. It was set in stone, just as the stars are set to shine each night. No wisp of change could turn the course of such a man's life.
However, Elizabeth could not help but realize that Jack had changed greatly for her, if only in a small way outwardly. Why, who ever thought that the infamous Jack Sparrow would send a letter by way of merchant to Port Royal when at nearby Tortuga! Elizabeth was smart enough to know that letter writing was not one of Jack's keen hobbies. Taking the letter from the small pocket in her nightdress she slowly unfolded the curled paper. It was smooth and flimsy from her countless readings. In fact, her eyes moved over the words without the words even transferring to her mind. She knew them by heart.
Love-
In Tortuga now. Had to meet with a few local scalawags and barter a bit. I mean this in the best of terms, love. Only a little blood was shed. Not mine of course, mind you! You'd be happy to know that I acquired quite a lovely bit of treasure for my lovely first mate, also. Once again, just a little blood on the part of acquiring. I am a few days from business's end and only a few more until I reach Port Royal. And yes, love, I know you're thinking I'll be caught. I'll improvise when I get there. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow after all! A little faith dear. Plus, I've got to sneak in your gift somehow. Looking forward to your "stories". Never did hear the one of your rogue rescue of my crew. Might need to hear that one twice. Or more. You're such a good "storyteller", Mrs. Sparrow.
Until the dawn brings the Sparrow, Your Captain
Elizabeth sighed and folded the letter again before placing it in her pocket. The curvy handwriting, no doubt belonging to AnaMaria, was a daily reminder of hope. She could not help but smile as she imagined Jack dictating this letter, a smug smile punctuating a word here or a chuckle connecting words with his mischievous glint of eyes. Memories of her island "storytelling" brought a grin to her own face again. Jack was a good listener.
Her heart fluttered as the first rays of dawn burst from the sea's horizon.
"Always look to the dawn for a Sparrow in search of a Swann," she whispered again, biting her lip as her eyes began to widen and her spirit soar.
Where dream had foretold, so had it happened. Where fog had cleared, so had become clear. Where words of a letter had been written, so did the writer sail.
Two small specks could be seen rounding the small corner of Port Royal's distant eastern shore. The dawn had brought the Sparrow.
Tears glistened in Elizabeth's eyes as she recognized the sails of the Black Pearl speeding alongside another ship. His treasure? Perhaps it was apart of Jack's plan. A plan, however, seemed very superfluous as Elizabeth had prepared her small sack for days now. In a instant she would be running to the port and the prospect of Jack's warm arms around her once again made her mind fly all the faster. There would be no time for the officials to arrest Jack for they would be sailing away by morning's full birth.
Elizabeth's hand sank slowly to her belly. It bulged slightly under her loose clothes and brought an automatic smile to her pink lips.
"You're not the only one with a treasure, my captain," she whispered to the scene of dawn and ship. The blushing sky enwrapped the ships in its arms with hues of aureate awakenings and yellow yawns.
"What you get from story-telling," Elizabeth laughed to herself and felt her senses come alive with the thought.
And two Sparrows made their way down to the docks as they headed out to meet the dawn's bringing, one with a grand story to tell. A story of the future, a promise of tomorrow. After all, another Sparrow to the world meant another dawn to pursue.
THE END
~@~
Comments?
