They stared at one another, both seemingly struck dumb by the sight of each
other's less than pristine appearance. Jack found his gaze travelling to
his young friend's midriff, where a bulge betrayed the fact that they were
not alone. Unconsciously, Elizabeth laid a hand over her emerging bump,
moving forward to embrace the pirate warmly.
'What's going on, love?' Jack asked, after accepting her embrace somewhat tentatively.
He could hear the crew preparing to be off, but for the moment was more concerned by the presence of a pregnant Elizabeth and the absence of Will. Elizabeth sighed softly, and he could see tears spring up in her eyes.
'He's gone, Jack,' she sobbed softly. 'Will's been taken.'
Confronted with a crying woman, the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow found himself speechless. He patted her shoulder gently, if awkwardly.
'There, there, love, there, there . . .'
The ship lurched, and he instinctively leant in the opposite direction to prevent himself being thrown off balance. Kneeling before Elizabeth, he lifted her chin with his finger, making her look up at him.
'Tell me what happened, love.'
She raised tearful eyes to his, drawing in a deep breath to calm herself.
'It was the Stella Maris,' she began, nodding as Jack let out a low whistle. 'She attacked as we made for Gibraltar. We didn't stand a chance. Danielson ordered the crew to be confined in the brig, and they scuppered her. They sank the Lady Swan with all hands . . .'
Her voice trailed off as the horror of what had been done washed over her once again. Jack waited, knowing the tale was far from over.
'Danielson said he'd keep Will for ransom, and that I was to be put adrift,' Elizabeth continued. 'But the Red Dragon attacked them before they could make speed. Something was taken from Captain Fitzpatrick, I don't know what, but they took me on board before the Stella Maris got away. Now Will's gone, and I'm to be held here until whatever was taken is returned, and I don't know what to do, Jack.'
Jack nodded slowly.
'They took you on board before the Maris got away?' he asked. 'Was she listing at all?'
Elizabeth shook her head, frowning slightly.
'Not that I'm aware of,' she told him.
There was a footstep on the stair behind them.
'We were the ones listing, Jack lad.'
Captain Elias Fitzpatrick stepped down into the gloom, followed closely by the girl who had brought Jack on board.
'Surprised to see me, boy?' he asked, a huge grin on his grizzled face. 'I'm not surprised to see ye.'
'What part of being dead have you no understanding of, Fitz?' Jack shot back coolly. 'The no breathing part give you problems, hmmm?'
Elias laughed.
'Ye didn't lose yer wit on that spit of land then,' he said approvingly. 'Shame about yer sanity.'
'What have you done with my ship, Fitz?'
Elias ignored him, motioning to the girl by his side to tend to Elizabeth. She slipped past Jack to kneel beside the young woman, her hands cool and gentle on the lady's flushed skin. As she ministered to their guest, Jack was ushered up on deck, and into the captain's cabin.
'Well, now, boy, I'm sure ye be wanting to know why it is we sprang ye free,' Elias began, offering his unwilling guest to take a seat.
'I don't know, perhaps you wished to return my effects from the last time we encountered one another, mate.'
Elias laughed again, knowing he had the upper hand. He had seen the concern on Jack's face when he had seen Elizabeth's distress and knew he had guessed right in coming to find the irritating pirate.
'Ye'll listen to me, Jack lad, or ye'll forfeit the young lady's life,' he said, suddenly no longer amused. 'I have proposition for ye, one that ye'd be wise to consider.'
Jack regarded him for a moment before throwing himself into the chair.
'I'm all ears.'
Elias gave him a cool stare, holding the moment for a long while. Then he straightened up, and began to pace the cabin.
'Something has been taken, from both myself and the young lady, and both need to be returned,' he said firmly. 'Now, I can hardly be taking a vulnerable young woman such as Will Turner's on an escapade that could be the end of us, now can I? And he would hardly come with me, anyways, he knows not my face nor my ship. But ye, now ye he trusts.'
Jack's eyes narrowed.
'Give me Elizabeth and return us to the Pearl, and you'll have your trinket when we have Will,' he proposed.
Elias' gaze turned even colder.
'Now I knew ye'd try to make such a bargain with me, Jack lad, but I knows ye of old,' he hissed, suspicious. 'Ye'd fetch back the lad for his lass, and pay no mind to what was taken from us. Nay, that will not do, boy. I be having a far better plan.'
He moved around the table until he was sat facing his guest.
'Ye take after the Stella Maris and retrieve both lad and trinket, and return the lass to ye we will, once our effect is on board once again.'
'With your being a pirate, there is very little certainty of your word being trustworthy,' Jack countered. 'As we are both aware.'
'As I recall, 'twas yer word that proved a mite unsteady, boy,' Elias answered, his tone harsh. 'As we are both aware.'
Jack inclined his head, a slight smile on his lips as he recalled the escapade that had rounded off his last meeting with the Red Dragon.
'What is this trinket that it is so important to you?' he asked, his thoughts working through the pros and cons of the plan.
Elias grinned, seeing his old adversary considering the proposition.
''Tis just a token, but has great sentimental value to us all,' he told Jack. 'A silver locket.'
Jack raised an eyebrow.
'That's it, is it? You're prepared to kill a woman, who is with child, I might add, for a piece of jewellery?'
He chuckled.
'And they say I'm insane.'
Elias' fist slammed down onto the table, his features furious.
'Like I said, 'tis of sentimental value,' he repeated. 'Will ye go, or does the lady?'
Jack regarded him for a long moment, seeing no other way out of the trap he was caught in.
'One condition,' he said, watching as the surprise lit up his adversary's face. 'You give me one of your crew, someone of as much value to you as Elizabeth is to me, just so I know you'll keep your word. If I go back on my word, you get Elizabeth. You go back on yours, I get your crew member. Savvy?'
Elias frowned. He knew this part of the code well, had utilised it many times and knew its merit. But which member of his crew would the unpredictable Jack Sparrow pick?
'I understand,' he said slowly. 'But which of me boys would ye be wanting to accompany ye?'
Jack smiled in satisfaction.
'None of them,' he said softly. 'I'd want the girl.'
He had to hold back a grin as Elias' face paled abruptly. He had guessed right. The girl was the child Elias Fitzpatrick had pulled from the sea and brought up as his own. So she, too, had sentimental value to the crew.
'Why her?' came the hoarse question.
Jack shrugged.
''Tis only fair, Fitz,' he said, his tone one of reason. 'After all, a woman for a woman. As Elizabeth has sentimental value for me, so does your girl for you. That way, neither of us go back on our word. Savvy?'
There was a long silence as Elias considered this slight change to his original plan. There was merit to it, but could he bear the thought that Marin could be in danger? Such a threat was sure to keep him honest in his dealings with Jack Sparrow, and he had no doubt that the lady was as important to the irascible pirate sitting before him. But he had a reason for wanting to keep young Marin as far from the Stella Maris as possible, though he would never divulge it. Still, she was well able to defend herself, and if he knew Jack Sparrow as he thought he did, he would never allow her to be placed in unnecessary danger.
'Ye'll return both her and the locket to us in Tortuga,' he confirmed, 'and the lady will be returned to her man. Do we have an accord?'
A slow grin spread across Jack Sparrow's face as he stood to take Elias Fitzpatrick's hand.
'We do.'
*~*~*
How will Marin react to this? Are you sure you want to know?
Loads of thanks to Sorsheit, the only one to review my last chapter! I do agree, there weren't enough wisecracks, but I had to get him on the boat without too much fuss, see? I hope there are enough in it from now on. Keep reading! I assure you there is a plot!
Shall I give you a hint? Come a bit closer . . . Reviews help me write faster. *gestures helplessly towards the little blue button*
'What's going on, love?' Jack asked, after accepting her embrace somewhat tentatively.
He could hear the crew preparing to be off, but for the moment was more concerned by the presence of a pregnant Elizabeth and the absence of Will. Elizabeth sighed softly, and he could see tears spring up in her eyes.
'He's gone, Jack,' she sobbed softly. 'Will's been taken.'
Confronted with a crying woman, the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow found himself speechless. He patted her shoulder gently, if awkwardly.
'There, there, love, there, there . . .'
The ship lurched, and he instinctively leant in the opposite direction to prevent himself being thrown off balance. Kneeling before Elizabeth, he lifted her chin with his finger, making her look up at him.
'Tell me what happened, love.'
She raised tearful eyes to his, drawing in a deep breath to calm herself.
'It was the Stella Maris,' she began, nodding as Jack let out a low whistle. 'She attacked as we made for Gibraltar. We didn't stand a chance. Danielson ordered the crew to be confined in the brig, and they scuppered her. They sank the Lady Swan with all hands . . .'
Her voice trailed off as the horror of what had been done washed over her once again. Jack waited, knowing the tale was far from over.
'Danielson said he'd keep Will for ransom, and that I was to be put adrift,' Elizabeth continued. 'But the Red Dragon attacked them before they could make speed. Something was taken from Captain Fitzpatrick, I don't know what, but they took me on board before the Stella Maris got away. Now Will's gone, and I'm to be held here until whatever was taken is returned, and I don't know what to do, Jack.'
Jack nodded slowly.
'They took you on board before the Maris got away?' he asked. 'Was she listing at all?'
Elizabeth shook her head, frowning slightly.
'Not that I'm aware of,' she told him.
There was a footstep on the stair behind them.
'We were the ones listing, Jack lad.'
Captain Elias Fitzpatrick stepped down into the gloom, followed closely by the girl who had brought Jack on board.
'Surprised to see me, boy?' he asked, a huge grin on his grizzled face. 'I'm not surprised to see ye.'
'What part of being dead have you no understanding of, Fitz?' Jack shot back coolly. 'The no breathing part give you problems, hmmm?'
Elias laughed.
'Ye didn't lose yer wit on that spit of land then,' he said approvingly. 'Shame about yer sanity.'
'What have you done with my ship, Fitz?'
Elias ignored him, motioning to the girl by his side to tend to Elizabeth. She slipped past Jack to kneel beside the young woman, her hands cool and gentle on the lady's flushed skin. As she ministered to their guest, Jack was ushered up on deck, and into the captain's cabin.
'Well, now, boy, I'm sure ye be wanting to know why it is we sprang ye free,' Elias began, offering his unwilling guest to take a seat.
'I don't know, perhaps you wished to return my effects from the last time we encountered one another, mate.'
Elias laughed again, knowing he had the upper hand. He had seen the concern on Jack's face when he had seen Elizabeth's distress and knew he had guessed right in coming to find the irritating pirate.
'Ye'll listen to me, Jack lad, or ye'll forfeit the young lady's life,' he said, suddenly no longer amused. 'I have proposition for ye, one that ye'd be wise to consider.'
Jack regarded him for a moment before throwing himself into the chair.
'I'm all ears.'
Elias gave him a cool stare, holding the moment for a long while. Then he straightened up, and began to pace the cabin.
'Something has been taken, from both myself and the young lady, and both need to be returned,' he said firmly. 'Now, I can hardly be taking a vulnerable young woman such as Will Turner's on an escapade that could be the end of us, now can I? And he would hardly come with me, anyways, he knows not my face nor my ship. But ye, now ye he trusts.'
Jack's eyes narrowed.
'Give me Elizabeth and return us to the Pearl, and you'll have your trinket when we have Will,' he proposed.
Elias' gaze turned even colder.
'Now I knew ye'd try to make such a bargain with me, Jack lad, but I knows ye of old,' he hissed, suspicious. 'Ye'd fetch back the lad for his lass, and pay no mind to what was taken from us. Nay, that will not do, boy. I be having a far better plan.'
He moved around the table until he was sat facing his guest.
'Ye take after the Stella Maris and retrieve both lad and trinket, and return the lass to ye we will, once our effect is on board once again.'
'With your being a pirate, there is very little certainty of your word being trustworthy,' Jack countered. 'As we are both aware.'
'As I recall, 'twas yer word that proved a mite unsteady, boy,' Elias answered, his tone harsh. 'As we are both aware.'
Jack inclined his head, a slight smile on his lips as he recalled the escapade that had rounded off his last meeting with the Red Dragon.
'What is this trinket that it is so important to you?' he asked, his thoughts working through the pros and cons of the plan.
Elias grinned, seeing his old adversary considering the proposition.
''Tis just a token, but has great sentimental value to us all,' he told Jack. 'A silver locket.'
Jack raised an eyebrow.
'That's it, is it? You're prepared to kill a woman, who is with child, I might add, for a piece of jewellery?'
He chuckled.
'And they say I'm insane.'
Elias' fist slammed down onto the table, his features furious.
'Like I said, 'tis of sentimental value,' he repeated. 'Will ye go, or does the lady?'
Jack regarded him for a long moment, seeing no other way out of the trap he was caught in.
'One condition,' he said, watching as the surprise lit up his adversary's face. 'You give me one of your crew, someone of as much value to you as Elizabeth is to me, just so I know you'll keep your word. If I go back on my word, you get Elizabeth. You go back on yours, I get your crew member. Savvy?'
Elias frowned. He knew this part of the code well, had utilised it many times and knew its merit. But which member of his crew would the unpredictable Jack Sparrow pick?
'I understand,' he said slowly. 'But which of me boys would ye be wanting to accompany ye?'
Jack smiled in satisfaction.
'None of them,' he said softly. 'I'd want the girl.'
He had to hold back a grin as Elias' face paled abruptly. He had guessed right. The girl was the child Elias Fitzpatrick had pulled from the sea and brought up as his own. So she, too, had sentimental value to the crew.
'Why her?' came the hoarse question.
Jack shrugged.
''Tis only fair, Fitz,' he said, his tone one of reason. 'After all, a woman for a woman. As Elizabeth has sentimental value for me, so does your girl for you. That way, neither of us go back on our word. Savvy?'
There was a long silence as Elias considered this slight change to his original plan. There was merit to it, but could he bear the thought that Marin could be in danger? Such a threat was sure to keep him honest in his dealings with Jack Sparrow, and he had no doubt that the lady was as important to the irascible pirate sitting before him. But he had a reason for wanting to keep young Marin as far from the Stella Maris as possible, though he would never divulge it. Still, she was well able to defend herself, and if he knew Jack Sparrow as he thought he did, he would never allow her to be placed in unnecessary danger.
'Ye'll return both her and the locket to us in Tortuga,' he confirmed, 'and the lady will be returned to her man. Do we have an accord?'
A slow grin spread across Jack Sparrow's face as he stood to take Elias Fitzpatrick's hand.
'We do.'
*~*~*
How will Marin react to this? Are you sure you want to know?
Loads of thanks to Sorsheit, the only one to review my last chapter! I do agree, there weren't enough wisecracks, but I had to get him on the boat without too much fuss, see? I hope there are enough in it from now on. Keep reading! I assure you there is a plot!
Shall I give you a hint? Come a bit closer . . . Reviews help me write faster. *gestures helplessly towards the little blue button*