Disclaimer: If you recognise it from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean then, sadly, it is not mine.
Chapter 2: Dreams of Bygone Days
A younger Jack Sparrow walked through the streets of the latest port he had visited searching for news of the Black Pearl. He was still bitter about the mutiny that had seen him marooned on an island with nothing but his sword, compass, and the usual pistol. Lucky it had been that island, or he might very well be there still. Or have succumbed to the temptation to use that shot. He put the thought hastily from his mind. No sense dwelling on might-have-beens. He would find the Pearl, and he would use that shot on Barbossa.
In the meantime, he would accompany his search for information with a mug or two of rum and maybe some company. There were always women available in a port like this, and he had never had trouble attracting one or two. He cast his eyes over the crowd as he walked, looking for prospective company.
His gaze landed on a slender figure by a merchant's wagon, and Jack stopped dead in his tracks and stared. She had a cascade of fiery copper hair than fell to her slim waist, and was wearing a simple dark green dress that clung to her hips before falling in thick folds to her feet. A small pack was slung over one shoulder, almost hidden amid the mass of hair. Someone jostled the young captain and he stepped aside with a quiet curse as he tried to find a vantage point where he could watch the young woman in peace. She was in profile from this angle, and he liked what he could see of her face. A lopsided grin spread across Jack's face as she concluded her bartering and goods and money changed hands.
Jack hastened to follow her as she made her way through the crowd, tucking her purchase into the pack. When he came up behind her, he put and hand on her arm and greeted her, "'Ello, luv. Fancy a bit of company this evening?"
The woman whirled around to face him and he found himself confronting a pair of intensely green eyes. "If that's what you think I am, then you need to think again," she hissed angrily. There was a slight pressure just below his abdomen and he glanced down to find that she was also holding a small blade against him. As if reading his mind, she added, "And if you aren't polite, I'm going to make sure that your opinion on the matter becomes entirely irrelevant."
Swallowing nervously and raising his hands in a gesture of submission, Jack managed to stammer an apology. "I didn't think anything, luv, aside from the fact that you're a stunning young woman and I'd like to get to know you better. Now please, put the knife away. Or, at least, put it somewhere else." He risked a hopeful grin, definitely hopeful that the blade would move to a less sensitive portion of his anatomy at the very least.
The emerald gaze held his a moment longer, then she stepped back and smoothly slid the knife into her sleeve. Interesting, Jack thought, tucking that observation away for later use. In a more relaxed tone, she said, "My apologies, sir. It's been a trying day. Perhaps, then, if you're so keen to get to know me, you should start by giving me your name and buying me a drink." She returned his grin with a rather challenging one of her own as her eyes flicked briefly over him and took on a somewhat more approving look.
Jack was captivated. Sweeping off his hat and making a low bow, he replied, "Captain Jack Sparrow at your service, miss, and I'd be delighted to buy you a drink. Just name the place. Do I learn your name as well in this though?"
The woman responded with a soft ripple of laughter. "It's a pleasure to meet you Captain. I'm Siamsa." She stepped beside him and slipped one arm through his. "The Hurt Arms is a nice place. I'm playing there tonight, anyway."
Nodding and resuming a leisurely walk, Jack asked curiously, "Playing?"
"I'm a musician," she replied promptly, patting the bag on her shoulder. "Currently playing the fiddle to accompany a couple of friends. We've just been travelling around a bit and playing in taverns and the like. This is probably going to be the last stop for a while. They want to head home, so I'll be drifting for a while until I can find someone else to play with."
Jack choked down his automatic response, not wishing to have another encounter with her knife. He risked a glance in her direction, however, and found her watching him with amusement. She knows you're thinking it, mate. Chuckling, he threw caution to the wind and drawled, "Ye can play with me any time, luv."
Once more, the silvery ripple of laughter. "Perhaps we may come to that later," was the tantalising response.
~The scene wavered and changed~
Jack sat on the rocks at the water's edge beside Siamsa, tossing bits of a leaf he was shredding into the water. She was singing quietly, a slightly disturbing song about a young woman who goes missing shortly before her wedding and whose dead spirit then visits her groom-to-be, and he was more than happy to just sit and listen. He would never get tired of hearing her sing, he decided. That night at the Hurt Arms, he had sat spellbound as she and her two friends played and sang for their attentive audience. She had glanced his way frequently throughout the performance, and afterwards had returned to his table and they had a few more drinks together.
They had wound up in her room in the tavern, a much nicer room than he would have spent money on himself. It had been a glorious night. So had the rest that followed. She had even spent the days with him, scouring the town for news of his stolen ship. They would both soon be leaving port however, he in search of a ship and crew to take him after the Pearl and she with a troupe of travellers they had met the previous day.
The song ended and Jack tossed the remains of the leaf into the water so he could give a rousing round of applause. Siamsa flushed slightly with pleasure and gave him a wry smile. "Thank'ee kindly, Jack. I'm not sure it was worth that though."
Shaking his head, she slipped an arm around her shoulders and gave a brief squeeze. "Always a pleasure to hear you sing, little songbird." That was one of the names he had given her, the other being Red. It felt more comfortable than using her name; less serious. You do use it sometimes though, he reminded himself, and smiled at the memory of just when he tended to use her name. "We'd best be heading back into town, though. I've a ship to catch, and your caravan will be leaving this afternoon." He hauled himself to his feet and held out a hand to help her up. Even after two weeks spent in her company, he still couldn't believe that she barely reached his chin. She had seemed a lot taller when she had been threatening to lop bits off him, and most of the time he was too busy talking and laughing with her (or merely sitting admiring) to notice the difference in their heights.
Now, as he tucked her companionably against his side and began to walk back towards the town with her, briefly considered asking her to come with him. It wouldn't work though. This had been a pleasant diversion, but he was determined to get the Black Pearl back under his command and to do that he would stop at practically nothing. Siamsa was skilled with the knives she carried, but she admitted freely that she had never mastered the sword. It would make her a liability, and there was no room in his plans for a liability. A small part of him also whispered that he'd hate to see such a vibrant young thing come to harm on his account. He wondered if there was any chance they would meet again. Probably not. His search was going to take him far from these parts, it seemed, and even if they did meet in a few years it was likely that she would have found herself more permanent companionship. He pushed such depressing thoughts away and instead bent to whisper in her ear, "You know, we still have a few hours before you have to leave, and we haven't given back the key to the room yet..." He let the sentence trail off suggestively and was rewarded with a broad grin and a hug.
~The scene changed again, this time onto an unrelated path~
Survey:
OK, it's inevitable that the two of them are going to meet again. There are two possible ways that I have in mind for it to happen, so I want to find out what people think could be more entertaining:
A: They run into each other in a port somewhere, in a somewhat deja vu experience.
B: The Pearl takes a ship on which Siamsa's a passenger, and the crew takes her hostage (with Jack not finding out about this until they're back on their ship.
Pop your preference into your reviews and I'll run with whatever gets the most votes. :)