Sorry for the wait, I was *coughs* erm. banned from ff.net. so, here is the
chapter!-Raven
*grumbles* oh well, least it is up!!-Talon
Chapter 3
The party affair
Although the preparation had been rather unpleasant, Jade had to admit that the party itself was quite enjoyable! The waiters came by every few minutes to set foods and delicacies on the table as they were prepared, and the band played melodious tunes. This would have all been nice, if Jade had actually been a lady, raised to appreciate the entirety of it all. Off on the other side of the room, she could hear her father crying:
"No rum!? Will! What kind of party is this, if there isn't any rum!?" Jade chuckled at her father's odd, odd love for rum. Not that she had anything against it of course; it was just that, she could go much longer without it.
When she was sure no one was watching, she pulled out her favorite dagger, which she'd smuggled under that ridiculously large dress, and began scraping nonexistent dirt out from under her already clean fingernails.
"Would you care to dance?" a handsome young voice asked. Jade was sure he was addressing another, and stalked off, not wanting to end up watching the gushy serenade between him and his miss. When she'd picked a nice, secluded spot in the corner, pulling out her dagger again and watching Anamaria with a grin, as the pirate woman indeed was wearing a starched, yellow, dress, the same voice asked again. "Would you care to dance?"
Jade whirled around and found herself facing a sandy-haired boy of about fourteen, bowing slightly.
"Shouldn't you ask my father first?" she inquired haughtily. He lifted one eyebrow.
"I don't see your father anywhere!" he said coolly. Jade grinned, embarrassed that she was actually attracted to him, and took his outstretched hand. He bowed again, as did she, before she remembered that she was supposed to act like a lady, and curtsied.
"Damn that's weird!" she thought, as she pulled out her skirt and did the dip. "Curtsying is really weird!"
Gently, he took both her hands and began to lead her in a waltz she didn't know, when. . .
"'Scuse me!" a slightly slurred voice, obviously trying to mask it's anger. "I b'lieve the tradition is to ask the father before you can dance with the daughter!"
The boy froze dead in the middle of a step, gawking fixedly at Jack Sparrow.
"Y-y-you're his daughter!?"
Jade winced, and felt herself flush.
"Yeah." she mumbled. "Got the mark of a sparrow me self! On me left arm."
"Jade Sparrow!" Jack said proudly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "And, now, I can't have me pride and joy dancing with a tradition breaker!"
The boy turned bright scarlet and walked slowly away. Jade turned heel to glare at her father.
"Dad!" she cried, not meaning to draw the attention of several curious onlookers, but not caring. "What do you think you're doing!?"
"I'm just looking out for you, savvy?"
"I don't need looking after! I'm thirteen! I can take care of meself!"
"Not always!"
"In you're opinion, I can't EVER take care of meself! You never let me go anywhere at all dangerous, you always drop me off with one of your little friends! You're so damn overprotective, dad!"
"I just care for your well being, love!"
"Come off it, dad! We both know you wouldn't 'ave cared if I lived or bloody died if mom hadn't shoved me in your arms and stormed off! I doubt you cared then! The only time you started caring about me was when I was your only company, who wasn't trying to kill or rob you! Back then, you couldn't wait for me to grow up! Now, you can't seem to let me! I just want to be meself! NOT just Jack Sparrow's invisible daughter!" Jade let out an angry cry and stormed off, leaving Jack to stand in the aftermath of her fit.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The rest of the party went on without a hitch. They all sat, ate, (during this period, Jade refused to speak to her overprotective father) toasted the new twins (a boy and girl, William and Emily) and then got up to dance some more. Jack watched the dancing as he leaned against a wall. At this point, nobody would dare come near Jade, either for their distaste of a pirate, or their fear of her father's wrath. After about a half an hour of this rude seclusion, she sat down at the table to speak with Anamaria, who had taken a break from all the dancing. Jack suddenly realized that Anamaria had been like a second mother to Jade. During all those years of concealment, Anamaria always knew about her, and always had a hand in raising her. Jade had never once mentioned her of being overprotective!
"Jack." Will sat politely, leaning against the wall next to his friend. Jack just grunted, his eyes still on Jade.
"Will." he said, after a few seconds. "Do I strike you as. . .overprotective?"
"I hate to say it, old friend, but, yes."
"I just want what's best for her!" he sighed.
"Don't we all, Jack! My father wanted what's best for me, and look where I ended up!"
"You say that like it's a bad thing! A big house, a lovely wife, two beautiful children, and a reputation as the best blacksmith in all of Port Royal!"
"Never meeting him, being brought up by another family, nearly killed in a shipwreck, and a cursed coin as a parting gift!"
"You've changed Will!" Jack said. "You used to be such an optimist!"
Will chuckled, glancing in the direction of Elizabeth.
"Can I ask you for a favor, Will?" Jack asked, drawing the blacksmith's attention from his wife.
"Anything, Jack!"
Jack paused, then.
"Th-the way she looked at me when she said those things! It was like she really hated me, like I really was doing, something wrong in her upbringing! She didn't know what it was to be a woman until this afternoon!"
"Jack, she really does love being a pirate!"
"I know. About that favor, Will. Could you. . . take care of her for a while? I don't know if it'll be days, or weeks, but I'm going off to pillage again, and I still don't want her with me! This time at least, I want her to know how to be a lady as long as I'm gone."
"I'd love to, Jack. But, how do you expect her to stay? I mean, by the impression of her thus far, she'll jump into the ocean and swim to the Pearl before she'd let you leave here to become a lady!"
"I know Will, but I just want her to experience a better life for at least a couple of weeks."
"Of course, Jack!"
"Thanks, Will!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Jade." Jack said the next day, on the docks. "I want you to have this!"
He pulled a small necklace out of his pocket. Just a bit larger than a choker, and just a bit smaller that a typical chain.
"This is for you! I found it on the Pearl when I first got her, on one of the lower decks. It's beads have got jade, as rare as yourself, gold, as priceless as yourself, and all strung on on silk threads, fine as yourself!"
Jade took the necklace into her hands, grinning, wondering why on earth he was giving it to her now, and why he had insisted she wear a dress. The bits of jade had tiny, intricate carvings, and the gold was shaped in complex patterns that made her head spin. Immediately, she put it on. Jack grinned and said:
"You be a polite young lady, now!"
"Why? Dad, you never taught me to-"
Sudden realization struck her like a mallet.
"No, dad, please!"
Jack had stood up, said his farewells to the Turners, and begun heading back to the ship.
"I'll be back for yah! Don't worry!"
"Dad!"
By now he'd already untied the Pearl from the dock and boarded the ship, with an unreadable expression etched on his face. Jade struggled against the firm, steady grip of Will Turner, who eventually had to grab her with both hands to keep her from jumping in the waters and swimming back to her life. She was afraid, afraid of changing, of staying here, in Port Royal. As the Black Pearl shrunk slowly, but close enough to hear shouts, she threw every nasty word she knew at him. Every word he constantly reminded her not to say, and yet every word he said himself. She even tossed his gesture back at him.
Dammit, dad! You never take me with you! You always abandon me in one hellish port or another!" Hot tears rolled down her cheeks, smearing the blush and powder she despised so. "Just take me with you!" she sobbed "Stop tryin' to change me! Let me go with you!"
When the Pearl finally shrank to nothing on the horizon, Jade allowed the Turners to lead her back to their uncomfortably big house. As they started down the streets, she stopped suddenly, ripped off her necklace and threw it onto the beach, where the waters could wash it away, and screaming "I hate you!" Then, with a heavy heart, she let the Turners lead her back to their house, where, doubtlessly, she would be changed into the lady she'd never wanted to become.
Awwww, poor Jade, I feel so sorry for her-Raven
But poor Jack too, he didn't get any rum *giggle* and, ( his daughter is mad at him.-Talon
Uh? Did I 'ear my name?-Jack
He found the wine, didn't 'e?-Raven
*sigh* yes-Talon
*grumbles* oh well, least it is up!!-Talon
Chapter 3
The party affair
Although the preparation had been rather unpleasant, Jade had to admit that the party itself was quite enjoyable! The waiters came by every few minutes to set foods and delicacies on the table as they were prepared, and the band played melodious tunes. This would have all been nice, if Jade had actually been a lady, raised to appreciate the entirety of it all. Off on the other side of the room, she could hear her father crying:
"No rum!? Will! What kind of party is this, if there isn't any rum!?" Jade chuckled at her father's odd, odd love for rum. Not that she had anything against it of course; it was just that, she could go much longer without it.
When she was sure no one was watching, she pulled out her favorite dagger, which she'd smuggled under that ridiculously large dress, and began scraping nonexistent dirt out from under her already clean fingernails.
"Would you care to dance?" a handsome young voice asked. Jade was sure he was addressing another, and stalked off, not wanting to end up watching the gushy serenade between him and his miss. When she'd picked a nice, secluded spot in the corner, pulling out her dagger again and watching Anamaria with a grin, as the pirate woman indeed was wearing a starched, yellow, dress, the same voice asked again. "Would you care to dance?"
Jade whirled around and found herself facing a sandy-haired boy of about fourteen, bowing slightly.
"Shouldn't you ask my father first?" she inquired haughtily. He lifted one eyebrow.
"I don't see your father anywhere!" he said coolly. Jade grinned, embarrassed that she was actually attracted to him, and took his outstretched hand. He bowed again, as did she, before she remembered that she was supposed to act like a lady, and curtsied.
"Damn that's weird!" she thought, as she pulled out her skirt and did the dip. "Curtsying is really weird!"
Gently, he took both her hands and began to lead her in a waltz she didn't know, when. . .
"'Scuse me!" a slightly slurred voice, obviously trying to mask it's anger. "I b'lieve the tradition is to ask the father before you can dance with the daughter!"
The boy froze dead in the middle of a step, gawking fixedly at Jack Sparrow.
"Y-y-you're his daughter!?"
Jade winced, and felt herself flush.
"Yeah." she mumbled. "Got the mark of a sparrow me self! On me left arm."
"Jade Sparrow!" Jack said proudly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "And, now, I can't have me pride and joy dancing with a tradition breaker!"
The boy turned bright scarlet and walked slowly away. Jade turned heel to glare at her father.
"Dad!" she cried, not meaning to draw the attention of several curious onlookers, but not caring. "What do you think you're doing!?"
"I'm just looking out for you, savvy?"
"I don't need looking after! I'm thirteen! I can take care of meself!"
"Not always!"
"In you're opinion, I can't EVER take care of meself! You never let me go anywhere at all dangerous, you always drop me off with one of your little friends! You're so damn overprotective, dad!"
"I just care for your well being, love!"
"Come off it, dad! We both know you wouldn't 'ave cared if I lived or bloody died if mom hadn't shoved me in your arms and stormed off! I doubt you cared then! The only time you started caring about me was when I was your only company, who wasn't trying to kill or rob you! Back then, you couldn't wait for me to grow up! Now, you can't seem to let me! I just want to be meself! NOT just Jack Sparrow's invisible daughter!" Jade let out an angry cry and stormed off, leaving Jack to stand in the aftermath of her fit.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The rest of the party went on without a hitch. They all sat, ate, (during this period, Jade refused to speak to her overprotective father) toasted the new twins (a boy and girl, William and Emily) and then got up to dance some more. Jack watched the dancing as he leaned against a wall. At this point, nobody would dare come near Jade, either for their distaste of a pirate, or their fear of her father's wrath. After about a half an hour of this rude seclusion, she sat down at the table to speak with Anamaria, who had taken a break from all the dancing. Jack suddenly realized that Anamaria had been like a second mother to Jade. During all those years of concealment, Anamaria always knew about her, and always had a hand in raising her. Jade had never once mentioned her of being overprotective!
"Jack." Will sat politely, leaning against the wall next to his friend. Jack just grunted, his eyes still on Jade.
"Will." he said, after a few seconds. "Do I strike you as. . .overprotective?"
"I hate to say it, old friend, but, yes."
"I just want what's best for her!" he sighed.
"Don't we all, Jack! My father wanted what's best for me, and look where I ended up!"
"You say that like it's a bad thing! A big house, a lovely wife, two beautiful children, and a reputation as the best blacksmith in all of Port Royal!"
"Never meeting him, being brought up by another family, nearly killed in a shipwreck, and a cursed coin as a parting gift!"
"You've changed Will!" Jack said. "You used to be such an optimist!"
Will chuckled, glancing in the direction of Elizabeth.
"Can I ask you for a favor, Will?" Jack asked, drawing the blacksmith's attention from his wife.
"Anything, Jack!"
Jack paused, then.
"Th-the way she looked at me when she said those things! It was like she really hated me, like I really was doing, something wrong in her upbringing! She didn't know what it was to be a woman until this afternoon!"
"Jack, she really does love being a pirate!"
"I know. About that favor, Will. Could you. . . take care of her for a while? I don't know if it'll be days, or weeks, but I'm going off to pillage again, and I still don't want her with me! This time at least, I want her to know how to be a lady as long as I'm gone."
"I'd love to, Jack. But, how do you expect her to stay? I mean, by the impression of her thus far, she'll jump into the ocean and swim to the Pearl before she'd let you leave here to become a lady!"
"I know Will, but I just want her to experience a better life for at least a couple of weeks."
"Of course, Jack!"
"Thanks, Will!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Jade." Jack said the next day, on the docks. "I want you to have this!"
He pulled a small necklace out of his pocket. Just a bit larger than a choker, and just a bit smaller that a typical chain.
"This is for you! I found it on the Pearl when I first got her, on one of the lower decks. It's beads have got jade, as rare as yourself, gold, as priceless as yourself, and all strung on on silk threads, fine as yourself!"
Jade took the necklace into her hands, grinning, wondering why on earth he was giving it to her now, and why he had insisted she wear a dress. The bits of jade had tiny, intricate carvings, and the gold was shaped in complex patterns that made her head spin. Immediately, she put it on. Jack grinned and said:
"You be a polite young lady, now!"
"Why? Dad, you never taught me to-"
Sudden realization struck her like a mallet.
"No, dad, please!"
Jack had stood up, said his farewells to the Turners, and begun heading back to the ship.
"I'll be back for yah! Don't worry!"
"Dad!"
By now he'd already untied the Pearl from the dock and boarded the ship, with an unreadable expression etched on his face. Jade struggled against the firm, steady grip of Will Turner, who eventually had to grab her with both hands to keep her from jumping in the waters and swimming back to her life. She was afraid, afraid of changing, of staying here, in Port Royal. As the Black Pearl shrunk slowly, but close enough to hear shouts, she threw every nasty word she knew at him. Every word he constantly reminded her not to say, and yet every word he said himself. She even tossed his gesture back at him.
Dammit, dad! You never take me with you! You always abandon me in one hellish port or another!" Hot tears rolled down her cheeks, smearing the blush and powder she despised so. "Just take me with you!" she sobbed "Stop tryin' to change me! Let me go with you!"
When the Pearl finally shrank to nothing on the horizon, Jade allowed the Turners to lead her back to their uncomfortably big house. As they started down the streets, she stopped suddenly, ripped off her necklace and threw it onto the beach, where the waters could wash it away, and screaming "I hate you!" Then, with a heavy heart, she let the Turners lead her back to their house, where, doubtlessly, she would be changed into the lady she'd never wanted to become.
Awwww, poor Jade, I feel so sorry for her-Raven
But poor Jack too, he didn't get any rum *giggle* and, ( his daughter is mad at him.-Talon
Uh? Did I 'ear my name?-Jack
He found the wine, didn't 'e?-Raven
*sigh* yes-Talon