Disclaimer: *one particular author peeks out from a treasure chest below deck, grinning to herself and slipping out.*
He'll never see me coming…*evil giggle*
Authors Note: Ye scurvy dogs should be happy! It started out being only two pages and I considered posting just that…but then my muses came back and well…here be yer six pages! *grins* Enjoy!
Four-Sided Eyes
(a.k.a. Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the fangirl)
Chapter 19: Phantasm
(Something apparently seen but having no physical reality; a phantom or an apparition. An illusory mental image.)
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(Kendra's POV…)
It's true. Luck can steadily disappear, and still has the capability to plummet in one fell swoop.
Not only did Sparrow ruin my plans for taking my ship back, oh no, he also obliterated any chance in the future to do so. Cursed, blasted pirate.
And now I sit in my cot, scowling at the door. Blocking my path. Keeping me from revenge. How I loathe it.
My control over my emotions is steady weakening…
I let out a growl of frustration, collapsing to my knees and breathing deeply. Tears were beginning to surface, but I refuse to let them move any further.
And my hands are still bound!
I…can't…take...any…more! Clamping my mouth shut I pressed my face to the floor and let out a scream.
Plink.
Plink, plink.
My breathes had dissipated to stifled gasps and my emotions were on the verge of overtaking me.
Chaos…
Agony…
The Dilettante…
Kenneth…
James…
Lawrence…
Plink, plink, plink.
Cursed Sparrow!
Gritting my teeth for a moment I tried to regain control. I have to hold my temper. Nevertheless…
A string of curses came out in full force, ranging from French to English and occasionally a mix of the two. I called on every memory of frustration, anger, rage, disappointment, and every other cause for such replies. My mother, if she were still alive, would likely reprimand me for such words, be she pirate or not.
A stream of light trickled into the room and I sprung to attention, standing and looking defiant. Any sign of weakness is asking to be black spotted.
Cotton stood there with a tray of food, no doubt my promised meal. He looked to me warily, and set the tray down on the table, then nodded his head and started to walk out.
"Aren't you going to untie me?" I asked.
Cotton looked back and shook his head, his expression grim.
"Captain's orders?"
He nodded and then closed the gap to the door, locking it behind him.
Enveloped in the gloomy darkness once more, I narrowed my eyes and breathed deeply and steadily, keeping my tempest-like emotions in check.
Get my hands free. Do that first. My cutlass…
I lowered my gaze to my hip and grinned at one of the weapons Sparrow had neglected to remove from my person.
All the better.
I pulled my cutlass out and crouched down on the floor, holding the handle still with my knees. Keeping my hands as far apart as possible, I cut the rope and freed my anxious hands. Resheathing my cutlass, I headed for the food.
Soup, along with bread, water, and an apple. How quaint.
Gobbling this down, I considered my next course of action. I finished the apple and licked my lips, finding a strangely familiar flavor there.
It reminded me of my time as a cabin lass for some reason…
It wasn't the soup…nor the bread crumbs, not the apple either. Then what is it?
I ran my fingers along my lips and gasped.
Laudanum!
My old crewmates had drugged me as a joke when I was younger…how could I fall for it now?
My eyes stared blankly at the wall before me. Sparrow had…he'd tricked me! How dare he!
I faced the door and prepared myself to ram the door. Perhaps if I act fast enough I can get back to shore and…at least get away from Sparrow.
My legs started to resist, but I forced them to race towards my exit. Crossing my arms before my face I collided with the door and felt it shudder. But not give.
My eyelids were drooping and I knew I'd have to hurry. I jerked out my pistol and shot the door's handle, glad to see the door swing loose. I put my pistol away and raced out.
I can see it…the shore…
Focus…focus…come on Captain Ken, you can do this!
Someone's arm blocked me, but I struggled anyway.
"Calm yerself lad!"
"Let…me…go…"
My strength was slipping, and my breathing deepening. Everything's becoming fuzzy…no…I…can't give in…
I mustn't give up…can't…
Fog.
What? Where did all this fog come from?
It's everywhere…
Looking in every direction, that is all there is to be seen. Seemingly rock solid at a distance, but always just out of reach. Confusing, and not quite tangible.
Almost like something else. A thing that I can't quite comprehend. It's as if…am I even conscious? Really, it is all quite strange.
If only…if only I could figure out just what is going on, then perhaps I could make some sense of all this gloomy confusion.
Wait, something is coming into focus.
What is it?
I hesitantly stepped closer, then regained my nerve and strode confidently towards it.
Strong arms…
Pure blue eyes. Looking to me…
Kenneth.
Kenneth?
What is he doing here? Is he not dead? Looking around, I reminded myself that I more than likely was in a dream state and well, hopefully I can not be hurt here.
The fog cleared suddenly and I gasped.
Wood, beautiful wood surrounded me.
The ocean waves providing a gentle lullaby
The sun caressing my bruises and aches…
Gulls' cries welcoming me back.
I am on the Dilettante again. My home…my love. I may as well enjoy the bit of time I have with her.
Nothing can bother me now…no meager cut nor bruise. I am free once more.
Odd that no one has spoken to me yet…oh well.
Walking from aft to fore, port to starboard…I even climbed the rigging and took in the view from there.
How I have missed this… Oh so dearly…
Tears threatened to show themselves again, but I forced them back.
When had I become such a weakling? Really…how many times have I cried in the last few weeks? More times than I have in most of my life. Besides my young childhood, when I was broken of the habit.
Broken of the habit?
Narrowing my eyes, I shook my head.
Nay, not broken of it…persuaded to be stronger than such a weakness.
Aye, my piratical pseudo-parents had made me stronger, and I was thankful for it. Without their guidance…I could be some wench serving ale to drunken sailors. Not that many would grab at me like the other girls…but still. Perhaps I would be pressed into child labor, despite my real age. It would be hard to distinguish me from many children without careful inspection. Sparrow could not comprehend me, and he'd been around me for several weeks…has it been a month? If not that long, perhaps longer.
I've lost track of time…now the world truly has turned tipsy-turvy.
A particularly large gust of wind blew me back, and I reveled in it.
This is the life…a pirate's life.
How I love it!
Grinning from ear to ear - something I hadn't done since before the Dilettante was taken from me - I swung down again and mingled with my crew, surprised to see that no one acknowledged me. Surely someone would have at least smiled at me. If not tell me of a new joke they had made…or…what is going on?
The crew will not mutiny again, will they?
I doubt it…as they have not noticed me yet. Maybe they just need to be reminded of my presence…
Setting a hand on Lawrence's shoulder, I gasped as I felt nothing. My hand went too far and disappeared…
Am I…
Have I been the one to die? Am I a ghost? Destined to haunt my ship for the rest of my days? Doomed to be so close to my joy…and yet unable to do more than stand at the gateway?
No one could wish this on a pirate…especially a pirate captain. And one who has suffered as I have…?
Never.
It is a dream…this is all a dream. I must remember this.
Summoning my composure once more, I walked about my ship and surveyed my domain.
A new voice pierced my soul.
"Ye scurvy dogs! How goes the swabbin'?"
It was my own.
Whirling around, I saw myself standing at the helm. How had I missed her? I'm not that small am I?
The crew yelled their replies, and smiled up at their captain. Their small in stature, but powerful captain. She listed off commands and the men scurried off to do as she bade. How I miss this…the power, the pride, the freedom…
"Who are you?"
I tensed and looked up at my mirror image.
"Me?" I asked.
She nodded and glared down at me. "Ye're not part of my crew. Are ye a stowaway? I don't take kindly to stowaways…"
"No, I…I'm you."
"What? Are ye da…" a look of confusion came onto her face and she gave the helm to Kenneth, coming down the stairs and eventually stopping before me.
Our eyes met and were locked in a duel…of what sort, I could not tell.
"Ye're not me. I'm not so weak and cowardly. I would never lose my ship to a band of half-witted pirates."
"They outnumbered us. I was taken by surprise. And I am in no ways weak or cowardly! Sparrow is bigger and stronger than I…to wait for the opportune moment is not a cowardly act. Do not accuse me in what you do not understand."
My twin scoffed and broke the gaze for a moment, closing her eyes and putting on a cocky stance, crossing her arms over her chest. "Prove it, wench."
"Have it your way…" I growled, drawing my cutlass. "We will see who is the better."
"Aye, that we will…"
And so it began.
A nearly endless battle in which I had never seen its equal. My arms began to ache and my head throb, but I could not give up. Not yet…besides, my opponent was looking to be in the same shape. Perhaps in a worse one.
"I will not lose to you!" she growled, parrying my thrust and moving to the side.
Dodging her swing, I nicked her arm and grinned. "Keep talking, lass. Won't be long till I'm victor."
"So you think!" she snarled, and retaliated viciously.
It took all of my effort to simply hold her back.
Fighting one's self is difficult. Both opponents can read each other readily, as they are the other. And no victory can be had. Temporary advances are possible, but true victory? Never.
An impasse is the only possible answer.
That is, unless one of the two has made some kind of development, be it for the better or the worse.
By this point in time, we both wore several more scratches and bruises. And neither was close to giving in. We both ached and would have quit a spar when in such a condition…but never in a deadlocked duel such as this.
Victory must be had, yet is impossible.
What am I to do?
Yells from the crew made us both pause and look to the helm. Kenneth was screaming about something…odd in itself. Kenneth never screamed.
"Quit your battle, Kendra! We're about to be overtaken by another ship!"
She scowled at me and I at her.
"An impasse," I muttered.
"Aye, an impasse."
With that, we both stepped back and sheathed our cutlasses, she hurrying up to the helm and I catching my breath.
I could have lost that battle with ease…my body already being battered as it was. Those blasted pirates had left their mark…as had Sparrow when he had dragged me back to the Pearl.
How I loathe him…
Before I could realize what was going on, fog surrounded me once more, and then slowly dissipated, leaving me in the midst of a bloody battle. My crew lay in shambles… most of them dead or dying. And there were some men I did not recognize…Wait!
One of the men's faces…I had seen him earlier today…but where?
Concentrating harder, I shuddered at the realization.
This was Spriggit's crew.
I drew my cutlass and prepared myself for revenge. It was almost too late…or was it? Spriggit and my other self were locked in battle and then…no!
She had been knocked down and then disarmed and restrained by one of his men. Spriggit ran his hands along the helm, only for the ship he had been occupying to disappear.
Is this strange dream following a sequence of events that is a twisted version of the truth? Perhaps I can change the future for my good…
Breathing deeply, I rushed up the stairs and charged at Spriggit. He barely noticed me in time, and was only able to block my thrust, no more. I attacked anxiously.
I need this man dead…immediately!
He had been the one to take everything away from me…the Dilettante…my dignity…my crew…Kenneth…dear, dear Kenneth…
I screamed in my fury, and drove my cutlass into his heart, surprised that I had succeeded.
Staring in my shock, I did not see the cutlass coming in my direction.
Spriggit still had the strength to retaliate…and put his own cutlass into my throat.
How it burned…
Releasing my cutlass I stumbled back, stared down at the handle below my chin and felt everything go dark…
So very dark…
Is this like dying?
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SilverButterfly: Yes, Jack was being a meanie…but he had good reasons behind it. Thought his precious little enigma/translator/cabin boy was going mad or something…
PED-sarah: Thanks for the review! *grins* Yes, it definitely was a fun chapter… glad you enjoyed it so much. I know I did! And the issue will be resolved…just you wait.
rhythmteck: Ah, the joys of Winn and Kendra…too stubborn for their own good. I was pondering leaving the 'bean spilling' for much later…but tweaking is going on…it should be out sooner than planned. Though that may not be soon enough for most of your likings…*cringes* No hurt? Pwease?
FFE Rocks My Socks: *blinks* Crudeness? Where? *looks around, then scratches her chin* You mean Kendra cursing? I thought I was staying as clean as possible by keeping it French and assumed to be cursing…pirates curse, it's a pretty clear fact. And well…Kendra is a pirate, and well…very peeved to say the least.
KawaiiRyu: Well, we got our fill of Jack in 18, and back to Kendra in 19...eh? Wow…almost up to the 20's…never was sure how far this story would go. Apparently will be quite long. Definitely in the 100's by now…*shakes head* Crazy…
Olio: *grins* Yes, Kendra likes to beat people up…I aim to please! Sorry the chapter was so short…be glad this one is nice and long. 6 pages for your perusal.
Enjoy all, and keep the reviews coming! You know I love ya!
