~ Chapter Twelve ~ One Life Lost, Another Saved
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Jesline was on the beach, looking out at the endless ocean where the Black Pearl floated. How her world was coming apart. Her mother dead, her hope lost. The world was a cruel place to her, taking away the only thing that could have saved her... brought her out of the darkness that was encompassing her. He had won. The Devil had finally won. Not only did he damn her soul for all eternity, but the evil he served had taken her salvation. She would be his soon, time was short, the darkness was coming and there was nothing that Jesline could do about it. No matter how much she lived her new life the old one still lingered in the depths of her mind. Taunting her, whispering to her of evil things to come, laughing at her for her trying to be someone she was not. All was lost.
Jesline gazed a little while longer at the ocean, how it went on, like her torment. It was never ending, an incomplete circle that would never stop.
Her mother. Her sweet, compassionate mother was a kind soul. The face of an angel and a heart pure as heaven was gone. Her mother's love was gone, taken by some evil that would see to the end that Jesline suffered lifelong pain and torment. What could be done? Jesline thought. What was there to be done? Nothing. Jesline concluded in her thoughts.
Jesline was deep in her tormented grief, stricken thoughts that she did not hear Chief Trikao come up to her. He saw her face, a mask of grief and pain. His heart went out to her. How she must feel, thinking that her salvation was lost, that the only love she had ever known, a mother's love, was gone.
Trikao stared out at the ocean, trying to find the words to tell her what happened to her mother. Such things were never easy to say, or tell, to one who lost a parent especially when the death was caused by another.
Trikao took a deep breath and began to speak, telling Jesline what happened that fateful night.
"Jesline, your mother died...by another. She heard what had happened to you. That you were taken by Bradston, the Devil's second in command, and she rushed quickly to get off Forest Hymn to save you, but I'm afraid she did not make it any further than to this beach. Your mother was attacked. By whom I do not know, but she was murdered during the night. No one heard her because the sentries near by were killed, as well, and when we examined her, her jaw had been broken, making it impossible for her to speak or cry for help." Trikao said, bowing his head in sadness. A woman like Erika was pure beyond no end and suffered a horrible death by the hands of evil. Trikao looked over to Jesline and saw that she was looking at the ship in the water. She turned and stared Trikao in the eye.
"That's not all, is it?" Jesline asked, her face beginning to pale and her eyes watering.
"No." Trikao said shifting his gaze before returning to look her in her eyes. He could not tell her the rest, it was much too difficult to say. It was horrible what happened to Erika. How could one tell Jesline?
"Tell me Trikao. Tell me what happened to my mother. I must know." Jesline said with tears in her eyes, streaming down her face.
"Your mother, from our examination of her body, was tortured viciously during most of the night. Her back was shredded and torn. It looked as if she had been lashed by a whip. Maybe a 'Cat' except, Jesline ... not even that could do the damage I saw," Trikao said remembering and how, even now, he could not place what torturous device would cause such wounds.
Jesline didn't either. The Cat-O-Nine tails. A whip of nine leather straps, with hooks linked into the leather, when used on the back of a victim could rip skin off, causing deep wounds and terrible pain. She knew that Trikao knew what that did to a persons' back as well as she did so if he wasn't sure...'.
"Erika also had bruises around her thighs that imply she was rapped by her attacker. Her legs were broken in several places, making her immobile and she had a burn mark of a lion imprinted on her forehead. It was much like your tattoo, except it did not have the snake. After many hours of this torture, your mother's heart was ripped out and it was missing. We do not know who killed your mother. I'm sorry Jesline, that you had to find out so many years later what had happened." Trikao finished looking at Jesline with a face of grief. Trikao saw that Jesline was extremely pale. Tortured until her heart was ripped out and death claimed the pure Erika.
"Her heart? Missing?" Jesline asked, her voice flat. Trikao only nodded and Jesline closed her eyes, bowing her head, taking in a shaky breath. Her mother could not move on. She could not go to paradise and be happy.
"What am I to do, Chief?" Jesline asked hoping Trikao had an answer.
Trikao looked at Jesline with a grievous face and knew the answer. She would have to do what every hymnbaki had to do. Grieve for the lost of a loved one for two days at the Tear Cliffs.
"You know what must be done. You will find your mother there, waiting for you."
"What?" Jesline asked, confused. This did not make sense to her.
"When we cremated your mother, three days after her death, her ashes disappeared during the night. Sentries were sent searching all over the island for the ashes of Erika. The next morn, a sentry came and told me that there was a statue on the Tear Cliffs and that I should come and take a look. I went and what I saw was impossible. It was a statue of Erika. There was a hole where her heart should have been. The statue itself, after our examination of it, was made from her ashes. We believe that the spirit of Erika made herself a statue and waits for the day when one person will return her pure heart so she can go to the heavenly land of peace." Trikao said gazing out into the ocean, remembering that day when he saw the statue.
Jesline turned and began her journey toward the Tear Cliffs. When she neared the edge of the forest, Jack came out to ask her when they were going to search for this Babako, but she just went past him without acknowledging him. Jack had saw her face and it was terribly pale and wet with tears. 'What was wrong with her?' Jack thought. He went to follow her when a heavy hand stopped him.
Trikao knew what Jack was going to do, but he could not let him follow. Jack turned and looked at him with questioning eyes. Trikao just simply shook his and told Jack to follow him. Jack did, but was surprised to hear the Chief speak English. Maybe this tribe was not as savage as he thought.
They came to another side of the island and Jack saw that there were docks with ships of various sizes. People were running or walking around doing this and that. Some ships were docking while others were beginning to set sail. Jack looked at Trikao and saw that he was gazing at the ships, he lowered his head, took a breath and began to speak.
"Captain Sparrow. Jesline will not be with you for two days as she as something personal to take care of." Trikao said glancing only once at Jack while he spoke.
"What does she have to do, mate?" Jack asked. He knew it had to do with something she had found out when they arrived on the island. He saw her face when the Chief said something terrible in the hymnbaki tongue. Jesline face went from serious to hopeful to shock and sadness.
"She has to grieve. Her mother had passed away seventeen years ago. Jesline never knew until now. There was no way to get word to her as we could not find her." Trikao said with a hint of pity toward Jesline in his voice. As strong and peaceful as his voice was it wavered a little when he spoke of Jesline's mother.
"Her mother? Grieve?" Jack asked in confusion.
"Jesline is the daughter of Erika and Semphago. Her mother had died by the hands of another. Her father, well, we do not know where he is. Erika would never reveal this one piece of information." Trikao said going into deep thought, wondering why Erika would keep something like that a secret, even to her death.
"Daughter of Erika and Semphago? She failed to mention that." Jack said, wondering what else she was keeping from him.
"And she would. Do not be angry she did not tell you, it was for her protection and the protection of others. She does not know you well enough to let you know about her entire life. 'Tis what her mother did. Keeping secrets, even from those you love." Trikao said, smiling to himself. He could just imagine what Jack was thinking when he said that last sentence.
"Love?" Jack said with a hint of skepticism in his voice. Did Jesline love him already? Was Jack that irresistible? Jack smiled to himself thinking about Jesline could have fallen, so quickly, in love with him.
"Jesline likes you as a friend, Captain Sparrow, nothing more. She is not that easily fooled into being a love sick puppy." Trikao said, looking at Jack with a smirk on his face. He knew exactly what the Captain was thinking, but Trikao knew Jesline better than most. She loved only one person and that person was gone. Her mother. The very thought of Erika sombered his mood.
"As I was saying before, Captain, Jesline had just been told that her mother had been murdered and she is going to grieve for her up at the Tear Cliffs. You and your crew must not disturb her or else she will never fully grieve for her mother. 'Tis our way." Trikao finished, staring at Jack.
Jack was confused. They came here to collect the treasure of the Caves of Confusion, not be reunited with family members. Besides they could not stay here long as the sea would soon be calling to Jack and his crew and such a calling could not be ignored.
"I can guess that you are wondering about how you are going to get your promised treasure from the Caves. Well you will have to talk to Babako, but you need someone to take you to him." Trikao said.
"Yes and I don't like being cheated, savvy?"
"Understandable, Captain. I will take you to Babako and he will show you the way to and through the Caves. But for now I think you will like to dock your ship here for the time being, until you decided to set sail." Trikao said, looking at Jack with smile on his face.
Jack nodded his head and left to find his crew.
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Jesline had made it to the top of the Cliffs when she saw the statue. It looked like marble in various colors of gray. Her mother. Erika stood with her face down, her hands holding one another were under her left cheek. Erika's face looked sad, a single, eternal tear fell from her left eye. Her hair blonde/brown hair looked as if it were fluttering in some mysterious breeze. The garment she wore was a slip of blue/gray colors. The strings on her shoulders had little flowers of yellow petals and purple centers. 'Twas the garments that many of the hymbaki women wore, but in different colors. Around her neck was her necklace. The necklace she gave to Jesline on her fifteenth birthday and the very same necklace Jesline gave to save a person life.
Jesline fell to her knees, closing her eyes, her breathing becoming ragged. She began to think of all things that Trikao had told her. The things that were done to her mother. The torture she had endured. All the pain she suffered. Jesline's mind became more distraught when images began to bore through her mind. Images of her mother's torture. The pain and agony. Jesline was grabbing her hair wanting to pull it out. Wanting to pull out the images she was seeing.
Jesline could not contain it, everything she felt, every emotion began to rise. They wanted out. She couldn't take it anymore. Jesline did the only thing she could do. She screamed.
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Wind in the topsails kept the Montague at a strong, steady pace on the open sea. The Montague was leaving Nightseer's Island, as the Black Pearl had already passed that way. The crew were now making their way to the Island of Forest Hymn. Will and Elizabeth had been ready to go tromping around Nightseer's Island, but Irene-being familiar with the stories surrounding the island-strongly advised against such an expedition. Irene had noticed the footprints on the sand of the Island and after hearing the stories, decided that the Black Pearl had not lingered there long.
Irene stood on the freshly swabbed deck of the Montague gently leaning on the railing of the ship. The sailors and midshipmen were busy about her with tightening knots and adjusting sails, but Irene wasn't watching them, her attention was on something else. She was watching the waves break against the hull of the ship, but her mind was dwelling on a different thought: her necklace. She had brought her blue obsidian arrowhead necklace on this adventure. It was a luck charm to her.
She was feeling an intense need to put on that necklace. Irene gazed uninterestedly out at sea while she fingered her necklace. This instinctual feeling to put on the necklace took hold of her as she placed the hemp cord over her head and adjusted it without thinking. The blue obsidian arrowhead now lay centered just under Irene's collar bone. A feeling of protection tenderly washed over her.and a memory:
A woman with blondish-brown waist length hair that was glowing strangely was standing a few feet from Irene. This woman was wearing a blue/grey colored slip in place of a proper gown. The shoulder straps of this slip were flowers with yellow petals and purple hearts. This nameless woman was standing at an entrance to a cave. But her face was hidden. Then the woman turned to Irene without actually looking at Irene and clutched to her chest was a dagger adorned with strange details. The woman turned back away from Irene and entered the mouth of the cave. Irene stepped to follow this strange woman. Inside the cave the walls were covered with detailed hieroglyphics and other writings. The woman led Irene through the ever- twisting caves, careful to not loose her, Irene followed the woman closely. Irene and the woman came to an abrupt stop as the woman turned to the wall next to her and lifted her hand to the writing on that wall. From what Irene could tell, the markings on the dagger that the woman was still holding appeared on that wall and from those markings came a hole in the shape of that dagger. The woman raised the dagger from her to finger the markings gently as she whispers something. But the woman was making any audible sound, in fact there was no sound as far as Irene could hear. Then, before Irene's eyes, the dagger began to glow a faint blue color.
Irene stared in wonder at the beautiful blue dagger. She had never seen anything quite like it in her life. A sound came to Irene's ears, the woman was speaking louder: "Isis, I have found you. Soon you shall save another life..one of my own. But your time has not yet come....You shall save..my daughter." Then the woman brought the dagger to the hole in the cave wall and gently placed it into that hole. And instantaneously the cave wall swallowed the dagger.leaving only an outline of where the hole had just been. Then there was silence again. But then another woman entered the cave screaming loud enough to be heard by Irene: "Erika! Erika! You must come! He found her! She has been taken!" The woman turned from the cave wall and looked to this new woman and said "Who?"
"Jesline!" replied the woman. Almost at once, a new torrent of images flooded Irene's mind. Images of torture, pain, evil eyes with a red glow...death. And with the images came a voice, a most hauntingly evil growl of a man's voice. "Soon." The voice said only that one word, followed by an evil laugh.
Irene, unbeknownst to her, had been gripping the railing so tightly that her knuckles were white. And she was now screaming because of the vision she had just witnessed.
Commodore Norrington had been in his cabin reviewing old sea charts of the surrounding waters when he heard his wife scream out as in agony. He ran from the cabin and out on deck where he quickly saw his wife holding on to the railing for dear life. The Commodore ran to his screaming wife and softly lifted her into his arms. At his touch Irene was pulled from the vision and ceased her screaming almost immediately.
"James? W-What are you doing?" asked Irene, who was now feeling a little more than confused at her husband's mysterious appearance.
"You do not know? My dear, you were screaming. I thought you were being murdered." replied James, who was more than a little scared at the present moment.
"I was? I do not remember any screaming. I've never screamed in my life." said Irene.
"Now you have. Pray, tell me love, what were you thinking about during this ordeal?" inquired James most tenderly as he firmly held onto his wife.
"I don't know what I saw, love. But it was awful." answered Irene.
"Perhaps you've been in the sun too long. You need to rest." said James.
"Perhaps you're right." answered Irene.
Irene dared to look around her and her husband. All the deckhands were staring at them, but their attention was mostly on her. Embarrassment swept over Irene like a flashflood.
"Well, darling, I believe I shall retire. I've managed to fill my quota of making a spectacle of myself for the day." said Irene, who was feeling really stupid now.
"Come." directed James as he made to lead her to his cabin. Irene uncoiled herself from the Commodore as he led the way. She placed her left hand on his right arm while they walked to the cabin.
James turned around before the cabin door to face his wife. "Will you be alright?" he asked.
"James, I've suffered worse: ship attacks, sword fights, gun battles, drunken scalawags, and oh, yes, birthing you're two children! I'll be fine." replied Irene sarcastically.
"And I trust you have the scars to prove that." replied James, matching Irene's wit.
James opened the cabin door for Irene, but just as Irene was about to cross the threshold, James stopped her with his arm. He had just noticed the blue stone necklace around his wife's neck. An impulse came over him, he suddenly wanted to touch that blue stone. James reached out his hand to touch the stone.
Irene saw her husband's hand move toward her necklace and her old pirate instinct came rushing back to her. In one swift liquid movement she brought her left hand over her necklace and her right hand connected with her husband's forearm, twisting his arm away from her.
James tried to move with his arm that was now ensnared by his wife. But Irene was stronger than she appeared, and he buckled under the pressure.
"Ah, Irene, what are you doing?" asked James with a gasp.
"Sorry! I am so sorry James." pleaded Irene as she quickly dropped the arm that she had been twisting. "Sorry, it's an instinct that hasn't entirely left me yet. I'm afraid that it might never leave."
"It's okay dear. But in the future do try to contain your instincts." said James as he massaged his arm. "And I am sorry. I should have asked to touch it. You haven't worn that in years."
"I don't think you should touch it. I know I haven't worn it in years, but I felt that I should wear it now. And I'm not exactly sure why." replied Irene as she fingered the arrowhead.
"Perhaps now is the time for you to rest." said James as he pressed his back against the door frame to make room for his wife to pass by. "I will return in a few hours to see that you are alright."
"Very well love." said Irene as she entered the cabin. James turned to leave, but Irene caught his arm, gently this time, and lightly kissed his lips. "Hopefully all will be better soon."
James returned the kiss before leaving the cabin and quietly closing the door behind him. He made his way to the helm to assess the Montague's position in relation to the Island of Forest Hymn
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Jack and his crew were tying the Black Pearl to the docks when everything seemed to go quiet. The birds that were chirping in the forest were silent and the people who were speaking said not a word. The wind changed course and began to pick up speed. Suddenly, Jack heard an ear-piercing scream. Jack and everyone around him covered their ears, for it hurt so much.
Jack looked toward the forest and the birds began to fly away. Something was wrong. And then it hit. This shockwave, this powerful jolt of emotion. Jack staggered back when it hit him. It was so strong. He felt in one moment uncontrollable pain, grief, and immense sadness, but it was not his own. It was someone else's. Someone, some person was in deep pain, but how could Jack feel it? How could everyone else feel it? This island was already began to remind Jack of the Isla de Murta. Mysterious in every way.
"That's interesting." Jack said to himself.
"I gather you are wondering right now what it is you just witness let alone felt?"
Jack turned around to see Chief Trikao standing there, looking straight at him. His face was grievous yet stern.
"What gave you that idea, mate?" Jack said, making his facial features, emotionless.
"They way you just reacted and how you tried to hide it just now, mate." Trikao said, using the last word as sort of a mockery toward Jack. "You win, mate. What just happened? It felt like someone was in pain yet it was not my own."
"Yes, that's exactly what it was. On this island, everyone is sensitive to another's emotion. We cannot explain how this possible. If one person is in pain, we all feel it. That is why we have what we call a grieving period. Where one must go to the Tear Cliffs, and release all their emotions, all their pain. So that when they return to the village, their pain is gone." Trikao said turning his head toward the ships, watching them dock or sail away.
"Ahh. But who's pain was it we felt, Trikao?" Jack said. He knew about the grieving period as Trikao himself told him before, but Jack wanted to know who it was that made such an outcry of pain.
"Jesline." Trikao said softly. The pain and torment Jesline was going through was felt by everyone.
Jack was beginning to wonder what was really wrong with Jesline. It was one thing when one loses a loved family member and to silently grieve for them, but to scream out in woefulness for them was another. Something terrible must have happened to Jesline's mother, something awful that it made Jesline cry out in such a way.
"What happened to her mother, Trikao?" Jack asked, looking at Trikao with serious eyes.
"It is not my place to say. If Jesline wants you to know then she will tell you, but if not, that is her decision." and saying that Trikao left.
Jack stood there for a few moments before he left to tend things with his crew. Two days. Two days and he would see her again and then she would answer all his questions, telling him the entire truth. Two days.
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Dusk was setting in as the sun began to set over the sea. The Montague was nearing it's destination. It had also been two days since Irene's mysterious vision. The Island of Forest Hymn was very close, just off the horizon. Will and Elizabeth were on deck, staring out to the fast approaching island. They were soon joined by James and Irene.
"So that's the island." Said Elizabeth to no one in particular.
"That be the Island of Forest Hymn." Confirmed Irene.
"Good, as long as we can find the Black Pearl." Said Will.
"She'll be there." Said James.
"What makes you think that?" Asked Elizabeth.
"Because that is where Mr Sparrow said he was going, so he'll be there." Answered James.
"You remember what the drunk old man said?" Asked Elizabeth.
"Yes, he said in the direction the Pearl was going there would be two islands. One of those islands being Nightseer's Island. And since we've already passed that one, this one must be Forest Hymn." Answered Irene, as James had not ventured into some of the bars in Tortuga.
"Yes I remember that. But didn't he also say we should be wary of the Demon?" Asked Elizabeth.
"We are going to be extra cautious around that island Mrs Turner." Answered Irene.
"But who is this Demon?" Asked Will, butting into the conversation.
"Someone you don't want to meet Mr Turner. Demon is the worst sort of Pirate Killer, even worse than His Majesty's Royal Navy." Said Irene, adding that last bit in for reference.
"Is that a fact?" Asked James.
"Very much so." Answered Irene.
"Is this Demon person the same Demon of the Tartarus?" Asked James.
"How do you of all people know that?" Inquired Irene. "That is only known by pirates who have to fear this Demon."
"Darling, I've dealt with more pirates than you can possibly imagine." Answered James, matter-of-factly. "And, unbeknowst to most officers, one ship of the Fleet was attacked by this Tartarus, if you must know."
"Ah, I see. The Tartarus doesn't just prey on pirate ships." Said Irene. "If this ship is out here than we're going to be in a lot of trouble."
The group went silent after a while. Irene stared at the island. It was beautiful. Glowing trees, sandy white beach, clear blue waters. It seemed so unreal, this beauty it possessed. Irene began to finger her necklace without thinking about it.
"Darling?" James asked to Irene.
"What?" she asked, but her attention was soon turned to her necklace when James was looking at it. It was glowing blue. The entire necklace was glowing blue and various other colors. Irene stopped fingering it and just looked when suddenly a little light came out of it and zipped at an alarming fast speed toward the island.
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Jack was sitting on the beach, sipping his rum thinking about the past two days. The crew had adjusted quite nicely to the island that they were even learning how to speak Hymbaki.
One the first day, Jack spoke on and off with the chief about many things of the island. The customs and the Festival of Life. Trikao told him that festival was a time to celebrate life itself and during that time is when Hymbaki's created life. At first Jack did not understand this until Trikao said in one simple phrase 'pleasurable company.' Instantaneously, Jack knew what he meant. Trikao laughed at Jack's expression when he figured it out and began explaining to him the many customs and curtsies of the festival. Women could only participate when they became of age which was, by forest hymn rules, sixteen.
He told him that the women dressed themselves up, braiding their hair to one side. If they were a virgin they would braid their hair to the left and put fushia flowers into the braid. They would then, with their parents and the chief, choose a most worthy man to 'deflower' their daughter. When the ritual was complete, the next day the young woman would appear with her braid on the right with no flowers. Now she was able to bear children for the tribe.
Jack then asked about marriage and the chief said that they do not believe in marriage. If one man and one woman wanted to be together then they were bound, as it were. During the festival, the woman would have her braided on the left with ornaments from her 'lover'. Thus, to the tribe and every man she would be seen as 'bound' to another. The man, on the other hand, would wear a medallion chosen by the chief, so that he in return is seen as bound to the woman of his choice.
Trikao also explained to Jack that a woman who was 'free' just wore her braid on the right with nothing in it. The Chief then told Jack that when a woman bears a child, she must wait two years before she can have another. The reason for this is to see to her health, to make sure that when she has another child, she is perfectly healthy for such a process.
The subject quickly changed to the hymnbaki's language abilities. The Chief explained to Jack that everyone can speak English. It's just that they prefer to speak their native tongue when they are on the island, but they do speak English when English foreigners are around. This explanation gave Jack the comfort of knowing that when he spoke to anyone that they would not misunderstand what he said.
The second day, Jack decided to talk a walk in the haunted forest, mostly to seek out Jesline, but also because he was curious to see what made it so haunted. The "visit" was an interesting one.
*~*~*~*~*~Day Two: Babako Visit*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Jack was on the beach looking out to the ocean, wondering what was wrong with Jesline. She seemed distant when he saw her and then the scream. It was so powerful and painful, but such a scream could only mean one thing. The death of her mother was terrible, for lack of a better of a word. Jack decided that he would go see Jesline. Forget customs and curtsies. Something was wrong with Jesline and Jack feared she would do something harmful to herself. So, Jack turned around, looking at the forest and realized in that moment he had no idea where the Tear Cliffs were.
Jack was about to turn around when a very faint sound caught his interest. Jack began walking toward that sound, compelled to find out what was making it. When he got closer, the sound became more clear. It was a man's voice, but the words were not completely audible. He sounded angry, as he was yelling at someone, but the other person did not respond to the man's heated words. The closer Jack got the more he could understand what was being said. It seemed that the man was telling the other that the oak did not hit him with an acorn. That the one who did it was a squirrel who lived in his tree.
After hearing that, Jack's curiosity got the better of him. He walked faster and when he came to the source of that sound, the man he was hearing, the sight, by far, surprised him.
The man was standing in front of a tree, talking to it or more rather arguing with it. The man was of the same build of the tribesmen expect his shoulders where slumped over and his hair was quiet different. Instead of being nicely tied back like the tribesmen it was in disarray. Some of it was loose, some in pony tails, others in braids all over his scalp. He wore a cloak of leaves. His clothing consisted of knee length pants in a green color. He was bare footed with a beaded anklet around his left ankle. Around his neck were brown twigs with little white flowers.
Jack looked at the man with a second glance and he thought he was mad. This man was a perfect description of insane. Arguing with a tree about being hit with an acorn. It seemed ludicrous, really.
Jack watched the man a bit longer and realized that he was oblivious to his presence. So, Jack decided to get his attention.
"Excuse me, mate? Do you happen to know where the Tear Cliffs are?" Jack asked looking at this man as caution filled eyes. This insane man could be deceiving and Jack knew all about deception, he did it himself so people would underestimate him, giving Jack the opportune moment to escape.
The man did not look at Jack, he kept on talking with the tree.
"Excuse me, mate?"
"One moment, Mr. Beech. This idiot is bothering me," said the insane man. He turned his attention to Jack and said, "Can you not see that I am in the middle of a very important conversation here. Do us a favor, go away." With that the insane man turned his attention back to Mr. Beech.
Jack was perplexed. Important conversation? How was talking to a tree an important conversation? Jack tapped on the man's shoulder to get his attention once again.
"What?" the man said, clearly annoyed.
"What's your name?" Jack asked.
"Babako."
"Ahhh! You would not happen to know about the Caves of Confusion?" Jack asked. It would seem that he had found the one man who would take him to the treasure of the caves.
"Confusion? Are you confused?" Babako asked.
"Confused? No, I am not confused mate. I am asking if you know about the Caves of Confusion, not if I am confused, savvy?" Jack said.
"You must be confused because you are asking about confusion and if you are confused then that must mean you are lost. I can show you the way out since you are so confused since you seem to be lost which thus makes you confused." Babako said. He had a look of pity, but it was soon replaced with a smile toward Jack. Jack on the other hand knew what was going on. Babako was playing a word game with him. From what little Jack had gathered, this Babako was going to play this little game to deter him from the caves. Two could play this game, Jack thought.
"Well, mate I am not confused because I am not asking about confusion, an emotion one experiences when lost, but I am asking where the Caves of Confusion are since I do not know the way, but that does not mean that I am lost because I do know my way out of here, savvy?" Jack said, moving his hands this way and that and smiling when he said 'savvy'.
"Confused Caves? I don't know of any Confused Caves, but I do know of the Caves of Confusion." Babako said.
"That is what I was asking, mate." Jack said. Triumph shined in Jack's eyes, but it was to be short lived.
"Asking what?" Babako asked. Now he was confused. What was this man asking about?
"The Caves."
"What Caves?"
"The Caves of Confusion." Jack said. He could see where this was going, so he would have to be careful. He would have to ask the right questions.
"What of them?" Babako asked.
"Do you know where the Caves of Confusion are?"
"Yes." Babako said, nodding his head in the process.
"Could you take me and my crew to these caves?" Jack said, eyeing Babako carefully.
"Yes, I could."
"When?"
"When, what?"
"When could you take us there?"
"Take you where?" Babako asked. Now he was even more confused. These foreigners made no sense. They didn't even ask the right questions. "Will you take me and my crew to the Caves of Confusion?" Jack asked. Now he got the sense of the question game. Ask the right the question, get the right answer. Ask the wrong question, get no answer.
"Yes, I will take you and your crew to the Caves of Confusion. It shall be on a morning. Here in this very spot." Indicating where he was standing.
"Excellent." Jack said, smiling. He had won this round of ' word/question' games. Jack was about to ask what day, when Babako shouted, "Tomorrow!" And walked off.
Jack stood there, watching the man leave. Jack figured that Babako was going to go argue with another tree. Jack turned and left toward the beach, muttering under his breath, "And people think I am mad."
~*~*~*~*~*Present~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Jack had talked to the Chief earlier that morning to find out when Jesline was going to come down from the Tear Cliffs, but the Chief said that she could be up there longer than custom calls for.
Two days were over, and Jesline had questions to answer for Jack. For too long had she hid the truth, but no more. Before they left, all of the truth would be revealed, even if it pained her to tell him.
Jack was quietly nursing his rum, letting the anger he felt toward Jesline slip away. Maybe it would be best to ask her when the tide of pain had receded. Jack did not know nor did he care at the moment, because a blue light zipped right past his head toward the village. The little light scared Jack that he jumped up shouting, "Bloody everlasting hell, what was that?" Jack looked around the island and then toward the ocean and saw, on the horizon, a ship. The flag it was waving was British and all the crispy, cream men that were running around belonged to the Royal Navy. In that moment Jack knew it was a Royal Naval Ship. He wonder if the island prevented the Royal Navy from entering the island. Thinking on it, Jack figured the answer would be no.
Jack turned toward the forest to warn his crew and to prepare set sail when he saw Jesline coming toward him. She walked in his direction, but went past him to the water's edge. Jack watched her and noticed something dribbling down her arms. It was blood. It dripped off her fingers, covering the sand in blood spots. Jack ran toward her. He was going to turn her around and take her to the village, but something in his mind told him not to. Instead, Jack walked around her until he faced her. He forgot all about the Royal Naval Ship that was not too far off ahead.
Her caribbean blue eyes were watery and distant. It seemed she went somewhere deep in her mind, a place that was unreachable to anyone. Jesline's face was a mask of grief and pain. Jack looked down to her arms and saw that she had two cuts each on her upper and lower arms. He touched her arms lightly, studying her injuries. He saw her sway just a bit and knew that she had been bleeding for sometime and was near death. Jack moved to pick her up, but she moved out of his grasp and shoved him away.
"Do not touch me!" she yelled at him, glaring at Jack. Jack was surprised for a moment, but then it soon turned into anger. He was not going to allow Jesline to commit suicide because her mother had been killed. Jack believed that is not what her own mother would have wanted.
Jack moved again and Jesline again resisted. So, Jack moved in and Jesline started to fight him. She wanted release, but Jack would not allow it.
"It seems, Captain Sparrow, that you have lost your touch with women." a soft feminine voice said to him. Jack turned and saw that it was Irene. Commodore Norrington stood next to her along with his men and Will and Elizabeth. What were they doing here?, Jack wondered, but was soon forced to turn his attention toward Jesline. She had fallen.
Jack rushed to her side, along with everyone else who was there. Damn! She passed out and that was not good. Jack picked her up and quickly, her head laying on his chest, and carried her to the village. Time was running out. Jesline's head had fallen from Jack's chest, she was near death. He reached the village and called out for help.
Irene saw the woman fall. She seemed familiar to her, but Irene could not place her. She had seen her before, somewhere. But all thoughts where pushed from Irene's mind when she saw the tattoo on her neck. The lion and snake. It was her! The woman who had saved her and her Captain nine years ago from a terrible fate. What that fate could have been was beyond Irene.
"Trikao!" he yelled. Trikao came quickly at the sound of his name. He saw Jesline in Jack's arms, unconscious. He looked at her wounds and gasped. She had done the old ritual.
"My God, Jesline. What have you done?" he whispered.
"Lasana!" Trikao yelled. She came quickly and saw what was going on. She sent for the doctors and they came. They took Jesline away to one of life- giving house and set to work on her. Jesline only had so much time, and it was thin. If she survived, then it would be a miracle. If she did not then He would have won and all would be damned.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jesline was on the beach, looking out at the endless ocean where the Black Pearl floated. How her world was coming apart. Her mother dead, her hope lost. The world was a cruel place to her, taking away the only thing that could have saved her... brought her out of the darkness that was encompassing her. He had won. The Devil had finally won. Not only did he damn her soul for all eternity, but the evil he served had taken her salvation. She would be his soon, time was short, the darkness was coming and there was nothing that Jesline could do about it. No matter how much she lived her new life the old one still lingered in the depths of her mind. Taunting her, whispering to her of evil things to come, laughing at her for her trying to be someone she was not. All was lost.
Jesline gazed a little while longer at the ocean, how it went on, like her torment. It was never ending, an incomplete circle that would never stop.
Her mother. Her sweet, compassionate mother was a kind soul. The face of an angel and a heart pure as heaven was gone. Her mother's love was gone, taken by some evil that would see to the end that Jesline suffered lifelong pain and torment. What could be done? Jesline thought. What was there to be done? Nothing. Jesline concluded in her thoughts.
Jesline was deep in her tormented grief, stricken thoughts that she did not hear Chief Trikao come up to her. He saw her face, a mask of grief and pain. His heart went out to her. How she must feel, thinking that her salvation was lost, that the only love she had ever known, a mother's love, was gone.
Trikao stared out at the ocean, trying to find the words to tell her what happened to her mother. Such things were never easy to say, or tell, to one who lost a parent especially when the death was caused by another.
Trikao took a deep breath and began to speak, telling Jesline what happened that fateful night.
"Jesline, your mother died...by another. She heard what had happened to you. That you were taken by Bradston, the Devil's second in command, and she rushed quickly to get off Forest Hymn to save you, but I'm afraid she did not make it any further than to this beach. Your mother was attacked. By whom I do not know, but she was murdered during the night. No one heard her because the sentries near by were killed, as well, and when we examined her, her jaw had been broken, making it impossible for her to speak or cry for help." Trikao said, bowing his head in sadness. A woman like Erika was pure beyond no end and suffered a horrible death by the hands of evil. Trikao looked over to Jesline and saw that she was looking at the ship in the water. She turned and stared Trikao in the eye.
"That's not all, is it?" Jesline asked, her face beginning to pale and her eyes watering.
"No." Trikao said shifting his gaze before returning to look her in her eyes. He could not tell her the rest, it was much too difficult to say. It was horrible what happened to Erika. How could one tell Jesline?
"Tell me Trikao. Tell me what happened to my mother. I must know." Jesline said with tears in her eyes, streaming down her face.
"Your mother, from our examination of her body, was tortured viciously during most of the night. Her back was shredded and torn. It looked as if she had been lashed by a whip. Maybe a 'Cat' except, Jesline ... not even that could do the damage I saw," Trikao said remembering and how, even now, he could not place what torturous device would cause such wounds.
Jesline didn't either. The Cat-O-Nine tails. A whip of nine leather straps, with hooks linked into the leather, when used on the back of a victim could rip skin off, causing deep wounds and terrible pain. She knew that Trikao knew what that did to a persons' back as well as she did so if he wasn't sure...'.
"Erika also had bruises around her thighs that imply she was rapped by her attacker. Her legs were broken in several places, making her immobile and she had a burn mark of a lion imprinted on her forehead. It was much like your tattoo, except it did not have the snake. After many hours of this torture, your mother's heart was ripped out and it was missing. We do not know who killed your mother. I'm sorry Jesline, that you had to find out so many years later what had happened." Trikao finished looking at Jesline with a face of grief. Trikao saw that Jesline was extremely pale. Tortured until her heart was ripped out and death claimed the pure Erika.
"Her heart? Missing?" Jesline asked, her voice flat. Trikao only nodded and Jesline closed her eyes, bowing her head, taking in a shaky breath. Her mother could not move on. She could not go to paradise and be happy.
"What am I to do, Chief?" Jesline asked hoping Trikao had an answer.
Trikao looked at Jesline with a grievous face and knew the answer. She would have to do what every hymnbaki had to do. Grieve for the lost of a loved one for two days at the Tear Cliffs.
"You know what must be done. You will find your mother there, waiting for you."
"What?" Jesline asked, confused. This did not make sense to her.
"When we cremated your mother, three days after her death, her ashes disappeared during the night. Sentries were sent searching all over the island for the ashes of Erika. The next morn, a sentry came and told me that there was a statue on the Tear Cliffs and that I should come and take a look. I went and what I saw was impossible. It was a statue of Erika. There was a hole where her heart should have been. The statue itself, after our examination of it, was made from her ashes. We believe that the spirit of Erika made herself a statue and waits for the day when one person will return her pure heart so she can go to the heavenly land of peace." Trikao said gazing out into the ocean, remembering that day when he saw the statue.
Jesline turned and began her journey toward the Tear Cliffs. When she neared the edge of the forest, Jack came out to ask her when they were going to search for this Babako, but she just went past him without acknowledging him. Jack had saw her face and it was terribly pale and wet with tears. 'What was wrong with her?' Jack thought. He went to follow her when a heavy hand stopped him.
Trikao knew what Jack was going to do, but he could not let him follow. Jack turned and looked at him with questioning eyes. Trikao just simply shook his and told Jack to follow him. Jack did, but was surprised to hear the Chief speak English. Maybe this tribe was not as savage as he thought.
They came to another side of the island and Jack saw that there were docks with ships of various sizes. People were running or walking around doing this and that. Some ships were docking while others were beginning to set sail. Jack looked at Trikao and saw that he was gazing at the ships, he lowered his head, took a breath and began to speak.
"Captain Sparrow. Jesline will not be with you for two days as she as something personal to take care of." Trikao said glancing only once at Jack while he spoke.
"What does she have to do, mate?" Jack asked. He knew it had to do with something she had found out when they arrived on the island. He saw her face when the Chief said something terrible in the hymnbaki tongue. Jesline face went from serious to hopeful to shock and sadness.
"She has to grieve. Her mother had passed away seventeen years ago. Jesline never knew until now. There was no way to get word to her as we could not find her." Trikao said with a hint of pity toward Jesline in his voice. As strong and peaceful as his voice was it wavered a little when he spoke of Jesline's mother.
"Her mother? Grieve?" Jack asked in confusion.
"Jesline is the daughter of Erika and Semphago. Her mother had died by the hands of another. Her father, well, we do not know where he is. Erika would never reveal this one piece of information." Trikao said going into deep thought, wondering why Erika would keep something like that a secret, even to her death.
"Daughter of Erika and Semphago? She failed to mention that." Jack said, wondering what else she was keeping from him.
"And she would. Do not be angry she did not tell you, it was for her protection and the protection of others. She does not know you well enough to let you know about her entire life. 'Tis what her mother did. Keeping secrets, even from those you love." Trikao said, smiling to himself. He could just imagine what Jack was thinking when he said that last sentence.
"Love?" Jack said with a hint of skepticism in his voice. Did Jesline love him already? Was Jack that irresistible? Jack smiled to himself thinking about Jesline could have fallen, so quickly, in love with him.
"Jesline likes you as a friend, Captain Sparrow, nothing more. She is not that easily fooled into being a love sick puppy." Trikao said, looking at Jack with a smirk on his face. He knew exactly what the Captain was thinking, but Trikao knew Jesline better than most. She loved only one person and that person was gone. Her mother. The very thought of Erika sombered his mood.
"As I was saying before, Captain, Jesline had just been told that her mother had been murdered and she is going to grieve for her up at the Tear Cliffs. You and your crew must not disturb her or else she will never fully grieve for her mother. 'Tis our way." Trikao finished, staring at Jack.
Jack was confused. They came here to collect the treasure of the Caves of Confusion, not be reunited with family members. Besides they could not stay here long as the sea would soon be calling to Jack and his crew and such a calling could not be ignored.
"I can guess that you are wondering about how you are going to get your promised treasure from the Caves. Well you will have to talk to Babako, but you need someone to take you to him." Trikao said.
"Yes and I don't like being cheated, savvy?"
"Understandable, Captain. I will take you to Babako and he will show you the way to and through the Caves. But for now I think you will like to dock your ship here for the time being, until you decided to set sail." Trikao said, looking at Jack with smile on his face.
Jack nodded his head and left to find his crew.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jesline had made it to the top of the Cliffs when she saw the statue. It looked like marble in various colors of gray. Her mother. Erika stood with her face down, her hands holding one another were under her left cheek. Erika's face looked sad, a single, eternal tear fell from her left eye. Her hair blonde/brown hair looked as if it were fluttering in some mysterious breeze. The garment she wore was a slip of blue/gray colors. The strings on her shoulders had little flowers of yellow petals and purple centers. 'Twas the garments that many of the hymbaki women wore, but in different colors. Around her neck was her necklace. The necklace she gave to Jesline on her fifteenth birthday and the very same necklace Jesline gave to save a person life.
Jesline fell to her knees, closing her eyes, her breathing becoming ragged. She began to think of all things that Trikao had told her. The things that were done to her mother. The torture she had endured. All the pain she suffered. Jesline's mind became more distraught when images began to bore through her mind. Images of her mother's torture. The pain and agony. Jesline was grabbing her hair wanting to pull it out. Wanting to pull out the images she was seeing.
Jesline could not contain it, everything she felt, every emotion began to rise. They wanted out. She couldn't take it anymore. Jesline did the only thing she could do. She screamed.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Wind in the topsails kept the Montague at a strong, steady pace on the open sea. The Montague was leaving Nightseer's Island, as the Black Pearl had already passed that way. The crew were now making their way to the Island of Forest Hymn. Will and Elizabeth had been ready to go tromping around Nightseer's Island, but Irene-being familiar with the stories surrounding the island-strongly advised against such an expedition. Irene had noticed the footprints on the sand of the Island and after hearing the stories, decided that the Black Pearl had not lingered there long.
Irene stood on the freshly swabbed deck of the Montague gently leaning on the railing of the ship. The sailors and midshipmen were busy about her with tightening knots and adjusting sails, but Irene wasn't watching them, her attention was on something else. She was watching the waves break against the hull of the ship, but her mind was dwelling on a different thought: her necklace. She had brought her blue obsidian arrowhead necklace on this adventure. It was a luck charm to her.
She was feeling an intense need to put on that necklace. Irene gazed uninterestedly out at sea while she fingered her necklace. This instinctual feeling to put on the necklace took hold of her as she placed the hemp cord over her head and adjusted it without thinking. The blue obsidian arrowhead now lay centered just under Irene's collar bone. A feeling of protection tenderly washed over her.and a memory:
A woman with blondish-brown waist length hair that was glowing strangely was standing a few feet from Irene. This woman was wearing a blue/grey colored slip in place of a proper gown. The shoulder straps of this slip were flowers with yellow petals and purple hearts. This nameless woman was standing at an entrance to a cave. But her face was hidden. Then the woman turned to Irene without actually looking at Irene and clutched to her chest was a dagger adorned with strange details. The woman turned back away from Irene and entered the mouth of the cave. Irene stepped to follow this strange woman. Inside the cave the walls were covered with detailed hieroglyphics and other writings. The woman led Irene through the ever- twisting caves, careful to not loose her, Irene followed the woman closely. Irene and the woman came to an abrupt stop as the woman turned to the wall next to her and lifted her hand to the writing on that wall. From what Irene could tell, the markings on the dagger that the woman was still holding appeared on that wall and from those markings came a hole in the shape of that dagger. The woman raised the dagger from her to finger the markings gently as she whispers something. But the woman was making any audible sound, in fact there was no sound as far as Irene could hear. Then, before Irene's eyes, the dagger began to glow a faint blue color.
Irene stared in wonder at the beautiful blue dagger. She had never seen anything quite like it in her life. A sound came to Irene's ears, the woman was speaking louder: "Isis, I have found you. Soon you shall save another life..one of my own. But your time has not yet come....You shall save..my daughter." Then the woman brought the dagger to the hole in the cave wall and gently placed it into that hole. And instantaneously the cave wall swallowed the dagger.leaving only an outline of where the hole had just been. Then there was silence again. But then another woman entered the cave screaming loud enough to be heard by Irene: "Erika! Erika! You must come! He found her! She has been taken!" The woman turned from the cave wall and looked to this new woman and said "Who?"
"Jesline!" replied the woman. Almost at once, a new torrent of images flooded Irene's mind. Images of torture, pain, evil eyes with a red glow...death. And with the images came a voice, a most hauntingly evil growl of a man's voice. "Soon." The voice said only that one word, followed by an evil laugh.
Irene, unbeknownst to her, had been gripping the railing so tightly that her knuckles were white. And she was now screaming because of the vision she had just witnessed.
Commodore Norrington had been in his cabin reviewing old sea charts of the surrounding waters when he heard his wife scream out as in agony. He ran from the cabin and out on deck where he quickly saw his wife holding on to the railing for dear life. The Commodore ran to his screaming wife and softly lifted her into his arms. At his touch Irene was pulled from the vision and ceased her screaming almost immediately.
"James? W-What are you doing?" asked Irene, who was now feeling a little more than confused at her husband's mysterious appearance.
"You do not know? My dear, you were screaming. I thought you were being murdered." replied James, who was more than a little scared at the present moment.
"I was? I do not remember any screaming. I've never screamed in my life." said Irene.
"Now you have. Pray, tell me love, what were you thinking about during this ordeal?" inquired James most tenderly as he firmly held onto his wife.
"I don't know what I saw, love. But it was awful." answered Irene.
"Perhaps you've been in the sun too long. You need to rest." said James.
"Perhaps you're right." answered Irene.
Irene dared to look around her and her husband. All the deckhands were staring at them, but their attention was mostly on her. Embarrassment swept over Irene like a flashflood.
"Well, darling, I believe I shall retire. I've managed to fill my quota of making a spectacle of myself for the day." said Irene, who was feeling really stupid now.
"Come." directed James as he made to lead her to his cabin. Irene uncoiled herself from the Commodore as he led the way. She placed her left hand on his right arm while they walked to the cabin.
James turned around before the cabin door to face his wife. "Will you be alright?" he asked.
"James, I've suffered worse: ship attacks, sword fights, gun battles, drunken scalawags, and oh, yes, birthing you're two children! I'll be fine." replied Irene sarcastically.
"And I trust you have the scars to prove that." replied James, matching Irene's wit.
James opened the cabin door for Irene, but just as Irene was about to cross the threshold, James stopped her with his arm. He had just noticed the blue stone necklace around his wife's neck. An impulse came over him, he suddenly wanted to touch that blue stone. James reached out his hand to touch the stone.
Irene saw her husband's hand move toward her necklace and her old pirate instinct came rushing back to her. In one swift liquid movement she brought her left hand over her necklace and her right hand connected with her husband's forearm, twisting his arm away from her.
James tried to move with his arm that was now ensnared by his wife. But Irene was stronger than she appeared, and he buckled under the pressure.
"Ah, Irene, what are you doing?" asked James with a gasp.
"Sorry! I am so sorry James." pleaded Irene as she quickly dropped the arm that she had been twisting. "Sorry, it's an instinct that hasn't entirely left me yet. I'm afraid that it might never leave."
"It's okay dear. But in the future do try to contain your instincts." said James as he massaged his arm. "And I am sorry. I should have asked to touch it. You haven't worn that in years."
"I don't think you should touch it. I know I haven't worn it in years, but I felt that I should wear it now. And I'm not exactly sure why." replied Irene as she fingered the arrowhead.
"Perhaps now is the time for you to rest." said James as he pressed his back against the door frame to make room for his wife to pass by. "I will return in a few hours to see that you are alright."
"Very well love." said Irene as she entered the cabin. James turned to leave, but Irene caught his arm, gently this time, and lightly kissed his lips. "Hopefully all will be better soon."
James returned the kiss before leaving the cabin and quietly closing the door behind him. He made his way to the helm to assess the Montague's position in relation to the Island of Forest Hymn
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jack and his crew were tying the Black Pearl to the docks when everything seemed to go quiet. The birds that were chirping in the forest were silent and the people who were speaking said not a word. The wind changed course and began to pick up speed. Suddenly, Jack heard an ear-piercing scream. Jack and everyone around him covered their ears, for it hurt so much.
Jack looked toward the forest and the birds began to fly away. Something was wrong. And then it hit. This shockwave, this powerful jolt of emotion. Jack staggered back when it hit him. It was so strong. He felt in one moment uncontrollable pain, grief, and immense sadness, but it was not his own. It was someone else's. Someone, some person was in deep pain, but how could Jack feel it? How could everyone else feel it? This island was already began to remind Jack of the Isla de Murta. Mysterious in every way.
"That's interesting." Jack said to himself.
"I gather you are wondering right now what it is you just witness let alone felt?"
Jack turned around to see Chief Trikao standing there, looking straight at him. His face was grievous yet stern.
"What gave you that idea, mate?" Jack said, making his facial features, emotionless.
"They way you just reacted and how you tried to hide it just now, mate." Trikao said, using the last word as sort of a mockery toward Jack. "You win, mate. What just happened? It felt like someone was in pain yet it was not my own."
"Yes, that's exactly what it was. On this island, everyone is sensitive to another's emotion. We cannot explain how this possible. If one person is in pain, we all feel it. That is why we have what we call a grieving period. Where one must go to the Tear Cliffs, and release all their emotions, all their pain. So that when they return to the village, their pain is gone." Trikao said turning his head toward the ships, watching them dock or sail away.
"Ahh. But who's pain was it we felt, Trikao?" Jack said. He knew about the grieving period as Trikao himself told him before, but Jack wanted to know who it was that made such an outcry of pain.
"Jesline." Trikao said softly. The pain and torment Jesline was going through was felt by everyone.
Jack was beginning to wonder what was really wrong with Jesline. It was one thing when one loses a loved family member and to silently grieve for them, but to scream out in woefulness for them was another. Something terrible must have happened to Jesline's mother, something awful that it made Jesline cry out in such a way.
"What happened to her mother, Trikao?" Jack asked, looking at Trikao with serious eyes.
"It is not my place to say. If Jesline wants you to know then she will tell you, but if not, that is her decision." and saying that Trikao left.
Jack stood there for a few moments before he left to tend things with his crew. Two days. Two days and he would see her again and then she would answer all his questions, telling him the entire truth. Two days.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Dusk was setting in as the sun began to set over the sea. The Montague was nearing it's destination. It had also been two days since Irene's mysterious vision. The Island of Forest Hymn was very close, just off the horizon. Will and Elizabeth were on deck, staring out to the fast approaching island. They were soon joined by James and Irene.
"So that's the island." Said Elizabeth to no one in particular.
"That be the Island of Forest Hymn." Confirmed Irene.
"Good, as long as we can find the Black Pearl." Said Will.
"She'll be there." Said James.
"What makes you think that?" Asked Elizabeth.
"Because that is where Mr Sparrow said he was going, so he'll be there." Answered James.
"You remember what the drunk old man said?" Asked Elizabeth.
"Yes, he said in the direction the Pearl was going there would be two islands. One of those islands being Nightseer's Island. And since we've already passed that one, this one must be Forest Hymn." Answered Irene, as James had not ventured into some of the bars in Tortuga.
"Yes I remember that. But didn't he also say we should be wary of the Demon?" Asked Elizabeth.
"We are going to be extra cautious around that island Mrs Turner." Answered Irene.
"But who is this Demon?" Asked Will, butting into the conversation.
"Someone you don't want to meet Mr Turner. Demon is the worst sort of Pirate Killer, even worse than His Majesty's Royal Navy." Said Irene, adding that last bit in for reference.
"Is that a fact?" Asked James.
"Very much so." Answered Irene.
"Is this Demon person the same Demon of the Tartarus?" Asked James.
"How do you of all people know that?" Inquired Irene. "That is only known by pirates who have to fear this Demon."
"Darling, I've dealt with more pirates than you can possibly imagine." Answered James, matter-of-factly. "And, unbeknowst to most officers, one ship of the Fleet was attacked by this Tartarus, if you must know."
"Ah, I see. The Tartarus doesn't just prey on pirate ships." Said Irene. "If this ship is out here than we're going to be in a lot of trouble."
The group went silent after a while. Irene stared at the island. It was beautiful. Glowing trees, sandy white beach, clear blue waters. It seemed so unreal, this beauty it possessed. Irene began to finger her necklace without thinking about it.
"Darling?" James asked to Irene.
"What?" she asked, but her attention was soon turned to her necklace when James was looking at it. It was glowing blue. The entire necklace was glowing blue and various other colors. Irene stopped fingering it and just looked when suddenly a little light came out of it and zipped at an alarming fast speed toward the island.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jack was sitting on the beach, sipping his rum thinking about the past two days. The crew had adjusted quite nicely to the island that they were even learning how to speak Hymbaki.
One the first day, Jack spoke on and off with the chief about many things of the island. The customs and the Festival of Life. Trikao told him that festival was a time to celebrate life itself and during that time is when Hymbaki's created life. At first Jack did not understand this until Trikao said in one simple phrase 'pleasurable company.' Instantaneously, Jack knew what he meant. Trikao laughed at Jack's expression when he figured it out and began explaining to him the many customs and curtsies of the festival. Women could only participate when they became of age which was, by forest hymn rules, sixteen.
He told him that the women dressed themselves up, braiding their hair to one side. If they were a virgin they would braid their hair to the left and put fushia flowers into the braid. They would then, with their parents and the chief, choose a most worthy man to 'deflower' their daughter. When the ritual was complete, the next day the young woman would appear with her braid on the right with no flowers. Now she was able to bear children for the tribe.
Jack then asked about marriage and the chief said that they do not believe in marriage. If one man and one woman wanted to be together then they were bound, as it were. During the festival, the woman would have her braided on the left with ornaments from her 'lover'. Thus, to the tribe and every man she would be seen as 'bound' to another. The man, on the other hand, would wear a medallion chosen by the chief, so that he in return is seen as bound to the woman of his choice.
Trikao also explained to Jack that a woman who was 'free' just wore her braid on the right with nothing in it. The Chief then told Jack that when a woman bears a child, she must wait two years before she can have another. The reason for this is to see to her health, to make sure that when she has another child, she is perfectly healthy for such a process.
The subject quickly changed to the hymnbaki's language abilities. The Chief explained to Jack that everyone can speak English. It's just that they prefer to speak their native tongue when they are on the island, but they do speak English when English foreigners are around. This explanation gave Jack the comfort of knowing that when he spoke to anyone that they would not misunderstand what he said.
The second day, Jack decided to talk a walk in the haunted forest, mostly to seek out Jesline, but also because he was curious to see what made it so haunted. The "visit" was an interesting one.
*~*~*~*~*~Day Two: Babako Visit*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Jack was on the beach looking out to the ocean, wondering what was wrong with Jesline. She seemed distant when he saw her and then the scream. It was so powerful and painful, but such a scream could only mean one thing. The death of her mother was terrible, for lack of a better of a word. Jack decided that he would go see Jesline. Forget customs and curtsies. Something was wrong with Jesline and Jack feared she would do something harmful to herself. So, Jack turned around, looking at the forest and realized in that moment he had no idea where the Tear Cliffs were.
Jack was about to turn around when a very faint sound caught his interest. Jack began walking toward that sound, compelled to find out what was making it. When he got closer, the sound became more clear. It was a man's voice, but the words were not completely audible. He sounded angry, as he was yelling at someone, but the other person did not respond to the man's heated words. The closer Jack got the more he could understand what was being said. It seemed that the man was telling the other that the oak did not hit him with an acorn. That the one who did it was a squirrel who lived in his tree.
After hearing that, Jack's curiosity got the better of him. He walked faster and when he came to the source of that sound, the man he was hearing, the sight, by far, surprised him.
The man was standing in front of a tree, talking to it or more rather arguing with it. The man was of the same build of the tribesmen expect his shoulders where slumped over and his hair was quiet different. Instead of being nicely tied back like the tribesmen it was in disarray. Some of it was loose, some in pony tails, others in braids all over his scalp. He wore a cloak of leaves. His clothing consisted of knee length pants in a green color. He was bare footed with a beaded anklet around his left ankle. Around his neck were brown twigs with little white flowers.
Jack looked at the man with a second glance and he thought he was mad. This man was a perfect description of insane. Arguing with a tree about being hit with an acorn. It seemed ludicrous, really.
Jack watched the man a bit longer and realized that he was oblivious to his presence. So, Jack decided to get his attention.
"Excuse me, mate? Do you happen to know where the Tear Cliffs are?" Jack asked looking at this man as caution filled eyes. This insane man could be deceiving and Jack knew all about deception, he did it himself so people would underestimate him, giving Jack the opportune moment to escape.
The man did not look at Jack, he kept on talking with the tree.
"Excuse me, mate?"
"One moment, Mr. Beech. This idiot is bothering me," said the insane man. He turned his attention to Jack and said, "Can you not see that I am in the middle of a very important conversation here. Do us a favor, go away." With that the insane man turned his attention back to Mr. Beech.
Jack was perplexed. Important conversation? How was talking to a tree an important conversation? Jack tapped on the man's shoulder to get his attention once again.
"What?" the man said, clearly annoyed.
"What's your name?" Jack asked.
"Babako."
"Ahhh! You would not happen to know about the Caves of Confusion?" Jack asked. It would seem that he had found the one man who would take him to the treasure of the caves.
"Confusion? Are you confused?" Babako asked.
"Confused? No, I am not confused mate. I am asking if you know about the Caves of Confusion, not if I am confused, savvy?" Jack said.
"You must be confused because you are asking about confusion and if you are confused then that must mean you are lost. I can show you the way out since you are so confused since you seem to be lost which thus makes you confused." Babako said. He had a look of pity, but it was soon replaced with a smile toward Jack. Jack on the other hand knew what was going on. Babako was playing a word game with him. From what little Jack had gathered, this Babako was going to play this little game to deter him from the caves. Two could play this game, Jack thought.
"Well, mate I am not confused because I am not asking about confusion, an emotion one experiences when lost, but I am asking where the Caves of Confusion are since I do not know the way, but that does not mean that I am lost because I do know my way out of here, savvy?" Jack said, moving his hands this way and that and smiling when he said 'savvy'.
"Confused Caves? I don't know of any Confused Caves, but I do know of the Caves of Confusion." Babako said.
"That is what I was asking, mate." Jack said. Triumph shined in Jack's eyes, but it was to be short lived.
"Asking what?" Babako asked. Now he was confused. What was this man asking about?
"The Caves."
"What Caves?"
"The Caves of Confusion." Jack said. He could see where this was going, so he would have to be careful. He would have to ask the right questions.
"What of them?" Babako asked.
"Do you know where the Caves of Confusion are?"
"Yes." Babako said, nodding his head in the process.
"Could you take me and my crew to these caves?" Jack said, eyeing Babako carefully.
"Yes, I could."
"When?"
"When, what?"
"When could you take us there?"
"Take you where?" Babako asked. Now he was even more confused. These foreigners made no sense. They didn't even ask the right questions. "Will you take me and my crew to the Caves of Confusion?" Jack asked. Now he got the sense of the question game. Ask the right the question, get the right answer. Ask the wrong question, get no answer.
"Yes, I will take you and your crew to the Caves of Confusion. It shall be on a morning. Here in this very spot." Indicating where he was standing.
"Excellent." Jack said, smiling. He had won this round of ' word/question' games. Jack was about to ask what day, when Babako shouted, "Tomorrow!" And walked off.
Jack stood there, watching the man leave. Jack figured that Babako was going to go argue with another tree. Jack turned and left toward the beach, muttering under his breath, "And people think I am mad."
~*~*~*~*~*Present~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Jack had talked to the Chief earlier that morning to find out when Jesline was going to come down from the Tear Cliffs, but the Chief said that she could be up there longer than custom calls for.
Two days were over, and Jesline had questions to answer for Jack. For too long had she hid the truth, but no more. Before they left, all of the truth would be revealed, even if it pained her to tell him.
Jack was quietly nursing his rum, letting the anger he felt toward Jesline slip away. Maybe it would be best to ask her when the tide of pain had receded. Jack did not know nor did he care at the moment, because a blue light zipped right past his head toward the village. The little light scared Jack that he jumped up shouting, "Bloody everlasting hell, what was that?" Jack looked around the island and then toward the ocean and saw, on the horizon, a ship. The flag it was waving was British and all the crispy, cream men that were running around belonged to the Royal Navy. In that moment Jack knew it was a Royal Naval Ship. He wonder if the island prevented the Royal Navy from entering the island. Thinking on it, Jack figured the answer would be no.
Jack turned toward the forest to warn his crew and to prepare set sail when he saw Jesline coming toward him. She walked in his direction, but went past him to the water's edge. Jack watched her and noticed something dribbling down her arms. It was blood. It dripped off her fingers, covering the sand in blood spots. Jack ran toward her. He was going to turn her around and take her to the village, but something in his mind told him not to. Instead, Jack walked around her until he faced her. He forgot all about the Royal Naval Ship that was not too far off ahead.
Her caribbean blue eyes were watery and distant. It seemed she went somewhere deep in her mind, a place that was unreachable to anyone. Jesline's face was a mask of grief and pain. Jack looked down to her arms and saw that she had two cuts each on her upper and lower arms. He touched her arms lightly, studying her injuries. He saw her sway just a bit and knew that she had been bleeding for sometime and was near death. Jack moved to pick her up, but she moved out of his grasp and shoved him away.
"Do not touch me!" she yelled at him, glaring at Jack. Jack was surprised for a moment, but then it soon turned into anger. He was not going to allow Jesline to commit suicide because her mother had been killed. Jack believed that is not what her own mother would have wanted.
Jack moved again and Jesline again resisted. So, Jack moved in and Jesline started to fight him. She wanted release, but Jack would not allow it.
"It seems, Captain Sparrow, that you have lost your touch with women." a soft feminine voice said to him. Jack turned and saw that it was Irene. Commodore Norrington stood next to her along with his men and Will and Elizabeth. What were they doing here?, Jack wondered, but was soon forced to turn his attention toward Jesline. She had fallen.
Jack rushed to her side, along with everyone else who was there. Damn! She passed out and that was not good. Jack picked her up and quickly, her head laying on his chest, and carried her to the village. Time was running out. Jesline's head had fallen from Jack's chest, she was near death. He reached the village and called out for help.
Irene saw the woman fall. She seemed familiar to her, but Irene could not place her. She had seen her before, somewhere. But all thoughts where pushed from Irene's mind when she saw the tattoo on her neck. The lion and snake. It was her! The woman who had saved her and her Captain nine years ago from a terrible fate. What that fate could have been was beyond Irene.
"Trikao!" he yelled. Trikao came quickly at the sound of his name. He saw Jesline in Jack's arms, unconscious. He looked at her wounds and gasped. She had done the old ritual.
"My God, Jesline. What have you done?" he whispered.
"Lasana!" Trikao yelled. She came quickly and saw what was going on. She sent for the doctors and they came. They took Jesline away to one of life- giving house and set to work on her. Jesline only had so much time, and it was thin. If she survived, then it would be a miracle. If she did not then He would have won and all would be damned.