Title: Dragonfly
Author: Muse a.k.a. Viorith
Rating: R for sexual content and violence.
Pairing: Will/OFC, Jack/Anna-Maria
Feedback: Hell to the yeah!
Archive: Ask first please
Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with PoTC, I'm just playing with them. I do own Sabine. So please ask if you want to play with her.
Summary: Sabine has loved Will since she was 16, but since his eyes were for Elizabeth only, she settled for his friendship. A year after the curse is lifted, Sabine now needs him to teach her the way of the blade so she can avenge her father's death on a man that once called himself his friend.
Chapter 14
In the privacy of their sparring arena Sabine paced back and forth, Spanish flying from her mouth so rapidly, had Will understood any of it, he would have been hard pressed to catch enough words to string together to make sense. He had barely set his feet onto the deck after returning from The Lucille, when she turned without a word and stormed below deck. Jack had seized his arm and encouraged him not to follow… he might as well tried to keep the sun from setting.
"Sabine," he called her name, and thusly announced his presence. He almost wished he had listened to Jack when his friend whirled around to face him, dark eyes blazing.
"What?" she snapped finally switching to English.
"Please came down," he cringed as he saw the furious look come over her face.
"Calm down… CALM DOWN!" she repeated.
The switch was again flipped and the words flew from her mouth in her father's native tongue.
"If you would just shut up long enough for me to explain," Will snapped.
He thought his words the wrong choice, but his anger was too close to the surface for too much concern, and it achieved the desired affect of her silence. Even if it was a stunned one.
"I know you're angry I kept you on the Pearl," he began.
"Anger doesn't begin to describe what I am feeling right now," she uttered through clenched teeth. "You had no right--"
"I had every right," he finally snapped, "You are my responsibility."
"I am no one's responsibility, least of all yours."
"Rather you choose to acknowledge this as truth or not… I am responsible for you."
"And what a great job you've done," she spat, the words cutting deeper than the blade of a sword. "Under your care, I've lost my father, lost my virginity--"
"I've apologized for that offense."
"And that is supposed to make everything better?"
"Had you gone onto the deck of that ship it is quite possible that you would have lost your life."
"It is my choice!" she shouted.
"No it is mine, and if given the chance to make a decision again it would and will be the same one."
"We shall see what Captain Sparrow has to say on that," she seethed storming past him.
Will reached out, securing her upper arm in a vice like grip. "This is between you and me."
"You don't own me," she yelled struggling against his grip. "Papa may have asked you to marry me but I release you of any such vow. Go your way and I shall go mine."
"I cannot do that," he stated barely managing to keep his grip. He wrapped his arms around her body, trapping her arms to her sides. "Especially when I do not wish to be released."
Sabine went slack in his embrace. He continued to hold her for several seconds, neither of them moving, neither of them uttering a word. It was Will that finally took the initiative. His right hand moved and caressed the side of her face, turning her head to an almost painful angle, but one that allowed his lips unobstructed access to hers.
The kiss was tentative, for the moment his lips touched hers he heard her quick intake of breath. Could feel the tenseness of her muscles from where the line of her back pressed against his chest. He pulled a centimeter away, but his eyes never peeked out from behind the closed lids as instinct took over. With his thumb under her chin he angled her face up to him, his tongue not asking, but demanding entrance as he pushed past the barrier of her closed lips.
The quiet gasp of surprise transformed into a moan when their tongues touched. Despite her brain's demand, Sabine didn't end the kiss, but reached up with her right hand to tangle her fingers in the curls of the blacksmith's hair. He deepened the kiss, devouring her mouth as his arm pressed her body hard against the line of his. Muscles that had begun to relax tensed again as her backside pressed against the swell in his pants. The passion in her heart for him faltered as the memory of their union fought to the surface.
"What is the matter?" Will questioned when she ended the kiss. His voice made husky and thick with lust.
She pulled away from him embrace, missing the feel and warmth of his arms immediately. She turned to face him, moving outside his range when he reached for her.
"Sabine?"
"You kiss me like you mean it," she began softly, a regretful smile upon her face as her fingers brushed her lips. "If I didn't know any better, I could pretend it was me you wanted and not someone else."
A deep frown settled over his forehead as he again reached for her, only to have her pull from him. "Sabine I don't understand."
"You love her," she stated simply and waited for the understanding to cross her lover's face. Only after she saw he knew of who she spoke of did she continue. "The worse thing about being with you that night wasn't losing my virginity to the only man I've ever loved while he was in a drunken state. It was having him call me by the name of another. For years I waited for you to open your eyes and see what was right in front of you. Three words is all I longed to hear from you, and when you finally say them to me, you called her name."
Will closed his eyes and lowered his head in shame. He had made the assumption that taking her virginity had been the worse of his atrocities that night. It was apparent that he had assumed wrong.
"Sabine, I'm so sorry…"
"For what? For being true to your heart?" a tear slid from her eye and rolled unchecked down her cheek. "You and I are not so different. We are both in love with someone who cannot love us in return, I am just better at hiding it than you, no?"
"That's not true," he denied.
"No? You mean to tell me if you learned Elizabeth was free to marry whom she chose, and if she chose you, that you would not hasten to be at her side?"
The young blacksmith opened his mouth to defiantly inform her that he wouldn't, but stopped short. Not because he knew the answer would be yes, but because wasn't sure what his answer would be. He had pushed his feelings for Elizabeth so far down that he was surprised to find that Sabine's words might not necessarily be true. Then another revelation kicked in… Did she just say she was in love with me?
"Sabine," he stepped to her and she retreated from him. He didn't try to mask the hurt her backward steps caused. "Sabine please don't shy away from me."
"What else can I do, Will? I will not be the woman you turn to simply because the woman you desire is not available. I may love you, but I have too much respect for myself to ever let that happen." She turned and walked to the end of the room, pausing to turn back to him before leaving. "Next time I will fight, even if that means fighting you first."
He wanted to stop her, but unable to think of anything to say to keep her in the room, Will quietly watched her go.
~~~
The sighting of land was a welcome to all members of The Pearl, but none welcomed it more than Sabine. Three weeks had passed since the taking of The Lucille. And the uncomfortable silences between her and Will had multiplied like healthy, fertile rabbits in the spring.
Sabine made sure to be around him as little as possible. She was gone when he awoke in the morning. Her days were spent under the tutelage of Jack or Anna-Marie. When the evening finally came she spent most of her time in the Crow's Nest, absorbing knowledge from the crafty pirate, or talking to Anna-Maria. She was sure on more than one occasion Will had been awake when she entered their shared cabin, but he made no attempt to reveal his state.
The time they spent together grew slim. Even the three hours set aside for blade practice was taken over by daily ship chores. She learned from just about anyone on board that would teach her, but mostly she studied under Jack. His style of fighting was as different from Turner's as the sun was from the moon. Where Will's left little room for improvising, Jack's seemed to be made up on the fly. Still there was a structure at the root of his swordplay.
As The Pearl made her way towards an empty slip, Sabine made her way down from the upper mast. More than anything she was looking forward to a long soak in a tub of hot water. It seemed forever since she had the pleasure of immersing her entire body in water. She was also looking forward to getting away from one Mr. Turner.
Being in the same space as Will and not being able to talk to him, barely being able to look at him was driving her mad. Her heart ached for him, her body longed for his touch, but her mind was determined to deny them both the pleasure. It was during these times she missed her mother the most. Anna-Maria was proving to be a great friend, but Anna-Maria was a peer. She didn't have the wealth of wisdom that off times comes with age.
"Alright men," Jack bellowed from the quarterdeck. "You have until the morrow to drink yourselves into oblivion. Anyone not on the ship by the end of the forenoon watch, gets and extended stay in Aruba, savvy."
The crew grunted and grumbled they displeasure or agreement. Sabine knew enough of them to know, although they griped quietly, all of them would be aboard The Pearl before she was ready to set sail. The lure of sailing under the infamous Captain was enough. Only herself, Will, Jack and Sabine knew of the treasure, but anyone who sailed with the pirate knew it was only a matter of time before the hull would be bursting was things that sparkled and shined.
"Dragonfly," Jack called as soon as her feet hit the ground.
It was the nickname the pirate had given her during a late night sparring match. His inquiry to her necklace lead to the discovery that the English interpretation of her African middle name, Dainzi, meant Dragonfly.
A splash over the side of the deck let her know the anchor had been dropped on The Pearl. An echoing splash let her know The Lucille was also anchored beside it.
"Come with me, luv," Jack ordered, and led the way to the plank connecting the ship to the deck below. "You'll be able to collect your things when we return."
"Where are we going?" she questioned, quickening her pace so by the time she was off the ramp her strides brought her along side the Captain.
"The shipping house," he answered giving her a grin.
"The shipping house?" she repeated confused, "I thought you said pirates should keep their arrivals secret?"
"True," he acknowledged, "However, the owner of this particular shipping office happens to be a close personal friend of mine."
The pair walked through the door, a bell place strategically above announcing their arrival. The attention of a dark skinned man, hair thick with locks that reached down to his back turned to the two. Dark untrusting eyes set in a stern face watched them approach. It wasn't until Jack stood directly on the other side of the counter did the brutal look on his face soften to a calculating smile.
"Jack you old scoundral," the dark-skinned man wrapped his meaty palm around Jack's forearm, as the pirate made a like gesture. "How the hell are you, and what brings you to my lovely island?"
"Money," he replied with a mischievous grin, "Or more precisely, the money you're going to give me for that ship in the docks out there."
"Up to your usually tricks, eh?" the man behind the counter cut his eyes from the pirate to the young girl standing just to Jack's right. "Hold on, what have we here? Don't tell me the ultimate bachelor has finally settled down?"
"Bite your tongue mate, this here is me new prodigy."
Jack gestured with his head for Sabine to move forward. When she seemed hesitant, he placed his palm on her back and gave her a firm push.
"Sabine, allow me to introduce Oliver Adoza. This here is the man that taught me everything I know... well almost everything."
"I'm the man that kept him alive," he added.
He moved from around the counter so he could examine Sabine with a more critical eye. His gaze took in her face, darkened from her long days under the sun, then slowly moved down her body, disappointed at the lack of flesh the men's clothing provided.
"A pity my love," he began, and brought the back of her right hand to his lips for a polite kiss. "These harsh clothes don't do you justice." He raised an eyebrow as he turned to Jack. "How long do you plan to stay in Aruba?"
Try as she might to fight it, Sabine felt heat rushing to her cheeks underneath Oliver's unwavering stare. Men's clothing or not, it felt as if his gaze were piercing right through the cotton barrier.
"Only for this night," the pirate answered.
"Grand, just long enough for me to invite this one to dinner and try to convince her why she should stay."
"And the ship?" Jack questioned, unimpressed by the man's flirting.
"I'll have Javer's look it over and let me know what he thinks. Where can I find you?"
"You're best efforts should put you at the Lion's Head tavern," Jack answered with a wicked grin.
Oliver nodded before reclaiming his position behind the counter. "Dinner is served promptly at seven, Sabine. However, I shall send over something proper for you to wear prior to that time."
Jack pressed his palms together and bowed his head slightly before ushering Sabine back out onto the decks.
"Why did you bring me here?" she queried once they were back out under the morning's sun.
"The Lucille won't be worth much because of her age and the damage done to her, but if we didn't get her in a port soon, she'd be at the bottom of the ocean, where she would be worth a whole lot less."
"No," Sabine amended, "Why did you bring me here, to the shipping office? You didn't need me to come with you to inform Mr. Adoza of your arrival or your intentions."
"Oh that," Jack shrugged it off as he mounted the gangway leading back up to the ship. "I thought you and the young Mr. Turner could use some time apart from each other."
At that she fell silent. She hadn't realized the uncomfortable silence between then had extended so much that others had begun to notice it.
"Not to fear, luv. I doubt the rest of the crew realizes what's afoot," Jack eased her conscious as if he were able to read her very thoughts. "And even if they did, none of them would care."
They hadn't been gone for long, but already the hands of the ship had been reduced to the skeleton crew that made up the current watch. Anna-Maria had made her way into the town, and after a quick survey of the upper deck, and upon entering her quarters to find them empty, Sabine deduced even Will was off.
She gathered the clothes she had purchased in Tortuga, stuffing them into her satchel before securing her sword on one hip, and her pistol on the other. She had tried to launder them while at sea but found the task much more impossible than she originally believed. A clean body would feel even better inside clean clothing.
Convinced she had everything she would need for the next twenty-four hours, Sabine made her way back to the upper deck. Jack remained, giving the men left behind orders no doubt. To her right, The Lucille was sitting lower in the water than before. If they do not hurry, there will be nothing left to sell, but the mast, she mused and departed The Pearl.
She would find a place to wash her clothes, then buy a room at the local inn. Under the influence of a hot bath and a stable bed, she hoped to make sense of the mess that had recently become her life.