Chapter 9 – Half the Battle (Lover's Quarrel)
There was an uncomfortable silence that issued itself over the Pearl. Lissandra became awkwardly aware of herself, and more than once found Jack staring at her, but every time she peered back at him, over her shoulder, he would turn away. She even found herself annoyed at his behaviour and getting irritated by his actions.
Lissandra's main focus, however, was ahead, although thoughts of Jack still lingered at the back of her mind. The shoreline of Bellport was still barely visible. With less than an hour until sunset, they could already here the thunder of gunshots as it lit the sky like lightning.
'The war has already begun.' Lissandra said in a drone voice.
'Dammit!' Jack cried, running to Lissandra, 'We've got company!' He pointed northward, where a Navy ship sailed closely behind.
Lissandra's expression didn't change as she watched the ship, and the crew grew anxious waiting for a command. Finally Lissandra turned to Jack.
'Well' Said he.
'Well!? I'm not the Captain!' Lissandra yelled in utter frustration, 'I'm not the one who has the right or power to give commands to an insolent crew, on behalf of an arrogant man such as yourself!'
'Nor are you one to keep your temper!' Jack yelled back. 'What did I do?'
'One, you broke my heart.'
'I'm sorry. Do you know how many women I had to sleep with to get over you?'
'Two!' She yelled, ignoring his last remark. 'You think of nobody save yourself.' Jack rolled his eyes. 'And three, Jack, I...' Lissandra stumbled. 'I don't want to fall in love with you again. I want to hate you.'
Once again an awkward pause fell, and everyone waited for Lissandra to catch her breath. Jack was almost snow white with disbelief.
'Jack!' She said quite harshly. 'Put up the white flag.'
'You cannot command me.' Said Jack in an enraged tone of voice, which even Lissandra knew it not existed. 'You ever repeat those words to me, madam, than prepare your last breath.'
'Why? Would it hurt your pride? You're arrogance?' Lissandra was smiling. 'You're uncontroversial ego? How about your vanity?' Jack was almost shaking in hatred for these words she spoke. 'And what of you're love, captain Sparrow? Would surrendering kill your love for me?'
'Are you done now?' Jack said calmly. He gave a charming smile, and continued in the same manner. ''Cause unlike you, who would rather waste all of our short time with inane finger pointing and arguments, I would like to cut to the point.'
Lissandra waited in silence. Jack paced the deck. 'We cannot be captured and we cannot fight. We cannot out run them.'
'There is nothing, Jack. Only luck. We have to outrun them.'
And, alas, these last words were spoken and the Pearl went with tremendous speed to Bellport. Jack and Lissandra stayed clear of each other. And other than the whispers among the anxious crew, the Pearl was as soundless as a dark, cool night.
The Navy ship was closing in, and Lissandra soon accepted that they wouldn't make it.
'We have to fight!' Lissandra cried.
'Ready the cannons. Load them, you ingrates!' Jack yelled over the crew. 'Prepare your pistols.'
It was now Lissandra's turn, once more, to admire Jack. His eyes were round and shone of war. It was a side she hated about humans; war and hate. 'Jack' she whispered to herself. She smiled and lost herself in his eyes once more. The light of the rising moon and setting sun was caught in their depths as if they contained within them such hope and courage that he almost looked like an ancient God. And it was now that she understood her desire, her weakness, to look into his forgiving eyes that show his true self, not the rugged, proud and brilliant pirate, but the sensitive, inspired man that she had once fallen for long ago and that all this quarrelling with him because she was mad at herself for falling in love with him before and loving him still now.
Jack turned and their eyes met. He gave a weak smile between his breaths and hurried off. Lissandra just stood draped in thought and memory. She once again thought of whether it was worth desiring him. Did she really want him? Or was she like a little girl who wants something she doesn't have, and then when she gets it she throws it away because she's too impatient to think about it. But this was different, she thought. This was something she loved, and she didn't throw it away because she was impatient, but because she was afraid of love and most of all very uncomfortable with herself. Hearing the sound of cannon fire, she decided now was no time to think about her love problems, but she should focus on her saving life now.
She snapped out of her a trance just in time to she the first cannon of the Navy come short. And they kept on coming like black stars shooting through the air with a horrid and deadly power, but the Pearl sailed strong through the storm of cannons.
'Lissandra.' Jack called out.
'Yes.'
They stood face to face now. Both were flushed with embarrassment, but Jack, being the charming gentleman (hardly) gave a polite smile and nodded. Of course Lissandra found his smile quite becoming and appealing.
'Now is hardly the time for quarrelling, so I ask your allegiance. Lissandra?' He held out his hand in gesture.
An amiable smile broke out on her own face. And she placed her hand gracefully in his. He brought it up to his lips and kissed her fingers. And although he was obviously trying to be overly charming, she did not notice his bad acting, but stared into his eyes. She never, even once, withdrew her gaze on them. They were fascinating to her.
The Pearl fired cannon after cannon until, finally, a hit! They cheered in triumph, but the battle was not over, the ship still sailed. The Navy soon hit the Pearl, and although barely damaging the huge body, the ships confidence degraded and a more serious tone was on them. Alas, Jack thought they would be there forever, they had no plan and the battle was going too slow for his enthusiasm to last.
'We have to get closer!' Said he.
'It's too dangerous.' Lissandra yelled back.
Jack simply sighed; it was enough to guilt trip Lissandra and so the Pearl turned and sailed ever closer to the Navy ship.
Cannonballs flew this way and that way, when finally the Navy ship started to go under and the pirates cheered in victory. The Navy crew was brought aboard the Pearl, but Jack, being quite obnoxious and proud, but kind hearted, simply explained their plans and asked for their help. The Navy was a little hesitant on their answer but agreed. Jack had used his persuasive skills yet again. The Navy captain was to explain the situation to the governor and show him the documents of proof.
Through the deep crystal night Bellport was easy to spot. The sky above it was on fire and the sounds of rampage flickered in the wind. Ahead they could see ships anchored along the shore, each were firing cannons. The Pearl stopped just west of the large town and they departed from the black luminous ship.
'What we need is a good plan. We have to get Lissandra safely ashore and most importantly we have to get everyone's attention on her. Any ideas?' Jack asked the crew.
'Aye!' Said one pirate. 'She could take her cloths off.' The men roared in agreement, but Lissandra shook her head and blushed. Jack eyed everyone and eventually the laughter died down. 'No,' he said to Lissandra's delight. 'I have a better idea ... pssst pssst... inane chatter... psst... whisper, whisper...'
There was an uncomfortable silence that issued itself over the Pearl. Lissandra became awkwardly aware of herself, and more than once found Jack staring at her, but every time she peered back at him, over her shoulder, he would turn away. She even found herself annoyed at his behaviour and getting irritated by his actions.
Lissandra's main focus, however, was ahead, although thoughts of Jack still lingered at the back of her mind. The shoreline of Bellport was still barely visible. With less than an hour until sunset, they could already here the thunder of gunshots as it lit the sky like lightning.
'The war has already begun.' Lissandra said in a drone voice.
'Dammit!' Jack cried, running to Lissandra, 'We've got company!' He pointed northward, where a Navy ship sailed closely behind.
Lissandra's expression didn't change as she watched the ship, and the crew grew anxious waiting for a command. Finally Lissandra turned to Jack.
'Well' Said he.
'Well!? I'm not the Captain!' Lissandra yelled in utter frustration, 'I'm not the one who has the right or power to give commands to an insolent crew, on behalf of an arrogant man such as yourself!'
'Nor are you one to keep your temper!' Jack yelled back. 'What did I do?'
'One, you broke my heart.'
'I'm sorry. Do you know how many women I had to sleep with to get over you?'
'Two!' She yelled, ignoring his last remark. 'You think of nobody save yourself.' Jack rolled his eyes. 'And three, Jack, I...' Lissandra stumbled. 'I don't want to fall in love with you again. I want to hate you.'
Once again an awkward pause fell, and everyone waited for Lissandra to catch her breath. Jack was almost snow white with disbelief.
'Jack!' She said quite harshly. 'Put up the white flag.'
'You cannot command me.' Said Jack in an enraged tone of voice, which even Lissandra knew it not existed. 'You ever repeat those words to me, madam, than prepare your last breath.'
'Why? Would it hurt your pride? You're arrogance?' Lissandra was smiling. 'You're uncontroversial ego? How about your vanity?' Jack was almost shaking in hatred for these words she spoke. 'And what of you're love, captain Sparrow? Would surrendering kill your love for me?'
'Are you done now?' Jack said calmly. He gave a charming smile, and continued in the same manner. ''Cause unlike you, who would rather waste all of our short time with inane finger pointing and arguments, I would like to cut to the point.'
Lissandra waited in silence. Jack paced the deck. 'We cannot be captured and we cannot fight. We cannot out run them.'
'There is nothing, Jack. Only luck. We have to outrun them.'
And, alas, these last words were spoken and the Pearl went with tremendous speed to Bellport. Jack and Lissandra stayed clear of each other. And other than the whispers among the anxious crew, the Pearl was as soundless as a dark, cool night.
The Navy ship was closing in, and Lissandra soon accepted that they wouldn't make it.
'We have to fight!' Lissandra cried.
'Ready the cannons. Load them, you ingrates!' Jack yelled over the crew. 'Prepare your pistols.'
It was now Lissandra's turn, once more, to admire Jack. His eyes were round and shone of war. It was a side she hated about humans; war and hate. 'Jack' she whispered to herself. She smiled and lost herself in his eyes once more. The light of the rising moon and setting sun was caught in their depths as if they contained within them such hope and courage that he almost looked like an ancient God. And it was now that she understood her desire, her weakness, to look into his forgiving eyes that show his true self, not the rugged, proud and brilliant pirate, but the sensitive, inspired man that she had once fallen for long ago and that all this quarrelling with him because she was mad at herself for falling in love with him before and loving him still now.
Jack turned and their eyes met. He gave a weak smile between his breaths and hurried off. Lissandra just stood draped in thought and memory. She once again thought of whether it was worth desiring him. Did she really want him? Or was she like a little girl who wants something she doesn't have, and then when she gets it she throws it away because she's too impatient to think about it. But this was different, she thought. This was something she loved, and she didn't throw it away because she was impatient, but because she was afraid of love and most of all very uncomfortable with herself. Hearing the sound of cannon fire, she decided now was no time to think about her love problems, but she should focus on her saving life now.
She snapped out of her a trance just in time to she the first cannon of the Navy come short. And they kept on coming like black stars shooting through the air with a horrid and deadly power, but the Pearl sailed strong through the storm of cannons.
'Lissandra.' Jack called out.
'Yes.'
They stood face to face now. Both were flushed with embarrassment, but Jack, being the charming gentleman (hardly) gave a polite smile and nodded. Of course Lissandra found his smile quite becoming and appealing.
'Now is hardly the time for quarrelling, so I ask your allegiance. Lissandra?' He held out his hand in gesture.
An amiable smile broke out on her own face. And she placed her hand gracefully in his. He brought it up to his lips and kissed her fingers. And although he was obviously trying to be overly charming, she did not notice his bad acting, but stared into his eyes. She never, even once, withdrew her gaze on them. They were fascinating to her.
The Pearl fired cannon after cannon until, finally, a hit! They cheered in triumph, but the battle was not over, the ship still sailed. The Navy soon hit the Pearl, and although barely damaging the huge body, the ships confidence degraded and a more serious tone was on them. Alas, Jack thought they would be there forever, they had no plan and the battle was going too slow for his enthusiasm to last.
'We have to get closer!' Said he.
'It's too dangerous.' Lissandra yelled back.
Jack simply sighed; it was enough to guilt trip Lissandra and so the Pearl turned and sailed ever closer to the Navy ship.
Cannonballs flew this way and that way, when finally the Navy ship started to go under and the pirates cheered in victory. The Navy crew was brought aboard the Pearl, but Jack, being quite obnoxious and proud, but kind hearted, simply explained their plans and asked for their help. The Navy was a little hesitant on their answer but agreed. Jack had used his persuasive skills yet again. The Navy captain was to explain the situation to the governor and show him the documents of proof.
Through the deep crystal night Bellport was easy to spot. The sky above it was on fire and the sounds of rampage flickered in the wind. Ahead they could see ships anchored along the shore, each were firing cannons. The Pearl stopped just west of the large town and they departed from the black luminous ship.
'What we need is a good plan. We have to get Lissandra safely ashore and most importantly we have to get everyone's attention on her. Any ideas?' Jack asked the crew.
'Aye!' Said one pirate. 'She could take her cloths off.' The men roared in agreement, but Lissandra shook her head and blushed. Jack eyed everyone and eventually the laughter died down. 'No,' he said to Lissandra's delight. 'I have a better idea ... pssst pssst... inane chatter... psst... whisper, whisper...'