AN: I am so sorry for the delay! I have been so busy with work, school, getting sick, more work, more school, and getting more sick! My life is this giant wheel of getting sick, getting better, and then getting sick again. Ah, well. I'll live. But, I do hope that this chapter meets up with your expectations. I worked so hard on it, and . . . . well, I just hope you like it!
"If you can't annoy somebody, there's little point in writing,"
Kingsley Amis
Silver and Gold
Chapter Seven: Travels
Lor stood silently at the bow of the ship. This spot had been her favorite on the Sui Generis, a spot that revealed the unending world to her in one bright horizon. The sun had just begun to rise, casting its bright rays on the sleeping world.
"Up early again, eh, Miss Adams?" a voice said behind her.
Lor turned around slowly, a smile crossing her face. She would recognize Bryant's voice anywhere. "As always, Mr. Bryant. I love to watch the sun rise over the ocean, always have. You can blame my father for that, I guess."
Bryant laughed, the sound coming out low and soft as he stepped up beside her. "Then you are most unlike the women I have met before."
"I thank you," Lor replied gratefully. "I strive to be different."
Bryant laughed again, leaning down to tighten a rope that hung down from the mast. Lor grabbed the end of the rope with her rough hands, helping Bryant to tie it tighter. He looked up at her, surprise written on his face for a moment.
Lor grinned. "I grew up on a ship, mate, I know all the works of a ship."
"Ah, that explains much about you, Miss Adams."
Lor laughed again, once again staring up into the rising sun, wondering if perhaps, a certain pirate was staring out at the same horizon.
* * * * * * *
Jack stood on the sandy beach, staring lovingly out at the brightening horizon. He wondered, for a moment, if she was the sun rise, and then shook his head. There was no use thinking about her. She was gone now, on her way to England to live with her family. On her way to a place where he let her go.
He knew she left hating him, and he hadn't given her reason not to. He had been mean to her, rude to her, cruel even. Jack had done it on purpose, of course, figuring it to be the only way to make her leave. He knew that secretly she had wanted to leave, to find out more about her family, the other side of her father's life that she had never known about.
Jack sighed slowly, pulling his attention away from where he had belatedly realized was the last place he had seen the ship that had taken Lor away. Tiny arms wrapped themselves around his leg, causing him to look down. Large brown eyes stared back up at him, set amongst a small, round face surrounded by curly brown hair.
"Uncle Jack?" the young girl said, her eyes shining. "Are you alright?"
Jack smiled down at her. "Aye, lass."
"Are you sure? Do you want to talk?" Emily asked, blinking her eyes innocently.
Jack's eyes narrowed at the familiar saying. He knelt down slowly, his finger lifting her chin up to meet her eyes. "You been talkin' to Lor, love?"
Emily nodded. "When she left. She told me to watch out for you, said only a woman could do that."
Jack smirked. "She did, did she?"
"Aye," Emily replied, stumbling over the word. "Aunt Lor told me that she would only trust this to one of her crew."
"Are you sure yer not a pirate, lass?"
Emily's chin lifted slightly. "My father's a pirate."
He laughed, the waves washing over his booted feet. "Aye, lass, that 'e is."
* * * * * * *
"Ouch! Oh dear. . ."
"Oh, I'm sorry. . ."
"No, no, my dear, it is fine. Now, just watch me again . . . one, two, three . . . one, two, three. . ."
Lor watched her grandfather carefully, a small grin crossing her face. Jeremy, his arms raised, mimed dancing the waltz (I hope that's what the dance was back then!). In one fluid motion that belied his age, he pulled her to him, and danced around the bow with her. Surprisingly, Lor managed not to step on his feet as she had done the last four times he had tried to teach her this simple dance.
"Very good, my dear," Jeremy said, bowing to her.
As awkward as it was for her, Lor gave a half-hearted curtsy, holding her arms out as if holding out the skirt of a dress. She made a noise deep in her throat as if announcing her deep dissatisfaction.
"Is there something wrong, Lor?"
Lor sighed, beginning to run her hand through her hair, and then stopping when she realized that her short hair had been placed up in a semi-stylish bun on the back of her head. She sighed again. "Aye, there is," she replied. "I don't do curtsies."
Jeremy laughed. "You will not have to curtsy all the time, my dear, that would simply be too tiring. You do so only when meeting someone for the first time, and at the beginning and end of dances. Now, show me how you would sit properly for a dinner, or perhaps a meeting."
Lor looked around for a moment, searching for a place to sit. Her eyes fell on a barrel of run sitting on the swaying deck. She licked her lips subconsciously as she all of sudden found herself dying for a drink. Something to drown her thoughts in. Something to help her forget about . . . him. Shaking her head slowly, Lor sat down on the barrel, straightening her back, placing her hands softly in her lap, and crossing her feet at the ankles.
Jeremy looked down at her, an appraising look on his face. "Very good, my dear. You catch on quickly, I must say."
Lor stood up quickly, dusting off the back of her breeches. "Well, my father taught me most of the rules of etiquette when I was younger. In case I should ever need to use it, he would always say."
"He was a smart man, my son," Jeremy replied quietly.
"Aye, he was," she answered. "Second only I assume to. . ."
Jeremy looked over at her as her voice trailed off. He watched as flashes of anger and sadness crossed her face. "To whom?"
"To him," she answered vaguely, her gaze cutting across the wide ocean.
Jeremy's eyes narrowed in confusion for a moment as he pondered her words. Then realization struck him. Jack Sparrow. He knew she had carefully avoided speaking about him for the few days since they had left Port Royal. Although he knew that she would never be able to stop thinking about him.
"Father," a deep voice said behind him.
Jeremy turned his attention to the man standing behind him, a smile crossing his wrinkled face. "Ah, good afternoon Gregory. I trust this day is going well?"
"As well as can be expected sir," he replied, and then as if on an afterthought, said, "Good afternoon, Lor."
Lor forced a smile to cross her lips. "Uncle," she said. She had instantly disliked the man that stood in front of her the moment she saw him. He carried with him a pompous air, obviously believing that he was better than anyone else that he would meet. Lor had always picked men like him to steal from and every time she laid eyes on him, she had a sudden strong urge to mug him.
"Hm, yes. I was wondering if I could have a word with you in private sir," he said, ignoring her once again.
"Of course, Gregory. Lor, we will continue this evening, yes?"
"As you wish, sir."
"Go eat something my dear, you look hungry."
"I will," she replied, leaning her back against the ship's railing and glaring over at Gregory. She really hoped that one day she would be able to shoot that man.
Without another word, the two men turned away and walked back towards the adjoining cabins that they shared. With a sigh, she pushed herself off of the railing and made her way slowly to the galley, her stomach rumbling softly.
She climbed down the few steps, instantly bombarded by the loud noise of wood banging together.
"Ha ha! I've got you now, Jack Sparrow!" a little boy cried out, smacking his small wooden sword against a second boy's wooden weapon.
"Never you British dog!" the second boy said, backing slowly away from his opponent, parrying the other boy's blows.
Lor laughed softly as she side-stepped the two boy's erratic movements. She watched them, though, as she walked over to the small kitchen, picking up a plate of food that the cook had just placed there, her eyes watching the blows and blocks that each boy delivered. Jack would be happy to know that children still found his story exciting, still felt that he was one of the most interesting pirates in the whole of the seven seas, she thought as she sat down, smiling.
"Everett! Mathew! Will you boys please sit down and eat your lunch!" a woman cried from the table across from Lor.
Lor looked up at the woman. She bore the harried look of a mother left to look after her children. A look much like the one Elizabeth wore when she chased after her twins. The woman glanced up at her and Lor gave a small smile of understanding.
"I am sorry," the woman said. "Sometimes they can be so hard to handle."
Lor pulled the pins out of her hair, allowing the short red strands to fall around her face. "It's all right. I used to be the same way as them. They're spirited, is all."
"Overly spirited, is more like it," the woman replied, burying her head in her hands as a loud crash echoed in the room.
"Ah ha! That'll show you, you ugly pig dog!" the boy who was acting as Jack Sparrow called out. "You should never underestimate the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow!"
"Will you boys knock it off?" the woman cried again. "Or I swear I will lock you in the cabin and leave you there until we reach England!"
The two boys, Everett and Mathew, looked over at her. "Aw, but mom. . ."
"No buts. Get over here and eat your lunch!"
"But we're not hungry!"
Lor glanced back and forth between the two parties, her eyes taking in the pleading looks on the two boy's faces and the tired look on their mother's face. Then she looked again at the boys. Before their mother could say anything more, Lor interrupted. "If you two sit down and eat, I'll tell you everything I know about Captain Jack Sparrow."
The boy's attention shot over to her, their eyes wide. They glanced at each other for a moment and then ran over to where she sat, swinging their legs over the bench and staring up at her.
Lor's eyes flicked over to their mother. For a moment she wore a look of shock, and then relief crossed her face. "Thank you," she mouthed. Lor smiled and nodded slightly. "Now," she began, turning her attention back to the two silent boys. "The story begins some fifteen years ago. . ."
* * * * * * *
Jack stood quietly at the helm of the Black Pearl, his eyes gazing out at the deepening horizon. He had left the comfort of Will and Elizabeth's home in Port Royal only a day before, giving the excuse that he knew Norrington would try to arrest him again as soon as he got the chance. The Pearl and her crew had come back for him after awhile, figuring that it was safe enough for them to return without being attacked.
He had gratefully jumped at the chance to be back on his ship, away from accusing glares and sympathetic looks from Will and Elizabeth. He had said his good-byes, and then left, turning his back on his friends. He wanted no sympathy from anyone, least of all people who believe he did the wrong thing.
Now, as his eyes gazed out over the ocean, his thoughts turned to Lor. No matter how hard he tried not to think of her, she always managed to filter into his mind. He shook his head slowly, a frown crossing his face as he tried to push her out of his thoughts. He needed something, something to make him forget. Rum didn't work, he had already proven that. No, he needed something bigger. Something like. . .
"Tortuga," he whispered.
"Pardon, Cap'n?" Gibbs asked.
"Tortuga. Make course for Tortuga. I think the crew's deserved a break."
Gibbs, with a worried look on his face, glanced over at his captain. "Aye, sir, whatever ya say."
* * * * * * *
Next: Chapter 8: Meeting the Family. Will Tortuga help Jack forget? Will Lor actually be able to forget about Jack? Will they ever see each other again? Will Lor ever forgive him? Or will she move on to someone else? Someone close to her right now? You'll find answers to some of these questions next time!
MarsMoonStar: I completely understand about being tired. I work myself too hard all the time.
Dawnie-7: First, I wanted to thank you for offering an idea for my homework. I greatly appreciated it! Secondly, you'll just have to wait and see where this is going to lead everybody! That is my ultimate secret! Bwahahahaha!
Silmarwen: I thank you so much! I'm glad you thought so. I tried to make the emotions as real as possible. I'm glad I succeeded!
Mystic Fish: Yer very welcome for the end note. And guess what? Here's another one! I wanted to thank you for letting me know that this was the best chapter so far, although I must ask what you liked best about it. I always like to know what my readers think!
PED-sarah: I'm glad you like it! I'm updating as fast as I can!
Elentari II: First I want to thank you for the help in my homework. I appreciated it greatly. Second, I am so sorry that I haven't updated since, well, forever. I have been so busy! I will try to update quicker next time! I hope you'll forgive me!