Chapter 10

Now what?

Saihrena and Jack made it to Baga early the next afternoon. "Please Jack, just a quick bath, I stink and I'm full of mud. Who's going to let me in their carriage looking the way I do?" Saihrena begged, as she had been doing for the last half an hour.

"Fine, fine, but it'd betta be the fastest bath eva Rena, Morgead knows we're gone by now," Jack conceded finally. The first inn they came to, the Flying Eagle, they went inside and ordered a bath. The matron looked over Saihrena, her nose in the air, before calling three men to fill her bath.

"It will be a few moments," the woman said as she accepted their money.

"Of course," Saihrena answered, and turned her back on the woman with distaste. A few moments later a young girl walked into the room and smiled at Saihrena.

"Your bath is ready ma'am," she whispered, then motioned for her to follow. Saihrena followed her up a short flight of steps and into a large bathing room. The tub was very big for such and establishment, and she dropped her bag on the floor and began to undress. The girl watched for a moment, and then quickly left after pointing out the luxurious soaps for her use. Saihrena smiled in ecstasy as she lay down in the steaming tub, and began to wash herself quickly. Jack was right, they had to move fast. She quickly washed herself of the grime, and then with an unsatisfied groan she got out of the bath and changed into a new, richer looking dress. She had taken this one from her closet, it had already been decided that she would be a noble woman and Jack would be her guard. The dress was long light blue silk. It had patterns of white roses embroidered along the hem and the sleeves. She slipped it on and laced it up the front, thanking God that she didn't have to wear a corset. She walked to the small mirror in the bathroom and braided her hair, then wrapped it around her head. It would not do to have her hair down. The entire escapade had only taken about twenty minutes, and she hurried downstairs, the soft slippers that matched her dress barely whispering as she moved.

"Well luv I must say ye do look betta with the grime gone," Jack said as he took her hand.

"Why thank you Mr. Smith," she said, eying the matron wearily. Jack nodded at the woman and then led Saihrena outside. A coach was waiting for them. She looked at Jack questioningly.

"'e was in the inn while ye were takin yer bath and 'e said 'ed be 'appy te take us te Oporto," Jack said with a smirk. He opened the carriage door with a flourish, and after bowing, helped her up. She worked hard to contain her laughter at his antics. "All ready te go Gerome," Jack called as he entered and closed the door. Saihrena sighed in relief as she saw that the carriage was empty except for them. She scooted next to Jack and lay her head on his shoulder, within moments she was sound asleep.

Saihrena awoke to yelling. She couldn't make out the words though. Jack apparently could though because he was collecting his things and throwing her bag at her. "What's going on?" She asked groggily.

"Yer fiancé has just caught us luv, when I tell ye te run, I want ye te run and not look back. Can ye do that luv?" He asked, turning to stare into her eyes.

"You're coming with me right?" She asked softly.

"O course, I'm Cap'n Jack Sparrow, savvy? They can't catch me." Jack smirked his Jack smirk, his hands waving idly through the air. She pulled him to her and kissed him hard.

"Is that a promise?" She asked.

"Aye," he whispered, and then leaned in to kiss her again. Jack quickly pulled away and without a glance back jumped out of the carriage.

"That man will be the death of me," she whispered, leaning slightly out the door to listen for his command. Suddenly inspired she looked outside, and after finding no one paying attention to her, she hopped out and moved around to the back of the carriage. She smiled as she saw a ladder going up the back and leading to the top. She climbed up with difficulty since she was in a large dress, but made it all the same. She peeked over the top and saw what was happening. Jack had his cutlass out and was fighting with a guard, while another was coming up behind him. Without a second thought she yelled, "there's one behind you Jack." Jack turned just in time to deflect the blade that the man had aimed at his back. But she had given away her hiding spot. Two guards began to move towards the carriage. She jumped into the empty driver's seat and grabbed the reins. "Jack, hop on." Jack looked over and did as he was told, holding tight to the side of the carriage as she whipped the reins. The horses jumped to, and they were off. She had never driven a carriage before, "how hard could it be?" she mumbled, holding the reins tighter as the horses began to gallop faster. She prayed Jack could hold on as they came up to a bend in the road, she didn't know how to slow the horses. The moved around the bend quicker than lightning it seemed, tipping the carriage precariously on its side. It righted a few moments later, but she kept driving, pushing them faster. What seemed like hours later, though was probable only one, she pulled the horses to a stop and hopped off, going to see Jack.

"Jack," she called, walking around the carriage. "Oh God, Jack?" She opened up the door and looked inside, empty. "Oh my God," she whispered as tears filled her eyes. She had lost him.