Author's Notes: This chapter is written as a *Flashback* Apologies for the length of the last chapter. This story had other places to go, exciting and angsty places, but the almost complete lack of interest is soul destroyingly depressing. So that's it. Over. Done. My writing days are finished.
Jack: Ye don't mean that, yer just tired.
Me: No, I do mean it. What's the point in carrying on without feedback?
Jack: What do ye mean, no feedback? Otherhawk has reviewed every chapter so far!
Me: Yes, she has and I am eternally grateful to her for it. But it doesn't change anything.
Jack: But ye haven't got to the bit where I get the Black Pearl yet, nor how I got betrayed and earned my legendary reputation! Come t' think about it, ye haven't even got t' the bit where I gets the girl!
Norrington: I have looked at the end, and it seems that *I* get the girl *smug grin*
Jack: Bugger off Norrington. She's my girl, not yours!
Norrington: Not yet she's not, and if our dear author stops now, you won't get her at all.
Jack: Ye can't stop now! If ye quit now, bloody Norrington is goin t' win! And get me girl!
Me: Tell that to *them*. If I get some more reviews, I'll keep going. Otherwise, if I ever finish this fic, it will be purely to send to Otherhawk for her to read
Jack: Hey, you lot! Unless ye want Norrington to win, ye better get reviewing so she don't quit writing!
Norrington: Face it Jack, I am going to win this one!
Me: Men! *rolls eyes and walks off, ignoring the sound of clashing swords behind her*
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#5 – Choice and Consequence
Time seemed to slow down, as the two youngsters watched the scene unfold in fascinated horror. The lightning struck the top of the main mast, arced down onto the rigging and slithered down the wet ropes, ran along the top of the railing and onto the anchor rope. Jack reacted instantly, pulling Ash back into the relative safety of Wolf's cabin, where the deck was dry. The ship shook violently, as a second bolt followed the first and the top three feet of the main mast exploded, raining burning fragments down onto the deck below. The heavy rain rapidly extinguished the fires, and it was only due to Wolf's foresight that the main mast remained standing. The deafening boom as the strikes took place woke the crew, but they remained below decks, as they had been taught to do. The Captain, First Mate and their guest stayed in Wolf's cabin, each silently counting the seconds between lightning flash and the resulting rumble of thunder. Once their counts reached ten or more on five consecutive flashes, Wolf sighed and slowly opened the door. The sight which greeted them, chilled each to the bone.
The main deck was littered with charred lumps of wood, and the main topsail was gone, along with its spar. The mainsail beneath it appeared to have faired little better; the burning chunks of mast had gouged large holes into it. The lower mainsail appeared to have escaped damage, but would need to be taken down for closer inspection. The upper shrouds were gone, burnt away when the top of the mast exploded. The main mast was swaying heavily in the wind, its ropes creaking as the heavy wood fought against its bindings.
"How the hell is the mast still standing?" Ashanae demanded, shouting above the howling wind. "The rigging is gone!"
"Aye, the main rigging be gone but Cap'n Wolf had a second set put up, lower down the mast. Said it wuz insurance gainst unexpected incidents," Jack shouted back. He pointed to the shrouds lower on the mast, secured just below the spar which held the mainsail.
"Jack, rouse the crew. We need t' secure the mainmast and get the mainsail down. Clearing the deck can wait," Wolf barked at his First Mate, as he turned and walked towards the thick mast. Jack ran for the hatch, hurrying down to muster the bewildered crew. Ash paused for a moment, still shocked by the destruction around her, then hurried after the captain. Mindful she was still barefoot, she carefully wound her way across the violently swaying deck and quickly reached the captain.
"Let me help," she said, her words whipped away by the wind even though her voice was raised. Wolf understood nonetheless and looked down at her, a myriad of emotions running across his face as he tried to decide whether to accept her offer. After a moment, he nodded and pointed to the debris littering the deck around them.
"There are some old sacks in the aft hold. Use em t' collect as much of this debris as ye can lass," he told her, giving her a gentle push towards the hatch.
The crew worked through the remainder of the night, securing additional ropes to the main mast to compensate for the ones which had been destroyed. One of the pirates, tying ropes to the top of the main mast, was thrown into the heaving ocean as the ship bucked wildly.
"Man overboard!" Two men shouted, as they ran to the side. They threw ropes into the water for the fallen comrade, but the deadly ocean had already claimed him. Whether by some miracle, or just pure luck, both anchor ropes were intact, though the starboard side rope would need replacing as soon as they reached Port William. Ash worked tirelessly, clearing the debris from the decks, stopping only for a few moments when Jack came to advise her that he had looked in on Annar, and found her sleeping soundly. The news only seemed to increase the contempt her older cousin felt towards the Governor's daughter, and pushed Ash to work even harder. An hour or so before dawn, the wind died and the Captain ordered the men to rest; the repairs could wait until morning, now that the main mast was secure. Still running on adrenaline, Ashanae remained on deck after the crew had gone below, gazing out at the small island nearby.
"Ye should be restin," Jack told her, coming to stand beside her at the railing.
"I know, but I don't think I could sleep at the moment," she replied, her voice weary.
"Aye, been an eventful night, ain't it?"
"Yes, it has at that. It appears I tempted fate by saying we should stay a few more days. Perhaps the men are right..." her voice trailed off as she became lost in her own thoughts.
"Bout what?"
"What?" she asked, snapping out of her reverie.
"The men be right bout what?"
"Oh. Perhaps they are right about it being bad luck to have a woman onboard."
"Nah, we'd ave to ave taken shelter during a storm like that anyways. Can't stop the weather Ash," he reassured her, placing his hand on her shoulder without thinking. For a brief moment, they looked at each other and saw past the pirate and high born lady, to the fragile spirits within. The boat swayed slightly and the moment passed.
"I had better get a little rest. There will be lots to do after the sun rises," she murmured, stepping away from Jack's gentle touch.
"Aye, that there will," Jack agreed, quietly. He watched as she walked away, ignoring the sudden tightness in his chest. "Sleep well, my lady," he whispered, walking slowly towards the helm. Shaking his head, he laid down on the damp deck and closed his eyes. Sleep was a long time coming, for both of them.
The repairs to the Intrepid Explorer continued for the next five days, until the captain was finally satisfied that his ship was as seaworthy as they could temporarily make her. The mood amongst the crew was dark; they were exhausted and a further four men had died since the night of the lightning strike, bringing the death toll to five. Accusations about the women being bad luck were no longer confined to quiet mutterings below decks; the looks cast at them by the pirates were openly hostile now. Fair winds sped them on their journey, and they finally arrived in Port William two weeks after they had discovered the burning wreck of the HMS Audacious. Captain Wolf sent word to the Governor that his daughter and niece were safe, but that their return would cost him 500 gold pieces.
Several hours later, word reached them that Governor Halcon had agreed to pay their reward, and was on his way to deliver the money himself. Ashanae sat quietly in Jack's cabin; her cousin had already gone up on deck to wait for her father, leaving the older girl alone with her thoughts.
"Penny for em," Jack said gently, sitting down on the bed next to her.
"For what?"
"Yer thoughts."
"Oh, them. I was just thinking that, at least I have a small taste of freedom to remember, once mine is taken away."
"Thought ye said yer fiancé wouldn't want ye now, with the scars like."
"It seems I was wrong. My injuries were explained to both my Uncle and my fiancé, and the wedding is to go ahead as planned," she told him. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at the pirate beside her, wishing she had indeed died the day her ship was attacked.
"Don't cry lass. I'm sure he be a good man," Jack reassured her, gathering her into his arms. He stroked her hair gently as she cried, wishing there was something he could do to ease her pain.
"That's just it Jack. I don't want a good man..." she confessed, raising her head from his shoulder and looking into his eyes. "I want you..." she whispered, as he lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers. The air around them was charged with electricity, as if lightning were about to strike nearby. The movement of the ship, the sound of the waves breaking against the hull; all faded away as the world narrowed to encompass only the two youngsters. Fire coursed through their veins as they kissed, giving in to their passion and releasing the tension which had built between them.
The sound of Captain Wolf's raised voice caused Ashanae to pull away suddenly, but she leant back in to lay a last, tender kiss upon Jack's lips to lessen the shock of her abrupt withdrawal. Jack looked at her, the pain in his chest threatening to overwhelm him as he saw the resignation in her eyes.
"Time to go," she murmured sadly. Getting to their feet, Jack and Ashanae slowly made their way up onto deck. A group of six men stood beside the Explorer's Captain; three redcoats, a young man in Naval uniform bearing the insignia of Lieutenant, a well dressed servant, and an older man, richly dressed. The latter looked at Jack disdainfully, his disgust evident as he took in the rough pirate garb his niece was wearing. Annar stood beside her father, her expression a mixture of joy and twisted pleasure at her cousin's fate.
"Ashanae, I am so glad you are alive," Governor Halcon exclaimed, stepping forward to embrace his niece. Ash's entire body stiffened and she kept her arms firmly by her sides, refusing to return the insincere gesture of affection. He released her and turned to Wolf, his face carefully schooled into an expression of seeming gratitude. "Thank you for the safe return of my daughter and my niece, Captain."
"Their safe return was the least I could do, Governor," Wolf replied, his own face a mask of stone. Only his eyes betrayed his dislike of the man standing before him.
"Indeed. Very well, it is time for us to leave." The Governor held out his arm for his daughter to take, and swept past the soldiers, ignoring his niece completely. Ashanae followed slowly, her shoulders slumped slightly in defeat. The remaining men followed her from the ship and down onto the smooth stone of the dock. Furious about Halcon's treatment of his niece, Jack went to go after them, but Wolf's firm hand on his shoulder restrained him.
"There's nothing ye can do for her now, Jack."
Fists clenched, Jack Sparrow watched as the woman who had stolen his heart walked slowly away from the docks, her waist encircled by the arm of Lieutenant James Norrington...
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Well, there
ye go. I guess Norrington wins this one after all :-(