Disclaimer: Okay, so I'm running out of quasi-cute ways to say 'I don't own
this film', so I'll leave it out. Just know that this simple fact tears me
apart : )
Note: Reviews make me smile. Keep 'em coming, please! Terreis, you're a sweetie! Happy Chrismukkah to all and a Happy New Year too! I really hate this chapter...I've been stuck on it for days! GRR!
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 8)
It only took Jack the better part of an hour to realize that his decision to keep Natalie on may not have been the wisest. Now that they were out of land's sight and encounters with other ships were few and far between, there was nothing left for him to do but slowly succumb to her all- encompassing presence. Why, he hadn't a chance in Hell of keeping a single thought in his head with her around, let alone run an entire ship!
She was electrifying! Her laughter seemed to forever float upon the cool sea breeze, carrying it to his ears no matter where he was on board. She was always quick to smile and when she did, she was never coquettish or coy about it, just genuine.
And those damned eyes of hers, they were bewitching! The same deep green color of the seas he loved to sail on, and just as mysterious. They sparkled with gold when she was in good spirits, but when she lost her temper, they turned dark, almost black, like the ocean just before a squall is about to strike. Natalie, with her utter perfection, had the entire crew bamboozled, including the captain.
In all honesty, he couldn't complain either. It was nice having a woman around, for a change.
Ana Maria had been the only other lady he'd ever sailed with, but she was less a lady than she was just another one of the boys, so, in essence, she didn't really count. She commanded cooperation with threats, and usually it worked because she could flatten each and every crewman on his back, and they all knew it.
Natalie was feminine and lovely, but it seemed to work in the same way, for no one wanted to disappoint her. The food no longer tasted like the sole of an old shoe since she gave Spits some help in the galley and the Cara Mia had never looked tidier than after she hollered at the crew for leaving their belongings all over. All in all, the men were considerably less difficult with her on board, all of them trying to get a grin or a few words from her so they could go brag about it to the rest.
It was going to be hell getting rid of her, thought Jack, shaking his head as he looked out over the sea. Suddenly, a few shouts from the aft found their way to his ears and he stormed off to see what was going on. The men were all gathered in a huge heap at the base of the second mast, their eyes all trained upwards. He followed their line of sight and his heart died with a thud in his chest at what he saw.
Apparently, Natalie had lost her mind, for she was halfway up the cargo net that led to the crows nest, the highest point of the ship. "Move, now!" Jack shouted pushing his way through the crowd. It was all he could do to just look up in awe, completely petrified for her. "Natalie!" he yelled, "Get down from there, will you!"
She heard him calling her, but she refused to stop. Not when she was this close to reaching the top! She was on a pirate ship, why not do the most dangerous and unladylike thing on board. With a grin, she continued her climb.
He stood there, slack jawed, as she simply ignored his command and kept on going. Driven by the fear and anger that coursed through his veins at the mere sight of her, he quickly dropped his belt and hat and scrambled up the net after her.
Natalie felt the extra weight drag down the bottom of the netting and heard him grumbling profanities that she had never even heard of until that moment, and hastened her ascent. With each hand-hand-foot-foot bound, she came just a little bit closer to sitting on top of the world, and she wasn't about to let anyone, not even Captain Jack Sparrow, stop her!
* * * *
"Elizabeth, you must stay here. Your sister is already in enough danger, and it would be impossible for me to devote myself entirely to her rescue if I must worry about you as well," Governor Swann said with a small smile, patting her on the head before calling a "Farewell" and walking up the gangway onto the Dauntless.
She bit back a string of rather impolite speech and balled her fists at her sides. Even marriage couldn't bring her into adulthood in her father's eyes! Putting her anger on hold for a moment, she reached out for Commodore Norrington's sleeve as he passed by. He turned to face her and smiled, "Hello, Elizabeth! You look lovely this evening, despite all that has happened."
"Why thank you, James," she replied with a smile, her mind searching for a similar compliment. Motioning to his uniform, she burst out with, "Um, blue suits you. Fabulous shade, if I may say so."
The puzzled look he sent her was enough to inspire her to end her flattery. "James, I need to come with you. I simply cannot wait here and do nothing. She's my sister."
With a sigh, he shook his head. "Darling, you know I cannot. Your father--."
"My father is governor, yes, but you are the pinnacle of the British Navy! Override his decision! William and myself, we have sailed with Captain Sparrow before, we could be of use!" she said with fervor. Raising her eyes to his she pleaded with him, "Please, James. For me?"
With a sigh, he threw his hand in the direction of the gangway, and said blandly, "After you, Miss Turner." Simply nodding as she rejoiced and her husband smiled at him, he inwardly cursed himself for his weakness, and followed them up. "Make ready the vessel, gents, we sail!"
* * * *
Natalie swung her leg over the side of the railing and backed up until she was flush against the mast and sighed. The pirate flag fluttered proudly in the breeze above her head, but she couldn't hear much of anything else. Looking out over the sea, it looked as smooth as fine silk, coating everything beneath her with its beauty. The sun was just starting to sink below the horizon, painting the sky with every color imaginable.
Jack, now very dizzy from the exertion and the two bottles of rum he had knocked back that afternoon, lifted himself over the banister and into the crow's nest with her. He opened his mouth, prepared to lambaste her for driving him completely insane, but froze at the sight of her. She stood there, pinned up against the mast with a bemused smile gazing out at the miles and miles of open ocean.
He remembered his first time up there. It took a crew of seventy's insults and a good hour or so to get him up there, but once he climbed into that basket, he never wanted to leave. There was no good or evil up there, no right or wrong, no strength or weakness. It was just a sailor and the whole world, with no interruptions.
"Natalie," he began, knowing he had to get her down from there eventually, but she turned to him, the sunset reflected in her eyes and its dying rays turning her hair to russet as it floated on the sea air, and laid a hand across his mouth.
"Shhh," she whispered, "Not now." Grabbing hold of his hand, she pulled him over to her small side of the crow's nest and leaned back against him, wrapping his arms around her. Together, they simply stood there and watched the sun take its leave, neither one speaking.
When just a sliver of the day star remained visible, they wordlessly broke apart and started down the net again, him first with her following ahead. The men cheered as her bare feet hit the oaken boards of the deck, and in response, she smiled but moved past them to the very front of the ship.
Jack nodded to the men who patted him on the back for getting her down, but his mind was elsewhere. Something was happening. Something that was much bigger than he'd ever anticipated, and now he had to figure out what he was going to do about it.
Note: Reviews make me smile. Keep 'em coming, please! Terreis, you're a sweetie! Happy Chrismukkah to all and a Happy New Year too! I really hate this chapter...I've been stuck on it for days! GRR!
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 8)
It only took Jack the better part of an hour to realize that his decision to keep Natalie on may not have been the wisest. Now that they were out of land's sight and encounters with other ships were few and far between, there was nothing left for him to do but slowly succumb to her all- encompassing presence. Why, he hadn't a chance in Hell of keeping a single thought in his head with her around, let alone run an entire ship!
She was electrifying! Her laughter seemed to forever float upon the cool sea breeze, carrying it to his ears no matter where he was on board. She was always quick to smile and when she did, she was never coquettish or coy about it, just genuine.
And those damned eyes of hers, they were bewitching! The same deep green color of the seas he loved to sail on, and just as mysterious. They sparkled with gold when she was in good spirits, but when she lost her temper, they turned dark, almost black, like the ocean just before a squall is about to strike. Natalie, with her utter perfection, had the entire crew bamboozled, including the captain.
In all honesty, he couldn't complain either. It was nice having a woman around, for a change.
Ana Maria had been the only other lady he'd ever sailed with, but she was less a lady than she was just another one of the boys, so, in essence, she didn't really count. She commanded cooperation with threats, and usually it worked because she could flatten each and every crewman on his back, and they all knew it.
Natalie was feminine and lovely, but it seemed to work in the same way, for no one wanted to disappoint her. The food no longer tasted like the sole of an old shoe since she gave Spits some help in the galley and the Cara Mia had never looked tidier than after she hollered at the crew for leaving their belongings all over. All in all, the men were considerably less difficult with her on board, all of them trying to get a grin or a few words from her so they could go brag about it to the rest.
It was going to be hell getting rid of her, thought Jack, shaking his head as he looked out over the sea. Suddenly, a few shouts from the aft found their way to his ears and he stormed off to see what was going on. The men were all gathered in a huge heap at the base of the second mast, their eyes all trained upwards. He followed their line of sight and his heart died with a thud in his chest at what he saw.
Apparently, Natalie had lost her mind, for she was halfway up the cargo net that led to the crows nest, the highest point of the ship. "Move, now!" Jack shouted pushing his way through the crowd. It was all he could do to just look up in awe, completely petrified for her. "Natalie!" he yelled, "Get down from there, will you!"
She heard him calling her, but she refused to stop. Not when she was this close to reaching the top! She was on a pirate ship, why not do the most dangerous and unladylike thing on board. With a grin, she continued her climb.
He stood there, slack jawed, as she simply ignored his command and kept on going. Driven by the fear and anger that coursed through his veins at the mere sight of her, he quickly dropped his belt and hat and scrambled up the net after her.
Natalie felt the extra weight drag down the bottom of the netting and heard him grumbling profanities that she had never even heard of until that moment, and hastened her ascent. With each hand-hand-foot-foot bound, she came just a little bit closer to sitting on top of the world, and she wasn't about to let anyone, not even Captain Jack Sparrow, stop her!
* * * *
"Elizabeth, you must stay here. Your sister is already in enough danger, and it would be impossible for me to devote myself entirely to her rescue if I must worry about you as well," Governor Swann said with a small smile, patting her on the head before calling a "Farewell" and walking up the gangway onto the Dauntless.
She bit back a string of rather impolite speech and balled her fists at her sides. Even marriage couldn't bring her into adulthood in her father's eyes! Putting her anger on hold for a moment, she reached out for Commodore Norrington's sleeve as he passed by. He turned to face her and smiled, "Hello, Elizabeth! You look lovely this evening, despite all that has happened."
"Why thank you, James," she replied with a smile, her mind searching for a similar compliment. Motioning to his uniform, she burst out with, "Um, blue suits you. Fabulous shade, if I may say so."
The puzzled look he sent her was enough to inspire her to end her flattery. "James, I need to come with you. I simply cannot wait here and do nothing. She's my sister."
With a sigh, he shook his head. "Darling, you know I cannot. Your father--."
"My father is governor, yes, but you are the pinnacle of the British Navy! Override his decision! William and myself, we have sailed with Captain Sparrow before, we could be of use!" she said with fervor. Raising her eyes to his she pleaded with him, "Please, James. For me?"
With a sigh, he threw his hand in the direction of the gangway, and said blandly, "After you, Miss Turner." Simply nodding as she rejoiced and her husband smiled at him, he inwardly cursed himself for his weakness, and followed them up. "Make ready the vessel, gents, we sail!"
* * * *
Natalie swung her leg over the side of the railing and backed up until she was flush against the mast and sighed. The pirate flag fluttered proudly in the breeze above her head, but she couldn't hear much of anything else. Looking out over the sea, it looked as smooth as fine silk, coating everything beneath her with its beauty. The sun was just starting to sink below the horizon, painting the sky with every color imaginable.
Jack, now very dizzy from the exertion and the two bottles of rum he had knocked back that afternoon, lifted himself over the banister and into the crow's nest with her. He opened his mouth, prepared to lambaste her for driving him completely insane, but froze at the sight of her. She stood there, pinned up against the mast with a bemused smile gazing out at the miles and miles of open ocean.
He remembered his first time up there. It took a crew of seventy's insults and a good hour or so to get him up there, but once he climbed into that basket, he never wanted to leave. There was no good or evil up there, no right or wrong, no strength or weakness. It was just a sailor and the whole world, with no interruptions.
"Natalie," he began, knowing he had to get her down from there eventually, but she turned to him, the sunset reflected in her eyes and its dying rays turning her hair to russet as it floated on the sea air, and laid a hand across his mouth.
"Shhh," she whispered, "Not now." Grabbing hold of his hand, she pulled him over to her small side of the crow's nest and leaned back against him, wrapping his arms around her. Together, they simply stood there and watched the sun take its leave, neither one speaking.
When just a sliver of the day star remained visible, they wordlessly broke apart and started down the net again, him first with her following ahead. The men cheered as her bare feet hit the oaken boards of the deck, and in response, she smiled but moved past them to the very front of the ship.
Jack nodded to the men who patted him on the back for getting her down, but his mind was elsewhere. Something was happening. Something that was much bigger than he'd ever anticipated, and now he had to figure out what he was going to do about it.