Author's note: Yay! I'm making some real progress with this story here. And yes, don't worry, it's all leading up to something. I promise. The only bad thing is that I haven't been writing in any of my other stories, something that's upsetting anyone who actually reads them. Meh, oh well. Oh, and by the way, Katrina is based (loosely) on my good friend Roz! Enjoy!
Oh yes. I did not write 'away from the roll of the sea', and though I do not know who did, I know the song through choir.
Long chapter, I know. Please bear with me.
~Kris
Chapter 8
"He's gone." Kris said as she faced Will, disbelieving. "Are you sure?"
"He's not anywhere on the ship!" Will exclaimed, agitatedly pacing the floor of Kris's cabin. It was cramped, but at least she didn't have to share it with anyone. Not that she spent all that much time in her own cabin, anyway.
"You checked absolutely everywhere?" Kris pushed. "You're sure Jack's nowhere on this ship?"
"Yes!" Will replied. "I've told you, we can't find him anywhere!"
Kris's stomach sank as she realised he was telling the truth. And since Will was telling the truth that meant that it was her fault Jack left. Why had she over reacted so much, if she had only been more understanding then he wouldn't have gone…
"Do you know where he is?" Will asked suspiciously after Kris had been silent for a moment.
"Don't you think I'd tell you if I did?!" Kris exclaimed, standing up from her perch on the small windowsill. "Don't think you're the only one who gives a damn that he's run off, Turner."
"How do you know he's run off?" Will asked.
"Where else do you think he is? You yourself said that one of the rowers was missing." Though, of course, it had never occurred to either of them that Jack may have moved the rower Mia was hiding under. "If you know anything else, feel free to tell me."
"I already have told you all I know." Will replied, looking worried.
Kris immediately felt guilty for being so harsh with him. It wasn't Will's fault, he shouldn't have to bear all of her guilt as well.
Just then Mia strode into the room, rubbing sleep from her eyes and yawning. "Isn't it a little early to be holding debates?" she asked tiredly. "My cabin's just next door, the least you could do is keep it down a little."
"Sorry. By the way, Jack's left." Kris said, before briskly walking past Mia out onto the deck. What she needed was time to think, and at this hour of the morning she doubted anyone would be around to keep her from it… And she had made a vow, long ago, after her family died and she was left with her uncle, that she would never let anyone see her cry.
* * *
Smith hadn't bothered to disturb anyone else on the Black Pearl, for though he wanted to hurt anyone connected with Jack Sparrow, he wanted to get back at Jack even more. And just as luck would have it, Jack was alone on the deck, obviously distracted by something and completely unaware of their arrival. Of course, he had put up a fight (this was Jack Sparrow we're talking about here) but once Jeremy and his crew had outnumbered and captured him, he seemed almost willing to go. Crestfallen.
Smith studied the cut across his left wrist, the only mark from his short battle with Jack. He frowned as he remembered that this wasn't the only scar Jack had caused, as he sported a number of slashes across his chest and torso from a rather embarrassing past battle. Jack had always been able to beat Smith in a good fight, or at least leave a few nasty scars. He was much better than Smith with a sword. And a gun. And a ship. Actually, all of Smith's life he had spent in Jack Sparrow's shadow, always being second best, never succeeding in finding something he was better than Jack in. Even the women seemed to prefer Jack to him, something he had never been able to figure out, because while Smith was for the most part clean-shaven and even considered handsome by some, Jack had always seemed so, so, filthy. And rude and vulgar… Smith had never understood that attraction woman had to Jack.
Actually, Smith couldn't figure out how anyone could like his brother.
It made him cringe to think that he was actually related to this man, that though they both came from different fathers, they shared the same mother. His only comfort was in the fact that they were only half brothers. Their mother, Morgan, god bless her soul, had been married twice. Once Jack's father had died, she had remarried to a man named David Smith, and had Jeremy. He and Jack were 5 years apart, and as far as Smith was concerned, couldn't be more different.
But now Jack was safely locked in the cell of the Ebony rose, unable to do any more harm to the world. Smith tried not to think himself a hero, but he couldn't help being pleased with himself all the same. He'd never really held a grudge against pirates, but seeing Jack hung at the noose would definitely calm his mind. After all, if it wasn't for Jack and his bloody knack for getting into trouble, their mother would still be alive…
* * *
Since Jack had left, Kris had been elected captain of the Black Pearl. Actually, every member of the crew other than herself and Anna-Maria (who had both nominated Gibbs) had voted for her.
They kept to Jack's original game plan. They headed towards Mexico to steal this map they needed (Jack had told only Kris and Gibbs of its whereabouts), but first they had stopped at a small island just off the coast of Mexico to pick up Bill and Brett. Though Kris was absolutely overjoyed to see them, she almost felt as if she shouldn't be. For some reason, Kris felt that she would have had more of a right to be happy to see them if they had been reunited at a funeral.
It had been just over a week since Jack had left when they reached Mexico. Roping their ship at the port, Kris, Gibbs, Bill, Brett and Mia (Kris hadn't quite felt comfortable leaving her with the rest of the crew) met in a shabby pub to discuss their plans.
"He said that we could easily sneak into the mansion disguised as musicians." Gibbs explained quietly, referring to Jack. It was apparent that the matter of their former captain was still a tender issue with Kris, and simply out of courtesy Gibbs had taken to not saying his name around her.
"Whose mansion is this again?" Brett asked.
"An aristocrat's." Kris replied. "At least, that's all he had said about it. The map's supposed to be in an office on the second floor, it won't be hard to find."
Every word she said was business-like, but Mia could see that there obviously was something bothering Kris. She wasn't brooding or sulking, she didn't seem angry at all. Kris seemed almost… guilty. Mia knew that although what had happened that night was completely in her favour (Jack was gone, after all), it was really taking a toll on the closest thing to a sister she had ever had.
"This sounds almost too easy." Bill commented. "I mean, we sneak into this party as musicians and just walk out with a map? It's way too perfect."
"Aren't you guys forgetting something?" Mia started.
"Shh, not now Mia." Kris interrupted. "Now, tomorrow's the only time we can get in, so we'd better not mess this up-"
"People!" Mia said, louder this time. "This is important!"
Kris sighed. "What, Mia."
"Well, you guys are sneaking in as musicians, right?" Mia started. "Don't you have to know how to play an instrument to be a musician?"
Kris and Gibbs looked at each other.
"Good point." Gibbs said finally.
"Me and Brett could pretend to play the fiddle." Bill offered. "I can play a bit, and Brett can just fake it. If all goes well, we won't actually have to play, right?"
"True." Kris said. "And Gibbs can be our conductor, that doesn't take much talent."
"That only leaves one small matter." Gibbs said.
"What matter is that?" Brett asked.
"Kris." Gibbs replied. "As far as I know, you don't play a thing."
"I don't." Kris admitted.
"She could sing." Mia suggested.
"No I couldn't." Kris said immediately. As far as she knew, Jack and Mia were the only two people who had heard her sing. Though her mother had been a performer before she died, Kris was always self conscious of her voice, at least when she was sober.
"You could!" Bill exclaimed. "I've heard you, you have an amazing voice."
"But-" Kris started.
"Then it's settled." Gibbs said. "Kris will sing."
Kris shook her head and took a sip of her drink. If it meant they would actually get something out of this in the end (namely, treasure, and lots of it) then she would just have to suck it up and do it.
* * *
Jack lay in his cell staring at the ceiling. The floor of the cell was covered in water, but at the moment he would rather be wet than standing. The soft sound of the ocean spray and the groaning of the ship's hull created a calming lullaby, the moonlight streaming through a small knot hole in the planks was his only light. He knew his brother would try and do something to him, but he never knew he'd do this…
Jack wondered how long it would take to get to wherever they were going. His thoughts were constantly wandering from one memory to another, it was pretty much the only thing he could do. He was always thinking his ship, how the crew was holding, if his plan had worked and if they had even decided to carry it out. He tried not to think of Kris, for after dwelling upon the memory of the night she had left him, he had decided he didn't want to go back. He decided that if he never saw her face again, the pain would go away.
The sound of heavy footsteps thumping down the wooden steps leading into the bilge jarred Jack from his thoughts. Closing his eyes, he pretended to be asleep as his brother approached the cell.
"You're not asleep Sparrow, I know you aren't." Smith jeered through the rusty bars.
Jack gave an exasperated sigh and opened his eyes. "Go away, Jeremy."
"This is no time for being immature, Sparrow." Smith replied.
"Why must you always call me that, Jeremy?" Jack replied. "We are brothers, mate. Better get over it."
"We may be by blood, but you were never my brother. Not since you killed my mother."
"I would never have hurt her, Jeremy. You bloody well know that."
"I'll just let you think on that." Jeremy replied, leaning his face closer to the bars so his face was illuminated by the small bit of moonlight leaking from outside. "While you're hanging from a noose. Escape is impossible; I hope you take that into consideration before doing anything rash." And, satisfied with Jack's reaction, Smith walked away from the cell and up the steps.
"It's not as if I have anywhere to escape to." Jack muttered.
* * *
Kris felt vaguely uncomfortable as they walked through the open gates towards the manner they were to rob. But not so much about the fact they were going to steal something, no, her discomfort was mostly due to the long, deep red dress she wore. Before they had left, she had asked Will to keep an eye out for Mia. She'd gotten the feeling that Will was the only person on the ship who understood her need to watch out for the people you cared for. She had become quite fond of him in the past while, not in the way you would think of someone as a lover, but the way you would be fond of a brother. Though they hadn't had many conversations since Jack had left, and they'd barely said a word to each other before, there was an understanding between them, an understanding she knew she would never figure out…
The house loomed over them as they approached it; a statue of an angel resting on the top of a grand fountain looked down at them in what one could almost make out as disapproval.
"Names?" the man at the door asked as Kris, Gibbs, Bill and Brett approached him, not bothering to look up from his list.
"We need no names." Brett replied, holding up his violin. "We're the entertainment."
"Finally!" the man said, dropping his formal manner. "You'd better get in there; Katrina's been having a fit all night!"
"We'll hurry then." Kris said, smiling and leading the others inside. "Wouldn't want to keep Katrina waiting."
"Whoever she is." Bill added quietly as they stepped through the large oak doors.
Inside was truly a sight. Calvin and Brianna Westly, a count and countess, not to mention the owners of the mansion, were having a banquet to celebrate their daughter's sixteenth birthday. The ballroom alone could have easily fit their ship inside with room to spare, and there were breath taking tapestries and paintings adorning the walls. And in every nook and cranny rested beautiful candles, all in the same shade of light pink. The four pirates stood just inside the ballroom, speechless and not quite knowing what to do.
"There you are!" a voice came from behind them. Kris turned around to see a young woman, about her age, rushing towards them. She was quite interesting to look at, with eyes such a dark shade of blue that they could have been violet and her dark brown hair tied back into a braid that hung down to her waist. Her dress was of a beautiful black silk and seemed very formal, but not quite as formal as the outfits all the guests were adorning.
"You're an hour late!" the woman exclaimed. She quickly looked each of them up and down, stopping at Kris. "I'm guessing you're Scarlet. And I don't know why you brought your own conductor; you only have to sing for two songs. And why do you have two violinists? I though you were bringing your flute player instead."
"Oh, we were, but he came down with a terrible cold." Kris explained. "Couldn't even breathe properly, let alone play."
"Too bad." She said quickly. "By the way, I'm Katrina, I run the band. Now come on, you have to rehearse with the orchestra at least once before we play."
They followed Katrina back to the entry way and through a door they had not even noticed was there; it was painted the exact shade the walls were and seemed to blend in with its surroundings. As soon as Katrina pushed open the door, a rush of sound escaped. Inside were dozens of musicians, all tuning their instruments, playing bits of songs and talking excitedly. Kris had never felt insecure about much, and was usually at home within the midst of a crowd, but for the first time she felt overwhelmed by the amount of talented people she was expected to fit right in with.
"They're finally here!" Katrina announced as she led them inside. She picked up a few black folders and handed them to each of the 'musicians'. "Here, we're all supposed to have the same portfolios. And we only need one more violinist, one of you won't play. So I suppose it's just you, Scarlet, and one of you two." She gave a slight motion of the hand towards Bill and Brett.
Before any of them could reply, Katrina was heading into the midst of the crowd, quickly disappearing within all of the people. The way they moved about somehow made it seem as if there were hundreds of people in the room, instead of the roughly estimated twenty. They reminded Kris of a school of fish, each carrying out their own responsibilities while creating such a large dance of life…
"Scarlet!" Gibbs said, motioning for her to come closer. "Now, while you're on stage Brett and I will sneak upstairs and get that map. You'll be all right?"
"Of course." Kris gave a weak smile. "I'll be fine. You just worry yourself in not getting caught, especially since Brett's accompanying you."
Gibbs nodded and smiled before heading out of the room with Brett, no doubt straight to the buffet they had spotted in a dining room just outside of the ballroom. Kris sighed and opened her folder to see what song she'd have to learn. She gave a relieved smile when she saw that the first song was a simple Latin song she had learned when she was a child. She quickly skimmed through the words, just to be sure, before removing that paper to see what the other song might be. A lump caught in her throat as she read the title, realising this was the song she'd known for even longer than the Latin one, the song her mother had sang to her and she had sang to Jack night after night… Away From the Roll of the Sea. Surely the fates had something against her, bringing up the memories she had just managed to forget…
"Are you alright?" A voice came from behind her. Kris turned around to see Katrina peering over her shoulder, her eyes that had obviously reading the words of the song that had upset Kris so much now looking up at her with a soft glimmer of worry. "You're not feeling unwell, are you?"
It took Kris a moment to clear her throat enough to speak. "I'm fine, really. It's just…Stage fright."
Stage fright? Since when do musicians get stage fright before playing at a birthday party?
But Katrina didn't seem to notice the strangeness of Kris's answer. She just nodded knowingly and smiled warmly. "I'm sure everyone goes through that at one time or another."
Now it was Kris's turn to nod in agreement. In any other situation similar to this, she would have felt awkward, but for some reason she felt comfortable around Katrina. "It's funny how we can manage to find ways through the worst of situations, yet we still get worked up over the smallest things. Really, women even confuse me, and I'm one of them. I pity men."
Katrina laughed. "You remind me of someone, Scarlet." She said. "I grew up with someone just like you. It's strange; you even look like her…"
Katrina was interrupted by a young man with thick, sandy hair and muddy brown eyes. "Katrina! The countess requests that the band strike a song quickly, some of the guests are getting bored."
Katrina turned to Kris. "You'll have to excuse me, Scarlet, the countess is not one for waiting long."
"Neither's her daughter." The young man behind her pointed out. "Spoiled brat, she is. Can't wait until she's off married to some aristocrat in another country."
Katrina laughed. "The sad thing is, it's true. Scarlet, you might find a glass of ale helpful to settle your stomach and head. A spoonful of sugar will help the bubbles settle, so you won't have to worry about your voice."
Kris grinned. "Thanks, I will. Break a leg."
Katrina laughed and clapped her hands excitedly. "Alright boys, you heard the lady! Let's break a leg out there, or at least fracture something."
The musicians gave a cheer before quietly heading out the door with their instruments, being cautious not to let an edge of a viola or a flute case bang against the doorway, as it was bad form for musicians to disturb the guests. They were meant to be background music; nothing more.
But about a half hour later, once Kris had reunited with Gibbs and Brett (whom Kris had been right to suspect that they might have been at the buffet, due to the obviously messy eating habits both possessed) and headed out into the midst of the gigantic ballroom, they found out that background music was not the only thing on the agenda of Katrina. For she was not only the organised leader of the musicians, but a violinist, as well.
After about an hour of the usual Vienna Waltz and other overplayed pieces, Katrina had stepped forward with her violin in front of the crowd. The crowd's chatter had lowered itself to a quiet buzz, as it was apparent something important was to happen (aristocrats may be a little slow, but they weren't that slow). After a few moments of almost complete silence, Katrina started playing.
For the majority of the crowd, it was a completely new and unheard piece, but it wasn't all that new to Kris and the others. It was a common tune, most often heard in taverns and accompanied with vulgar lyrics, but it was devilishly difficult to play. The lively, almost harsh notes her violin produced had snapped the crowd out of its quiet state and onto the dance floor. Her arm moved furiously as she played, her eyes closed in deep concentration. After a minute or two of her sole violin casting its almost sad notes across the crowd, the other three violinists joined in, and before long the band was sending deafening waves of music throughout the room. Kris would have never expected something so lively from a bunch like this, but there was a lot about Katrina she would have been surprised to find out. Suddenly, almost too quickly, the music stopped.
Kris, Brett and Gibbs were not the only people applauding as Katrina took a curt bow and stepped back to where the other musicians stood. She slightly motioned for Kris to step up onto the platform as she did this, smiling reassuringly.
Kris did as she was told and climbed the few steps up onto the stage, concentrating on keeping her breathing steady. She gave a slight nod to Gibbs and Brett, signalling them to head up to the second floor. She took a deep breath and, fixing her gaze upon what were obviously the countess and her daughter, began to sing.
"Angelus cantare per foris ad nox…" she sang, the slow, pure notes echoing through the room. It was a blessing, really, and was not all that unusual to hear at a birthday party. Once she was finished, Kris was relieved beyond belief and confident that she could do it again. Her confidence was given an added boost once she saw Gibbs and Brett re-enter the room, both smiling. The band started playing again, and Kris waited until the proper time for her to come in.
"Small craft in the harbour…"
"Oh mother, look!" the countess's daughter exclaimed excitedly, motioning up towards the stage. "It's our song! They're playing our song, mother…" her excitement was drowned out in the sound of the music. It was true; this was the song her beloved sang to her…
They finished, and relieved that this whole ordeal was finished with; Kris got off the stage and walked out of the room, having to search the wall of the entry way for a moment before finding the door to the room the musicians had been in.
"You got the map?" she asked excitedly, rushing towards Gibbs and Brett.
"Are crows black?" Brett replied, producing a rather crumpled piece of paper from the pocket of his breeches. "Now if you don't mind, it'd be a relief to get back to the ship…"
Moments later, after playing one last song, the band came bustling back into the room, Katrina taking up the rear.
"Oh, Scarlet!" she exclaimed, rushing towards them. "That was wonderful! You all were!" she threw open her arms as she shouted to the musicians, laughing. "Of course, this calls for a celebration! It's not everyday one gets a paying gig at such a grand place as this."
The small crowd cheered, all pumped with adrenaline from playing on stage and happy that the whole occasion was a success.
"Surely you'll be joining us?" Katrina said to Kris, Gibbs, Bill and Brett.
Kris looked at Gibbs and smiled. "Why not? This is an occasion in need of a celebration, after all."
* * *
So, while Jack was laying on the floor of his leaking cell, Elizabeth was thinking of Will, who was also thinking of her (about as much as one could while trying to teach a cocky fourteen year old how to fence) and Kris was watching Katrina dancing on a table with one of the other musicians (though it was funny, she hadn't seen Katrina touch a drink all night), the rest of the world went on without any knowledge of the secrets their neighbours held. Smith's secret brother, Mia's secret longing to be home and Kris's not-so-secret guilt. But it was really no secret that not a single musician, real or not, would be up early the next morning.