Disclaimer: See Chapter One.
Dedicated to with a huge thank you to all my reviewers. Vous êtes magnifique. Vraiment.
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Chapter 9: A Pirate or a Princess…or a wife?!
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Will Turner hugged Elizabeth closer to him from where they had propped themselves against a large log, surveying the scene. The tribe was obviously in celebration, stomping their bangled feet around an enormous fire at the center of the human circle. Every person from the very old to the withered and ancient danced, laughing and calling out in their thick language, occasionally raising their hands sky ward in rhythm with the beaded instruments and insistent drums.
Suddenly the music became more fervent, more driving, and Will's heart beat faster, caught up in the excitement coursing through the night air.
The young and the old faded to the outside of the circle, back to the outskirts where Will and Elizabeth had distanced themselves, and a group of twenty or so men and woman shimmered into view from behind the fire
Will squinted, watching as they wavered with the smoke, moving bodies in an ancient rhythm. The dance grew more and more intense, calling on the gods and heavens full of smiling ancestors. The blacksmith was left briefly wondering how long this frenzied celebration could continue.
As if hearing his thoughts, the music suddenly waned and the pounding drums fell silent, the only sounds human breathing and the soft murmur of shell-beaded instruments. Slowly the music returned, the drums choosing a more sedate pace, and the people began to slowly dance around the great fire and laugh again.
Elizabeth relaxed the muscles she hadn't know she had clenched and leaned back into Will's embrace. "Will," he heard her murmur sleepily, "Have you seen Jack or Ana?"
Will heaved a sigh. Truth be known, he hadn't seen either for several hours. He and Elizabeth had barely had a chance to exchange words with Anamaria before she was whisked away by a group of female visitors and the Shangazi. A more subdued Jack Sparrow than the young blacksmith had ever seen had greeted the pair, listlessly recapping the events that had occurred between the two before discovering a type of liquor the Himba had produced themselves.
Obviously he had left out many details, Will knew, and the captain seemed more preoccupied than usual. It must have been something with Anamaria, Will thought with concern. Frankly, a disheartened Jack Sparrow was something few had ever seen and not a good thing, to be sure.
"Your friend," Jimoh broke in suddenly, joining the pair to perch beside Will, "I believe is over there."
Following Jimoh's stubby pointed finger, Will could see Jack clutching a gourd bottle, spinning and swaying to the music. He was all the while winking and smiling suggestively at a group of young giggling Himba women in typical Jack Sparrow fashion.
"You can take the man from the pirates…" Will murmured wryly, "But you can't take the pirate from the man."
Jack suddenly spun around, spotting the trio so intently observing him. He gave them a triumphant smile, waved seductively at the girls, then swaggered back to the group of light-skinned people, almost tripping over himself as he neared them. He plopped down besides Jimoh and threw his arm around the startled missionary's shoulders.
"Enjoyin' the scenery, mate?" he slurred in greeting. Leaning across the missionary's lap, he whispered loudly in the proximity of Will's ear, "Almost rivals that bouquet o'Tortuga, aye?"
Will wrinkled his nose and bit his lip, shifting uncomfortably. He nodded almost indistinguishably, hoping Elizabeth wouldn't notice No such luck.
She craned her neck around, her hands planted ion his chest to give her the advantage of giving him a hard shove if he deserved it. "Tortuga?" Elizabeth demanded shrilly.
While the engaged couple began to fight, (rather, Elizabeth screeched and Will would attempt to pacify her) Jack rather lost interest, focusing on the dancers instead. They were no fun, those two: too tame. Now, if he and Ana were to go at it—
The music ceased abruptly and the entire company dropped to a couched position.
A lone slender figure materialized behind the dancing flames, moving arms and hips seductively as she swayed into the firelight, the light tapping of drums following her.
Jack leaned over closer to Jimoh again, pointing his finger thoughtfully in the direction of the dancer, ""What she doin' then?"
Jimoh swallowed uncomfortably and tried to inch away from the pirate, fixing his eyes on the ceremony. "The Himba are a matriarchal society…but even so, it is expected that all women must marry."
The pirate's attention snapped away from the red-cloth dress dancer and his eyebrows shot up. "What?" he spat.
"She has been given one full moon cycle to make her choice, and her aunt insists she choose a husband tonight. In marrying, her influence over the tribe will be reduced as her husband takes some of it, but Shangazi believes that this will better the tribe."
Jack shot him a look, clearly stating 'Go on.'
The missionary concluded quickly, his eyes shifting to anywhere but the pirate. "This is it. If she accepts the bridegroom's offer, she will let him dance with her."
The pirate's mouth fell open for an instant, watching a sinewy, bare-chested Himba man bow before Anamaria. His mouth snapped shut and black eyes narrowed with resolve. "Bloody hell she will."
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Ana's eyes flitted nervously around the company as she tried to concentrate. She felt like Barbosa's dancing pet monkey. For heaven's sake, lass, she berated herself, yer an accomplished woman, now go out there and show the likes of them that
She shut her eyes, letting her body flow to the rythem, forgetting her obligation to marry that she promised for this night. Let Jack Sparrow watch this, she thought with a stab of satisfaction.
Ana rolled her hips, tipping her head back and letting the warmth of the fire and fragrant night breeze caress her skin. The steps that she had been taught that had felt so awkward before now came naturally as she twisted her bangled arms over her head.
Moving her feet and hips, she watched solemnly as a young warrior approached her. She smiled teasingly at him, and he fell to his knees as she swayed in a circle around him, letting her hands caress her own skin and then brush over his thick braids. However, when he rose to follow her, she pushed him back, fluttering away.
The next man she reached was Tabari, who did not house a hopeful or enthusiastic expression. She was sure he did not want her as a wife, but would have her out of respect of the culture and Ana, his friend. Marriage to her would bring great honor to his family, she knew. Her eyes caught Nyako, looking on anxiously with clasped hands. Ana pulled him to his feet, leading him over to the knot of people where Nyako stood. Pressing a kindly hand to his shoulder, she left the pair.
She could sense a commotion and several angry voices to her left, but thinking that it might be Tabari's upset family, she turned in the other direction to continue her rounds, wondering what the chances were that she could just keep at this all night without choosing anyone and this whole business might be forgotten.
Why on God's earth had she even accepted Shangazi's proposal? Because you want her acceptance, a nagging voice piped up from somewhere in her subconscious. She glared at nothing, feeling her entire being fraying and leading her two directions. A pirate or a princess, Ana mused, which one am I?
Letting the argument rage in her mind, Ana continued to dance to the subtle music, her eyes once more drifting closed. Well, she could at least enjoy herself a little if this was her last night of being a free woman. She grew more bold, rolling her hips in slow circles and allowing her arms to weave charms through the heavy air.
A rough hand was gently pressed against the side of her abdomen and her left hand was caught in a large warm one. Like she was a child's puppet, the hands from behind guided her in the dance.
Thinking it was another suitor, Ana let a lazy smile curve across her lips, her free hand fluttering up behind her head to rest on one side of the puppeteer's head.
Slender fingers angled in smooth locks, unlike the thick multiple braids the Himba men wore. Fingertips brushed across the wooden beads and familiar worn cloth.
Anamaria's eyes flew open in recognition.
Amidst her anger, she realized suddenly if she rejected him
angrily that the people would surely punish him by imprisoning or death for
upsetting their malika. Through her confliction
thoughts, she felt his beard tickle the crook of her neck as he scooted closer
to tightly press against her back, moving his hips to a rhythm similar to hers.
"Jack!" she hissed softly, continuing to dance, "What do ye think ye are doin'?"
She could sense his gold toothed grin as he shifted to murmur infuriatingly in her ear, "It's been a while since I've danced with ye, love."
Ana huffed, and Jack caught the words "daft fool" among the multiple languages she muttered angrily.
Through the shimmering heat they swayed slowly while their bare feet tapped and ageless melody circling the fire until suddenly Ana felt his chapped lips press hotly against her shoulder and the scar she knew ran through it. He pressed slow kisses down her shoulder to the ugly knife wound only a few months old, delivered by none other than Anamaria's former owner.
Ana's eyes slammed closed and it took all her careful strength to detangle herself, for the first time facing the pirate, her eyes locking with his fire-dancing ones.
Acutely aware that the entire tribe was watching them, she took his hand, bowing slightly to him and watching him do the same. She then stood motionless and Jack, a smile flitting across his features, inclined his head backwards in invitation.
That was all it took; Ana threw caution and obligation to the starry sky and pressed her lips clumsily against hers. He caught her close, kissing her back soundly.
Her lips suddenly met cool night air, and she forced her eyes open to see several large man restraining Jack. She felt the sting of rocks on her scraps knees and knew she was on the ground. "Stop," she demanded harshly in Himba, leaping to her feet.
Ana stepped towards him, barely registering the shocked murmurs through the crowd and suddenly felt her arms being restrained by two wise men. Through the din, Ana looked frantically for anyone who could help her or Jack; her eyes caught on Shangazi and just as Ana opened her mouth to call to her, the older woman melted back into the crowd, something unrecognizable and unnerving flashing in her eyes.
Struggling against her captors, the men restraining Jack abruptly released him with a sneer, kicking him in the stomach then elbowing the crouching man in the back. Touching his hand to bloody mouth, he clamored to his feet, holding out a hand.
"Stop," he panted, "let 'er go." The pirate knew very well that it was quite possible that they could not understand him. "It's me fault," he ground out, stumbling over to wrench Anamaria from the dark men's hands.
He examined her carefully, checking her arms for bruises and her scraped knees for severity. Ana wiped away the blood forming at the corner of his mouth with her slender fingers, ears listening to the murmurs of the tribe and realizing that no other men had come forward to restrain them. There appeared to be some sort of argument being conducted, she realized, when abruptly the crowd fell silent.
One of the wise men, whom Ana now recognized as Yobachi, stepped forward, motioning to the two of them, putting Jack's hand back into Ana's weathered dark one. He began to speak rapidly in the native language, which at this speed Anamaria could not comprehend at all.
The pirates looked wide-eyed from him to each other and back to the wise man. Abruptly Yobachi stopped speaking and a cheer erupted from the surrounding people. The pair found themselves surrounded by grinning people and pushed into a large central hut.
Jack gazed around the heavily decorated hut, blinking several times, his gaze resting on Anamaria who was biting her lip and looking rather uncomfortable. "Nice place," he grinned, "Very cozy…if ye know what I mean."
The African woman opened her mouth indignantly, her eyes narrowing and glaring at him. The pit of her stomach was twisted with sudden fear and something she couldn't recognize. "I don't suppose ye don't know they use this place for, do ye?"
Jack thought hard, scrunching up his face in concentration. "Ah…no."
"Ye great fool!" Ana screeched, stomping her foot childishly, "This is a bloody wedding hut!"
Jack stared at her through wide, incredulous eyes. "What are ye sayin'?"
"I think he just bloody married us!"
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Jack stared wide-eyed and frantically down at the seething woman before him, feeling the bottom fall out of his world. Marry? Jack Sparrow didn't marry. All the freedom, all the long voyages and nights in Tortuga…gone? Marry? End up with five yapping children with a civil…job. He shuddered. It just wasn't possible. Not possible at all. "What?" he demanded through clenched teeth.
"Ye heard what I said," Anamaria snapped, plopping down on a pile of furs to tiredly rub at her aching temples. "This is all yer fault," she accused grumpily, crossing her arms in a clanging of bracelets.
"Me fault?" Jack demanded incredulously, arms fluttering to express himself mid air. "If ye hadn't gone an' promised t'marry the first bloke who—"
"Well I did!" Ana yelled shortly. "Fine, ye blame it all on me. Me fault, fine, I admit it! Happy?" Raising her eyes, she caught Jack staring at her with a quite curious expression. "What?" she growled.
"Yer me wife…" Jack stated, the beginnings of a smug smile flitting across his face, "An' yer a princess," he added for good measure.
"Yer point?"
"So now I'm Prince Capt'n Jack Sparrow. And ye, yer supposed t'obey me every word." Jack ran his finger down her shoulder, smirking, "Me every word."
Ana snorted and slapped his hand away. Quite unladylike, she knew, but frankly she couldn't care. Anamaria wasn't sure which was more amusing: Jack sparrow as a prince, or she obeying his every whim.
"This is ridiculous," she snapped finally, though a little pain shot through her chest to admit the obvious, "I'm not yer wife."
"Ye might be," Jack pointed out, a smug smile rolling into place.
"Try and be sensible," was her only sharp retort from where her face had been buried in her dark hands.
"I can't be sensible. Ain't possible," Jack confessed frantically, falling to his knees before her and staring up into the dark pools of her eyes imploringly, his hand raised pleadingly by her jaw.
"Me? I'm just the one who loses 'er head an' storms off," Anamaria scoffed lightly, meeting his gaze unflinchingly.
"Yer the strong one, t'be sure."
Mutely she shook her head in protest and grumbled, "Why do I have the feelin' that this just got a lot more complicated."
"Because it did."
Jimoh's voice sounded from the doorway. Both pairs of dark eyes shot to his concerned countenance, pale beneath the thick red paint. His eyes were frantic and his serene manner had vanished.
Jack's lips curved in an easy smile, "Well, m'lady, here be the man t'give us our answers. Have we entered into wedded bliss, then? What say you, mate?"
The missionary's gaze was focused on Anamaria, ignoring the pirate's jovial words. "Anamaria. Shangazi… has disappeared."
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AN: I'm not sure exactly that this is the wedding traditions of the Himba…..so please don't hurt me!
Have our pirate's settled into 'wedded bliss'? What happened to Shangazi? And how does that darned voodoo sorceress play into all this? Stay tuned…
Ps- I'd like to thank all that have reviewed, esp. those who have commented on "Place in the Stars." And for all those who have questions about the events featured/hinted at in it, after this section of our pirates' lives is completed, I will attempt to explain the events leading up to the madness of that one shot. Merci bien.
~Night Rose