FREE AS A SPARROW IN FLIGHT

The sails of the Black Pearl swished about as the wind picked them up, guiding the ship across the Caribbean Sea. A typical average day on the water was ending with a beautiful dusk setting across the horizon. A beautiful dark angel caught several rays of the last sunlight on deck, sending her body glowing gorgeously like the pale moonlight that would light up the coming black night. A shock of ebony curls with many braids and trinkets invaded the wind's path, forcing its course through the thick mass. A red bandana held back the fiery dark shroud from a pair of sapphire eyes that pierced through to the horizon. One gold hoop earring adorned her right ear, tangling once in a while in the velvety blackness. The small button nose on her face caught the spraying sea's smell of freedom and serenity as she stood there proudly. A slender, yet strong body held against the blowing current of air, covered by a crimson bodice and brown breeches that accentuated her curvy figure. Her trusty sword clung to her belt along with two silver pistols, bringing an onlooker a sense of deadly sweetness. Her worn boots clunked on the deck as she walked swiftly to the helm where the infamous rogue pirate stood.

He was the pirate that stole her heart and she let him; the very same pirate who had looked death in the eye quite literally and lived to tell about it. And he did so quite mockingly too. She grinned as she thought of her husband. What a strange encounter they had when they first met, she being a lady of society and him being a roguish outlaw. She remembered that day so well it was almost as if it were yester morn.

Lady Gabrielle Cunningham went out on an evening stroll through Port Royale one fine misty night. This was her true name before she decided to turn pirate; leaving the nice and formal way of life she was living at the time. A lovely flower she was, enchanting the night with her blood red dress clutching onto her womanly body, protecting her from all harm. Her ebony laced bodice enhanced her perfect figure, tight and well in place until it met with her skirts, which flowed out accentuating her curvy hips. She had decided to don a simple crimson clip to keep her hair in place and unfortunately it had begun to loosen its hold. Gabrielle growled to herself as she tried to pull it back into place, but to no avail. Damn it. She cursed to herself.

"Eh poppet, care fer a swig?" A raspy voice coming from the darkness of a passing alleyway called out. A greasy man with tattered clothing that had seen better days and a smell that awoke the dead shoved an emerald glass bottle close to her presence.

"No…no thank you…" Gabrielle smiled uneasily and tried to stride away quickly. A pair of burly hands clasped onto the folds of her skirts, forcing her immobile. She gasped surprised, but remained calm as she turned to face the now two grinning wildcats that held her prisoner.

"Now poppet," The meaty hands tore at her dress, keeping her on a short leash, preventing her from a safe escape, "Ye hurt ole Chester's feelin's. Ye have to apologize and make up wit 'im."

"That's not very nice. It should be ye who would be apologizing, savvy?" A husky voice announced, tearing through the crisp night, coloring Gabrielle's cheeks with relief. She had no time to react as he cut her free from the other man's clutches and propelled her back onto her soft feet when she collapsed to the ground. Just as she dusted herself off, her rescuer lightly pushed her aside to fall back to the ground as he began to duel with both of the men that had harassed her.

Gabrielle gazed up in wonder—this man was as swift as a bird, flying in every direction, dodging the blows that were being delivered from the other two. The burly men were clumsy and much too slow for this swift sparrow and soon were huffing from exhaustion. Obviously they must have been completely drunk because they dropped their weapons and fell asleep when their bodies hit the ground.

"That'll bloody teach ye, scoundrels…" The man said to the sleeping figures, sheathing his sword and turning around to face Gabrielle, "Ye ok, luv?"

Gabrielle nodded slightly, soaking in all of his features. She was completely entranced by this mysterious stranger. Her rescuer wore pirate's attire: a simple pair of brown breeches that were tattered and worn, with blotches of filth, and probably seen better days and a dirt covered white shirt with a brown vest over the top of it. A dark belt held up his trousers and collected several possessions, including a sword and a compass with a gold outline. Upon gazing closer at this spectacle that caught her eye, she noticed that he sported two braided goatees and a moustache that appeared to be a large caterpillar about his face. His braids swayed in his movement and Gabrielle could not help but to smile at him. His long, dark locks were mussed all about his face, some free flowing, some in braids, some intertwined with various objects or trinkets, and some even pulled into a ponytail at the top of his head! It seemed that there were trinkets implanted everywhere in that mess of locks, which brought out a bronze tone to his features, fascinating Gabrielle. A pirate was her rescuer—what would daddy think? She smirked and was pulled up to her feet once again by this rogue of a man, enabling her to see his chocolate brown eyes. He grinned, exposing his partially gold teeth.

"Um, thank you…" Gabrielle trailed off as he slurped down a gulp form the other man's rum bottle, "Um…"

"Ye should be a bit more careful, luv. It be dangerous here so dark at night." He smiled and winked, taking her hand and laying his lips upon it, reddening Gabrielle's cheeks, "G'day, milady." He began to walk away, swaying strangely in his every step.

"Wait!" She called out, finally able to find her tongue to speak out. He turned coolly and smiled again.

"Aye?"

"May I inquire as to obtain your name, sir?" Gabrielle gasped, her breeding flowing through her wording, as he glided close to her.

"Me name? Jack Sparrow—Captain Jack Sparrow and I be no sir, luv—know that. What might be yers?"

"G-Gabrielle…Lady Gabrielle Cunningham."

"Ahh, milady owns a fine name. Maybe we shall meet again soon." With that being said, he grinned once more and turned on his heels, leaving in a blink of an eye.

Gabrielle breathed for the first time in minutes. Jack Sparrow—or rather—Captain Jack Sparrow. Hmmm…what a strange and intriguing man.

Jade laughed in spite of herself. She remembered that day like it was yester morn. That had been the infamous day she had met her future. That day had marked the coming of a new life, a completely free from society life that she treasured every day, with every breath. Yes, this was where she belonged and always had. Jack brought out the pirate in her and she was so grateful for that.

The infamous Captain Jack Sparrow, as they called him, was standing proudly at the Pearl's helm as he always did. His hot-tempered wildcat of a woman pirate was usually at his side, but not at this moment, as it were. She had other plans to think through, other important thoughts that invaded her ever-changing mind. She had to tell Jack, but how would she go about doing so? Will he be surprised or will he reject the thought? She had no clue as she had finally stridden out of the captain's cabin, preventing her clunky boots from tearing further into the worn ebony carpet where she had last paced back and forth in anguish. Now was the time and the place would be perfect! Jack was at his happiest when at the magnificent helm of his love, The Pearl; unless, of course, she took into account of the captain's cabin's bed where his eyes shone their lustful dark chocolate pupils at her. She smirked at the thought.

"Ahh, Jade, finally out of our cabin. One would have thought ye were lost." Jack's eyes danced and sparkled at her presence.

"Jack, do ye remember when ye proposed to me?" Jade asked, smiling at him despite what butterflies overtook her stomach at the moment.

"Aye, how could one forget?" He grinned at the thought, recalling that memorable day.

"Jade! Yer still sleeping at this hour? Git up and enjoy this wonderful day!" Will, the young blacksmith-turned-pirate barged into the sleeping quarters of the two pirate captains, "And ye too, Jack! Ye should be up also!"

Jade grumbled and sat up, eying the lad dangerously, "Will, would ye like me to wake ye up extra early tomorra?"

"No…" Will started.

"And make ye do twice the chores ye do now?"

"No…"

"Then ye best be leavin' tha Captain's quarters right now." She growled and he quickly left. Jade smiled and laid back down on her soft pillow, gazing at Jack's tanned face. She brushed a stray dreadlock off his cheek and he grabbed her wrist in a blink of an eye. Jade's face flashed a bit of surprise, then desire as he began to kiss each one of her fingers delicately, "I thought ye were still sleepin', pirate…" She whispered and smiled.

"Aye, ye thought wrong, luv." He smirked as she played with his trinkets, "Ye would make our darling young whelp do twice the chores? Yer harsh, luv."

"Well, he interrupted me slumber and..." She was cut off by one of his sweet long kisses. He pulled away and smirked, digging into his coat pocket, "what are ye doin', pirate? Ye be not finding buried gold in yer coat, much as ye would enjoy."

"Marry me." Jack said, taking out a box and opening it for her to view the contents.

"W-what!" Jade gasped, caught totally off guard.

"Ye 'eard me! I want ye to marry me…"

"Jack…" She whispered, taking the box in her trembling hands, "Did Will put ye up to this? Ye said it yerself that ye would n'er marry. Foolish whelp and his tricks…"

"No and that was before I met ye! I got this all by me onesies, I swear on pain of death!" Jack insisted, taking her hands in his, "Ye be me pirate queen, Captain Jade Phoenix. What say ye to that?"

Jade gazed at his desperate face and sighed inwardly. She was still unbelievably shocked by his proposal—this was not the Jack Sparrow she had met. Was she really considering marrying the biggest womanizer on the Spanish Main? No, the entire ocean,--the entire world!

Jack took this silence as a no and looked at her sadly, "Darlin', ye don't luv me…" He let go of her hands and took the box from her slack grip.

"Give tha' back!" Jade insisted and gazed at him lovingly, "I say aye, pirate…to the one and the other! I do love ye and will marry ye!" She saw his chocolate spheres light up with happiness as he slipped on the ring, "I will be yer pirate queen, Jack Sparrow."

"Captain Jack Sparrow, luv!" He corrected, excitedly.

She took his hand and touched his cheek softly. He grasped her hand that was laid on his cheek and kissed it delicately. Jack pulled her into an embrace and held her tightly.

"We're going to be just like Will and 'lizabeth…" She smirked.

"No, we'll be Captain Jack Sparrow and Captain Jade Phoenix—the nigh--uncatchable couple o' scallywags that pillage and plunder…"

"…And don't give a hoot, drink up me pirate, yo ho!" Jade smiled, lying on her new fiancée's chest with a surge of excitement as they sang along together their favorite song.

"I was so happy when ye said aye. Ye had me worried fer a bit though…" Jack's voice entered her daydream state, breaking it instantly. She had forgotten that she had to tell him the great news!

"I have something to tell ye, pirate." Jade smiled uncomfortably as he gazed at her emerald eyes in wonder, stroking his goatee braids thoughtfully. This is it—will he be happy?

"Aye, what be it then? More rum appeared on board?" His eyes closed happily at the thought.

"No…something better…"

"Something better than rum? Oh boy, let's have it then!" He clapped his hands together like a giddy little child.

She swallowed and finally gained enough courage to look back into his eyes, "I'm with child, Jack, yer child." Jade's pit in her stomach grew as he let the thought sink into his head.

"Me child?" He smirked as he always did when rum, The Pearl, or Jade was in his mind, "I'm goin' to be a daddy?"

"Aye." Jade smiled, knowing he would accept their child.

"WOOOOO HOOOOO! DRINKS ALL AROUND! I'M A BLOODY FATHER!" Jack picked her up carefully and danced across The Pearl's deck as the crew broke into merriment and song.

The sun had finally set as they began to get stinkin' drunk—well, Jack was—and Jade gazed out to the horizon once again. The horizon that always brought them adventure and non-stop action held her gaze for many a time when she was at her happiest. That was why she fell in love with a certain rogue pirate—he was always adventurous and knew how to have to good time, but always maintained to love his now mother of his child and keep her happy. Nothing could stop this man and that was what Jade loved most of all.

Arrg, that's tha end, mate!