Sail On Silver Girl
Chapter 22
Jack Sparrow positively reeked of rum and his movements were even less precise than normal. He steadied himself clumsily on the door frame. The piercing look of his dark eyes scared Silver and made her feel a little guilty. The next moment she scolded herself though: guilty for what, exactly? She hadn't done anything wrong! Not that she could recount, at least...
"Why d'ye bring th' pansy aboar' me ship!" Jack roared suddenly, unable to enunciate properly, then focused on Jonathan, his voice filled with a frightening hatred. "Well, I'm so glad t'see ye, mate – " His smile was fake and his eyes cold. "-'ave some rum, will ye. Usually never share me rum, but seein' yer such a bloody good friend to Silver 'ere, methinks I can make an es—eks—exception, eh? Cus tha's what he is, ain't so, Silver? A bloody good friend!" Silver merely stood on the wooden planks of the Pearl and couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her mouth was agape, while Jonathan looked at her with a mixture of helplessness and contempt at the man before him. Jack blinked again, waving his hand as if awaiting a reply. Silver's eyes grew pitiful, and, thinking that this must be a horrible misunderstanding to be fixed right away, she let go of Jonathan's arm and stepped towards Jack. He, however, immediately backed away, holding his rum bottle as if it were a defense before him.
"Ye better stay where ye are, Silver", he hissed warningly, but her name from his lips tore at Sylvia's heart and she moved closer to reassure Jack.
"Didn't ye hear, wench? I said stay where ye are! Or better yet – get off me ship! And take that wig with ye, or 'e'll end up as a bloody pulp!" At his harsh words Silver recoiled in shock and her eyes grew hard, simultaneously daring Jack to continue and pleading for him to stop.
But the captain of the Black Pearl continued to rant on.
"Well, I'm so glad fer ye both – a friendship should be treasured, aye?", he mocked, suddenly alarmingly sober. "It's like the friendship me 'n Ana share. Ain' that righ', Ana?" , he called to the dark-skinned female pirate, who was about to walk past them and stopped dead in her tracks. "Cuz she be my bloody good friend!" Now Jack was almost yelling, but the agonizing noise was abruptly cut off as he crushed his mouth on the lips of a stupefied Anamaria. It only took seconds before Ana realized what was happening and rewarded Jack with a hearty slap and a string of Spanish curses, but these seconds were enough to shatter Silver's heart.
Her eyes started to water, but she had enough self-control to maintain her defiant façade. The instant pain was now replaced, or at least numbed, by a thundering rage at her -former- lover.
"Jack! Whatever happened to you?" But as that last attempt to calm Jack failed, Silver hissed back at him.
"You are despicable, Sparrow."
After
failing still to receive a reply other than a miserably unconvincing
chuckle, Silver shot Jack a look of contempt and stormed on deck,
Jonathan following close behind.
Had
he been sober though, Jack might have seen the hint of sorrowful
regret veiling her eyes.
And had
Silver taken a more careful look, she too might have seen a very
similar expression glazing Jack's dark features…
Her determination to remain calm crashed abruptly; Silver couldn't help the tears streaming down her rouged cheeks and falling on her silky dress as she stepped into the cool night and took hasty gulps of the fresh air. Her vision was blurry from her tears, and she only barely managed to rush down the gangway without tripping on her skirts and tumbling into the water beneath her. All she could think of though was leaving this dreadful place as quickly as possible, and yet, every step she took cut into her heart like the stab of a knife. Nonetheless, Silver kept going, and only once she had reached the park guarding the castle did she falter, realizing how out of breath she was.
Sobbing and cursing, she slid down the stem of a towering lime tree and sat at its roots, unable to stop the flow of her tears. Her dress was stained, but Silver couldn't have cared less. She hated Jack for making her cry. She yelled out loud into the night with frustration when she realized that since she had met Jack, she had cried continually. She couldn't even remember the last time she had to shed tears before meeting that despicable bastard – he had made everything so much more complicated.
When she saw Jonathan hastening around the corner though, Silver quickly wiped her eyes on her sleeve and got up. She unconsciously straightened her dress and blinked a couple of times. The pity in Jonathan's expression almost made her eyes water right away again. Silver felt mortified; she had been praising Jack - that stinking bastard! - over everything, and here she was, humiliated by him in front of the friend she hoped to impress. Finally, finally, she had thought, she would have been able to share a bit of her luck, and prove, that fortune had finally ceased ignoring her. And then Jack had to debase her in this way – Jonathan would never understand what she saw in him. He would think her a desperate, pitiful woman. The expression etched into his features made her want to slap and shout at him. He didn't understand. Jack wasn't really this way! But then how could Jack have done this to her? How?
Unknown to Silver, Jack was just asking himself that very question, and had a hard time justifying his previous behavior to Anamaria. But she would have none of it. Silver's sudden, determined exit had sobered him quite a bit, and thanks to Ana dumping his 'stubborn skull', as she preferred calling it, into a bucket of iced water, the world came quickly rushing into balance again.
Well, not quite.
First there was the angry female pirate, who –Jack just had a slight suspicion- would have loved to –and almost did- drown him in that bucket. Even Jack's charm couldn't get him out of this one, but when Ana saw how sincerely crestfallen her captain was feeling, the woman in her merely sighed and spared him his well-deserved strikes. Instead, she accompanied him to his cabin. But that turned out to be quite the mistake.
"Ye don't understand, Ana." Ana sighed inwardly. Here he goes again, she thought. Staring at some distant spot, who knows where, and complaining. Men! She spat on the floor. Jack was too dazed to notice and continued.
"I mean, I don't even understand. I don't know what came over me but, - but seeing her with that pompous bast – , I mean, officer or whatever he was, it was just –"
This had been going on for a quarter of an hour already and Ana had just about enough of Jack Sparrow's lovesick wining.
"I understand bloody well, Jack Sparrow! Ye love her, she loves ye, and then, of course, there must be some o' that drama around it. Tha's why I don't get meself in love. But blasted hell, get your arse up, Sparrow and do something. Blame yerself for once, will ye? I've been seeing how ye look at her, and I really don't feel like havin' to suffer a lovesick captain for the next months, so will ye please do us all a favor and get out there! Ye can still get her, ye know that, don't you Sparrow?"
Jack raised is index finger, about to criticize Ana on the lack of 'captain' in her addressing him, but his hand turned limp when her words sank in.
"Ye…ye think so? Honestly, Ana?"
Anamaria eyed him for a moment, suspiciously narrowing her eyes at the sincerity reflected in his eyes.
"You really mean it this time, don't you?" , she asked, her voice softer. "And aye, I think so Jack. She loves ye just as much as you love 'er."
The wide grin that tugged at Jack's lips was contagious.
The next moment though, his face fell, and he furrowed his eyebrows.
"I can't do that. Hell, Ana, I'm the man. I'll not be about t'crawl back to her and – "
"-and make both yer and her life better!" Anamaria couldn't believe what she was hearing and her voice dripped with sarcasm.
"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, and able to have as many women at me feet as I want! I can't just go gallivanting after a single woman and admit lovin' her too." Jack looked horrified and, apparently having found a very convincing argument, he raised his ringed finger:
"'Tis just not right, and me reputation will suffer grea-"
"Quit the macho talk, or I'll reconsider kicking ye in the buttocks fer that …invasion of yer mouth!" Ana hissed. Jack's next words died on his lips and he creased his brow. Then he grinned at Ana.
"Ye be right, ye be right. As always", he sighed dramatically, but full of eager anticipation. "I'll get her back. Th'pansy's not got a chance." Jack got up and was at the door in an instant.
"Oh, and Ana. Quit pretending. I know ye liked that kiss." And with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes Jack Sparrow was gone, leaving an exasperated Ana gasping for air and turning a slight shade of crimson.
Despite it all, Silver managed to contain herself. She did not want to appear hurt in front of Jonathan, not by any cost. Shakily, she brushed a twig off her emerald robe and attempted a grin, which she failed at miserably though. She cleared her throat and opened her mouth to say something that would relieve the situation of its awkwardness, but had to close it again because she feared her voice would give her away. Feeling utterly discomfited, she pushed a wisp of hair behind her ear and lowered her eyes to the paved walkway beneath her, which was littered with leaves and flower petals. Father would never have let his garden come to this. But Silver decided she liked it this way. Wild. Lawless. Natural. Just like the sea…just like Jack. Silver flinched and inwardly cursed the pirate captain.
Jonathan sensed her discomfort and understood that compassion would do nothing for Silver now. Knowing her as well as he did, Jonathan knew that it would be best to pretend everything was normal. And even though he was enraged by the way Silver had been treated, he felt that this was not the right time to voice his concerns. Instead he too lovingly twisted a stray ebony strand back in place.
"Come on. I think we could both do with a bit of dinner now, don't you think?" Silver looked up, clearly surprised. He was so considerate! She was glad he didn't press the matter. Giving him a thankful smile, she nodded. Jonathan smiled back encouragingly a started to walk towards the mansion. Silver was simply staring at his back.
"Jonathan."
When the sound of his name broke the hushed chirping of the crickets, Silver couldn't believe that it had been her voice. What had come over her? But looking at her considerate, loyal, and – yes, admittedly handsome, and long-lost friend Silver felt eternally grateful to know him.
Jonathan turned, surprised, full of worry, and walked a couple of steps back towards her. Silver was glad her tear stained cheeks that had had now turned slightly blushed were disguised in the darkness of the night.
"Yes, Sylvia?", he questioned with concerned curiosity. Silver didn't reply and stared into his moonlit eyes with amazement. Why hadn't she realized it before! Here he was, the man any woman would wish for. He would never hurt her like Jack had just done. And he loved her. Still. After all these years.
Feeling his hand resting warm on her shoulder, Silver unconsciously leaned in closer until Jonathan's mouth was hovering mere inches over hers. She craved the comfort he seemed to radiate and the distraction he could offer. Instinctively she licked her lips and placed her hand over Jonathan's. He withdrew first, shuddering at the feeling of her body so close to his. But when Silver stayed put and he gazed into her gray eyes, his own indigo ones, that had first been concerned, then confused, changed to a desirous blaze at this hope for requited love and he felt daring. Very slowly closing the space between them, his lips came to rest softly on hers and the concert of the crickets resumed as their mouths melted into one under the silver light of the moon.
A/N: so…what did you think? My personal Easter egg to you – a longer chapter than usual! ;-)
Do you guys think Jack changed minds too quickly? Well, he is a pretty spontaneous, not to say 'carefree' man, so …Was Silver OOC? I hope Jonathan is still a likeable character, because she is supposed to have a hard time deciding…
Yeah, basically just tell me if anything seemed off:D
I know I tend to rush into things because I want to get it all down, but yes – feedback greatly appreciated, as always! Thanks for all the reviews, especially to my faithful reviewers! Same deal as last chapter, savvy:)
Oh and another thing. I'm a little scared this story is very cliché. (And I have a odd feeling the ending will definitely be...) Is it?
Anyway, wishing you a good Easter and a great start to spring!
Cheers,
Sereture
