Chapter seventeen: War of the mind, war of the soul

"Jack Sparrow!" I screamed, "You better let me go this instant!" Jack was slowly dragging me kicking and screaming to the rotting brig of the Pearl.

After our ships went side to side, he swung over and shoved a pistol in my face. He got about twenty back in his, until his crew came over and pretty much turned the scales.

"Well now, young missy," Jack had said, the smile on his lips so maddening, I could slap it, except that I had cold metal up against my face. "Looks like I win." After that he yelled for my crew to be taken down to the brig, and for Mr. Gibbs to watch over this ship and sail it alongside theirs. I screamed out for India, my heart completely failing to beat, and for a moment, a horrible moment, I saw her body laying mangled by a sword. Tears streamed down my face as sob wracked me. For some reason, I was sobbing so hard...when I never would cry. Jack was apparently disgusted by this.

"She mus' have tha' bra' with her. Make sure she is at leas' safe...And no funny buisness!" I could have passed out at the mere suggestion of it, but I was too completely guilt-wracked to think. One thought kept going through my mind...Its my fault. Its my fault. Its my bloody fault!

I was bodily thrown into a small cell that wouldn't apease a kitten, much less a full grown woman. I looked up into the smug and unreadable face that was Jack Sparrow.

"Why the hell are you doing this?" I hissed, madder than I have ever been...Wait, scratch that...But I was very angry.

"Because, love, I can." At that he turned on his heel and dignifiedly(not sure if thats a real word) walked out, his hands behind his back, and his head high. I looked around, but as soon as the latched door closed, I was submerged in absolute darkness. My mind went straight to India. I thought of a million ways to get out, but I knew I could never even chace it. Jack was cold and heartless now. There would be no getting out of this by batting lashes and turning shoulders.

Or was he cold and heartless only now? I had known him for a short while, and yes...Yes, I did see how he was, only... I was blinded by something. What was it? A surge of unexplainable emotion swept through me. Wait...Jack was horrible, but not to...not...to me.

I bit my lip and thought of everything ever said between us. He had given no visable show of emotion, but yet, he wasn't horrible to me. A wave of guilt flodded over me next. I had been really childish around him. I had scream and ranted and raved whenever I didn't get my way. And he bore it..ans sometimes did give me what I wanted.

I fell asleep listening to my own critical thoughts.

"Wake up love!" I stream of light and a rough voice brought me back to the real world and I squinted at the sudden amount of light flooding through the dingy little jail.

"Whos there?" I called out, my arm sheilding my face.

"Why...cant you remember the ole voice of Cap'n Jack?" Jack snickered, and stepped in front of me, blocking out the blaring light.

"What time is it?" I asked, putting my arm down and putting on a mantle of coolness.

"Oh, bout ten or so. I have a gift for ya." I looked at his outstreched hand which offered a plate of gruel and a piece of bread.

"I don't want it." I said stubbornly. "Im not hungry." My own insides betrayed me, and at that moment, my stomach let out a fierce growl. Jack merely laughed, and he unlocked the cage door.

"You are allowed to walk about the deck for ten minutes and eat your food. You are going straight back down here afterwards. Consider yourself lucky...It was Will who appealed to me." He said as an afterthought. I stood up, hitting my head on the top bars. He didn't say anything, but he produced a length of rope.

"No way," I said backing up, and my back hitting the bars. "No way are you tying that thing to me."

"Either be attached to me, or don't come up at all. Its your choice." My need to eat, as well as use the lavitory was too strong for my own indignations. I nodded and he came forward to attach one end of the rope to my ankle, and the other to his wrist. I slowly and ashamedly walked up and out of the below, and while I walked around with Jack attached to my ankle, I ate my small breakfast. The old crew members hailed me, or called hello's until Jack shouted that I was a prisoner, and would be treated like one. After I finished eating, I stopped to stare out at the sea.

"Why is it," Jack asked, standing two feet from me, "that you always look east?" I shrugged, not knowing myself.

"Instinct, I s'pose. Where is India?" I demanded suddenly.

"Here now! Sheath your claws, woman. She is safely in her own little cabin on your ship. Her nursemaid...Grace I think her name is? She is looking after her. Don't worry, she is fine, and being fed. Although she is asking for her mum a lot." I sighed in relief, my heart lifting a bit and I enjoyed the outside air.

"Jack, I have to piss." I said bluntly, staring at him. He rolled his eyes and lengthened the rope enough to where I could use a pot without him seeing me. After I relieved myself, he was dragging me back down to the brig. I didn't utter one complaint, or even showed a bit of physicall defiance. I figured that my best bet was to be a good little prisoner.

"If your good, I will send Will down here to keep you company when I don't need him, alright?" He asked in a gentle voice that I had not heard from him in a long time. I nodded smiling.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked, pushing my luck.

To my surprise...he answered. "Because I once loved you." And he walked away, and at the same time, stomped on my heart.

I loved Captain Jack Sparrow.

/\\

Will came to my cell with a candle and a heart full of sorrows. He slipped the candle and some matches through the bars, saying he smuggled them, but I knew Jack supervised everything that came in. I asked him how he was, and after a little prodding, it all came out.

"Coralie...she died, a month ago," He said finally. He didn't cry, but his emotions came out through his eyes. "She becamse sick with consumption. Apparently she had it for a while, and was feeling under the weather quite a bit...but it was my fault for not forcing her to go to the doctor when she complained. I don't know what to do. Thats why I joined Jack's crew again. Believe me, Jez, I had nothing to do with all of this. He got a mouth full, I can assure you, but you know how he never listens." I smiled, but I was sad. Coralie was a good friend to me. One of the only female friends I had. Sure, I had plenty growing up, but I was always considered an outcast. I reached through the bars, and patted his hand. The only jesture I could make. He smiled at me, then produced a book.

"Would you like to read some? I will be able to maybe get a lantern. I brought you the complete works of Shakespear. I grabbed the book and he left. I lit the candle, and when I opened the book, a page fell out. It looked like a page from a journal. I paid no head to it, and by candle light, began reading "Henry VIII".