Disclaimer: I don't own half of the characters in this story. WARNING: Long chapter. Sorry, I couldn't find a good cutoff point.
SHE WAS A PHANTOM OF DELIGHT
Chapter 3: Dolphins
"Mornin' Jack!" Gibbs called. He was already on deck by the time Jack came out of his quarters. "Looks like it's goin' to be a beauty of a day, sir." He elbowed Jack. "Quite a lot similar to that lady Ana and Earl brought aboard last night, eh?"
"Gibbs, has our prisoner been fed?"
He nodded. "Brought her food down just a moment ago. The lass was still sleepin'."
"Mr. Gibbs I would like to make sure that we can accommodate the little lady as much as possible. And judging by her attitude it's going to be quite the task. We're in this for the money, remember."
Gibbs nodded. "Aye, Cap'n."
Meanwhile, Camille was laying below deck listening to every noise the ship made as it rocked back and forth on the ocean. She felt slightly nauseous, but not nearly enough to be sick. She couldn't find the energy or the will to climb out of bed and touch whatever sort of food had been brought to her. At least they weren't going to let her starve; unless of course the food was poisoned. The slow realization of everything that was happening was just hitting her. She had never been away from her mansion in Port Celebros. She had never been on the sea, either. She knew nothing about ship, or even about pirates except for the fact that they were ruthless, perverted men that would cut your throat for so much as breathing the wrong way. Her eyes filled with tears as she rolled over.
"Eh? What's that?" Gibbs asked a man with a blue and yellow parrot on his shoulder.
"Awk! Wind in the sails, wind in the sails!" the parrot shouted.
"Cotton says he passed her room a couple of times today and heard the lass cryin'. Ye think we should let her get some air?"
Jack scratched his dreadlock covered head. Not only was he curious as to how Mr. Gibbs had interpreted a parrot, he was beginning to regret his decision to kidnap that girl. The last thing he needed was a crying, angry woman aboard his Pearl.
Camille dried her eyes, once again looking out her little window. She took some deep breaths, calming herself down. Her chest hurt from crying all day, and she was exhausted from the process. She was still as terrified as ever to even try to open the locked door, but she knew that she wouldn't get anywhere if she didn't even try to do anything about her situation.
Mustering up all the courage she could, she touched her little bare feet to the deck and walked toward the door. She felt her stomach growl and looked at the empty tray. She had already eaten all of the food. Perhaps if she could find her way to a kitchen, she could avoid any confrontations with anyone. That was, assuming, that the door was unlocked.
She tried the knob, and to her delight it turned. She poked her head out into the dark hallway, and after stumbling around for awhile she found what she assumed to be the kitchen. There was no food in sight that she could see, and the last thing she wanted to do was bang around with pots and pans and wake up a crew of pirates. Luckily, she found an apple.
Sighing as she made her way back to her room, she contemplated for a moment. She was sick of that room. Passing it and ascending the stairs, she bit into the apple and began walking on the deck.
She made her way to the bow and delicately ran her fingers along the designs in the wood. It was a beautiful ship, she realized as she looked around a little underneath the starlight. Then she noticed the stars. Taking a breath and looking up, she dropped the applecore over the side of the ship and began picking out constellations. She had never seen them like this before. There were no lights for miles.
"So you have a name, love?" Jack asked, appearing behind her.
She spun around in surprise, nearly toppling overboard. "What are you planning on doing with me?" she asked, her voice as steady as she could make it.
"To be perfectly honest, I'm not planning on doing anything except spending the money I will get for your safe return."
"Do you really expect me to believe that, either?"
He shrugged. "Believe what you want to, love. I'm as harmless as they come," he said flicking his wrist and dangling his hand in front of him.
She looked at him carefully, exercising her caution. The moonlight made him look very handsome, despite the fact the he was a loathsome pirate. She felt compelled to say something to him; she was suffering from loneliness. Not to mention, she felt depressed. Not only had she never been out to sea before, but the only friend she did actually have was Annie. Being around all these people made her feel like quite the outcast. She looked out at the neverending sea, feeling her eyes well up with tears again.
"Why are you afraid, love?" he questioned softly.
She swallowed back her tears. "Because you are Captain Jack Sparrow."
"Ah, I see you have heard of me, then."
"Everyone knows that Captain Jack Sparrow is the captain of the Black Pearl, the fastest ship in the Caribbean, and the only one with black sails," she answered glumly.
Jack hated to admit it, but he was very impressed by this girl's knowledge. "You are a very smart girl. Did you know that?"
She shook her head. "I know nothing except for the fact that my life is endangered."
Jack sighed. "Darling, your life is not endangered. I won't harm you, I promise."
"The promise of a lowly pirate means nothing," she said before she spat at his shoes.
"Well if that's the attitude that you are going to have towards me, than I've got no reason to be hospitable towards you. I'll bet that you will even go so far as to refuse telling me your name," Jack said crossly.
"I suppose you are right. As another shallow individual who wants to be in my presence for nothing more than the mere fact that you may catch a glimpse of my father's fortune, the lack of any social interaction with you will not be of any tremendous loss to me."
Jack stared at her, open-mouthed. It took him awhile to make sense of it, but sure enough she had insulted him. He stormed off belligerently, now truly regretting his decision.
She remained on deck. She was very impressed with herself for telling him off while she'd been literally quaking with fear.
Humming the familiar tune that her mother had taught her as a young girl, she was able to find that there was a sense of calmness to be found in the salty sea air. She grabbed the riggings of the ship and hoisted herself up a little bit. Stretching one hand out, she almost toppled overboard as the ship crashed over another wave.
She stood there until the sun's first rays had begun to appear just at the base of the water. Taking in another deep breath that smelled like the sea, Camille decided that with the exception of the pirates it wasn't so bad after all.
Hearing noises below, she realized that the crew was beginning to assemble. Not quite sure what to expect, she made her way back downstairs and took a few wrong turns before accidentally finding the kitchen again.
A stout little man with a grey beard and a balding head looked and grinned, bringing some unwanted attention to her arrival.
"Well, jus' look who be up this early in th' mornin'! Did ye come to help us with the daily chores or was ye jus' lookin' fer a bite to eat?" he asked.
"I…I don't know," she said quietly, looking down.
"Now, there's no need to be shy, missy. The name's Gibbs," he offered.
"I'm Camille."
Gibbs laughed and smacked his knee, looking around at his crewmates. "There, you see that? The girl's already cuperatin' with us!"
"It's co-operatin' Gibbs, ya nincompoop," Ana Maria said, passing by. She got right in Camille's face, glaring at her. "Ye've got guts, girl, I'll grant ya that. But don't expect any o' us to go easy on ya because yer a lady."
"Awk! Wind in the sails, wind in the sails!" Cotton's parrot said.
Gibbs nodded. "I believe Cotton said, 'Go stick it in yer ear Ana Maria, she's more of a lady than you'll ever be'." He cringed as she nearly shoved him off the bench, making her way out of the kitchen. Gibbs leaned over to the men. "And that be the abridged version," he whispered, causing the crew to erupt in laughter.
She sat there stiffly. Well, she certainly couldn't label them as dangerous yet. So far, all they'd done was proven themselves to be half mad and fed her.
All of a sudden she realized just how exhausted she was from staying up all night and crying. She stood up. "Mr. Gibbs, you may tell Captain Sparrow that if he needs me I will be in my room."
Gibbs nodded, taking a sip from his little leather flask. "Aye, missy."
She didn't wake up until about midafternoon, but found an old blue dress lying on the bed. She tried it on, finding that it was rather loose on her. She was grateful that she did not have to wear a corset, however. She brushed her hair, but let it down so that it fell over her shoulders and down her back.
She made her way on deck, squinting in the sunlight. After watching the men scramble about for a moment, she felt a gentle tug on her dress. She looked down, finding a small man. He was completely bald, but had a little black beard. His face was twisted into a frown. "Captain says yer supposed to cook dinner," he grunted.
"Oh, does he really?" she asked. Picking up her dress, she moodily made her way downstairs. So that's what this was going to be? Just when she thought that this misfortune would be the beginning of at least something different, she found herself right back in the old routine. Cooking, cleaning, listening to pigheaded men and their lies…
She was in a terrible mood while she prepared the food, but in a while small groups of crewmembers began to wander into the kitchen.
She recognized the man who'd assisted Ana Maria in capturing her. She stiffened as he approached, but he only nodded humbly. "The name's Earl, Miss. I only wanted to tell ye that, well, I think that this is the best meal I've ever had aboard the Pearl."
"What?" she said, feeling like she was going to blush.
"E's right, you know," another man chimed in. "I ain't had food like this since me Mum died."
"Awk! Wind in the sails! Wind in the sails!"
"Oh, really," she said, waving her hand. "It can't be all that good. I didn't even have much to work with."
By the time the meal was over and she was done serving the food, some of the men even offered to help her with the dishes. She was now in a wonderful mood all over again like she had been looking at the stars.
She thought about Captain Sparrow, and how she hadn't seen him at all that day. Maybe she'd really wounded his pride by saying that to him last night. But she did have every right; after all, he'd kidnapped her! Her father was probably worried sick right now. A pirate, having a heart…doubtful.
She left the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron and placing it on a barrel. She made her way up the steps and to the stern of the boat, again, leaning over the railing. She jumped when she saw some small grey shapes appear on the surface. There were several of them, and they shot out mist.
She followed them around to the port side and watched as what looked like three or four giant fish leaped out of the water and dove back in. She blinked in disbelief. They did it again, all at separate times.
"They're called dolphins," Jack said approaching the banister and look to them.
She clutched her chest. "Don't do that!" she yelled in surprise.
"Sorry," he apologized, putting his hand together in a praying motion and slightly bowing.
"Those are dolphins? I've heard of them, but I've never seen them," she said, forgetting her anger with Jack and being transfixed on the creatures.
"Aye, those are dolphins. Mammals o' the sea, you could say."
"Mammals, Captain?"
He pointed to the little dolphin's blowholes. "You see there those little holes on top of their heads; where the seaspray is coming out?"
She nodded.
"That's how they breathe the air."
"Really?"
Jack nodded. "Aye." It was just then that she noticed Jack holding a few dead fish. He held one over the side of the ship and dangled it a little. A dolphin appeared, shooting straight up out of the water at the side of the ship. Jack dropped the fish, and the dolphin caught it right in its teeth.
Camille looked on in wonder. Jack held out a fish to her. "Would you like to try, missy?"
She made a face. "Must I touch it?"
"Well I supposed you could feed him a nice roast just as well, but I doubt he'd appreciate it as much."
She took the fish between her thumb and forefinger and held it over the side. She was just about to drop it into the same dolphin's mouth when another one came out of nowhere and intercepted it. Camille pulled back her hand in surprise, but Jack began laughing.
"So…so these are the creatures that are mistaken for mermaids, then?" she asked.
Jack was impressed again that she had such knowledge of folklore. He nodded as he handed her another fish. "Aye, that they are. Most of those men have never really seen a mermaid, though. There is a very distinct difference in the flipper," he explained.
She dropped a fish. "Do you mean to tell me that you have actually seen a mermaid?" she asked incredulously.
"My dear, there is barely a thing in this world that I haven't seen," he said casually. "Why, I could tell you stories upon stories and…" he stopped in short as he realized what he was doing. He watched her drop the last fish into the water and wipe her hand off on her blue dress. "What's your favorite color, love?"
She froze, slowly turning to face him and looking very unsure. "What?"
He leaned on his hand. "Well I know it's a difficult question, but I'd imagined you'd have had one all picked out by now."
"Green," she said quickly.
"Is it now?" he said, smiling. "I've always liked blue, myself. Color of the sea, you know. Why are you giving me such an odd look?"
"I'm sorry. No one has ever asked me a thing about myself before. Well, no man has, rather," Camille admitted.
Jack lifted an eyebrow suspiciously. "Just what kind of men have you been hanging around with, love?"
She sighed, watching the playful dolphins. "Not the kind I miss."
He chuckled. "Got some bitter feelings about those suitors, eh?"
"And just how do you know abut that?" she asked putting her hand on her hips and taking her focus off the dolphins. Now the anger was coming back.
"Love, I am a pirate. Do you think I would go to Port Celebros and not be snooping around one of the largest estates. You're quiet noisy when you get frustrated, by the way."
"You were eavesdropping on me? That is so incredibly rude!"
"Well, I have no manners," he said, coming closer to her. "I am a filthy, lying, stealing, manipulative pirate," he said, coming closer with each adjective until he was so close that she could observe the kohl lining around his chocolate brown eyes and every incredible hair on that braided beard of his. He grinned evilly, exposing three golden teeth.
Camille was by this time quite uncomfortable. She was again unable to back up. "Uhm, Captain Sparrow, about your personal space boundaries…"
He backed up immediately. "Apologies, love," he said, making a sweeping motion with his hands.
Camille began descending the steps, passing Jack's quarters after she did so. She turned back around. Something in particular caught her eye. She turned back around to face him. "Captain, might I borrow that?" she asked politely, indicating the object.
He entered and came back out holding a guitar. "This old thing? You can keep it. I can't make it sound halfway decent."
She took it, cradling it gently as if it were a baby. "Thank you, Captain. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, missy."
