By morning the inevitable shroud of tension and an awkward silence hovered over the Sparrow homestead: Breakfast was followed with quiet conversation that was simple and meaningless: The strength of their ships, enlisted crew members – Anything but the consequence of Jack's drunken antics. Caleb watched the pair as Jack and Ruby-Rose sat rigid and cautious in his company, neither one giving much eye contact to the other. He was anxious to get to the bottom of why some garments were hung out to dry when there hadn't been any rain for a week.
Ruby-Rose sat in her dressing gown, her matted, uncombed hair shining in the morning sun as it peeked into the parlour. Caleb was at his desk checking over more documents, his dainty spectacles resting delicately on his nose. Jack laid his head the table, he was nauseous and dizzy having no choice but to pay the physical price for his misconduct. The emotional consequence of his drunken misdemeanour was yet to be confronted, from his hangover he began to stop caring about it but that was before he looked up and caught the bright emerald glance of Ruby-Rose.
"How are you feeling?" She said reservedly
Jack Sparrow rested his chin on the table's polished surface he felt himself being drawn to that stare, hypnotised to the point where he had to think about the question again.
"Um I've h-had better days…don't seem to remember much though" Jack replied shamefacedly, he was lying of course how could anyone forget the sound of a wonderful laugh or a kiss so craved after.
"You don't, not even when I threw water over you?" Ruby-Rose tried to make light of the subject by smiling at him but behind that lay an expression of hurt and confusion. Jack saw it but felt helpless to do anything; he was calling her bluff and had to see it through.
"I remember that of course, who wouldn't remember being drenched with ice cold water – drunk or sober?" –
Ruby-Rose grinned briefly before looking away from Jack, her emotional barrier had always crumbled in his presence she hoped that time would allow her to strengthen it but it was already failing.
"I wonder Olivia if the pail slipped in your grasp, you came home just as soaked as Jacoby it's not often the prankster gets caught in their own prank" Caleb intervened quietly, taking his glasses off he pushed the chair towards his children and waited for an answer.
"Just down to clumsiness I guess, I may have picked up the full bucket too swiftly…It slipped a little" –
Caleb looked at his son then back to his adopted daughter, he was unconvinced at the story Jack and Ruby-Rose both knew it but neither of them uttered a word. Ruby-Rose shifted nervously in her chair and looked at the small portrait of Caleb's late wife Lilia: An exquisite canvas of a woman with her face turning away, her chestnut brown hair in a French bun with eyes of the palest blue and a smile kind and gentle. She had been dead three years when Ruby-Rose came along, an orphan who could hardly remember her own mother would often use Lilia's picture – although a stranger to the pirate princess – as a source of comfort, warmed to her memory by the faithful stories of her widower Caleb.
"...are you listening to me?" –
"I'm sorry Dad what were you saying?"
The young pirate turned back to the men of her life and caught her father grumbling under his breath.
"I was reminding you of the assembly between Captain and crew today…your crew to be exact" Caleb drawled gruffly
"Yes Dad I do know, I'm not entirely incompetent…I'd like to think I am a decent pirate, besides I have plenty of time" –
"No you don't Missy, honestly I wish more towns facing a naval blockade would have people like you far less trouble that way" Caleb sighed, throwing down his glasses and crossed his arms over the bureau
"What are you going on about Dad?" –
"The Spanish Navy are implementing yet another blockade on this harbour, the third one this year. They are planning to force an Iron grip over Havana, until every scurvy naïve leaves these shores" –
With every word that her father spoke, the louder the girl's heart thundered in her chest. She had a terribly sick feeling of where the explanation was going and had to take a deep breath before she took the plunge.
"The naval blockade, that's not till next Thursday…isn't it?" She stammered.
Caleb Sparrow stood up from his chair and slowly strolled toward the girl, he knew he was at fault as the shoddy responsibility of informing his daughter and fellow pirates of the local authorities' plans. Jack Sparrow looked on annoyed at the mention of another sanction, another excuse of one more boastful officer wanting to clip his wings. But for once there was no vendettas to shy away from, no grudges to uphold, no commodores to avoid – He actually had some free time to spend, he hoped he could use it to woo Ruby-Rose again but Jack did not know Ruby-Rose had other plans….
"This is next Thursday Liv" Caleb said apologetically, he watched the girl's eyes widened, mouth quivering an eruption of hysterical panicking seconds from exploding
Ruby-Rose tried to speak but the jumbled words caught in her throat, her eyes were alight with rage but they disappeared when the quiet chimes of a grandfather clock echoed from the hallway. She peeked around the corner to check the antique clock face, it was eleven.
"How many hours till the ships enter this harbour?"
. Her father failed to see the importance of his answer, trying to calm her but she turned away.
"Ruby-Rose stop this, why are you in such a frenzy?" –
How long Dad!" –
Caleb Sparrow rubbed his eyes and shook his head when he saw his daughter's stance was steadfast, he knew she would not back from whatever she had set her mind to. Eventually he relented, not in the least bit surprised that his family could not be in union for more than a day.
"If they are a punctual bunch they will be arriving in three hours" Caleb replied reluctantly
With this shocking revelation the young pirate shot out of her chair and bolted upstairs where she proceeded to gather the bundle of items she always took way with her: Some clothes, her father's compass, her sword and scabbard and a black jacket for the days she wanted to be anonymous. She stumbled down the stairs and threw the trinkets onto the floor and pulled up the trousers that she struggled on in her ransacked room.
"No announcements, absolutely no notice of any kind – what sort of town is this? Who was the informant supposed to be anyway?" Ruby-Rose scowled
"…I'm not quite sure but the task may have fallen to me…I think I was something other than sober at the time" Caleb answered hesitantly.
Ruby-Rose rolled her eyes while slipping her boots on, she roughly scooped up her belongings and headed for the front door. Jack Sparrow looked on at the unexpected turn of events with a cautious eye, his hangover was not leaving him as quickly as he would have liked and all he wanted to do was crawl back into bed. But he knew he would become involved in the fracas in the long run so there wasn't any point in escaping.
"Olivia…"
"What is it Jack!" Ruby-Rose answered as she prepared to head out, staring back at him she realised she had so much to say but so little time to say it. Nobody deserved a hasty farewell – not even a scoundrel like Jack – But the pirate princess could not find the emotional strength for a meaningful goodbye, her heart would not take it well.
"…You're still wearing your nightgown"
Ruby-Rose was embarrassed at yet another blunder she had made, she hoped that Jack's last words to her before she set off would be profound perhaps affectionate…no such luck. She threw off the dressing gown and stormed off into the streets.
"Dear lord will there be a time where I'll have any peace from that girl!" Jack groaned, grabbing his brace of pistols and coat, he ran after her.
Caleb was left there with his thoughts, his children had run out on him yet again but instead of a frown a smile beamed across his face. Brought about by his son's comment; there was no reason for Jack to dash after her nor a chance to whine about 'having some peace'. Caleb knew full well why Jack would dash after her when there was no reason to do so now all he had to was patiently wait for his children to work it out for themselves.