5. Thinking of Me?
"Say what you want, love. We both know the truth."
"And what do you know of truth, Jack Sparrow?" Elizabeth crossed her arms, glaring at the legend of a pirate. He looked so out of place amidst the fine things of her bedroom in the governor's mansion, standing in his dirty boots and raggedy clothes. He smelled of the sea, of spices, of sweat, and even faintly of rum. She wished she found it repulsive, but found herself wondering what would it be like to not worry about constant hygiene?
"Plenty, when it suits me. Like so: I know what it is you want more than anything."
Elizabeth quirked an eyebrow, glaring. She fought to not be charmed by that handsome smirk, or pleased to see his dark eyes taking in the way her nightgown clung her curves. Jack found it a torturous number, he could see the silhouette of her lithe body through the diaphanous fabric.
"And what is that?" She fully expected him to be audacious enough to say what she wanted most was him. Instead, his answer rang so true it left a lump in her throat.
"Freedom. The life of a blacksmith's wife doesn't suit you one bit, and we both know it. Settle down, all happy like in matrimonial bliss, popping out babies, dinner, and laundry like a good little house-slave? It'll drive you nutty in a year or so, and you'll be nothin' but trapped."
Jack knew it was true, knew she would die slowly inside if she allowed herself to be duped into such a life. He knew, because he recognized his own.
The lump in her throat moved down to her chest, where she felt an acute ache. She hated him and loved him at that moment. How could he know her soul so perfectly?
She stepped forward, bare feet padding across the moonlit hardwood floor, hands behind her back. "So are you offering me freedom, Captain Sparrow?" she asked, craning that long graceful neck inquiringly.
Jack watched her carefully, knowing that tone, so sweet, so venomous. She could be about to pounce, though he didn't know with what. Her unpredictability was one of the reasons he admired her so deeply. But unable to resist, Jack cupped the side of her face, relishing the feel of her soft perfect skin against his rough hand. He whispered in her ear, "Freedom, adventure, loot, and all the rum you can pass between those beautiful lips of yours. Do we have an accord?"
From the sensation of his breath feathering against her skin, the Captain standing so close she could feel the heat from his body through her thin nightgown, Elizabeth's heart began to thunder in her chest. Jack couldn't stand their closeness, he leaned down to brush lips against her exquisite neck. Her knees went weak with the so forbidden, so coveted contact. For once, just once, Jack thought she just might be putty in his hands. He moved back slightly, his next target those lush lips he so desired to taste. But as he leaned forward, he was denied, Elizabeth moving just barely enough to miss. Lightly, she rested her cheek against his, feeling the scratchy beard against her skin.
Elizabeth bit her lip, fighting with the urge to indulge her sense of adventure, leave Port Royale and all her obligations behind to sail with Jack. What about her father? What about Will? He loved her so, even after witnessing her kiss Jack aboard the Pearl, even after she nearly died saving the pirate at World's End. He had such blind faith in her, if he ever detected even a hint of turmoil in her heart between the two men, he never showed it. How could she betray that? She took a deep breath, breathing in the essence of the man who could give her all the adventure her heart could possibly desire.
But doubt hung heavy over her head; who was to say Jack wouldn't tire of her, and toss her aside, like he seemed to do with all the other women in his life? No one, absolutely no one. Jack would always do what suited his own desires firstly; and at the moment, she was that desire. But later on, who knew what he would want? He certainly didn't, his special compass' needle never settled in one direction. She wondered if he opened it now, what it would do? By the way he ran his fingers through her soft, sleep tousled hair at that moment, so tenderly, causing gooseflesh to march from the base of her neck down her spine, she dared not ask. At that moment the needle might have settled so decidedly upon her she would make up her mind immediately.
Jack could hardly stand the tension, waiting for her answer. "Well, love? What say you?"
Tears brimmed in Elizabeth's eyes, because she knew she was making a decision that would affect her life forever. A tremor threatening to become a sob ran through her frame, but she held it back. "I can't, Jack," she sighed. "I have…responsibilities."
Jack felt an unfamiliar aching in his chest, an unpleasant pain. Was this what heartbreak felt like? The most severe disappointment known to man? He couldn't force her to come with, could he? Oh, he bloody well could! But he knew better than to match wills with her, he would never win that way. "Bugger to responsibility. You're going to be unhappy for the rest of your life if you stay here."
Elizabeth couldn't argue that, at that moment. So she chose to say nothing. She also chose not to resist when Jack tangled his hand in her hair, and pulled her into a passionate, nearly bruising kiss. "When you change your mind, love, come find me. I've always room for another pirate on the Pearl," he said, pulling away. And with that, he was gone, vanishing into the night through the open window. He¾
"Thinking of me?" Jack broke into Elizabeth's memory of their last night in Port Royale, leaning his back on the railing next to her. They'd stopped at Tortuga, and moved on in search of a new treasure Jack won the map for in a card game. After much time, his lashes finally healed, leaving behind several slick pink scars.
"Not at all, Captain," she lied smoothly, enjoying the sea breeze on her skin. Jack watched her hair blow in the wind, quietly remembering its soft weight in his hands, its smooth texture as it slipped through his fingers. Jack liked all kinds of gold; hers was of a different but most desirable kind.
After all this time, she'd stayed stubborn as ever, skillfully dodging his advances. They seemed to run off her like water at this point. Nevertheless, Jack pressed on, determined as ever, convinced she still didn't know what she really wanted. Why the hell else would she have risked life and limb to rescue him, if that particular want didn't include him? But he didn't blame her, being no one to throw stones at a body not knowing what they want. When in his possession, that compass needle always whirled in indiscernible circles. The only time it had ever pointed in one definite direction was at her.
"You know, Eliz¾"
"Ship ho!" bellowed a voice from the crow's nest. "Navy colors!"
Alarmed, Jack drew his spyglass. Clear as day, there was a ship on their tail, the Union Jack flapping on their main mast. Worse yet, they were gaining.
"Who is it?" demanded Elizabeth, reaching for Jack's spyglass. He handed it to her absently, already calculating their plan of survival. "The Royal Navy, I assume. Question is, are they chasing us, or just out for a merry boat ride?"
"When are they ever out for a merry boat ride?" spat Elizabeth with much disdain. The more time passed, the more she came to resent those who threatened to take her freedom away from her. Recognizing this in her, for he felt it himself, Jack felt pleased at her progress. It was happening so gradually Elizabeth herself may not have been able to detect the change, but he watched her become one of them more and more every day.
"Good point." Jack shouted out, "All sails, matees! Ahead full!"
At the order crewmen scrambled, and Elizabeth watched in awe as the rest of the black sails dropped down from their rigging, and filled out in the wind like a strange flower coming to bloom. "Beautiful, eh love?" Jack whispered in her ear, noting her appreciation.
"Yes," she answered, too fascinated to scold him for coming too close.
Even going at full speed, the Pearl wasn't able to shake the Navy ship. This left Jack extremely annoyed, for it was rare to find a ship faster than the Pearl.
"It must be one of the newer vessels, just in from the shipyards in England," said Elizabeth, noting his chagrin. "I wouldn't have dreamed it possible for one to overtake the Pearl though."
"Well, all this means is that we have to sink their ship. Ready for a bit of a tussle, lass?"
"Of course, Jack." He glanced over, to see her jaw clenched and hand travel to the hilt of her cutlass as she surveyed the approaching ship, and he had no doubt.