Epilogue: 1740 - Do You Fear Death?


Aboard the "Flying Dutchman" her captain and crew watched as the kraken's giant tentacles wrapped around the "Pearl," eventually dragging her to the bottom of the ocean. And contrary to everyone's expectations, her captain went down with his ship, even though not entirely voluntarily, as it seemed.

It seemed also that the rumours about Jack Sparrow weren't really true, either, for in the end he had proved far braver than many stories told about him wanted to make him appear.

Thoughtfully, Davy Jones lowered his spyglass and muttered more to himself than to the men, who were standing around him and who were watching the spectacle, curiously, that played out before their eyes: "Jack Sparrow. Our debt is settled."

"The captain goes down with his ship. As it turns out not even Jack Sparrow can best the devil."

The crew seemed to agree about it but for some reason a deep uneasiness crept over the otherwise imperturbable Davy Jones. Indignantly, and with a touch of concern in his voice, he finally ordered: "Open the chest."

And as the men around him hesitated, he repeated with more force: "Open the chest, I need to see it!"

It only took a moment until the chest and key were in front of him, but nothing could be heard inside...

Jones had been relieved when his crew had brought the chest aboard the "Dutchman". The men had once again proved to be loyal and dependable, and the English soldier who had initially tried to flee with this extraordinary treasure, had quickly bowed to the pirates' superior numbers and hastily took flight.

Back aboard the "Dutchman" they had all been convinced that they had forestalled Jack Sparrow and his obscure plans, but by now no one was sure any longer that it was actually like they had believed it to be.

Jones waited impatiently for the key to turn in the lock and for the lid of the chest to open in front of him, but as he looked inside, even he seemed to pale for a split second. As he stared into the chest, a yawning void stared back and he realised he was no longer the master of himself, and even less over the sea, which he had always considered his own.

Whoever held the heart now would be able to give him orders at will, and even he, who really should know no fear, was beginning to guess that Jack Sparrow might not have been the enemy he really should have feared.

His gaze shifted to Bill Turner, and he came to understand that he had been too arrogant and self-absorbed when he had allowed young Mister Turner to know where he was hiding the key.

It dawned on him that not only had Sparrow sent the boy aboard to find the key, but also to find out something about his father's fate. And he realised that Jack had not only staged all this, to buy his way out of the bargain they struck thirteen years ago.

There was more and he had underestimated the young captain. He had thought he could take advantage of the young man's pain at the loss of his loved one to feast on.

Too late, he now had to accept that Sparrow knew he had lied to him and that he was just looking for a way to find out what the truth really was behind all those schemes he and Tia Dalma had set up to use him as a piece on their personal chessboard.

Apparently this scoundrel of a captain he thought Sparrow to be, was actually a lot smarter than he thought: Sparrow wanted the heart to negotiate his freedom. Whoever was holding it now wanted power...

Once again he let his gaze wander from the empty chest to the spot where the "Black Pearl" went down to the depths together with her captain, then a curse escaped his chest: "Damn you, Jack Sparrow!"

"Do you fear death, Davy Jones," came a voice from the helm at that very moment. The tone of it was much softer and gentler than that of the other crew members, and yet it seemed as if it had once been used to giving orders itself.

Bill Turner winced at these words, and Davy Jones gave the figure who now stepped into the circle of assembled sailors a look that would have been deadly had he actually been able to kill her: "What makes you think that, Miss Stevens?"

She gave him a snide smile unable to contain the anger and disdain she felt for him: "Men like you tend to think themselves invulnerable, and more often than not they succeed. But to play that role, they need those who fear them and who crawl in the dirt before them. If you meet a man who doesn't fear you, your power will dwindle and with it your confidence. You shouldn't have lied to Jack. You shouldn't have tried to use him. You and your lover shouldn't have tried to get him to play you off against each other. Now it is you who fears death, for you don't know where is that precious thing you once cut out of your chest in the hope no one would find it. How's it for a change to feel for yourself what you made all those poor devils feel you forced into your service?"

It only took Jones one step to stand in front of her, and the one of his hands, which in the course of time had turned into a crab's claw, grabbed her by the throat: "Your mouth is as loose as the one of your beloved captain, Miss Stevens, but I swear we can change that."

Caith raised her gaze, and if there was anything in it, it was indifference: "Do you really think death can still frighten me? Or the white desert that awaits me down there? You've already done your worst to Jack and me, so how can you think your threat to kill me would scare me in any way?"

Jones looked down into her eyes and growled: "Who would have thought that young fool would be so attached to you even after death! Anyone else would have given up such a hopeless quest long ago and would have thrown himself into the bed and arms of any other whore the very next time he'd have made port. I should never have allowed him to return to life! I should have known there was more to Jack Sparrow than meets the eye!"

With that, he let her out of his firm grip and turned to leave, but her words held him back once more: "Save your cursing and cussing for those who really betrayed you! The man to whom you will now be at the mercy, Davy Jones, knows neither the meaning of compassion nor of justice. If you think you'll be able to negotiate the return of your heart with him, you'll soon learn what the word cruelty really means! You will do things in this man's name that even you have never imagined before..."

Jones listened but didn't answer. Instead, he disappeared like a shadow in the night, and with him most of his crew.

It was Bill Turner who was left alone on deck with Caith. He grabbed her shoulders and forced her to lock eyes with his: "For heaven's sake, lass, are you insane? Were you about to try to end your last hope of ever seeing Jack again? Keep it up and the captain will grant you that wish!"

"Bill, I appreciate your concern, but I'm not the little girl anymore you and Patrick taught all sorts of things against my mother's will. I've spent years as a shadow of myself. Somewhere between the 'Wench', no, the 'Pearl', and that terrible white desert below! I guess, I don't need to tell you what it feels like to be neither alive nor dead! I want Jack back, Bill! More than ever since I know he wants that too!"

Turner pulled her into a tight hug: "I know lass, I know! Also that you two can do it! All I wanna say is: Don't lose patience now! Give Jack time to find a way..."

"Do you really think we still have time? If Jack is right, Beckett will soon get hold of the heart. And Jack can't help us, not as long as he's trapped down there. If we can't think of anything, I'm afraid he'll lose his mind alone down there! I don't want to see him go through this..."

"Trust me lass! Your Jack is not as alone as you fear. William is out there now. And this girl he's in love with. Elizabeth! It must be good for something that we're all finding each other again right now. Don't you think so as well?"

She just nodded. Bill was right, of course, but she found it incredibly difficult to muster any more patience. As if reading her mind, Bill wrapped an arm around her shoulders and said: "If you're having such a hard time waiting, go and keep him company as best as you can. That's the only advice I can give you."

"And Jones?"

"You are not bound to the 'Dutchman', Caith! Your soul shares the fate of the 'Pearl'. Jones can't hurt you as long as the 'Pearl' is down there at the bottom of the ocean..."


Author's Note:

Watch out for the revised and extended recovery upload of "A Captain's Love - Part 4: At World's End"...!

Coming soon!