A/N: Thank you, dear reviewers!
Disclaimer: Disney owns PotC. I probably own Henry and the Lady of the Sea, but that's not saying much. :)
In the days that followed I found myself standing at the bow of the Lady of the Sea in the early mornings, trying desperately to see through the blurry fog that enveloped the ship. We were going in the same direction as the Pearl, and sometimes I was wildly hoping that perhaps I could catch a glimpse of her in the distance.
As soon as the sun rose the fog lifted and it became unbearably hot. Henry let me have the magic map for the duration of my stay aboard the Lady, and I kept it with me as I roamed the deck restlessly, fanning my face with it once in a while. I did this only out of lack of a better thing to do (I wasn't a crew member), because the fanning didn't work; the air remained suffocatingly hot, pressing in on me with intensity. There was hardly any wind, and the still air tortured me. Besides the heat, it reminded me that the ship could barely move, that I wasn't any closer to Jack than I had been ten hours ago... And yet with a glance at the map I saw that the Pearl was moving as fast as ever.
I leaned against the side of the ship as I once again unfolded the map and watched the Lady's unencouraging progress. It was twilight, the sky already sprinkled with stars. As I stared at the Pearl, moving swiftly, I felt a terrible wave of helplessness wash over me. Couldn't Jack use his compass? It would work... unless... I wasn't what he wanted most in the world. I shied away from the thought, frightened that it was true, telling myself desperately it could not be.
And every day Jack's abscence fell on me like an enormous burden. I felt hollow, as if someone had carved out a huge section of me.
"So," said Henry, walking up to me. "Is your… stay aboard me ship enjoyable?"
"Very enjoyable, thank you," I said, not quite wanting to talk. "But it's your ship now?"
"Well, I'm the captain for now, ye may as well call it my ship."
I nodded.
"Come into me cabin, miss," he said, "There's something I've been wanting to ask you."
I followed him reluctantly into the captain's quarters, knowing I didn't have much of an excuse not to. I sat down on an extra chair and waited.
"Yer a very… pretty lady," he said at last. I raised an eyebrow. I hadn't heard comments about my appearance for months.
"Telling me that has no effect on me," I said coolly.
"And yer seeking Jack Sparrow, eh?" he continued. "Does he… fancy you?"
I gave him an odd look.
"I—yes—I mean… we're—" I stopped. "Friends. Why do you want to know?"
"I'm trying to figure out why someone like ye would be aboard a ship and seeking a nigh uncatchable man."
"I was captured in a battle that Norrington and Beckett had with the Pearl, and I wish to go back."
"Ah, so ye were on board the Black Pearl," he said. "Ah. I believe I know why now."
I looked at him skeptically.
"Jack Sparrow—"
"Captain," I said automatically.
"—pays a lot?"
"What?"
"Well what do you say to joining me in me cabin tonight?" he asked, grinning wickedly.
I opened my mouth in horror and revulsion and stared at him with disgust.
"No!" I exclaimed.
"And why not?" asked Henry.
"I'm not a—you've got it wrong—I'm—Are you mad?!"
He watched me.
"If you want to know," I said, "I'm a member of Jack's crew (why else would I carry weapons?), and… I'm his—friend… And I simply got captured by Norrington!"
"And why ye, then? We all saw ye kiss him."
"Listen," I said impatiently. "Norrington would not dare mingle with a whore! He wouldn't even set me free. The reason he captured me, and—the reason for the kiss… is because that wasn't the first time we met! There's history in this!"
He watched silently.
"If you'll excuse me, captain," I said, still revolted, "I think I'll return to my own cabin."
I swept out the room and slammed the door shut, and ran below deck to my cabin.
"Jack," I whispered into the pillow as I lay on the bed. "Jack..."
"Captain, a ship's been sighted!" shouted someone on deck.
I gasped, slipped my feet into my boots, and nearly broke the door off its hinges as I raced out and onto deck. Wildly excited, I ran to the bow and stared out to sea. Sure enough, there was the silhouette of a large vessel, closer than I would have expected. I glanced up at the white-grey sails of the Lady, and again looked at the other ship.
"That's it!" I shouted, mad with happiness. "It's the Black Pearl!"
It felt like someone had suffocated me for days and now I could breathe again. I looked around ecstaticly.
"How did we catch up so quickly?" I asked, laughing.
"Cap'n found an instrument to create wind!" said a crewman. As if to prove his point, the wind blew gustily in the sails, and on deck I relished the feel of the moving air on my skin.
"This is incredible!" I said. The Pearl was getting closer and closer every second.
"Aye, it is," said Henry, walking by. "Do you know what's better?" And he swung a rope before me, lashing my hands to my waist. "Something, or rather someone, to bargain with!"
"You—despicable—cheating—liar!" I screamed furiously, running after him as he walked away, trying to kick him, and unable to reach for my weapons. "You made a deal with me!"
"You said you knew what pirates do!" said Henry, laughing. "And if you're one of Sparrow's crew, you've got to be better than that!"
I ran after him again, but this time two of the crewmen caught me and held me still.
"Lock 'er in the brig," said Henry.