Disclaimer: (Looks around) Shh! I'm hunting for Jack Sparrow! This means he's not mine…yet.
AN: There are a few plot twists ahead in this chapter that I hope you will like. Please don't forget to leave a review, as my muses (a.k.a.: the voices in my head) thrive on the stuff. Thanks!
Chapter 18: Finding Out the Truth:
Looking out my windows, I could barely refrain from becoming sick. Two weeks aboard the Chaser, and still no sign of the Black Pearl. Had I not known the extent of the Pearl's damage, by now I would have lost all hope of being rescued. But since this was Captain Jack Sparrow, my husband and a widely feared pirate, I still had a flicker of hope burning inside me. However, this hope did nothing to quell my dislike for my kidnapper.
With each passing day, Gerard Hastings had done everything in his power to try and 'make me comfortable.' I still took meals with him, but did so against my will, as it meant having him watch me every moment I sat with him. Those green eyes of his unnerved me, and I couldn't even look at him without seeing a haughty smirk on his face. Jack could make his arrogant smiles look dashing and playfully naughty; Gerard made them look sinister, as though he knew something no one else did.
I also began to notice the possibility that Hastings did, in fact, know something I didn't. Whenever I refused food or reacted in a certain way to his words or actions, he watched and smiled at me, as though he knew I would behave in that manner. It was almost as though my reactions were expected, and I felt as if I were being studied for some purpose only known to one person.
Sighing, I looked away from the window and at the tray that held my lunch dishes. It annoyed me that my meals were as extravagant as those that probably graced a king's table. How could Hastings have so much fine food and drink on this ship? I highly doubted that his men were getting meal this fine in the galley, and if they were, then where was the money coming from to pay for all of it? Only nobles or royals could afford meals like the ones I'd been forced to endure. True pirates did not eat like this; if they did, it was an indulgence that occurred only on special occasions!
'Then again, I doubt that Gerard Hastings is a true pirate,' I thought with a sneer at the doorway, wishing that he could see my expression.
Not long ago, I had been allowed to walk up on deck and enjoy the sunshine. It was a relief to be free to roam out of my cabin, and I savored the warmth of the sun against my skin, as well as the salty sea breezes blowing through my hair. I made it a point to walk a circle around the helm and the deck several times a day, though I never tried anything stupid like escape. I knew that the men were watching me, either under orders to or because I was the only woman onboard, and knew that if I attempted anything, they would not hesitate to bring me back.
During my time on deck, I learned quite a lot of useful information. Even though the men watched me to make sure I wouldn't try anything, they thought that I was a dim-witted female, and tended to say anything while I was around. In all likelihood, the crew of the Chaser probably thought that all women were sheep, and could not possibly understand anything that was being said by the men around them. Well, if they were foolish enough to believe that, all the better for me!
The most important thing I learned was that the men on the Storm Chaser feared Hastings for reasons that very much puzzled me. It was clear they did not fear him because he was a pirate, but appeared to obey him for another reason I had yet to discover. Whenever Gerard came on deck while I was there, I watched as the men parted before him, just like in the tale of Moses and the Red Sea. If he barked an order to someone, that man would either follow out the order to the letter, or try and exceed what was expected of him. I hadn't seen any man disobey a command, but I felt that, if he did, that particular crewman would probably be food for the sharks in minutes.
It was disturbing, to say the least, and it frightened me more than I would ever care to admit. Jack never had this type of obedience from the Pearl's crew, nor did he run the ship with that sort of fear hanging over the deck the moment he stepped up top. Respect and loyalty were what drove the crewmen of the Black Pearl to obey their captain, and I preferred that method to whatever it was that Hastings was doing to his crew.
Breathing a sigh, I glanced around my prison-cabin and tried to think of something to do that I hadn't already done before. Reading could only be done for so long before a person becomes anxious with the desire to move about. I had tried learning to draw on my own, but since I lacked the skills in that area, most of my works appeared as though a child had drawn them. I could pace my cabin, but if the ship tipped suddenly, I would surely acquire a fall and several bruises.
'And the last thing I want to do is go outside right now,' I thought, turning to glare at the door. 'I really do not want to face the Chaser's men today.'
I shivered, remembering the heated looks the men had given me two days ago. Being the only woman aboard a ship full of men tended to leave the sailors a bit…frustrated. I knew that one or two of them itched to brush their fingers me, as they hadn't had a woman in weeks, so I'd resolved to stay in my cabin until we reached land…whenever that would be.
'But I'm going mad in here,' I realized, taking a step towards the door before I could stop myself. 'I need sunlight and fresh sea air, not to be locked in here all day long! This is almost as it was back with Mother and Father!'
Pulling myself up, I gathered my courage and stalked towards the door. I was no longer the noblewoman who would hide inside for the rest of her life. I was the wife of a pirate, and I sailed on a famous pirate ship; I would not be denied the freedom that I had fought to hard to get! Besides, I'd been taught by pirates to defend myself against pirates, so if anyone tried to force me into anything, I was at least able to fight my way free and get back to the safetly of my cabin.
Carefully swinging the door open, I looked around the deck. There were very few men up top, which I attributed to the fact that it was the lunch hour. One was bound to be up at the helm, paying attention to what he was doing, and another was undoubtedly up in the crow's nest, keeping an eye out for other ships such as the Black Pearl. The only sailors I spotted on deck were a pair of well-seasoned men, sitting with their backs towards me as they talked. Sensing an opportune moment to hear gossip about the ship, I kept quiet as I stepped up behind them, my footsteps hushed by the soft leather soles of my boots. One man had a hat on his head, and the other was bald as a stone, the two of them hunched over and apparently whittling to pass the time.
"I'm telling ye, the captain took the girl because of Sparrow stealing a necklace!" the bald man declared to his friend. "Sparrow done took a necklace belonging to the captain and now we've got a bloody woman onboard because of it!" He shook his head. "It's bad luck having a woman aboard, but I'm not going to tell the captain that!"
The one with the hat laughed. "Aye, I don't think it'd be wise telling the captain what to do with himself," he snickered. "Besides, I think the captain fancies the lady."
The bald man groaned. "You know he only wants her because she belongs to Sparrow. After all, she married the scallywag!" I watched as the bald crewman waved a piece of wood in the face of his friend. "Mark my word, Hastings fancies what he can't have, though he always thinks he can have them. The way he's been throwing good food, fancy furnishings, and other things at her, you can tell he's trying his hardest to win the woman over, even if she won't have him!"
I heard the hat-wearer snort. "I wouldn't wager on that with you, since you might be right! That woman -Rose, I believe she's called- probably has blood as noble as our captain does, and you know he's been looking for a wife for years. That Miss Rose has everything the captain craves: noble blood, a fiery spirit, and she's been fighting him since the moment she got onboard."
"Aye, the captain's got his work cut out for him," muttered the bald man. "Never heard of a noble turning pirate before, but that's what our captain's done. Going straight from Scottish nobility to a seafaring pillager is quite the fall, don't you know.
"Aye, but it's one that he was happy to take for a bit, if only for the money and the pleasure of pilliaging goods away from his fellow nobles!"
Hiding my shock, I turned and headed back into my room to think, closing the door behind me as silently as possible. ' Hastings is a noble?' I thought, walking to my window and opening it to let fresh air in. I quickly sat down on a chair to compose myself.
Good Lord, how could this have happened? The man who was holding me prisoner on his ship, who acted every inch a ruthless, greedy, selfish pirate, was a nobleman. Why hadn't I noticed it before? It was no wonder he had such perfect table manners and treated me as cordially as any man back in my old way of life! That was the same world he, too, had been born and bred into!
'Then again, it shouldn't surprise me that he acts like anyone would imagine a pirate acting.' I bit my lower lip and began to nibble on it as I thought. 'After all,I've seen quite a few aristocrats act as badly as pirates, and some pirates act as nobles should.'
That last thought made me laugh quietly to myself. My husband, Captain Jack Sparrow, acted more as a gentleman than Gerard Hastings, a rich aristocrat from Scotland! Jack kept to the Code of the Brethren of Pirates, and he was a good man who showed mercy and kindness to others. Hastings ruled over his ship like a tyrant, though he had certainly treated me like a queen...
'He treated me like a queen because he knew I was of the upper class!' Horror flooded through me as I realized the implications.
Oh, God, Hastings knew who I was! He knew I was the daughter of a very wealthy merchant, a tradesman who could be of the nobility, if the Crown were to ever offer him Knighthood. Hastings knew I was from a rich family, but how did he know? There was nothing to indicate where I had been born, or even a real name for him to follow back to my family's home port. So how did he manage to trace my past without even knowing my real name?
'And what if he brings me back to Father and Mother? What if Hastings doesn't want to woo me as a bride, but wants me for the reward money that Father's sure to have offered for my return?'
Again, my heart stopped in my chest. I could not go back to them. I would fight with every breath left in my body, and I would not return to the cage I had escaped from. I would have to find a way to escape from here and return to Jack.
"It's supper time, Miss," said a voice from across the room.
I gasped and whirled around. There in the doorway stood the bald man I had overheard earlier. I had been so preoccupied with my thoughts that I hadn't even heard him enter the room! Swallowing nervously, I merely nodded and silently rose from my chair, following the man out of the room and into the lion's den.
Since the moment she had entered the cabin, Gerry could tell that his delightfully amusing guest was distracted. Not taking his eyes off her, he watched as Rose absently ate whatever was set before her without even looking at it. In a way, it was a relief, but in another, it rather alarmed him. What could have caused this sudden change in behavior? Was she ill?
"Are you alright, Miss Rose?" he asked, glancing over her very carefully. "You seem a bit…distracted this evening."
Beautiful chocolate-brown eyes framed by equally lovely lashes turned and looked at him briefly, her fork hovering in the air for a moment as Rose's hand stopped in surprise. Gerry let his eyes follow the fork as it was carefully set down on the plate and released, watching as delicate hands picked up a napkin and gently dabbed the corners of a pretty rosebud mouth. He would never tell anyone, but he loved watching Rose eat.
"I know who you are," she whispered, her brown eyes meeting his green ones.
Though Gerry should have been alarmed, he really wasn't. Instead, he was amused. "And who am I, Miss Rose?" Gerry asked.
"You're a nobleman-turned-pirate," she accused. "I won't try and ask 'why' because that is your business, but I want to know why I'm here being treated like a…a type of royal prisoner instead of the hostage that I'm sure you want me as!"
Laughter burst from his lips, flowing for several moments before he managed to calm himself down. "Oh, dear Rose!" he said, gasping as he leaned forwards over the table. "Rose, you are not a hostage, nor am I trading you for anything." Gerry let a broad grin spread across his lips. "In fact, I mean to keep you…as my noble wife."
I thought I would faint right then and there, but miraculously, I was able to keep my wits. If I fainted, the beast in front of me might try and take advantage of my unconscious person. Taking a deep breath, I tried to think reasonably as I picked up a glass of wine and took a drink to clear my head.
"Why would you want me for a wife, especially when I am already married?" I asked as I set my glass down and glared at him. "Or perhaps you want me because I'm already married to someone you despise?"
Again he laughed, this time sitting comfortably back in his chair as he looked at me. "Well, I must admit, I do want you in place of the debt Jack Sparrow owes me," Hastings replied with a smile. "It's quite satisfying to know that I have something that Sparrow values as much as his precious Pearl." I watched as he sat forward again, his eyes trained on me. "But I'm afraid I also want you for different reasons."
I eyed him suspiciously. "And what reasons would those be?" I asked, my muscles tensing in anticipation of what he might say.
Another smile from Hastings, and another chill shot down my spine. "Why, I intend to make you my cherished noble wife and the mother to my heirs," he said calmly, as though speaking about the weather.
I merely gaped at him. He could not be serious! I was already married to Jack, and there was no possible way that I was going to let this arrogant ass tell me otherwise.
"If you think for one minute that I am going to break the vows I have already exchanged with the man I love, you have got another thing coming," I said as my eyes narrowed in anger.
Hastings merely waved his hand. "As a man from the upper class, I do not recognize the authority that Mr. Turner has as a ship's captain," he said. "When we reach land, we will restock the Chaser and begin sailing back to your parents' home port so that I may ask for your hand in marriage."
I felt as though I'd been struck. "How do you know my parents?" I whispered as a daze-like fog wrapped around my mind.
He merely shrugged. "I'm a man of many means," Hastings replied, pouring himself another glass of wine. "I have contacts all around the world, and when the news of a noblewoman vanishing on her wedding day occurs, you can imagine how interested I was. Especially since the ship that left port the same day happened to be the Black Pearl."
"You won't get away with this," I growled. "My parents would never allow me to marry someone like you, and even if they did, Jack will find me."
"Oh, I highly doubt that Sparrow's going to be able to find us, since my fleet has scattered back to their normal sailing routes. Your dear Jack will have no idea which ship to follow and that will leave me plenty of time to return you to your family and win your hand." A rather arrogant grin spread across my captor's lips. "After all, I am the man who rescued you from pirates. The least your family can do is offer me your hand as my reward."
Unable to hold back, I stood up, stalked over to him and slapped him. For a moment, Hastings did nothing. Then, before I could blink, he leaped out of the chair and grabbed me by the shoulders, shaking me until I looked up at him, my body hanging from his large, strong hands like a rag doll.
"Never hit me again," he whispered in a deathly quiet voice. Thick fingertips dug into my shoulders as he gripped me harder. "You are mine now, and I will do with you what I wish. You will be my wife, and you will bear my children." Hastings then leaned forward and pressed his nose to my hair. "I know that we will have a great deal of fun creating those children as well."
"I hate you," I snarled, turning my head so that my eyes glared pure anger and hatred at him. "I would rather be locked in the deepest pit on Earth than be your wife!"
I continued hanging there in his grasp until, without warning, he pressed his lips against mine. Shocked at the bold move, I could only stand there, frozen, until I fully realized what was happening. Returning back to Earth, I began to struggle against the vice-like grip, raising my hands and pushing against him as best as I could. When Hastings finally released me from both the kiss and his hold, we were both panting, though for different reasons: he with lust, and me from anger.
"You will marry me, Rose…no, I won't call you by your birth name, as it no longer suits you," he said, looking at me with darkened green eyes. "But I do want you…and I always get what I want."
Shaking my head, I turned and ran, flinging open the door and running straight into the chest of one of the crewmembers. The crewman was kind enough to hold me up when I would have fallen, and I felt myself being carefully escorted back to my cabin. As soon as the door was closed and securely locked, I let my tears fall.
Jack stared out at the horizon and tried not to think of Rose. That, of course, was impossible; his wife had always been on his mind even before her abduction, but now that she was gone, all he could think about was her. Rose's face swam at the front of his thoughts every moment he was awake, and the absence of her presence was like a hole in his heart. Each night he reached out in his bed and found an empty spot where Rose should have been. Just knowing that she wasn't there left him cold.
They'd been here in port for three days, obtaining the shot, powder, and extra supplies that would be needed in a fight. They had also stocked up on food for the journey, and though it was practically killing Jack inside with each moment they lost, he knew that if he had any chance of getting Rose back, he would need his crew standing with him in battle.
"Captain?" a voice said, bringing him back to the present. Jack turned towards the speaker. Barton stood there, a concerned look on his face. "Sir, we've just finished loading up the last of the supplies," Barton said, glancing towards where the last of the men were coming aboard. "We're all here and ready to leave whenever you are."
Jack nodded and put his hands on the wheel of the helm, his hands clenching into fists. Despite being lost in his thoughts, Jack knew that his crew was worried about him, and that they were afraid of him doing harm to himself. Of course, Jack would never consider doing any such thing; Rose would certainly take him to task for doing something stupid like that.
Beneath his feet, Jack felt the Pearl sway as the anchor was lifted and the gangplank pulled in. Even without their captain yelling orders, the men knew what to do, and that made him proud. In all the seven seas, there was no better crew than the one of the Black Pearl, and everyone knew it, including Jack. He also knew that his men were willing to walk through fire in order to help him get Rose back, and they were as anxious to do it as he was.
'Good lads,' Jack thought to himself with a small smile as he steered the Pearl out of the port. 'And today is the perfect day for sailing.'
Suddenly, something brushed against his leg, and Jack had to use all of his will not to yelp in surprise. Glancing down, he saw a flash of silvery-white as the creature jumped up on the railing before him and meowed. Jack burst out laughing, the sound startling his crew so that they stopped in their tracks. When they saw the source of their Captain's amusement, they smiled and went back to work.
"Well, my dear Ivory, it's been a while," Jack said to the cat.
She merely yawned and stretched out on her belly on top of the wide banister. Shaking his head, Jack turned his attention back towards the sea. Pulling out his compass, Jack began heading in the direction it pointed. With any luck, this whole business with Hastings would be over soon and Rose would be back on the Pearl and in his arms. However, deep inside, Jack could feel that something was wrong with Rose, and when his intuition spoke, it was time to listen.
'I'm coming, luv,' he silently told her, praying that his wife could hear him. 'And you have no idea how happy I'll be when you're back on the Pearl, safe in my arms.'
In the mean time, perhaps now would be a good time to think of more punishments for Gerry...
AN: Well, now we know Hastings' true plans for Rose. Let's hope that Jack can reach her in time! Please let me know what you think by leaving a review. Thanks a bunch!