Chapter 4: Nigher

With the sounds of the waves over half a mile away, the night was too silent for Elizabeth. Thankfully the wind shaking the trees sometimes had a similar and relaxing effect on her exhausted mind as the sea would've. Without it she was still too worried about him, he was far from well and she was drained from caring for him day and night. She couldn't let anybody in, Jack could've given them away, he wasn't even keen on hiding the fact he was a pirate when he was fully conscious, let alone when he was half delirious. She had to sleep in the big double bed with him for the maid's sake too, she was supposed to be his wife after all. She stirred awake again at the occasional weak moaning and trashing sounds coming from Jack beside her, it wasn't very unusual though. She checked if his eyes were open and as they were she took the opportunity to pour some more medicine into him.

Jack shook his head at the attempt. His belly was sickly and the sour taste of those brews were unlikely to soothe it, digestion was difficult as it was, even without it, and his stomach was unused to anything else than oversalted meat and stale bread with worms in it that they had on board of the Pearl going for food for a long while. He knew what could've helped both of his problems though, rum. Nevertheless any time he tried to drink rum during his hallucinations it just tasted like Pergamon, so he just gave up on the idea. However, he did like the illusion before him, she was worth the whole ordeal.

"Drink some of it at least," the illusion insisted.

Opening his mouth to argue he felt like knocking the cup out of her hand, but he was too feeble for the strong motion and made a negative gesture with his hand instead, his lips pursed shut now.

Elisabeth sighed, set the cup down on the nightstand and took the opposing hand in hers, "sssh. Calm down Jack, I don't know what are you dreaming about, you get that disturbed, but you're safe here with me."

He didn't oppose to his hand being held, oh no. Instead, he moved his other hand and put it on Elisabeth's two, holding his. "Things no other man has ever seen," he remained enigmatic not really finding it appropriate to mention the Kraken to her. Well yes, and that kiss. Replayed over and over with the same end result. Her betrayal. Of the only woman that was worth having, the only woman that could've been the equal of a pirate, a partner in crime, not just a toy to play with and discard later. Not like his other wives. And then there were all these Elisabeth dreams these days. Where she lovingly tended to him. Of course that was impossible. He must really love her if he dreams about her that much.

"Do you have nightmares about it?" Elisabeth pressed nevertheless and neither of them had to specify what the it in the sentence was.

"At times..." He hung on to her more tightly, "...being on an island for that long, in a desert, that was the worst of it. Do I hate land. Was born in the sea you know? Like a whale, my mother used to tell me the tale..."

"What can I say? It doesn't help now, but Jack, if I could, I would turn back time, percept another way, I would not bind you to the Pearl."

"It doesn't matter Elisabeth. Because I love you so." He would've never said such a thing otherwise, and meaning it too, but this time he could tell her he loved her because it was only another dream him talking to her. "Some say I do not know how to love, but that's not true," his eyes sparkled feverishly in his attempt to convince her. "My father has an amazing capacity to love, I know many feared him, me including, but he's just a big hearty."

"Of course it isn't true. You can love. If you can forgive me for what I've done to you, it isn't."

"Why you haunting me Lizzie? Every night and ever day? Take pity!"

Elisabeth touched his sweaty bare chest, "hot?" She pulled the light sheet off him, that was used as cover. She swallowed, all that desire waking up in her every time her eyes came in contact with his naked figure.

Tbc