"Not All Treasure is Silver and Gold"
Chapter 33
It was smooth sailing for Jack, his family and crew. There weren't going to be any more stops until they got to Port Royal; Elizabeth made Jack swear on pain of death. They had unanimously decided to take the most direct, less scenic, route back to their destination. Or rather, Will, Dani and Elizabeth decided they were going the most direct route and out voted Jack. He was slightly put off by the idea that Dani didn't side with him and she smacked him hard across the face.
This somewhat squashed the idea of searching for the Fountain on the way. But Jack was sure that he could somehow finagle it to work for him. After all, he was exceedingly good at doing just that.
It also seemed that the children were growing restless. They looked slightly catatonic at the idea of another several weeks sailing. Jack was beginning to question that these children actually belonged to Will and himself. That, too, received a hard slap on the face, to which he replied, "I probably deserved that."
It appeared that the children were bored. Perhaps an adventure is just what they needed.
For some reason, Jack never understood that children shouldn't go on real adventures. But he was dead-set on going anyway.
So when they approached a beautiful-looking island, Jack thought it was only natural that they stop and search it.
It was very, very dark when they dropped anchor. Dani and Elizabeth were asleep with the children in their respective cabins. Jack and Will had still been awake on deck. Jack spent an hour trying to convince Will into going with him. And truth be told, he wanted Dani and Elizabeth to go as well, along with the children, but he was fairly certain that they'd just get mad.
Will tried to stand up for himself. He told him that it was a very bad idea to go. Dark deserted islands were always a bad idea to visit. But Jack was insistent that they search it. He said it was just right. It was just like the stories he had heard. So they had to go and they were going to go if Jack had to drag the eunuch over the side of the ship with him.
The island appeared to be empty as Jack and Will walked up the sandy beach. They were going to have to search the island as quickly as possible before Dani or Elizabeth awoke.
Jack could imagine Dani screaming at him as he walked towards the jungle. She was going to curse him to hell and then probably kick him. All in all, very bad if she found out.
And Will knew that Elizabeth would disown him. She would be furious. Some days he thought her temper was worse than Dani's. She was obstinate and very unafraid to voice her opinions on a subject. And also very unafraid to giving Will whatever he deserved. He'd like to blame Dani's influence, but was sure that it was all her own doing.
So the men walked in the silence except for the sound of their boots crunching on the damp sand, until they came to the line of dense jungle.
"After you, Jack," Will smiled and held out his arm.
"No, no, lad. After you," Jack smiled back. "I insist."
"I think a captain should always venture in first," Will said.
So Jack apprehensively walked in. Nothing shot out of anything and no one jumped from the top of any trees to capture them. Jack slowly lit the lantern and held it out in front of the two of them.
They walked for about then minutes, only hearing the rustling of leaves. But as they walked a trickling sound, a very small one, was evident to both of them.
"Where is that coming from?" Will asked.
"This is the question, isn't it?" Jack asked.
They were trying to find the source of the sound. It was getting ever so slightly louder with every passing step.
And suddenly, it was there. Glowing silver water, flowing from seemingly nowhere. It was both the strangest and most beautiful sight they had ever seen.
And without wasting another moment, Jack stepped forward and touched it. "It feels like water," he commented, then smelled his fingers. "And smells like water, too."
"But Jack, is it really the Fountain of Youth?" Will asked skeptically.
"What else could it be?" Jack said, admiring it once more.
He looked at his mirror-like reflection in the pool of silver liquid. It was him, only maybe ten years ago. He knew he needed to drink this.
And he bent down and used his hand as a ladle. He slurped a little, then a little more. He felt nothing. So, in his signature Jack-style, he put his face in the small pond where the "water" was collecting and drank as much as he could.
When he stood and looked at Will, Will noticed a difference. Jack's face, young-looking for a man of his…er…his age. Will mentally berated himself for making fun of Jack's age and focused on the task at hand. He looked younger and more handsome. The change wasn't drastic, but was very noticeable, even in his smile. They had actually found the Fountain of Youth!
Will knelt down to try some as well. Within seconds, the lines that had come with fatherhood had been erased. HE was back to the self that he had been before he'd met Jack.
"How long do you suppose this will last?" Will asked.
"Forever," was Jack's answer.
"We should get Dani and Elizabeth."
"They'll be furious; shouldn't we just wait?"
"Jack, you're not afraid of your wife, are you?"
"No more than you are of yours," Jack replied.
And, of course, they were furious.
One, they weren't told; two, they were left behind. But as soon as they saw the pool of glittering water, they were silent with awe. For a second, at least.
"It's supposed to be a fountain, right?"
"That's the idea, but it can be a pool of water if it wants to be," Jack told her.
Dani had seen how it changed Jack's face. He was exactly how she remembered him when she had first met him. She felt herself fall in love with him all over again when she had first seen him. So she cut Lizzie off and began to drink like she'd never had water before in her life.
A/N: Okay, we're nearing the "real" end. I don't think I'm going to continue with this storyline once I'm done. I guess. Unless someone tells me different. Okay. I am sleepy, but I would enjoy some reviews. Thanks!
Manda