The peaceful scene of the lake was obliterated as a paw-flailing scruffball shot out of the thicket and dive-bombed into the icy waters. Seconds later a young woman in a green frockcoat and a blue bandanna burst onto the banks, her panicked eyes searching the disturbance. It was not long before the fading ripples suddenly changed into a frothing mass of upsurging water.
Jack surfaced and gasped in oxygen before ducking down immediately to reveal only his face. His smeary-circled eyes radiated a deep sulk and he looked to Jade where she stood, his clothes bundled under one arm and his hat on her head.
"Put 'em in that hedge over there an' turn round," he grumbled. "An' I'd appreciate your promptness before I freeze to death, savvy?"
Jade obliged, choosing not to point out that the hedge was not evergreen and provided very little cover. She waited for him to don his clothes and effects, turning only when she felt the hat lift off her head. Beard still dripping, Sparrow finished his ensemble and sniffed against the chill.
"Don' yeh go gettin' ill an' dyin' on meh," she grumbled.
"Bloody witches," he muttered. "What're they at bein' milkmaids wiv magic like that?"
Jade shrugged. "Survivin'?" She watched him shiver and added, "We best get yeh somewhere warm, aw'ight? That can't've been good for yeh." She produced the diamond from her coat pocket. "How about some'ere in east Europe?"
"I don't need a walk in the sun, Jade. We'll just get us back to Tortuga. All I need's a bottle o' rum, will do me fine." He made a grab for the diamond but she jumped back.
"Oh no, we en't usin' this jes' so yeh c'n get y'self ratted, an' I en't goin' near that 'ell'ole 'til they forget m' face." A smirk graced her features. "'Sides, yeh owe them money now." Jack's moustache twitched in a grimace. He snatched at the jewel again and she dashed along the snowy bank.
"'Ow about the south'f France?" she suggested, calling over her shoulder. "Yeh like France. Or Italy? Yeh can' go back t' the Pearl, they'll be waitin' for yeh. An' the Caribbean? F'get it. It'll be swarmin' wi' East India thugs." She turned around to face him, still retreating. She smirked at him. "Mebbeh I'll go there on meh own, trade yeh in? Y' reward ought t' be sufficient t' make anyone rich f'r life."
Sparrow made another dash for her. She whirled to run and almost slipped over backwards. A huge swan barred her way, its wings spread, hissing maliciously. Jade tried to back off but was pounced upon by the pursuing pirate. He grappled with her hands, trying to prise the diamond from them.
"Jack!" she squeaked and nodded her head toward the swan. He turned and cried out as the incensed bird launched. It beat its wings loudly and tried to snap at their hands. Instinctively, both of them leapt aside. The diamond dropped to the ground and slid for the lake. Jack gasped and made a snatch for it but the swan stabbed out with its beak, forcing him to jump back. He whimpered as more swans swarmed across the cold lake. One of them drew up close to where the diamond lay half in, half out of the water. Its tail waggled and it stretched out its neck. To the pirate and the girl's horror, the swan took the jewel into its beak. Jack immediately drew his pistol and aimed it at the bird. Jade pulled his arm down.
"Don't!"
The swan on the bank hissed. The rest of the colony started to emerge from the water, waddling toward them with menace in their posture. Sparrow gave the thieving swan a pained look. In response it swallowed the diamond.
"No!" The pistol arm rose again but the gathering on the bank ran at the humans.
Jade whimpered and dragged Jack backward. They scrabbled up the slippery bank and fled into the nearest body of trees.
