My many, many apologies for taking so long with this (to anyone who still even cares, that is). I'm not overly fond of this chapter, as for the most part a lot of the content has been written for some time. However, hopefully I will make up for it with a few new chapters which I already have planned out, and I actually get properly into the plot. :)
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A hat flew across the room, skimming the top of Jack's head as he ducked to avoid it. "Oy! That could've taken my eye out…" the pirate muttered in fake annoyance.
Erin peered around the screen which had previously obscured her from view, regarding her uppity friend with an arched eyebrow, "Missed. Shame."
"What was that for?" he asked, perplexed, as she disappeared back behind the screen.
"For peeking" she replied, smugly. "And, I felt like it."
Jack leant forward, over the map stretched across the desk before him. Absent-mindedly, he responded, "I didn't realise I was so transparent."
"No, but I've got a feeling this screen is" she answered, with a somewhat dubious tone to her voice.
Jack grunted in response, "How long does it take anyway? Just hurry up and choose something to wear."
"I never said you had to wait for me" she retorted, unruffled. "Don't you have a ship to captain, perchance?"
Jack stretched languorously, "The crew can handle it."
On the pair's arrival there had been many hurried greetings as the crew made the ship ready to sail, and Erin attempted to reacquaint herself with both the Black Pearl, and indeed, some of it's crew, who (in some cases, unfortunately) she had met before.
The Pearl's rather disgruntled crew had let out a combination of salutations and curses at Jack's return. Clearly most were all too eager to leave, and not wanting to go against the wishes of a clearly very bad-tempered group of pirates, Erin had retreated to the captain's cabin to look through the scarce amount of spare clothes available to her, being exceedingly fed up of her current garments. Jack had followed shortly after her, slumping into a chair and muttering something about navigational errors. Erin had decided not to ask, instead leaving him to his madness.
Erin reappeared from behind the screen, and crossed the cluttered floor to regard her reflection in the liquor cabinet.
Jack spoke, but did not look up, "Bloody hallelujah."
Erin didn't reply, clearly having decided to ignore this scathing comment.
Glancing over at her, Jack raised an eyebrow, "Well, you look even witchier than usual. You spent too much time with Tia Dalma."
It was true, there was just something distinctly supernatural about Erin, which only made her even more mystifying, and even easier on the eyes.
"Witchier? Well, thanks."
"You know what I mean" he said, giving her a lingering look, before turning back to the map before him. He sniffed affectedly, "You'll do."
"I'm just doing the best with what I was given", Erin shrugged, and there were a few moments of silence as she pulled on her leather boots, tucking in her trousers. After a few seconds he became aware of her coming closer, and she perched on the edge of Jack's desk, looking quite pleased with herself, despite what Jack had said. She looked at him expectantly, with her piercingly blue eyes that stood out in startling contrast to the dark hair that framed her face. She rolled up her long, white sleeves, "Well, Mr Sparrow. What is it you want with me?"
Jack stood up, taking a swig from the tankard on his desk, before realising it was empty. "Well, would you look at that. Be right back."
Erin lunged forward, catching hold of his wrist as he strode towards the door.
"Jack, you are going to tell me what all this about", she said, firmly.
Looking only slightly surprised, he replied, "Did no one ever tell you that ignorance is bliss?"
Erin frowned, "Yes, but clearly, they had never met you."
Jack extricated himself from her grasp, and continued mysteriously, "All will be revealed in time…"
-
Sat on the wooden rail on the deck, dangling her feet over the side of the ship, Erin couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so free. However, being aboard the Pearl brought back a lot of memories, not all so pleasant, but all utterly unforgettable. She stroked the wood underneath her fingered, fondly, bewitched by the white streaks of foam-crested waves moving swiftly past, and the feel of the wind in her hair. Erin couldn't believe how much she had yearned to be back at sea, and couldn't help but feel it was in her blood. Leaning backwards, and tearing her eyes from the beautiful horizon, she turned to look at her crewmates. Most of them were at work, climbing up the rigging or busying themselves with equally important tasks. Erin, as Jack had so pointedly informed her, wasn't expected to do any of this, which she found particularly curious. The fact that none of the other crew appeared to resent her for this fact, similarly put her on edge.
At the helm, she could see Jack, his brow furrowed broodingly, as he manoeuvred the ship to who knew where. He had been extremely cloak and dagger about that, too. She was beginning to feel as though she had been kidnapped, if it were possible to be kidnapped willingly. She smiled at his expression still so inherently familiar to her, even after all the time that had passed. As she watched him, Jack's first mate, Gibbs, appeared at his shoulder. She knew Gibbs of old and had recognised him immediately, having a somewhat uncanny knack for remembering faces. He was a nice enough sort, for a pirate, especially, and had a certain knack for storytelling. Despite this, she felt slightly uneasy, sure that they were talking about her. Telling herself she was just being, paranoid, Erin turned away. After all, she and Jack were, for all intents and purposes, friends. Would he really do something to directly harm her? She didn't think so, but she knew how reckless he could be, particularly where his own mortality was involved. She would have to wait to find out was going on, it seemed, though that didn't mean she wasn't going to keep her ear to the ground. Looking out towards the sea she couldn't help but feel calmed, in such idyllic surroundings, it was hard to be suspicious.
After a while, she became aware of the sound of multiple pairs of boots on wooden planks, approaching.
Erin groaned loudly, "Oh, you can't be serious."
Her old crewmates, Ragetti and Pintel, were grinning crookedly at her. Time had not changed them much except it seemed, if possible, that they looked even filthier than before.
"Ello Sparks." Pintel ventured, as he adjusted his wooden eye with a look of attempted malevolence.
"Jack never took you two on?" Erin stared at them sceptically.
"It was somefink of an accident" Pintel assured her. Despite this, he glanced quickly in Jack's direction, who seemed oblivious to their conversation and was still in deep conversation at the wheel. The three of them watched him silently, though for vastly different reasons. The pair were checking their Captain was out of earshot, she was sure.
"No hard feelings, eh?" Ragetti added, eventually, distracting her. His compatriot laughed, mockingly.
She fixed them with as fierce a look as she could muster, "Shut it."
"Oooo. Well, that's us told." Pintel answered, mimicking her tone.
Shaking her head, she moved away from them. Ghosting Jack's steps she clambered up the steps, towards the ships' wheel, hoping that she could, perhaps, overhear something she wasn't supposed to. Suddenly, she felt one of her feet slip on the wet stairway, and went flying backwards down the stairs. She landed, spread-eagled, with an overly-loud thud, cursing and rubbing at her now incredibly painful back. To her relief, it seemed no one had noticed her fall, as she was very aware that she would probably never hear the last of it if they had. She raised her head, and peering through her hair saw Jack leaning over the banister above her, with an amused grin upon his face, "Not recovered your sea legs I see…"
Well… Someone had noticed. Erin was searching for a suitable retort, when she noticed a hand extended towards her. It was pale, and there was no dirt under the fingernails. This was odd, considering her current company. Mildly surprised, she took it and was pulled strongly to her feet. She gazed vaguely into the face of her rescuer, finding herself momentarily stunned. Erin stood, unblinking as her eyes met with those of a man whom she had never met before. A very attractive man she had never met before.
"Hello, Stranger" he said, with a flawless grin.
"Um… Alright" Erin nodded, aghast.
His cool smile widened, and she found herself immediately endeared to him, and Erin felt her cheeks flush in what seemed the umpteenth time in the past few days, at which point she remembered Jack. Glancing in his direction she saw he looked unexplainably apprehensive as he descended the stairs to join them.
Slowly, she turned and fixed her eyes questioningly on the unassumingly good-looking young man. Erin was sure she had not seen him aboard the ship when she arrived, and likewise, he didn't act as a member of the crew. Erin supposed he could be a guest upon the ship but this seemed doubtful, as the Pearl did not often harbour visitors. His pale, porcelain skin showed he spent little time in the sun, and stood out in contrast against his dark hair and eyes, which watched her keenly and seemed to radiate a sense of calm composure. I was at this point however, Erin realised she was still holding his hand and was about to release it when the man shook the hand still clasped in his warmly, "Adrian Wray, at your service."
