Chapter 3
As soon as that door is shut, sealing us into privacy, I turn around, finding my tongue again in the process, and let my anger out on this man.
"Who do you think you are! What in God's name gave you permission to swan into my father's home, masquerading as some wine taster, and then kidnap his daughter! When he finds out what you've done he'll be furious, and sooner than you think you'll be dangling by your neck!"
Not the prettiest image to conjure up, but even so the Captain seems unperturbed- I even think I see the hint of a smile playing around his lips as he crosses his arms and leans back on to one leg, simply watching me. This manages to enrage me even more, yet unsettle me at the same time.
"Who are you?" I manage to finish, rather inadequately.
For a minute, I think he is just going to continue standing there, but instead he opens his mouth and starts to talk in that slurring voice he has.
"You know, I'm very glad you asked- we can't very well have you not knowing who you're addressing. So in accordance to that, allow me to introduce myself as Captain Jack Sparrow."
He tilts forwards slightly and then rocks back, as though he is either not completely in control of his upper body or has spent so long on the waves that he has started to mimic them. Having made this little statement, he looks rather pleased with himself and once again looks at me with a crooked half-smile.
I struggle to maintain my composure.
"That tells me nothing, Mr. Sparrow, it is simply a name. Nothing of your profession, apart from you are a Captain- a captain of what? A merchant vessel, or something else? Nothing of your breeding, your status… The list could go on. And you can hardly say 'we' can't have me not knowing your name when you seem to be ignorant of mine, which is in fact Sofia, not 'Sierra' or whatever you called me several times."
Narrowing his black eyes, Sparrow seems to take this all in for several moments. Then suddenly he turns and sways over to a large round table in the middle of the room, where he searches around in the numerous maps and other papers for a while until he finds a brown bottle containing some type of liquid. Uncorking it he moves to take a swig, but pauses as he sees me staring, waiting for some sort of answer.
"But isn't that the point of a name? You think they tell you everything while in fact they tell you nothing. And as for breeding and status, they only lead to unhappiness- I've discovered that you can be much better off without."
I am slightly surprised at this reply- I was imagining something much less… intelligent… from a man who seems to be slightly more than half-drunk. I open my mouth to form some sort of reply, but Sparrow carries on.
"Although, sometimes names can tell you a lot, I suppose… In your case it's true… So maybe I should be taking back my last statement…"
He tails off, staring seemingly at the endless ocean outside the windows at the back of his cabin, leaving me completely confused. Amazing, how it can be done in such a short space of time…
Perhaps I should be taking back my last statement about the intelligent comment… I think to myself.
For a few moments we stand in a slightly awkward silence, with Captain Sparrow seemingly oblivious to the world around him, and I not entirely sure what to make of the man, and therefore not sure what to say as I have no idea what mood it may put him in, or whether the reply will be gibberish or otherwise.
However, once again he continues.
"As for my profession, I think you already have a clear idea of what it is, but I will just put it into words to clarify a little. I am what may commonly be known as a weasel, a scallywag, a ne'er do well… A pirate, in short. I sail the seas plundering and hoarding, leaving death and destruction in my wake. I am despised for these crimes and am considered a great prize if caught, when I will quickly meet my end.
"Or at least, that's what you're told. But…" Jack Sparrow walks back towards me now, "Have you stopped to consider that these may be stories told to frighten the children? Have you ever considered the real life of a pirate? Because like it or not, luv, you're about to find out the truth to these matters." He smiles wickedly, exposing the glinting teeth again. "You're aboard my ship now."
Then he wheels away, breaking the tension that was electrifying the air, and picks his bottle up again, this time taking a swig.
"As to why you're here, you'll just have to trust me, I'm afraid. I promise, all will become apparent sooner than you think."
I almost laugh- all this speak of trust and promises from a pirate? I cannot believe it.
"Mr Sparrow…"
"Captain Sparrow, if you'd please. Drop the Mr; I much prefer the title of Captain."
"Why? Does it help you to feel in control of your crew of pirates who at any stage may sneak in here and cut your throat, and claim the ship for themselves?" I quip.
Sparrow winces.
"There you go, luv… Assuming all us pirates are as bad as we're made out to be…"
"Prove me wrong!" I much prefer to trust numerous stories my father has told me of pirates than the word of this one man, himself a pirate.
"For a start, my crew are much better than you give them credit… And you haven't even met them…"
We are interrupted by a knock at the door.
"Come in!" Drawls Sparrow, and Mr. Gibbs pokes his head around the door, casting a slightly nervous glance at me before continuing with what he entered for- seemingly, to give a report.
"Captain, we're still on course for Isla Del Espejos. No change there. But there's been a ship sighted in the distance- thought you might want to take a look?"
Jack Sparrow rises in one easy movement and crosses over to the door, where he follows Gibbs out, leaving me inside his cabin. The door starts to be closed behind them, but it seems to pause for a second. Then the Captain's head appears back round it.
"Sofia- see, no name mistake there- this won't take long. Why don't you just stay here, alright? And try not to do anything… stupid. I doubt it will be hard for you though. You seem like a sensible enough lass…" He throws me another wink, then fully shuts the door behind him. However, I hear shouted from outside;
"And don't touch my rum!"
As if I would ever have need of such a vile drink, I think to myself.
Although I am somewhat annoyed at being so carelessly shut in here and the fact that I have still not been given a clear explanation as to why Sparrow wants me, curiosity overrides this emotion as I look around the cabin. I move over to the large table to examine the numerous charts and other bits and pieces to try and work out where we might be going, but to no avail- I have never been taught how to navigate with maps and there is no clear route marked on them. The compass which I discover underneath a pile of sea charts does not help to tell me which direction we are sailing in, either, as the needle just swings wildly back and forth, pointing in no particular direction- it is broken, obviously.
What a fine sailor Sparrow must be, if his navigation compass is broken. This thought doesn't fill me with confidence.
I stretch to move yet another pile of papers, more out of curiosity than anything, but in doing so nudge the bottle of rum which was, until now, sitting so precariously on the edge of the table. It falls onto the deck with a crash, the glass bottle shattering.
Uttering a most uncouth curse, I stop rustling the papers on the table around to see if I can sort the mess out. However I quickly see that it would be easier said than done- the rum is spreading out slowly in a golden pool, and shattered remnants of the bottle are everywhere. I have to be careful not to cut my fingers.
Standing back up, I sigh. This surely won't be the best way to stay on the good side of my host, I can be sure of that…
Something glints on the table from where there was, previously, the bottle of rum. It catches my eye and, frowning slightly, I bend to examine what it is.
Set into the table at the very edge is a tiny knob of brass, which could just look as though someone had accidentally dropped a bit of metal onto the table. At first I wonder why it is there, but quickly I realise that there is a crack all the way round it, forming a small square with one of the sides of the table. I try pushing on the knob, to see if it comes loose and my suspicions are confirmed when it flips up, forming a handle. Pulling it up does not work, but gently pulling it in the direction of the edge of the table does- a chunk of the table slides out uncovers a tiny chamber which has been crudely hewn out of the thick wood of the table. Inside sits an object that I had momentarily forgotten about, but was the original reason for me exiting my room below decks.
However, the locket is never like I have seen it before- the stiff catch has been opened (the one which I have tried many a time to open, but never succeeded), revealing the inside. I peer at it, curious as to what my most special accessory contains.
On one side, there is a small and but detailed painting of a man. Handsome, he has short black hair and a small neat beard which surrounds a mouth quirked up in a smile- a smile which is also reflected in his eyes. His shoulders seem to be covered in rich coloured material, suggesting whatever he was wearing was expensive. Behind him, there is a view of the sea with a ship on the horizon.
It is strange- somehow I recognise this man, although I am almost certain I have never even met him before. However, deep inside me somewhere something seems to twist, stirring up unwanted feelings of sadness and loneliness. Shaking my head, I try to rid myself of these strange feelings, and attempt to distract myself with what is in the other half of the locket. This plan works, as I am completely at a loss to what I am looking at so try to figure out what on Earth it is.
The substance looks like some type of rock- although it is like no rock I have ever seen before. The surface is shiny and smooth, and seems to be made from ripples of colour and light which change direction and shape even under the dim light. Looking into this amazing iridescence, I am surprised to see my own face staring back, as I would not have thought this could have acted as a mirror. Looking again, however, I notice there are some differences to my appearance compared to what it would be like in a normal mirror- the colours are more vibrant and seem to shimmer, dancing around as though they are liquid so my face seems to subtly change colour, and also my features seem to be sharper, more defined in this 'mirror'.
This is certainly better than anything I have at home to look at my reflection in…
So intent on studying my locket, I do not notice the door opening again until it is too late.
Captain Sparrow re-enters, shouting orders over his shoulder to the crew outside.
"Gibbs, just make sure we keep a steady course… No need to worry about Mr. Serpiente catching up with us at this present time!"
Then he turns round to face me, taking in the scene of his papers spread in an even bigger disarray across the table, the smashed rum bottle, and me standing by the table, locket in hand. He pulls a slightly worried face.
"Ah…"
"Ah indeed, Captain Sparrow. Would you care to explain why you have stolen my locket from me? And perhaps you would also like to finally tell me why I am here in the first place?"
Widening his eyes, Sparrow tries to stall for time.
"Now, there's a very good reason for all of this, Sofia…"
I choose to ignore the way he so carelessly left any sort of title off my name.
"Good, I'd love to hear it. The quicker this is over with, the quicker we can sort out my return to land." I sit down in his chair, making myself comfortable.
"So soon? You have no idea of the trouble I had to go through to rescue you."
"Such as what? Take a bath, perhaps?" I glance at his grubby hands and clothing.
Jack manages to look a little upset.
"Now that wasn't fair, luv… Why is it that people always seem to make comments about my personal hygiene?"
"Because it's disgusting!" I retort.
Now Jack looks even more hurt- if it weren't for the wicked twinkle in his eye, I would have said the emotion was real.
"Anyway, I've just about had enough of you skipping around my questions. So if you'd please, answer them now or I swear, I will ram this locket down your throat." I say, crossing my arms over my chest. Even Jack seems to realise there will be no more playing games. Sighing, he strolls over and perches on the edge of the table, carefully stepping over pieces of glass scattered all over the floor to do so.
"All right, but I promise you that you're not going to like it…"
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twadrummer-- Kidnapped! I know! It's a terrible fate... And as to being referred to as 'Sierra'... Well, I promise it will all be revealed in the next chapter!
Shatteredbleedingbroken Heart-- I'm glad it's believeable- I always think that's a good trait for a story to have! Glad you like it!
Wolf.At.Heart-- Nope, both guesses on the Sierra front wrong! You'll just have to wait until the next chapter! Lol.
Lady Kiara Skywalker-- Thankyou, thankyou! Next chapter will be along soon!
Crazy-obsessed-jacksparrow-fan-- Thanks very much! I love to know that this story is liked so much! How's this chapter for you?
POTC4Ever-- Ermm... What was that? Lol. Not sure about the girl being pissed part... Ah well!
Chocolat Pirate-- Thanks again!