Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I own nothing related to Pirates of the Caribbean. That belongs to Jerry Bruckheimer, Disney, and a bunch of other people. Only original characters and plotlines are mine.
AN: Here's a new update with a longer chapter, just in time for Pirates 4! I can't wait, I'm so excited! Thanks for reading, and please review!
Chapter 12: Unique Sensations:
I was just starting to wake when someone began to knock heavily on the cabin door. As I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, Anna-Maria woke and let out a string of words I didn't understand the exact meaning of, but knew they were very naughty.
"Who the bloody hell is it?" she snapped at the door while reaching for her sword.
I grinned, but hid it under my blanket. Anna did not like being woken up and especially did not like it when someone laughed at her –though she sometimes made an exception for me.
"It's me," answered a familiar male voice, which made my heart jump. It was Jack! "Open the door, Anna, if you're decent."
"I bloody well won't!" Anna cried, gripping her weapon even tighter. "It's too damn early, for one thing, and besides, you woke up poor Rina, who had a big day yesterday and needs to rest!"
I could hear him sigh. "Anna, I happen to have a very big day planned for her in town," he said. "Get her up and ready, now. Besides, it's long past dawn, and Gibbs needs you to help check on some of the supplies that have arrived."
Anna muttered a few more curses, then glared at the door. "Fine," she snapped. "It'll be a while, though, so go wait up on deck until she and I head up there!"
We heard the sound of footsteps walking away, and knew we were safely alone. I had finally managed to get my amusement under control, and pulled down the blanket just as Anna crawled out of bed, her nightshirt tangling in the sheets as she struggled to stand. I quickly joined her, and the two of us immediately began to dress.
By the time we reached the top deck, Jack had begun pacing back and forth impatiently. I gave a small laugh that came out as a 'huff-huff' sound, and Anna joined in, laughing softly as Jack turned and spotted us.
"Finally!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. "Come on, Rina; let's go before all of the really nice things in the market are sold off."
"Oh, no you don't, Sparrow!" Anna reached out and smacked him on the arm, causing him to wince and rub his shoulder. "The poor thing hasn't even had any breakfast yet, and you want to start dragging her around town? Do you want her to faint from hunger in the middle of the street?"
Jack sighed and rolled his eyes. "I plan on getting her some food from the market stalls, Anna," he explained, exasperated. "Now, can we go? Perkins and Masterson are waiting for me to bring this lovely thing along."
I blushed as Jack took my right hand and tucked it into his left elbow before leading me down the gangplank.
"Be sure to bring her back by lunch!" Anna called after us. "We need to go over the supplies in the galley!"
Jack merely waved back at her as he led me into town, both of us smiling all the while.
Jack was true to his word. The moment we met with Perkins and Masterson, my guide led us to a stall that was selling hot bread rolls that had something yellow melting into it.
"We'll have a breakfast roll and butter to start, then see if we can't find someone selling fresh fruit," Jack aid, handing me a roll.
It was hot, but delicious, and filling. The butter was rich on my tongue –we never had butter on the Pearl, which I often heard Anna-Maria complain about whenever we were in the galley together. She said it 'went bad' too quickly, otherwise she'd keep some aboard to use in the food. I could now see why she longed to have it –it was absolutely wonderful!
As I carefully licked the last trace of butter from my fingers, Perkins brought us some fresh fruit that had been speared onto wooden sticks. Since Perkins was so tall and thin, I thought it was amusing how closely he resembled the food he brought us.
Jack handed me a stick with yellow fruit on it, and told me to try it. "It's pineapple," he said as I closely examined it. "It's sweet, but it might have a little bit of sour to it. You'll like it."
I did like it, but not as much as the green and orange melons that he asked me to try. By the time I ate the last bite of green melon, I was stuffed, and Jack handed me a handkerchief to clean myself up with. I hadn't realized that I looked that horrid after eating, but I tidied myself up, nonetheless.
Once I was clean, Jack stuffed the handkerchief back into his pocket and put my hand in his elbow again, so that he could lead us further into the bustling town.
Today, we did not focus on the stalls, but rather on the shops set inside the buildings.
I was astounded that there were so many of them, and many sold things that didn't seem too different from what the people at the stalls were selling, except that they were selling them indoors. However, there was a great deal more space at the shops, and much more to look at.
To my surprise, Jack took me to a shop that sold cloth of many different kinds. It seemed that what they sold here would take a great deal of money to buy, but the man who owned the shop seemed to be a friend of Masterson and Jack's, so we were welcomed inside, though I felt that we really did not fit well here.
While Jack, Masterson and their friend talked, I was led around the store by Perkins, who pointed out a material called 'silk.' "Very expensive, it is," Perkins said, looking at the blue material. "Since the other man's not looking, why don't you run a hand over it and let me know what you think?"
The shimmering material looked so beautiful, I couldn't resist. Raising a hand, I gently stroked the cloth with two fingers, and sighed. It was cool and liquid against my skin, like seawater flowing over my hand again. Closing my eyes, I imagined myself back in the ocean, swimming with friends and being carefree, like I used to be.
Then the dusty smells of the shop reached my nose, and I was back in my new body, the illusion shattered. I sighed again, pulling my hand back to drop to my side. It was a good thing I did not have anything made of silk, for touching it would only make me weep and long for the world I had left behind.
"Finished looking, Rina?" Perkins asked gently, apparently sensing my sadness. "I've spotted something I think might interest you."
He led me to a shelf with many small glass bottles that had stoppers in them, and each of them was a different hue and color. There were bits of paper attached to the stoppers, but I could not read them –I was going to have to get Anna to teach me how to read soon.
"Perfume," Perkins said, retrieving one bottle and unstopping it. "Hmm, roses. Here, Rina, have a smell and let me know what you think."
I took a small sniff, and tilted my head to the side. I liked the heavy scent –it smelled elegant and ancient, like some of the older spirits and goddesses of the sea. Intrigued, I chose another off of the shelf and sniffed that one, though I quickly regretted it. It smelled overpowering, and so strong it felt as though it were burning my nose. Perkins laughed as I hurriedly returned it to the shelf and chose another.
How long we stood there, sniffing the bottles, I couldn't say, but we were nearly finished by the time Jack had come to join us, a smile on his face and a pouch at his belt, one that hadn't been there when we entered the shop.
"Well, Perkins?" he asked, looking over at me. "Have you managed to keep Rina busy while I tended to business?"
The tall man nodded, eyes glinting as I winced at the scent he had offered me. "Aye, Captain," he said, grinning as I put the glass back. "We've been at the perfume bottles for near an hour now, and I can tell you that Marina has a good sense of smell when it comes to them."
Jack looked at me and grinned when I blushed. "Is that so, Rina? Well, which of these fine scents did you like the most? Flowers? Fruit? Or maybe a mix of both?"
Perkins picked up a small bottle that was an odd color of green, and opened it. "You remember this one, don't you Rina? You liked it best."
I sniffed it and smiled, nodding that I did remember liking it. Perkins read the label, "Cucumber, mint, and lime oils," he said. "Refreshing and pretty, isn't it?"
Jack looked at me for a long moment. "Try it on, Rina, and see if it agrees with you."
Of course, I didn't know what he meant. I had no idea what perfume was –all that I knew was that these bottles had 'perfume' in them, and that they smelled nice. What did he mean by trying it on?
Before I could even attempt to read what he meant in his thoughts, Jack reached out, put the cork back in the bottle, and shook it twice before uncorking it. He then took my right wrist and gently rubbed the slightly damp cork over my skin.
"Alright, let it dry, and we'll see if it's the right one for you," Jack said, gently setting aside the bottle.
We waited a moment, and when I felt that my skin was dry, I gave my wrist a tentative sniff. 'Oh, that's lovely,' I marveled, smiling. It was crisp, fresh, and light; all of it blending perfectly together to raise my spirits.
Jack grinned. "I see we have what you need," he said, motioning for the store's owner to join us. "Lucas, wrap this up carefully, will you? It won't do the lass any good if the bottle breaks."
Lucas, who was a cheerful, tiny man, was more than happy to wrap the small bottle in a large sheet of paper, then tuck it into a small brown satchel for me to wear on my belt. While I tied it on, Jack handed Lucas a few small coins in exchange for it.
"Nicely done, mate," Jack said to his friend. "If you've got any soap in that scent, you might want to have them sent to the Pearl with Marina's name on it. The poor thing's been using the same soap my second mate has, and it seems rough on her fair skin."
He grinned as I glared at him, hurt that he thought my skin to be rough, and that Anna's soap wasn't good enough for me. It was far gentler than what the men used, and it smelled better, too. And she seemed to have plenty of it, since she was always telling me to wash before bed. Why did I need soap of my own?
Jack leaned over to whisper into my ear, "Trust me, luv, it's for the best. Anna has her own taste in soap, and this will be for your own personal use."
Sighing, I nodded and let him lead me out of the shop, but not before giving Lucas a smile of thanks as we left. He nodded his head and smiled in return, even giving me a wave just as we turned the corner of the doorway.
I lost count of the number of shops we visited, and the number of goods I had looked at. By the time we paused for lunch, my head was spinning and I was in sore need of food.
Our noon meal was at a small eating place, where we were served a thick stew of meat and vegetables, along with fresh bread and butter. I decided that, whenever I visited shore, I was going to have butter as much as possible.
After eating, Jack insisted that he take me to a shop on his own, sending Perkins and Masterson on their way. I was confused at the grins and glances they threw at each other, but chose to ignore it when Jack did. As soon as they were out of sight, Jack led me to a tiny shop with a large woman sitting in a corner behind a raised platform of wood. She smiled at us in welcome, and told us to look around at her goods.
"If there's anything you can't find, let me know," she said, motioning towards the limited number of shelves around the place. "I might have what you're looking for, or know who might have it instead."
Jack thanked her and motioned for me to follow him to the right, where he picked up a large hair clip of dark wood engraved with flowers in different colors. He looked at it for a moment, shook his head, then put it back in its spot. He found another, this one smaller and made from a pale wood, carved with the images of seashells and waves. It was very pretty, and I found that I liked it very much.
He turned towards me and, looking from it to me, seemed to approve of something only he saw. He nodded once, reached into the pouch at his waist and tossed a coin to the woman, who caught it, beaming happily as she tucked it away.
To me, Jack handed the hair clip. "As nice as your hair looks in a braid, I think it could use a bit of decoration. What say you?"
I smiled and flushed as I put the clip in place at the top of my braid. I didn't know why he was being so kind to me today, but I felt it not right for him to do so much for me when I did not deserve it.
Standing on my toes, I tried to press a kiss to his cheek, but missed. Instead, he turned his head so that his lips met my own, and as they did so, a warm shock spread through me, straight down to my feet. I felt as though he were hugging me from the inside, a sense of safety and fulfillment enveloping me as I stood there, my lips pressed against his. It was the most wonderful sensation I had ever felt, either as a mermaid or a human.
When he pulled away, I suddenly found myself longing to feel that warmth and safety again. It had been such a short kiss, but it felt as though an eternity had occurred in it.
From his heavy breathing and dazed look, Jack seemed to have felt it as I had. "Well, that was interesting," he murmured as he swallowed hard. "Let's get back to the Pearl, aye? I seem to remember that Anna-Maria wanted you back for some stupid reason."
I nodded, my face suddenly red with embarrassment, but my heart was warm with something I had never thought I would feel in life. However, I dared not name it, for I had no idea of Jack felt the same for me. I didn't even dare try to ask him if he cared for me more than a friend. Merfolk rarely fell in love more than once or twice in our long lives, and if we are refused by the one we love, we are so heartbroken that we prefer solitude than a forced bonding to one we do not care for.
'If Jack were to refuse me, I don't think I could bear it,' a part of me said, lowering my spirits as Jack took my hand and led me back to the Pearl.
And how could I not care for him? How could I not feel this way for the man was so kind and attentive to me, who had saved me from death and given me a place aboard his ship? He had seen to my safety, and ordered me trained in ways to protect myself from harm. And he had taught me how to dance when I never thought it possible. He had accepted me as one of his own crew and shown me the wonders of the human world.
"Here we are Rina," he said, jarring me from my thoughts. "Anna's probably on deck waiting for you, so why don't you go up to meet her? I've got a few things to do in my cabin, and might head into town to meet with Gibbs later, so if I don't see you today, have a good evening."
I smiled shyly at him before giving his hand a brief squeeze and heading up the ramp. Sure enough, Anna was there waiting for me, and the glare she gave me said that I was late, and she was angry. Hanging my head, I followed her down to the galley, my day of amusement over until tomorrow.
Watching Marina head off, Jack wondered what he had gotten himself into this time.
'Not here,' part of his mind whispered. 'Get to the cabin.'
Good idea. It wouldn't do for him to stand here, staring into the air in thought. His crew might just think him madder than they already did, and he did not want anyone asking him questions he might not have any answers to.
Whirling around, Jack quickly rushed into his cabin and locked the door, his eyes searching for the one thing that could clear his head at a time like this: rum. Luckily, he kept at least three or four bottles lying around, so it was no trouble finding one.
A bottle in hand, he threw himself down into a chair and took a long pull of the liquor, which burned a path down his throat and warmed in his belly. Of course, that warmth was rather poor compared to what Marina's kiss had done to him…
"No!" he cried, waving his hands around and practically bathing himself in rum from the open bottle.
No, he couldn't risk thinking anything like that, or feeling it, either. He was a pirate, and pirates didn't risk falling in love, not in their line of work. Well, a few of them did manage to get a girl and a child, but being a pirate meant that there was a very good chance that you'd end up dead and your family stuck with no means of support. It was best for a pirate to stay unattached and indulge in salty wenches at whatever port he ended up in.
But that hadn't stopped what Jack had felt when Marina kissed him. Actually, that had been his own doing (and undoing) –he'd purposely turned his head so that her lips touched his, rather than brush his cheek like she intended. It was his own bloody fault for being curious about the kind of kisser she was, and that curiosity had come back to bite him in the rump, soundly and painfully.
It wasn't that he hadn't enjoyed the kiss -Jack certainly enjoyed kissing women, and having them kiss him in return. Kissing Marina, he believed, would have been no different than kissing a woman in any other port.
The problem was, it had been far different, because when his lips touched hers, it was like lightning had shot through him. His heart had either stopped or beat faster, he couldn't tell which, and the feel of Marina's lips on his had been so much better than they'd felt on his cheek.
"Much more better," he murmured, staring down at the table.
After kissing hundreds, if not thousands, of women in his life, Jack had honestly not thought twice about exchanging a mere peck with Marina. Even though she was mute and somewhat innocent, she was still a charming, attractive woman, and Jack could not resist charming and attractive women.
So, being the man and pirate that he was, Jack had wanted to "test the waters" with her.
First were the sword lessons, which he enjoyed because they gave him an excuse to be near her, and touch her hands -as well as other places. Here in town, he had bought her little gifts to win her over, and just when she felt she owed him a bit of thanks, she had delivered to him a kiss that had literally taken his breath away.
Groaning, he took a pull from the bottle. Playing with women's hearts was like playing with fire, and in nearly all cases, Jack had come out only a little singed, if not a tiny bit burnt. In his ploy with Marina, however, his goose had been very cooked.
"What have I done?" he groaned, running a hand over his face.
He had taken a chance, a gamble, and lost. For some reason, he was hooked on this girl, and couldn't understand why. She was attractive, but she was also sweet, caring, and almost delicate, all of which were not traits that he looked for in a woman. So why this one?
'Perhaps it's because she's different from any other woman I've chased after, in that she doesn't hang onto me for the sake of a night's pay.' Or it might be those incredible blue eyes of hers, the way they just seem to pull him in whenever she smiled at him. Perhaps it was she gave him her full attention whenever he told her one of his tales.
Whatever it was, Jack knew that he had to put a stop to it, and soon.
The problem was, he didn't know if he wanted to stop it. The way she smiled at him, listened to him and his stories with such attention, and let him gently hold her while teaching her to fight showed she had great faith in him, the rogue pirate that he was. No one had ever trusted in him like she did, not even his own mum.
But did she feel the same way he did? He couldn't be sure about that. Many women had fallen prey to his charms, but he'd never been sure if they were genuine, or if it was just a woman falling for the legendary pirate, not the man himself.
Sighing, Jack took a long drink and decided that he would need a lot more before long. With the amount of rum he intended to pour down his gullet, a trip to the local tavern would be uncalled for.
AN: Review?