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 chapter that I hope will make people very happy. Thanks so much for reading, and please don't forget to review!
Chapter 15: To Break a Spell:
I tried desperately to think of a way to break the spell put on Jack, but nothing came to mind. Actually, several things came to mind, but none of them were something I could successfully accomplish without one of the crew attempting to kill or maim me.
The swiftest and most assured ways of breaking a love spell, or nullifying a love potion, were not simple, nor kind. I would either have to cause Jack to detest this woman, Rebecca, which would free him, but that would not be easy. Since he was so obsessed with her, it would be nearly impossible to make him hate her.
The second option, however, was something I could not do, and that would involve putting Jack in a life-or-death situation. Being so near death, as well as the overwhelming emotions that experience would bring, would effectively dissolve everything the love potion brought along with it, no matter how powerful the magic in the potion was. Treading the line so close to death tended to make even the merfolk think over the loved ones in their lives, and after realizing that he did not love Rebecca, Jack would be freed of her clutches for good.
But how could I do that to the man I loved? Oh, yes, I did love Jack –the charmingly handsome, kind, good man, as well as the rough pirate exterior he always wore. I loved the way he was so gentle with me, and the way he was a good Captain to his crewmen (and woman). I loved his smile, and the way he had helped me so often, when he could have left me solely in Anna-Maria's hands.
And now I would have to repay all of Jack's kindness by causing him great pain. I did not want to break his heart or take him so close to the realm of death, but I did not want to see him in the manipulative hands of that woman! No one else knew what had happened –or if they did, they would not know how to break their Captain free of it. None of the crew had knowledge of magic, so no one except me knew how to save Jack.
There was only one difficulty: how to do it? I suppose I could send him to death's door and make it look as though it were an accident, but I seriously doubted that anyone would believe it –we were pirates, after all, and any pirate would be suspicious of an incident that was claimed to be an 'accident' when it clearly wasn't.
In spite of this, however, I was determined to help Jack, at any cost. I would help him, even if it was the last thing I did.
For three days I tossed and turned, paced and thought over this matter, and I was still no closer to an answer than I had been when Rebecca first stepped onboard.
During these three days, Jack had the crew racing back and forth into town, buying things like mad for the 'wedding' he planned to have with Rebecca. I felt ill every time someone mentioned it, and noticed that Perkins and Masterson both gave me sympathizing looks whenever they passed me and saw my reaction to the 'wedding.'
"We're sorry, Rina," Perkins muttered to me in passing. "I knew that the Captain was fond of you, more than he's ever been towards a woman, and for the life of me, I can't figure out why he's acting like such a fool with this girl."
Masterson was in agreement. "It seems like something unnatural has got its claws into Jack, and we can't figure out how to fix it," he whispered once as we both stood relaxing in the sun. "I swear the Captain's never met the lass before, so how can he be pulled in by her so fast?"
The other crewmembers agreed with this, but didn't dare mention magic for some reason. I could sense in their projected thoughts that they felt something had messed with Jack's usual self, but they didn't think that anything like magic could possibly touch the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow.
'Which is silly, since magic can affect anyone, no matter who they are, if it's strong enough,' I thought, shaking my head.
"Make ready the sails!" came a cry from above. "Man the yards, you filthy toads!" It was Jack, and he was giving orders to leave port!
As I stood there, confused, Anna-Maria came up beside me. "The fool of a man," she growled, brown eyes narrowed. "We're heading off to sea now because Jack thinks it'd be a wonderful to get married at sea! Come on, Rina; we've got to go prepare the galley for the feast Jack wants for the wedding in a day or so."
Biting my lip, I followed her, my heart in my stomach and my mind never stopping in its quest to find a way to free Jack before it was too late.
It was odd that nobody had sensed that the weather was odd today. Perhaps it was because of the way we were all rushing about to "keep Rebecca happy," a task that would drive anyone to madness.
The woman was thoroughly terrible. She demanded the impossible, and insisted on having the finest foods to eat in her cabin, as well as the best jewelry from the remaining loot we had onboard. And whenever we weren't tending to Rebecca, the woman insisted on Jack taking time away from his duties to spend time with her in his cabin.
Even worse, I knew that she didn't love him. She only wanted to marry him because he was one of the most feared pirates in the world, and knew of his 'skills' with women. She didn't care about the man himself, just his reputations. Jack didn't know this, or notice her coldness towards him; he was too under the potion to really know what was happening around him.
So it really was no wonder no one spotted the storm until it was nearly on top of us.
I had experienced storms at sea before, but this was the worst of them all. Above us, the sky was dark as night, with no bit of sun breaking through even though it was noon. The waves were tall and furious, and the wind was as bad at the waves. From where I had taken shelter inside the cabin I shared with Anna, I was astonished that the Pearl managed to stay upright as it sailed through this nightmare.
Perched on my bed, I felt terrible being here while my friends worked tirelessly to keep the Pearl safely going through the sea. However, Gibbs and Anna-Maria had ordered me down below, and told me to stay there until the storm passed. I had reluctantly obeyed, and now regretted it. Something inside me said that a terrible thing was going to happen, and that I had to run up on deck to keep it from happening, or getting worse.
Listening to this instinct, I flew out of the cabin and tried to keep my footing as I struggled up the steps to the top deck. As I stepped onto the deck, sheets of rain and wind flew at me, blinding me for a moment and nearly causing me to lose my footing. I heard a great deal of cursing and yelling, as well as the snap of the sails in the winds that came off the sea. It was chaos.
Looking around, I saw Mr. Cotton up at the helm while Jack tried to help Gibbs and Anna-Maria with tying down several ropes that had come undone. To my dismay, the woman, Rebecca, was standing under the overhang before Jack's cabin, doing her best to order people around, even though she clearly didn't know what she was talking about. I had to grin at how the men were pointedly ignoring her words and often pushing their way around her to go about their business.
Making my way to the main mast, I was able to wrap my arms around it and take a look around, securely pressed against the tall, solid structure. That was when I looked to my right and felt my blood freeze. There, coming towards us, was a huge wave, and I knew that was why I had experienced a bad feeling; mermaids always knew when they were in danger in the sea. This wave was tall and strong enough to crash over us and wash overboard anyone who wasn't secured to the ship by a rope.
Ducking behind the mast, I clung to the ropes wrapped around it with my life, just as someone spotted the wave and yelled a warning. Cold water engulfed me, and I narrowly escaped being washed into the sea by sheer chance of the fact that the ropes were so tightly knotted to the base of the mast. When the water subsided, I saw most of the crew pressed against the starboard side of the Pearl, while others clung to whatever it was that was securely tied down.
That was when I heard the cry. "Jack!" Anna screeched, immediately catching my attention.
Whirling around, I saw an empty spot where Jack had been. My heart fell to my feet, and before I had time to think, I raced for the railing and jumped, ignoring all of the crew's cries to stop. I knew of their concern for me, but none of them could risk the jump into the treacherous waves –they were still human, and they were all needed to keep the Pearl afloat and on course for safe shores.
But I was not. The magic of the seas still flowed through me, and I could go where they could not.
Into the depths I dove, and just as Calypso had promised, my old ability to breathe beneath water remained. I was almost instantly at one with my old element. True, I had no tail, but the power to breathe underwater was what both Jack and I needed.
Looking around frantically, I tried to find him, but the world down here was as dark as it was up above. I would have to try and find him by focusing on his mind, and pray that I could save him before it was too late.
Closing my eyes, I cast my thoughts out, searching. It did not take long until I felt the unique chaos that was his mind. However, I could sense that he was weak, lost and confused. If I did not save him soon, Jack would die.
I nearly wept when I found him a moment later, drifting just below the surface of the sea. His eyes were closed, and I could sense him losing his grip on consciousness. If he were to become completely unconscious, death would only be a matter of time. I could not lose him.
Kicking my legs furiously, I made it to his side just in time to see his eyes flutter partially open. He seemed to grow more aware at the sight of me, for I could see surprise and concern in his face, but soon his eyes were drifting closed again, sending me into a panic.
Giving myself a mental slap, I wrapped my arms around his waist and began to swim for the surface.
It didn't take long for me to realize that, though my legs were strong, they were not as powerful as a tail. Without the immense force that a tail could produce, it was nearly impossible for me to get Jack to the surface so that he could breathe. The currants that pushed and pulled at us nearly tore him from my arms several times, and I knew that even if we did make it to the surface, the waves would be just as intense.
With no way of reaching the surface in time, I knew that there was only one way to keep him alive: the Breath of the Sea.
Closing my eyes, I focused on that flicker of magic within me. It was deep down, buried beneath the mound of humanity that had grown to replace my mermaid self. It still burned – not as brightly as before, but it was still there.
Up the magic crept, into my throat and my mouth, where I held it safely until my lips pressed gently against Jack's. He seemed to think that I was kissing him, for he quickly began to kiss me as though in return, his tongue pressing against mine in an effort to part them. Since that was what I had wanted him to do, I parted my lips and forced the magic past his own, sending it deep into his lungs.
As the Breath took hold, Jack's eyes flew open, his body jerking back as the magic filled him, allowing him to breathe. I sighed in relief as he fell back into unconsciousness, leaving me holding his prone body as we drifted underwater.
There was no possible way for me to haul him through the tangled mess of currants and waves up to the surface, and even if I managed that, I could not keep up with the Pearl. I would be exhausted and soon unconscious myself, so it was safer to remain here, underwater.
Relaxing everything except my mind and my arms, I held tightly to my precious burden, enjoying the warmth of Jack's body against mine as we drifted through the Caribbean waters.
Sadly, magic doesn't last forever, as I well knew, and the Breath was no exception.
The storm was a brutal one, and continued on far longer than I had anticipated. The Breath was a magic meant to last only a brief time, perhaps half an hour at most –just enough time for a human to reach the surface and get to safety. The storm lasted a bit longer than that.
As time moved onwards, I could sense the magic of the Breath slowly draining from Jack's body, and knew that I would need help in saving not only his life, but my own. I could not stay down here with him for much longer, and my body was becoming exhausted with keeping us from drifting too far away from the Pearl. I needed help, and quickly.
Using the last of my strength, I sent out a mental cry into the waters around me. I did not know who or what would hear me, but I fervently hoped that it was something that could help us to the surface.
To my relief, there was a pod of dolphins swimming close by, and at my urgent call, they came as fast as they could. The dominant female listened to the request I sent to her, and agreed that her pod would take me and Jack to the surface.
Although dolphins were known for their incredible speed, agility and strength, the storm hindered them as much as it did me. The dolphins, however, were not drained from using magic and keeping Jack close for such a long length of time, and were more than able to dodge the currants.
Halfway to the surface, Jack began to struggle. Using a mental probe, I sensed that he was hovering near consciousness, and that he was aware that he was underwater. Knowing I had to keep him calm, I dared to risk using my mental gift on him.
'You'll be alright,' I gently assured him in his mind. 'Relax. You're safe with me.'
He immediately went limp, allowing the dolphins to do the task that I had asked them. Finally, with a good deal of effort, we finally broke the surface of the sea.
Looking around, I saw that the storm was beginning to dissipate above us. The dark clouds were slowly breaking apart, allowing glimpses of sunshine to come through in hopeful, shining rays. The wind was dying down as well, and the waves were starting to calm enough so that I could hold onto Jack and not worry about being pushed under.
Looking at my burden, I sighed in relief as I saw that Jack was breathing, and that he was slowly regaining consciousness. Those beautiful, deep brown eyes of his were slightly open, and he seemed vaguely aware of what was happening, because he gave the dolphin tucked under his right arm a surprised look.
"Huh," he said, blinking, "That's interesting."
Giving a weak laugh, I saw the Pearl floating nearby, and grinned. With a bit of gentle urging, I convinced the dolphins to take us to it. They were unhappy with getting so close to the massive vessel, but in moments, we were soon spotted by several crew members, who were swift to climb down with several ropes to rescue us as soon as we were in reach of the hull.
Being the largest of us all, Masterson came down to fetch Jack, while Perkins tossed me over his shoulder and climbed up the ropes, swift as could be. In minutes, Jack was being handed over to Gibbs, who looked relieved as he gently settled Jack onto the deck.
"Thank God!" Gibbs cried, checking to be sure that Jack was alright. "We'd thought you'd gone and drowned yourself! Couldn't even see you from the deck, the rain and water were that bad!"
"Aye, you're lucky, Marina," Anna said, scowling at Perkins until he put me down and released me. I grinned as she began checking me for a fever or signs of faintness.
As soon as both Jack and I were declared safe and sound, I found myself the center of everyone's attention. Anna pressed a cup of something hot into my palm while Mr. Gibbs threw a dry blanket around my shoulders. Beside me, Jack was receiving the same treatment, but his eyes never looked away from me as he drank down whatever was in the cup. I quickly did the same, and was starting to get to my feet when Jack reached out to take my arm.
"Are you alright, Rina?" he asked, face full of concern. "Are you cold? Anna, help the poor girl down below, she must be exhausted from that swim!"
He was right. I nearly stumbled as I tried to walk, but to my surprise, Jack gently slipped an arm around my waist and held me so that I could stand. I blushed, savoring the warmth of his body against mine. Then, as he smiled down at me with his usual playful grin, a surge of joy spread from the top of my head to my toes. Whatever spell that had been placed over Jack was gone. He was himself again!
The smile on his face quickly faded, though, when he looked over my head at someone standing behind me. I quickly followed his line of sight and saw Rebecca standing there, a look of anger, worry, and frustration on her face.
"Mr. Gibbs!" Jack called, "You are to lock up that wench in the brig at once! I don't want to see her above decks until we reach port. Savvy?"
From the smile on his face, Gibbs was only too happy to obey. Rebecca, however, screeched worse than a banshee as not only Gibbs, but also Masterson and Perkins dragged her down below, all three of them ignoring her demands that they release her, as she was going to be marrying their Captain.
Jack, hearing her words, snorted. "The day I willingly marry that wretch is the day Hell freezes," he declared, earning cheers, jeers, and laughter from everyone around us. "Now, let's get out of this storm! Mr. Cotton, turn us back to Tortuga!"
The parrot squawked, "Wind in the sails!" in reply, and as the Pearl made for land, Jack put an arm around my shoulder as he began to guide me to his cabin.
"Come on, luv," he muttered, holding me close. "Let's get you warmed up and dried off."
Seeing to Marina, Jack sat her down on the bed while his mind thoughts clawed through the fog he had been in for the past four days. He couldn't remember much about what had happened, but he did know that whatever power had held him was gone.
From the moment he had drunk down that rum at the Faithful Bride, it was as though his mind and thoughts had been taken over by another person. He had been forced to do everything to keep his jailer, Rebecca, happy, and not being able to voice his actual thoughts and feelings had slowly begun to drive him mad.
'Lord, I was such a whelp!' he thought in disgust. 'Worse than William over that girl, Elizabeth!'
In a brief moment of honesty with himself, Jack was willing to admit something he never thought he would: All that he had done to keep Rebecca happy had been based on a deep, secretive longing to please Marina. The potion had twisted the feelings he had for Marina and turned them into a never-ending need to please the worthless chit, Rebecca.
Hearing a sneeze, Jack snapped his attention back to the task at hand. Poor Marina was shivering and blue at the lips, and here he was, not tending to her properly! After all that she had done to save his life, the least he could do was get her warm and comfortable!
He quickly gave her one of his own dry shirts and left her alone his sleeping chamber with firm instructions: change, then go right to bed. Since she looked ready to fall asleep at his feet, it was no wonder she didn't hesitate to obey him. It wasn't long before the sounds in the next room ceased, and was replaced with silence. She was asleep.
Settling down in the main cabin, Jack uncorked a bottle of rum and stretched himself out at the large table, propping his feet up as he took a long drink. There were many questions that he wanted answered, and he had a feeling that all of the answers lay with the pretty young thing sleeping in the next room. Even if she couldn't talk, he distinctly remembered the sensation of someone's voice inside his head, telling him everything would be fine, even if he'd been near to drowning at the time.
'There's just something special about her,' he smiled, taking another drink.
But it could wait for the dawn, once she was well-rested. For now, he had to make sure to get out of his wet clothes and get a little shut-eye himself. And how could he not sleep well with such a charming, beautiful woman sharing the bed with him?
AN: Well, Marina finally got to swim. Thanks to everyone for reading, and please don't forget to review!