Chapter Seven: A party with a twist.
I shrug and look behind me with a beaming smile. Jack smirks and follows me. We reach the beach and I stop to admire my favorite spot. I lead Jack over to the peninsula part of the beach. There are a few trees surrounding it, kind of like a wall or fence. And in the center was a fire pit with a small pile of wood beside it. I sit down in a patch of grass looking up at Jack, who is still standing.
"So… What do you think? From here we get a front row seat to every event on this island." I grab Jack's free hand a pull him down to sit with me.
"Honestly, darlin'… I love it. I love this rum. I love the mood I'm in…" Jack's voice trails away. Jack turns to face me and put his rum down. "I love you, Elizabeth Swann."
"I love you, too, my sweet Captain Jack Sparrow." I look up at the sky. 'Hmmm… Getting a bit dark.' I begin to make a small fire. I can feel Jack's eyes watching me. I turn around to see that he has already started drinking. I chuckle. I sit back, uncork one of my bottles of rum, and watch the fire grow. "Drink up me 'earties, yo ho." Jack whips around with confusion in his eyes.
"What was that, Elizabeth?"
"Nothing. Just a song I learnt as a child when I actually thought it would be exciting to meet a pirate."
"Let's hear it."
"No."
"Come on, we got the time. Let's have it!"
"No. I'd have to have a lot more to drink."
"How much more?"
"I don't know. I've never actually drunk rum; accept for when we were on the Rumrunner's Island. Even then, drank less than you think I did." Hours seemed to have passed without me knowing because the next thing I know I'm dancing around a bonfire with a bottle of rum in my hand. I glance over to my seat earlier and I see about 10 empty bottles. 'How much have I drank? Oh, well.' I hear Jack singing along with me to that song.
"We're devils, we're black sheep, we're really bad eggs! Drink up me 'earties, yo ho! Yo ho! Yo ho! A pirate's life for me!" We both sing together running and prancing around the bonfire.
"I love this song!" Jack grabs my arm and he swings me around. And here I am laughing in a pirate's arms as drunk as I can possibly be while staying conscious. "REALLY BAD EGGS!" He shouts. Jack lets go of my arm and falls flat on his arse. I'm a little wobbly but I managed to stand my ground. Jack leans up and pulls me down to him.
"When we get back to the Pearl and head back out to sea, I'm going to teach it o the whole crew. And we'll sing it all the time."
"And we'll positively be the most fearsome pirates in the Spanish Main!" I must have surprised Jack with that sudden outburst, 'because his eyes went as wide as dinner plates.
"Not just the Spanish Main, love, the entire ocean; the entire world." Jack slurs the last word and points out to sea. I smile like a fool. "Wherever we want to go, we'll go. That's what a ship is, you know. It's not just a keel, the hull, the deck and the sails. That's what a ship needs. But what a ship is… What the Black Pearl really is… is freedom." Jack just stares out to sea as if his beloved Pearl is right here.
"Oh, Jack. You, yourself, are free. Even without a ship. Doing what you want because you want it, is freedom and freedom is power." I lean into his shoulder and Jack wraps his arms around my waist to pull me closer to his body. I pick up my near empty bottle and raise it to the sky. "To freedom." Jack eyes my bottle and raises his.
"To the Black Pearl." We bring our bottles together with a clink. I guzzle down the rest of mine. I let out a belch so loud that it would shame all in Port Royal. I giggle while my face turns slightly pink. Jack and I lay down in the grass to gaze at the stars over head. I feel my eyes get heavy with sleep. Suddenly I hear a popping and banging and sizzling in the harbor. I quickly sit up just as flashes and sparks begin to fly up into the air. Jack is unfazed by the sudden noise. Jack sits up and takes me in his arms setting me in his lap.
"Thank you for this, Jack." I lean into his lips, but a hand stops me. I gaze in Jacks eyes with slight confusion why he's refusing a kiss, especially from me. Jack removes his hand only to reach into his pocket and pull out two silver rings; one larger than the other.
"Elizabeth, will you marry me?" 'Did he just ask what I think he just asked?!'
"Jack this is so unlike you. You're settling down with someone with the likes of me." I just sit there surprised at this change.
"Does that mean you accept?" Jack spoke as he slides the smaller of the two rings on my left hand. Jack places the larger one in my hand to slide on his finger. I slip the ring on with a smile on both of our faces.
"Yes. I accept."
Jack and I, still a little drunk, somehow made our way back to the Pearl to prepare for our big day. Jack and I sleep for a few hours and find ourselves being woken up with someone knocking at the cabin door.
"Who is it?!" Jack shouts in his angry captain's voice. I quickly try to cover up just in case whoever it is decides to barge in.
"Jus' me, Gibbs. Jus' lettin' ye know we're all supplied for our next voyage."
"Good man. Master Gibbs, tell the crew to gather amid-ship."
"Aye aye, Captain!" Jack stands up and begins getting dressed; breeches, shirt, vest, sash, belts over sash, boots, hat, his effects, and overcoat…in that order. Jack leans over me, arms on either side of me. "Time to get up, my love. We should tell the crew of our coming mar-ri-age. Hmmm?" I nod to him in agreement. I crawl out of bed to my pile of clothing. Jack places a hand on my bare back.
"You're not going to wear those shrouds, are you?"
"What else am I to wear then?" Jack walks over to his desk and pulls out a box. He walks back over to me and places the box in my lap.
"What is this?"
"Jus' open it, Love." I open the box. I find a beautiful, cream colored dress of a soft cotton material. My mouth is slightly agape when I hear Jack speak softly. "I want you to wear this today. I want the crew to see what the most beautiful human being in the world I have." Jack gently grasps my hand and kisses the top.
"Oh, Jack… it is beautiful. I will wear it as often as possible on this pirate ship." I slip the dress over my head. Thankfully it has no need of buttons or laced-up corsets. "How do I look?" I ask Jack twirling in front of him.
"You look glitteringly magnificent."
"Now shall we meet the crew?" I hold me hand out for Jack to escort me out.
