Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own anything related to Pirates of the Caribbean. Well, except a Jack Sparrow poster, but that's pretty much it. Only original creations (characters, places, etc) are mine.

AN: Here we are, another week, another chapter featuring our favorite Captain! Don't forget to keep an eye out for the official Pirates 4 trailer on Monday, December 13th! It should be awesome! In the meantime, enjoy this chapter, and don't forget to review!

Chapter 15: Venice:

Venice was absolutely breathtaking. Even though I could not much of it from the deck, I could tell that the homes of the wealthy were incredible pieces of art. They were like floating palaces, and the small boats (or rather, gondolas) which traveled the canals were just as beautifully made as the houses. Before today, I had never seen boats lined with silk or velvet, or inlaid with precious gold or gems, all of it glittering in the day's sunlight as a servant gently guided the vessel to its destination. Some of the servants were even singing in Italian, their voices rich and ringing as they worked.

All of this I observed from the deck of the Pearl as we pulled up to one of the city's numerous docks. Behind me, Jack had ordered the men to run up the white canvas sails and a few 'friendly flags,' so that most people wouldn't recognize us as a pirate ship.

"Evie, come here!" Gibbs called softly. "I need to talk to you about something."

Curious, I headed over to my friend, who stood near the entrance to Jack's cabin. "The Captain thinks it would be best for you and Anna-Maria to dress as proper women while we're here," he said, nervously.

I stared at him, puzzled. "Why?"

Gibbs sighed. "We're going under the guise that this is a merchant vessel, and you and the girls are passengers. Anna wasn't thrilled about it, but all of you females will be dressed in somewhat decent clothes to keep up appearances. Some of us men will be better dressed as guards or guides whenever you go into town, but while we're here, you'll have to be in gowns."

He jerked his head towards Jack's cabin. "Captain's got a stack of dresses in there for you to sort and pick through. The others have already chosen their dresses, but apparently you get to pick from the best we've got. Whatever you don't want, the others can divide amongst themselves later."

"I get best pick?" I asked in disbelief. "Why? And where did the gowns come from, anyway?"

Gibbs merely shrugged. "I don't question orders, Evie –it's not a good idea. And the gowns came from some of our previous raids. Jack likes to keep things like that handy for situations like this, and since there are several of you lasses onboard now, he's acquired quite a few garments. Now, scoot. Captain's eager to get on shore, and you need to get ready, so be quick."

I tried not to roll my eyes at him. Oh, how little men know about women and their dressing habits! "Mr. Gibbs, I'll need someone to help me," I gently told him. "Could you send one or two of the girls to meet me?"

Sighing, he nodded and headed out off, leaving me to enter Jack's cabin alone.

The moment I stepped inside, I couldn't help but stare. The table at the center of the room had been cleared off (though the side tables seemed unusually cluttered), and on the central table was a large pile of material, some quite dazzling to the eye. Swallowing an excited squeal, I rushed to look through everything.

The first dress was a rich blue velvet gown with a silvery-white underskirt, and silver embroidery along the bodice and the hem of the gown's skirts. Lovely white lace trimmed the neckline and sleeves, adding a delicate look to the heavy gown.

There was also a green silk dress, with a lighter green underskirt. This one had no embellishments, and was clearly meant to be a simple, elegant gown that could be of everyday use. Then there was a maroon satin with gold trim and embroidery, a bright sky-blue silk, and a pale, dusty pink that reminded me of roses.

But what truly caught my attention was the deep red velvet gown at the very bottom, a magnificent thing with gold and black designs along the skirt and bodice. The lace along the sleeves and neckline were black and gold as well, adding an air of mystery and richness to the glorious garment.

"Well," I breathed, holding the dress up against me, "I think I've found the right dress."

Someone 'tsked' behind me. Whirling around, I came face-to-face with Anna and the rest of the girls, all of them with dresses in their arms. "Sorry, Evie, but I couldn't help but be curious about what you might choose," Anna said, a smile on her lips.

Penny giggled. "And we came so that we could all dress together. I even brought ribbons!" She showed me the large tangle of colorful bits of cloth.

Smiling, I put the dress back on the table. "I think I found the one."

Anna grinned. "Evie, I don't think that wearing a dress fit for a duchess is a good idea," she gently chided me. "Unless you plan on attending the theater or something, which I doubt would be a good idea."

I sighed. "I know, but I think I'll keep it, just in case."

Looking at my friends, I took in the pretty outfits they had all chosen, even Anna-Maria. The Pearl's second mate had a dull gold morning dress that would certainly suit her skin tone, and brought out her eyes. Penny had a pale blue silk dress that would make her look soft and pretty, and if she put her hair up into a bun with a matching ribbon, she'd be enchanting. Selene bore a soft green, and Rosa had a vibrant lavender gown, both of them looking quite excited as they bustled into the cabin.

"Now it's your turn!" squealed Selene, who rushed to help choose a dress for me.

Eventually, the lot of them decided on the maroon gown, stating that it fit my hair and eyes, and that it was certainly meant for me. It took us quite some time getting into our gowns, as it had been quite a while since we'd worn them, but after struggling with corsets and bodice ties, we were finally dressed.

The others chose matching ribbons for their hair, but for mine, I had the beautiful silver hair combs that Jack had given me. Rosa voiced her admiration of them as she pulled my locks up into a graceful upturn and carefully placed the combs to hold it all up.

"There, you look perfect," she declared, obviously proud of her handiwork. "Now, let's go. I'm famished, and I want to see what kinds of food they have here."

Laughing, we all filed up onto the deck, chattering girlishly about our outfits. I couldn't help but be giddy –I had never worn a gown this fine in my life, and it felt marvelous! Not only that, but I was in a fantastic port city renowned for its wealth, beauty, and culture! I couldn't wait to explore it.

"I say we go have lunch somewhere," Selene put in as we gathered on deck. "Rannoch will be coming with us, so we'll have a very intimidating escort into town."

We all agreed that lunch sounded perfect, and were pleasantly surprised to see Marty and Gibbs accompanying Rannoch to join us, all of them cleaned up and dressed in good clothes that would help them fit in as our "protectors." The men proceeded to compliment us, making us all blush and giggle while they claimed the hands of their women.

"Well, ladies, where to?" Gibbs asked, tucking Rosa's hand in his elbow.

When he heard our suggestion about lunch, he quickly agreed that a good meal was too good to pass, and he immediately led us all down the gangplank to the dock, where we proceeded to follow him into the streets of Venice.

It was the oddest lunch I'd ever had, but it was still delicious.

Our rather large group stopped at a local eatery and asked for whatever was fresh and the place's specialties, which turned out to be a rather large meal. It began with each of us receiving a plate of cold pickled vegetables and marinated seafood, such as shrimp and octopus. This was followed by a bowl of hot soup, and something called 'pasta,' which were strands of boiled dough, cooked with tomatoes, shrimp, fish, crab, and more vegetables. I immediately became fond of pasta, and our server explained that it came in many different shapes and sizes, and that there were many different ingredients to cook it with.

Dessert was a light coffee mixed with crème, with some marvelous whipped foam on the top. Accompanying it were the lightest cookies I'd ever eaten, and when the last bite had been consumed, I was filled to bursting.

With our bellies full, the lot of us went out into the streets, our senses taking in everything that surrounded us. Italian filled our ears while we looked at the different types of people walking through the streets or gliding by in their gondolas. Shopkeepers shouted their wares, and servants bargained loudly for the best prices on fish, meat, vegetables, and bread.

"Oh, my," I breathed. "I've never been in a city this big before. It's quite overwhelming, isn't it?"

The other girls agreed, and we immediately began fingering our little money pouches, all of us wondering what we could afford to buy while we were here. We had raided a ship only a short time ago, but who knew when we'd find another and get more money to spend? Given where we were, we would have to be very careful when it came to our spending habits.

In our outfits, we ladies fit in rather well, and the men looked like male servants trailing their employers, so none of us attracted any unwanted attention. I had to glare at Gibbs when he pick-pocketed a passing nobleman (who appeared to be rather intoxicated), but said nothing. These men were pirates, after all.

Hours passed by, and before we knew it, it was time to return to the Pearl. By then, we were all exhausted, and since we'd been walking around for ages, my feet ached something dreadful. Thank goodness we hadn't had to wear any fancy shoes during our time in the city –I'd kept on my boots, and the skirt of my gown kept my feet hidden from view, so I was able to get away with it.

Luckily, by the time we returned, supper was ready, and I was more than eager to get out of my dress. Though beautiful, it was still heavy, cumbersome, and a terrible pain to wear. Besides, the corset was beginning to itch through the thin undergarments.

Once we'd changed clothes and had supper (a savory stew of cooked meat and vegetables), I told my friends that I was exhausted, and was heading off to bed. They waved good-night to me, and soon, I was in bed, dreaming of beautiful Italian goods, delicious food, and more than excited for the next day to dawn so that I could experience it all again.

Dawn came, and when it did, I was awake and ready to face the day. Selene and Penny practically threw themselves into my cabin, both of them already dressed in pretty, but simple, gowns, and in their arms was the dusty pink gown I had see the day before.

"Quick!" Selene cried, helping me to dress. "The Captain gave Anna-Maria some spending money for us today, so we can buy something lovely for each of us! Come on, Evie!"

Chuckling, I let them dress me and pull my hair up into a braided bun, a pink ribbon running through it for decoration. When they were finished, they proceeded to drag me out of my cabin, down the gangplank, and onto the dock where our friends awaited us.

Breakfast was an assortment of light pastries, fruit, coffee, and toast with jam, which we happily indulged in before rushing for the marketplace. Since Rosa and Anna-Maria were the most levelheaded of us, we entrusted them with the money and would count on them to prevent any overly expensive purchases.

Our second exploration proved far more successful than our first, as most of us managed to find some memorable trinkets to buy. We found a stall that sold inexpensive glass jewelry, another that sold ladies' fans painted in different Italian styles, and a bookshop that carried books in many different languages, from French to Greek or English.

Penny and Rosa purchased several pairs of glass earrings from the jewelry stall, and even a few pendants to create their own matching sets. Selene indulged and bought a few ladies' fans, claiming that she could use them whenever she grew too hot, and all of us practically emptied our pockets at the bookshop. We all remembered the seemingly endless journey here to Europe, and decided we would be better prepared for the return trip.

When lunchtime came, we barely had enough for a shared meal, but it was well worth it. Besides, a platter of cold meats, vegetables, bread, and fresh, chilled seafood was the perfect meal to share with friends. Even the men had managed to enjoy themselves and buy a few books of their own.

We were halfway through dessert when I felt someone nudge my side. Since I'd been enjoying a delicious fruit tart, I was annoyed to say the least, but the look on Penny's face made me curious.

"What is it?" I asked, turning back towards my tart.

"That man is looking at you," she whispered. "No, no, don't look, I'll tell you. He's sitting in the corner, well-dressed and rather handsome, with grey eyes."

I tried not to sigh or laugh at her. "Penny, dear, he could just be looking about the place. I doubt that he's looking at me."

"Oh, he's lookin'," Anna muttered. "And I'm not sure I like the way he's looking at you, either."

Now I was curious. Turning my head slightly, I risked a peek over my shoulder.

He was certainly a handsome sight. A black tricorn hat embroidered with gold braid was perched on top of his head (which bore a perfectly powdered wig), and a matching coat was fitted perfectly to his form. Under the black coat was a grey-and-black vest with gold buttons; and under that lay a fine white shirt. Though his clothes weren't of the best material, they were the height of fashion, and well-made, marking him as either a lesser nobleman or a wealthy merchant.

When he saw me glance over, he lifted his glass of wine slightly, then drank, a flirtatious smile on his face.

Blushing, I turned and failed to smother a giggle. Anna rolled her eyes while Penny and Selene joined in my giggles. Rosa motioned for us to hush and told us to finish eating because we had to leave.

"It's getting late, and we've had a long day," she chided us. "We need to get back and take a rest before we entertain ourselves for the evening."

She was right about that. We had earlier decided to spend the evening on the Pearl, playing cards or dice games. Gibbs had somehow managed to procure a few bottles of fine Italian wine, and we had planned to make a night of it.

Throwing a reluctant glance over my shoulder, I allowed the girls to lead me out of the café and into the street, my heart rising and falling as we walked. Part of me was sad to leave such a potential suitor behind, but another part hoped that I would see the stranger again during another trip into the city.

I bit back a sigh. 'If only I could be so lucky.'

Thankfully, our walk back to the Pearl was quick, and my friends provided a great distraction. Their cheerfulness and love of fun kept my mind busy until late in the evening, when I retired to bed, slightly drunk but happy.

Well, sort of …

Jack was not a happy man, and there were several reasons why.

First, he had been robbed –not of treasure or gold, but of Evie's precious time. Her friends amongst the crew and the women had thoroughly stolen her from the Pearl before he'd even had a chance to so.

Second, he hadn't been able to see Evie in one of the gowns he'd provided her because he'd been far too preoccupied with restocking the Pearl with food, water, and ammunition for future raids. It was part of his job as Captain to see to these tasks, but when it depraved him of seeing the one person he longed to see most, it was frustrating.

But what angered him the most was the fact that some Italian had his eyes set on Evie, and that was not to be tolerated.

Gibbs, faithful first mate that he was, had spilled the whole thing to him late in the evening, after everyone had gone to bed. The older man had come to visit, slightly off his feet with drink, and eager to keep his Captain informed on the latest happenings amongst the crew. Since Jack needed to be assured of the temperament of his crewmembers, this was usually a good talk to have with his first mate.

Tonight had been different.

"Aye, Evie's a good sort," Gibbs had said as Jack poured him a mug of rum. "Sweet thing, very helpful. It's a shame that no one on the crew has taken a fancy to her, but then, no one wants to mess with the feelings of the ship's matchmaker. It's about time she found someone, and that Italian fellow seems about right for a proper girl like her."

Jack had gripped the bottle in his hand so tightly he thought it might shatter. "Italian fellow?" he drawled, trying to keep his feelings in check. "What sort of tales are you spinning this time, Gibbs?"

"Oh, someone who showed an inclination towards Evie while we were at our midday meal," Gibbs said, unaware of the murderous feelings he was stirring up in his Captain. "Evie was looking very charming in her pink dress, and a young rich type gave her a good look-over –he even lifted his glass to her. I suspect he might have come over and introduced himself if the girls hadn't ushered us out a minute later."

Well, thank heavens for that! Jack made a note to give the girls a little extra coinage to thank them for their unknowing aid in getting Evie away from that potential suitor.

But that only brought up the fact that someone had seen Evie and decided that she might be worth pursuing. Jack would not allow that to happen. He had to act, and act quickly.

It was time to put his plans into action.

AN: Review?