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: Kind of a sweet chapter, which I think suits the holiday season. I hope that everyone enjoys themselves, and will leave a review. Oh, the glassblower in this chapter is completely fictional, and my knowledge of glassblowing is limited to non-existent, so please forgive any mistakes on my part. Thanks, and please review!
Chapter 16: Fragile as Glass:
Dawn's early light flowed into his cabin, but he didn't notice it. Pacing the length and width of his sleeping quarters, Jack waited for the expected knock on the door. When it sounded, announcing the arrival of his crewmember, he barked for them to enter. The door opened, and in came Anna-Maria, a confused and impatient look on her face.
"This had better be important, Sparrow," she retorted, closing the door behind her. "I was in the middle of helping Rosa with a special herb mixture, and if it isn't done right, she'll have my head."
He ignored that. "Why didn't you tell me about the Italian trying to woo Evie?" he demanded.
She blinked at him, then sighed. "Let me guess; Gibbs told you, didn't he? Well, it's true –there was an Italian fellow giving Evie an admiring eye yesterday, but it's not something to get upset over."
"Nothing to get upset over?" Jack snapped angrily. "You know that I plan on winning over Evie, and you let someone else try to get their mitts on her? Do you know the efforts I'm going to have to go through now because of this? If someone else manages to get her attention, there'll be Hell to pay, Anna, mark my words!"
His second mate stared at him in surprise for several moments before allowing a smirk to pull at her mouth. "Ah, so you admit you've got feelings for Evie? Well, that's progress, I suppose. And don't worry about that Italian; he probably forgot all about her as soon as we left the café."
"That's not good enough, Anna," he growled.
She snorted. "Well, it's good for you to have to actually work to get something you want," she declared. "You always were too quick to win women over and dispose of them, so let this be a good lesson for you. It's time you put some real effort into getting a woman and keeping her longer than one night."
By now, Jack was trying very hard to keep from strangling his second mate. "Anna, you're walking a very fine line right now, so don't try and push me further. What I need you to do from now on is keep other men away from Evie until I can arrange a few things. Can you do that for me?"
Apparently she got his point, because she nodded emphatically. "Aye, sir, I can do that. It won't be easy, considering how well those gowns flatter her, but it can be done. The other girls won't understand why I'm keeping men away from Evie, though –they want her to be as happy with a man as they are with theirs. You'll have to hurry before they start getting suspicious."
Damn it, she was right. "I'm getting started on it today. In the meantime, keep Evie occupied and away from potential suitors, savvy? Otherwise, it'll be your head."
After a quick nod of agreement, Anna turned and left with a slightly worried look on her face. That was a good sign, since it meant she knew he was serious about this venture.
Heaving a sigh of relief, Jack reached for his money pouch and strapped it on. He had some serious work to do.
Today's visit into Venice was much like it had been the day before, with one exception –Anna was unusually anxious, and I couldn't understand why.
Normally, it took a lot to unnerve Anna, so something had to have happened recently to make her act on edge. In all the time I had known her, I'd rarely seen her so antsy, and I didn't like it. Anna-Maria was tough as nails, and to see her so disturbed worried me.
"Anna, are you alright?" I asked her over lunch. The other girls were busy going through the pouch of glass beads that Rosa had purchased, and the men had gone to refill their cups with the local wine, leaving me free to speak privately with my friend.
She started, seeming to pull her eyes and attention from where they had been wandering to, and looked at me. "Sorry, Evie," she apologized, "I've just got something on my mind, that's all."
I noticed her eying a few of the fellows in the corner, who were casting glances straight back at our direction. 'Oh, so that's it!'
Obviously, I was certainly more surprised than anything. Not once had Anna-Maria ever indicated that she was in search of a husband –she always seemed so independent and sure of herself, as though the thought of marrying never crossed her mind.
'Then again, she lives on a ship full of men who don't bathe regularly,' I reminded myself. 'And most of them have terrible table manners, if they have any at all.' That was certainly enough to put any woman off of marrying, and Anna was no exception!
But after watching our friends in their happiness, it was really no wonder that she was starting to consider the idea of finding someone to be with.
The problem, of course, was finding a man who could keep up (and put up!) with her. Most men found Anna-Maria to be intimidating, at best, and downright infuriating at worst. She was strong, hard-working, independent, and she knew how to fight her way out of a rough situation. Yes, finding the right fellow for her was going to be a very real challenge.
'About as challenging as finding the right woman for Jack,' part of me snickered.
At the thought of Jack, my good mood vanished. I kept imagining him with a wench in his lap, and wondered how many other times he'd had women keeping him company. He'd said that he hadn't bedded a woman since bringing me aboard the Pearl, but how could I trust his word on that?
Biting back a sigh, I tried to focus on something else, namely on finding Anna a perfect match, and doing the same for Jack. It wouldn't be easy, but with enough effort, I was sure it could be done.
It would take a bit of time, though…
'How do I get pulled into these things?' Anna thought to herself, taking a good gulp of Italian wine to sooth her frustration.
As fond as she was of Evie, the female pirate hated having to watch over her friend the way an overprotective nursemaid did with her charge. What really upset Anna, however, was that Evie was a grown woman who deserved to be happy, and Jack was messing things up, as usual.
'Honestly, if the man would just admit his feelings, everything would be cleared up,' she thought, barely keeping from rolling her eyes.
But no, Jack had to do things the complicated way, and that meant trouble for not only Anna, but also for Evie. The poor matchmaker knew nothing about Jack's odd, twisted methods, and who knew how long it would take for her to puzzle it out for herself?
'In the meantime, things will spin wildly from one way to another, and the rest of us will all be caught in the middle, as always.'
Anna gritted her teeth. If there were a way that she could rush things along, she'd do it. Unfortunately, Jack would see right through her actions, and immediately put a stop to them. Jack hated it when someone interfered with his plans, and Anna had the distinct feeling that he might well gully her for sure if she tried to push things.
'I guess that means I'll have to be subtle when it comes to helping them along,' she decided.
Unfortunately, she would have to simply grin and bear it. For now, at least…
Anna's mood hadn't improved when we returned to the ship, but I decided to let it pass. When we split to return to our cabins to change, I was intercepted by Jack, who immediately took my arm and led me back to the gangplank.
"Evie, luv, I've managed to arrange something I think you'll like," Jack said, leading me down to the dock.
I stared at him as he tucked my hand in the crook of his elbow. "What is it?"
He grinned at me. "We're going to visit one of the finest glassblowers in Venice. You'll watch him make one of his pieces, and perhaps pick out something pretty as a keepsake. What do you say?"
Excitement fluttered through me. The pieces I had seen here in Venice were incredibly beautiful, and I had often wondered how a master of the craft was able to create such marvelous work. Now I was being given the chance to see it up close!
"It sounds wonderful!" I exclaimed, an excited grin spreading across my face.
Jack chuckled. "Then let's be off, shall we?"
The glassblower was Italian, and since my grasp of the language was practically nonexistent, I could only stand and let Jack do all the talking. I watched the two shake hands, exchange smiles, and chat a bit while I awkwardly stood by. Finally, the two turned towards me, and the glassblower, a tall, wiry, older man named Alejandro Vitucci, smiled as he babbled something to me in Italian.
"Alex here says that you're welcome to watch him work, though it'll be rather hot and humid," Jack translated. "There'll be cool drinks provided, should you need one, and his apprentice will fetch food whenever you're hungry."
He then translated my thanks to Alejandro, and we were escorted into a large room which was hotter than anything I had ever experienced before. There was an open window on the ceiling, allowing heat to escape while also letting fresh air and the occasional breeze in. However, it was still stifling, and I began to sweat almost immediately.
I have no idea how the master and apprentice managed to work in the heat, but they did, and it was fascinating to watch. The heating of the glass wasn't particularly thrilling, but once it was removed from the flaming oven, it was like watching a magician work. The glass was like thick, colorful syrup that could be stretched, twisted, and shaped into a dizzying array of shapes, colors, and sizes –it was hard to believe that a ball of glass the size of my fist could be made into so many forms.
All of the work was impressive, to say the least. Within the span of a few hours, Alejandro had managed to create two vases in the shapes of blooming flowers; a chalice with a green stem that twisted upwards to support the violet-blue cup; and a set of red-and-gold perfume bottles.
When I could no longer bear the heat, Alejandro's apprentice led Jack and I to a small building that stood a fair distance from the furnace (in case of fire, I suppose). Inside was heaven for any woman: a jewelry shop with marvelous displays glittering beneath (what else?) glass. Here was where Alejandro's wife reigned, for the shop sold not only large pieces of glass, but also glass beads and necklaces in all lengths, colors, and styles. I could feel my eyes go dreamy at the sight of the glittering pieces.
Signora Theresa Vitucci was a round, jolly woman who sat me in a cool corner and plied me with Italian pastries, chilled wine, and fresh fruit. I didn't understand a word she was saying, but Jack looked amused as she chattered in Italian and gently patted my arm or shoulder, as though she were assuring herself that I hadn't melted a bit in the furnace's heat. I'd been given a great deal of water while watching Alejandro make glass, but the food and chilled wine were far more refreshing and satisfying.
After the food had been cleared away, Signora Vitucci approached Jack and asked him something in Italian. He nodded and stood up, motioning for me to do the same. Puzzled, I did as he bid, and was surprised when he offered me his hand.
"Come along, luv," he said, beckoning me. "She wants to show you her workers and her shop, and you can't do that sitting in the corner!"
Blushing, I took his hand and the two of us followed our hostess into the back of the shop, where a dozen young boys and girls sat, each of them hard at work. Some were focused on setting gemstones into silver or gold necklaces, rings, or bracelets; others threaded thin chains of precious metals through glass beads of different shapes and sizes. In the corners were two or three apprentices, etching detailed designs into their master's glasswork.
As I look around, spellbound by the care and imagination that went into designing Italian jewelry, Jack spoke quietly with Signora Vitucci, the two of them keeping quiet to as not to distract anyone. One young man looked subtly up at me and smiled before giving me a wink, his brilliant blue eyes snapping back to his work as Jack and Signora approached me.
"Evie, Signora here says that, since you've been such a good sport today, you get to pick out a lovely bit of jewelry from the front of shop," Jack said, grinning.
He waved aside my protests. "Now, luv, don't go throwing away a perfectly good opportunity like this! There are noblewomen all over Europe who would give their eyeteeth for a necklace made with Venetian glass beads, and here you are trying to refuse one! Now, don't argue, just come along and pick out something for that pretty neck of yours, savvy?"
Soundly chastised, I smiled my thanks to our hostess and followed her back into the shop, where she proceeded to wave a hand at the expensive goods that lay within the wood-and-glass cases. Tentatively taking a step forward, I bent forward slightly to get a better look.
There were so many to choose from, and no doubt most of them cost more than I could ever make in my lifetime. Silver, jewels, glass, and three different colors of gold sat in dazzling arrangements before me, and all of them were fit for a queen. How was I supposed to choose one flower from a garden of perfect blossoms?
'Keep it as simple and inexpensive as possible,' I firmly told myself. 'And choose something that can be worn with anything and everything.'
Easier said than done. Even the simplest piece here was likely worth a fortune, but I had to try. It didn't help that diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and opals sparkled at me, begging me to choose them to adorn my neck. Rose gold, white gold, and traditional yellow brought out the colors of the gems, making it even harder to try and choose something modestly priced.
After looking at every case, I still couldn't choose. I even went back through twice more, and was still stumped. Finally, Jack sighed and threw his hands up in the air. "Luv, do us a favor, aye? Tell me what you're looking for, and I'll see if Vitucci has it."
I quickly told him, and he, in turn, related it to Signora in Italian. Her eyes brightened immediately, and she bustled back to the work room. A few moments later, she emerged with something wrapped in soft black velvet, which she set on one of the glass cases. Gently unfolding the material, she revealed a stunning necklace.
A single strand of tiny yellow gold links became three, which would rest upon the wearer's breast. Adorning the gold chain were sparkling opals, small white pearls, and shining gold-colored glass beads, with three fair-sized white teardrop pearls that would rest just above my cleavage. It all came together perfectly to create an enchanting work of art.
"It's exquisite," I breathed, reaching out to gingerly touch it. "But it's far more than I asked for, Jack. I couldn't possibly-"
Jack motioned for me to hush. "Now, now, none of that," he said.
Turning to the Signora, he nodded, a clear indication that we would take the necklace. She smiled excitedly and chattered in Italian, motioning to the necklace and then to me. For some reason, Jack looked pleased with what she'd said, and nodded his head in agreement.
"Turn around, Evie," he said, his tone allowing no argument.
Puzzled, I obediently turned, and waited. A moment later, the necklace slowly dropped before my eyes to settle on my neck, the coolness of the metal, pearls, and beads sending a small chill down my spine. As it settled into place, I felt the soft touch of his fingers as they fastened the necklace in place.
For a moment, I could have sworn that those fingers had caressed my neck, an intimate touch that lasted only a second, but which seemed forever. My breath caught as my stomach fluttered. Then it was gone, and all that was left was the necklace.
Swallowing my disappointment, I turned around. Signora Vitucci was nodding her approval, a pleased smile on her face. Jack, however, was looking at me as though he'd never seen me before. Flushing slightly, I looked down and pretended to brush off my dress.
"It suits you, Evie," he said, causing me to look up. There was now a pleased grin on his face, and I could guess it was because he'd managed to find a keepsake for me when I couldn't. "Now, shall we be off for supper? There's a nice place Alejandro suggested to me, and I intend to partake in a good deal of the local vintages."
Rolling my eyes in amusement, I bobbed a small curtsey of thanks to Signora, who immediately took my hands, pressed a small, empty velvet satchel into my palms, and pulled me into a hug. Surprised, I returned the gesture. When we separated, she said something to Jack in Italian, which made him smirk slightly. He then tilted his hat to her, offered me his arm, and led me out into the streets of Venice.
Much to my surprise, dinner was at a rather small place tucked between two larger buildings, both of which held spacious eateries that were full of patrons. The small out-of-the-way restaurant was almost completely overlooked, but I soon learned that it had some of the best food I'd ever eaten.
Jack and I both feasted on local delicacies, like marinated olives and vegetables, spaghetti with seafood, and a plate of Italian ham called prosciutto wrapped around melon slices. The bread was soft and flavored with butter and garlic, and the wine was a sparkling white with just a hint of fruit. It was a feast fit for a king!
By the time dinner was over, I was slightly tipsy and happily full. It had been a perfectly memorable day, and I was more than happy to let Jack lead me back to the Pearl, a sparkling Venetian necklace adorning my throat.
On their way back to the Pearl, Jack smirked. Alejandro had owed him significantly, as Jack had been the one to help him set up shop here in Venice, and today he'd repaid that debt in full. Evie was happy, which meant Jack was happy, and that, in turn, meant that he wouldn't be causing Anna-Maria any headaches…at least for a while.
The day had gone well. Not only had he given Evie memories to carry with her, but he'd been able to gently, and almost discreetly, caress the softness of her neck, a rare treat indeed. She hadn't suspected a thing, of course, not even when Theresa Vitucci had firmly told him to "not let this darling girl get away." Jack fully agreed with her.
Best of all, Evie would have no idea how expensive her necklace was. Alejandro's work was much sought of in Venice, and for a common girl to wear a length of jewels fit for royalty was something he was going to smile over for a long time.
As he watched Evie return to his cabin, Jack made his way towards his own, humming his favorite tune under his breath. So far, things were going quite well.
AN: Review?