Cold As Glass

Sequel to Heart of Glass

Part Two of the Glass Trilogy

A Pirate Lord's Adventure

Chapter 33

Once again fireflies danced around me, bring back a small smile upon my face. I smile I tried to keep off, as the natives stood in the water, or by their shacks, mourning the death of Captain Jack Sparrow.

Yet, despite the depressed mood, Sirius smiled at the fireflies too, still holding my closely.

No matter how many times I may ever come here to the bayou, I will never get over this fairytale setting. Especially at night.

But…Sirius and I both stopped our small smiles to one another, and became more respectful, as more and more natives lined the banks, moaning in unison, holding up their candles, which lit up our way to Tia Dalma's shack.

Yet, as we passed them, they began converged in behind us, as if to surround us from every angle.

But I remained calm. After all is Tia Dalma was so kind as to give him a magical compass, who says that these other natives didn't respect him.

Finally though, we came up to HER shack, and Pintel and Ragetti, tied it to the dock.

Gibbs stepped out first, holding his hand out for me to take. Since I was his captain now.

So I took his hand, and lead my own way up the ladder, through the open door of the shack, where Tia Dalma walked around her humble abode lighting candles and putting more upon, in honor of Jack and his passing.

But she sent me a brief nod, as I stepped in allowing Sirius to follow in, then Gibbs, William, Sirius, Cotton, Marty, Pintel, Ragetti, and Elizabeth.

But soon we were each spread out across the small shack, waiting for Tia Dalma to finish her candle lit service.

Actually, my crew was probably waiting for me to make the first move, and I was just begin respectful and waiting for her to be done.

So, during our waiting, Will began throwing and retrieving a bone knife off of a wooden table, which held over knife marks across it.

Pintel and Ragetti had found solace within each other, as they sat in a doorway.

Gibbs, Marty, and Cotton (along with his parrot) remained in a huddled group with one another.

Sirius sat down upon a chair, near Will, knowing something was agitating him.

Elizabeth sat upon a table, just starring down at a candle.

And I…I stood in the middle of the room, watching my crew and waiting for Tia Dalma, as she prepared a few drinks.

She stopped by Elizabeth first, held up her tray, offering a drink in silence.

But Elizabeth declined.

"Drink this against the cold," Tia Dalma began, trying to persuade Elizabeth," and the sorrow."

Instantly Elizabeth took it, and sipped from it.

Tia Dalma stopped next at Will's side," It's a shame. I know you're think that with the Pearl. You could have captured the devil and set free your father's soul."

Will all too eagerly took the drink, before responding, in a sullen tone," Doesn't matter now. The Pearl is gone, along with its captain."

"Aye," Gibbs agreed, with a sigh. "Not to disgrace you Captain Beaux, but already the world seems a bit less bright."

"No offense taken," I reassured Gibbs.

With that Gibbs began again in a rant, as Tai Dalma approached Gibbs and Pintel for drinks," He fooled us all right till the end, but I guess that honest streak finally won out."

Tia Dalma then handed Gibbs, Marty, and Cotton each a drink. Finally allowing Gibbs to raise his mug," To Jack Sparrow."

Tia Dalma then handed me the last drink, sending me a curious sort of stare. As if she was trying to tell me something threw her eyes, but I couldn't make it out.

But I was the next to join in on Gibb's toast, as I raised my mug higher," Never another like Captain Jack Sparrow."

"He was a gentleman of fortune," Pintel began to whimper, causing Ragetti to finish for him," that he was."

Elizabeth raised up her mug," He was a good man."

I glanced silently over towards Sirius and Will.

The two silent men starred down at their drinks, each with a specific and not-so-forgiving quarrel with jack.

For Sirius it was the lack of a father for all of his life, and for Will it was the betrayal Jack had so caused him.

But I watched as Sirius raised his mug, and bitterly murmured, trying to sound decent but I knew his words had double meanings to them," Not another father like him either."

Will nodded in agreement, and raised his mug.

We all then took a drink, in a bitter and mournful silence.

I then noticed Will starring over at Elizabeth, who was visibly shaken and trying to hold back tears.

Will looked guilty for a moment, before he returned to drinking.

But I noticed everyone's expressions, which made me spout, quietly, trying to hint to Tia Dalma of what Jack told me," If there was anything could be done to bring him back…" Tia Dalma turned to look at me.

She knew what I was saying. As well as I did, making everyone look between the two of us.

Respectfully I removed my hat, placed that and the mug upon the table next to Sirius, while Tia Dalma questioned me," Would you do it?"

She glanced around at the curious faces around us, as I approached her as another woman. A woman of power.

"What would you?" Tia Dalma questioned, directly starring at Elizabeth. "What would any of you be willing to do, hm?"

I then cleared my throat and answered her," I would sail to the ends of the Earth and beyond."

Tia Dalma smiled at, before she elaborated," Just to fetch back witty Jack and him precious Pearl?"

I nodded, and then looked back at my crew, so see if they would agree.

Instantly Gibbs stood up," Aye!" Then followed by Pintel and Ragetti," We go where Beaux goes!" Cotton's parrot squawked," Aye!" Then Marty," Aye!"

Tia Dalma looked over at Elizabeth, who tearfully nodded, and whispered," Yes."

Last to speak Sirius and Will, both looked gloomy and too far gone for any liquor to help ease their thoughts.

But Will put down his drink, and nodded, after Elizabeth," Aye."

Everyone's eyes then drifted to Sirius.

Tia Dalma then cooed," Would you save you father, by traveling to Earths end? Or would you want to leave him there?"

Sirius's eyes hardened upon Tia Dalma, before he took a deep breath," For years that man has been nothing but a nuisance for me. And I wish to have nothing to do with him. But-"Sirius took a deep breath again," I to go where Beaux goes. She is my wife, and I am not so willingly gong to separate from her again."

With that Tia Dalma widely, and looked at me," All right." Then her expression softened, as if in a warning," But if you go and brave the weird and haunted shores at world's end, then you will need a captain who knows those waters."

Then she looked back towards her bedroom, where the stairs were, making me walk over towards her side in curiosity.

Unbelievably though, the sounds of footsteps echoed, and I begun to see boots.

But I knew, at the moment I saw the green apple in hand, who it was.

And in an instant my heart stopped beating, my lungs collapsed, my cheeks went pale, and I had stopped breathing all together. And my drink slipped out of my hand.

There at the bottom of the stairs, dressed in his full garb with his flamboyantly feathery hat and all. He stood before us.

I heard my crew close in behind me, as I stood there looking up at my father, who smiled at all of us. One of his wicked smiles.

"So tell me, Beaux," my father smirked, as he noted my appearance," what's become of my ship?" Instantly Jack the monkey went up onto his shoulders, as my father took a loud bite from his green apple, with its fresh nectar leaking from behind his lips.

Before I even knew what had just happened, I fainted.

The last thing I remember, was catching the loud beginning of Sirius's voice calling out my name in worry.