Author's Note:

First off, I can't believe I haven't updated in such a long time. I've been super busy and I really want to explore the plot and get the details in place.

I'm trying to focus on the development of the mystery/adventure aspect, but the naughtiness will continue ;)

Thanks to everyone for reading! I'd love to hear your thoughts, questions, and critiques…

…

We spent most of the day consulting charts and maps in an attempt to find Erzulie's Cove. Every map was useless, as we found no trace of such a cove. Finally, Jack stood up and said:

"We must seek help on our quest for this place."

"Where will we go?" I asked, curious.

He faced out the window and looked off into the distance, his eyes glazed over.

"Where time seems to halt and the world has no end."

…

"What does he mean by that?" Jack's answer made no sense, but he had left so quickly after saying it that I didn't have time to ask him what the hell he meant. So, I found his loyal first mate, Master Gibbs.

"He's goin' to seek the gypsy mistress of the sea." Gibbs said smartly.

Well, that's fuckin helpful! "And who might that be?"

"Tia Dalma, the lively lady herself."

Ohh, that makes since…Tia Dalma knows the land and the sea, she can definitely help us…

"How can we find her?"

"You see that compass that the Captain has," he pointed to the compass that Jack was holding as he pored over his maps. I nodded. "That's an enchanted compass given to him by the very same lady. It leads to whatever the heart of the holder desires the most."

Interesting…I'll have to check that out. "Thanks, Gibbs!" I said and went over to Jack to continue our research.

"How's the heading coming along, Jack?" Jack had told me earlier that we were stopped until we could find out where we were headed.

"We're making sail for the Lady of the Bayou's swamp; it should take us about two days." He answered tersely as he stood by the wheel. He seemed…distant.

What's his problem? I'm only trying to help… "Okay…," I sensed he wanted to be alone, so I turned and headed back for the Captain's Quarters. I couldn't help but notice that the needle of the compass in his hand followed me as I went.

…

I spent most the next two days poring over the few books that Jack had on his ship in hope of finding something about Erzulie's Cove. I didn't find anything except that Erzulie was the Voodoo goddess of love, which was interesting but didn't help much. Jack remained aloof and terse with me. Even at night, he kept his distance from me in the bed, so much so that I could no longer feel his warmth. He always ate his meals at the wheel and spent all his time checking and cross-referencing maps. I spent much time with Gibbs. We discussed many things included Jack's embarrassing habits and even some tales of Gibb's time on the sea. He was very forthcoming with everything and I found myself understanding thoroughly why he was Jack's most trusted and loyal crewmember.

…

Jack, Gibbs, two more of Jack's crew, and I arrived at Tia Dalma's bayou in the morning. Jack helped me out of the boat then immediately went right to the door and knocked forcefully. As we waited for any kind of reply, I thought about Jack. He had been so detached lately, as if something had changed. I couldn't quite place it but I had developed an awful feeling in my stomach about it all. It felt like he couldn't stand to be around me. I was worried.

The door swung open suddenly and we were blown inside by a strong gust of wind. I looked around the cottage. It was filled with odds and ends of voodoo magic. There was even a basket of shrunken heads in one corner. On a table there sat 4 tea cups and a tea pot. Hmmm…she must have known we were coming…

"Well, if it don' be de man 'imself, Captain Jack." She emerged from a dark corner of the room, where she must have been standing the entire time. Looking us up and down, she gestured to the crewmembers. "Only de t'ree of yuh be needed in dis ceremony."

Jack signaled for the men to step outside. The woman poured tea into the 4 tea cups and handed one to each of us and, taking one herself, said:

"To see dat yuh are safely protected inna yuh journey, we mus perform de sacred rites. Drink."

She promptly lifted the cup to her lips and drained it. I peered at the muddy brown liquid in my cup and tentatively took a sip. YUCK! What is this? Definitely not tea! I glanced over at Gibbs, who was also struggling to swallow the brackish drink. Jack, on the other hand, had finished his without so much as a flinch. I took a breath and chugged the rest of the "tea". It burned like acid on the way down.

"De cups." Tia Dalma said, holding out her hands to collect the cups. Placing one on each corner of the table, she pulled a small vial containing a clear liquid out of one the many various items tied around her waist. Opening the vial, she added two drops to each cup and turned back to us.

"We mus wait fah potion to work. Inna da meantime, I know dere be anodda reason yuh come to see meh." She looked at me. "An' it concerns you, my sista."

"Yes," I responded hesitantly. "That is, it does concern me. Apparently, I am a Water Nymph of somewhere called Virgin Gorda and I-"

"What's dis "apparently"? Dis es ya destiny, chile, yuh mus be proud of it! Yuh is a Wata Nymph, a chile of the gods!"

"Okay… The thing is, we have to find something called "Erzulie's Cave but we have no idea where it is or what we'll find when and if we get there or even why we need to go there in the first place!"

"All inna good time, sista, all inna good time…"

Before I can ask any more questions, Tia Dalma quickly returns to the tea cups. She examines them one by one.

The first she looks at is Gibbs'. The liquid in it had turned a dark green color. "Jus wah I be t'inkin'. Loyal…trustworthy…dependable. Stay wit 'im." Tia says to Gibbs, with a nod.

The next she looks at is her own but she merely glances at it and makes no comment. The liquid in it had turned black.

The next is mine. Curious, I look at its color: white, but streaked with light blue…or maybe blue streaked with white; I wasn't sure. "Very good. She is on the right path." She looks up at me before she continues. "Yuh mus believe innna yuhself an' wha' yuh are, especially inna de coming time when yuh will be tested."

She reaches Jack's cup. The once-transparent liquid has turned a fiery red. "Ahh, Jack, yuh 'ave not changed a bit den. Yuh 'ave de mos pressin' problem. De spell on dis here Nymph is one uh de causes of yuh own problem. Yuh mus overcome de obstacles to attain de prize. De odda ding is dat yuh mus trust yuhself, Jack."

Then Tia Dalma turned and handed each of us our respective cups.

"Here is wuh yuh mus do. De protection of the Wata Nymph will nah allow yuh and Jack to…'ave serious relations. (This is about to get awkward… I just know it.) 'e is 'avin' dis problem partially due to yuh…past ecnountas (Aaaannnd, there it is…). But de odda reason…well, Jack can tell yuh 'imself lata. Before anyt'in' else, drink again; dis is now de blessin' potion dat will help yuh pon ya journey."

We all drank from our cups once more. This time, the drink was not the putrid "tea" of before but was sweeter, like lemonade. We handed our cups back to Tia, who set them in a stack on the table. She continued speaking:

"De solution to yuh problem is simple; yuh mus bruk de cuss. To be togedda, yuh mus travel to Erzulie's Cave and fulfill de task. Dis will nuh be easy."

"What will we have to do?" I asked.

"To bruk dis curss, yuh must bring three t'ings. De first is an item fram ya human life. De second item is sum of da wata fram ya spring. De final item is a cherished token of de man, willingly given. Take all dese items to de alta of Erzulie and prove ya declared love and yuh can live ya life togedda foreva."

"But where is Erzulie's Cave, let alone the alter of Erzulie?"

"To find wuh yuh seek, it is sometimes easia to start weh yuh began…"

It couldn't be … "Do you mean to say that Erzulie's Cave is on Virgin Gorda?"

"Dat's correct. But dohn be hawd pon yuhself, it is very hawd to find, as ongle a mon an' a Nymph togedda can find it. De alta itself can be found inna the cave, but yuh mus pass the tests set fah yuh once yuh enta…To help yuh pon ya jounrye, I gi' yuh two gifts."

With that, she began to search through cupboards until she found and presented us with the two promised gifts: a map and what looked like a canteen of some sort made out of a smooth gourd.

"De map will lead yuh to the Cave of Erzulie once yuh reach Virgin Gorda. Dis gourd will, once filled, neva empty. Use dem wisely…Now it is time to begin ya journey"

She shooed us out the door and we returned to the ship, still pondering the events of the day.

…

Later that night, I sat brushing my hair in Jack's quarters. I was thinking about what Tia Dalma had said when I heard the door open followed by the sound of Jack's boots on the wood floor of the ship and the closing of the door. Jack walked over the where I sat on the bed and sat behind me. I felt his hands graze mine as he took the brush from my hand and began to run it through my hair in gentle strokes. We sat for a moment together in an awkward silence until he stood and said:

"You've had a long day, luv. Let's get you to bed."

I was too tired to protest, but I couldn't help asking:

"Aren't you coming, too?"

"Not yet, dearie. I have to do a few more things before joining you." He kissed me on the forehead.

"Well, don't keep me waiting too long." I said.

"Not a moment longer than necessary, pirate's honor." He grinned mischeviously.

I rolled my eyes and snuggled into the bed to attempt sleep.