READ ME:
FORGIVE ME. For the past two weeks I've had to prepare for exam week and I was literally freaking out in stress.
I finally finished my exams this week, so I'm glad they're over with, (Plus I got hardcore sick on Monday;
that's what I get for licking my hands after touching door knobs in public. (Just kidding… lol))
Chapter 22: Evening Star III
Eventually, the women of the Gallant Matron returned to their ship after their captain had settled various terms with Jack. The females were set on having the artifacts and map returned to them after Sparrow's treachery, and seeing that both the amulet was on Katherine and the ring was on the finger of the Black Pearl's captain, the women had no other choice than to follow wherever the two went.
Thus, leading them up to their current situation; the Black Pearl was making headway across the warm, shimmering ocean with the Gallant Matron following closely behind. Katherine chose to keep herself concealed in the comfort of her cabin, away from the sympathetic stares of the crew and the wary glances from Jack Sparrow. It seemed as if he knew what he had done and said, though chose not to remedy the situation.
Couldn't he see her suffering and hurt? Or was he just that blind and foolish from all those years in the sun.
Katherine sighed as she finished up tidying her cabin and sat down on her somewhat ragged bed, though she was grateful to have been given one instead of a dirty hammock from the hold..
She idly distracted herself by fiddling with her intricately painted hairbrush, staring at the delicate rose design when a subtle knock awoke her from her reverie. Putting the brush onto her vanity, she stood to open the door, which revealed Gibbs, Marty, Pintel and Ragetti eyeing her rather solemnly.
"Ello miss Katherine.." Marty murmured out, sympathy dripping from his voice, "how are ye?"
She mustered a smile and stood away from the door to allow them the privilege to step inside, which they gladly accepted and poured in, of course with Pintel and Ragetti pushing and shoving one another to get in first after Gibbs and Marty.
"I am.." She paused and glanced at the creaking ceiling; obviously a few crewmates were hard at work, "contemplating."
"Alone, lass..?" Gibbs questioned with a slight raise of his light-brown brow.
Ragetti shook his head vigorously as he gazed at his lap, "Aye, tha' ain't no good, miss…"
Smiling toothily, Pintel added, "'Tis is why we've come down 'ere, miss Katherine; tuh brighten yer sprits!"
"I suppose that I.." She peered at the floorboards from beneath long black lashes, "that I should have foreseen this, knowing who Jack's reputation.."
Gibbs rested a fatherly hand on her knee, "Nay, ye love the lad. Ye trusted 'im."
She nodded lethargically, "Yes, but I.." she began to tremble slightly, "I…."
Burrying her face into her hands, she sobbed quietly, "Oh Gibbs! I feel like such a fool!"
The men inside her room were a bit perplex of how to comfort a crying young woman, and so they all looked to the first mate for advice, who shrugged quickly and was just as baffled as them.
"Erm.. D-Don't cry, lass! In fact, I know the Cap'n is regretting ever openin' his big ol' mouth. He's frettin' by the helm as we speak!" Gibbs said, placing a hand on her back with hopes to console her.
Ragetti added brightly, "Aye! Tha be true! I saw 'im earlier, I did. He was damn near bittin' his nails clear off!"
"I'm sure if the Cap'n could take back what he said aroun' ye miss, he would." Marty spoke as he handed her the handkerchief from her armoire.
Appreciatively taking the kerchief from him, she dried the tears streaming down her ivory cheeks before scoffing a bit resentfully; a trait that never suited her, and the males were a bit shocked to hear it from her lips, "It's already been said and done.."
She questioned, "Do any of you know who the rest of Augustine's crewmates were?" What few of them were, they quite obviously had their own ethnicities.
"Well, as ye know, the first mate o' the Gallant Matron was a Spaniard named Valentina, aye?" The older male confirmed with her before continuing, "The rest o' their crew come from places all over the map, it seems.."
Katherine's interest was piqued as she asked quietly, "Places such as..?"
"One o' the women happen' to be from Korea. According to the men, her name is Seong-Yu.." Pintel piped before tapping a finger to his chin, "errr… somethin' like tha'. Her English ain't so good."
Gibbs rolled his eyes, "Neither is yers, lad.." To which Pintel frowned and crossed his arms over his chest.
Ragetti nodded, fussing with his wooden eye, "Aye! An' there's a real rude one.. wha was er' name.." He rubbed roughly at his eye socket, "Ah! Er' name was Lynette. English-born, she was. Talks a lil' like me, ye know? Didn' like 'er at all.."
"Aye, none o' the crew did." Gibbs commented, "Another woman named Lilith, probably Germanic or somethin'. She was kinda like tha Lynette, though, she happen' to be a brute, o' sorts. She was ready and willin' to rough house any o' our men who got outta line while Augustine an' Jack talked things through."
The brunette woman made a mental note to keep her distance in the near future. In fact, keep a distance from all of these women, if possible…
"An' one last woman, Sophitia. She was real demure; kinda like you, miss. She didn' even wanna talk to the crew, much less to er' own. She seem to keep to 'erself much of the time, though she seem to open up around Augustine an' the Korean one.." Marty provided, glad that they all shared their bits of information with one another, "I was sure that she was born in Sweden or a place o' the likes."
"Oh…" Katherine breathed as she grasped all she could of what they explained to her. Even with their individual personalities, she knew that each and every one of them meant business when it came to piracy; though the woman whom she was most concerned about was Augustine. The female captain looked as if she didn't take nonsense from anyone, so it baffled Katherine as to how the woman managed to grow feelings for the cunning captain of the Black Pearl, who had a knack for being childish. Clearly, she had the most history with Sparrow, though not quite as much as this 'Angelica' woman…
She glimpsed at the first mate before inquiring, "Gibbs, do you know anything about the woman mentioned by Augustine? Angelica, I believe her name was.."
The elder man seemed to have frozen, almost. His gaze was straight out before him, as if he had seen a ghost. Gradually, he looked at her, "Angelica…" He mused, "aye, miss Katherine. I know er'."
"Who is she? What was she to Jack..? Or.. is to Jack?"
Gibbs cleared his throat nervously as he heard footsteps approach her cabin, "Erm, perhaps ye autta let the Cap'n tell you. The story really isn' mine to tell, lass.."
Suddenly, the door to her cabin soundlessly swung open with Jack Sparrow standing there, clearly displeased with their presence in her room; a rare frown on his lips as he eyed his gathered crew. Obviously, they had been telling her all about him, Augustine and her crew.
Things she didn't need to hear. Things she didn't need to know.
"Out." Jack said simply as he invited himself in, watching as they stood from their seats and bid their hasty good-byes to her before leaving with Gibbs quickly closing the door behind him.
Sparrow stepped further into her room, headed to her vanity table. He clasped her emerald charm bracelet between his thumb and forefinger, observing it slowly. It was a bracelet her father had given to her as a gift on her thirteenth birthday, welcoming her into womanhood.
With a slight snap to her words, she said, "I had company. Was it necessary for you to barge in, Captain?"
Captain, he mused with a disheartened smirk, back to formalities, was she?
"Ye hate me," He murmured, putting the bracelet back carefully, "that much I'm aware of.." His chocolate eyes slid to her, looking heavy with earnest, "and ye have every reason to, Katherine..."
He was trying to send her on a guilt trip and it wasn't going to work, not in a long shot. "Of course I do, after what you said and the things you did."
Jack's fist slowly clenched at his side. If only he had kept his big mouth shut, but his buggerin' pride wouldn't let him at the time. For the past six hours or so, he had been standing by the helm, contemplating on what he would say to her; something that might make her forgive him, yet here he was- finally in her presence, and it was as if he had forgotten all of his dialogue as soon as he saw her.
He went to take a seat beside her on her bed, which she surprisingly allowed, "Ye know I.." Jack struggled somewhat, "I… I would never mean to be so vulgar in front o' you.. I didn't mean to let those things slip.."
Sparrow reached out to brush a stray lock of her brunette hair blocking his view of her usually sparkling hazel eyes, though she moved away from his touch. He sighed in distress, allowing his hand to drop onto his lap.
Because of what he had said, all of his work on finally getting her to open up and relax around him had gone to pot. Hell, they had even kissed fully before this all happened; and he had never wanted a meager kiss more in his life than to finally kiss her. To finally have reached that level in a relationship where properly kissing a woman was permitted, because he knew Katherine was possibly one of the most proper, elegant women he had ever met in his life.
Jack doubted he would ever have the pleasure of having his lips touch hers again.. And he hated it. He despised the thought of not being close to her anymore.
If Katherine were any other woman, there was no way in all hell that he would ever wait that long for a kiss. If she were any other woman, he probably would've already had his way with her.
But she wasn't just any other woman. No… She was so much more to him. And he wanted her to know that. He needed her to know that.
..He needed to mend this. Right now.
Shit is about to go down right here, son. Review to read THE SHIT after THIS SHIT, son.
(LOL ignore my profanities.)