Chapter Seventeen: Adoration
"You're a pirate." Kuno spat the words in Spanish, glaring at the smaller man who was sitting cross-legged on the bed; Jack looked sheepishly back, but replied defiantly in English.
"And a good man, mate."
"It is a good thing I speak your language, for you seem reluctant to speak your mother tongue," Kuno snapped, running a hand through his tight curls. Jack admired his son; Kuno had a wonderful mixture of Jack's own appearance and the Asian beauty of his mother Jia.
"Out of interest, Kuno, how did you come ter learn English?"
Kuno turned to the window. "Rosaline," he murmured.
Jack recognised the misty look in his son's dark eyes. "Love," he observed softly. "Who is she? An English lass?"
"Yes," Kuno whispered, and he was back to speaking in Spanish. It seemed he knew no English words to describe this Rosaline. "She is the most beautiful woman in the world, Captain. Big blue eyes and soft red hair, captivating to behold. She is the sweetest soul I have ever known."
Jack was only half-listening by now, a quirky grin on his face as he thought about his own most beautiful woman. Charlotte.
Jack watched Eve from the door. She was sitting on his bed, humming softly. She was playing with something in her long hands, absolutely absorbed in it.
The early morning sunlight made her hair, which was loose and flowing, shimmer beautifully. A stray strand fell across her face, half-hiding the small, content smile she wore. Jack sighed quietly. He was about to remove that smile.
"Morning, luv," he said gruffly.
She looked up, her hazel eyes startled. But the smile on her face grew when she saw it was Jack, her white teeth flashing at him. "Captain! Good morning. Are you alright?"
He didn't move from his spot in the doorway. "Luv..."
"Oh, Jack, how wonderful! All is right again, isn't it?" She was positively beaming now. He looked at her. She looked stunning, dressed in one of his shirts and not much more than that. Her long, porcelain legs were curled beneath her.
"Aye, luv. And that's why-"
"What shall we do now?" she asked, her eyes becoming distant. She turned her head to look out of the window, out at the ocean he adored so much. The same love was burning in her eyes now, but Jack knew it wasn't right for it to be there. "You and I, sailing the seas together. I rather like the sound of that, Jack." Her cheeks were pink.
Jack swallowed. "No, Evangeline."
She turned back to him, her face startled, her eyes full of questions she did not dare to ask, for fear of the answers. Suddenly, she was not the confident Admiral's wife; rather, she looked like a little girl. "What?" she whispered.
Jack shifted his weight. This had been a bad idea. He should have just left her in a port somewhere for Norrington to find; he had never been much good at these emotional conversations. "Eve, luv... I'm leaving yer in the next port."
"Leaving me?" She was on her feet, staring at him. "Why?"
"Because... you're Norrington's wife, and he wants yer back. If he gets yer, he'll stop chasing me."
"You selfish pirate!" Eve almost shouted the words. She dropped what she had been playing with; it fell to the floor in a flash of silver. "Have you no heart?"
"This isn't your world, Eve!" he snapped back at her, unsure of how else to react.
"Isn't that for me to decide?" she asked. Her eyes were full of tears. She bit down hard on her lip, glancing away from him. "Don't you understand, Jack Sparrow?"
"Understand what?"
She cried out; a tear broke free of her left eye and fell slowly down her cheek. "You are my world. I adore you."
Her words caught him off-guard; he had not expected her to have such strong feelings for him. "Eve..." he began, but as he had nothing to say after this, he trailed off.
She laughed, but it was nothing like her usual, glassy laugh; it was harsh and painful. She stormed towards him, pausing at the door. "Captain," she said coldly, inclining her head. Then she was gone, storming out onto the deck.
Jack stood still for a long time, concentrating on the gentle swaying of the Pearl. Poor Eve. He hadn't meant for her to fall for him; he certainly had not fallen for her. He liked her, cared for her, but there was no chance of him loving her. Still, if she was bitter because of his rejection, perhaps it would make it easier for her to go back to her old life, make it easier to fall back in love with Norrington.
He looked at the thing she had dropped. Frowning, he went over to look. Two necklaces were entwined together on the floor; Eve's own Emerald Sword, and one of Jack's- a small black pearl on a silver chain. He dropped to his knees beside them and looked at them for a long time, trying to picture what Eve had done.
"Jack?" He didn't have to look around to know that it was Charlie standing at his door.
"Aye, Curly?"
"Jack, are you alright?" He turned to see her; still a little pale and weak, but standing proudly. Her blue eyes stared at him, deeply.
"I'm wonderful now, luv," he said, and a true grin crossed his face. He rose.
She crossed her arms across her chest. She had her hair pinned up almost neatly, and she was wearing a tight white shirt and breeches. "Oh. Good." She cleared her throat nervously. "Jack, I was wondering-"
He never did find out what she was wondering, because all hell broke loose at that moment. The ship gave an almighty lurch that sent the tiny woman toppling into Jack's arms; screaming started out on deck and guns started to fire. Charlie said something he didn't hear, and the flushed face of Elizabeth Turner appeared in the doorway.
"Jack!" she shrieked, a pistol in each hand. Her hair was pulled back in a tight plait that made the veins stick out on her forehead. "Jack, it's the Kraken!"
She was gone as quickly as she had appeared; there was another lurch and Jack looked down at the fragile pirate in his arms.
"Charlotte, go to my-"
"No, Jack. I'm not an invalid. I will fight." The defiant words were no surprise to Jack, and as they left her lovely red lips he was filled with the desire to kiss her.
Now was not the right time. He shook his head slightly to clear it. "Fine, luv. But be careful, savvy?"
Author's Notes
Sorry sorry sorry about yet another wait! I know I suck.
However, now my planning of the whole trilogy is more or less complete.
Please remember to review.