A change in the winds

Chapter sixteen: Complications

Kenna awoke, feeling a hand circling her waist and pulling her closer. She turned her head to see who it was and met the gorgeous face of Jack smiling at her.

'' Hello darlin', how did ye sleep?''

'' Fine thank you.'' She said with a smile as she turned the rest of her body towards him. She felt the ship shake aggressively and curled up against his chest.

'' I guess this means the storm has reached us?'' She said against his shirt.

'' Almost, the sea is gettin' pretty bad out there.'' He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer.

'' Doesn't that mean we have to get up on deck? Who's manning the wheel?''

'' Don't worry luv, it be all takin' care of.'' Jack said as he lowered his face to hers, capturing her lips in a soft, yet wanting kiss. Kenna eagerly returned the kiss, enjoying the faint taste of rum on his lips and tongue. Even though she didn't like that drink, she loved the taste of it in Jack's kisses.

'' I still think we should go up there…'' Kenna pointed out when they broke apart to breathe.

'' Shhh, don't worry about it, it be all under control.'' Jack silenced her with another kiss. He slid his hand down her thigh, gently caressing it as he moved his lips under her jaw line. Kenna gave out a sigh of pleasure as his lips gently nibbled at the skin under her earlobe.

'' What about those on deck, won't they need your help steering the ship through the storm?'' Kenna breathed out as she felt his hand slide up her waist, cupping her breast.

'' They be used ta sailin' in bad weather…'' Jack replied against her neck. He kissed a wet path from her ear down to her collarbone, gently nibbling at the sensitive skin.

'' This doesn't seem right…what about my…'' Jack had grown tired of her unrelenting questioning and captured her lips with his, silencing her with a kiss. Kenna seemed to get the point and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

'' Finally, I thought ye would never stop talkin'.'' Jack said against her lips. She replied by biting on his lower lip, but not enough to draw blood. Jack chuckled and slid his hand down her thigh again to her knee, hooking it around his waist. Kenna gasped when she felt his full weight on her, and the heat emitting from his firm lower half. Jack slid his hand up to the hem of her shirt, where he started unbuttoning it. His lips never left hers for long, their tongues duelling in a heated battle. Kenna didn't care about the storm anymore, there was nothing to fear lying under his nicely toned body.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door, interrupting their moment of passion. Jack cursed as he raised himself off her and climbed out of the bed.

'' Cover up luv.'' He said before he headed towards the door. She pulled the covers over her exposed chest and watched as Jack opened the door. Outside Christian stood, drenched with rain.

'' I'm sorry ta interrupt Capt'n, but we need ye out on deck.'' He said with a side-glance at Kenna. When her eyes caught his he grinned slightly but quickly turned his attention back to Jack.

'' I'll be there, now get out of me sight.'' Jack said annoyed as he closed the door on Christian's face. Christian snickered and walked out on deck, he had shown up just in time. He had seen Jack go in to her cabin a while ago and never come out again. Knowing that he had not fallen asleep, how could he when a raging storm threatened to rip his ship apart, he assumed that they were getting a bit friendlier than he ever wished they would be. The only solution would be to knock and get him out of there before it was too late. He didn't want his price to be soiled by that prick.

Jack walked over to her desk and sat down in the chair. He picked up a half-finished bottle of rum from the desk and took a large gulp. Kenna climbed out of bed, buttoning up her shirt, and walked over to him.

'' Aren't you going to help them?''

Jack looked up at her and sighed annoyed. '' I'd prefer not ta, but I guess I have responsibilities don't I?''

'' What's wrong with you? Don't you care for your ship or the crew? We might all die!'' Kenna said shocked.

'' No one's gonna die…not that I would mind if a certain few would.''

'' Stop it, this is no time to bare grudges against anyone. The crew needs your help to steer the ship and you as captain should oblige to that.''

Jack got up from the chair. '' I don't need ye preachin' me about how ta be capt'n. I think I should bloody well know how that works.''

'' Then start acing like one.'' Kenna said angrily.

Jack clenched his hand into a fist and gritted his teeth. '' I'll be out on deck, don't follow me.'' He stormed off, slamming the door behind him. He headed towards the helm, where his service was most needed. He took the helm from Gibbs and ordered the men to watch the sails and any objects that might come loose in the storm. The wind roared around them like a hungry bear, ripping at the ship with incredible force. Jack tried his best to steer the ship through the giant waves, crashing against the sides of the ship and washing over the deck. This hard work allowed him to release all his anger. He had never meant to be harsh on Kenna, but she didn't seem to understand why he hadn't wanted to leave the cabin. Of course he could never admit it to her but he felt hurt that she didn't seem to want to spend her time with him behind closed door instead of fighting a raging storm.

Kenna watched Jack leave the cabin and sighed. He had been right, what was she doing telling him how to be a captain of a ship. Sometimes he just seemed to have his priorities all screwed up, and in a situation like this they couldn't afford it. Staying alive and in one piece was what mattered the most. She left the cabin and tried to find her father amongst the men who were fighting to keep hold on the ship. She found him after a little while, her vision being obscured by the heavy rain.

'' Father…'' Kenna reached out to him but felt a different set of hands clutch hers. She narrowed her eyes, trying to see who it was. The man pulled her close to him, lowering his head to her ear.

'' I would assume ye and the Capt'n had a nice time in his cabin…too bad it had ta end.''

Kenna spun around quickly and stared at him in shock. '' Christian…''

'' I was willin' ta keep yer little secret, but ye don't seem ta be wantin' that.'' With the roar of the wind he had to almost shout to be heard.

'' This is not the time to be discussing this.'' Kenna shouted back. She pushed past him and frantically searched for her father. A barrel of rum came flying towards her, but exploded right before it would have crushed her scull. Kenna looked around her and saw her father standing a few feet away from her, his hand outstretched towards her.

'' Did you do that?'' Kenna asked him when she felt him pull her closer to him.

'' Do what, save your life?'' Malak asked.

'' How did you do that? '' Kenna said stunned.

'' It was nothing, I'll teach you later…there is if we ever get out of this storm.'' The father and daughter looked up at the sky and saw a big, dark cloud spiralling above the ship. Thunder rolled as a lightning shot down at the ship, cracking the wood railing open.

'' The enchantments I made don't seem to be working.'' Kenna said frightened.

'' It was expected. If this is Tobo's doing I doubt there is anything we can do.'' Her father replied.

'' What should we do?'' Kenna inquired panicking.

'' We'll just have to wait and see how it goes. Jack is a great sailor and the Pearl seems to be strong enough to hold it out.''

'' Is there nothing we can do?''

'' We can barely stand straight, what chance do you think we have on trying to use our magic?'' Kenna knew her father was right, there would be no way to concentrate in this heavy rain.

'' This is all my fault, I should never have dragged Jack into this. He's going to lose his ship and perhaps even his life, and for what?''

'' Stop blaming yourself, this is not your fault. Jack made a choice and he chose to help you.''

'' But he didn't know what he was getting himself into.''

'' And neither did you. Blaming yourself won't safe his life, if you want to help him you should find a way to keep him safe.''

The storm shook the ship for hours, sending giant waves over the rail, swiping the men off their feet. Three men had already been taken by the furious sea and the rest held on tight to whatever they could find, hoping that their fate wouldn't lead them to the ice-cold depths of the sea.

Jack had been standing behind the wheel for hours, masterly sailing through the waves. He was exhausted and drenched to the bone, but the thought of surrendering never came to his mind. This was merely a storm and no storm could beat the great Captain Jack Sparrow. Kenna was really worried about him, and felt useless for being unable to help him. This was her fault, however much her father denied it, and she felt obligated to fix it. Except she didn't have a clue how to.

A particularly forceful wave washed over the railing beside Jack, knocking him off his feet. His head hit the steering wheel, sending his body sprawling to the ground. When Kenna saw him lying motionless on the floor she released the rope she was holding and ran towards him. Her father grabbed her arm, trying to stop her but she pushed him away.

'' I need to help him, don't stand in my way.'' He released her arm and she ran over to where Jack's motionless body was pushed around by the water washing over the deck. She knelt down beside him and took his head into her arms. She checked his neck for a pulse and found it beating weakly under her fingers. She knew she wasn't strong enough to carry him to his cabin and felt relief wash over her when her father appeared beside her.

'' You need to help me get him inside his cabin.'' Kenna shouted. Malak picked Jack up from the deck and together they fought through the whipping wind and the rain over to his cabin. When they finally reached the cabin, Malak put him down on the bed and went to get some water and bandages. Kenna sat down on the bed beside Jack and started unbuttoning his shirt. Kenna took the water and the bandages from her father.

'' Find dry clothes for him, we have to keep him as warm as possible.''

Her father obeyed, and started rummaging through a chest by the bed. Kenna felt for Jack's pulse again, it was still week. She put her ear above his mouth and heard him breathing shallow breaths. Panicking, she didn't know what to do. Jack couldn't die, he was her only hope to survive this storm. Her only chance to beat Tobo. Her one true love. She felt her eyes prick with tears but fought them off. This was no time to be crying, she had to find a way to safe him. She gently cleaned the wound on his forehead and wrapped some bandages around his head to keep it from bleeding. His breath was steady but shallow and his chest felt abnormally cold under her fingers. In a short while her father came back with a shirt and new breeches.

'' Step away, I'll do this.''

Kenna stood up from the bed and walked over to Jack's desk. She had to help him, but what could she do? Then a thought hit her. Magic. She knew some healing spells her grandmother had taught her. With her hope restored, she went back to the bed seeing her father buttoning up the last two buttons on Jack's shirt.

'' I know what we can do. I can try some magic spells, one of them must work.''

'' Honey…'' Her father began but Kenna cut him off.

'' Please, I have to do this, I have to try. I can't let him die.''

Malak looked up at his daughter and saw the pain and angst in her eyes. He saw how much she loved him and couldn't find it in his heart to deny her, even though he was very certain there was nothing she could do for him.

'' Alright, do your thing, I won't stop you.'' He stood up from the bed and allowed his daughter to take his place. '' I will be out on deck if you need me.'' He kissed her forehead and left the cabin. Kenna started to think about all the spells she knew, to try and find which one would fit the best. She put her hand on his face and felt his icy skin under her palm. She stood up and fetched a blanket, wrapping it tightly around him. It was now or never, she had to find the right spell to save his life.

Checking his pulse regularly, Kenna started to work on her magic spell. She had never tried to restore someone's health before so she was quite worried that her efforts to save Jack would be in vain. His pulse was still weak but beating steadily. Kenna had managed to get some warmth into his body but according to the temperature of his forehead he was getting a fever. She tried her best not to panic, this was not the time or place. Jack needed her and she had to stay focused.

Fetching a knife from Jack's desk, Kenna pierced her finger and started writing magical symbols on Jack's forehead with her own blood. While she wrote the symbols, she chanted a magic psalm, which was supposed to bring his fever down again. She chanted the psalm a few times over, closing her eyes and concentrating all her energy on her own voice.

Standing up from the bed, where she had been sitting beside Jack, she fetched the oil lamp that hung on a hook on the wall. Being careful not to drop it in the powerful swaying of the ship in the storm, she made her way over to the bed again. Her grandmother had told her she could use other fluids than blood for her spell making and she wanted to know if the oil would perhaps be more appropriate for her spell making. She put the lamp down on the bed beside her and gently unwrapped the blanket from his body. Her finger was still bleeding slightly but she didn't mind, Jack wouldn't freak out if he found a little blood on his bed.

She unbuttoned his shirt down to his navel and opened it up, giving her clear passage to his smooth, golden chest. She placed a hand on his chest, feeling the warmth emitting from it on her palm. This was a good sign. She reached out for the oil lamp and opened it. Fortunately it was not lit so the oil wasn't hot. She reached down, scooped up some of the oil with her hand, and used the other one to dip into the oil, making similar symbols on Jack's chest as she had made on his forehead. She had no idea whether this would work or not, but it didn't hurt to try. These markings were followed by more chanting, slightly different from the one before, this time she was aiming at strengthening his heartbeat.

When she was done trying to save his life with her spells she buttoned up his shirt and wrapped the blanket tightly around him again. She took her shoes off and climbed in beside him, pulling the covers over them both. She snuggled up against him and listened to his shallow breathing. She hoped her spells would help him recover from what was ailing him, she couldn't imagine her life without him. In those thoughts she fell asleep as the wind roared outside the window.