Tangled Threads - A Story of Pirates
A Map
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Thanks for reading and commenting...please excuse any layout hiccups, this is all new to me.
Chapter Two - A Mapstyle='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#475977'>
Will waited until her breathing slowed and the arm that wrapped possessively
around him went limp. Cautiously he rolled over, the tangled sheets wrapping
one arm and looked down at the naked blonde woman beside him. Selena was asleep
one hand flung out above her head the other stretching out towards him. It had
been an enjoyable romp, another night of lovemaking that was pleasurable whilst
it lasted but the wind was rising and the sea was calling to him. With no
regrets at having to leave he dressed quietly and boots in hand turned towards
the door.
“Will” she murmured softly “stay with me” her eyes
were open looking at him pleadingly “just until morning.”
“I have to get back to the
Selena…the crew..”
She gave a soft huff “they can manage that boat without you.”
"Ship." he corrected absently sitting back down on the bed to slip
his boots on.
“Ship then…” she sat up and ran her fingers through her tangled hair her eyes
watching him “have you ever been in love Will?” she asked suddenly.
He froze looking around at her cautiously, worried about what might be coming
next.
Selene gave a short laugh “I am not going to embarrass you or
“Once I thought I was” he said softly, he bent to pull on his boots, she waited
for him to speak, but he remained silent, straightening, he stood in one fluid
motion. Her eyes moved up his body, long legs, flat belly, loose
shirt open at the neck a tanned expanse of skin showing that begged to be
touched. She breathed in sharply, willing her fingers to be still, to not reach
out for him, her eyes moving upwards until she met his gaze. He had already
left her.
“Go on then” she waved a languid hand “give me a kiss and try not to get killed
or drowned, tell that mad Sparrow that I said for him to look after you.”
Will chuckled “I’ll do that” his lips met hers in a soft kiss “be safe Selene.”
“You too Will, you too.”
He walked from the room closing the door behind him, not once looking back.
“Damn you Will Turner” she murmured softly, she picked up the gold earrings he
had left on the beside table, holding them up to the light she watched as they
twirled, before laughing sadly and hurling them at the door.
*
“No” Jack said emphatically “it would be madness, it is dangerous Bella.”
“But..”
He held both hands up “No Bella, no, no and no, savvy?”
“Anna Maria sails with you.”
“Aye and that is different” Jack was trying to inch down the hall but Bella
kept pushing her way in front of him.
“Why is it different? I can do everything that she can.”
“You can” Jack agreed placidly “but is still no, now move luv.”
Bella gave a short scream of frustration and Jack clamped his hands over his
ears, his eyes darting from side to side looking for a way out.
“I am going to be crossing words all night with you Bella” he said “I am
Captain Jack Sparrow, most feared pirate in the Spanish Main” he gave a twirl
of one hand “my word is final” he felt quite pleased with that statement and
pulled himself up to his full height pushing his chest out. Many a grown man
had quailed before him, Bella would be no exception.
Bella stared at him blue eyes flashing, her mouth beginning to open and Jack
cringed, he must not let her start shouting at him, she had a vile temper
“Here be a luv and put these away” he shoved an armful of maps at her, kissed
her cheek and pushed her in the direction of the study “sleep well.”
“Jack” she turned around and he ignored her “Jack” her voice rose as she
stamped a foot on the floor, maps dropping around her “don’t you go leaving.”
Jack was making for the front door as fast as he could, simultaneously pulling
on his coat, checking his pistols and reaching for his old leather hat.
“Sam” he bellowed and the kitchen door swung open
“Jack.”
“I am going back to the
gestured at Bella “don’t you be letting her come after me” his eyes were
slightly wild “keep her here, it’ll be worth your while mate, I promise
Sam rolled his eyes “there is going to be trouble here Jack, she will only
continue this when you get back.”
“Distract her Sam” he hissed, putting a hand in his pocket he pulled out a
handful of gold coins and pushed them into Sam’s hands “get Maggie to take her
shopping, they can buy something pretty, women love pretty things.”
“It’s the middle of the night Jack.”
“In the morning Sam, in the morning. I will be back
around
keep her away from the
please.”
Jack’s eyes were desperate and he was walking backwards towards the door.
“Alright Captain” Sam replied but could not resist and with a grin just had to
add a final comment “the last time you gave her money for dresses she bought a
lovely dagger.”
Jack gave a yelp and bolted.
*
Bella was in the study hurling maps into the cupboard, Sam peeked in the door,
seeing the fury on her face he was tempted to retreat to the warm calmness of
the kitchen but instead pushed the door open.
“Here Bella” he said quietly, holding out one huge hand “you pass them to me and
I will put them away.”
“I don’t care about them being tidy,” she snarled.
“You will later” Sam said placidly “you love looking at those maps and you will
be very cross with yerself if any get ruined.”
She scowled but stopping throwing the charts at the cupboard, it was pointless
being angry with Sam; it wasn’t him that was keeping her locked up in this
decaying house. It was Jack and every time that he came home he avoided talking
about the future.
Sam worked quietly waiting for the outburst that he knew was inevitable.
“It’s just not fair Sam” Bella spat out finally “why do I have to stay here?”
“Don’t be asking me Bella” Sam rumbled, “The Captain has his reasons I am
sure.”
“Stupid reasons I am sure” she muttered “he gets me to help him find what he is
looking for, gets that funny look in his eye” she looked up at Sam “you know
the one, when he is really excited about something but is pretending not to
be.”
Sam nodded and she continued speaking, starting to pace waving her hands around
“And then he rolls the chart up and rushes back to the Pearl leaving me here in
this mouldy old prison” her voice had risen several octaves and her fists were
clenched.
“I want to see the world too.”
*
Will stood up from his post at the bow of the Black Pearl, he had been sitting
in the moonlight ostensibly keeping watch but enjoying the play of the lights
of
reflecting on the water and thinking about what could lie ahead. He heard Jack
humming before he saw him, that pirate song that his Captain was so fond of, he
must have found what he was looking for. Sure footed he made his way to the
gangplank and watched as Jack nimbly climbed aboard.
“Pull her up Collins” Jack commanded nodding at the man standing sentry, the
middle-aged pirate with the ragged scar on his cheek was alert, constantly
scanning the dock for signs of trouble. It was their homeport, but in a town
full of pirates trouble was never far away and Jack took just as many
precautions here as he did in any far off town.
Seeing Will waiting Jack grinned and waved the rolled up chart “I found it” the
grin turned to a slight smirk “an old map to be sure, and not good luck that
way in many a year but things may be changing.”
He noted Will’s bare feet and loose shirt and trousers “you been on board a
while mate? I was thinking that you would have been up at the ravishing
Selena’s.”
“I visited a bit” Will replied quietly “she sent her
regards by the way.”
Jack grinned, “did she now, she thinks I am crazy” he made a circling gesture
at his temple “quite mad, would you ever believe it?”
Will gave a cough that sounded suspiciously like a laugh and Jack peered at
him, one eyebrow raised.
“Something in your throat young William?”
“Just a bit of a tickle” Will rubbed a hand over his mouth to hide a
grin “so are you going to show me this chart.”
“Aye” Jack replied looking carefully around “come and have some rum mate.”