To Catch A Sparrow And Free A Heart

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To Catch A Sparrow and Free A Heart

Hardly Enlightening Introductions

Two ships came within range of each other. Each appeared to be easy prey to the other. The battle ensued and lasted so long that the storm the two ships had been hoping to avoid crept up on them and blotted out the sun. It was a fierce tempest that made even the most experienced sailor lose his balance at least once. In the heat of the battle one man, badly wounded, was toppled overboard. No one would note his absence until much later.

The man drifted on the waves, floating on a piece of his own ship. He didn’t know how long he had been lost but it felt like it was ages. Finally he felt his toes brush sand and he heard the splashing of more then just waves against waves. He thought that he beheld a mermaid swimming towards him but as he slipped back into unconsciousness he chalked the vision up to delirium. He never felt the soft arms wrap around him or that he was being half carried half dragged up the beach and he never felt the gentle hands tend his wounds. He had already passed out.

It wasn’t until much later that he woke feeling parched, dizzy, disoriented, and half starved. He was in a warm bed with a thick quilt over him. The stab wound in his left shoulder and right leg were neatly and cleanly bandaged. He found himself without clothes and though that was a little troubling he was alive and he was grateful for that. So determined to suss out a few thing about his knew predicament he gathered a blanket around his waist and sat one the edge of the bed preparing to stand. He remembered the fight and the storm but everything else after falling off his ship was a blur of salt water.

Taking a deep breath he stood slowly. His leg wasn’t pleased with the weight that it now supported but it held more or less steady. Slowly and carefully he took his first few steps. Again the leg complained but held firm. With the blanket covering his naughty bits he began to explore the domicile.

It was a nice stone house with a ground floor and a basement. The whole place was decorated with objects from the sea. The walls held dozens of fishing nets that had all manner of shells and shiny trinkets attached. There was another bedroom with a bed as nice as the one he had found himself in. There was a living room with a fireplace and to large bookshelves filled with leather bound tombs. The kitchen was small and simple with a wood stove and all sorts of herbs drying from the ceiling. Already a pot of water was boiling merrily. It turned out to be just water.

Off the kitchen was a small dining room with a nice oak table. There were four chairs in the room but only one was at the table. The others were placed against a wall out of the way as if rarely used. He sat at the one at the table to let the throbbing of his leg die down a bit.

It wasn’t long after that he heard humming coming from the kitchen. Thinking that he might finally meet his caretaker he went to investigate. He was greeted by the lovely sight of a young woman in a blue corset over a white chemise. She had on a navy blue overskirt that was mostly hidden by a well used apron. In her fair skinned arms she held a basket of fresh vegetables.

“Ah yer awake! I wondered when you’d rejoin the land of the livin’” She greeted him with a smile. Her curly black hair was barely tamed by a strip of leather that could not hold back a few curls from framing her lovely face. Her blue eyes looked him over as if accessing any damage she might have missed.

“Aye, but I seem to be at a disadvantage. You have clothes and I don’t.” His voice was quite horse.

“Yes I had noticed that. I have your clothes washed but for now...” The girl trailed off after putting down the basket and walking out of the kitchen. She came back with a deep blue robe that she helped her guest into. It was just a bit big on his lean form.

“Thank ye kindly miss...now may I know my caretaker’s name?” He asked wondering about this sweet looking girl. She blushed prettily and curtsied.

“Forgive my manners, it’s been a while since I’ve had guests. I’m Illona, Illona Wolf. And you are?” She asked as she straightened.

With an over dramatic flourish and bow he answered, “Captain Jack Sparrow.” He immediately regretted the bow and had to lean against the wall to prevent the dizziness from bringing him to his knees.

“It wont do for you to be faintin’ in my kitchen. You should still be in bed but...that can’t be helped. C’mon.” She admonished him and helped him into the living room and into one of the comfortable looking high back chairs. She left the room for a moment and returned with an ornate and expensive looking cane which she handed to Jack. “Use this to get around. I don’t want to be sewing that leg up more then I have to.” She instructed with a smile and was gone back into the kitchen. “Dinner will be ready in about and hour! Feel free to read whatever ye like if ye can!” She called to him.

With the use of his new cane he was able to get around the living room much easier. He looked over the titles of the books and wasn’t exactly surprised to find scores of sea faring novels. There was a whole shelf devoted to nautical myths and legends from the Greeks and another shelf for the same from the Romans. Novels of Celtic origin took up no less then two shelves. Stunned by the variety it was some time before Jack was able to choose. He chose a novel from the Celtic section titled Wolf At Sea by some old man Jack had never heard of before. He settled down to read.

Before even opening the book Jack took a hard look around the living room. He realized that he still knew next to nothing about the woman who’s care he seemed to be under. What he gleamed from his explorations and his meeting with her wasn’t much. She seemed to love the sea as much as he did, she was rather pretty and handy with a needle and bandages but that was about it. He wondered what would become of him now? Would he find his ship again? Would she help? Not to mention one fairly important detail about his stay here; was she any kind of a decent cook??