Troubled Seas
Curses
It took Jack only two days to figure out that Katie had the ability to drink him under the table. He had never seen another woman who could handle her liquor so well. With the exception of her behavior on the first night they arrived, he had never seen Katie even stumble after drinking. He beamed with pride every time they drank.
Katie on the other hand was not surprised at all. Maybe Captain Jack didn’t remember that before being left for dead on Anew, she had shared a ship with her brother. And Benjamin had taught his sister how to take a shot or two. It only made since that she would be able to do the same with rum.
Katie was glad for her talent if only because it enabled her to look out for Jack. He had a knack for starting fights with strangers and wandering after ladies in red. Katie kept him in line with a gentle hand, the same way Jack dealt with her when it came to sword fighting and pistol shooting.
Katie was already a bottle of rum in when she noticed Gibbs pacing the back of The Faithful Bride. ‘I think someone’s lookin’ for you Jack.”
Jack wobbled on his chair and squinted into the darkness of the tavern. “Who it be?”
“Gibbs.”
Jack sobered up instantly. Knowing that Katie would be able to tell that something was wrong if he didn’t stumble toward Gibbs, he played the role of a drunk. When he finally sat down he didn’t bother to ignite the lamp on the table, he preferred to not have Katie’s prying eyes watch this scene.
“What is it Gibbs?” he asked.
“Ye havn’t come round,” Gibbs mumbled, sitting down across from Jack.
“I’m here now aren’t I?”
“Aye.” Gibbs looked around him, fearful of being overheard.
“Tell me Gibbs.”
“It’s about that wench of yours, Katie,” Jack felt his chest constrict. “Ye never let me finish telling ye about her curse.”
Jack wanted Katie in his arms, to hold and protect. The tone of Gibbs voice worried him immensely. “Go on.”
“The girl’s not just cursed with bad luck Jack, no no. She’s marked fer death,” Gibbs shook his head. “When was she captured?”
“I…I don’t know,” Jack couldn’t recall Katie telling him how many years before the voyage with her brother had occurred.
“Oh Jack,” Gibbs sighed. “I know yer fond of her and that’s why I had to tell ye. She’s not going to last long Jack. Death is waiting for her behind every shadow.”
“What does it matter when she was captured?”
“It’s all about time Jack. The natives’ are waiting for her Jack…she’s branded a sacrifice, she has to die. The next time the ritual is preformed, it’ll be her that goes. No matter the distance between her and the island, she will die Jack,” Gibbs drank from his wooden mug. “If ye know when the ritual is and how many days or years until it is preformed once more… then ye’d know how long till she perishes.”
Jack was horrified. He’d dealt with numerous curses and was beyond elated that he had a tendency to survive them. But Katie, his Katie. He trembled at the thought.
“What can be done?” he demanded.
“Nothing Jack. Nothing. I’ve never known a soul who’s survived so powerful and so set a curse.” Gibbs told him.
“What about Tia Dalma! She has to know something,” Jack was certain of this.
“Whose that?” Dread filled Jack.
“No one Love, no one,” he pulled Katie down beside him. “Are you ready to turn in pet?”
“I thought we were just getting started?” she smiled.
“Not tonight Katie, we have to rise early tomorrow, we should sleep now,” he stroked her hand.
If her mind hadn’t been fuzzy from all the alcohol, Katie would have known that something was terribly wrong. But as it was, she giggled and kissed Jack’s cheek sloppily. “Whatever you say Captain.”
Jack scooped Katie up in his arms and she let out a happy cry. “Tomorrow Gibbs, meet me on the dock. We set sail.”
Gibbs gave his friend a worried look but agreed nonetheless, “Aye, Aye Cap’n. I’ll gather the men.”
Katie on the other hand was not surprised at all. Maybe Captain Jack didn’t remember that before being left for dead on Anew, she had shared a ship with her brother. And Benjamin had taught his sister how to take a shot or two. It only made since that she would be able to do the same with rum.
Katie was glad for her talent if only because it enabled her to look out for Jack. He had a knack for starting fights with strangers and wandering after ladies in red. Katie kept him in line with a gentle hand, the same way Jack dealt with her when it came to sword fighting and pistol shooting.
Katie was already a bottle of rum in when she noticed Gibbs pacing the back of The Faithful Bride. ‘I think someone’s lookin’ for you Jack.”
Jack wobbled on his chair and squinted into the darkness of the tavern. “Who it be?”
“Gibbs.”
Jack sobered up instantly. Knowing that Katie would be able to tell that something was wrong if he didn’t stumble toward Gibbs, he played the role of a drunk. When he finally sat down he didn’t bother to ignite the lamp on the table, he preferred to not have Katie’s prying eyes watch this scene.
“What is it Gibbs?” he asked.
“Ye havn’t come round,” Gibbs mumbled, sitting down across from Jack.
“I’m here now aren’t I?”
“Aye.” Gibbs looked around him, fearful of being overheard.
“Tell me Gibbs.”
“It’s about that wench of yours, Katie,” Jack felt his chest constrict. “Ye never let me finish telling ye about her curse.”
Jack wanted Katie in his arms, to hold and protect. The tone of Gibbs voice worried him immensely. “Go on.”
“The girl’s not just cursed with bad luck Jack, no no. She’s marked fer death,” Gibbs shook his head. “When was she captured?”
“I…I don’t know,” Jack couldn’t recall Katie telling him how many years before the voyage with her brother had occurred.
“Oh Jack,” Gibbs sighed. “I know yer fond of her and that’s why I had to tell ye. She’s not going to last long Jack. Death is waiting for her behind every shadow.”
“What does it matter when she was captured?”
“It’s all about time Jack. The natives’ are waiting for her Jack…she’s branded a sacrifice, she has to die. The next time the ritual is preformed, it’ll be her that goes. No matter the distance between her and the island, she will die Jack,” Gibbs drank from his wooden mug. “If ye know when the ritual is and how many days or years until it is preformed once more… then ye’d know how long till she perishes.”
Jack was horrified. He’d dealt with numerous curses and was beyond elated that he had a tendency to survive them. But Katie, his Katie. He trembled at the thought.
“What can be done?” he demanded.
“Nothing Jack. Nothing. I’ve never known a soul who’s survived so powerful and so set a curse.” Gibbs told him.
“What about Tia Dalma! She has to know something,” Jack was certain of this.
“Whose that?” Dread filled Jack.
“No one Love, no one,” he pulled Katie down beside him. “Are you ready to turn in pet?”
“I thought we were just getting started?” she smiled.
“Not tonight Katie, we have to rise early tomorrow, we should sleep now,” he stroked her hand.
If her mind hadn’t been fuzzy from all the alcohol, Katie would have known that something was terribly wrong. But as it was, she giggled and kissed Jack’s cheek sloppily. “Whatever you say Captain.”
Jack scooped Katie up in his arms and she let out a happy cry. “Tomorrow Gibbs, meet me on the dock. We set sail.”
Gibbs gave his friend a worried look but agreed nonetheless, “Aye, Aye Cap’n. I’ll gather the men.”