Troubled Seas
Tie the Ropes
Katrina spent two hours pacing the dock before deciding it had all been a bad dream. Well, except that the Black Pearl was still bobbing menacingly just off shore, its black sails billowing in the wind. She let out a loud agitated sigh before heading over to the dock master.
“I need a dingy to get me to my ship,” she said with as much confidence as she could muster.
“And which ship would that be Miss?” asked the toothless dock master. He gave her a leering smile.
“The Black Pearl,” she pointed towards the impressive ship.
“The Black Pearl?” the dock master let out a laugh that ended in hacking. “I be knowning that ain’t your ship lass. That there ship belongs to Jack Sparrow and ain’t no one but he going to take a dingy out to her. Now why don’t you get along back home to your father before some strange man takes ye away.”
Disturbed by the old man’s comments, Kate hurried away. She found herself on the other side of the island, staring off the rocky ledge at the waves that were ever pounding the island. The wind whipped her hair across her face and caught on her lips. She was going to be stuck on this rotten little island forever, disowned by her parents and dishonored by a tiny drawing on her wrist.
“You were right, dear brother, the sea is no place for a young woman like me. I wish to god I had never left. I wish to god I had never heard the call of the ocean late at night, whispering come near, claiming my heart and pulling me in. I’ve got nothing left to give you,” Kate sat down. Her thoughts wandered, her mind’s eye conjured up dark images of burning houses and sharp glistening swords.
“Why so down love?” a gruff voice asked from beside her.
“What are you doing here? I thought you’d be long gone by now…. Or at least long gone in sleep in the arms of a lady in red,” Kate turned her grim expression on her new friend.
“Lighten up love, what care is it of yours if I didn’t spend the night alone or if I was later than I had promised? I’m here now and I’m ready to set sail as soon as you’re ready,” Jack sat down next to the fragile angel.
“Do you ever think about- ?”
“Think about what?” Jack leaned back against the jagged rock. Kat pointed toward the desecration on her wrist. He nodded thoughtfully, “Oh, is that the reason for your frown? Don’t let it run your life, use it and abuse it. You can get away with just about anything as long as you’ve got that dandy symbol to pave your way.”
Kate looked at Jack with a confused smile, “So you’re telling me that I should misbehave because people already think I’m the scum of the either?”
“Exactly,” he gave her slimy smile.
“This is going to be an interesting partnership,” Kate stood up. “I’m ready to go Captain Sparrow, lead me to your ship.”
“You’ll never be able to come back,” he cautioned her. A part of Jack was unwilling to destroy the innocence that stood before him, and yet… The way the wind tossed her hair about and the way should stood her ground told him more about her than what little he had learned so far. He had met many a good pirate who had started out just the same way.
“With you to show me the ropes, I doubt I’d ever be able to find my way back if I wanted to,” Kate started to lead the way back toward the dock. “Coming?” she cast a devilish look over her shoulder.
Jack stared after Kate for a while. She was young and she was wild, and she had the promise of being his. All his. “Kate!” his voice sounded strange even to him.
“Hm?” she whirled around to look at him. In the morning sunlight her eyes glittered like the open ocean. Kate pushed some of her blond hair behind her ear, trying to tame it even as the sea spray misted over her.
“You have to stay with me,” he demanded. “No matter where I wander, no matter what happens.”
“We can discuss it on the ship,” Kate took a step forward.
“Kate,” he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him. “Swear it.”
“I need a dingy to get me to my ship,” she said with as much confidence as she could muster.
“And which ship would that be Miss?” asked the toothless dock master. He gave her a leering smile.
“The Black Pearl,” she pointed towards the impressive ship.
“The Black Pearl?” the dock master let out a laugh that ended in hacking. “I be knowning that ain’t your ship lass. That there ship belongs to Jack Sparrow and ain’t no one but he going to take a dingy out to her. Now why don’t you get along back home to your father before some strange man takes ye away.”
Disturbed by the old man’s comments, Kate hurried away. She found herself on the other side of the island, staring off the rocky ledge at the waves that were ever pounding the island. The wind whipped her hair across her face and caught on her lips. She was going to be stuck on this rotten little island forever, disowned by her parents and dishonored by a tiny drawing on her wrist.
“You were right, dear brother, the sea is no place for a young woman like me. I wish to god I had never left. I wish to god I had never heard the call of the ocean late at night, whispering come near, claiming my heart and pulling me in. I’ve got nothing left to give you,” Kate sat down. Her thoughts wandered, her mind’s eye conjured up dark images of burning houses and sharp glistening swords.
“Why so down love?” a gruff voice asked from beside her.
“What are you doing here? I thought you’d be long gone by now…. Or at least long gone in sleep in the arms of a lady in red,” Kate turned her grim expression on her new friend.
“Lighten up love, what care is it of yours if I didn’t spend the night alone or if I was later than I had promised? I’m here now and I’m ready to set sail as soon as you’re ready,” Jack sat down next to the fragile angel.
“Do you ever think about- ?”
“Think about what?” Jack leaned back against the jagged rock. Kat pointed toward the desecration on her wrist. He nodded thoughtfully, “Oh, is that the reason for your frown? Don’t let it run your life, use it and abuse it. You can get away with just about anything as long as you’ve got that dandy symbol to pave your way.”
Kate looked at Jack with a confused smile, “So you’re telling me that I should misbehave because people already think I’m the scum of the either?”
“Exactly,” he gave her slimy smile.
“This is going to be an interesting partnership,” Kate stood up. “I’m ready to go Captain Sparrow, lead me to your ship.”
“You’ll never be able to come back,” he cautioned her. A part of Jack was unwilling to destroy the innocence that stood before him, and yet… The way the wind tossed her hair about and the way should stood her ground told him more about her than what little he had learned so far. He had met many a good pirate who had started out just the same way.
“With you to show me the ropes, I doubt I’d ever be able to find my way back if I wanted to,” Kate started to lead the way back toward the dock. “Coming?” she cast a devilish look over her shoulder.
Jack stared after Kate for a while. She was young and she was wild, and she had the promise of being his. All his. “Kate!” his voice sounded strange even to him.
“Hm?” she whirled around to look at him. In the morning sunlight her eyes glittered like the open ocean. Kate pushed some of her blond hair behind her ear, trying to tame it even as the sea spray misted over her.
“You have to stay with me,” he demanded. “No matter where I wander, no matter what happens.”
“We can discuss it on the ship,” Kate took a step forward.
“Kate,” he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him. “Swear it.”