~*Spread Wings*~

[Lana]

( call me crazy, but I am teary-eyed... )

"Thank you..." - I say quietly, too impressed by these words, by this man, by his behaviour... No, he's not just one of those vain fellows I've been seeing lately... there's something undoubtedly different about him. If I believed in telepathy, that would be the case. He's saying the words that a stranger wouldn't dare say. He seems to understand what I am talking about... he seems to know the real meaning of the word "Freedom"...

When he vanishes into thin air, I take a full minute to get ahold of my feelings and the crazy twirl of thoughts. I fully realize that I don't know this man, but he's such a good psychologist... that his words get straight to my heart. He was right: I don't feel free anymore... fate was cruel...

But there's one thing he was wrong about. The fate took the Freedom from my heart. Actually, Her Majesty Fate took my heart out, the whole of it, threw it to the ground, stamped on it with a high steely heel, then mended it offhandedly, carelessly, and pushed inside my chest. With no Freedom anymore.

I take a deep breath, glance at the hand where his lips touched my skin, bite my lip slightly (an old habit that is stronger than my will to eliminate it) - and keep on pretending to be the happy lady of the house. The hospitable, cheerful, sociable Ms. Havilland.

But inside I wish I saw this man once more... just because he's unlike everyone else.

[Jacky]

(aww *huggles* This rp is lovely already again ;D )

I make my way through the crowd, an' search for Vaugh. Before I intend to leave I have one more thing in mind. Or more specifically, two things. Firstly, I want to leave a li'll something for remindence.. And secondly, I want to find out which room is Scarlett's bedroom, and how to find it from the outside. And I need Vaugh's help for that last one. I tap him on the shoulder when I find him, "We're leavin' mate." I announce.
"Bout bloody time.. these fella's are dead borin' capt'n." He grumbles, after making sure no one would hear.
I smirk, "I need yer help one more time though. Go outside to the back garden. I'll light a candle in front of a window for a few second and them dim it again, aye? Remember which window it is at."
He frowns, but nods nonetheless, "Sure." He doesn't question his captain.. aye, sometimes Jack'll think of crazy things and he's rather sure that the man isn't fully right in the head on the whole, but whatever insanity he comes up with usually works out brilliantly in the end. So he came to accept his Captains queer moments, and just go along with 'em. As he does now. He puts his drink down and goes outside, to sneak his way back into the back garden.
As Vaugh strolls off I make my way over to the back of the hall, looking around cautiously whether anyone's keeping an eye on me. Only when I'm sure that's not the case, I sneak through the door that'll lead me deeper into the house.

Supposing that her bedroom's upstairs, I make my way through the hallway that leads to the stairs. The house is eerily quiet outside the ballroom I left, so I keep looking around warily. Then a grin comes to my features as I notice a vase with flowers. Roses, in fact. White and red. I pick out the most *scarlet* one, and then continue my way upstairs.

It takes me a little while to find her bedroom, and upstairs I do have to be awefully quiet because I can hear maids talking from one room.. when I find hers though, the biggest, and the master bedroom of the house, I close the door behind me silently. I pick up one of the candles on the desk and light it, putting it in front of the window for Vaugh to see. As that one burns I sit down at the desk and search for paper and a feathered pen with ink.

Time to leave that 'remindance'.

When I leave her room a few minutes later again, the candle by the window is out.. and there's two things on the pillow of her bed. The scarlet rose, resting gently in the middle of the pillow, and a small note next to it. 'For the freedom within', it says. And that's all.

[Lana]

( *hugs back* I love it!
awwwwwwwwww, Jack is so sweet!!! since when has he become romantic? *huggles him half to death*)

A couple hours later the Masquerade is over... The guests thank me for the 'wonderful evening', compliment me, my looks, my mansion, my hospitality... just vain, empty words with no meaning in them. Maybe someone really means what he or she says, but it's a rare case here - maybe one in a dozen is sincere and honest. They all leave, till the next party, the next Masquerade... the next put-up show.

I stretch my tired back, look around the empty ball-room and order the servants to clear the usual mess. Walking out of the brightly lit hall, I squint my eyes to get adjusted to the dim corridors, as I go upstairs, to my bedroom.

- Do you need any help with getting undressed, Miss? - a maid asks me.
- No, thank you, dear, I'll manage myself, - I shake my head and head towards my apartment. I just wanna be alone. By myself. I don't want to see these fake faces anymore... all these governors, dukes and counts... and their wives, that gossip incessantly about the aunt's cousin's nephew's twice-removed daughters... and other insignificant and utterly boring balderdash.

Entering the room, I don't light the candles, 'cause I am tired of the bright light. Dimness and darkness conceals fakedness much better... The Masquerade is over, but some masks aren't put off. Some of them stay glued to the face, to the personality.

A red spot on the bed attracts my attention, and I come up to look what it is, frowning. My eyes widen slightly when I see that it's a rose... a *scarlet* rose. And a note. I squint my eyes to make out the words on the note, and feel a lump forming in my throat as I read what's written there. "For the freedom within..." And a scarlet rose.

No doubt, it's that Monk... I sit down on the bed, clutching the rose in my hand and the note in the other... I stare through the window, at the blackness of the night... and wish something happened right now. An explosion, an eruption of a volcano, a tsunami... anything. Anything to ruin, to finish this useless life.

I look at the note once more, and the handwriting seems to be familiar... I can bet I've seen it somewhere... But surely, I've gotten so many postcards, so many invitations... I have no idea whose hand wrote these words... I have no idea what man could understand me so well.
There is one... But I swore I would try to forget him. Erase from my heart.

[Jacky]

When Vaugh and I return to the Pearl nearly half an hour later, without the robes and back in piratey gear, the nightwatch is guarding the ship. The rest of the crew apparently already took their leave, and I must say I'm not surprised.. the storm last night wore us out good, and if it wouldn't have been for us arriving in port today I would certainly be deep asleep by now as well. And I suppose I will now that I can. I bid the mates updecks a good night and retreat to the Captains Quarters.

As I enter I shake of my coat and dump that over the chair by the desk ungracefully. My eye falls on the logbook, where Ana left it. "Somethin' on yer mind then, luv?" I mumble, and I light a candle before picking up the booklet. I sit down at my desk and shove some of the navigation equipment, maps and books aside so I can spread the logbook down in front of me. I read her message, nod thoughtfully and then pick up the feathered pen.

May 12th (past midnight), 1648 - Brighton, England

The port of Brighton's roaming with highclass, indeed. Richess and wealth are plenty, though I have no intention to be hostile towards the port (yet). Neither do I intend to leave again today or even the day after. Supplies won't be an issue. I'll consider to have a few men get some from a port nearby. Gibbs can be in charge of that.

And after the formalities, I address Ana personally, something I only do when something’s on either of our minds that has to be cleared up. As it is now;

I know you miss home, love. I miss the sun, too. And the Tortugan nights, certainly. But I have my eye on a bit of shine down here in Brighton, and I have to figure out what to do with that before I can turn me back on it. Savvy?

Don't worry. I won't do anything stupid.

Jack.

[Lana]

~two-day timeskip~

"Oh, how much I hate that..." - I mutter irritably, reading an invitation to yet another hanging-'ceremony'. "We invite you, Ms. Olivia Margarita Havilland... D@mn it to hell! But I can't refuse - it's common knowledge, there's a rule, according to which all the 'higher-class' representants have to be present at such ceremonies as courts, executions... If I ignore this invitation, there will be rumours, gossips and misunderstanding.

I sigh and glance in the mirror before leaving the room. Accompanied by one of my servants, I head towards the main Square of the town, rather low-spirited. I just can't understand how people can take pleasure in seeing others die. Be executed, tortured, killed... what's the pleasure in this? Why does a huge crowd gather to have a look at someone's painful death?.. What is it for, this theater of suffering?..

These people are the scum of society, the dirt under the precious feet of Dukes, Counts and Governors. Those poor people are nothing for the rich.
And I feel torn in two. Firstly, because I was born rich and I am rich now.
Secondly, because I was this 'scum' once, and I don't regret it. It was the happiest time in my life.

I greet some of my acquaintances moodily. I don't have the strenght to pretend anymore. I hate it all.

[Jacky]

The streets towards the square where the hanging will take place are crowded with spectators, carriages riding in the direction of the execution and even venters that intend to sell their goods within the mass crowd that's emerging. And in the streets as well, am I, Ana, Gibbs and two other crewmembers. All of us dressed in cloaks, revealing our identities flawlessly.

"Bloody Ladbroc.." I grumble, as we come nearer to the square. "Last thing we need in a town like this is trouble, but he goes an' gets 'mself arrested. Soon as we have his sorry ass saved *I* will kill 'm."

"First things first, capt'n." Gibbs nods towards the stage of the noose, where nobody's standing yet. But we all know that soon our crewmate'll be there, ready to dance the Hempan Jig if we don't get there first.

I look at the gallows, from there let my gaze travel to the stands in the back of the market, and the other stage that's somewhat higher than the one by the noose, where I know the most respectable members of the town are to take place.

I explained my plan to the rest before we left, and now they're just waiting for the more specific orders. We brought three small barrels of gunpowder along, not higher than my knee but sufficient enough to create what we need most of all. Distraction. And now I decide where to put them, "Gibbs, bring yer over there." I gesture towards the stands. "Ye," I point at one of the others, "Put yours near the gallows. Close enough to make the stage collapse, but without destructing too much. There's no sense in savin' 'm if we'll kill 'm whilst doing it, savvy?" I look at the third man and then point in the direction of the other stage, "The last one there. Again, we don't want to make victims. Savvy?"

The three of them make way to carry out my orders, and I turn my gaze to Ana, "You come with me." I tell her, and lead her through the gathering crowd.

[Lana]

I arrive to the square and, having met some 'influential' people, get accompanied by one of them to the stage from where I will have 'a good look' at the hanging. I sigh deeply and stare at the noose.

Soon enough, a large crowd gathers around, filling almost all the Square: maids, children, men, the old, the young... everyone is eager to watch the horrible ceremony, to see one of their kind killed.

A hangman leads a shabby-looking, but obviously strong and well-trained man to the gallows, puts a rope around his neck, and the words echo above the heads of the spectators: "This man is guilty! Accused of piracy, smuggling, looting, pillaging, killing innocent people, attacking vessels of the Royal Navy..."

The list goes on, but my thoughts wander off... Fate loves cruel jokes... I could have been right there, right instead of this poor lad who got himself caught occasionally. I could have been having my neck in the noose now, not in the fabulous expensive necklace... I could be seeing the agitated crowd in front of me now - the crowd wishing me dead. I could have been a victim. But I am just a spectator, one of the audience.

I could have been accused of the same things: piracy, smuggling, pilfering... and murders as well... but instead of that I am here, just watching. In absolute safety. While I am one of *his* kind! I was a pirate once... and I can't let myself admit that I still could be one...

"May God have Mercy on your soul..." - the man finishes his speech in a croaky voice, and the priest approaches the pirate... accompanied by the horrible drumroll-sound...

[Jacky]

During the list of comdamnations me and Ana pushed our way through the crowd, having to find a proper spot from where we could fire all three of the barrels. Eventually we found of most suitable hiding spot on a low rooftop of some shack, near the end of the square.. hopefully not to far for them barrels to be out of range of our pistols though. I let one of the barrels be in Ana's hands, the one near the stands. The other two I promised to take for my own account.

The condamnations are still echoing over the square as we load our pistols. "Now, let's hope fer some lucky shots and fair aim, hm?" I tell Ana, while I c.ock my pistol. I have another one laying next to me, also ready to be fired so I won't have to reload.

Our attention is caught abruptly by the drumroll increasing, the pace growing more intense. Without further chit-chat I aim my pistol.. I can spot Gibbs in his dark cloak near the gallows, to make sure to guide Ladbroc out of the chaos as soon as the shot is fired. And the other two are nearby as well.

I close one eye and look alongside the barrel to the middle of the crate. I put my finger on the trigger and hold my breath for a second to make sure not to have my aim of bythe slightest bit of movement. Well, Lady Luck.. you're chance to show that you still like me. I think, and then pull the trigger.

[Lana]

I frown slightly when I hear a noise that resembles a gunshot. In a split of a second I recognize this sound: it's surely a pistol being fired... But I don't have much time for pondering over this matter, 'cause momentarily the whole scene is engulped into thick, dark smoke, rising from the ground itself...

I shuffle a scream, but look around quickly instead, letting my rational part take over the emotional one. Thank God, I'm used to explosions and pistols... I won't lose my consciousness and faint just yet. I glance at the crowd sharply, trying to make out who started this commotion... but it's impossible now.

Smoke chaos - that's what the Square is now. People running, shouting, screaming, yelling, kicking each other out of the way, firing their guns at someone I can't see... and, I feel the stage under my feet crumble and fall onto the ground as a pile of shattered wood. The people that were standing here with me - and I myself - fall onto the ground as well, into this thick smoke... it's filling my eyes, I can't see clearly what's going on... I try to get up, but fussying people knock me down again and again, instead of giving me a hand. I protect my head somehow with my hands, just to make sure some scared spectator won't stamp on it.

What the hell is going on?..

Suddenly I smell something burning. The hem of my dress.

[Jacky]

The other two barrels were fired soon enough, and I stuff my pistol back in my belt. "Back to the Pearl." I tell Ana in a short order, and I leap down from the rooftop. Years of jumping down from the mast grant me a steady landing, and I push my way through the crowd as I press my hat deeper over my eyes to remain unrecognizable. Smoke, chaos and shouting is taking the upperhand of the crowd, and people are pushing eachother aside to get away. My eyes dart over the scene rapidly to see whether everything happened according to plan..

The gallows. Ladbroc apparently has a hard time standing due to the impact of the explosion but he's held up firmly by the two mates who lead him away firmly. The hangman is nowhere to be found anymore.

The crowd. Screams and people hurrying away, for once the aristrocatic crowd mingling with the lowlife. It makes me smirk, really. How ironic to see that chaos can unite the uppercrust with the people of the street.

And then my gaze goes to the stage from where the aristocrats are fleeing.. and I realize there's one people missing on the flight.

"Scarlett." I mumble out loud.

I know I've seen her before.

So where the HELL is she now?