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Post by Nikki on Jun 28, 2011 14:45:34 GMT
I take a deep breath and let it out. As I've said, I take pride in the fact that I haven't yet become like Cassandra. There's a difference between stating that you're angry and leading mindless arguments just for the fun of it.
"It's good to see that neither of you have learned anything from life since last we met," I say, a smile spreading onto my face.
Cora giggles and unsheaths the dagger I'd given her for her birthday.
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Post by Jacky on Jun 29, 2011 11:02:44 GMT
"You shouldn't have expected any different, luv." I shrug, my eyes briefly flicking to the girl before they return to Rae. "To learn from life, you oughta live a respectable live. A pirate's life's freedom, adventure, doing what you want, with no rules or expectations except those you choose to live by. You can't expect to create honest men from that," I don't even sound apologetic.. these are the facts, this is the life I chose to live, and I wouldn't trade it for the world.
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Post by Nikki on Jun 30, 2011 2:58:29 GMT
"I wasn't expecting honesty. But for God's sakes, Jack! Us three, meeting here, tonight? And none of us have changed a bit, except for me. Cassandra's still the same woebgotten narrowminded little shrew she was last time I saw her, and you're still the biggest coward I've ever seen in my life, no offense. I guess what I'm getting at is, you two are setting yourselves up for the same sort of hell you've endured from each other for decades. And if what you preach of a life lived your way is true, I'm afraid that what you're about to get from her and yourself is nothing like freedom at all."
I size him up skeptically, sad to see that the man I once idolized, the man who showed me such sides of life as I'd never dreamed, is now but a walking contradiction. Maybe I was just young, then. Maybe there is a world of possibility when you're twenty-three, and as you get older, those possibilities disappear slowly until there is only one possibility at all: to move forward.
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Post by Jacky on Jun 30, 2011 13:26:42 GMT
I raise an eyebrow slightly as she lectures me on the virtues and vices of life. "What I find fascinating is that you seem to have analysed thoroughly the workings of this delicate situation in the mere time it takes to finish a mug of rum," I comment drily, not impressed with her judgement that is on such a foundation. I make a vague, dismissive hand gesture in no particular direction. "Nobody limits my freedom, darlin', not Cassandra, not you, not the devil himself. I'm honoured that this concerns you so, but I'll take care of my own problems if you take care of yours. Savvy?"
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Post by Nikki on Jun 30, 2011 15:10:56 GMT
"It was rather obvious to me, Jack," I manage to say gently. "But make no mistake. I'm not here for myself, or you. I'm here for Cora."
I stand up and leave the tavern, sure that Cora will find her way to me. She doesn't need her hand held, but likes being near me anyway.
Once I'm outside, I brush back the tears that are forming in my eyes.
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Post by Jacky on Jun 30, 2011 15:55:45 GMT
I lift my rum to my lips, sinking back in my seat in contemplation. It takes a good ten seconds before I finally realize that the girl's still there, sharing the table with me. I raise an eyebrow at her. "Well, off you go then." I tell her, making a dismissive gesture to tell her to follow her mother.
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Post by Daz on Jun 30, 2011 16:41:31 GMT
The following morning I spend a lot of time mulling around the docks, or more specifically spying upon a certain ship that I'm after and more importantly the man who calls himself the owner. I sit upon the wooden decks with my feet hanging off the side, watching it from a distance, drinking a little to wake me up and attempting to eat some very stale bread.
The sun is already scorching in the sky and the heat is making me irritable. Usually I manage to stay out of it during most parts of the day and distract myself from it when aboard a ship, but lazing in such a climate isn't my idea of relaxing - instead I just sulk over yet another aspect of life and a frown lingers on my face in annoyance as a result.
Other irritations are listless, but the largest involve last night and wondering what came of Jack's conversation with Rae and her little brat of a child. I can only hope that he had some sense, but knowing him well enough I count on him doing exactly the opposite of what I say - whether it damages his life further or not. Something about that man is a lot more subconcious than anything, especially when it comes to me.
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Post by Nikki on Jul 1, 2011 14:38:40 GMT
By the time it takes me to gather myself, Cora has joined me outside. Perhaps noticing that something is amiss, she links her arm through mine. "Where are we going?" she says quietly, but I can feel her humming with excitement.
I nod toward the great ship that we can already see and we being making our way through the never-resting town.
By morning we have found a neat little cabin for the two of us to stay in, and Cora is quickly winning the hearts of most of Jack's crew. Aside from the few who believe it bad luck to have a child aboard a ship, the rest laugh at her cocky little antics. I sit on a barrel and watch, half frowning.
"Ye've done well, lass."
I glance behind me to see Gibbs standing there, recognizably ten years older.
"A child like that nearly raises herself," I say, starting to smile a bit.
"'Tis true," he returns. "I must say the girl has more than a mite of ol' Jack in her."
"Yes," I say, laughing now. "Only ten times as willing to face trouble."
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Post by Daz on Jul 1, 2011 16:10:24 GMT
As Rae and the girl head aboard the ship I stand up slowly, allowing me to peer over to them more easily through the numerous distractions of a morning on the docks.
As the thought of Jack's defiance to my words claims to be true I swig the last amount of my rum, as if to need it to calm down. This is ridiculous. How his pety mind can change so drastically, first he didn't want the thought of children, then he allowed the thought of child birth aboard his ship, and then remembering his former ideas kicks off the mother, and then forgetting once again, ten years later, he lets them back on board.
It's all swings and round-a-bouts and he forgets everything under the influence of his rum soaked lifestyle and sea salt air. This makes me wonder how sincere this venture is with Rae and her daughter, whether after a few months he'll remember exactly why he kicked them off (there is no denying to me that's what he really did, no matter what that woman says). Sadly, I realise that the only real wake up call will appear when either the child is injured for life or meets her demise in battle or disease.
All of my thoughts are subborn ones that I decide must be true, because I know that I have the evidence to back up all my conclusions. I don't allow my mind to linger on the children before I met Jack, nor the one afterwards. Instead I just have a stone cold motion come over me when I speak of these theories, that weight reminding me that I'm right.
I begin to head over to the Pearl, not to confront Rae but to put my plan into action. Rae has been warned by me and whether she takes it onboard with her or not is her own choice - I rather hope she learns the hard way what my opinion was all about.
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Post by Jacky on Jul 1, 2011 17:18:17 GMT
A lot has changed in the mere time frame of twelve hours or less. As I stand by the helm of my Black Pearl that morning, instructing a crew member on which supplies yet to buy, I find myself musing on the turn of events distractedly. Aye, to Rae it may seem that I do everything carelessly, living by the simple rules of doing the profitable and avoiding the troublesome. Certainly that's what I want the world to believe. But the fact that I find myself thinking over the situation now, just as I have most of the night before, makes it rather evident that this is not the case.
Why did I take them aboard? Not because of Rae's gifts or her promise to keep us out of trouble, as she might want to believe. I've done fairly well on that account for over a decade without a fortune teller aboard. And it was certainly not because Cassandra advised the opposite - although I imagine she'd love to think so. The real reason why..? Perhaps it is hard to believe, but I made up my mind after that mite of a girl looked me in the eye and spoke one word. Freedom. I believed her then and there, that that was what they were after. More specifically, I truly believed that with her ten years of age, that was what she needed. As Rae put it, sometimes you know. Without Rae's intuition, even without knowing that child, I knew. Because regardless of my lack of knowledge on other accounts, I knew exactly what she meant. Was I not the same, at her age? Determined to go to sea? Childishly stupid enough to actually do it, too? So how could I refuse?
Call me sentimental. A fool, if you will. But I was not to deny her the opportunity of a lifetime - to sail aboard the Black Pearl.
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