The Redhead of the Sea (Jack Sparrow x OC)

Chapter 30: Confessions & Shipwreck Cove

Unknown Coordinates, On Top of the Black Pearl - Nightfall - A Few Days Later

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The rest of the trip had been silent. No incidents took place, no arguments and no more obstacles. The sea itself had been favouring them, allowing them for a calm journey as they made their way towards the meeting point of the Brethren Court.

During a quiet but particular night, when no soul was on the deck, a shadow moved along in utter silence. Dragging a stabbed and now dead man, the figure tied the body to a barrel at the bow of the ship.

However, this hadn't gone unnoticed by two individuals. One stayed in the shadows and the other decided to make itself visible.

"Bravo, you escaped the brig even quicker than I expected," Jack said, leaning against the wooden railing and having spied on the younger man for a while now. "William, do you notice something? Or rather do you notice something that is not there to be noted?"

Will lifted an eyebrow and thought before he realised what Jack meant. "You haven't raised an alarm"

The pirate smirked. "Odd, isn't it? But not as odd as this. Come up with this all by your lonesome, did you?"

"I said to myself, think like Jack"

"And this is what you've arrived at?" he asked, feeling slightly hurt that this was all Will could think of. Yet, he did not stay on that top. "Lead Beckett to Shipwreck Cove so as to gain his trust, accomplish your own ends? It's like you don't know me at all, mate." a faint smirk formed on his lips, having noticed the third person who had been watching them. "And how does dear childhood friend Artemis feel about this?"

"Not utterly surprised," a familiar female voice said and the two men looked at a shadowed corner, only to see the woman sitting casually, one leg propped up.

She had one hand resting on her lifted knee, the other placed on her lap. She had not drawn any of her weapons and she did not seem to want to comment on Will or his latest actions. However, even in the dim light of the lanterns, he could see that she was silently judging him with that single eye of hers.

"Artemis," Will said, suddenly being unable to find any words or excuse to justify his actions.

"Well, she knows now" Jack continued. "And what about your dearly beloved feel about this?" Will hesitated and it was all Jack needed to realize the truth behind the situation. "Ah, you've not seen fit to trust her with it"

The young man let out a sigh and lowered his head slightly. "I'm losing her Jack. Every step I take for my father is a step away from Elizabeth"

Jack seemed to understand the situation, sending a glance at Artemis who stood there silently, deep in her thoughts. She had seen how the two of them had drifted apart and she wasn't a fan of it.

Yet, she understood. Their goals were different, no...they were opposite and keeping secrets like that simply grew the gap between them. She felt Jack's eyes, wondering why he was looking at her but then his next words somehow seemed to give her a hint.

"Mate, if you choose to lock your heart away, you'll lose it for certain" She looked shocked but the low lighting of the lanterns barely showed details of her face. She listened carefully as Jack continued. "If I may lend a machete to your intellectual thicket—avoid the choice altogether. Change the facts. Let someone else dispatch Jones"

"Who?" Will asked but then, he seemed to make the connection in his mind. "You?" he dared to hypothesize while making Artemis slowly blink once she also realized that her childhood friend was right.