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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐗𝐓 𝐃𝐀𝐘, bella and jack approached elizabeth, who was reading over a piece of paper. quickly, jack snatched the papers out of her hand.
"how dare you?" elizabeth exclaimed.
"these letters of marque are meant to go to us, are they not?" bella said, leaning on jack's shoulder to read them. suddenly, her eyes were filled with disgust when she read a name. "beckett..."
"beckett?" jack repeated, same disgust in his voice.
"yes, they're signed," elizabeth said. "lord cutler beckett of the east india trading company."
jack mocked throwing up in reaction.
"will was working for beckett and never said a word," bella realized. "beckett wants the compass, jack. only one reason for that."
"of course," jack said, worry appearing on his face. "he wants the chest."
"yes, he did say something about a chest." elizabeth nodded.
"if the company controls the chest, they control the sea," bella told elizabeth, the reality of the situation setting in.
"a truly discomforting notion, elizabeth," jack chimed in.
"and bad," bella said forcefully. "bad for every mother's son or daughter what calls themself a pirate."
"i think there's a bit more speed to be coaxed from these sails," jack told bella.
"aye," she agreed, stepping away to direct the crew. "brace the foreyard!"
* * *
a few minutes later, bella approached elizabeth. she was smiling and looking giddy, obviously a result of the rest of her conversation with jack.
"it's a curious thing..." bella began. "there was a time when i bet the disheveled former commodore would've done anything for you to look like that while thinking about him."
elizabeth defensively clapped back. "i don't know what you're talking about."
"you think i believe that?" bella raised her eyebrows.
"oh, don't be absurd," she sighed. "i trust him, that's all."
"sounds familiar," stated bella. "that's what i thought at first, too."
elizabeth looked back at her in confusion.
"just observing," bella shrugged. she returned to jack at the helm, leaving elizabeth by the railing.
* * *
"my tremendous intuitive sense of the female creature informs me that you are troubled," jack approached bella.
she was seated on the stairs between the main deck and quarterdeck, fidgeting with her silver and black-gemmed ring anxiously.
bella sighed and turned to face him. looking in his eyes, she felt a sense of familiarity and comfort. "i just thought elizabeth would be married by now," bella told him. "she really needs to get married."
jack raised his eyebrows and offered her his bottle of rum. she took it gratefully, but jack cleared his throat.
"you know... bella..." he started. bella held on to the bottle and looked back at him. "i am captain of a ship... and being captain of a ship... i could, in fact, perform a marriage. right here. right on this very deck... right now." jack looked at her expectantly.
bella scoffed. "no, thank you." she pressed the rum bottle back into jack's hand and got up. he followed her.
"why not? we've already established you and i are very alike. if we tie the knot, you'll finally be a sparrow," jack reasoned.
bella sighed and turned to the rail. "marriage is like placing a bet on who will fall out of love first," she countered. "i'd rather have you like this." this was, in fact, her belief. it had happened to her parents — it could just as easily happen to them.
"oh, really? unlove me, i dare you," jack smirked. "impossible."
bella didn't answer, but raised her eyebrows slightly.
"you will come over to my side, i know it," said jack confidently.
bella chuckled and turned to face him. "you seem very certain, captain."
"one word. curiosity," jack smiled. "you long for freedom. you long to do what you want to do because you want it. to act on selfish impulse."
"is that so?" bella asked, staring off at the open waves.
"my lifestyle secretes those desires, love. one day, you won't be able to resist."
"hmm," bella slowly nodded. ". . . why didn't you ever tell me you made a deal with jones?"
jack looked taken aback, and he stuttered: "it would have worried you."
bella sighed. "you're a good man, jack," she said genuinely. "i know you are."
jack smirked. "all evidence to the contrary."
"but there will come a moment when you'll have a chance to show it," she continued. "a chance to do the right thing."
"i love those moments," jack replied. he walked over and stood beside her, smiling faintly. "i like to wave at them as they pass by."
"i'm confident in you," bella remarked. she gazed at him until he turned to look at her.
"something else you'd like to say, dearie?" he asked.
"no," bella held her look. "nothing." a small grin was forming on her face as jack looked at her suspiciously.
finally, he got the hint. smiling, jack leaned in and kissed her for a moment, before he pulled back. she felt fireworks through her whole body as soon as they touched. bella looked up at him, beaming, and leaned up to kiss his cheek.
she left jack by the rail to observe the approaching island. from the corner of her eye, she saw him run away looking frightened.
slightly confused, she stared out at isla cruces coming nearer and nearer.
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