"Damn you, woman!" Jack pushed Rose away, and pounced on Elizabeth and Gibbs. They apparently had kept their weapons in hand for they met his attack without delay.
Rose sank to her knees as the bravery abandoned her. She felt an odd mixture of anger at Jack's threatening her and relief that she had judged him right. He had not hurt her, and now she knew for sure he never would.
But what if he wounded any of the others? She cast a frightened glance at the fight. Elizabeth was pregnant, she must not get hurt either. When fencing with sharp weapons anything could happen.
Then Rose got an idea. Perhaps the sea goddess could put a stop to this. She picked up the tinderbox Jack had placed beside the fireplace, and with shaking fingers she struck the steel with the flint over the wooden pig. After a few tries she produced a rain of sparks, and that was all it took; the rum ignited and soon everything had caught fire.
A pungent smell of burned bacon and alcohol spread among them as smoke billowed up in a grey column. From the lagoon came a low rumble, like thunder. The clangs of steel ceased as the other three realized what Rose had done, and all eyes were turned to the water. It had become unruly, with bubbles forming like in a huge, boiling cauldron. The rumbling increased into a nearly deafening crescendo, and then a massive structure of seaweed and various sea creatures formed in the center of the lagoon. It looked humanoid, with a face, body, arms and legs, reminding Rose vaguely of the painting Vertumnus, the one with a man's face made up of fruit and vegetables.
"It worked," she cried, temporarily forgetting the fight over the Heart in her relief that the wooden pig had been a suitable sacrifice.
The strange creature in the water changed, solidified and morphed into a woman, thrice as tall as a human being. Her skin was brown, decorated with a pattern of black marks, and her ebony hair was worn in matted, messy braids. Her black lips were drawn back into a snarl and her furious glare pierced Jack and Elizabeth.
"How dare you summon me again, Pirate Lords?" She pronounced the words slowly and distinctly in an accent Rose did not recognize, her deep voice echoing between the surrounding cliffs.
Jack mutely held out the Heart of the Ocean towards her. It had changed. No longer was it a cool, blue diamond; in the presence of its owner it had become crimson, pulsating with power, beating like a living heart.
"You... It was YOU! You took my heart, Jack Sparrow." Calypso pointed accusingly at Jack. He flinched guiltily and took a step backwards.
"Captain," he mumbled. "It's Captain Jack Sparrow."
Gibbs gawked at Jack with bulging eyes. "The dishonest lover was you?"
"A sea goddess' lover?" Rose stared at him too. "Not that I blame her," she added silently.
"You never cease to amaze me, Jack. How could you steal her very heart?" Gibbs shook his head in disbelief.
"Borrow. I only borrowed it! And I was going to return it." He backed another step as Calypso towered over him, fuming with rage.
"How could you return my heart after you had sold it?" she growled.
"I was in a bit of a predicament at the time. But hey, I brought it back to you, no harm done, savvy?" Again he raised the throbbing jewel.
The sea goddess reached for it, but Jack was too far away.
"Quick, someone pour more rum over the fire, as soon as it stops burning she can get to us," he cried.
Elizabeth emptied another rum bottle and threw more firewood on top.
"You shall get it back, Calypso. I just need one tiny, tiny little favor." He put his index finger and his thumb close together.
"You dare bargaining with me OVER MY OWN HEART? That you stole?" bellowed Calypso.
"Borrowed," he corrected. Then his voice became beseeching, and he very nearly made puppy eyes at the goddess. "Just one little thing. It's easy for you, Tia. I mean Calypso. I just want my ship, savvy? I must have her back. I need her."
"Curse you, Jack Sparrow. Curse you!"
"Please."
Shaking with rage, Calypso roared out her frustration and anger. Pebbles rolled away from under their feet and the ground trembled.
Then she waved her hands in an intricate pattern, and Rose felt a breeze against her face. It grew in strength, stirring the grass around her, and within moments it had become a strong gale. The palms bowed to the ground, and by the beach the Barnacle nearly tore its moorings as the wind increased. Strangely, the only thing unaffected by the storm was the fire. It still burned merrily, its smoke forming a straight column.
"She's coming! It's her!" Jack shaded his eyes with his hand and stared at a rapidly growing point on the horizon. Rose recognized the ship from all the drawings and models in his house.
The Black Pearl came to a halt next to the fishing boat, and long strands of kelp began to cover its sides, reaching, searching for something. One of the persons milling around on the vessel got caught in the slimy tendrils and was pulled overboard. Now a huge assembly of small crabs welled out from the rough waves and carried the unlucky sailor ashore, until he lay by the goddess' feet.
The man struggled against his seaweed bonds, but they were wound tightly from his neck down to his toes. He looked to be in his forties, with a rough face covered with scars and a scraggly beard, and on his head he wore a triangular captain's hat. A small capuchin monkey clung to the hat, looking at Calypso with large, frightened eyes. Rose felt sorry for it.
"A captain for a heart," said Calypso.
"Deal," said Jack, and taking a careful step forward he dropped the necklace into her outstretched hand.
As soon as it touched her palm the goddess began to shrink, losing some of her fearful appearance and becoming more like a human woman. She was pretty, ample and sensual, and looked at the gem like one might a great treasure. She stroked it almost reverently, her finger following it's ruby contours.
Jack took the hat from the bound pirate, and shaking off the monkey he placed it on his own head. "Afternoon, ex Captain Barbossa."
Barbossa... So this was Jack's worst enemy. He certainly looked untrustworthy.
Barbossa scowled up at him. "Jack Sparrow. I should have known this accursed wind was your doing!"
"It's Captain Jack Sparrow." He gave him a smug smile.
Calypso had finished admiring her heart and turned her attention back to Jack. "This ship will bring you no happiness, Jack Sparrow. She is a curse!" Her voice was no longer a loud roar, but still sounded ominous. "The Black Pearl is making your heart black too – already she is pulling you away from what really matters. Another Pearl... Who will hate you in time."
Jack stared at her mutely, his smile slowly waning.
"All is not lost yet. There are choices, and there are sacrifices."
Then she went on to Elizabeth, who had just added another piece of driftwood to the fire. "King Elizabeth of the Brethren Court, I am grateful to you for what you did not long ago, when you made sure I was freed from my human form. But it is no easy thing you wish for. Your husband is stuck outside time, immortal and bound to the ship. It will not allow him to go – for the Dutchman must have a captain."
Elizabeth stared at her in dismay, tears filling her eyes. "Is there really no way?"
Instead of answering, Calypso turned to Rose. "It's time to leave. Your afterlife has long awaited you."
"I don't want to." Rose felt her lip tremble. Calypso reached for her but she backed away.
"You wish to stay here?"
Rose nodded quickly. Her heart was racing uncontrollably, she did not want to die.
"Well, you can't," said the goddess flatly. "The Heart kept you alive this long – my heart. Without it you will fade away, stretch out like butter scraped over too much bread, until nothing remains of you but a thin shadow. A ghost. And when that happens, you will be forever stuck in this world, seen by nobody, feeling nothing, never to move on to the afterlife."
"Don't do it, miss, if you don't mind my interrupting," said Barbossa. "I tried ghost life for ten years and it's nothing I can recommend."
"Aye, 'twas horrible!" Rose looked up to see a group of motley sailors who apparently had come from the black ship. The one speaking had a wooden eye.
Rose felt trapped. She didn't want to die, but she didn't want to be a ghost either. She was caught between a rock and a hard place, none of the choices at all appealing.
Then Jack surprised them with a sudden move. Dashing down to the water, he snatched the Heart from Calypso's hand and quickly scuttled back to safety. He tossed the necklace to Rose who automatically caught it.
"Foolish man! Give it back!" roared Calypso.
"I need to borrow it again. Sorry."
"Damn you, Jack Sparrow! Curse your black heart! Soon your pathetic fire has burned down and then I'm coming for you."
Jack only grabbed another rum bottle and emptied it over the fire, causing huge flames to erupt hotly.
"Rose, give me my Heart. You have no right to it." Calypso imperially held out her hand.
Swallowing hard, Rose looked from the jewel to Calypso and back again. They would run out of rum soon, and what would then happen? She was only delaying the inevitable. Whatever was she going to do?
A/N:
Yes, what should she do? And will she ever forgive Jack? He's untrustworthy, for sure...
At least he gave her the Heart back, preventing her turning into a ghost - but he also held a sword to her neck. Not the average loving boyfriend, that man.
Let me know what you think! And if you enjoy the story, your votes are super appreciated too. ♡
Image Credits:
Screenshot from the Pirate of the Caribbean movies.