Double Drabble: Night Watch

[honorat]

By Honorat
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Thus far no one has given me POTC for a birthday present, but I haven’t given up hoping.

Summary: Jack and Anamaria. Set shortly after Jack’s last-minute rescue from Fort Charles. Angst alert. I’m not sure about this one, but here goes. For the “Narrow Escapes” challenge at Black Pearl Sails.

* * * * *


Tonight her luck is in. She finds her captain in the moonlight-cast shadows, curled up on a coil of rope at the base of the bowsprit. He was not here the last night exhaustion drove him to sleep.

Every night on her watch, she searches for him. In the event of storm clouds or strange sails looming on the horizon, she likes to know where he is, although he has always appeared before she has had a chance to call. Only rarely does she find him—never in the same place twice. He knows this ship better than any of them. And she has never found him in the luxurious bed of the captain’s cabin.

As always he sleeps with one hand on his ship, the other on the hilt of his sword.

She wonders what ghosts haunt the bulkheads of this ship—pale stains of past betrayal—that make him unwilling to be predictable.

The knotted strands of hair that she doesn’t dare brush aside from his face almost cover the fading traces of rope burns on his neck. She shudders at how narrowly she has escaped becoming his final betrayer.

Comments

[melusina]

Ooh, that's nicely done! Very evocative, with a bit of an edge to it. . .

[honorat.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I'm glad you liked this. I'm never sure how well these angsty things will work.

[leeloo3.livejournal.com]

Love it... short but so good. Thanks for sharing :)

[honorat.livejournal.com]

Thank you for commenting. It's good to know you enjoyed this.

[erinya.livejournal.com]

pale stains of past betrayal..

Ooh. Nice imagery. I like the angst, and the detail of the rope burns on Jack's neck. Well-done with the Ana pov.

[honorat.livejournal.com]

Thank you for your kind words. I hope the imagery portrayed how I felt the Black Pearl must hold so many memories, both good and bad, for Jack. The rope burns came from the Fly On the Set parts of the DVD where Gore is showing Johnny that he wants him to play as though he hits the end of that rope and has scarcely enough space to keep from strangling. Also, that sword would have broken under Jack's full weight, so the rope had to be taking some of it. I'm glad you liked my Jack and Ana.

[torn-eledhwen.livejournal.com]

Angst = good. This is good angst. And it's Jack and Ana. It's lovely.

[honorat.livejournal.com]

I like good angst myself, but I'm never sure if I've written it. Thanks for letting me know it worked. I like Jack and Ana too. Actually Jack and just about anybody is okay by me so long as it's Jack :D

[felaine.livejournal.com]

never in the same place twice. He knows this ship better than any of them. And she has never found him in the luxurious bed of the captain’s cabin.

As always he sleeps with one hand on his ship, the other on the hilt of his sword.

The entire story is good, but these lines are haunting. Perfect Jack, playing things closer to the vest now, as Gibbs told Will.

We can imagine what memories that cabin must hold for Jack.

Lovely work, as always.

Felaine

[honorat.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you came by to comment. I wasn't sure if this would ring true for Jack, but as you point out, he does have a trust issue in the movie. He doesn't give any more than he has to, and up until the very end, everyone does betray him. The memories of that cabin have to be very mixed. It is the symbol of what he is--the captain. But it is also the symbol of that mutiny. I was thinking about how people feel in their own homes after a robbery takes place--not quite at home any more. Thank you for the compliment.

[hendercats.livejournal.com]

Interesting thought that he's never in the same place twice, and certainly not in the predictable place. Fits in very well with the trust issue you mentioned below. I like this, but especially the first sentence and how it sets the mood.

She wonders what ghosts haunt the bulkheads of this ship—pale stains of past betrayal
And what stories does the Pearl whisper to Jack in his dreams?

[honorat.livejournal.com]

Thanks for dropping by and commenting. I love your idea that the Pearl talks to Jack in his dreams. Almost I feel a plot bunny stirring. Hmmmm.

[hendercats.livejournal.com]

*Offers fresh, tasty carrots to plot bunny*