Ficlet and FanArt: Vision Without Hope

[honorat]

By Honorat
Rating: PG
Pairing: Jack/Pearl
Disclaimer: The infernal rodent owns all.

Summary: Things don’t get much darker than this. Angst alert. This one comes with an illustration! A picture of the Black Pearl. Not my usual style of art.

* * * * *


The night before his hanging, Jack Sparrow does not sleep. Every moment seems to slip off a silver chain of time like a precious gem—each heartbeat, each breath of foetid air. Oh God, each faintest scent of salt sea and limitless horizon. Even when the dream comes he is not sure he is sleeping.

She glides towards him through tossing seas, her torn black skirts swept by the wind, her hair undone, whipping across her face. Her mother of pearl eyes glow through the black strands like stars tangled in the lace of rigging. For one caught breath, he has never seen anything so beautiful.

But then the waves crash around her as though to drag her under. In the pale moonlight, he sees her eyes are empty. The bird she has cradled in her hand, safe for all these years, is limp in her palm, its wings falling, its neck twisted, broken. Blood drips between her fingers and spirals slowly down her forearm.

Her arms are outstretched, reaching towards him, and he stumbles, sinking, to grasp her hands. But he cannot quite touch her.

The clatter of boots and the jangle of keys, the cold voices do not wake him. They merely interrupt his sight.

Jack only knows that she is gone. He has failed to save her; and she cannot save him.



Copyright 2005. All rights reserved.
8 1/2 x 11 inches, mechanical graphite pencil and ink on printer paper.

Comments

[misskass.livejournal.com]

Um, wow. This is really beautiful, and the picture fits perfectly with the story (well, obviously). Everything you do is so detailed, be it fanart or fiction, excellent.

[honorat.livejournal.com]

That's the advantage of being one's own illustrator. The details will certainly be right for the story :) Actually, I found myself going back to edit the story to fit the picture. Thank you so much for your kind words. I'm glad you liked this depressing little fic!

[cymbeline.livejournal.com]

*is stunned* this is amazing!

[evilmissbecky.livejournal.com]

*jaw drops*

That is beautiful! Very moody and very dark. It fits the tone of the story wonderfully.

[melusina]

That's really lovely and the illustration is exquisite!

[teh-farmer.livejournal.com]

Wow, This is really wonderfully written - and the drawing!!!

It's so sad but great. Makes me want to cuddle Jack and make it all better...

[jackfan2.livejournal.com]

WOW! I'm ... WOW'D by both the drawing AND the drabble. For something that isn't your usual style of art, you rendered it magnificently- both the drawing and the writing.

Look forward to more, as ususal!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

She glides towards him through tossing seas, her torn black skirts swept by the wind, her hair undone, whipping across her face. Her mother of pearl eyes glow through the black strands like stars caught in the lace of rigging. For one caught breath, he has never seen anything so beautiful.

What a perfect paragraph of description. And the last of it sums up his reaction, and ours.

This is so beautifully done, and the story and illustration enhance each other perfectly. Wonderful work!

[honorat.livejournal.com]

*hands smelling salts* Thank you so much. I didn't know I had this much goth in me at my age! I rather think I'd like to try this with just a minimal amount of colour, too.

[triskellion.livejournal.com]

I'm breathless. This is stunning. The imagery is awe inspiering, and the picture only amplifies the effect. Congratulations.

[franklymydear.livejournal.com]

This is gorgeous! I love the lines and the shadowing, and it's a perfect match for the story :)

[erinya.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow. The illustration is really impressive. Professional quality. And the fic is beautiful (of course.) Nothing wrong with a little darkness here and there. I love the description of the figurehead come to life, and the symbolism of the dead bird.

[hereswith.livejournal.com]

The picture is lovely, and the detail in the wings and the waves is great. A perfect companion to the angsty fic! Jack only knows that she is gone. He has failed to save her; and she cannot save him. Very effective last lines, poor Jack...

[sparky-darky.livejournal.com]

That is such an original interpretation of the Pearl-- it's beautiful. Like a cross between a siren and a sphinx. the style really lends itself as well: the patterns of her hair and dress aer almost Celtic, which makes them so mysterious and beautiful.

I do love the Pearl's tragic character-- she is almost like a femme fatale, but that's not quite the right description, as she is not willingly under Barbossa's lead.

This is certainly different to your ususal work; the Pearl being literally personified as a woman is quite distinct, and it certainly cements Jack's relationship with her. It's such a relief to know that they are reunited...

[honorat.livejournal.com]

This is indeed a lot darker than I usually get. But this one insisted on being drawn--stole a whole afternoon from me in fact. The picture in my head inspired the story and then the story demanded the picture. Thank you so much for commenting.

[honorat.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much for dropping by to comment. I'm honoured that you like this.

[honorat.livejournal.com]

Yes, poor Jack. He may spend most of his escapades in denial, but I imagine denial wears thin at 3 a.m. the night before one is to be hanged. I'm so glad you liked these. Thank you for the comment.

[captsparrow4evr.livejournal.com]

Beautiful, sad, and amazing. It makes me feel so very inadequate! *sobs* BRAVA!

[honorat.livejournal.com]

I'm sure I've been hanging out at Elfwood fantasy art too long. The style has rubbed off. If I painted this, I'd probably do it realistically with her facing more forward, but for ink this more stylized form seemed to work. Thank you for the feedback on both of these. I'm glad you liked them.

[honorat.livejournal.com]

How lovely to hear from you. I've been writing so much about the Black Pearl lately, that I couldn't resist drawing this picture. I've always thought that image of the ravaged figurehead cradling the small bird seemed so symbolic, but I have no idea what prompted me to kill the poor little critter. But it made a great dream for Jack--although I did consider other recipients first. Perhaps others did dream of her that night. Quite a nest of plot bunnies actually.

I'm glad you think I captured some of the emotion Jack feels for his ship in this dark little piece. Thanks for the comment.

[honorat.livejournal.com]

*offers oxygen* I'm so happy you liked the two together. I've started illustrating my fanfics, but this is the first one I've completed. Thanks for the feedback.

[honorat.livejournal.com]

Thank you for your kind words. This is the first time I've tried this combination of media, so it's good to know it works.

[honorat.livejournal.com]

*bows humbly* Thank you very much. I do hope someday some editor will agree about that "professional". I've always thought that bird the Pearl holds is the perfect symbol for the Sparrow that is her captain. I wanted to show her still in the posture of a figurehead but with movement in her hair and clothing--alive, but still a ship. I'm glad you liked this.

[honorat.livejournal.com]

Yes, I didn't know I had such an angsty little drawing left in me since high school. And even when I do stylized, I can't resist detail. This was indeed a picture of a low moment for poor Jack. He's got to feel he's never been so far from that reunion he's been pursuing for ten years. Thank you for your lovely comment.

[honorat.livejournal.com]

The Pearl certainly has that mythic feel to her--I tend to think of her as a one of those lovely winged victories, the nikes of Greece, for Jack and as one of the Furies for Barbossa. She does have the look of the classical siren, and she certainly calls to Jack like one. I hadn't thought about Celtic art while drawing this, but I do love knotwork. I was imagining the look of her tattered sails.

Pearl as femme fatale is an interesting concept. The woman, impossible to resist but fatal to embrace. She is certainly impossible for both Jack and Barbossa to resist--but she doesn't seem to have her own motivation for evil. Unless you could say that to possess her, Jack abandons law and takes to piracy. I always think of her as Jack's immortal beloved.

Yes, this is a little further along the fantasy scale than I normally draw. But of all the personified ships that I write, the Pearl has come the farthest into being an actual character rather than a personified one. I haven't published much of it yet, but I've written a lot. So naturally, she's started showing up in my imagination as well as Jack's. This little fic would indeed be quite unbearable if we didn't know that she will rescue Jack.

Thank you so much for your detailed comment.