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Savarna	By : BrethlessM Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (All) > Het - Male/Female > Jack/Elizabeth Views: 5383 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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A/N: Thanks for all the wonderful, encouraging comments you've given me here! I start school tomorrow, so I've been crazy busy trying to get ready. I hope to post again next Wednesday, but if you don't see an update by then, just keep checking. I'll get it out to you as soon as I possibly can! Love to all! - Kimberlee
Chapter Eleven
Jack�s eyes were so serious � Elizabeth had rarely seen them like that before. For once there was no pretense of incompetence or drunken foolishness. His face bore no hint of a grimace, smirk, or sneer - only honesty. She realized that Jack was doing exactly what his father had predicted he would � showing her his true self.
She discovered that she recognized it, for although she hadn�t known it then, she�d been treated to glimpses of this Jack before. Elizabeth remembered a bonfire on a deserted island, and the far away look of longing on his face as he talked about his ship. She remembered flashes of surprise she�d witnessed � when she�d appeared on the docks of Tortuga dressed as a boy, and again when she�d stood before him at the head of his rescue party in Davy Jones� Locker. She remembered the pride that had swelled his chest when she�d chained him to the Black Pearl to await the Kraken�s maw, and at last she recalled the aching desire in his eyes, both the first and second time she�d kissed him.
This Jack was no stranger � this was the Jack who loved her. Who had long been falling in love with her, though he didn�t know it. This was the Jack who leapt into the sea to save her when she fell; who had ended his game and shot Barbossa the instant he�d pointed his pistol at her on the Isla de Muerta; who�d given up his chance to escape in order to come back and fight the Kraken, only to be sacrificed in return. He had never said the words, but Elizabeth suddenly realized that Jack had been confessing his love for her in hundreds of ways � even by giving up his chance at immortality so that a dying Will could stab Jones� heart instead.
Here on the moonless deck of the Savarna Elizabeth felt as though she couldn�t breathe, so overwhelmed was she by the naked honesty of Jack�s expression. She lifted her face to his and he kissed her again. Her mind went blank except for the sensation of his lips on hers, the tickle of his facial hair against her skin, his tongue dueling with hers. She could feel his heart pounding in his chest and realized that hers was racing as well. When they finally drew apart, pressed forehead to forehead, they were both gasping for air.
Elizabeth felt Jack suddenly go still and his arm jerked, as if he had been about to reach for his pistol. Attuned to his body language, Elizabeth froze and searched Jack�s face for a hint as to what had disturbed him. His head was tilted slightly upward and his eyes narrowed; he was listening for something.
In a moment she heard it too� giggling. Relaxing, Elizabeth felt her cheeks begin to flame. She and Jack were leaning up against the mainmast � the crow�s nest was right above them. With a soft groan, Elizabeth buried her face in Jack�s chest.
Jack chuckled softly. �It would seem that we�ve been spotted, love,� he murmured to her. The giggling increased; it was now clearly audible. Looking upward, Jack spotted William peering down at them, grinning madly. �It�s not very polite to spy on the captain, mate,� he said loudly enough for William to hear.
�It�s Captain Teague�s ship,� William answered cheerily. �So really��
Jack frowned, which just made William laugh even harder. �A week in the Brig might serve to reinforce your memory,� he threatened.
�You wouldn�t put me in the Brig,� William said, beginning to climb down the mast.
�Would so!�
�Would not!� William dropped to the deck beside Jack and Elizabeth. He eyed the two of them intently. �Mother wouldn�t let you.�
The lady in question was hardly paying attention to their conversation, as she struggled to overcome her embarrassment. �Hello, William,� she said as her son looked to her for reinforcement. �Are you cold up there? Jack and I were just��
�Kissing,� William supplied, not at all uncomfortable at having caught them at it.
Elizabeth couldn�t have turned any redder if she tried. �We weren�t trying to hide anything from you� it�s sort of a recent development,� she hurried to explain.
William rolled his eyes at her use of the word �recent�. �It�s all right, Mother. I�m not upset or anything. I like Uncle Jack. Besides, it�s about time you two sussed things out properly.�
�William!� Elizabeth managed to turn a shade pinker after all, and hid her face in one hand. She inhaled deeply. �Maybe you should get back to your duties.�
�Yeah, bugger off, mate,� Jack stuck out his tongue at the boy.
Pealing with laughter, William said, �All right� I�ll leave you alone.� He had one bare foot on the rigging when Elizabeth stopped him again.
�Let�s not mention this to the crew just yet� can I trust you to keep this confidence?�
William shrugged in agreement. �It�s not like they don�t know something�s going on, you know.� His eyes lit up. �That reminds me� I won the bet!�
�Bet?� Elizabeth croaked. She turned to Jack. �He�s gambling, now?�
�Pintel lent me the money,� William confirmed. �I guessed that it would be twenty-four hours until one of you acted � and I was the closest without going over!� he said excitedly.
Jack laughed as Elizabeth leaned against the railing for support. �What were the odds?� he asked.
William narrowed his eyes and shook his head. �I�m not sure� they explained, but I didn�t quite understand everything Pintel was saying. Everyone put in though � even Captain Teague, whose was the only guess lower than mine� ten hours.�
Jack and Elizabeth exchanged a surprised but knowing look � Teague had been the actual winner. Their first kiss since Elizabeth�s rescue from the Locker had occurred much earlier that day. Not that they�d admit it to William. �Listen, mate,� Jack said. �Why don�t you take my place mid-ship whilst your mum and I keep watch in the crow�s nest for a bit?�
William laughed again, shaking his head. �You won�t be keeping watch � you�ll run us into a island, or an ice flow or something.� He didn�t even give Jack a chance to protest before he�d kipped back up ropes into his perch, high above the deck.
Jack frowned as he watched the boy�s progress, but a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. �Your son�s getting quite cheeky,� he said.
�Yes,� Elizabeth said wryly. �I wonder where he possibly could have acquired that feature?� She was not surprised when Jack actually preened at the comment.
�I ought to make sure those rogues don�t cheat the lad out of his due,� he said.
Elizabeth�s eyebrows drew together. �But to collect his winnings, he�d have to tell them what he saw, wouldn�t he?� She seemed oddly concerned about the crew knowing what was going on between her and Jack.
Jack�s eyes searched her face, and he frowned. �It truly bothers you that the men will know, doesn�t it?� She could practically hear his defenses rising again. �Sorry to disappoint, love, but if I�m not good enough for the Pirate King, then tell me now and I-�
She stopped him with a kiss, and gave a surprised squeak when Jack pulled her to him roughly, kissing her back fiercely. Moments later, she pulled back far enough to murmur, �It�s not you, Jack�. If everyone knows, they�ll watch, and they�ll talk.� She looked up at him through her eyelashes. �I just want you to myself for a while � without pressure from the crew to live up to any expectations of how or what we should be.� She kissed him again, quickly. �I want to know you well enough that I won�t fear becoming just another part of Captain Jack Sparrow�s fabulous mythology.�
Jack grinned, slowly and sexily. �Oh, you�ll get to know me well enough, love,� he said. �And whatever role you play in my legend � it�ll be a fairly significant one. Savvy?�
Elizabeth nodded, breathless once again and slightly dazed by his words. He was deadly serious about what he was saying, and she wasn�t quite used to it. She couldn�t manage to shake the fear experience had instilled in her, either. Could she trust Jack�s word, given all she knew about him?
As if reading her thoughts, Jack sighed and ran a gentle hand through the long tangled strands of her hair. �No worries, love. I�ll do right by you, whatever happens. Jack Sparrow doesn�t squander his treasures.�
Smiling, Elizabeth felt calmed by his words. True or not, she�d never know if she didn�t trust him. As she leaned close to kiss him again, a voice called Jack�s name, interrupting them. It was Ina.
Jack sighed in exasperation. �I think we�d best tell them, otherwise we�ll never get a moment�s peace!� Turning away from Elizabeth, he called out, �Here� what�s the trouble, Ina, dearie?�
Appearing from around a corner, Ina stopped short when she saw Elizabeth. Giving the other woman a polite nod, she turned her attention back to Jack. �I�ve just finished with the inventory,� she said. �You should see the results for yourself.�
Jack nodded and looked at Elizabeth in disappointment. �Captainy things,� he said regretfully. A playful look entered his eyes and he took her hand in his, kissing the back of it rather formally. �May I call upon you later, Captain Swann?� he asked.
Elizabeth couldn�t help it; she giggled. �You may,� she agreed. He bowed and turned to follow Ina, who appeared slightly astonished by Jack�s behavior. Elizabeth fought the uncharitable urge to say, �ha!� as she considered that perhaps her jealous fears were completely unfounded after all.
Slipping off her borrowed boots with a sigh, Elizabeth quickly climbed the ratlines leading to the crow�s nest. Crawling into the cramped space beside her son, she quickly buried her frozen toes beneath one of the blankets Jack had brought up earlier.
William smiled when he saw her. �Where�s Jack?� he asked.
�In the hold, with Ina,� she told him. When he did not react with suspicion, Elizabeth decided that maybe she had let herself get carried away concerning Jack�s old friend. Her uneasiness was just unfounded jealousy, and she would be better served making friends with her, rather than maintaining an antagonizing distance.
With a sigh, Elizabeth began to say, �About Jack and I�� but William interrupted.
�You love him, don�t you?� He said it with such certainty that Elizabeth didn�t bother to answer. �I thought you did, but I wasn�t sure until I ran away and Uncle Jack brought me back - when I saw you, he, and Father all together.�
�Oh?� Elizabeth asked curiously.
William nodded. �Uncle Jack and Father glared at each other a lot, but pretended to be very friendly, and you � � he thought a moment. �You kept looking at them like you were really sad.�
Elizabeth frowned. �William, I loved� love your Father very much� and he and Jack were friends � they have each made great sacrifices on the other�s behalf.�
�I know,� William agreed. �That�s not what I meant. It just seemed as though� everyone was waiting for something to happen. Father treated Uncle Jack very carefully � like how you bow to your opponent before you fence. You admire how good he is, but you also hope that you�ll beat him anyway. Uncle Jack stayed as far away from us as he could, and he�d been close beside us for days before that.
�You stood beside Father the whole time, holding his hand and smiling, but your eyes kept searching the room, and sometimes you didn�t hear the questions you were being asked,� William concluded.
Elizabeth thought quietly. �You�re an oddly perceptive young man, William Turner,� she said finally.
He grinned in reply. �I�m precocious.�
Laughing, Elizabeth put an arm around her son and drew him close. Peering out into the darkness of the night, the two of them sat there together, keeping watch for any sign of danger or land.
It was several hours later - practically drawing on dawn and the end of the third watch � when Jack�s head appeared over the rim of their roost. He had somehow managed to climb the ropes with two bottles of rum in each hand. Unable to get into the basket beside them, he leaned precariously against the edge. �Rum�s almost gone,� he grumbled at them. �I took all but a few for meself, leaving an overly decent handful for the rest of the crew, if you ask my opinion.�
Elizabeth shot a grin at William. �I�m sure you did,� she said mildly.
Oblivious to her mockery or choosing to ignore it, Jack said, �We�re going to need to find land soon. We�ve only a few barrels of fresh water left, and even less of the more fetid stuff. We�ll have to slaughter the last two lambs and dry the meat � both to save water and to give us something to eat. The fruit and such has gone to rot already, and even the hardtack is dwindling at a brisk pace.�
Elizabeth nodded. �What is our location?� she asked.
�This afternoon I did some measuring with the sextant. It appears we came out of World�s End on the complete opposite side from whence we entered it. We went off the map near the Arctic, and resurfaced near the shores of the Antarctic.� Jack gestured vaguely with two of his bottles, �Which accounts for the weather.�
�Are their any islands near here that we can make use of?�

Jack nodded his head from side to side in a combination �yes/no� answer. �If we make good time � if the old man will let me take over the helm, that is � we could arrive at the Ilha de Tristao da Cunha before the week is out. There are a number of small, uninhabited and unwelcoming islands there, but nice ones as well.�
�Are we already on that heading?� Elizabeth asked.

Jack nodded again. �I told the Captain� he glared quickly and playfully at William, �on the way back up.� Standing as upright as he could, Jack began to add something more, but a strange looked crossed his face, and suddenly he disappeared from view.
Both Elizabeth and William jumped to their feet and peered over the side. Flat on his back on the deck below them, Jack waved one hand � the two rum bottles were still clutched in it. The other hand had also retained its two bottles of rum... Jack looked relieved.
�I�m alright!� he shouted up. �I slipped, but the rum�s okay!�

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was difficult for Jack to convince his father to give him more time at the helm, but after Jack�s next shift at the wheel in his regular rotation, Captain Teague realized that his son would make much better time than he could, and so agreed. Henceforth, Jack spent both his usual second watch at the helm and did not leave during the third watch either. Teague only steered during the first watch while Jack ate and slept, and spent the third watch prowling the decks like a restless predatory animal. The rest of the crew tried to avoid the intimidating Captain as much as possible during this time � everyone except Ina, who did not seem disturbed by him at all.
With Jack so often at the wheel, Elizabeth at first found herself with little to do. Jack was reluctant to assign her to work until he was sure she had recovered from the Locker, but after the third day of inactivity, the pirate was convinced when Elizabeth threatened to upend his two remaining bottles of rum into the ocean if he didn�t cooperate with her.
With both of them working all evening and into the early hours of the morning, there was little opportunity for Jack and Elizabeth to be together as often as they would have liked. Still, there developed a more comfortable camaraderie between them that was broken only by the occasional fight that always seemed to end before it really began. Even if Jack hadn�t ordered the crew to �pay up� William�s winnings � though without giving any details � the men would have soon figured out that things were developing nicely between the younger of the two Captains. A new wager was made � one which William was decidedly not made privy to.
At night neither Jack, Elizabeth, or William suggested a change in their sleeping arrangements, although it was definitely on Jack�s mind, and Elizabeth had considered it more than once. When the first weak rays of the morning sun signaled them that it was time to sleep though, they hesitated, and once again the three of them crawled into the bunk, Elizabeth in the middle with two arms around her abdomen � one from either side.
True to his prediction � a fact that surprised nobody but Elizabeth, who had yet to truly witness Jack�s extraordinary sailing skills in times of pressure � they reached the hardly-explored archipelago known as the Ilha de Tristao da Cunha within six days. A small cluster of about seven mountainous islands jutted up from the water as if they had emerged from the depths just to meet them. Evidence of volcanic activity in the past had deeply scarred the rock, and only a dense growth of trees led one to believe that many years had passed since the last performances.
Elizabeth felt uncertain about Jack�s chosen stopping point, but they desperately needed to restock their water, and a waterfall was just visible on the largest island through the tree covered peaks.
�Have you been here before?� She asked, but received no answer. Turning, she realized that Captain Teague was not looking towards the island but was observing Jack carefully. The young Captain Sparrow did not look any more peculiar, as he stood at the helm, than he had at any other point during their voyage: a tiny smile curved his lips, expressing his delight in the act of sailing, and occasionally he lifted his right hand from the wheel to take hold of the small charm at his waist � the red bead shaped like a mermaid.
Looking back at Captain Teague, Elizabeth realized that it was this object that had drawn his attention. He seemed oddly intrigued and disturbed by the talisman, and she couldn�t help asking, �What is it?�
Realizing that she had noticed his interest, Teague turned away, looking back towards the island. Just when she thought he might ignore the question, the Captain said, �It�s a fetish of his mother�s � a charm. I�ve noticed him wearing it before, but never seen him use it until this voyage.�
�Use it?� She studied Jack carefully. He didn�t even seem to be aware that he was fondling the small bead. �How does he use it?� Elizabeth asked. �What does it do that makes you so certain that Jack doesn�t use every day?�
Teague glanced at her briefly, but immediately resumed his examination of the approaching shore. �The mermaid is a symbol of Mami Wata � one of Savarna�s many incarnations. Those who worship her know her by many names, and Mami Wata is the most revered of them all.�

He paused for a moment, contemplating his words. �A deity gains and loses power based on how well his or her name is known. For someone like Calypso, her power faded greatly when Rome fell, and then rose again when sailors took up with her. For Savarna, her power has always been minimal because her worshipers are few and far between. She still has the ability to affect certain things though, and she would often use her abilities to protect those she cared for. Have you noticed the figurehead on this vessel?� he asked.
Elizabeth shook her head. �Is it a mermaid?� she guessed.
�Not only that,� Teague affirmed, �but it�s ,Savarna in the form of a mermaid. That�s part of what has kept myself, and this ship safe for so long. Calypso cannot come aboard unless invited, and she can�t harm us even if she were � her daughter�s influence dampened any control she could have over us.�
�So� Jack�s talisman gives him protection?� Elizabeth asked, still uncertain of why Teague seemed so interested in it.
Captain Teague nodded. �Some� though the chicken foot seems to indicate that Jackie�s found little protective about the charm,� he commented. �He does seem to be acquiring any number of talents from it though � not the least of which is evidenced by his abnormal abilities at the wheel.�
Elisabeth thought about his words. �I�m seen Jack do some fairly fantastic things in the time I�ve known him,� she said. �He�s an uncommonly talented sailor, but he also has an uncanny aptitude for acts of death-defying grandeur.�
Teague nodded. �Yes, but those are attributes he inherited from his mother more directly. They�re a part of who he is as the son of a goddess � that, and the fact that he�s just damn lucky. But he�s turned down Calypso�s offers of power many times, yet he�s never gotten rid of that talisman. I assume because it was from Savarna, but it always has surprised me to see him with it because to use it would bring exactly the kind of attention Jackie�s tried to avoid for more than twenty-odd years.�
Now Elizabeth frowned. �I don�t understand,� she said. �Do you mean that using his mother�s power, for whatever the reason, is the same as accepting power from Calypso?�
Teague shrugged, but his face looked grim. �The power comes from the same place, but it�s more like he�s teasing Calypso by using it. It�ll infuriate her plenty, but that�s not my deepest worry.� Casting a look over his shoulder to make certain that Jack was unable to overhear them, he said. �Power doesn�t just influence those around you, it also draws from inside of you. It�s a hunger Jackie�s already experienced, and though his intentions are good��
He shook his head. �He�s his own man,� Teague said finally. �I never could tell him what to do, and I won�t start now.� For the first time since their conversation had began, the Captain met Elizabeth�s eyes directly. �He�d risk something like that for no less than a dire need, so that should tell you what kind of trouble we�re in � for whatever Calypso�s got planned. All the same, we�d better keep a weather eye on him� Savvy?�
Now Elizabeth looked grim. It was all because of her that Jack was risking his freedom. Nodding to Captain Teague in agreement, she vowed that Jack would not lose himself to the sea goddesses power � not as long as she was around to prevent it.
They reached the main island of the Ilha de Tristao da Cunha without incident, and both Jack and Captain Teague seemed to know exactly where to look for fresh water. Pintel and Ragetti disappeared soon after landing and reappeared with a fat boar carried between them � a bullet hole winking in the dead center of its forehead.
Barrels were refilled, fruit was gathered from the trees and brought aboard. The boar was cooked, eaten, and the extra meat packed away right there on the beach as the afternoon faded into night. The crew of the Savarna spent the night ashore � thought Teague remained safely aboard his ship. He had a feeling that the time to spend his one day a month on land was drawing nigh, and he would not waste it for even the comforts of the bonfire waving to him from just a few hundred feet away.
When morning dawned, the crew hastened to their duties without complaint, and once again, they were on their way. Port Royal was only another five days distance.
�I�ll have us there in three,� Jack boasted, and though Elizabeth did not protest, she intended to remain as close to him as possible during that time � watching, and thinking. If Jack was going to risk so much for her, she would be there to bear witness� just in case anything went wrong.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On they went, the army of sixty-odd beings, who were only now beginning to realize that they had once been men. It seemed to be a distant memory to one and all, and not worth the energy needed to contemplate the meaning of it. What did make sense was the journey they were on now. The destination was the same for one and all � Port Royal.
Their pace quickened with each step, though not significantly. The weight of the fathoms of sea above them and the thick mire of sand beneath their still-forming feet, made for slow going. Yet as they became more and more like their former selves � muscles and sinew and now even skin � it got easier to move, to travel, to push forward.
At the front of the mass of the undead sailors, their leader � the first to rise � trudged onward, growing more determined with every mile. His purpose was becoming clearer, he could feel it. It hovered tantalizingly just out of reach and the lobes and synapses of his brain fought to reorganize themselves. Occasionally he had a flash of what might have been a memory: a beautiful woman, a sword, a ship. He did not take the time to try and interpret these images � just let them wash over him without the benefit of structure.
There was a tremble in the earth, and though no one above the level of the sea felt it, the men upon its be stopped, simultaneously frozen in place. More than sixty heads tilted upwards, concentrating intently. After moment, they altered their course. Continuing on, not one of them thought to question the change in their course� it did not matter. They still had a purpose, and they were bound to see it through� whatever it turned out to be.
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Savarna