a woman taken by the wind (jack sparrow)

five: she's a pirate

Rhiannon was sat in her quarters the next morning contemplating last night's decisions.

It was early and she'd barely slept since Jack had woken her up. Rain was gently pattering down on the roof, echoing throughout the ship as it swayed with the rocks of the ocean. She should have been relaxed - it was quiet, everyone was asleep and it was the only time she'd ever get peace. Especially over the next few days with the Pearl's crew coming aboard. Still though, Rhi couldn't find it in herself to kick back even for a second. The next few days were going to be uncertain.

She knew exactly why she'd offered to help Jack. It was a distractions - perhaps the crew wouldn't notice her complete lack of direction if they had the eccentric pirate aboard for a few days. He'd been her distractions two years ago when she was lost then. Now, here she was, twenty months - as he'd so eloquently reminded her - later and still no close to working out what she wanted. Rhiannon had always craved adventure but it felt so hard to find. 

Sometime after 6AM, she decided to stop moping about and get dressed. The sun was breaking through the skyline now; even though the rain was still softly coming down and the sky was overcast and grey, there was still an element of pink and orange in the sunrise. The ocean was sooty too, tinged dark by the clouds above. No matter the weather, sunshine, rain or wind, Rhiannon's favourite view was always dawn at horizon. It signalled the start of a new day. One that she was sure Jack Sparrow would ruin by the afternoon. 

"I'm glad I caught you."

Rhiannon smiled when she heard Will Turner's voice. Even though he had promised to come back and say goodbye, some part of her was worried he would forget. 

"Will," she held out her arms, pulling him into a tight hug. "Is this where we part?"

"I'm afraid so," he replied. "I have to get back to Port Royal."

"Of course," Rhi nodded. "I'm going to miss you."

"Likewise," he said. "Do you know where you're headed next?"

She grimaced. "Jack lost the Pearl...again. He has some ridiculously elaborate maps that he swears will lead us to it and somehow, he convinced me to help him. I need an adventure, I suppose."

"Adventure is always guaranteed where Jack Sparrow is involved."

They exchanged one final hug, before Will tipped his hat and exited the ship.

Rhiannon wasn't dwelling too much on her brother's departure. She knew that William was safer away from the world of pirates, tucked away in Port Royal. He had the potential to run a ship with an iron fist, just like his younger sister, but he was too good. Morally, emotionally, mentally. To be a pirate, he would have to forfeit that and it her pained her to think about. She was much more displaced than him when it came to doing the right thing and even she had struggled at first. Rhi had to make selfish decisions to get where she was today. They hadn't come without pain. 

Legs was up a few moments after Will left - he had the Pearl's crew in tow. They were a raggedy bunch and exactly the type of men that she would expect Jack Sparrow to command. She had them line up in deck by the railings. 

"Right, boys," Rhi began, pacing back and forth in front of them with her sword in her hand. "You're on my ship now. That makes me your captain and you will do as I say."

"What if we don't?" Pintel piped up.

"Then I sure hope you can swim because no-one's walked the plank in a while and I'm starting to get bored," she shot back. "My crew come before you - that's Legs, Rosie and Jenkins. They do as I say and then you'll do as they say as well."