The Adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow

The Terror of the Seven Seas

Days went by. Jack went on a 'real pirate trip' on his Black Pearl. Before sailing, he received two jars of cookies with a note wishing him a good journey from Gabriela. The card was handmade and had a watercolor painting of the Black Pearl on it. Jack took that to his cabin. Only Master Gibbs was lucky enough to be invited to try one or two cookies once and then.

The watercolor portrait of him was hung on the wall in his cabin's office. He kept the cookie jars in his cabin with the rum and Jerez Gabriela had given him before in a locked cupboard. He put the card in his desk drawer.

Many things had changed since he met Gabriela. He ordered Mr. Gibbs to keep his cabin and chamber always clean. The blanket, Gabriela had sent when he was sick, was tidily folded and kept under the bed in a drawer for that purpose. He also kept the pair of socks Gabriela had knitted there too. He treasured the necklace with the cross in his desk drawer. And the necklace with the black pearl he had traded with her was always on him.

Master Gibbs was ordered to keep his mouth shut. If he told anything to his father or uncles he would need to find another crew.

"Remember Master Gibbs, dead men tell no tales!"

"Yes, Sire!"

* * * * *

On Sunday, Gabriela went to the local market to buy the falcon Gregorio told her it was trained for their communication. Early in the morning, she went to the market with Isabela and Fermín.

Upon arriving at the market, Gabriela stumbled into Admiral Davenport, He greeted her. She nodded in response. He followed her around.

"What brought you here today, Señorita?"

"I was told that today there was going to come a birds-of-prey merchant. I want to buy a falcon."

"What for?"

"To practice the ancient art of falconry," Gabriela said with a bit of mockery in her voice.

"Do you practice falconry, Milady?"

"Of course, I am a member of the monarchy."

"You are a box full of surprises," Davenport admitted with genuine awe in his tone of voice.

"Well, if you ask my father he would say that I am a box but not full of surprises, more like a Pandora's box." She giggled.

They reached the post where the birds of prey were on display.

"Good morning, milady, sir. May I help you?"

Gabriela smiled at the man, "Good morning, sir. I am looking for a trained falcon for falconry. Do you have any?"

"I have two falcons, milady. Perhaps you'd like your husband to examine the birds for you?" The man looked at Davenport who blushed red as a tomato, Gabriela looked at the man and bit her lips to avoid laughing.

"Admiral Davenport is a married man, he is just escorting me. I will examine the birds myself. May I?"

"Yes, of course, milady."

The birds were standing on a perch each. They had their eyes covered with a hood. The jesses, leather straps, were on their legs. The vendor offered Gabriela a gauntlet. She thanked him but she was going to inspect the general physical condition of the birds first.

She caressed the first one when it got used to her touch, she extended one of its wings to check its feathers and muscles. She did the same with the other wing, and then examined the bird's legs, claws, and beak. Then she did the same with the other bird.

"It looks like the lady knows about birds." The vendor said nervously, she was paying attention to the falcon he had selected for the King's niece. And this woman was escorted by an English officer.