Ice Queen - A Pirates Of The Caribbean Love Story

Chapter Twenty-One

Heat. Burning heat. Engulfing my whole body, from my fingertips to my toes. I couldn’t move, I was paralysed, forced to lie still and be burned. My throat was dry and I was gasping for a drink. Longing for the ice-cool touch of water on my tongue.

The fact that I couldn’t move was frightening. But, to tell the truth, I was too tired to worry over it. It was much easier just to go back to sleep, albeit a troubled, dream-haunted sleep.

*

I kept having the same dream over and over. Jack Turner was stabbing me, again and again. I was trying to pull the knife out of myself, but my fingers were too weak to curl round the handle. And I was falling into endless blackness.

*

I woke up. That is, I think I woke up. I couldn’t open my eyes. I couldn’t say a word. It was as if I had been left outside in the snow and I had frozen. I wanted to scream with fear, I wanted to shout that I needed water, that I would die if I didn’t have a drink.

I could do none of those things, so I just drifted back to sleep.

Or, I would have done, if it wasn’t for the whispering voices that kept me awake.

Were they voices in my head, or were they real?

I was too dizzy even to think about it.

*

My eyes flickered open. Almost of their own accord. I tried to sit up, but a sharp pain in my stomach prevented me. With a groan, I sank back down.

I surveyed my surroundings briefly. I was in a bed. The most comfortable, soft, warm bed I have ever been in since my days as a lady. I wanted to lie in it forever, because it felt like I was floating.

I tried to turn my head a little, so I could see more of where I was. Another stabbing pain, but I ignored it.

I saw Jack sitting on a chair beside my bed. He was asleep and his body was hunched uncomfortable. I glanced to my other side and saw Barbossa there. He was asleep too. Jack the monkey was perched on his shoulder, and even he was asleep!

I was still burning hot. I felt like I was going to pass out again. NO. I was finally awake and I was not going to go to sleep again.

But I desperately wanted a drink.

Glancing at Jack and Barbossa, I knew I couldn’t wake them. They both looked so exhausted, slumped in their chairs. I wondered how long they’d been at my bedside, worrying.

I saw a glass of water sitting on a table near my bed. I wondered if I could reach it. I stretched, as hard as I could, every muscle in my body straining. A-l-m-o-s-t… got it….

No!

It slipped out of my fingers and splashed all over Jack, who awoke with a start.

“Oh, goodness, I’m so sorry!” I exclaimed. “I didn’t mean to!”

“Cathy!” he cried. “Praise be! You’re alive!”

I stared at him. “Shouldn’t I be?”

“Don’t you remember what happened?” he asked.

I looked at him, and I realised I had never seen Jack look like this before. He had no makeup on and the expression in his eyes was weary and worried. “Jack, are you alright?”

He laughed, almost as if he was laughing just for the sake of it. As if, for a long time, he had been too frightened to laugh. Frightened… because he thought I might die?

That thought made me feel as if I was going to burst with happiness.

“Hector.” Jack poked my father gently. “She’s awake.”

Barbossa stretched himself upright. “Cathy! Are ye alright, my darlin’? How do ye feel? Do ye want anything?”

“A drink of water would be wonderful,” I said.

Barbossa poured me another glass and brought it to my lips. I sipped gratefully. I swear, no drink ever tasted as good to me before or since. Cool, refreshing, delicious. Immediately, I felt a good deal better.

“What happened?” I asked.

“What can you remember?” Jack wanted to know.

“I don’t mean what happened to me. I mean what happened after he stabbed me? Did he kill Will?”

“No. After he almost killed you, he seemed to realise he was doing the wrong thing. He stood there, almost dazedly, while you just lay there. Cathy, I thought you were going to die.” Jack’s voice cracked with emotion. “And I’d have never forgiven myself.”

“You?” I stared incredulously.

“If I’d acted quicker. Got the knife like you said… I was too busy trying to get the heart… I’m sorry, Cath.”

“Jack, you cannot blame yourself for this!” It seemed so ridiculous, I would have laughed if it hadn’t hurt me too much. “I’m alive. No harm done.”

Jack and Barbossa exchanged glances.

I narrowed my eyes. “OK. What are you not telling me?”

“Ye almost didn’t make it,” Barbossa said, softly. “We took ye to land. Got the best doctors. They had to sew ye together.”

I winced. “Did they?” I threw the bedclothes off me and peered down my nightdress at my stomach. All I could see was a huge, red gash and the marks of stitching. “They literally sewed me together?”

“Ye’ll always have the scar,” Barbossa told me.

“And you’ll never be able to have children,” Jack said.

“There’s no need to be indecent!” Barbossa glared at him.

Jack winked at me. “T’isn’t indecent, is it, love?”

I rolled my eyes. “Knowing you, very probably.”