Not All Treasure is Silver and Gold...

Chapter 4

I awoke very early the next morning and slipped out of my room. The night had been filled with odd, inexplicable dreams of shadows, and ships, and faceless strangers...dreams about an unfamiliar man, and his name...a strange name which had faded from my mind as soon as my eyes had opened. I had frowned to myself, racking my brains for ten minutes or so, before finally accepting that it was forgotten, and admitting defeat. The morning air was a relief, hitting coldly and refreshingly on my skin, calming my tangled thoughts. I gazed around the ship's deck, breathing steadily now, and to my delight, saw Will sitting and examining his sword by the edge of the vessel.

"Hello," I smiled widely, sitting beside him. I had already taken a liking to Will, despite the fact that we hadn't particularly gotten to know each other all that well yet, and he too looked genuinely happy to see me.

"Hello yourself," he replied. "Might I enquire as to why you're up so early?" He asked.

"I couldn't sleep. Why are you up so early?" I replied. He placed his sword down beside him and turned to me.

"I couldn't sleep either. I come out here to think sometimes," He said pensively.

"What about?" I asked shyly, treading carefully with my words so as not to pry.

"Just things. People," He replied, looking keen to move off this subject.

"Elizabeth?" I asked with a smile. Will looked temporarily startled and then quickly nodded. "Oh...yes. Yes, Elizabeth. Who do you think about?" I blinked at his odd question.

"No-one," I lied immediately, surprised to find my mind suddenly on Jack. Will watched me, his dark eyes boring into the side of my head as I turned my face away from him, as though he was trying to read my mind.

We fell silent, before Will smiled kindly at me, his eyes glinting playfully.

"Well, Miss Callaway...you've made quite an impression on the men on this ship after your little sword fight yesterday," He grinned. I blushed modestly.

"I'm not very good. it was luck," I protested.

"No, you really are," Will told me seriously. "I wish I'd got to duel with you," He said wistfully. I gazed at him thoughtfully.

"Why don't we have a go now then," I suggested spontaneously, gesturing to the empty decks with a sweeping arm movement. Will blinked at me, surprised, but then stood up, pulling his sword out of it's scabbard. He passed me his spare one.

"I can take you, Miss Callaway," Will smiled determinedly, holding out his blade, ready for a fight.

"Hmm...though really, there isn't any point Will. I beat Jack, who beat you, which therefore indicates that I would easily beat you too," I replied, teasing him.

"I wasn't myself that day," Will said slowly. "Unfortunately, I was... distracted." His brown eyes flickered over my face, the sunlight enhancing the tiny honey coloured flecks around his pupils.

"Oh, really?" I asked disbelievingly. Suddenly Will brought his sword down on mine, knocking it clean out of my hand. It landed with a clatter on deck and I blinked down at it for a moment, stumped, but then gazed back at Will.

"Really," He said, a smile playing at his lips.

"Fine...no swords then!" I said and he threw his aside. I threw myself at him roughly and knocked him over, the two of us falling onto the wooden floorboards. We rolled across the deck laughing and wrestling, until we slowed up and I climbed on top and knelt on Will's chest, both hands firmly gripping his shirt, breathing heavily. Will's chest was vibrating with laughter which set me off giggling like a little girl again.

"Well, William, I think you can see clearly that I, Rose Callaway, am...ugh!" I spluttered, coughing as a wave slopped over the edge of the ship, absolutely drenching the two of us. We sat momentarily stunned and then cracked up laughing again, Will making desperate shushing noises in a feeble attempt to calm me down. I straightened my legs out and lay flat out on top of him, salty water dripping down my face, still laughing weakly.

"We're going to wake everyone up," I grinned mischievously at him, and he returned my smile.

"Well, you've already succeeded in waking one person up," came a snippy voice from behind us. Mine and Will's heads jerked upwards in unison and we saw Jack looming over us, an odd, stiff expression on his face.

"Jack!" I exclaimed, jumping up quickly, a guilty spot of pink appearing on each of my cheeks as I imagined how that must have looked to him. Will staggered upwards, blushing also. I pushed my tousled curls out of my eyes.

"I was just...uh...we were..." I mumbled hesitantly. Jack looked at Will, still with that odd expression on his face, and then said in a firm tone most unlike his usual voice, "We'll be leaving soon. Go and wake up the crew, Will," Will nodded meekly and left me standing awkwardly with Jack.

"That was seriously not what it looked like, Jack," I protested, not knowing why I cared so much that he had seen that. Jack shrugged.

"Alright," he replied blankly, and wandered off to the Ship's steering wheel as the crew began to pour out of their cabins and hammocks around us, getting into position.

Will appeared by my side again, his orders fulfilled. I however, was still watching Jack.

"Isn't it sweet, how much Jack adores this ship?" I sighed, watching him as his fingers traced the wood of the steering wheel almost lovingly.

Will chuckled. "And I thought you said that you thought of no-one, Miss Callaway? I think I now know who you dote on after all."

"Jack? No!" I blushed furiously, realising how that comment must have sounded.

"You're as infatuated with him, Miss Callaway, as he is smitten with you," Will said knowingly. I stared at him, wide-eyed.

"Don't be stupid Will! We've only just met! And everybody knows full well that Jack's one and only love is the Pearl," I told him firmly. Will merely shrugged.

"I only say what I see," he told me simply. "Oh...and your mother...she was Meg Callaway, wasn't she?" He asked quietly. I blinked. He was smarter than I thought.

"Yes..." I replied hesitantly. "Did you just guess? Who told you?" I asked, frowning.

"Rumours," Will shrugged again. "You should ask him if you want to find out about her," Will said, nodding towards Jack. "We all know the legends, but I believe he knew her." And with that Will hurried off, leaving me utterly confused.