Aztecs' Curse

Chapter 22

     It wasn't long after Victoria, Elizabeth, and Will had their share of hugs that Jack, of whom had trailed away to give the trio some privacy, ended up shattering an item unknown to them all, drawing all of their eyes over to him briefly before they exchanged amused expressions.

"Perhaps you ought to go...speak to him," Elizabeth encouraged Victoria, surprising her as well as Will, and she gave her the smallest hint of a smile that was returned to her, albeit only for a moment. It was clear, in Elizabeth's voice, that she perhaps expected some sort of farewell. After all, Victoria had promised herself to Norrington.

"Yes," Victoria agreed curtly, nodding her head, and though her voice broke, she pinched her lips together before continuing, eyes flickering from the spot past Will's shoulders to both his and her sister's eyes. "Perhaps I should." Her eyes shifted over to him as the sound of more glass breaking sounded, and they all caught the sight of him tossing one fragile treasure after another over his shoulder, the lot of them surprised since he seemed the type to delicately treat any treasure whatsoever, no matter the sort.

"Not all treasure is silver and gold," Will breathed as his eyes flickered briefly between Jack in the distance and Victoria.

Victoria felt her cheeks flush, and she quirked her head a little. "What was that?"

"Nothing," Will quickly said, clearing his throat, only catching Elizabeth's attention as well, and he straightened. "But, Elizabeth is right... You should go talk to him."

After giving him another suspicious expression, she hesitantly turned her back to them, staring longingly at the pirate she had grown much too fond of too quickly, before she nodded. "Very well..." After another moment of hesitation, Elizabeth's hand landed on her shoulder, and she turned to see her sister smiling sadly at her, a smile she could easily return, before she turned back to Jack, and strode over to him.

Victoria didn't know where to begin, as she drew to a stop alongside Jack, of whom seemed to be pretending not to acknowledge her presence, the man giving a jeweled vase a look of disinterest before tossing it violently over his shoulder, though even Victoria could see that his eyes were empty, save for a grim look that almost appeared as sad as her own. After all, not only was she to be engaged, but Jack would no doubt be arrested. After a long and silent moment, of which involved Jack keeping his hands to himself as he stood in place, his eyes focused on the gold in front of him, obviously aware of her presence, she finally spoke.

"You could still run." Of course, she wasn't sure where he could. They were on an island, after all, and who knew when any chance of escape would happen upon him.

Just as she suspected, he chuckled, and his gaze lowered; she couldn't tell if his eyes were open or shut at such an angle. "No, I think not. No running. Not this time, at least." When she only choked on her next words, his gaze shifted to her, and he tapped his knuckle against her chin, shutting her up. "Enough with that, lass. I'm sure I'll be fine." It was a lie, and they both knew it. In fact, he cringed when he said it.

After another moment, she stepped towards him, inhaling sharply. "We'll slip away. They'll come for Elizabeth and Will, and you and I will hide among the-"

"I think not," he repeated, and though his tone was soft, something about the words were sharp -- or, perhaps it was his eyes; they'd shifted away from her rather quickly, his gaze seemingly concerned, but masked with a little bit of anger. When she said nothing, that gaze of his softened, and he gave her a crooked smile that was nowhere near genuine. "Besides, you have a wedding to attend! Bad luck for a bride to run out on those, you know." It was a poor attempt at a joke, and though Victoria felt the desire to smile, she couldn't find herself to, especially when Jack's voice broke at the end of his sentence. And yet, rather quickly, he covered it by clearing his throat repeatedly, and holding up a hand before choking out, "Sorry, musty air; it bothers my throat."