Fathoms Below: Captain Jack Sparrow

Chapter 27: Journey to the end of the world.

The cold was unforgiving and unrelenting as we sailed past glaciers and complete walls of ice. We'd lost quiet a few men to the cold, most of whom remained frozen to the ship where they lay, a macabre reminder for all of us.

I stood with Hector at the helm as he guided us through the minefield of ice. We'd gotten closer over our journey, talking often, having found a shared interest in literature and ancient tales, particularly of the ancient Greeks. Hector was surprisingly well versed in these subjects, having read about them as a young boy in England. He said that learning of the tales helped him discover nautical tales and myths, many of which we now knew firsthand to be true. His knowledge of the stars and astronomy was fascinating to me, having known very little about the subject before him. He'd stand teaching me at night about the different constellations and how they could be interpreted.

I'd found comfort in Hector, perhaps because he reminded me in parts of Jack. I found myself distanced from Elizabeth and Will over the journey, a likely metaphor for my distance from the world I had known before Jack, but it was mostly due to them clinging off each other the entire time and for the fact that they just didn't know what to say to me anymore.

"Ditty, yer need to rest," Hector said as I stood beside him. Ditty was the nickname he'd taken to calling me somewhere along the way and it had stuck. We'd been standing in comfortable silence for a while as I looked out at the ice. My body was shaking, shivering deeply from the cold, as were most of us.
I looked up to him, nodding weakly. I knew I needed to sleep, but it was the one thing that seemed to evade me these days. When sleep finally came it would haunt me, teasing me with memories and dreams that I couldn't bare to watch, often about Jack. I'd stopped even trying at this point, realising the torture was too much, having battled my pain for the other hours of the day already. During the day I threw myself into physical work, often being the first to tow down the ropes, ration the supplies, oil the lamps, anything I could do to keep myself busy and my mind off Jack.

Talking to Hector was my only true relief, and I think he knew it too. I felt him cast another glance at me as I looked away, probably for the fact I hadn't moved since his words. He sighed gently beside me.

"Yer a strong lass Ditty, Jack would be proud of yer," my head shot up looking at him. He never spoke of Jack to me, probably from knowing the pain it caused me. I'd never experienced a loss like this, despite loosing my parents many years ago, the ache I felt almost constantly was so different and so raw this time.

"What I'd give to take yer pain away Ditty," he said looking at me again. "'tis the greatest pain in life."
"Have you been in love before?" I asked him, suddenly feeling as if I was crossing a line. He sighed, looking away from me and back out to the waters below.
"Aye, once, a long time ago," his tone was different now, as if he was reminiscing in his head.
"What was her name?" I gently probed.
"Maggie, my Maggie," he said. His tone was pained and I instantly felt like tearing up again.
"Yer remind me a lot of 'er Ditty," he paused, "pretty young lass with a strong mind."
"She taught you about the stars didn't she?" His eyes whipped round in surprise and I knew that I was correct.
"The way you speak of the stars, it comes from a passion far greater than astrology," I said smiling. He hummed slightly, his eyes soft.
"What happened to her?" I asked hesitantly, not wanting to cross the line I felt I was teetering on.
"She died just after the first war on piracy," he said. I could tell there was more to the story that he was holding back but I didn't push him.
"I'm sorry Hector," I said, placing my hand on his shoulder.
"Aye," he shrugged gently and I quickly removed my hand as if he'd burnt me, not wanting to push this too far, before looking at my hand absently, as if I was gazing down at a burn. He then let out a little huff of laughter and I frowned in confusion. "Jack did the exact same thing when he found out."
"Jack knew her?"
"Aye, what where his words?" He asked himself, remembering a moment, "I was 'revoltingly entwined' with the girl'," he laughed and I couldn't help but snort at Jack's words.
"Ever the poet. It's no Iliad, but it sounds like him," I smiled warmly at the thought.
"Aye, never was much for romance was Jack, til a little Ditty came along o'course."
Hector turned to me, smiling and I smiled back.
"I thought that smile had been lost at sea." I huffed out another laugh, agreeing with him as I looked back out to the ice waters around us.