Pirates of the Caribbean: A Heartless Treasure
By: Jesteria Dapper
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the POTC characters or related indicia. But you already knew that, right?
Summary: "Not all treasure is sugar and gold, mate," quoted Jack Sparrow. He was right, especially when Brianthia came along….
Chapter 1- The Dock of Fools
A soft breeze whispered to the sailors in Greenstead's Pub. An open window admitted the breeze, the rusty hinges squeaking at its presence. For some, it sent shivers scampering up their spines. For others, it was a sign that the festivities of the evening were drawing to a close. A candle flame near the window began to dance wildly in excitement. Several flies circled around the heads of the drunken sailors, sipping the salty sweat that had developed.
Tortuga was brilliantly lit tonight. It may have been because every sailor in town had found a "bonny lass" to accompany them about. It may also have been because the full moon's gaze covered the town in an eerie white light. The ships stationed at the dock rocked back and forth with the steady tide. A lighthouse on the other side of the island sent out a soft light that seemed miles away. A bell began to ring off in the distance, but was quickly silenced. But none of this mattered to the drunken sailors inside Greenstead's Pub (except for having their "bonny lasses" at their sides). To them, it was an ordinary night that would soon turn into an ordinary morning.
Had any of the sailors cared to observe the approaching ship called Hummingbird, they might have stopped and scratched their heads. On the other hand, uncommon ships weren't so uncommon in Tortuga. Most recently, Jack Sparrow had showed up with a lad called Will Turner. They had sought to find Gibbs, one of the bartenders at Greenstead's Pub. Everyone knew Gibbs would be gone for quite a long time, since he brought his hip flask with him on his journey and blew out Bartley's Candle before he left. Gibbs was the only one on the whole island who could tell when danger was near. The sailors could have really used him on a night like tonight.
The Hummingbird slowly entered the dock, blending in well with the rest of the ships. The only difference was the black pirate flag on top of the ship with a skull and crossbones. But no one in Tortuga ever cared about pirates; half of the "sailors" at Tortuga were pirates. The founder of Tortuga was indeed a pirate.
An anchor was thrown over the side of the ship. It thudded to a halt right in front of the pier. A shadowy figure silently jumped over the side of the ship and onto the dock. Long, black hair flipped over the figure's shoulder as five more figures jumped onto the dock. They sniffed the air cautiously, then looked towards their leader.
"Move," said the dark voice in a deep whisper. The figures glided along the dock towards Greenstead's Pub, drawing swords and pistols of an equal darkness. They were almost invisible….
"Well, Al, I'll be seein' ye in the morn," said a drunken pirate loudly inside Greenstead's Pub.
"Ay, as ye will," replied Al, one of the bartenders inside the pub.
"Tis an evening of beauty," said Rusty Bill, stepping out into the moonlight. "I just wish my bonny lass could have stayed for a few more drinks." He then fell flat on his face, slipping off into a deep, uncharted sleep.
"Lights out fer him," said Scurvy Tim with a chuckle.
There was a sudden rustle in the bushes.
"What was that?" said Scurvy suddenly. He was one of the only sailors that remained sober throughout the evening. Slowly inching towards the dark bush, he gulped and said a silent prayer. For in Tortuga, a mysterious noise from a mysterious bush most likely led to mysterious surprises.
"Boozie!" shouted a voice suddenly. Scurvy jumped about three feet into the air, landing on his back. His vision went in and out of focus, but soon a very sober Jack Sparrow came into view. "Hello, mate!"
"Oooh, Sparrow," said Scurvy. "I'm gonna damn you to the depths."
"I'm sure of it," said Sparrow with a small smile. He offered a hand, but Scurvy, who was still a bit shaky, refused it and stood up on his own.
"It's not nice to scare people in the dark, mate!"
"Who's scared?" replied Jack. "Certainly not me! No sirree, my jollies are still dry, thanks."
Scurvy cringed and slowly looked down. His "jollies" were a bit moist. His fists clenched, his eyes once again meeting Sparrow's gaze.
"Yer despicable," he growled.
"Where have I heard that before?" Sparrow questioned. Then the image of an innocent English girl came into view. Oh yes, he thought….
"So what are ye doin here?" asked Scurvy with no apparent interest.
"My ship just docked, and I thought I'd stop and say 'hi.' HI!" he grabbed Scurvy's cheeks and pulled them hard. Then he ran into the pub.
"Sparrow!" Scurvy shouted in anger. Rubbing his cheeks, he turned to leave.
A sword flew out of nowhere, landing in the square of Scurvy's back. He stopped, wincing in pain, and looking down, saw the tip of the blade poked out through his stomach. Blood poured out of his mouth as he fell to his death.
"Onward," a voice whispered in the darkness. The shadows inched towards the pub. Several climbed noiselessly onto the roof. There were many sailors still in the pub. The ones that had so suddenly left were taken care of. The leader of the shadows made sure of that.
All at once, the candles inside the pub went out. There was some nervous laughter and pathetic sobs as both sober and drunk sailor-pirates wondered what had happened. Jack Sparrow stood in a corner of the pub, putting down his pint, watching closely. His hand grasped the smooth metal handle of his sword. He was ready if a fight broke out.
The door to the pub opened with a smooth squeaking sound. A cool breeze filled the pub as a figure came into sight. Several of the men in the front of the pub whistled.
"Hello, boys," said the soft voice of a woman……