Chapter One: A Miniature

Trinity Turner was romping about the gardens behind her grandfather's mansion. She loved the gardens, especially in summer when everything was blooming and fragrant in the way that only the Caribbean can be at that time of year. Her grandfather, old and quite grey though still an able governor of Port Royal, sat beneath an umbrella, sipping his tea in a dignified manner and watching in exasperation as Trinity ploughed through bushes and shrubbery, pretending to be a pirate.
"Trinity, really!" Governor Swann cried when she nearly hit him in the face with her "sword"-a long stick she'd found beneath a tree. "Come and sit down, now; your tea's been long cold. Your mother will be appalled when she and your father return. You've become a right ruffian."
"Nay, grandfather!" ten-year-old Trinity cried. "A pirate!" She swung her stick around once more before plopping indecently onto the bench next to her grandfather and slurping her tea loudly.
Governor Swann sighed. His only granddaughter had long passed the days of playing and was swiftly approaching days of sitting, sewing, and being idle, like any aristocratic female. His daughter, Elizabeth, had never enjoyed such activities, but she had encouraged them for her daughter, so that she might be well received in society. Trinity's father, Will, had finished his apprenticeship at Brown's shop and had opened his own blacksmith's shop, specializing in the most beautiful swords in the Caribbean. He had quickly become the most sought-after blacksmith in the town and then the Caribbean; his swords were demanded for any naval promotion ceremony and even by pirates-whom he traded with only if they happened to drop a certain name.
As it were, Will and Elizabeth were taking a holiday to England, which neither of them had seen in almost twenty years. They had left Trinity with her grandfather for the months they would be gone, wanting to take a second honeymoon of sorts.
And over the two months they had been gone so far, Trinity had run wild. She had entered the Governor's mansion somewhat dignified, but now she neglected everything her mother had taught her. She ran rampant and wild, and though the servants found her amusing and spoiled her behind the Governor's back, her grandfather found it less than amusing. Her obsession with pirates was a bit too like Elizabeth's at the same age. It never helped that the child was the spitting image of her mother, though with some slight differences. Her eyes, for one, were completely her father's, as was the stubborn set of her jaw. Anyone could look at Trinity and see Elizabeth, but it took someone who knew the both of them to look at her and see Will shining out of her eyes.
It was as the Governor was reflecting on his grandchild's behavior that one of the servants approached. "Commodore Norrington to see you, sir."
Governor Swann started. "Bring him hither," he said with a wave of his hand, and the servant disappeared. "Dear child, the Commodore has come; do make yourself proper."
Trinity sighed heavily and smoothed the wrinkles and crumbs from her gown. She sat up straight and kept her chin down but her eyes up as she demurely sipped her tea. The Commodore's footsteps could be heard on the garden path.
"Governor," Norrington greeted him with a bow. "Miss Turner." He bowed to her in turn, a slight pang ringing through in his voice. His eyes brimmed with grief whenever he looked upon this happy child who so resembled her mother; she could have been his own daughter.
"Commodore," the governor replied. "What news?" In recent weeks, the pirate threat in the Caribbean had become more pronounced than ever. Daring ships were taking on navy vessels without a sign of fear or remorse. Commodore Norrington had become instrumental in cleaning out the seas, and so it was he who was appointed to keep Port Royal and the surrounding settlements as safe as possible.
"A small fleet ten leagues to the north, sir," Norrington replied. "We've sent two ships out to welcome them. Reports should be in just after nightfall."
"Very well," Swann said. "Excellent. Tea?"
"No, thank you, Governor. I'll be on my way. Good day to you, and to Miss Turner." He bowed again and exited the grounds as quickly as he had come.
"Grandfather, is it a pirate fleet the Commodore was talking about?" inquired Trinity, her eyes sparkling.
"Yes; and they'll be no more by the morning," her grandfather replied. "Let that stick in your mind, Trinity: this is was a pirate deserves. Now, on inside; the sun is beginning to set."
Trinity was oddly solemn throughout the remainder of the evening. She ate in silence and went to her bedchamber early. As she lay beneath the velvet canopy of her bed, she pondered the words her grandfather had spoken. Did pirates really deserve to be cornered and killed? Did anyone deserve that? She fell asleep, still musing over the warning the Governor had given her.
Trinity awoke in the middle of the night to an incredibly loud booming noise. She sat bolt upright and was in the middle of pulling back her curtains when one of the maids, a young lass of about seventeen named Cora, burst into the room.
"Miss Turner!" she shrieked. "You must come at once; the Governor's ordered you brought to the fort! Pirates have come to Port Royal!"
"Pirates!" Trinity breathed as Cora threw a dressing gown around Trinity's shoulders and hauled her down the stairs. The other servants were madly racing out the doors.
"Where's my grandfather?" Trinity protested. "Why can't I go with him?"
"He's assisting the Commodore, Miss," Cora replied, pulling Trinity out of the doors and down the long path to the gate. "He ordered your removal to the fort just before he left. Come now, Miss, don't be frightened; we must get along!"
"I'm not frightened!" Trinity cried. "Let me loose, Cora! I can walk on my own!"
Cora dropped Trinity's hand. "Make haste, Miss! There's three ships, now, and one's been docked nigh an hour! We're to go by the back alleys; pirates and ruffians all about the main streets. Here we are; follow closely, Miss!"
"What happened to the ships Commodore Norrington sent out this afternoon?" Trinity asked as she trotted along behind Cora, amazed at how cool the girl seemed during an attack of such magnitude.
"All sunk, Miss," Cora replied, peeking around the corner of a building and leading Trinity forward. "The ruffians' ships were much faster; they blew the ships to the wind and kept on coming. There! Just two more streets and we've made it!"
"How do you know all this?" Trinity asked as they rounded the next corner.
"Because she's my girl, ain't ye, lass?" came a rough voice from the shadows of the alleyway. Trinity whirled around and was immediately caught by a pair of rough hands. A hand was clapped over her mouth before she ever realized what was happening.
"All's going well?" Trinity heard Cora ask one of the men who had popped out of the shadows.
"Like a dream, love," replied a very drunken voice. "Bill's got it right, 'avin' you 'ere for us."
"Now! Shut it 'fore this lass 'ears too much!" came the voice of "Bill", the man who was holding Trinity.
The pirate-for Trinity guessed that's what they were-leaned down and looked at her. "Guv'nor's grand-kid, i' she?"
"Aye," Cora replied, but her voice was different. Trinity's eyes grew wide as the conversation finally sank in; Cora was not a kindly maid-she was a pirate, or a pirate's wife or.whatever it was, she was associated with these men, and she had led Trinity to them.
"I'll be back for ye when we've the ransom," Bill said. "Mind ye keep well, Maria. Six months or less."
And with these last words, Bill pulled a rough sack over Trinity's head and the two men carried her swiftly through the town and onto their flagship, the Grim Lady. The figurehead was carved as a maiden, hooded and cloaked in the fashion of the Grim Reaper.
Trinity was dumped unceremoniously onto the deck and pulled out of the bags. She stood immediately and glared defiantly at her captors; she said not a word but glared evenly at the ring of pirates that encircled her, chin high and proud.
A tall, broad pirated sauntered down from the wheel and broke through the circle to take a look at Trinity. The captain. "Ah," said he. "I see ye've brought me bounty! What be yer name, girl?"
"Trinity Turner," Trinity replied coolly.
"A brave lass?" said the captain. She nodded. "Good. Take her below and dress 'er up. She'll be in my service. Welcome aboard the Grim Lady, Miss Turner."
And Trinity knew naught but blackness and cruelty as she was taken below.

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Trinity had been aboard the Grim Lady for three weeks. Captain Flynn had made her his personal servant-or slave, a more accurate description. He'd had her long curls chopped off to above her ears, dressed her like a boy, wrapped a bandanna around her head, and set her to work. Mostly, she stood still by his side as he steered the ship, or ran his errands. He barely spoke to her, but he did send an occasional kick her way when he was in a temper. She'd learned to stay away from him when he was drunk.
The crew ignored her. She was invisible to them, and she liked it that way. She had always wondered what it would be like to be a pirate, and now that she was living on a real pirate ship, she was beginning to long for her chamber in the Governor's house again. Pirates were not as exciting as she had hoped.
They were sailing around the coast of a small island on a fine, sun- soaked day when a cry came out from the lookout.
A large ship with black sails was fast approaching, their skull and crossbones waving in the wind.
"Load the cannons!" Captain Flynn bellowed. "Lower the anchor!" He caught sight of Trinity and gave her a swift kick in the shins. "Move, ye leech, or we'll load you into the cannons!"
Trinity scampered off to help load the guns on deck; iron balls were thrown into her tiny arms, and she thrust them into the cannons as quickly as she could.
The crew was not quick enough. The other ship was almost alongside them; it seemed amazing how quickly it moved. Trinity nearly fell off her feet as the ship spun around to face their adversary; the anchor had been lowered. A battle was inevitable.
The Lady fired first. Trinity had learned that Flynn was a rash captain, very aggressive. They had fired two cannons by the time the other ship had fired their first.
It was not a long battle, however. The other ship obviously had a much more skilled crew; they blew holes in the Lady until she was riding so low they had no chance to flee. Then came the ropes; the enemy crew was boarding.
Trinity cowered in a corner. She'd heard well the tales of how captives were treated. She kept herself hidden and watched the hand-to-hand combat rage on in the decks until Captain Flynn himself, who was being held at gunpoint by the enemy captain, a black-haired man with a swaggering walk, called for surrender.
The foreign pirates ceased battle at once, and the crew of the Grim Lady surrendered.
"What will ye do with me crew?" Flynn asked the opposing captain, who had allowed him to stand freely once his own crew had collected the others' weapons.
"That depends, mate," drawled this tan, swaggering pirate.
"On?" snarled Flynn.
"On what you've got to offer, savvy?" Trinity caught the glint of gold teeth as he smiled.
Flynn stiffened. "If you allow me and my crew to keep our ship and go on, yer crew can take the plunder we've just collected."
The other captain was now wandering about the deck, smiling and shaking hands with the enemy crew. They snarled and spat at him. He was so close to Trinity's hiding spot that she could see his face clearly, every gold tooth, every scar.
He paused. "What say ye?" he asked his crew.
"Aye, Cap'n!" they cried.
The opposing captain grinned. "We have an accord!" he cried. "Gibbs!" An older, graying man stepped forward. "See to the plunder; send the other lads over."
"Aye," the man called Gibbs replied, and he caught a rope and swung back over to his ship, calling for the rest of the crew to board and raid the Grim Lady.
This strange captain began exploring the deck of the ship. He neared the captain's cabin, Flynn watching him from behind the man who guarded him. Trinity trembled in fear; she was hidden behind the extension of the wall next to the cabin door.
The captain seemed to be examining the woodwork on the door. He ran his fingers over the molding, muttering to himself. After a moment, he straightened and made to move back to his men. Trinity breathed; she was free.
Not so, for the sound of her exhalation had caused him to glance in the direction of her hiding place, and upon seeing a pair of eyes staring back at him from the shadows, the captain gave a cry of alarm.
"What 'ave we 'ere?" he drawled, reaching in and pulling Trinity out by her arm in a surprisingly gentle fashion. She struggled against him only to show Flynn her loyalty to him and perhaps save herself another kick.
"Steady there, lad!" the pirate said, obviously thinking her a young boy, due to her garb. "I won't 'urt ye. Let's see, you, then."
And to her surprise, Trinity saw something of recognition his eyes when he studied her face. "Interesting," he mused to himself. "Captain Flynn," he cried, whirling about. "Where'd you pick up this lad?"
"None of your damn business, Sparrow," Flynn growled. "That child's mine by rights and you can't 'ave him."
"Your child, eh? Not some wretch you picked up in Tortuga and asked a pitiful ransom for, eh? Did you get it, mate?"
Captain Flynn sneered. "I'll not let ye bully me out of me cabin boy, Sparrow!"
Captain Sparrow looked surprised. "Listen 'ere, mate, I'm not trying to bully you out of anything. I'll let you keep a quarter of your plunder to pay for repairs if you'll give me this 'ere child. I could use a cabin boy, meself."
Trinity had remained silent through these proceedings, but she had had quite enough. "I'm not a boy!" she cried vehemently, ripping the hat from her head and stomping her foot at the man called Captain Sparrow. "I'm a girl, and I come from Port-"
Just then, Bill, the first mate whose mistress Maria had been known as Cora in the governor's house, stood suddenly and knocked the girl unconscious with his boot. He was pinned down by two of Jack Sparrow's crew, and Sparrow looked exceedingly put out.
"There was no need for that," he said irritably. "I'll be taking me new cabin.er.girl, now. Cotton!" Another crewmember stepped forward. "See that an eight of Captain Flynn's plunder is left aboard, and then tell the men to return to the Pearl." Cotton nodded and headed below decks.
"You said a fourth," Flynn growled.
Jack flashed his gold teeth at Flynn once more. "Yes, well, I'll be needing a bit more to tend to the damages on my newest crewmember. I hope you understand." He glanced at the men holding down Bill. "Bring the girl aboard, mates." He caught a rope and waved at Flynn as he swung back aboard his own ship, the Black Pearl.
Gibbs was standing on the starboard side of the deck watching the men bring the treasure aboard when he noticed two of the men bearing what looked like a young lad, unconscious and bleeding from a gash on the back of his head.
"Cap'n!" Gibbs cried, making his way to the helm, where Jack stood, also watching the proceedings. "Wha's that boy coming aboard for?"
"That's no boy, Gibbs," Jack said, grinning. "That girl there is an exact miniature of Elizabeth Turner. Don't tell me you've forgotten her, now?"
Gibbs stared awestruck as the unconscious form of Trinity Turner was brought on deck. "Miss Elizabeth?" he said. "'eard she married that blacksmith-'eard it in Tortuga, I did. But ne'r 'eard nothing about a kid. Are ye sure, Cap'n?"
"Have I ever been wrong before?" Jack asked, moving down to the deck where the crew had left Trinity lying on the wooden floor while they loaded up the plunder.
"AnaMaria!" Jack called when he saw the woman coming up from the hold. "Take this girl to my cabin and tend to her, will you, love?"
AnaMaria looked up sharply. "And what'll we be doin' with a lass aboard, Jack? The Pearl ain't no place for a girl."
"That's right, I'd forgotten we've never 'ad a woman on the Pearl," Jack said, and he received a smarting slap for it, too.
"Now, love, don't be hasty. Take 'er to the cabin and tell me when she's awake." He stood up and barked orders at the crew to raise the anchor and set sail, leaving the Grim Lady wounded and alone.
He had just taken the wheel again, sighing in relief after the little escapade, when AnaMaria approached him.
"What now?" he groaned.
"She's awake," AnaMaria snapped, and she turned on her heel and stalked back to Jack's cabin.
Jack left the wheel in Gibbs' hands and went directly to his cabin, where Trinity lay on the bed, her head bandaged, wrapped in a blanket. AnaMaria perched by her side, glaring at Jack as he entered.
"'ello, lass," Jack said, in what he hoped was a kindly voice. But he was far too curious to be kind.
"Where am I?" demanded Trinity, her eyes looking glazed.
"You're aboard the Black Pearl, the fastest ship in the Caribbean, love," Jack replied. He felt awkward towering over both the girl and AnaMaria, so he knelt and leaned on the table by the bed. AnaMaria glanced at him approvingly, for which he was grateful. Life was hell when she was on the warpath.
"Can you tell us your name, lass?" he asked.
Trinity stared at the ceiling of the cabin, thinking. What was her name? It came to her in a flash. "Trinity," she said triumphantly. "It's Trinity."
"Aye, that's good. Trini," AnaMaria said with a slightly smile. "Trini'll be easier for the crew."
"What about your last name?" Jack pressed. "Your parents' names? Where's your home? How did you come to live on the Grim Lady?"
But try as she might, Trinity could remember nothing. "I-I remember a big house," she said. "Gardens. Waking up to loud crashes in a big bed." Memories came in flashes, like pieces of a puzzle she could not solve. "Someone kicked me. A battle, a swordfight and then-" She paused and looked up at Jack's face. "Then this," she said, her voice trembling for the first time.
AnaMaria glanced sharply at Jack and nodded at the door. "That's good, lass," Jack said. "Good.have a rest, now, and AnaMaria'll come back for you."
They exited the cabin, closing the door softly behind them. "What are you thinking, Jack?" AnaMaria hissed. "We can't have a little girl on the ship! Are you out of your head?"
"No, love, I'm not," Jack said. "That child is the daughter of Will and Elizabeth Turner. There was a raid on Port Royal nigh three weeks ago, didn't you know?"
"I know, Jack!" AnaMaria cried, exasperated. "And the child remembers nothin'! How d'ye know she's a Turner?"
Jack grinned. "Did you look at her, love? Ain't she the spitting image of Elizabeth?"
AnaMaria crossed her arms and nodded grudgingly. "And what d'ye propose we do with her?"
Jack looked mildly surprised. "I expect Will and Elizabeth might want her back," he said.
The next thing he knew, the left side of his face was smarting again.

"Fool!" AnaMaria said. "The guard around Port Royal's impossible to get through without an entire fleet, and now that they've been attacked, it's going to be worse! We'll never make it in!"
"Aye," Jack said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. An idea came to him and he threw his hands up. "She can stay!" he cried. "Stay until we find a way to slip back into Port Royal, drop 'er off, and get back out! Maybe collect a bit of a reward, you know.for havin' brought 'er back. What say ye?"
"Jack, you don't know a damn thing about kids," AnaMaria argued. "How d'you expect to keep her for more than a week?"
Jack waved his hands dismissively. "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow!" he said. "She's a little girl, plays with dolls and such. I'll figure it out. Now, would you find 'er a place to sleep, because she can't live in my cabin forever."
AnaMaria restrained herself. There was no use arguing when Jack had got an idea fixed firmly in his head. She stalked off and headed below deck to arrange a suitable living space for Trinity.
Jack grinned and returned to the helm, dismissing Gibbs for the night. He took the wheel and breathed in the salty air. Nothing like the sea.