Port Royal, 2:29 p.m. on a cloudy Saturday afternoon.

Death Penalty was wrong. Whatever happened to a person's rights? Life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. With an emphasis on LIFE.

Layla, daughter of the new governor of Port Royal, had been permitted to watch the execution of forty-nine bloody pirates.

Her father wouldn't listen. Nobody listens to a ten year old girl.

She averted her eyes from the gruesome ritual.

Then they began to sing.

It had only occurred once before in history; about eleven years ago. Just before the legendary Davy Jones was murdered. Everyone knew of the tale.

But it couldn't be that Jack Sparrow again.

Could it?

The tall man on the pedestal finished the reading of the rights.

Forty-nine pirates; young and old, men and women, lost their lives.

The Island, 2:29 p.m. on a bright Saturday afternoon; Ten years later.

"Jenna! Where are you? Father will be here soon!" Twenty-year-old James called for his sister.

"I'm over here! Hang on a second!" Jenna, ten, replied.

Emily, Jenna's twin, ran towards her identical sister. She thrust some flowers at Jenna, who lost balance and fell backwards. "Quick! It'll be any minute now!"

James and Emily sprinted towards the Seeing Cliff. Then they saw the bright green flash.

Jenna caught up with them a second too late.

"You missed it!" James placed a hand on his younger sister's shoulder. "Oh well, you'll probably see it when he leaves tomorrow. Wait until you meet Father! He's incredible!" James flashed his siblings a smile that could win over any girl, then hurried off to see his 'incredible' father.

The two sisters quickly glanced at each other before scurrying after their brother.

Port Royal, 3:00 p.m. on a sunny Sunday of the same year.

"Layla, my dear, are you alright?"

Layla's father hovered over her shivering body. She had fallen ungracefully into the cold ocean as she strained to see her fiancé on his ship, which was to arrive today at port. She could hardly wait. The last time she and her Jacky had been together was almost five years ago.

A simple 'yes' was all she could manage at that point, though. Her whole body was trembling from the shock of the chilling salty waters.

"And 'ere they are, Mister Governor! 'Ere be their sails!" That was Mister Gibbs, the local blacksmith. He was formerly a pirate, but only a select few knew that now.

"Mister Gibbs! Are they here now?" Layla asked excitedly. "Have they come? Is he here yet? Has he asked for me?"

Gibbs chuckled. "Settle yerself down, lass! I'm sure he be wantin' te see ye, just as well!"

Jacky was a tall, brown-headed man of twenty-three. He claimed to be named after the great pirate Jack Sparrow, though Layla knew that he had been named after his fat and pimpled uncle for lack of a better name. She squinted in the intense sunlight, and she could just make out his form. She smiled.

But as the great ship sailed closer, Layla spotted a woman on board, a bit younger than herself. Layla's smile turned upside-down.

She scowled and stomped. "Who is she?" Layla yelled to Jacky. She ran off, eyes watering, not waiting for an answer.

He called her, but she kept on running until she had made it into the comfort and safety of her own room.

The Island, 5:00 on Sunday of the same year.

Jenna watched this time, watched as her father's great ship disappeared in a bright green flash on the horizon. Her violet eyes flashed in the brilliant glow.

"Isn't it wonderful?" Emily whispered in awe. And it was wonderful, indeed.

James was not with them at the Seeing Cliff this time. He was talking to their mother in the cottage. Their mother did not seem happy.

Jenna focused intently on the spot where the vessel had disappeared on the horizon. But she saw no more of her father's ship.

Just then, James strolled up towards the pair of girls.

"I'm setting sail. Would you like to come with?"

Port Royal, 4:00 on Monday of the same year.

Layla was combing her waist-length orange hair when she heard a soft knock on her door.

It was Jacky.

"Jacky! What were you doing with her!"

"Layla, you don't understand..." Jacky began, but Layla cut him off.

"I do understand, and I would very much appreciate if you did not lie to me. I saw the girl, and I am over you, so please do go away." Layla sniffled.

"And I would very much appreciate if you didn't interrupt me." Layla blushed, but he continued. "That girl that you saw was my sister. I told you that I was going away on an important errand, and that was to find my beloved sister, who had run away at just ten. But, seeing as you are 'over' me, I will leave you and your weeping to yourself."

And he left the room.

Jacky's harsh words stung Layla, and she flopped down on her bed and wept.

She woke up at dawn. She remembered Jacky's unkind words. She decided that Jacky was not worth keeping.

The Island, 2:00 on a sunny Monday of the same year.

Elizabeth Turner was not happy with her son's decision to leave the island. But he had talked it over with his mother and she had reluctantly agreed to let him go. After all, both of his parents had been pirates.

This talk of taking the girls with him was not acceptable, though.

"James!" She ran to the Seeing Cliff. "Your sisters are not going with you!"

"Mum, why not? We'd love to go and we wouldn't be any trouble!" The girls begged.

"No! You don't know how dangerous it is out there! There are pirates, and..."

James interrupted. "Mother, please. You were a pirate yourself!"

Elizabeth scowled. "Well, there are bad pirates out there!"

"No, Mum," James stopped her. "Pirates are all the same. And the girls really want to come with!"

"No, James! They're only ten!"

"Mum..."

"I won't have my young girls off pirating! Especially not when they're this young!"

"Later, then?" Emily intervened.

James sighed. "Mother, how about this: I go, and come back in a few years, take the girls with me. I'll have a crew and a better boat by then, and they'll be safe with me."

"Father says the dresses are grand in Port Royal!" Jenna said, smiling her most winning smile.

Elizabeth sighed in defeat. It was bound to happen sooner or later; it was in their blood. She held James' chin. "Fine. When they are older. And you'll take care of yourself until then, James. Be good, and follow your dreams. But don't go bad on us."

He smiled. "I will." James replied, thrusting his chest out, hoping to look brave.

Jenna didn't think he looked too brave, though. She and Emily later agreed that he had looked like a proud rooster.