The Garden of Gold

"That's what I saw." The tall, troll like man said. His face warped into a horrid and blood curdling grimace

"so the prophecy?"

"You shall meet your demise at the hands of a man who will fall in love with a woman worth gold. She will be a woman who you must kill to change your destiny."

"When will this happen, quartermaster?"

"It will take place in the summer within a fortnight, captain."

"Within a fortnight you say? That could be a problem."

"But it is not a problem that cannot be unravelled. Can it now quartermaster?" The near angelic beauty spoke, her voice that sounded like many voices speaking in harmony. She was Latin with pale tan skin that shifted in and out of focus, Black hair that gleamed like the feathers of a raven, hazel eyes that glistened like gems, plush lips like rose petals, petite but beautiful.

"That be right, lady Siltavia"

"And I know a way that will put a stopper in this prophecy and give you eternal life while you're at it, captain."

"And what is that, dear Siltavia?"

"An apple from the tree of everlasting life, one bite and the prophecy is broken."

"It sounds too good to be true, my dear."

"That it might, the tree of everlasting life grows only in one place. Legends call it many things, the earth-bound Eden, the radiant paradise; but as I recall the name is the Golden Garden."

"No, captain we cannot go there, the dangers of even being near it are impossible."

"Find your courage man; if this be the only way, I think we should listen to the lady of the ship."

"Thank you captain, we must catch the Sparrow before he leaves the British Isles, because he is the only one who has the map that will lead us there; and if he has lost it he has probably gone there already. He will guide an expedition to the garden.

"Is there anything else?"

"We will need that woman worth gold."

"But the captain must kill her for his own life."

"Destiny, you said destiny; I am looking for a way to save our captain's life. You attend to the fates and the rest of the crew matter, of soul and mind is my repertoire, we should all stick to our posts." She said with just a hint of mockery.

The captain watched the two, the large burley quartermaster in comparison to the petite Siltavia. The quartermaster would stand more of a chance with sharks than precious Siltavia and not by Captain Black Beard's own doing.

"She be right, every man to his or her post, I have other matters to attend to." Siltavia gave a small bow and evaporated into a silky black mist that sunk into the floor boards. The quarter master walked out of the captain's cabin and looked down at the deck and at the sea around them, silence with the occasional scuffling. The gentle lapping of the ocean waves and the moon peering from behind a veil of clouds, the night sky studded with sapphire stars.

If we follow Siltavia's lead we will all be as sure as dead. He thought to himself and went down the stairs.

"Across the wind and tide,

The glittering ocean-wide

That has sent my bonny

Dear, my love be true and

Sincere.

If my darling, be far or near

Carry him to me I promise

The, my love is as broad

As the open sea."

Wake me up!

Philip woke up with a start; he had broken into a cold sweat and with this bone chilling wind, it didn't make standing so high up any easier, being tied to the top of the mast was the last place he expected to be, but the Lord had delivered him from death. There is always a purpose to everything, that is how we see the Lords hand at work, everything happens for a reason. How long had it been since the Herald Nightingale had sunk? Days, weeks he couldn't tell anymore, he had lost track of the time; but there was one thing he had heard when he was held captive, the garden of gold? He looked down at all the men, they were steering towards damnation and they had no clue. No one would listen to him when he protested so all he could do was pray for them, that the Lord would be redeemed their souls and pardon their sins at the day of judgement. They were all afraid of their captain Black Beard, until the mutiny; they had begun to question whether they were really on Black Beard's ship. But he had revealed himself, after days of hiding in his hole like a snake. His very presence radiated evil, an evil made from the dark forces that rest within the very ship itself, two of the older men had collapsed from over exhaustion and passed out; minutes after the pained rest their bodies seemed to lose colour and their skin and shape seemed to fall down upon itself, their faces and their backs seemed to sink into the very deck. They were being swallowed into the wood as if it were quicksand, Black Beard warned them that the ship fed on death, even the most liveliness of it would awaken its hunger, he said it as if he was boasting and somehow the strange Belle that lived on the ship as the first mate was a part of it. Philip couldn't be sure if she was just one of them or if she was just a witch that would lend him the power he wielded to terrify his crew. As a punishment for their mutiny he put a spell on them to do their jobs continuously without stop even against their own will; they couldn't rest or take a break all they could do was work; and they worked for hours, someone's fingers actually bled. There was one man who the Captain let go, if memory served him right, the pirate's name was Jack Sparrow.

"Jack Sparrow."

"I believe there's supposed to be a captain in there."

"Jack I have heard tell that you have the map to the Garden…"

"Not likely, I'm not a homely man…"

"The Garden of Gold; and that you've been there." Captain Black Beard and Jack Sparrow were in the Captain's cabin, Jack's hands were chained to a large silver rod in the centre of the room, even as he stood there talking to the pirate that would put all men to fear; he wondered why a large silver pole would be built into the middle of the room.

"Don't put your mind to it Sparrow, the reason is beyond you and I. Now answer this question, do you know of someone else that has a copy of the map?"

"Why do you need to get to the Garden, why is the great Black Beard so desperate for eternal life"

"Don't antagonise me Sparrow; you have no claim to ask any questions. But maybe if I told you, you'll understand why I will do anything to take a bite of the golden apples; and I mean anything. The quartermaster has the ability to foresee the future and he has foreseen my death within a fortnight; and so fate has spoken…Do you believe in fate, Jack Sparrow?"

"I'm ready to believe in anything if you don't kill me."

Black Beard gave a deep laugh and looked attentively at something on his desk.

"I don't like to repeat myself, have you the map that will lead me to the Garden of Gold? Or does anyone else have it"

"Honestly, I don't have the map and I don't know how to get to the island; I'm sure that I had the only map that has made it back from the island of Siron. And I have no want for the Garden, so you can drop me off at any port."

"He's lying."

"Don't lie to me Sparrow, do you know where Siron is!?" Jack looked around him and back at the Captain just as a searing pain pierced him like a hot knife through butter. Black Beard held a cross made from a thick dried vine with symbols carved into it, there were thorns, a small bag tied to the cross and in his hand with a pin driven into the centre of it. The pin was extracted and the pain was gone, the Captain gave a satisfied smile.

"Can you take me there and I want a proper answer Jack, or I'll drive this pin into the voodoo charm, right where your head is at." For emphasis, he needled it slowly into the top of the charm, Jack clutched on to his head as the pain cut into it.

"I know where it is"

"Be it true Siltavia."

"Ay, that it be Captain; remember what we discussed?"

"Oh yes, Sparrow, you will lead the expedition and take part in the ritual."

"And take part in the ritual, what ritual?"

"Is he lying Siltavia, or is he not aware of the ritual?"

"He does know where Siron is, but he has never been in the Garden. He knows that we need Ponstillion's locket, but he doesn't know what for. In actual fact, he knows the ritual, but he isn't aware that he's known it for a very long time"

"So you know of someone who has already eaten the apples; and you haven't told us? Have you been keeping secrets from me Jack, remember my promise of the pin and the charm; it still stands."

"I don't know what, he or she, or it is talking about. Who is else is talking." Jack said looking behind him, when he turned back he saw a beautiful woman younger than Black Beard, so why she would be standing so close to him made no sense.

"I am talking; and I am not an "it", I am Siltavia. The spirit of the Queen Anne's Revenge and I do not take likely to those who speak ill of me." She said, and smoke swirled from her mouth as she spoke, eyes black as night and irises as red as a rose.

"I am the source of Black Beard's power, I am the life of the ship and I will make you cooperate if you don't do so willingly."

"Come, come my sweet heart, Jack will lead us to the island, won't you Jack. Or let met put it to you this way, if you don't take me to the Garden, You might not make it on the way back to the ship.

A fog like smoke poured out of the woman's mouth filling the room, stinging Jack's eyes, he had to close them and lie down on the ground so he wouldn't inhale the worst of the smoke. The stench of burning wood and ash was gone, he opened his eyes and he was lying in his sling bed; as if it was only a dream, he coughed and smoke came out as well. If this was only the beginning, Jack wouldn't want to be a part of the expedition.

"Across the wind and tide,

The glittering ocean-wide

That has sent my bonny

Dear, my love be true and

Sincere.

If my darling, be far or near

Carry him to me I promise

The, my love is as broad

As the open sea."

Wake me up!