The Cave of Serpentara
A/N: Well…here's my first attempt at a Pirates of the Caribbean fanfic. Don't be too harsh on me, but I hope that you like it. Enjoy!!
Was it night or day? She had been in the small compartment for so long she couldn't distinguish. The tiny patch of light that came through the crack that she used as a door was lit by both sun and moon. It had been so long since she'd breathed fresh air. Had it only been four days? She ship tossed in the swells of the waves dangerously. Since it had left port The Swift Cannon ship had encountered storm after storm…or so Felicia Adams thought as she fought to keep the contents of her stomach in. Was it a storm? Or was this kind of swaying on a ship natural? It sure didn't feel natural. She had been hiding in this tiny compartment (that she could barely stretch out her five feet and eight inch frame) next to the main deck of The Swift Cannon ever since they had left England.
Her eyes surveyed the constant dark that had been her only companion for…four days? …now. She had stowed away with more then enough food (half of which she'd been too sick to touch since she'd been on the ship) to last the two week long trip. She had sneaked onto the ship in literally the dead of night before they had left port. She was bound for Port Royal, to gain an inheritance that her grandmother had left her ten years earlier when she had died. It had been ten years before she could claim her inheritance, because her grandmother knew how devious and greedy Felicia's two brothers were, and had taken precautions that only Felicia knew about. And so…here she was. She had no money to make passage to Port Royal, because her brothers gave her only a strict allowance. They never let her spend (even her own money) on anything they didn't deem important. She'd left a very poor life because of them, not even able to buy new clothes when she needed them. That's why she had to sneak onto the ship. She had no other way to get to Port Royal. So…here she was.
Laying her head on the bag of boys clothes she'd stolen, Felicia's thoughts drifted. She ran a hand through her short blonde hair, that she had clipped especially for the trip. Though it was a bit uneven, it looked cute in its disheveled ness. She knew that she should eat something to retain her strength, but the thought of food sickened her. Just then the ship pitched again, and she started retching. Once she'd emptied her stomach she felt better, but the compartment stunk something awful.
Breathing through her mouth, she could ignore the smell easier. Just as Felicia was drifting off to sleep, she heard the first unmistakable sound of cannon fire. She bolted straight up. The ship was under attack!
* * *
Captain Jack Sparrow swaggered along the upper deck of The Black Pearl. He had to shout over the explosions of cannon fire as he delivered orders to his crew…but he didn't mind one bit. This was what he lived for. "Remember, once we get close enough, we tall all prisoners alive!" He smiled mischievously, and murmured more to himself then to the benefit of his crew. I'm sure they'll appreciate a nice cold dip in the Caribbean!" Jack looked around at the ordered chaos that surrounded his beloved ship. As he scanned his crew doing exactly as he ordered, his eyes fell upon Will Turner, and a brief feeling of despair on his friend's behalf filled him. It wasn't because Will was trying very unsuccessfully to help prepare the ship to conquer the merchant ship. That was laughable. Will was definitely a pirate in training. It was because the last six months had been exceptionally hard on the boy.
It had started when Jack had escaped back to The Black Pearl, and sailed into the sunset with his ship and crew, and a song in his heart. (Literally, that very day he taught his crew his favorite Pirate song) Will had plans to marry his lass Elizabeth (Who Jack agreed was bonny indeed. If he had had just a little longer on that island…) It had taken Jack a while to pry the truth from Will.
From what Jack could discern, things had been perfect between Will and Elizabeth…for about a week. They dined, they dated, they had a grand old time. Then that old Commodore…Norrington…had implanted feelings of doubt into Elizabeth's father Governor Swann, about her daughter marrying a pirate!
Her father always listened to what Norrington said, and whisked Elizabeth away to Paris. Will had been hell bend on rescuing her, and eloping right away. He would have searched to the ends of the earth for his love. He was hot on her trail in Paris, he felt if he could just turn the corner he would find her waiting for him, when a private messenger appeared from nowhere handed him a note on the street, and disappeared into the shadows where he had come from.
Will reluctantly opened the envelope to read (to his utter dismay) a letter written in Elizabeth's own hand stating that she didn't wish to be with a pirate anymore, and for him to stop chasing her everywhere she went. Will was heartbroken, he left Paris immediately. He had no way of knowing that Norrington had forced her to write the letter on threat of Will's death as a pirate. When Jack had escaped Norrington had thought he could live without Elizabeth's love, but found he was wrong.
Will had reread the letter a million times on his way back home. But it was always the same, heartbroken he returned to his work. After a week he decided that he couldn't stand being in this town with so many memories of his love. Everyone was so confident that he was a pirate; he was going to prove them right. He went off in search of Jack Sparrow, and The Black Pearl. After over a dozen seaport towns, and no luck in finding him Will was ready to give up. He went to a tavern, and for once in his life, drowned his sorrows.
This was how Jack found him that very night by accident. The Black Pearl had docked, and was taking on provisions to leave in two days hence. Jack barely recognized him for the broken man he was. Jack gladly brought his friend onto his ship, and the friendship between the two men and never been stronger. The blood of the pirate his father had been, overtook Will, and he had been sailing on Jack's ship ever since. Will didn't know it, but Jack was determined to change that soft puppy dog look in Will's eyes, to one of a hardened pirate. Well…it was worth a shot anyway.
Jack blinked away the sudden memory, and came back to the present with a jolt. He actually jumped a bit as another cannon exploded, and then he remembered fully where he was. He nodded to Will, who had also been in his own personal reverie. Will began to organize the men around him for the scavenging of the ship next to theirs. Jack grinned, and looked back to the ship they were about to plunder. "Yo-ho." He murmured, and then sprang into action.
* * *
Felicia jumped as she heard pounding, and thumping all around her on the deck outside of her compartment, as the battle raged. Clutching the silver cross with the amethystine stone in the middle, she muttered a prayer for safety.
* * *
"Jack!" Will called out from across the deck they were securing. Every man top deck was tied up, and escorted to the Black Pearl's brig. The deck was surprisingly quiet now that there was hardly a scuffle on deck. Other crew members were already loading the booty from The Swift Cannon to The Black Pearl. Their attempt at defense had been laughable. You have to love merchant ships!
"That's Captain Jack!" Jack called over his shoulder, back to Will as he sifted through a trunk that had fallen open on deck that someone had dropped.
Will rolled his eyes, and suppressed a smile. "Captain Jack!" He mockingly saluted. Jack still had his back turned, and hadn't noticed. "The top deck is secure. The crew is, as we speak, cleaning out the food supply, and treasures below that were to be sold when docked." He paused. "This will keep us stocked for months!" He said excitedly.
Will disappeared into a storage room behind him, and Jack smiled broadly to himself. That boy was going to become quite a pirate…even if Jack had to drag him kicking and screaming. If Jack wasn't careful Will would sprint on right past him. After a few moments, he found nothing in the trunk interested him, he signaled someone from his crew to carry it aboard his ship. Jack looked around the ship. It was almost eerily quiet now. Practically all of the cargo had switched hands, and the crew was safely in the brig to be deposited in the sea…with a couple of life boats of course. Jack wasn't a total devil. They'd survive long enough for someone to pick them up, and they could recount the tail of Jack Sparrow!
Jack was just walking toward the stairs that would lead below deck, but something made him stop. To the far right of the stairs, hidden in shadow, there was a small indention, then a gap in the wood. There was a scrap of wood about three feet tall, and three feet wide. There was enough of a gap in between the deck and this stray piece of wood to realize that there was a compartment there. Scanning his memory he came up with a plausible explanation. Sometimes for companionship the crew of an ocean going vessel would bring a dog or other small animal aboard the ship. Jack never had, because he detested dogs. All slobber and stray fur they were. Coming closer he realized that the compartment was the right size.
Reluctantly Jack decided that if there was a dog in that compartment, he couldn't leave him to starve. Unfortunately he'd have to take him aboard The Black Pearl. That thought was not appealing to Jack. Squatting down beside the opening to the compartment, he gently pushed on the opening…it didn't budge. He scowled at the piece of wood that was used as a door, then sank to his knees and pressed harder. Nothing.
"Bloody wood." Jack muttered. He dug his nails into the wood and pulled. He flew back on his butt as the wood flew open immediately, exposing the compartment. He had been trying to open it the wrong way. Jack rolled his eyes, and disgustedly threw the wood over his shoulder and crept forward toward the compartment, whistling softly hoping to entice the animal out.
* * *
Felicia's eyes went wide when she heard someone right outside her hiding place. She held her breath hoping the person would leave. There was silence for a moment, for she thought her wish had come true. Then it sounded as if someone was pounding on the wood that served as her door. She looked around frantically wondering what to do. After a few unsuccessful tries, Felicia smiled smugly to herself as the intruder couldn't get in. Then her eyes flew open wide as her compartment was flooded with light. She blinked rapidly. They had found her! Though it took her a second to be able to see anything, she vowed she was not going down without a fight. If she flung herself at whoever was out there, she could catch them entirely off guard!
Gathering her wits, she saw a shadow outside creeping closer, and someone was…whistling? What did they think she was…a dog?! Then she leaped out the hole as best as she could (it being only a three foot opening) nails extended to draw blood. She also had a pistol hidden in her boot, but she had completely forgotten about that as she attacked her finder.
Jack was caught completely off guard as he saw not a dog, but a person leap out at him! "Hey—wha—!" Jack managed as one nail scratched his arm, drawing blood that immediately began to ooze. "Easy!" He yelled, as he discovered that it was a woman dressed as man…who had literally thrown herself at him. He'd have to contemplate how he managed that one later. He grabbed her wrists as her nails went for his throat. "Easy, luv."
"Jack!" He heard Will call out from somewhere behind him, as he used a small amount of strength to contain to the woman in front of him. "Look what I found!" Will said excitedly, totally missing his friend practically getting his eyes scratched out.
"It's Captain!" Jack growled, and rolled his eyes. Was Captain so hard to remember?! "And I'm a little bit busy as the moment." It was at that moment, that his eyes happen to trail down from her face, and resting around her neck was a silver cross. The stone was winking in the sun, tempting him to try and take it from her. "My God." He murmered suddenly lost in thought. Somehow, right away he knew where that had come from…but that place was a myth! The cave of Serpentara didn't exist…did it?
"Captain Jack!" Will yelled. "Look!" He was ignored for a moment as Jack recalled the legend and the prophecy that went with it.
Felicia saw the man's eyes glaze over, and felt his grip on her wrists slacken. Now was her chance to escape!! She jerked her arms from his hands roughly, and kicked his shin as hard as she could (though she was aiming at his groin), he released her. Just as she was about to run, and had even gotten a few feet, Jack came to his senses, and made a grab for her but missed. "Jack!" He glanced to Will, for once not noticing he left off the 'captain' part. Will tossed him a pistol to stop his captive. Jack nodded his thanks at Will, came up behind Felicia who was stumbling away (she was weak from lack of food, and disoriented from the brightness of the sun). Jack easily caught up to her, and knocked her unconscious with the butt of his pistol. He quickly grabbed her crumpled body by the shoulders and swung her over his right shoulder.
Finally gaining his composure, Jack turned back to Will. "Now…do you want to tell me what was damn important?"
Will held up something squirming in his arms. It was a young cocker spaniel puppy that Will held closely. Jack grimaced at the dog, thinking all slobber and stray fur. But he tried to hide his disdain, as he smiled wrly at Will and shook his head, heading back to the ship. Will had to be the oddest Pirate Jack had ever known.
A/N: Well peeps, that's what I got. Ya like? Ya hate? Ya plead the fifth? Please let me know, I plan to write more, and I'd appreciate feedback!! =) Thanx!