Chapter 1: Tortuga
Keira sat in the local bar on the island of Tortuga. In one hand, she held a hand of cards, in the other a flagon of ale. Her long brown hair, accented with streaks of blonde from the sun, lay tangled and wavy down her back. The dirty tunic she wore hid her slim curves. At her side sat a sword and a pistol in her lap, a sack of gold lay on the table in front of her.
"Keira you done beat me again!" Gibbs laughed, laying down his hand on the cruddy table.
"I told you, I'm the best gambler in this town, Gibbs, you can't match me," she grinned, her smile a dazzling white.
"Ah, but lass, you haven't played Cap'n Jack," the old man challenged, a twinkle in his old eyes.
"I have yet to meet the infamous Jack," she said, sipping her ale. "Though I hear he's in town, since you are one of his crew."
"Ay, he is, prob'ly out gallivantin' with the other women on this rock. If you got him drunk enough you might convince 'im to let you join the crew. The Black Pearl never has enough crew members." Gibbs hinted.
"I would never do that to Jack!" Keira exclaimed, her bright green eyes alight.
"I see that glint in your eyes, Keira, you'll do anything for a little adventure. I know you better than that!" Gibbs laughed, plopping his flagon on the table.
"Now Gibbs, I told you not to be makin' trouble with the young ladies on this port!" a voice said from behind the pair.
Keira looked up into a face she only knew in the stories her father used to tell her before he left. Gibbs turned as well and his old wrinkled face lit up.
"Jack! Here grab some ale and pull up a seat!" he grinned, handing him a flagon of ale.
Jack sat down next to Keira, his brown eyes never leaving her figure. The young girl felt her cheeks heat at this attention but she shrugged it off and began to deal another hand of cards.
"Well Mr. Sparrow, I hear a lot about your gambling skills, how 'bout you play the best gambler on this godforsaken rock?" she challenged.
"Lass, I don't mean to brag, but the stories you be hearin' are for the most part true," Jack boasted, chugging his ale.
"Let's see how good you really are then," Keira hinted and placed her first bet.
The game continued well into the evening until Jack was fully out of gold coins. He refused to admit that the young woman was better than him and began to bet larger things around him. For instance, he placed his pistol on the table after he'd lost a dozen more coins and smiled deviously at Keira.
"I'll raise with me pistol."
"Jack, I'm not going to take your gun," Keira refused.
"Listen, love, I can't lose to you, it's most…unnatural," he said.
Keira grinned and laid her cards on the table. Jack groaned at his loss and the crowd around them let out a rumble of laughter. Gibbs shook his head at his captain's unrelenting determination to win.
"Do you give up yet?" Keira questioned after a while longer. Jack was on his twelfth mug of ale and still he had not won a single hand.
"Last one, love, last one. I will bet you a spot on my ship, any position except captain," he smiled, his gold teeth glinting handsomely in the candle light.
"Fine, Jack, but you won't win."
Jack kept his sincere grin on his face and laid down his hand. Keira looked disappointed at first, her green eyes falling before her eyes lit up and she let out a small laugh.
"Sorry Jack," and she laid down her own hand, resting her chin in her palm and taking a sip of ale.
"Very well, Lass, we heave to tomorrow morning, sunrise. I'll introduce you to the crew before we leave port," he stood up, his long dreadlocked hair falling over his shoulders. "I never caught your name."
"Keira," she smiled. "My name is Keira Turner."
Jack froze when he heard the familiar name and his eyes narrowed, "It can't be, I thought there was only one!"
"One what?" Keira asked curiously, getting to her feet herself.
"One Turner. Do you have a brother?" Gibbs finished Jack's sentence.
"Not that I know of," Keira shrugged, her eyes darting around the room nervously.
Jack nodded, still looking taken aback, "Well Miss Turner, I expect to see you at sunrise tomorrow morning. Gibbs, come, we have work to do!" And the two left the bar finishing their ale, the beads in Jack's hair clanking quietly as he left.
Keira paid her tab and left the bar as well making her way to the port where her lodgings were by the bay.
The next morning Keira awoke long before sunrise. She pulled her long hair back into a plait and tied the end with a black cloth. She then pulled on a baggy white tunic and waistcoat. To finish she pulled on her black breeches and boots, throwing the rest of her clothes in a sack. For weapons she strapped her sword to her waist and tucked her pistol in the sword strap.
By now the sun was slowly creeping over the horizon and Keira felt a small butterfly in her stomach. She shrugged it off and grabbed her sack, glancing around the small hut for anything she'd forgotten. Her eyes landed on a small necklace her mother had given her before she died, it was a silver ring, a serpent slithering around a small emerald. She grabbed the chain, clasped it around her neck, and left her small home.
"Ahoy! Keira good morning, Lass!" Gibbs greeted her as she approached the Pearl.
"Gibbs," she replied. Her eyes were locked onto the beautiful ship that Gibbs was sitting in front of. The old wet wood was gleaming in the morning sunlight.
Jack approached her from behind a large stack of barrels and smiled.
"Mornin' Lass, glad you could join us, follow me," he motioned for her to follow and took off toward the Pearl.
Keira followed him onto the ship obediently and he led her straight to a small grouping of rooms near his cabin. He flung open the door right next to his rooms and pushed her inside, closing the door behind them.
"This is where you'll be stayin' for now, Lass. Ana Maria is in the one next to you. She'll make acquaintances with you on her own due time, she's a stubborn lass. Dogged me for borrowing her boat, I had to let her join me crew."
Keira nodded, not knowing what the hell Jack was rambling about. He caught himself and looked down at her, a smile spreading across his face.
"Our next stop is Port Royal, there's someone I want you to meet, Green Eyes, that you might know."
"Very well Captain, is there anything you'd like me to do before we heave to?"
"Get on deck and start moppin'!" he laughed, handing her a grimy broom.
Keira fought a grin and nodded, "Ay sir!" And she dropped her small sack on her bed and headed out to join the crew as they prepared to set sail.
