Author's Note: This is my first fic ever, so that would be why the first chapters will probably be crap. But I've been over it like, 10,000 times, trying to make it something people will want to read. Please be gentle!
Disclaimer: I don't own POTC. If I did, I wouldn't be sitting here writing fanfiction. I DO however own Catriona Woodcraft, Allanah Dove, Captain Gervaise Avarice, the Silver Chimera, and any other characters you don't recognise. So yeah, this chapter is basically completely mine. Yay!
~*~ A Witch's Daughter ~*~
Chapter One: Raiding Civitavecchia
"Il pericoloso pirata! La Lamierina Sanguinante!"
"La Lamierina Pericoloso! Lei è qui!"
The screams of terror made Catriona smile in spite of herself. She didn't understand what they were saying, but then again, she didn't have to. The voices repeated the same cry over and over, and she was somewhat flattered. She could guess what they meant, seeing how they were all directed to her, pointing at her like she was a wild beast in a zoo; they were obviously crying out her nickname in horror. She knew nothing of the Italian language, except that it sounded rather pretty, but she could tell that much.
Maybe, she mused, she could learn the language. If they stuck around long enough. She'd always been a quick learner. But she could worry about those plans later.
Focusing on the task at hand, she turned to the captain. "I 'ave reason to believe they recognise me, sir." She told him simply.
"I knew you should have stayed below deck. Ye would stick out anywhere, bein' an English woman and all, 'specially on a ship full of Africans and Asians." He remarked, even though he was European himself. Captain Avarice chuckled slightly, rubbing his hands together. "Still, no harm done, eh? What say you we sack this port down to the las' cellar?"
"Aye, Cap'n." Catriona smiled. Her hand went automatically to the cutlass round her waist and she withdrew it. The sharp blade glinted in the moonlight and she turned it over, once again admiring its craftsmanship. A soft ocean breeze toyed with her golden hair, now silver in the moonlight, blowing the soft silky strands away from her face. Her dark purple-blue eyes, nearly black in the faint silver light, turned away from her blade to the shore.
As the rest of the crew climbed down the side of the Silver Chimera and into their boats, Catriona stayed with her captain. Her orders were to stay on board until most of the port was secure, part of her 'training' for when she 'inevitably became a pirate captain' herself. Rule number one: when pillaging a ship / port / town, do not leave the ship, under any circumstances, until your crew has completely taken over.
But if that was what a captain did, Catriona wasn't entirely sure if she wanted to become one. She loved to fight — it was one of the highlights, in her opinion anyway, of being a pirate. She loved the adrenaline rush, the challenge, the sheer skill needed to triumph, the consequences of losing being death. But, cruising around the Mediterranean for five years, she knew basically all the different moves and fighting styles the locals of this sea had. She was fast becoming bored at the almost repetitive, routine way the battles had become.
And besides, a captain had to be brave in battle, lest he wished to suffer a mutiny and be marooned, or worse, killed. God, what was that man thinking?
Gervaise Avarice put a hand on her shoulder in a fatherly manner. "You're doing me proud, lass," he smiled, showing a flash of gold teeth. "Not even set foot on shore an' the locals are already runnin' from ye."
She smiled at the Frenchman and shrugged. "Why waste time threatening and killing by the numbers when a dangerous reputation can do that for you?" She replied, sounding like the lady she sometimes pretended to be. Sheathing her cutlass, she turned to the lass next to her. "What do you think?"
"Too much happenin' to 'ave thoughts 'bout reputations. Save the debate fer later what's I'm thinkin'." Allanah replied, nodding to where the screaming locals were running on the docks, terrified by the pirates invading their hometown. Allanah was one of many slaves from Africa, the same age as Catriona, and had joined Avarice and the crew shortly after Catriona had.
Catriona was only twelve when she had joined Avarice's crew. It had taken a lot of arguing, and she'd had to go through many 'tests' which most pirates didn't have to endure — such as how accurately she could shoot, if she was able to distinguish one end of a sword from another — but she understood. After all, who would want a useless twelve-year-old girl on their ship? Of course, she'd passed, and the crew welcomed her aboard the Silver Chimera. That was five years ago, and during that time she became an expert with an array of weapons and had learnt all there was to know about sailing. The Chimera was crewed by many different men from different nations, countries and continents, and they had taught her how to use their native weapons and fighting styles, even the basics of their native tongues. She was fast becoming one of the best and well-known pirates to ever sail the seven seas at just seventeen, as the locals' yells had just proven.
Allanah, on the other hand, didn't really have much of a choice. Two years ago, Allanah's mistress, the daughter of a rich slave trader who was established in Tunisia, was kidnapped by the crew of the Sliver Chimera, and held ransom. Allanah was with her at the time, so the crew had taken her along too. The girl was held ransom and when her father had finally paid it, she had been returned. Allanah hadn't gone back with her. She didn't want to return to slavery after three months of being free — only the girl was held hostage — on the open seas, and Avarice allowed her to join his crew.
This was due in large part to Catriona, whom he'd come to love as a daughter — if pirates, or corsairs, seeing how they only operated in the Mediterranean — could or would afford to love. She'd begged for Allanah to be allowed to stay. She was familiar with the crew — they were like favourite uncles to her, but she was starting miss female company. She wanted a friendship with someone the same age as her. Avarice relented, realizing that Catriona would probably become more feminine, thus making her portrayal of a proper young lady all the more convincing — and it worked.
Despite the superstitious stories that it was bad luck to have women on board, Avarice and the crew had welcomed both Catriona and Allanah. The way they saw it, having two women on board, one black and the other white, helped them plunder numerous ports and settlements as well as ships. They could disguise themselves as honest merchants hoping to do trade in ports, and were welcomed as such, or as a ship that needed repairs out at sea. Catriona would play the role of Avarice's niece, a proper upper class lady, and Allanah would be her maid or slave, helping her to dress, do her hair…or so they hoped people would think.
They only carried out this little charade whenever they had spotted merchant or Navy ships, or were going to a port to stock up on supplies, do trade, and maybe even do a little kidnapping, like the whole thing with the slave trader and his whining, bloody annoying daughter.
Catriona snapped out of her thoughts, shaking her head slightly to focus on the task at hand. No point to be thinking about the past, especially about her life before she'd met Avarice, as she was sure that was where thoughts like those would lead to.
Grinning at her captain, who had shot her a quizzical look, she strode towards one of the rowing boats they had lowered and climbed down after Allanah. Screw her captain's training, she wanted to be a part of this battle, seeing how this was Allanah's first attack on a large town. Next time, I'll stay on board next time, she told herself, though part of her knew that this wasn't true.
She felt completely confident of course, adrenaline coursing through her, although something was gnawing at her stomach. Something terrible's about to happen…I can feel it in my bones. She pushed the thought away. Aye, Civitavecchia was a large port and larger town, but they'd raided big ports before. Why should this one be any different? And yet…
She remembered when she was twelve and had first plundered a town. She'd been scared and nervous, and the number of panicking, terrified people screaming and vainly trying to fight off the pirates did nothing to calm her nerves. Avarice had stuck close to her, watching and guiding her. When he wasn't with her, Cutthroat Bill was. They'd treated her like she was their daughter then; they treated her like she was their daughter now. Catriona had never known a father's love; heck, she'd never even known her father. Yet despite their presence, Catriona was still afraid. She'd gotten over it eventually — thank God, it would've been embarrassing to have an escort at seventeen.
Now, the same feeling — that feeling of apprehension, of almost certainty that something will go wrong — was engulfing her again, although not as strongly, and for a completely different reason. Not concern for Allanah; the girl could definitely take care of herself. It was her intuition, warning her of something…but what? Catriona knew it was for the best to listen to her instincts; past experiences, her religion and sheer common sense had taught her that much. But for once she decided to ignore the voice at the back of her head.
Shaking her head again, Catriona grinned at Allanah. The black girl had gone paler in the moonlight, her smooth black waves doing nothing to cover up the fear and self-doubt written plainly across her features. Reaching out, Catriona grabbed Allanah's left hand and squeezed it for support. "Don't worry. It's no different from raiding a small town or ship. You just have more choice."
Allanah nodded, though Catriona could see in her warm brown eyes that she was far from calm. "You feel it too, don't you?"
She and Catriona had this connection; they could feel what the other felt, knew what the other was thinking. They were like sisters in that aspect. They'd taught each other many different things; Catriona had learnt local African legends, herbs and their uses, religion, fortune telling…some might call it African 'magic', and she in turn had taught Allanah the principles of sword fighting, how to shoot straight with a pistol; the basics that one leading a piratical life must know. And, of course, her own brand of witchcraft.
Catriona was the daughter of a whore. Some called her mother, Selene, a witch as well. Selene hadn't considered herself or her daughter witches. True, they had a unique religion very different from Christianity, but that didn't mean they were witches. Well, with their specific pagan religion, they technically were witches, but both mother and daughter hated the stereotype that being accused of witchcraft forced them both into.
Selene preferred to be call Wiccans, or at least 'practitioners of Wicca.' That was the name of their religion. Wicca. That was before she had died, a memory Catriona preferred to keep buried, the complete opposite of what she liked to do with treasure.
Selene wasn't your average wench. She was like any other whore whilst she was working; shrewd and flirtatious, all hints and sexual innuendo. But when she wasn't, she was kind and caring, the nicest person Catriona had ever met. She also created medicines, which she'd sell for high prices. That was what made her become a witch, in people's minds; her desire to help the old and sick. She'll make profits while she could, but if someone was dying, she'll overlook the charges until they'd completely recovered.
Just a single mother, trying to provide enough to support both herself and her daughter. And yet, that was a crime, in the English people's eyes. And even though she was British, Catriona had started to hate the Brits with a passion, and not just because their Royal Navy were trying to hunt her and the rest of the crew down like rabid dogs. White-hot rage coursed through her whenever she thought of that particular memory…but no, she couldn't.
Her mind was a complex network of hallways and corridors, her memories the doors lining them. There were a select few she would allow to be opened; most she kept locked, having thrown away the key. She'll never let those doors be open, and she'll certainly never tell another living soul what's behind them. Not even the people closest to her; Allanah, Avarice and Cutthroat.
Allanah's reply was so quiet that Catriona had to strain her ears to hear it, but it was still sudden enough to make her jump when her best friend spoke, bringing her back from God knows where. 'Hallways and corridors'? Dammit, what's wrong with me tonight? "What was that?"
"Yes. Catriona, something terrible's about to happen…I can feel it in my bones."
Her words, her thoughts. Exactly.
~*~
AN: *stares* Well that was longer than I expected. Sorry if that was boring, but the first couple of chapters are to set up the characters, their life stories, families, how they became pirates and stuff. So, what do you think? Should I continue, or should I just give up before I ruin the greatest movie of all time. PLEASE review! *big puppy dog eyes*
AN2: Oh, by the way, in case you've noticed, I've spelt magic without the k. That's 'cos I'm English, and here that's the right way of spelling it. Just a note for any other spelling 'mistakes' in the future, so don't criticise me on that, ok? And if there's any people who can speak Italian, sorry if I've got the beginning bit wrong. I don't know ANY Italian, but I try my best (the miracles of an English-Italian dictionary).