She'd been living in Port Royal for almost a year now, and at the moment nothing seemed to bother her. Keita watched lazily as her good friend, Elizabeth Swann, continued to flirt with the blacksmith, Will Turner. Ever since the two had returned from some journey with a pirate, they had been near inseparable.
Elizabeth rarely spoke of the adventure she had returned from a year ago, but it was evident that something had greatly changed her father's impression of Will. They were to be wed soon and nothing seemed more important to the pair than to be together forever. Keita sighed and wondered whether or not she would ever find anybody that loved her as much as Will loved Elizabeth.
Oh well, it was all a bunch of rubbish anyways. The only problem Keita had with her life was the fact that her only friend's father looked down upon their friendship. Just because Keita was a 'street rat' without a family. It wasn't her fault she had no family nor any home. Not that Elizabeth's father even remembered what she looked like, so most of the time it didn't matter at all.
She stood up and moved towards the pair and smiled when they turned to her, "I suppose you two would like some time alone? So be it for me to prevent that from happening… In fact, you'd be doing me a favor so I can get out of this ridiculous servant's dress and return to my street clothes."
Elizabeth turned towards her friend, "We should let you go… But you have to promise to do something for me first."
Both Will and she turned to gaze at Elizabeth curiously, Keita finally breaking the silence, "And what would that be?"
"I'd like you to come with me to my rooms and help me pick out a dress for tomorrow… And talk. And maybe also help me find a way to see Will without all of these guards breathing over our shoulders?" Elizabeth spoke the last part quickly as she smiled sheepishly. Will smiled brilliantly in Keita's direction and she let out an exasperated sigh.
"Don't you remember what happened last time I visited your house? I was chased out and almost thrown in jail!" she looked at the couple's pleading looks and finally rolled her eyes, "Fine then! I accept. Will, be somewhere within the town, we'll find you tonight. Shall we be going now Elizabeth?"
"Of course!" Elizabeth smiled and turned towards Will to give him a swift kiss on the lips since the guards usually prevented anything else from happening. As the two girls walked away, Will watched his fiancé with longing eyes. When had been the last time the two of them had been able to be alone?
When they finally reached Elizabeth's rooms and closed the door, the two of them began shuffling through all of the dresses Elizabeth had to find one that would be appropriate to wear out in the town. Soon a knock came at the door and they both froze. It was Elizabeth's father.
Elizabeth quickly cleared her throat, "Yes Daddy?"
He stood by the door and the two girls could hear him breathing, "May I come in?" At that moment Elizabeth looked sharply towards Keita to only see her friend nod in agreement.
This was surprising enough and Elizabeth wondered what her friend was going to do, only to finally decide that Keita must have a good plan, "Of course, come in."
He opened the door and looked at his daughter first and then the girl next to her, "Who would this be, Elizabeth?"
Keita stepped forward and for once thanked Elizabeth for giving her a servants dress as she curtsied, a little clumsily, "I am lady Elizabeth's maid, your grace."
He looked confused for a few seconds before he nodded and looked towards his daughter, "What are you doing in a servants dress?"
Elizabeth's eyes flashed a moment in concern until Keita stepped forward once again, laying on a little bit more of a thick, desperate Scottish accent so he would be more convinced, "Elizabeth wished to go to town with me, your grace. We thought it best that her position wouldn't be known."
He frowned slightly and looked towards the servant girl, "And why would it be that you, one of my servants, need to go into town?"
She smiled sheepishly and curtsied again, "I apologize my grace, but me brothers and sisters need the money I get from working here to live… I go in once a week to purchase foods and such for me family."
He mumbled a bit and then finally cleared his throat, "Yes, well, of course… Go on then. Daughter, I just wished to tell you that tomorrow's dinner will be served at precisely six p.m."
Elizabeth nodded and smiled nervously, clasping her hands behind her back in anxiousness. When her father finally left the room both girl's sagged and quickly finished getting ready before leaving her room and walking out into town. The sun was beginning to set and it wasn't hard to find Will after a few minutes of looking. The couple left to wander about the town by themselves while leaving Keita alone. She sighed and ducked behind her usual corner and changed back into her street clothes.
She wandered the streets for a bit and was heading down to the docks when she noticed a lone ship drifting out in the waters. It wasn't evident to most, it seemed, because of it's black sails. She'd never seen this ship before, so she assumed that some new trader had set port in their town.
When she turned to walk back into town, she began to feel a little jumpy. A few alleys seemed a little more dark than usual and everything seemed frightening. A familiar alley came into view, one she usually slept in, and she ducked into it only to be met with a firm, warm object.
She gasped slightly and looked up into the eyes of a total and complete stranger. She knew most of the sailors and guards and such within the town, and this certainly wasn't any of them. The man grabbed her by the shoulders and covered her mouth with his hand before she could scream.
After a few minutes of struggling in the dark alley with the man only trying to keep her still and quiet, she calmed a bit. Her captor relaxed a little, but not enough to let her get away, "Sorry lad, can't have you ruining me cover. Not here to hurt you, can you stand not to holler if I let you go?"
She glared at the hand that held her and bit into it, to hear him yelp and let go of her, shaking his hand out as she spat out silently, "I'm a woman, and no I won't ruin your cover unless you mean harm to these people."
"Good, it's settled then. Now, I'm looking for two very specific people. Wondering if I could convince you to assist me?" Jack smiled charmingly at the woman in front of him. She was a striking beauty, despite the rugged look she sported.
"It matters to me, why?" she was glaring at the man who had once again grabbed her wrist to hold her still. She surveyed him and decided that he must be a pirate or some sort of riff-raff that would cause her even more trouble. He was decidedly handsome with dark, expressive eyes surrounded by some sort of coal, dark coal brown hair, and a mischievous grin full of gold and such. His person sported bandanas, tall boots, and other random clothing.
He grinned again and stroked his beard once, "Ah, so I misjudged you. Is it a deal you want? How about I give you some of me bounty so you may clean yourself up and fix up your shack?" The girl in front of him looked about twenty, probably only ten years younger than himself. She didn't seem the type to accept a bribe.
Her eyes slitted in suspicion, "You may well know that a bit of gold won't get your social standing anywhere. Once a rogue, always a rogue. And I'm guessing, for yourself, once a pirate, always a pirate. Am I correct?"
He was a bit taken aback by her blunt reply and then smiled, "Fair, fair. So, what is it you want that I can give for you to tell me the whereabouts of the two persons I so desperately look for?"
She shifted nervously in his grip, realizing that dealings with pirates were often deadly. The rogue world was vastly different from that of pirates, but she hoped she could outwit this one so she wouldn't find herself dead by the end of the day, "How about you tell me who you wish to visit and why?"
"Ah! An excellent question. Do you happen to know a Will Turner or an Elizabeth Swann? They happen to be joined at the hip most of the time." He smirked when he saw her eyes open wide in curiosity and realization, "So you do know them."
"I do, and you must be the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow that almost cost both of them their lives. Tell me why I would EVER wish to tell you where my good friends reside when you may place them in danger once again?" She continued to glare at him suspiciously, slightly twisting the wrist in his grasp.
"Because I know something that you wish to know." He smirked and continued to hold her wrist. He was beginning to realize that this might possibly be the girl of the prophecy. And if he was right, then she would definitely wish to know what he knew.
"And what, pray tell, would this little tidbit of your information be? And how do you know that I would wish to know about it?"
"Well, if I tell you now, what reason would you have to tell me where Mr. Turner and Ms. Swann reside?" He smiled when he saw her frown, for that was something he had grown to recognize in people when they were considering his outlandish offers.
"Good point. How about we make a deal? I show you where they are and you give me something of worth to yourself?"
He frowned when he realized that he could not easily trick the girl, so he grabbed his beloved compass and opened up her free hand and placed it in it, "I think we have met an accord. Now, take me to them."
She let out a sigh of frustration as she looked at him, "Alright, well let go of my wrist and I'll be able to get you through the town to them unseen. I have an idea where they'll be right now."
He nodded, "Right…" and let go of her wrist only to see her already peering around the corner of the alley. After a moment she looked back towards him.
"Alright, the guards are a bit thicker throughout the town tonight, so we'll have to use the sky-way." She began to head towards one of the gutters and started to wrap her vest around her hands only to see him staring at her curiously, "Right, I suppose you don't understand rogue-terms?" When he shook his head she laughed, "Rogues and pirates worlds don't collide much, do they? You stick to the seas and the rowdy ports, while we slip in between the cracks of society throughout civilized towns."
"I wouldn't say that. I've been stuck on land quite a few times before and made it out alive. But I guess I've never met a real 'rogue'." He laughed at her, mocking a bit. He thought that the girl was possibly insane when she'd mentioned the sky way.
"Do you wish for me to help you or not? I could well be away with this precious compass of yours if I wanted to." When he glared for a moment and finally looked like he was ready to listen she smiled, "Good, then its agreed. We're going to use the sky-way, which means we'll be jumping from roof to roof to avoid being noticed. Are you limber enough to make it?"
"Of course!" He smirked at the description she had given him. Apparently rogues were just as crafty as pirates. She showed him her technique in shimmying up the gutter and soon they had both made it up onto one of the roofs. As they swiftly made their way across the roofs, Jack began to stumble a few times. He definitely did not have his land legs, or the aerobic capacity to be doing so much running.
Yes, Jack Sparrow was aerobically out of shape. Who could blame him though? He'd spent the last year on a ship going throughout the Caribbean in search of this new treasure. So, throughout the whole year he had rarely set foot on land for more than two days at a time, and usually those days he'd kept his exercising to simple walking.
After a few more roofs he finally stopped and leaned over, panting and gasping with his hands leaning on his knees, "Wait up… Slow down… Stop going so fast!"
She stopped on the next roof and quickly sprang back over to where he was and leaned down next to him, "Are you alright?"
His eyes quickly snapped up to meet her green ones, surprised. He was used to others leaving him behind if he couldn't keep up, not coming back to check on him. He smiled heartily, "Of course, I was just checking to see if you'd keep to your part of our deal."
She just smiled and shook her head and grabbed his hand, "Now come on, we've got to go find them quickly or risk being sent to the gallows, the both of us."
As they took off again Keita slowed down a bit and allowed him more breathing time than she had before, and strangely, continued to hold onto his hand. Neither of them noticed and soon she was leaping down from one of the shorter buildings to the ground, landing like an agile cat while he landed on his feet only to fall onto his behind.
She couldn't help but smirk and laugh a little before he looked at her and asked in a quizzical, yet high pitched voice, "What?"
She looked right back at him, "What?" and finally he cracked into a grin and she pulled him up with the hand she was still holding. She continued to pull him stealthily through the town until they reached a little shop they used for secret gatherings and pulled him in behind her.
The cheap inn room was musky and reeked slightly of bad rum, food, and smokes. Jack gazed around the inn curiously and then to his guide before a rather stout man appeared and began clapping Keita on the back. For a moment Jack pressed his hand to the hilt of his sword before he realized the man was smiling.
"Oi, Keita! Long time no see! Ye been stayin' out o' trouble I hope!" The man had wrapped her up in a quick hug and dragged her hand out of Jack's as he looked curiously at the two. The man finally turned his gaze towards Jack, "I suppose not, if you're accepting the company of pirates."
"Be assured, I intend to bring no trouble upon the lass. Do you happen to have any rum?" He smiled charmingly at the inn keep but was suddenly pulled away by the girl, whose name he just found out was Keita.
"If you want to find them, you might wish to stay perfectly sober. I only guide sober men." She smiled back at him once and continued to drag him along until she reached a corner. At first the smoke was too thick for him to realize that there was a table situated there behind some curtains, but once she pulled them back to reveal an astonished Elizabeth and Will he grinned brightly.
Will had instantly grabbed his sword and was looking angrily at Jack, "What are you doing here Jack? Nothing good, I'm guessing."
"Yes, and what are you doing dragging poor Keita along with you? You could get her killed, you know!" Elizabeth glared at Jack and then looked worriedly at Keita, who seemed to be perfectly fine.
Keita mumbled a little to herself, "I knew they wouldn't be happy to see them…" Before she cleared her throat and declared what had made her keep the company of Jack before he did himself and made her sound like an ass, "I happened upon this fellow in an alley and we met an accord. I'd take him to you, and he'd give me a little bit of information." When Will began to try and speak she cut in, "Ah, ah… I'm not so foolish, I also happen to have this…" She held the compass up and smirked at Jack as he tried to delicately take it from her hands.
When his attempts to retrieve his compass failed he held both of his hands up in the air with one finger on each held up as if to emphasize his point and he began to wave them around, "Right, an accord, which I just happen to wish to meet one with you two as well. I stumbled upon a riddle that will lead me to some great treasure, and I have part of it partially figured out, but not wholly. That's where the two of you come in."
"What has this got to do with us? And why would we wish to help you out, Jack?" Will glared at Jack as he grabbed Keita and pulled her into the booth so she'd be safer. Keita had become one of his good friends, who constantly got himself and Elizabeth out of trouble. She'd also given him solid advice on how to propose to Elizabeth.
Jack smirked and let a side comment pass by, "The lass is fully capable of taking care of herself." He held up his hand which had a deep impression in it of teeth, a few of the patches bleeding a bit.
Elizabeth was glaring in his direction as well, an arm around her friend while she spoke, "Again Jack, what has this to do with us and why would we wish to help you?"
Jack smiled and tilted forward, closer to them as he held one arm behind his back and gestured only with one, "Right. I happen to know that the British navy is out to arrest the two of you for assisting to release me."
Will became outraged and stood up angrily, knocking over his glass of brandy and gaining the stares of the few within the inn. After their attention was diverted again Will angrily whispered, "Then you've gotten us into further trouble? And how would you be able to get us out of that situation that you placed us in?"
"That's why I like you Mr. Turner. You get right to the point of things. See, if you help me to help you it would be helping save you and your bonny lass from encountering the noose. Trust me." He had a small smile upon his lips as he realized they'd finally given in and were willing to listen.
Right as he planned, Elizabeth opened her mouth and snarled a little, "Alright Jack, stop playing with us and just tell us what it is you want."
A silly grin played upon his face and he sat down beside the still raging Will, and took a drink of Elizabeth's rum, "Good, right down to business. See, I found this paper that had a riddle that will eventually lead me to a treasure. But I've made out part of this riddle and only have to find the person it pertains to."
Even if she knew she had no part in it, Keita was intrigued and leaned forward closer to him, "So….?"
Jack looked towards Elizabeth and Will and then gestured towards Keita, "Nosey lass, isn't she?" They only gave him glares, along with Keita, and he continued, "Anyways, the riddle says something about a Raven nesting Bund up in the tree of the Swann and the rash Jr. Bootstrap, which I'm guessing the last part is about you two. The two of you know a peculiar Raven?"
Will and Elizabeth turned to each other and then shook their heads, obviously confused. After a moment Jack let out an exasperated sigh, "I'd thought as much…" before being interrupted by Keita.
"How would one know the Raven? Is it an actual bird, or a person, or an object?" She loved solving riddles, and this one seemed to be a particularly easy one for her to figure out. She knew about every person, animal, or object at Port Royale.
His eyes lit up as he cleared his throat and dug out the slip of old parchment, made of a soft animal skin ages ago. It was almost completely written in Gaelic, except for a tiny part which had the line he'd stated. She quickly grabbed for it, as he'd hoped she would and began to vigorously inspect it.
He peered over the table anxiously at her as she read it and analyzed it aloud, "It's Scots Gaelic, written by Scottish chieftain about some great treasure. It also says that the seeker must obtain the Raven with the mark… You know that much of course… About the part you wanted to know about, the writer has capitalized Raven, which means it must be a person or an object, but they also capitalized Bound but spelt it as bund, which means it must be the last name of a pers…" She stopped mid word and dropped the parchment.
The dreams flashed back to her and she knew it was time. She grasped her throat a moment, fighting down the suffocating feeling once again before leaping up and giving them all a nonchalant smile and acting as if nothing had happened while she tried to walk away. But as she'd expected, a strong hand gripped her wrist and pulled her back against a chest.
Will and Elizabeth stood up and were headed towards them, prepared to do anything to save their friend when they realized Jack had a knife pressed against her throat since their friend also had one pressed against his stomach. He looked completely serious, surprised at her quickness. He'd never had a knife pulled on him in surprise unless he'd been sleeping, "Calm down, love. I just wish to have a look at your arms."
She growled lightly and lowered her knife, waiting until he had lowered his until she replaced the knife back to its hiding place against her stomach. He grabbed her waist and pulled her against him tightly with one arm as the other not so gently shoved her sleeves up and turned her arms around. As he'd expected, he found the picture of a Raven bound up by ropes on her left upper arm, next to her shoulder.
"Ahh, so this is what you were trying to hide from me? You are the Raven, dear. You were fated for this and you know it." Jack let his hold on her go and watched as she jerked out of his reach and seethed.
It was clearly obvious that she was the one now, with all the descriptions he'd gotten from the truth tellers. Dark brown hair, startling ethereal green eyes that seemed to change colors with raw emotion, the full mouth, tan skin that had clearly once been pale as milk, Scottish accent, sharp intelligence, and the undeniable mark of the bound raven. This enticing woman was definitely the one he'd been looking for.
Her mouth twisted into an ugly sneer, "So what, I'm Keita Ravensbund. And what do you intend to do with me now that you've found me?"
"Nothing. Absolutely nothing… Well, that is, besides asking you to join me on my mission. As a partner, a member of the crew, not a prisoner. And don't try and fool me and tell me that you'd rather remain a rogue, because here is growing sufficiently unsafe for you with every moment that passes by." He grinned at her again, knowing that now even she would be curious as to what would happen to her if she were to refuse his offer.
"Right, if it will help to save Elizabeth and Will, I agree to it. Now when do we set sail, Mr. Sparrow? Because I'm certain that your ship is very obviously spotted in broad daylight." Keita looked at Will and Elizabeth who both looked upset by her acceptance of his offer.
"Good choice lass. Tomorrow, which is long enough for us to gather supplies. No worries, the Pearl will be well out of sight once daylight rolls around. They're a smart crew, they are!" He grinned at them all, shrugging off the glares Elizabeth and Will sent him.
"I don't like it, Keita. Not at all. You shouldn't be risking your life for ours." Will had stepped forward and placed a hand on Keita's shoulder, which she shrugged off so she could continued to watch Jack.
Her eyes remained glued on Jack, "No worries, Will. I'm smart enough to get myself out of most situations I'd expect this idiot to get us into. And then when I'm done I'll return to Port Royale to ensure that the two of you are safe as promised."
"And they will be, if we can finish our journey in two years time. While you wait for us, I'd advise the two of you to go off somewhere to hide for a time so we may clear your names." Jack, in a way, actually wished to save the two of them, not only get the treasure. Finally they all nodded and began to make their way out. They all stayed safe distances away from one another so that no one would suspect them being related to one another.
But within a few minutes guards were crowding the dark streets. Keita looked in a panic towards Will and Elizabeth to see that they had been let past and then to Jack. He, too, looked surprised and when she looked back she spotted one of the inn workers, Bailey, as he yelled and pointed towards them, "There's the pirate! And the rogue as well! They were conspiring against the governor and planning to raid all of our riches!"
Keita's breath caught in her throat as she turned to try and run, only to collide with a tall man, and then a few others as they swarmed in on her to try and control her. She was throwing a fit, trying to get out of their grasps as they tied her up and she screamed as much as she could before they stuffed her mouth shut, "You bloody traitor Bailey! You bloody traitor! You have no right to do this I tell you! No right! I did nothing and neither did my friend! Let us go! Better yet, let ME go so I may commit the crime of murdering Bailey the bloody traitor so there will be a REASON to arrest me!"
As the cool steel of the shackles pressed against her thin wrists she cursed, realizing for once they had a pair that wouldn't slip off of her. Her legs were bound and so were her arms, and her mouth was tied up with a rag as they threw her over their shoulders to bring her to the jail.
While she was being dragged towards the jail she saw Will and Elizabeth to the side, arguing with one of the captains on her behalf. She knew it wouldn't matter, it never did for people like herself. When they got to the jail she watched them shove Jack into the jail cell with only shackles and then felt herself being thrown harshly across the jail cell only to land halfway across his lap.
Once most of the guards left she wheezed and coughed, trying to breath through the rag desperately without bothering to move from Jack's lap. After a good five minute cough she felt him shifting and suddenly saw his shackled hands in front of her mouth, pulling the rag down. She gasped in breath and finally shoved herself up to sit beside him, not having enough energy to scoot any distance between them so she just continued to lean on him.
He looked at her curiously and said simply, "It's easier when you don't struggle once they've got you bloody tangled and caught. I'm all for outwitting them and outfighting them to get away, but once you have five of the blokes holding you down, then it's wise just to let it happen."
"Thanks for that pearl of advice. Lot of good it does me now. I'm almost positive it'll be the noose for me this time. Damn." She growled out, realizing that she would never be able to search for her brother again.
He stretched out his legs and shifted his shoulders a bit, not minding the extra bit of support he gained from the girl's shoulders, "No worries, love. Captain Jack Sparrow always finds a way out of these types of situations."
"Of course, of course. Would you care to inform me of this plan you happen to have, because it'd be bloody helpful right about now." She could feel a few strange tears stinging her eyes.
"Don't worry, it's all up here." He nodded upwards, as if trying to signal to his head without using his hands. The shackles were rather bothersome, "Anyways, what would you like to do while passing the time by?"
"You could tell me a little bit about yourself. Not that it matters much, but we might as well since we're headed for the noose, eh?" She sighed again, still thinking about all she was losing a chance at in her life. The chance to love, to adventure, to find her brother… There were numerous things she was regretting now and numerous things she wished she could have done.
"Well, what an interesting subject you've picked. My names Captain Jack Sparrow, I run the Black Pearl, and I'm possibly the most intriguing pirate that you'll ever know." He smiled and leaned towards her, "How about yeself?"
"Keita Ravensbund, rogue without a purpose… Lost my family and came here looking for my brother. And, you, Mr. Sparrow, may well be the only pirate I'll ever get to know." She glared and let out a heavy sigh and looked out the window of the cell to see the nights clear sky.
They passed the rest of the night by talking, until she fell asleep with her head against his shoulder by accident. By morning a guard woke them by dumping a bucket of water on them and telling them that their meeting at the gallows would be within the hour.
Nothing seemed to be going right. No, she was not meant to die. She was not meant to end her life by a noose. Soon the guards came and took them, untying her feet so she would be able to walk. Luckily for her, they still hadn't bothered to look her over and find her various daggers. Maybe there was still a chance left.
When they reached the stage they were to lose their life on, she cringed. It was held right above the roaring ocean, and she knew her body would be open to various scavengers to eat and pick at her bones. The thought made her shutter, but she stuck her chin out in pride and looked them all defiantly in the eye, walking up beside Jack Sparrow.
She supposed that he was a noble enough man to die beside. Still the thought of death seemed utterly and irrevocably wrong to her. Not just because it was the end of her life, but because it would probably also mean the end of Elizabeth's and Will's lives… And for some reason it seemed some greater evil was at work as well.
When they got onto the plank they moved their hands in front of them, with ropes and shackles so that everyone could see them clearly. They knew that even if they struggled they would probably not be able to save themselves.
She was placed next to Jack and the nooses were set around their necks, and the guards stepped away to either side of the plank. Her eyes looked over to Jack's dark ones and she asked quietly, "So, where's that plan of yours?"
"Still working on it, love." He was lying, he didn't have a plan for once and it was going to be his life he would be paying for it with. He felt guilty for once, for causing this poor girls life to come to its end.
She laughed lightly, "I thought not. Best use mine." When she said that he looked to her in surprise, but before if he could ask if the plan involved him as well, the guards ripped the plank from beneath their feet. Instantly both of their hands went to their necks and gripped the ropes strangling them.
Keita worked fiercely at the shackles and viciously shrugged them off of her now bleeding hands, popping a few fingers out in her struggle. She cried in agony and watched Jack doing the same as herself. Now she grabbed one of her many hidden daggers and began to saw at the ropes about her neck, ever so slowly. The guards couldn't do anything to get the plank back under them and regain their captive.
Finally the noose severed itself from her neck and she dropped, gasping and spluttering, down within the depths of the warm ocean waters. She realized almost a little too late that the water was deep and she kicked her legs until she flopped herself onto a rock beneath the still struggling Jack. She could tell that he was losing the fight and she stood onto the rock and reached her hands into the folds of her vest to pull out her gun.
Yup, so the guards were idiots for not checking her over. She shakily pulled it up and aimed it at the rope hanging Jack, and shot at it. He dropped down beside her into the water and swam up to the surface, still in his shackles and gasping.
He was a stronger swimmer than she was, but she was willing to give it her all. As they began to swim hurriedly away, avoiding a surprisingly scarce few bullets, she looked back once to find that Elizabeth and Will were fighting the few guards attending to their hanging.