A/N: Well, I went back and completely edited and revised the whole story (my sister helped...). It is completely changed in some parts and I have added a lot more detail. I do pray that this is much better than the old version. It no longer takes place during the movie but instead after it. This chapter takes place before it. Reviews are very much appreciated.
Circle of Lies…
Prologue- When She Was Young
Kali laid in her room upon her bed listening to the intense argument accruing downstairs between her overly protective mother and the father she had only met a few times before.
"NO!!...She's not going!" her mother hollered.
"Melina, would you rather her starve to death with you?" her father questioned, in a calm voice.
'He's right' she thought 'I would much rather leave this place and move on but mom just will not let me…. "Not till you get married," she'd say…'
"We both have jobs we'll be fine!" Melina answered, "Now leave before she knows you were here!"
"Both of your salaries together don't make enough to support one of you, let alone the two of you." he stated still keeping a calm voice….the one he used to attract her in the first place "Look, she'll get everything she needs on The Pearl…" he trailed off.
With that, Kali sat up from where she was lying. The Pearl? She thought I have a chance to achieve my dream of sailing and she isn't going to let me? …she always says to do what your heart tells you….so I will!
"Will, I said NO!" the sudden cry from her mom jerked her from her thoughts and back to reality. She could hear them yelling but couldn't make out what they were saying, her mind was distant. She leapt from her bed and rushed down the stairs right into the heat of the argument.
"STOP!" she hollered "I'm old enough to make my own decisions! I'm tired of everyone telling me what to do!!" They both just looked at her.
Her father smirked, gestured towards her, and said, "I believe we can let her decide what she wants to do…."
Her mother just sighed and said "Fine, tell her…." She looked as though she were about to cry.
"Look," her father started "I want you to come aboard the Pearl with me…..that is if you want to and I can get the captain to allow it…."
"You know how I feel, mother, why would you try to keep something like this from me?" then it hit her, as though she had walked into a brick wall "He is a-a—"
"Pirate? Yes he is, Kali." her mother finished "I know I told you he was a merchant…..I-I just didn't want you to turn out like you father!" she managed. "I didn't want people going around knowing you were a pirate and calling you some obscene name like Bootstrap Bill…I just wanted you to be normal and not know your true roots…."
There was silence for a long moment, everyone thinking; not knowing what to say.
"M-Mom" Kali managed, breaking the eerie silence, "I want to go," she said just barely above a whisper.
"K-Kali…..n-no y-you can't be serious…." Her mother cried, "This is exactly why I didn't want you around." She glared daggers at Will. "I didn't want my daughter becoming a bloody pirate!"
"Mom…It's not his fault!!" Kali protested, "I'm tired of you controlling my life...and like you always say do what your heart tells you and this is what mine is telling me." She turned to her father. "…When do we leave?"
"At sunrise…but—" he started. Kali interrupted:
"But what? I hate it when people do that; you ask them something then they have to add that little word in there!" He smirked.
"You have the attitude of a pirate….all I was going to say was you can't tell anyone that you're my kid….." Kali shrugged
"Shouldn't be hard." She turned to her mother "Good bye mom….I'm sorry but I have to go…."
With that, the father and daughter turned and left.
Will and Kali walked through the streets of town and stopped in front of a small pub.
"I thought we were going to a ship?" Kali asked anxiously.
"We will, but first we have to find the captain—" Her father answered.
"Well then what are we doing here?" she demanded.
"This, if you'll let me finish, is where he'll likely be…savvy?"
She simply nodded in reply, feeling foolish.
Will held open the door and as Kali entered, she froze in the doorway. She had never been in a place like that, she watched several fights break out and she could smell the pungent scent of alcohol. She was startled when she felt someone place a hand on her shoulder; it was her father. He pointed towards a table with a handsome young man sitting there; flirting with women; probably whores. The attire in which they were dressed spoke loudly of their lifestyle. He looked up and saw them; Kali studied his features, he had long dark, matted, hair, oddly, he appeared to be only a few years older than she was.
"Bootstrap! Come an' join me an' these fine lasses!" The man said to them
"Aye, Cap'in..." Her father replied with a smile and took a seat.
"An' who be this fine look'n lass?" the man asked with a smirk.
"Dis'ere be Kali…."he paused thinking of how to approach the subject "An' she be itchin' to come aboard the Pearl, sir"
"Oh? An' why would a fine lass like ye want to come aboard me Pearl?"
"I…I ah…" she started.
"She ain' have no place ta go" her father chimed in "An' she be good with the sword….she also know 'ow ta sail…sir." Which was true, for the most part…..she wasn't the greatest sword fighter but she could defend her self-if need be…
"Is that so? Well, I don' see no reason why she can't…if ye be wanting her that much." he replied with a hint of something more…
Her father didn't reply he just sat there thinking of how perverted that sounded. Kali shuddered at the thought. After a few minutes of mindless chatter and the intoxication of the scents created by this man; the smell of rum and sea; she needed to think, so she got up to step outside.
"Where ye be off to there, luv?" The man, she had come to know as Captain Jack Sparrow from the conversations she had eavesdropped on, called.
"….uh…no where..." She said as she turned back around "I just wanted some rum is all" What am I saying? She thought I needed an excuse…and 'I want some rum' is all I can come up with?
"Aye, now if that be all ye want, I'll get it for you!" He replied with the 'now that's the kind of woman I want' look. Kali smiled at the offer and sat back down, she didn't mind rum, but the thought of everything that had occurred within the last 24 hours made her stomach queasy.
"Ere' ye go, luv!" He said as he handed her the rum. They all talked and drank for what seemed like hours….
Finally, Kali, 'Bootstrap' as she had learned to call him, and Captain Jack Sparrow headed out for the Pearl. As they boarded the crew began to gather around wondering what to make of the young woman that had come aboard. Jack began to introduce Kali to the crew.
"Dis'ere be our new crew member…umm..." he paused trying to remember her name "...Kali…"
Kali wondered how he remembered after all the rum he had consumed. "And" he added as an after thought "I expect that all of ye will treat the young lass 'ere with some respect, savvy?" The crew only nodded in reply because all eyes were on Kali. She realized this and hollered, "You touch me and I'll break your fingers!"
"Feisty one, ain't ye lass?" a large man said with a smirk "Names Barbossa" Before Kali had a chance to voice her repulse, her father or Bootstrap rather hollered, "If any o' ye touch her I'll remove somethin' you'll be wantin' if ye want kids! Savvy?" Kali mouthed a thank you and he nodded slightly.
"Oh, I see, she's yours, eh?" Barbossa called with a look that was anything but pleasant. Bootstrap just shook his head and headed down to his cabin.
Everything went smoothly the first couple of nights at sea; Bootstrap kept the men at bay and Kali was mainly on duty as look out. Three nights out to sea, she could not sleep. She had been thinking about her mother, how her life had become so confusing, and a rather odd feeling she got when she was around Jack. Silently she slipped out on deck away from her cabin, leaned on the rail, looking out to the sea she'd always loved. Trying to clear her head, she began to sing quietly to herself.
"What are ye doing up 'ere, luv?" a voice said and she jumped.
"Oh, well I couldn't sleep, I just needed some air." Kali answered and she automatically recognized the voice as Jacks', for some odd reason, which she could not explain, she had wanted to get to know this Jack Sparrow.
"Sorry luv, did I startle ye?" he said.
"Oh no, not really…" She heard each step of his boot as he walked up behind her, she did not turn around.
"Oh, ok…, ye all right?" With that, he walked up and stood next to her and she tensed up. Great… she thought. What in the name of all things is going on with me tonight?
"Yea" she answered but he must have sensed her thoughts.
"Are ye sure, ye seem a little…" he paused searching for the right word.
"Tense?" she supplied.
"Yeah, that's it!" He said with a smirk, although she could not see his face in the darkness she could hear it in the way he spoke.
"I was just thinking that's all" She turned to head back to her cabin but he must have been able to sense something else was bothering her; he was good at that.
"Are ya sure that's all that is bothering ye?" he questioned. Kali paused and looked at her feet, unsure of what to do. What am I thinking? She contemplated the options. I cannot tell him! Besides, I promised my father I would not…but maybe I could…what is going on with me! "Look…I should probably get some sleep…," she said quickly. In the darkness, she could see his shadow move closer to her. She felt his calloused hand slide onto the back of her neck, but she did not flinch…she did not pull away. Without warning, he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. Her senses ignited as she slowly returned the kiss, placing her arms around his neck, he drew her in, closer to his body. Neither of them noticed the one other man awake on the Pearl…..Bootstrap. The two parted from the kiss reluctantly, he placed his forehead on hers and simply said "...You should probably go get some sleep." In silent understanding, she ran her hand along his chin and left.
The next morning Kali awoke with a start. She realized that it was way past sunrise. As she sat up Bootstrap walked in and closed the door behind him, he cleared his throat and said "Captain said not to wake you…..he said you weren't feeling well last night…." He looked her in the eyes and she shifted her eyes to the floor…
"…yeah…I wasn't feeling well, I still kind of have a head ache…" He shook his head.
"I know better, Kali, it's not like him….and…" He began to whisper as he came and sat next to her. "I saw the two of you last night…" Kali inhaled sharply and placing a hand to her mouth, she looked at him.
"…y-you…you saw that…" her bottom lip began to quiver slightly….she had grown close to her father over the days. He placed a hand on her back…
"…I was in the crows nest…but all I'm going to say is be careful…he's a pirate..."
"….so are you… so am I…" Her eyes told him that she understood his concern... and to those who looked closely they could she her own confusion over the emotions that had surfaced…silently he nodded and left to return to his work.
Over the next few days, she became close with Jack. Each day he thought her something more about the ship…and unknowingly, something more about himself. They spent time together, but not enough to let the crew think something was amiss. They never again spoke of the kiss that had sparked the emotions they both felt. Each knew why the other kept them hidden. She also spent time with her father…now knowing, understanding, and feeling the reasons both men stayed so attached to the sea….
As the sunset she sat alone in the crows nest…thinking to herself… What happened? Not even I understand… I don't understand they way I feel or the way he does…I have to know… I'll talk to him in the morning…yes, that's what I'll do… I'll go to him before the rest of the crew awakens… Kali slowly dozed off.
Kali woke to the sound of a struggle. The sun was coming up; as she looked down to see what was going on. Her eyes widened when she saw Jack being bound and gagged on the deck. She climbed down silently from the crows nest and jumped the last couple of feet. She ran up to the crowed gathered around him and hollered "Jack! What's going on?" All she got for an answer was a horrified look from him. A hand swung back hard, knocking her backwards onto the deck she slid into the mast knocking her unconscious.
She woke with a terrible headache. She looked around to find she was back in her own bed, she saw a figure standing in the corner. "Will?" She managed; he nodded. "What happened?" she asked as she sat up. He looked at her with sorrow-filled eyes.
"The crew mutinied…Jack was marooned on an island right after you we're knocked out….I'm sorry..." She looked at him, her eyes filled with tears and said.
"How long have I been out?"
"About two days…" He reached in his pocket and pulled out a small gold trinket… "I know how we can pay them back…"
"What is that?" She reached out and touched it with her hand.
"Aztec gold…" Kali had heard the story many times and was instantly worried.
"Your not—" He shook his head…
"I had that annoying monkey get it…" he smirked "We are to send this back to your brother..." They both knew what might come of their actions but they sent it to him anyway. Two nights after their plan had been enacted they realized what would come of them. As Kali lay in bed, she heard the door burst open and she sat up. Before she knew what was happening she was restrained. Fighting to get loose she was dragged out onto the deck; her father was already there, bound and tied to a cannon. He looked at her, his eyes filled with sorrow for having brought her into this. She glared at Barbossa as she was being tied to the canon and said "You bastard!" He held his hands up as if saying who, me?
"Ye really thought ye could get away with tha', did ye? Now 'ecause a ye, yer whole family 'as ta pay…" The whole crew laughed, with the exception of Will and Kali, even the damned monkey seemed to laugh. With that, they pushed the canon into the water, taking with it Will and Kali. As they sank Kali managed to free herself with the help of her father, as she struggled to loosen his ropes, he saw she could not hold her breath for much longer. He pushed her away, shook his head, and pointed to the surface. Kali shook her head and returned to his ropes, this time he pushed her away and sucked in a large amount of water, trying to prove his point, reluctantly she made a brake for the surface. When she broke the surface, she took in huge gulps of air trying to refill her lungs... in-between breaths she managed "I love you father….I will do my best to make you proud…" She finished just a tear rolled down her cheek. That is when she saw a passing merchant ship and swam towards it….
