A/N: I'm sorry for not finishing the Birds of a Feather trilogy!! WRITER'S BLOCK!! However, I did get new inspiration!!

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A woman leaned down and stoked the fire that warmed the house and food. She opened a cabinet for ingredients of that night's meal. Her husband was not home yet, but was working harder to keep bread on the table. A young teenaged girl sat in a chair wearing an outfit that would have been fit for a boy her age. Next to her, an even younger girl of seven years sat playing with a homemade doll.

"Leira, dear, can you go help your sister get the eggs? We've run out in here." The middle-aged woman said. She had long blond hair and a weathered face from the Caribbean sun that had set hours ago, her worn green dress and shift, the same. She looked at her daughter.

"Yes, Mother." The girl in front of the woman replied. Leira (Leer-a) put the bright, tropical flower she had been studying into the pocket of her pants. She was on her way out when her mother stopped her.

"And, Leira, please, put on your normal clothes. You don't want people to think you're a…pirate." Mrs. Barnes cringed at disgust of the word. Leira opened her mouth to protest but instead nodded and changed back into her old red dress and white shift. Leira then went over to her younger sister, Anne.

"Let's go get the eggs, Annie. " Anne followed Leira out back into the small strip of land behind their house, which was next to her father's shop. He was an artisan who carved wood. While she took the eggs the hens had laid, Leira looked around. The night felt unfamiliar. Something was wrong about it. It was almost too silent.

Then she heard it. A blast against what sounded like stone. She heard a man yell, "Cannon fire!" Leira took hold of Anne, who apparently did not hear anything.

"Come on! We have to warn Mother and Father!" Leira was pulling her little sister who protested.

"No! I might drop the eggs!" Anne cried. They were just ten feet from the house. Leira still struggled to get both of them out of there. Then Anne heard it too. The sound of blasts everywhere. Somewhere in the bay, a ship was firing at Port Royal. Anne screamed and dropped the eggs. "Let's go!"

Leira held her sister's hand and ran for the house, but they stopped at the sight of ragged looking men running in the streets. Pirates, Leira thought. They were on the steps and in the doorway when the wooden house shook ferociously. The residence next door had been hit, blasted to bits. "Oh, God." Leira murmured. The fire from the cannon was spreading quickly to the nearby timber dwellings, including theirs. Surely, they would be out and safe by now, Leira thought about her family inside. "Anne, stay right here incase the fire is too hot, alright?" Anne shook her head with wide eyes.

Leira ran into the house. "Mother?!" she screamed. "Father?!" She ran into the kitchen where she had last seen her mother just minutes ago.

Mrs. Barnes was holding onto Mr. Barnes in the kitchen. They had both heard their eldest daughter. "Leira! Stay back! We're trapped!" The fire consumed everything from the doorway in. It would be only seconds until they too were swallowed by the inferno. Leira's parents looked at her. "Take care of Anne, my daughter. Be strong, and tell Anne the same. We love both of you." However, the window facing out from the kitchen was still intact. The glass broke as a small ball fizzled onto the floor. And at once, the room blew up into flames and ash.

Leira stood there, helpless. She had just watched them die, her own parents. The heat finally brought her back to her senses. She ran back out to her sibling. "Anne, listen we need to go. We need to go right now. Understand?" Leira fought back tears. She had to be strong right now. Anne was confused but nodded silently through the blasts and screams of others. "Alright, let's go!" Leira held onto her sister's hand once more and ran out into the streets. They dodged neighbors and pirates as they ran towards the fort. Once or twice, they stopped for cover as cannon balls roared above them into unsuspecting homes.

"Leira, I'm tired!" Anne whined. She had already torn her dress on a piece of splintered wood on the ground. She was crying and looked scared.

"I know, Anne, but we mustn't stop now! We have to get to safety!" Leira hollered back, still running, over the noise of the bombarded town. Soon enough, the fort stood before them. Leira ushered her sibling inside. Before going in herself, Leira look out into the bay. A ship could be seen through the cannon smoke firing randomly, anywhere. Bloody pirates. Leira ran through the entrance of the fortified stone building. The girl gasped.

Pirates and soldiers were fighting everywhere. "No!" Leira cried out. She looked around for her sister. A muffled scream directed Leira of where to go. A large man, bald but strong, held a knife to the girl's throat as he was leaving the place. "Oh no you don't!!" Leira yelled. She picked up a fallen man's sword and ran after the man. He looked at Leira surprised but dropped the knife and shoved Anne away. He drew out his own sword. Leira struck first, not really having any idea of what she was doing. All she knew was that she wanted to kill him. Her anger and rage became actions as she fought off the pirate. The man was impressed by her skills but would have won if not for the cannon ball that hit him over in the head, killing him instantly.

Leira Kept the sword, just incase, and helped her sister up. Anne was hurt. Her ankle sprained when the hefty man had thrown her. Anne threw her arm around her sister's neck and limped off with her. Leira led her to a place she prayed would be safe. They sat beneath dock and where Leira had noticed two men guarding earlier that day. And she was right. The pirates ignored that one place all night while Leira stayed up as guard, her hand staying on the hilt of the sword. She let Anne sleep. She would have to be informed what happened in the morning.

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Once the pirates had left early in the morning, Leira finally had gotten some sleep. Nevertheless, was awoken just hours later by two navy soldiers. "Oi. You alive?" he asked the drowsy girl.

"Yes, I'm alive!" she snapped. She was not a morning person. Leira turned to Anne, who was also just waking up. "She needs medical help." Leira stated. The soldiers looked blank. "Did you not hear me? I said she needs to be attended to!" Leira stood up and pulled Anne to her one good foot as Anne held on to her. The soldiers snapped out of it and took them to a treatment tent they had to set up for all those who were injured. Leira watched as a doctor bandaged Anne's ankle and gave it a splint so no further damage could happen.

"She'll have to have much rest before walking again, but if she must walk, do so carefully." The man looked at Anne. She nodded solemnly. Leira did also. Anne looked at her ankle and marveled at the bandages. The soldiers and the doctor were talking. Leira seized the opportunity.

"Anne? It is hard for me to tell you this, but we will not be going home. Mother and Father…perished in the fire and our house burned down. Mother and Father told me to take care of you, and I will. They also wanted to tell you something. They told you to be strong for them and that they loved you and always have." Leira searched Anne's tear filled eyes. Leira started to cry also but silently, unlike Anne who sobbed more openly. She held onto Leira. Leira smiled through her tears. "Don't fret. They will always be with us, in our hearts." Anne nodded into her sister's shoulder. Anne continued to cry only a few minutes and stopped.

The soldiers then led them to the fort. "Seeing as you two are the only ones without parents, we will have to see if you have any relatives before we take you to the orphanage." The shorter of the two said. "Come with us." On the way there, Leira stopped by a puddle of water and looked at her reflection. Her chestnut hair was knotted and strewn about. Leira combed it through with her hands and did the same with Anne, her blonde hair even messier.

Once at the fort, the soldiers brought them to an already busy Commodore Norrington. "Commodore, these are the orphans." He gestured to Leira who was holding up Anne.

The commodore looked at the two, especially Leira. "How old are you?" he asked. Leira looked back at him. She presented herself as an equal to her elders in that moment.

"Fourteen, sir. My sister is only seven. Please don't separate us! Anne will fade away to nothing if I am not there!" Leira cried her defiant voice carrying on after speaking.

Commodore Norrington looked at her more intently. "Of course not. Now what are your names? Am I to be correct in saying that 'Anne' is this charming girl here?" Anne giggled when he said that. Leira smiled and was grateful that he was making her feel better.

"Yes, you are, sir. I am Leira. Leira and Anne Barnes." Leira replied in a calm tone now.

"We shall check with records of your parents and see if you have any relatives that may take you both." The commodore said. "Now, until then please wait here," he said and gestured towards two chairs behind him.

"Thank you very much, sir." Leira said with a quick nod of her head. She and Anne limped over to the seats and sat down. She sat and watched the men set up a course. To catch the pirates? She pondered. Leira stared out into the distance, while Anne played with her own golden curls. She remembered the rage she had felt last night just coming out of her when fighting that pirate. She realized what she really wanted to do was to hunt down the pirate that had taken most of her family away from her. She wanted to sail out and find that ship. She even thought about running away from the navy and smuggling herself on a ship to find it. But a loud voice broke her train of thought.

"That's not good enough!" a young man hollered. He threw his hatchet into the map that the commodore was studying. Leira looked at him and recognized him. It was Will Turner. Leira and Anne's father was always working closely with blacksmiths for nails and bolts he would need to fashion wood together. Will was a family friend and would often be invited over for dinner. Will never said it, but whenever he mentioned the governor's daughter and his childhood friend, Elizabeth Swann, Leira could tell he was madly in love with her. What would get Will so upset?

"Will?!" Leira asked, concerned. Will looked at her. "What's the matter?" She stood up and came nearer to him.

"The pirates have taken Elizabeth." His eyes were bright with fury and worry. "What are you doing here anyway?" Will asked her, his tone softened, but Norrington answered for her.

"Their parents past away last night during the attack." Leira looked stricken at the way he said it. It was like he didn't care about her loss. Of course, he has more important things on his mind, but he could try for a little sympathy! Will noticed her expression and walked over to her.

"Leira, I'm so sorry. Is Anne alright?" He hugged her and Leira couldn't help but let the tears flow more openly.

"She's over there. And I am sorry for you too." Leira broke away and pointed to her injured sister. She mopped the tears with her shift that was dirty still from last night. "What are you planning to do about Elizabeth? And why do you think they took her?" She asked him. Elizabeth meant the world to him.

William walked her a little away from the men. "I don't know. But I'm going to go find her. I don't think you know this but yesterday a pirate by the name of Jack Sparrow. He knows something about the ship that took her away. The Black Pearl." He said.

Leira noticed this opportunity. "Will, I would be more than happy to assist you. And I would also like to have a little chat with the men that claimed my parents' life."

"I don't think that's a good idea, Leira-" Will started but Leira cut him off.

"Don't you say anything about it being to dangerous or that I'm too young, William Turner! Apparently, I am quite good with a sword as I found out last night. And my conscience won't be clear until I can sleep soundly at night, knowing that those…those…pirates get what they deserve!" Leira was all out breath at the end of that sentence. Will looked at her closely. The girl's green-blue eyes were inflamed with defiance and annoyance. She always hated being treated like a little girl and would not stand for it anymore. She was almost a full woman!

"Fine," Will said coolly. "Just think about Anne, and if you still want to go, I'll be waiting by the prison cells in two hours. Think about what you're getting into." And with that William left the fort, glaring at Norrington while walking past. Leira went back to her seat and stared at Anne for a long time. Anne was a humming a tune barely audible to anyone else. Leira thought long and hard.