The Price of ƒ я e e d o м
A PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN FANFICTION
The Price of ƒ я e e d o м © xoxoMyRealityIsFiction
Pirates of the Caribbean © Disney
Ayisha/Amenirdis © A.C. Crispin
Full Summery: Ayisha would go to the ends of the world, and back, for one man, and one man alone. But how long can her love last when that man is the one, and only, Captain Jack Sparrow? Will take place through CotBP-OST. Slightly AU from the book.
Scene One:
I've Got A Bad Feeling About This Captain
Parted from me and never parted.
Never and always touching and touched.
I await you.
There is a lot more to Jack Sparrow than meets the eye. Oh, excuse me, Captain Jack Sparrow. He is a magnanimous man, and that is why I chose to stay with him even after all the unfortunate events he led the both of us into. He saved the lives of both my people and myself by not turning us over to my former owner; the vile man by the name of Cutler Beckett, who wanted to enslave us all and take our land. Though it was already too late for my brother, Aniba, and I.
You see, my brother and I were young and naïve. We ignored our parents warning not to leave the safety of the island; but we wanted to explore; see things that we've only heard stories of. We snuck off the island and immediately regretted it. Everything was so foreign, and the people stared at us weirdly, as if we were the ones who were strange. And Aniba and I, got lost amongst the chaos of the village we found offshore of the Nile river. And to further prove that we should have listened to our parents - strange pale-skinned men attacked the village we were in, and we were taken away along with the other villagers. Confused and scared my brother and I tried to stay together throughout the whole chaos, but it was futile. The people whom captured us were selling the villagers off, one by one to complete and total strangers! And once it was his (my brother's) turn to stand up on wooden platform in front of an audience, we were separated. I watched in horror as Aniba stood before many strange, pale-skinned people, and silently cried at the shouts of offerings the men were willing to pay for him.
Do I really need to explain the rest? I never saw Aniba again. Not until I met Jack.
I, myself, was bought by a man named Cutler Beckett, after my brother was sold off. I stayed in a small room in his house that I shared with numerous of other girls I wasn't allowed to speak to; and if I did, I would be punished will extra amounts of chores. Every morning I would wake up before the sun, and do many chores that which I have never done before in my entire life. Though I would say that I was lucky, since Beckett, for some reason, favored me over the rest of the girls. Their chores were worst than mine.
He – Beckett – always used to question about my past: where I came from, what were my people like, and so on. He spoke of my behavior; said that I acted as though as I have never been out in the world (which was not entirely false). Being as naïve as I was (and still am to this day, to a certain extent) answered all of his questions. I told him that I was from a place called Zerzura, which was the main city of my island called Kerma. that my father and mother, Taharka and Tiyy, were king and queen of my people, making me, princess. I never thought that he would plan the idea of robbing my city blind and enslaving my people for his own personal benefit. Again, not until I met Jack.
Jack, upon Beckett's orders, took me aboard his ship – the Wicked Wench – and showed me the marvels of life on sea. Then eventually he, too, asked about the location of Kerma, and that was when I began to grow suspicious about the actions of the pale-skinned men I've come across since being sold as a slave. I was hesitant to answer Jack at first, but he proved to be quite an intriguing man, and I fell. Hard. He made – makes – me feel things that I have never felt before. Whenever I was around him, my heart would race, my cheeks would flush, and my entire body would yearn for his touch. And because of my feelings towards him, I told him that I would reveal the location of Kerma, but only if he helped me rescue my brother (whom I found out was in the New World in a place called the Bahamas), and he agreed.
The journey was long and difficult. Jack seemed to have many enemies after him, but I never gave up, nor did I stop fighting so that I and my brother could finally return home where we rightfully belonged. Never would I disobey my parents again.
We almost never made it, Jack and I; and a little more than half his crew were lost in battle; but, finally I was reunited with Aniba, and I, like I promised, led Jack and the Wicked Wench to Kerma.
And to further prove his skill to always surprise me, Jack told my brother and I Beckett's plan. To say the least, I was both angered and disappointed. I trusted – loved even! – Jack, and he betrayed me. Aniba wanted to kill Jack and the rest of the crew, and steal the ship so that only he and I could return home; but I opposed. I gave Jack an ultimatum: help us, or let Aniba do as he wished, and I would not stop him. The ultimatum was both a test for Jack and myself - to see if he really was the man I fell in love with. Or was I as naïve as others always informed me of?
Jack proved to be the man whom captured my heart, promising to return me and my brother home with a promise never to tell Beckett of the island's whereabouts.
But I couldn't let him go.
I couldn't watch him sail away from me.
Even though I told myself that I would never disobey my parents again – I did. I left the safety of my home once again, and sailed the seas with Jack, hiding from Beckett whenever needed as not to rouse suspicion of Jack's lie. And even now, as the small boat we stole – oops, 'commandeered' – is slowly sinking; I, Ayisha, do not regret running away to be with Captain Jack Sparrow.
– X –
Silently staring out at sea, Ayisha squinted her eyes to see as far as she could. Raising her hand over her eyes, casting a shadow over her eyes, she thought that she could see the faint outline of land. A thick, black cloak was shielding her body from the harsh rays of the sun, and was leisurely flapping in the wind along with her dark-brown hair that was loosely braided and coming undone due to the gentle breeze. Sensing that she and Jack would be reaching land soon, Ayisha turned her gaze to Jack's sleeping form, half his body hanging off the edge of the narrow boat and bottles of rum clanking and rolling around the floor because of the continuous swaying of the small boat. Ayisha contemplated on waking him up to tell him that they would reach land soon, but decided against it, switching her gaze back out to sea.
She didn't like disturbing him. She felt that if she caused him too much trouble he would leave her, and she didn't want that. Feared it, actually. Without him, she would be lost. She knew close to nothing about this world because she was sheltered her whole life on an island no one could find unless you were a native to it.
Rising to her feet, standing on the wooden bench so that she wouldn't get her feet wet, Ayisha curled her fingers around the mast of the boat. Squinting her eyes, again, Ayisha could vaguely see the outline of an island in the distance. Eyes scrutinizing the tiny speck of land Ayisha felt something form in the pit of her stomach, and she learned to always follow what her gut was telling her.
...They shouldn't make port...
But if they didn't, they would surely sink since they didn't know when they would come up to land again.
A thud, splashing, and grumbles of profanity reached Ayisha's ears, causing a small smile to form on her lips. Turning her head around she saw Jack stumble to his feet, still obviously in a hazy state between sleep and wake. Well, that or the rum has yet to wear off. Dusting off his clothes Jack fixed his hat so that it was sitting in the correct position on his head, and asked, "Have ye spotted land yet, Darlin'?" he, too, raising his hand over his eyes to shield them from the bright light of the sun, trying to spot any signs of land for himself.
Ayisha nodded in response, and pointed off into the distance, in the direction of the speck of land. She never spoke much, only unless if it was necessary. She didn't know why but she just felt better, safer, when a person could easily forget about her presence, even if they just met her. She liked to easily blend into the crowd if needed be. Besides, her accent tended to draw unwanted attention to her and she didn't like most of the stares she would receive because of it.
"It's not Tortuga, but it will do," Jack muttered, beginning the process of climbing up the mast. "We will make port, commander another ship – a better ship – and will be gone before sundown. How does that sound to ye, Love?"
Ayisha lips curved slightly into a frown and she glanced back at the speck of land that drew closer and closer. The feeling in the pit of her stomach continued to grow. "I do not think we should make land," she said, voicing her doubts, her voice much deeper, more husky, than a normal woman's.
Normally, Jack would heed to Ayisha's warnings because of her sensitivity of having a sixth sense, which was normal to her people, but not this time. "We don't have a choice in the matter Darlin', this boat won't last much longer – we have to make port. Don't worry too much, we'll be out of 'ere and heading towards Tortuga in no time."
Ayisha tried to find comfort in Jack's words. He always was right, in one way or another, but she still couldn't shake the feeling of worry. Her eyes were fixated on the island as they drew near, but then the sloshing sound of water splashing around in the boat re-captured her attention.
Gazing down at her feet Ayisha noticed that the water was dangerously rising and was almost to the bottom of her feet. Standing on the tip of her toes, in a lame attempt to keep her feet dry, Ayisha searched the boat for the source of the leakage. Jack jumped down from the mast, his weight causing the water to splash and splatter all over Ayisha, and she cocked her jaw to the side in annoyance. Well, there was no reason to try and not to get wet anymore...
While Jack was busy trying to shovel the water out of the boat with a bucket, Ayisha also jumped into the water – the bottoms of her loose, white trousers getting drenched in the process – and waddled through the sea water, still trying to find the hole letting water seep into the boat. Finding it, she then tried to find something to clog it with. Reaching for one of Jack's many empty rum bottles, Ayisha stuck it into the hole, and the water seepage slowed. Hopefully the bottle would buy them time to reach land before the boat sunk. But to her horror, the bottle then slipped through the hole, into sea, and the hole only grew bigger, letting more water in than before.
"Love, there ain't no use in trying to save her. She's going down," Jack stated from behind Ayisha. He grabbed her hand, helping her to her feet and proceeded in leading her to the mast, giving her a boost in climbing up.
Once Ayisha reached the top she bent down and helped Jack climb the rest of the way up. Keeping her eyes beneath them, at the water, which was rising faster and faster, almost completely engulfing the bottom half of the boat, Ayisha leaned into Jack's chest, her arms wrapping around his waist for leverage, and his arm wrapped around her shoulders.
Eyes inspecting their surroundings, her lips twitching to try and form a smile towards the many stares that she and Jack were receiving from gaping sailors, Ayisha could see them coming up to the dock of the island; boat sinking lower and lower all the while. Jerking to a halt, barely managing to reach the dock's edge, Jack simply walked off the mast like he didn't have a care in the world and held out a hand towards Ayisha, helping her off of the mast.
Strutting down the dock, towards the town, Jack and a bashful Ayisha passed by an official-looking man who did a double-take at the both of them. "W-what? Hey! Hold up there, you two," the man called towards them, and Jack swirled around on the balls of his feet, taking a few steps forward so that he and the man were face to face. "It's a shilling to tie up your boat at the dock."
All eyes turned towards the sunken ship, the sail flowing in rhythm with the sway of the waves.
"And I shall need to know your names," the man added, quill poised over his notebook, ready to write down Jack and Ayisha's names. It was a bad idea when they really thought about it, since Jack had a reputation most likely known throughout the whole world.
Jack held out a hand behind him, in Ayisha's direction, since she was standing right behind him, and she untied the small brown, leather money sack she had on her trousers. She emptied entire contents of the sack onto her hand, and then placed them on Jack's open palm. Jack briefly glanced at the three shillings and gave Ayisha an 'Are you kidding me?' look. Ayisha gave him a stern expression in return, eyes gesturing for him to give it to the man.
Rolling his eyes, Jack smoothly slid the three shillings onto the paper of the man's notebook. "What d'ye say to three shillings? And we forget the names?"
The man switched glances between Jack, Ayisha, and the three shillings on his notebook, and then snapped his book shut. "Welcome to Port Royal, Mr. and Mrs. Smith." The man smiled politely, and Jack placed his palms together, bowing in a thankful manner.
"Come, Mrs. Smith," Jack sniffled stiffly, strutting off and down the dock. Ayisha rushed to follow, falling in step with Jack. Suddenly, Jack stopped in his stride and backtracked. Eying him, Ayisha sighed. She shook her head at Jack when he picked up a small sack on the podium stationed at the dock, raised it to his ear, and shook it. He nodded in satisfaction and tossed her the sack, continuing in his walk down the dock. Looking down at the sack Ayisha could feel the weight of the many coins in her palm, and jogged down the dock to catch up with Jack,
"Could you not be more discreet?" she whispered, having to pick up her pace in order to keep up with Jack's long strides. She knew that in order to have money that Jack sometimes (if not all the time, although Ayisha was just praying that he only did it sometimes) had to steal money from other people. But to do it openly like he did just now?
Jack had changed since 'becoming' a pirate, though it was actually Beckett who forced him to become a pirate when he branded him with the trademark 'P' on his wrist. But he was still the same man, deep, deep, down inside; buried beneath all his walls of defence, and hidden behind the 'frightening' pirate persona everyone thought pirates to have.
"Darlin', I always know how much money we have. I remember for a fact that we only had three shillings left," Jack replied.
Ayisha refrained from voicing out that the reason they only had three shillings left, was because he spent the rest on rum. Technically it was Jack's money, not hers – she fortunately had not had to steal. Besides, even if she wanted to, Jack probably wouldn't let her.
Walking along the edge of the town, the wet sand feeling soft underneath Ayisha's thin white slippers, Jack held out an arm in front of her, causing her to stop. Peeking over the side of a tree, they spotted a ship swaying side to side at a dock where very few people seemed to be.
"I do not think they would let us just walk right up, and take the ship, Jack," said Ayisha. "Maybe we should find a smaller boat?"
"And where's the fun in that?" Jack grinned back at Ayisha, and immediately she knew that he had made up his mind in whatever plan he had in that strange mind of his.
Jack crept down the hill, underneath the stone bridge with Ayisha not far behind. They crept along the side, and down the dock. Once they stepped down the wooden steps, Jack coolly swaggered towards the ship, however, two men in royal navy red uniforms jogged in front of the pair, creating a human wall between Jack, Ayisha, and the ship.
"This dock is off limits to civilians," the tall, lanky man on the right stated.
"I'm terribly sorry. I didn't know. If I see one, I shall inform you immediately." Jack tried to walk past the men, but they simply stepped in his way for the second time. Jack glanced back at Ayisha, annoyance clear on his face. "Apparently there's some sort of high toned and fancy to-do up at the fort, eh? How could it be that two upstanding gentleman such as yourselves did not merit an invitation?"
The lanky man responded meekly, "Someone has to make sure this dock stays off limits to civilians."
"It's a fine goal to be sure but it seems to me that a–" Jack tried to shift around the men again, but they too shifted, " –a ship like that, makes this one here a bit superfluous, really."
"Oh, the Dauntless is the power in these waters, true enough, but there's no ship as can match the Interceptor for speed."
Ayisha squinted her eyes, to see through the sun light, and spotted an outline of another ship: the Interceptor. Scrutinizing the outline of the navy boat, Ayisha switched her gaze back to Jack and nodded in understandment. That was the ship that they were going to 'commandeer.'
Jack tapped a finger over his mouth, and then waved it in the air, "I've heard of one, supposed to be very fast – nigh un-catchable – the Black Pearl."
The pudgy man of the two, sputtered out a laugh, "Well, there's no real ship as can match the Interceptor."
"The Black Pearl is a real ship," his friend retorted, and the pudgy man gazed at him as if he were stupid.
"No, no it's not."
During their bickering, Ayisha strolled up next to Jack and pushed aside the thick black cloak around her body to let air in, growing hot by the weather. Part of her belly was bare, the thin white cotton tunic she had on – with gold trimming, slit open up to her belly-button – was a piece of the outfit she had on when she left her home of Kerma. She refused to change out of it, only washing it when necessary, because even though she loved Jack dearly, she missed her home, her family, and her people.
"Now would be the best time, while they are distracted," she murmured from beside Jack. He sucked at his teeth, nodding in agreement.
Slipping away, unseen, Ayisha boarded the ship after Jack, and roamed the boat silently. Up close, it wasn't as big as she thought it was; maybe they could slip away with this ship. That is, if Jack wasn't picky and wanted the other ship, the Interceptor, rather than the Dauntless. She didn't get it, a boat was a boat. As long as it floats and it could get them away from that island (ridding Ayisha of her bad feeling), then they would be fine until they reached Tortuga – the island in which Ayisha loathed going to more than anything.
"Hey! You! Get away from there!" The two guards jumped on board the ship, and pointed their rifles straight at Jack, whom was standing at the helm. "You don't have permission to be aboard there, mate!"
Sneaking up from behind the men, Ayisha slid out a dagger, which was hidden within the sleeve of her tunic, ready to take down the two men. Jack noticed this and lightly shook his head side to side. Ayisha slipped the dagger back into her sleeve, standing up straight from her hunched over position.
"I'm sorry, it's just – it's such a pretty boat– ship," Jack immediately corrected, his hands resting on the handles of the helm.
"What's your name?" the lanky man asked.
"Smith. Or Smithy, if you like," Jack lied with a curt nod of his head.
"What's your purpose in Port Royal, Mr. Smith?" the pudgy man questioned, obviously not as dumb as he looked, not believing Jack's fake name for a second.
"Yeah, and no lies," the lanky man abruptly added, his voice a pitch higher than normal.
Ayisha felt pity for the two men. They had obviously never dealt with a matter like this before. Jack strutted out from behind the large helm of the ship, slowly taking step by step towards the men, both of them inching back with each step forward Jack took.
"Well, then, I confess, it is my intention to commandeer one of the ships – with my lovely lass over there –" Jack gestured to Ayisha, and the men glanced back at her, shocked, probably forgetting that she was there, but quickly turned back to face Jack when he continued his speech. "Pick up a crew in Tortuga, raid, pillage, plunder and otherwise pilfer my weasely black guts out."
Ayisha wanted to slap her forehead. Oh, Jack, no, she thought in exasperation.
"I said no lies!" the lanky man uttered out in bewilderment,
"I think he's telling the truth," the pudgy man muttered,
"If he were telling the truth, he wouldn't have told us," the lanky man retorted. Ayisha silently sighed; they were going to get into another bickering argument, she could feel it,
"Unless, of course, he knew you wouldn't believe the truth even if he told it to you," Jack intervened, leaning forward, his fingers wrapped tightly around one of the many ropes tied to the mast. "Listen gentlemen, I think we've got off on the wrong foot here, aye? Let me tell you a bit about myself, and maybe you will reconsider, eh? Ayisha, Darlin', come over here. Gentlemen, this is Ayisha. A fine looking lass isn't she?" Jack asked, his arm leisurely wrapped around her shoulder.
Both men nodded, a smile on their faces, as Ayisha stood obediently next to Jack, the long, black cloak pushed behind her and showing off her frame. She knew that she was pleasing to the eye, having an exotic beauty about her (as Jack mentioned when they first met): long dark hair, a natural mocha skin complexion, strong features, full lips, and an aura of mystery because of her lack of words.
"Love, tell them about the first time we've escaped death with the Pelegostos."
Ayisha didn't bother to open her mouth, because soon after Jack finished his sentence, he started up on the tale himself; sliding his arm off her shoulders, so that he could use both hands to add more depth to the tale.
"It was about a few years ago, my lass and I landed on an island we thought to be deserted, but," he held up a finger in an over-dramatic way, the two guards engrossed in Jack's words, "it was not. All we intended to do was find fresh water, and sail back off into sea. Ayisha and I parted ways, to cover more ground, and I was captured."
Jack paused, and by the expressions of the guards' faces, they wanted him to continue. Ayisha silently sighed, crossing her arms over her chest, knowing that Jack was going to over-exaggerate the event and add something daring and heroic that she didn't remember him doing while back on the island with the Pelegostos. "They spoke in strange tongues, but after months of living and observing them–" (it was really only weeks) " - I'd learned to speak their language fluently." (No he didn't. She was the one who learned the language quickly, and at first spoke for the both of them when she, too, was later captured. Jack later picked up on the language.)
...And here comes the heroic part that never happened...
"During my captivity, all I could think of was what came of my lass. I've learned that they captured her by the river, and they planned on eating her – cannibals these people were. They created a big fire, and had Ayisha tied to a log hoisted over the blaze, ready to cook her; but I stopped them. I BROKE out of my restraints, rushed over to her aid, and freed her from her prison. Amazed by my bravery, the people thought of me as a God sent from the heavens, and then they made me their chief."
A rather loud splash caught their attention, and Ayisha turned her head to the side just in time to see a woman plunge into the sea.
(A/N) Authors Note: I know that you guys must be irritated with me that I had deleted this story for a third time. But, I'm not going to do that anymore because I've come to realize that writing fanfiction is supposed to be fun - not a chore. I'm going to take my time with this, and re-write this entire story, and I would really appreciate it if you guys will please leave me a review. Even if it's a 'Man, again? You need to stop and get your ass into gear, woman'. I promise not to abandon you guys again. But, I am, and will, take my time and just have fun with this :)
Ayisha is really a woman from Jack's past, much like Angelica from 'On Stranger Tides'. And This story will be through all four movies, but it wont be just Ayisha inserted into the storyline. I'm going to make it as original as possible.
Now just FYI, the new version (that you are reading now) will have new information, so don't just skim through it.
Now, if you love Jack, and Ayisha, drop a line by clicking the pretty button on the bottom of this page that says 'review this chapter' :3
I've dedicated this repost to a dear friend of mine who told me not to give up. Gosh, don't you hate bipolar disorder? x3 I know I do - it makes me do crazy things.
Love you!