There is no room for sentiments in the world. Sentimentalists die young – they live tragic lives. There is no room for them. Thoughts and feelings and emotions will never save your life. As a matter of fact, they can often condemn it. To fit in here you have to grow up fast, learn quickly and trust no one. You have to rely on cruel logic, on the heat of metal and the red of blood. There is nothing else.
As usual, the small cabin was crammed full of absurd and grotesque things, hanging from every available space and filling every corner. The first time they had come, it seemed like an age ago, everything had seemed fascinating. Now, everything served to remind them of what they had lost. Tia Dalma passed around hot drinks, staring intently at the faces of the bereft around her. She knew what it was like to lose someone so loved. She also knew how to bring them back.
"There is a way to bring your beloved Jack back," she stated, never one to beat around.
Will scoffed. "Yeah, and what is that? How are we supposed to bring someone dead back to life? It's impossible. You just want money."
Tia Dalma stared at him, making him shift uncomfortably.
"How much do you all know about Captain Jack Sparrow?" she asked in a loud voice, shattering the peace in the cabin. "How many of you have seen this on him?"
She held up a gold locket in her hand. It was small and intricate, a thousand images in one. It seemed to move and flow in the shimmering candlelight. They all recognised it. They had never seen their captain without it. They wondered briefly how Tia Dalma had gotten hold of it, but then thought better of asking. Tia Dalma watched their nods and smiled.
"This was given to Jack by a woman named Annabelle. No last name. Some of you might recognise her by the name 'Thalassa', though."
"Thalassa," murmured Gibbs. "The personification of the sea. I thought she was a myth."
"Thalassa?" Elizabeth gasped. "From the legends? The pirate who commandeered the whole Caribbean?"
"Aye," said Tia Dalma, smirking. "Thalassa. The half mortal-half nymph who controlled the sea with her voice. Jack was one of the few who knew her as Annabelle. He saved her life once, kidnapped her off her kidnappers. You see, she was some prize. The greatest treasure to be had. A beautiful woman who had power over the ocean? Which pirate did not want to have control over her? But what they didn't realise was that she could not be controlled. Not by any mortal...save for Jack. They fell in love."
Everyone in the cabin was watching Tia Dalma, intent on her story with strange passion.
"For years they unleashed hell on the whole Caribbean. Nobody was safe. They were tyrants...their very names struck fear and awe into the hearts of everyone. Their story was told every night to young children. A story of adventure and freedom on the high seas and a love that conquered everything."
"I remember," whispered Elizabeth. "She made me long for freedom."
Tia Dalma sighed.
"It was not to last though. Eventually the Pearl was cornered. One ship against fifty. No way of escape. Annabelle begged Jack to let her go over and try to negotiate with the enemy. He agreed, reluctantly, and that was the last time he saw her."
A collective moan went through all listening, but Tia Dalma was not finished.
"Annabelle went aboard with the enemy and made a deal with them. Her life and all the information they wanted for the escape of Jack and his crew. They had been after her for years, and they agreed. They sailed off and left Jack alone. Annabelle gave up her information. The commodore had, however, fallen for her, and he decided to strike another deal. If she promised to leave, travel inland, and never set eyes on Jack or the ocean again, Jack would be free forever. It broke her heart, but she agreed. Meanwhile, the commodore had all his considerable power out looking for the Pearl and its crew, spreading the news that Annabelle was dead wherever they went. When they found Jack, he had already heard. He surrendered. He almost hung too, but managed to escape at the last moment. The commodore sent information to Annabelle saying that he had been executed."
There was complete silence in the cabin. No one had ever suspected Jack of having such a past, and everybody was still busy trying to comprehend what that meant. Elizabeth finally broke it.
"So, all these years, both Jack and Thalassa have been living alone, thinking that their other half is dead?"
Tia Dalma nodded gravely. Elizabeth stood up, enraged.
"And nobody has thought to tell them? Why haven't you told him?"
Tia Dalma sighed.
"When the commodore and his fleets found the Pearl, it was in a 'safe harbour', a place that only the crew knew about. The only way to get in and out was completely hidden at high tide, and only a tiny opening at low tide. Jack jumped to conclusions, believing he had been betrayed. Now, what would you prefer? To live, knowing that the love of your life is dead, or live, knowing the love of your life has stabbed you in the back and then ran off to hide?"
"But it was all a misunderstanding! They could be together again...they could be happy!" Elizabeth looked around at the crew, who all had their eyes averted, not meeting her eyes.
Will stood up. He took Elizabeth's hand and whispered something in her ear. Elizabeth calmed noticeably and sat back down.
"What has all this got to do with saving Jack?" he asked. The crew looked up again, expectant. Tia Dalma grinned.
"Nothing," she said. Before they could protest, she held up her hand, still holding the gold locket. "It is this that will save your Jackie. You see, it has a certain charm on it, one that will raise its beholder from the dead where he lay. "There is only one problem. You need both halves for it to work. Annabelle still wears that half around her neck."
"We have to get it back," growled Gibbs.
"No. You have to get Annabelle back. I believe it is time she saw the sea again, don't you think?"
Elizabeth met her eyes and smiled for the first time since Jack had died.
"I do."
"There are some things you have to know before you meet her," Tia Dalma was practically yelling up at them, her voice still hard to hear from the wind. The horses were skittish, eager to be away. Elizabeth felt her pocket for the comfortable shape of the compass again. Jack's compass. It would lead her to Annabelle. Will motioned for them to dismount. The crew practically fell to the ground. They were not happy about the horses. Tia Dalma motioned them inside the hotel.
"There are some things you have to know before you meet her," she repeated. "Watch her eyes – they tell her mood. If they turn black, get out. She has strange powers over life and death, which is why you need her. She can always tell if you are lying. If she touches you, she will read your mind. Do not anger her. That is most important – do not anger her."
They all nodded together.
"Good luck. Remember everything."
They nodded again before turning back outside and racing back to their horses. Elizabeth flipped open the compass and they followed her directions over the hills and away from the sea.