A.N.: This is set around the time of 'Dead Man's Chest'. The events of the 2nd and 3rd movies won't entirely be in chronological order. I don't own anything involving POTC and only take credit for plot twists and my original characters.
Victoria Hawke stuck a small portion of wax over the open candle by her side before pressing it down to seal the letter she had just written to her son, Toby. He lived in Port Royal with Victoria's great aunt, Mary, who had insisted on raising the boy as an orphan to keep the family honor in tact. After all, Victoria had done enough damage already, she didn't need to add a bastard son of a pirate to the mix. So, for the sake of her son's reputation Victoria lived in Tortuga, with her young friend Kayleigh Sutton, and kept her distance. Kayleigh was seven years younger than her friend but the two were as close as sisters. The redhead had only been twelve when her mother had died on the crossing from England. Her father had been a pirate and therefore very absent, so Victoria had taken the girl under her wing and tried to raise her like she couldn't raise her own child. That had been nine years ago. Kayleigh was about to turn twenty one, and Victoria had just written Toby a letter celebrating his ninth birthday. As Victoria tucked the letter into the waistband of her dress, Kayleigh entered the room, with dirt covering the front of her dress.
"What happened?" Victoria asked, concern creeping into her voice at the other girl's disarray. The younger woman blew a piece of hair out of her eyes and threw her bag down besides the bed.
"Scarlet and Giselle. They practically ran me over on their way to the tavern. Apparently a new ship has docked." Kayleigh said mockingly, stripping out of the dress and down to the white chemise beneath it before peaking out the window.
"I think they were given false information." She said after a few moments. Victoria threw her hair over her shoulder and joined her friend at the window.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I don't see any new sails, do you?"
"Well it is night. It's hard to see anything." Victoria said, moving away from the window and pulling on a pair of sturdy boots.
"I can tell white from black. Ships have white sails and there aren't any bloody sails in the bloody harbor." Kayleigh said, getting agitated now that she had been knocked out of the way for nothing. Victoria tensed but continued to pull her shoes on.
"Not all ships." She said in a quiet reminder, touching the necklace that hung at her throat. It had been a gift, and hung low beneath her shirt. She was the only one who knew it was there. Kayleigh scoffed.
"Right. You're telling me 'The Black Pearl', the most hunted ship in the Caribbean has docked at Tortuga? For some reason I didn't think rum and wenches were a priority when you're being hunted by her majesties finest."
"I don't know then, Kayleigh. Perhaps, it's docked on the other side of the island. I have to go see if I can't put this on the next ship to Port Royal." Victoria said.
"I wish you would put me on the next ship to Port Royal. In fact why don't we just pack up tonight, stow away and wind up someplace new. You can still write Toby, and if we get rich you can send for him. We can be pirates. Please?" The beautiful redhead said. She held a playful smile but Victoria knew she meant every word.
"I've told you a million times. These people aren't pirates. They're hacks who want to be pirates. It's more than robbing and drinking rum, it's-"
"-a freedom that you have to be willing to break all the rules for. Something that steers you in a course you were destined to be on. Yea, I've heard the speech. You have pretty high standards for piracy, you know that?"
"I only take the best." Victoria said flatly.
"The best being Jack Sparrow and the Black Pearl?" Kayleigh asked with an arched eyebrow. Victoria glared at her friend.
"Captain Jack Sparrow may be an ass but he's one hell of a pirate, and that ship is worth more all the gold in the Caribbean."
"So you've said. Go mail the letter. I hope you remembered to give Toby my love."
"I always do." Victoria said. "Be back in a bit." she said before leaving their tiny room above the stables and walking down to the docks. Her stomach felt twisted into knots. She knew in her gut that the Pearl was here, and she knew it was the only chance she and Kayleigh had at a good life. As she walked into the tavern she made sure to keep her head low as she ordered her ale and gave the letter to the bartender, making it sure it went out with the next ship to Port Royal.
"Just to warn you, it may take a while. Ships are reluctant to go near Port Royal since the East India Company took over." A handsome young man beside her said as he waited to grab three pints. He had a good tan and dark blonde hair.
"I heard warrants of arrest were issued for Commodore Norrington and his new bride. Is that true?"
"Yeah, and they weren't the only ones. Norrington never returned to Port Royal and sent word to Elizabeth to go back to England." He explained.
"That's terrible. What were the charges?"
"In a nutshell? Helping him." The young man said, turning to point to a man Victoria hadn't laid eyes on in nearly ten years. Captain Jack Sparrow sat with his heels on the table talking quietly with Mr. Gibbs. Victoria ducked her head quickly, her mind and heart both racing before she took another quick glance at him.
"I know that look." she whispered. "What scheme has he come up with and roped you into?"
"How do you-"
"What's you're name?" Victoria asked.
"Will. Will Turner."
The brunette paused for a second. "Bootstrap's boy?"
"You knew my father?"
"On this island it would be hard to find people who didn't know the crew of the Pearl. Just listen to me. Whatever he's got cooked up, don't trust him. He doesn't get the concept of loyalty." Victoria said, clapping the boy on the shoulder before rushing out the door. Will watched the strange woman rush off before grabbing the pints and heading back to the table. The way Gibbs and Jack immediately changed their topic did not escape him. The woman obviously knew what she was talking about.
Victoria hitched up her skirts, running to the stables and up the stairs, unlocking the door as quick as lightening. Kayleigh was still up, scribbling away by the light of a low-burning candle.
"Pack a bag. We're getting off this rock." Victoria said, already running to the second-hand bureau they had stolen and shoving her things into a tiny rucksack. Kayleigh brushed her long red hair out of her eyes and turned to look at the frazzled brunette whose hair had curled from the humidity and whose face was shining slightly from the thin layer of sweat that had appeared during her mad dash to the room.
"What the hell are you talking about?" she asked, pulling up the sleeve of her nightgown as it began to slide down an arm. Victoria was now unfastening her shawl and turned to look at Kayleigh.
"We're going to be pirates." She whispered excitedly. Kayleigh laughed.
"Of course. How stupid of me to even ask." She teased. Victoria crumpled the fabric into a ball and threw it at her friend.
"Weren't you just talking about leaving Tortuga, getting a real life, a real home, publishing your story and me building a proper family with Toby?" Victoria asked.
"Well, yes, but that requires money we don't have." Kayleigh said for the millionth time. It was the grim reminder every time they had conversations about what they'd like to do in the future. They barely had enough to eat and pay to keep their dismal little room that smelled like horses and hay.
"What if we could get it?" Victoria asked quietly, as though if she said the words too loud the opportunity would vanish just as quickly.
"I would ask how." Kayleigh admitted, moving away from the window and sitting on the bed.
"The Black Pearl is in the harbor, and Captain Jack Sparrow is setting sail tomorrow for what, no doubt, will be an amazing and lucrative adventure." Victoria said excitedly.
"THE Jack Sparrow?" Kayleigh asked, her eyes wide and mouth agape. Victoria rolled her eyes.
"No the other one. Of course, THE Jack Sparrow." She said shoving her friend slightly.
"So what's your plan then? Just announce that we're along for the ride? They won't take women, you know." Kayleigh said, though even as she spoke the excitement of possibility had her shoving things into her own rucksack.
"So we won't be women." Victoria said flatly.
"I beg your pardon?" Kayleigh asked with raised eyebrows. Victoria chuckled to herself and Kayleigh shook her head fearing the worst.