Prologue
Will and Elizabeth quickly followed Barbosa through the streets of Tortuga. "What exactly are we supposed to find in Tortuga, Barbosa?"
The man turned to grin maniacally at Will. "You'd be suprised what you can find in Tortuga, boy. Or I should say who." They dodged another brawl, sidestepped a broken barrel of rum, and ducked a drunken prostitute's advances. "After all, we need a ship, do we not?"
Elizabeth stepped closer to him. "Who exactly is going to be willing to help us? It's not as though anyone around here is going to go against...well, him."
Barbosa merely chuckled. "Don't worry your pretty little head Miss Swann. I'm quite confident in who I'm seeking."
She turned to Will and grimaced. "Why does that worry me?"
He sighed heavily. "Because, my dear Elizabeth, you're still mostly sane." With a shake of his head he moved to catch back up with Barbosa. "But what other choice do we have?"
She sighed at the coldness in Will's voice. Something was not right, but now was definately not the time, nor the place, really, to think about it. She chased after the two and found them entering a tavern. Barbosa strode right on over to a table where two women and one man sat drinking from seperate bottles of rum. One of the women was twirling a dagger across her knuckles. All three were obviously pirates. The two women wore men's clothing much as she was herself.
The woman holding the dagger had dirty, dark blond hair pulled back in a messy braid. Several strands of tiny red beads were woven into it, along with a choker made of them around her neck. The man sitting to her left bore a strong resemblance to her, down to the long dirty blond hair pulled up with a green bandanna. Both were talking animatedly in French as the third member of the group, a dark-haired, olive skinned woman, twirled her finger idly in her shell necklace, sipping at her rum.
"Bonjour, Genevieve." Barbosa purred.
The blond woman's head snapped up. "Barboza. To what do I owe ze pleazure?" Her voice was so heavily accented that both Will and Elizabeth had to strain to understand her.
Barbosa put on a slightly shocked and hurt face. "Must I always have a purpose to seek out your pleasureable company, my dear?"
"You are a pirate. I do 'ope thees ez a profitable venture." Genevieve chuckled.
"Are you sure about these people, Barbosa?" Will asked quietly.
"Of course I'm sure. Now shut it and let me talk." He reached into his coat and pulled out a dark brown bottle. "Payment for your time of course." The three nodded in unison. "First off, Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann. Can't be forgettin' my manners, now can I?" He motioned to the other two.
Genevieve motioned to the man on her left. "Sebastien Durand, my brother, and captain of the Sea Serpent. To my right 'ere, would be Venitia Esposito, captain of Undine's Fury. I am Genvieve Durand, captain of the Crimson Mermaid." She spoke calmly, having returned to twirling her dagger. "Zo, now zat we are all friends, I 'ope you will tell me why you 'ave sought us out?"
Barbosa grinned and sat down, Will and Elizabeth warily joining him. "Who is the one pirate you would give anything to slap?"
