Prologue
I do not own anything related to the pirates of the Caribbean
She was nothing. A legend, a rumor nothing but a mere shadow that climbed the rigging of the ship at night and slept in the cargo hold during the day away from the peering eyes of men and God alike.
The ghost of the Queen Anne's Revenge, it was said only the captain could hold power over this phantom, used her as a spy to report any dissention amongst the ranks.
They were wrong.
Chapter one
Blackbeard stood before the roaring open fire in his private quarters, fiddling almost obsessively with his latest doll.
"I don't like to be kept waiting child."
Behind him a subtle cluck echoed through the rotting wooden walls. "Maria, why do you insist upon doing that, couldn't you just use the door?" he scolded the small wisp of a girl as he turned.
"Oh, but where is the fun in that" the girl swung herself around a support beam. She was thin, almost extremely so, but lean muscle stretched beneath her tanned skin, that bore dozens of scars and freckles over every square inch. Her hair was cut short, in a boyish but shaggy style with a dirty blonde hue peeking out from under the layers of dust and thin layer of grease accumulated from weeks at sea without the luxury of bathing. Dressed in Men's trousers, and stolen shirt and a pair of simple leather slip on shoes, whose soles where worn down.
"Status report if you please, I don't have all night you know." Blackbeard reminded her in an annoyed tone. "All quiet nothing to report." Maria stated, sounded bored and restless, "And how is our new friend adjusting?" the teen spun on her toes in circles, whipping herself around a support beam. "Well enough."
"Good, good." Blackbeard hummed, "back to your post then." He fingered the doll once again, which bore a distinct resemblance to their new recruit, "Captain" Jack Sparrow. "Lord know what goes on after dark" the Captain mused. Maria grinned cheekily, "Well I'm flattered sir, but I'm most certainly not God."
"Dismissed" Blackbeard ordered again, Maria sighed, "Ay Captain".
She closed the door behind her and snuck her way down below deck, before shimming her way along the rafters, Careful not to rattle any oil lamps along the way.
A low hum on conversation rang from the gathering in the corner of the room. She crept her way over high above them until she stood directly above the gathering.
"'Ello loves." She greeted them as all jumped about a foot in the air.
"Oi It's Maria" the crew greeted her gaily, "How be my boys?" she asked, playfully stealing Scrum's hat.
"And who might this be?" the man at the head of the table asked, who Maria knew to be Mr. Sparrow. "The names Maria, and you must be Jack Sparrow, am I right?"
"First of all lass," The pirate swaggered up to her, "It's Captain Jack Sparrow. Savvy? Secondly you wouldn't happen to be so call Ghost of the ship would ya? The one who tells Blackbeard all goings on 'round here?"
Maria shrugged, and snatched a bottle from one of the crew men, taking a swig before answering, "If I told the Captain everything, do you thing the lads would be thing happy to see me?" she questioned with a challenging tone.
"Fair enough, Scrum.." Jack jerked his head toward her.
"Okay Maria, Jack here is gonna lead us in a mutiny." Maria nearly choked on the rum, sputtering and coughing. "Have you all been chugging sea water?!" she protested. "You're all going to get yourselves hanged!"
"You don't understand Lass, The Captain's sailing us to the Fountain of Youth," the crew preceded to mutter angrily, "I don't care if the world's end be our path," Maria stated with conviction.
"Is that your final word on the matter then?" Jack asked, Maria turned to the man who would soon lead her friends into certain death. "I have said my piece and counted to three" she confirmed. Jack sighed, "Well then."
Cold iron encircled Maria's wrist as the other end of the shackle was secured to a torch holder, "Hell's teeth!" Maria cursed lashing out at Jack free arm, "Tie'er down men." Jack ordered.
"Sorry bout this Lass, but it's for your own good ya see." Scrum apologized as a length of thick rope tightened around her slim form.
The pirates filed out above deck brandishing pistols, torches, and swords, leaving Maria tied to the beam, yelling obscenities that would make the most seasoned pirate scold her. After about five minutes of chaos above deck all when quiet, "Not Good" Maria noted, wincing as the fibers of the ropes rubbed against the rope burns that marked her arms.
Hushed slithering noises surrounded her, as the rigging coiled and shook itself alive. The tight roped binding her loosened and unwrapped themselves, which in its self is a mixed bag, because on the one hand, Maria was free, but on the other hand, someone was probably going to die tonight.
Maria ransacked one of the men's bunks and pocketed a small dagger, before retreating above deck with extreme caution. The only noise was that of the rigging creaking and groaning on the ocean as ropes silently snakes their way around the ship.
Blackbeard was addressing Angelica, the first mate, who confirmed that this was indeed a Mutiny.
"And what is the fate that befalls Mutineers? Well we all know the answer to that don't we?" Blackbeard drew his sword.
"Mutineers Hang!"
With this the chaos ensued once again as the rigging attacked the crewmen, suspending each and every one of them in the hair by various limbs.
Blackbeard turned to Maria, who shrunk away from the fire in his eyes, the Captain crooked a finger to beckon her. Maria slowly crept up to him squeaking as he roughly grabbed her arm in a bruising vise grip, "Did you know of this?" he questioned. When she didn't reply he shook her roughly, "Did You Know Of This?!" Maria shook her head feverously, know that her answer more than likely wouldn't matter.
Before any harm could befall her, Jack Sparrow, the ring leader of all this swung down from above, hanging by one of his legs. "Captain I wish to report a mutiny." he stated, "I can name finger and point names." Maria snuck away while the captain was distracted by Jack.
"No need mister Sparrow" Blackbeard assured him. "They are sheep, you their shepherd" Jack was dropped roughly on to the deck. "Sir have I mentioned what a lovely daughter you have?" Jack asked.
"A fitting sight for a doomed soul." Blackbeard cocked his pistol and took aim. "Father please" Angelica intervened, pushing Maria out of the way on her way up to her father. "We need him"
"If I don't kill a man every now and then, they start to forget who I am." Blackbeard addressed her.
"Coward!" a random voice called. As all peered around to see who would dare address the most evil man in the world in such a manner. "They do not forget!"
"Twice a day I find myself in a bewilderment." Blackbeard seemed pretty tired of this, but so far they had avoided death, for now.
"You are not bewildered you are afraid. You dare not walk the path of righteousness, the path of light."
Maria's eyebrows raised slowly in a skeptical manner, not one for religion herself.
"No, sir you see it be all much simpler than that" Blackbeard corrected him, "I'm a bad man"
The reverend looked slightly miffed, "That to. But I pray for every soul on the god forsaken vessel."
This seemed to ager Blackbeard quite a bit, "I might just have to shoot you to" Angelica pushed herself in front of the gun, "Father please!"
"Oh, Latin blood, just like her mother!" Blackbeard sighed, "Who stood watch?" he turned to the crowd of still hanging crewmen. Before turning to a young man of about twenty years old. "You?"
The young gulped, "Aye Sir" Blackbeard grinned, "Aye, the cook, Perfect" he turned, "Ready the long boat." He ordered, before turning to the christen, "you're going to want to see this"
Most knew what was going to happen ant those who didn't know, knew that it wasn't going to be good.
"Are you okay?" Maria jumped, as the Christen approached her, she nodded shyly, "you're hurt." He stated gazing at her rope burns and the fresh bruise left from the shaking Blackbeard doled out that encircled her arm. "I'm fine" she assured him. "That was very brave." She said surprising herself. "Standing up to the Captain like that, foolish, and incredibly dangerous, but very brave"
"Thank you" he smiled, "my name is Philip, Philip Swift." Maria shook his hand, "Maria." The two smiled before being pushed toward the crowd by the Quartermaster. "What's happening?" Philip asked, "Nothing good" Maria assured him.