Legends ran wild about the shipwreck just off the coast of Singapore. The tales, as they were told, revealed an epic battle between two vicious pirates, Black Skelling and Vulture Helton. Both hated each other, and both were on the run from the law. As they were pursued by the navy, in a sheer moment of desperation, they turned and fought side by side, winning the battle against His Majesty's Royal Navy. The captains were not satisfied with that, however, and after looting the ships, they turned on each other. Both vessels were already heavy laden with treasure, and lay low in the water. Cannons fired back and forth, men shot at each other in bloodthirsty determination, and captains shouted orders as loud as the thunder in the sky above. A storm broke out over the brutes, slaying them all in one fell swoop of a tsunami-like wave. The ships were silenced as they were brought to the grave, never to surface again.
Only one sailor had survived to tell the tale. He dragged his sopping, sorry skin to the first bar he came to in a pirate town ashore, and despite the warm weather, he trembled as he told his tale. "Was like nothin' I ever seen." He repeated, over and over. "The sky, she just open up into the sea, and swallow 'em both. I fell overboard beforehand, and the current dragged me off, or I would have been gone with 'em all."
No pirate had ever gone after the sunken treasure of the two ships. Pirates were a superstitious lot, but eventually the lore had begun to wear off. Tales were spun about that fateful day until one could believe a water dragon itself had risen out of the sea and taken the souls, if one had spent too much time in his cups that day, that was.
Captain Jack Sparrow had seen a thing or two, though, and while he had yet to see a water dragon, he knew it was quite likely that spot was cursed in and of itself. Yet, he figured he had a certain immortal immunity regarding death, at least until his thirteen years were up. He wasn't going to meet his fate at the bottom of the sea.
And so, Jack and Esmeralda traded stories they had each heard regarding the legend of the sunken treasure as they made their way to Singapore. The weather was fair on their journey, though there were a few good squalls that kept them on their toes. Each ship's speed made up for any delay caused by ill weather, and they arrived in Singapore with plenty of time to begin their search. Each captain prepared their vessel, and chose men to dive along with them after posting lookouts to watch for sharks, and other ships. There would be plenty of treasure to haul into lifeboats, if the stories had any truth to them at all, and then plenty of hands remaining aboard each vessel to haul the heavy life boats back up. Esmeralda and Jack agreed to split their finds straight down the middle. It seemed fair, after all, and while other pirates might try to bargain and get more for themselves, this particular pair had enough respect for the other to not, despite Jack's desire the split it seventy/thirty, since it had been his idea to go after it. Esmeralda had shut that down with a teasing smirk, making Jack melt. He had always had a thing for bossy, competent women.
The sun lit the ocean the day of the expedition. It had hardly risen when Jack appeared at the rail of the Black Pearl, stripped to the waist so he would have less drag in the water. Esmeralda chose swimwear that was a bit more modest- men's britches and a black shirt held to her by a tight black corset, lest crew members on either side get a peek of something they were not allowed to see. She was barefoot as well, which took an inch or two from her normal height. Jack greeted her when they met in the longboat, after he rowed over to get her.
"Are you ready, love? There's bound to be treasure beyond our wildest dreams down there."
"Aye, and curses to be wary of as well. Let's not forget that two ships went down here at once."
Jack waved his hand dismissively. "They were nothing like us, Esmeralda. They murdered the king's men, and then each other. It's no wonder fate befell them as it did. We will be fine."
The captain rowed over to their chosen diving spot, a nice area between the two ships. "All right. Remember everything I taught you back in the day. Don't go deeper than what your body can handle, regardless of what you see down there. Nothin's worth your lungs popping, savvy?"
Esmeralda assured him that she would be careful. Her corset might limit just how much air she could carry down with her, but it was old and not quite as tight as it could have been, so she supposed it would not be much of an issue at all. She did still remember every bit of their time swimming around Shipwreck Cove that fateful summer. She had tutored Jack in fencing, and he had tutored her in swimming. It had proven to be quite the deal, but she suspected that despite her years of practice, he was still the better swimmer. She minded that not, because she knew she was still the better fencer between them. That was a title she wore proudly.
He flashed her a grin, dropping a tiny anchor to hold the boat in place. The water splashed him as he did, raising goosebumps across his flesh. "Ladies first."
Esmeralda stood, her balance perfect in the tiny boat. With a perfectly executed cannonball, she leaped into the water, splashing Jack in her wake. "Oh, so that's how you'd like to play, is it?" he challenged, jumping in after her.
In one swift, propelling move, he caught up to her, tagging her with a kiss on the cheek before he dove deeper, heading towards the shipwreck beneath the surface. He managed to touch the wooden deck before he decided to surface, inhaling a fresh breath of air to sustain him for the journey. He began exploring the first ship he had come to, checking for any signs of treasure. If these captains were anything like Jack, they would have had it all well hidden away.
Upon discovery, he could hardly believe his eyes. There was far too much to hide away. Riches as he had never seen were scattered across the hull, in every direction. Gold glistened and glittered. Rare statues made of jade poked out from their secluded areas. Expensive bolts that once held just as expensive fabric sat one on top of the other, rotting in the salt water. Jack grabbed a handful of coins and jewels as he made his way back up, swimming slowly, careful not to rise too quickly. He tossed it into the boat as he caught his breath, and waited for Esmeralda to surface with her own haul of the treasure.
"Can you believe it?" she cried gleefully. "All here! All ours for the taking!"
"Aye, that it is!" Sparrow agreed. "Hand me a canvas bag, love, and you take one as well. Have all the men do the same! The treasure is ours!"
As soon as he had the bag in his grasp, Jack was gone again, vanishing into the depths. He crammed every bit of treasure he could into that bag, stuffing it until he swore it might rip. Emptying it into the boat, he repeated his task throughout the day. The cold water beneath the surface felt good on his suntanned skin, but nothing felt as good as the riches he was capturing for his own.
"I'll be the richest pirate in the Spanish main." He said to himself. "England wants to hang me? Belay that! I'll buy England, and all the gallows as well. I'll set them to burn before they can put a noose around my neck."
The pile in the lifeboats grew as captains and crew gathered each item the ships had to offer. Coins rang out their song each time they collided with others. The ocean's kiss still had every piece soaked. As the sun caught notice of it and came to dry it off, it shimmered like a mermaid's scales. The pirates' shouts of joy at the haul could be heard for miles on the open sea.
It wasn't long until that attracted attention.
Sharks could be seen from up top; the visitors could not. Slipping through the water with grace and ease, as playful as a summer breeze, the mermaids came. They started slowly, then all at once. Five of them, then five more. Ten devilfish sent by the curse that guarded this treasure, each with an appointment for every pirate interfering.
One man had just raised his bag to the surface before a cold hand jerked him back down and out to sea. Bubbles poured from his mouth as he screamed in silence.
Another had just exhaled to sink a little deeper, and ended up far deeper than he ever wanted to be.
The third was swept up in a hypnotic spell by the beauty that had come to captivate him. She graced him with her presence, ever so close to kissing him until she chose to reveal her true form. He flung himself back, but it was too late. The mermaid had her teeth in him. He was finished.
Jack paused as he added more treasure to his bag. A thin line of red floated by him in the water. Puzzled, he stared at it for a moment, before looking in the direction it had come from. His heart froze in his chest. One of his crewmen lay dead in the sand. Or, part of him did, anyway. The head lacked its body. Wrenching his bag up, he bolted for the surface, ordering his men out of the water as soon as he did. They vanished into the surf, one by one. Men above cast lines into the water, rescuing who they could. Jack dove back under, looking for anyone he could find and ordering them to exit the water without delay. He looked for Esmeralda, but did not see her.
The mermaids caught on to the fight. The wind carried their seductive tune up to the boat, putting the men in a foolish stupor. As others broke the surface, they too fell under the spell of the siren song. Captain Jack hurried to wake each of his men, but it was not long before he fell under the charms of the enchantresses as well.
Bobbing up and down in the water, Jack felt himself relax. What was so dangerous? He could not recall. His own men floated, dazed, in the water, dumb grins on their dirty faces, still unclean despite their time in the water. Jack almost laughed at the absurdity of it all. When a pirate disappeared before his eyes, he merely waved goodbye to him.
The song spread as more mermaids joined in. Magical notes swept the men into a true absence of mind. The treasure long forgotten, the pirates wanted nothing more than to fall into the arms of the beautiful sea maidens who called to them. Each mermaid sang to a sailor, drowning him with her song and with her strength. The remnant cared not. They could not even fathom that they might be next, or that the mermaids were as terrible as they were beautiful.
Esmeralda fired her pistol from the crow's nest of the Venganza. With an aim better than most of her marksmen, she took out one mermaid, and then another. The remaining eight turned on her ship with a vile hiss. They began to work to take apart the Venganza, wanting nothing more than to throw Esmeralda into a watery grave.
The fiery captain refused to give them that victory. She took aim again. Seven left, now. Her fourth aim revealed her gun was out of shot. Cursing, she slid down to the deck, wondering why she hadn't brought another gun.
The captain made her way across the deck, a bottle of strong rum in her hand. She splashed each crewmen she came across to wake him from the command of the spell, stashing cotton in their ears as well. She cared not for their protests as she took measures to save their very lives. The pirate queen took hold of the battle before her. She would change the tide until it was favorable to herself.
The mermaids screamed at her in devilish voices, outraged at the loss of their sisters. Three more pirates met their deaths because of Esmeralda's choices. They hurled the skulls of what had once been her crew at the woman as she loaded a broadside, firing the cannons into their midst. The mermaids survived the blast, their beautiful faces wicked and cruel.
Esmeralda's awakened men fired as well, but by this time, the mermaids had grown wise. One high pitched note from all of them brought the guns under their control. It had knocked something loose in the internals, causing the guns not to fire. The crew pulled more men from the sea, and armed them with stuffing for their ears. "Get ready to make sail!" Esmeralda ordered.
"Milady, where can we go that they can't follow us?" the crew asked.
It was true. Mermaids could follow them as long as they stayed in the sea, and who knew how many reinforcements they could call? Esmeralda wrestled with that as one of her crewmen stumbled towards her. His arm was heavy with blood. She reached out to him to see what she could do.
He knocked her off balance with a blow stronger than anything she had ever felt. His ears were empty; he was unprotected and lost to her. She could see now the blood on his clothes was not his own. He came at her again. She raised her sword, ready to defend herself but unwilling to attack one of her own men. It was clear he was not under his own control. The pirate's eyes filled with sorrow even as his mouth shouted wretched things at her. She fought him back, but he was armed with a sword of his own. All of her skill could not hold back the supernatural strength he possessed. The pirate disarmed his captain. He threw her into the sea, sacrificing her body to the wishes of the mermaids. All seven dove at her, pulling her down into the cold, black depths…
The song had ceased. Jack shook his head, suddenly in control of himself once again. Men were gone, missing. Blood mixed with seawater. It was a miracle sharks were not already upon them. Men climbed aboard both ships to safety, stuffing their ears with cotton in case the mermaids might return. Jack wondered what had made them leave so suddenly, and then decided he was grateful. He crossed to his ship, climbing aboard as quickly as he could muster.
"Who's alive, and who's dead?" he called out, taking a roster. No one responded. He shouted again, and then noticed the cotton in the ears of the men. "That's a bloody good idea." He said, doing the same.
Wailing from Venganza was enough to pierce Jack's protection. "Get a hold of yourself, man!" he called to the other ship. "What's done is done! We've survived, now let's make sail and put as much distance between us and this cursed treasure as we can."
He freed one ear, just in case the other pirate ship had a response. "Captain Sparrow!" came a thin voice on the wind. "It wasn't his fault, sir! The mermaids had him do it!"
"Had him do what?" Jack prodded impatiently.
"Toss them Esmeralda!"
Jack's blood ran cold. Immediately, he threw a line around his midsection, tying it tightly around his torso. He yanked the cotton from Fang's ear. "When I give a yank on this, pull me in as fast as you bloody can." With that, he dove overboard, heading for the bottom.
It was as if they knew he was coming.
One swift swipe from a mermaid's hand, and his line was severed. Jack floated freely in the midst, bouncing back and forth as the sirens played with him. The pirate knew he didn't have much time. His knife flashed silver in what little light there was. He slashed the throat of one fish woman, stabbed the stomach of another, and only succeeded in slicing the hair of the third. Long strands of golden locks tangled in the water. The current ever-so-pleasantly planted them right on his face. He wiped them off, setting them free to go on their own, as the mermaid sank her teeth into his collarbone.
Desperate, Jack sent a prayer up to whatever gods might be listening to help him rescue Esmeralda. He drew his blade once more, setting himself free of the mermaid. Saltwater rushed into the bite wound, but he hardly felt the fire it started. Four more.
But look! There, on the bottom, was his love. Esmeralda didn't move. She drifted back and forth with the current, left for dead by the mermaids. He could only hope she wasn't already gone. How long had she been down there? Too long, he thought grimly.
He moved as if he was one with the water. Hooking an arm around her trim waist, he hauled her up, grateful she wasn't wearing too many clothes. The extra weight would have pinned them both down, had she been wearing a thick dress.
He finally had her raised right side up when the others cornered him. Backing up slowly, Jack raised his knife, warning them. He kept moving, kept aiming himself towards the surface. They rose with him, sly smiles on their evil faces. All pretenses of beauty were gone now. He saw them as they truly were.
Captain Jack was done for. All three mermaids came at him in a blind fury. He focused on two things- keeping his knife, and keeping Esmeralda. The pirate dashed his blade across their bodies, struggling for his life as they slashed at him. The mermaids ripped Esmeralda from his grip, flinging her up and out of reach. Jack hurled himself at them, hacking and cutting and ripping in a rage he didn't know he had until the water suddenly calmed. He was alone. The dead mermaids came to a final rest on the sea floor. Jack hardly gave them a glance.
Esmeralda's body sank down, down, down. Jack caught her. He brought her to the surface, whispering please to her to still somehow be alive. A new line was thrown down, catching both in one large swoop and hauling them to the deck. They landed none too softly.
Jack ripped her corset off her with his knife, allowing her the freedom to breath. He waited, offering up one last prayer, just in case someone might be listening. Then, as an afterthought, he sent one specifically to Esmeralda's God as well.
She remained still, her hair plastered to her face, her clothes outlining every inch of her lovely form. Jack hung his head in sorrow. His heart was still racing. Adrenaline coursed through him. It began to slow, ruined by the sheer pain of losing his dearest friend and love. Friend. 'Twas a word he did not use lightly anymore, not after what had happened with Christophe. He feared he would never have reason to use that word again without Esmeralda in his life.
She began to choke, spluttering as she tried to breath. Water shot out of her mouth as she coughed. Jack leaped to attention, raising her up into a sitting position. His grin split his face as he embraced her, hardly minding that she was still spewing water as she coughed.
"You are alive." He was so grateful. The captain held her in his arms as she regained her steady breathing, just thankful to have her there with him.
"What happened?" she asked, her voice weak.
"We got our treasure, love, that's wot happened." Jack smiled reassuringly. "We made it. We beat the curse that came with it as well."
"Mermaids." She sighed, pushing her hair out of her face. "Who would have ever thought?"
The crew cheered as they saw their pirate queen rise, triumphant over her foul foes. Victory roared across the ocean as the ships prepared to make sail. Their queen was alive, back to her place as Dona Pirata. Captain Jack had done as promised, bringing them treasure worth more than any man could have imagined. Sure, there was more left below the depths, but not a single soul felt it was worth going after. Their own hulls lay low in the water, heavy with swag. After a brush with death, they felt it improper that they dared ask for more. Still, a few couldn't help but cast longing looks down at the water. Perhaps in the future, armed to the teeth and ready for battle against any kind of devilfish, they might return again for the rest…