Chapter 3

After the incident with Chevalle was settled, the Sparrow's returned to town where they bartered for safe passage to La Florida. It took a four day trip, but it was worth it when they made landfall. They were on their way.

It started to rain when they arrived, so they hurried into a nearby inn to collect themselves. Jack rolled out the charts on a table in a corner, away from prying eyes.

"Well?" Jewel asked, not entirely "getting" the charts.

"Hm." Jack said, a hand touching his beard braids.

"Is that a good sign?" his daughter asked

"It seems..." he said, "We're in the wrong part of La Florida."

"... What?" Jewel asked, not understanding the statement.

"Well." Jack said, turning the charts around to face her across the table. He pointed at one spot.

"We are here, on this side. In Tampa Bay." he explained, moving his finger to the other side of La Florida, "But we need to be here. On White Cap Bay."

"We can't just walk there?" Jewel asked flatly

"Unless you want to risk indians and the Spanish, then by all means, lets walk." Jack said with a smile

"It was just a suggestion, dad." Jewel said

"We can't 'just walk' luv. White Cap bay is full of rocks and cliffs. Even with the charts we could get lost there. What's more... There are mermaids there." Jack said

"Mermaids at White Cap Bay? Then let's walk! I know them!" Jewel said excitedly

"No no, these aren't like your friends. These mermaids are vicious man eaters. They can seduce a man to lowering their guard before she drags him underwater and tears the flesh from his bones." Jack said. Jewel gulped. Those mermaids were definitely not her friends.

"Well, what do we do then?" Jewel asked. Jack sat back and looked at a window before turning back to Jewel.

"Let's go look for a ship." he said with a grin. Jewel smiled back at him. The two stood and walked outside. The rain had passed, leaving behind large puddles and a lovely rainbow in the sky. They ventured to the dock, seeing quite a few ships that caught their eye.

They "shopped" with a few rules though: It must be fast and loaded with cannons and supplies, it must be small enough to be crewed by two people, and it must be easy to steal. A lot of the people along the dock gave them both dirty glares that made them look like they were going to pounce on them at any second.

"That one?" Jewel asked pointing to a sloop that had navy blue railings with gold around the portholes.

"Seems rather overdone, don't you think?" Jack said

"What about that one? It looks just like the Interceptor." Jewel said, pointing to another one. Jack winced at the sight.

"It's that very reason I do not want that one." he replied. He stopped and stared at the end of the dock. Jack smiled and nodded his head at the sleek ship. Jewel shook her in response.

"No dad." she said

"Yes luv." He replied, walking to it. Jewel grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"No dad! Don't you see the Spanish flag hanging from the mast?" she asked

"It will my flag in a short moment." Jack replied

"Dad, we're going to steal a Spanish ship, from a Spanish dock, full of Spanish people? And don't the Spanish hate the British?" Jewel asked, crossing her arms.

"Yes to all of that. Is there a problem luv?" he asked. Jewel sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose with two fingers.

"No dad, but how are we doing this?" she asked. Jack smiled at her with a sly smile. She groaned, knowing what he meant with that smile. They stared at each other without saying a word, as if understanding and communicating with each other on a telepathic basis.

All you have to do is get on the ship..

They'll kill me when they see me!

And throw them off...

They'll be bigger than me!

Then we'll sail away.

You are mad dad, absolutely bonkers!

Please?

... You are lucky I love you dad.

Jewel closed her eyes and disappeared from the dock, reappearing on the ship they were going to steal. She saw a man loading crates. He set one down and turned away from her to get more. Jewel ran at him and jumped on his back. The attack surprised him enough to send him to the floor. Jewel pulled out her pistols and smacked the butts across his face, knocking him out. She grabbed his legs and dragged him into a corner, tying his hands and feet together and gagging his mouth.

After her first encounter, Jewel snuck through the rest of the ship to find more men. In total, including her first catch, there were five men on board. When they were taken care of. Jewel stood at the helm and pulled out her violin from her bottomless bag, playing a little tune that sounded over the dock. Jack heard it and walked up the gangplank. He smiled at the pile of bound and gagged unconcious men at the bottom of the mast.

"Well done, luv." he said, "Everything ready to sail?"

"Aye dad." Jewel said, "Made sure they took care of things before I took care of them."

"Smart move. Haul in the gangplank then, and loosen the lines." he said. Jewel nodded and pulled the gangplank on deck before pulling in the lines that kept the ship tethered to the dock. Jewel lowered a longboat into the water and pushed the men into it. As soon as the boat was free from the ship, the Sparrow's began to sail away from the dock.

"Hey dad, what's the name of this ship?" Jewel asked

"Not quite sure. Why don't you check." Jack replied from the helm. Jewel went through the captain's cabin and stood at the railing at the stern. She looked up at the name.

"It's called La Reina del Mar." Jewel yelled

"Luv, get up here!" Jack yelled back. Jewel appeared next to him.

"What's wrong?" she asked. Jack stared ahead. Jewel looked in the direction and gulped. There were two spanish galleons sailing toward them.

"Oh bugger." they said in unison

"Let's not worry yet luv. They most likely don't know we've taken it." Jack said calmly. Jewel appeared in the crow's nest and pulled out her spyglass. The two ships were getting closer. And the captains were looking at it through their spyglasses. One of them looked up at Jewel. One of them started shouting orders at their men. The men were grabbing cannonballs.

"Dad, they know!" she yelled, grabbing a rope and swinging down to the deck.

"Don't fret luv. Perhaps we can reason with them." Jack said. An explosion at the bow surprised them both.

"They're going to sink their own ship dad!" Jewel yelled

"To the longboat, quickly!" he said. The two ran for the boat, explosions happening around them. The galleons were getting closer. Jewel and Jack climbed in and cut the lines, making the boat fall into the water. Jack rowed them away from the ship as it sunk. The powder magazine was caught in a blast, creating a massive explosion that blinded the Sparrow's for a moment.

"Be grateful we did not kill you, piratas!" shouted a captain from one of the galleons as it sailed by them.

"I hate the Spanish." Jewel said, shaking her head.