"Capt'n I think she's alive." An older voice said, as the darkness slowly started to release its hold on me.
"Is she Mister Gibbs? I see no change in the stature of the girl." Another male's voice stated, almost blandly, this one though, sounded younger, cockier, but had a strange feel that he knew more than he let anyone see. "Rather, she seems to be the same lifeless being that we pulled from the waters a week ago. Just throw her overboard would you."
His tone irritated me as my other senses started awakening. First I noticed that there were more than just the two males around me. I could feel at least three other presences watching me. The next thing I noticed was that I was no longer in the water, but on the familiar hardness of wood of a deck. Besides the hardness digging into my back, I was quite aware that I was frozen my soaked clothes clutching to me like a muscle to a rock.
"I... would like... to re-eval...uate that state...ment." I murmured, my voice sounding croaked and strained as I tried to move my head as footsteps stopped after my broken sentence.
My entire body felt heavy now that my conscious mind was starting to recover and un-fog itself. I heard footsteps stop next to my head and something warm slide across my brow, my muscles twitching at the sudden contact. When it left, I almost groaned for the chill that resided in the rest of my body returned, making me almost whimper out.
"Open yer eyes dearie." The second male whispered as I felt hands on my face again, this time on both sides, warming them up from the chill of the wind. "Open yer eyes dearie c'mon I know ye can do it." The voice urged.
I tried opening my eyes, struggling to do so for a few minutes. In those few minutes, I heard other voices telling me to open my eyes, while others stated that they were surprised I was alive. After much struggle, I somewhat pried my eyes open, my cloudy ones meeting dark brown ones, which seemed to stare into my soul. I blinked slowly, my eyes threatening to shut once more, but the warm hands kept my eyes open, while I blinked slowly.
"None of that now darlin' we need ye to stay awake now savvy?" the brown eyed male said.
"Aye..." I whispered, feeling just how sore my throat was.
"That's a good lass. Now anything' ye be wanting?" he asked, and I nodded my head weakly.
"Warmth... water?" I said, my eyes starting to flutter as a haze started to cover my eyes, and I couldn't help but close them for a bit, but I kept them fluttering to stay awake.
I didn't hear what had been said, but I felt something being trickled into the back of my throat, quick I greedily gulped down, and felt something warm wrap around my body, over top something that had also been wrapped around me. Soon I was lifted up, though my body protested on the movement. My head lulled to the side, resting against something sturdy. I wasn't sure where I was taken, but what I did know was that I had been placed on something soft.
"Capt'n I'll change 'er n' get 'er back in tip top shape." A female voice said as I turned my head to the side, away from the voices.
The male said something else to the woman then the woman replied with a harsh tone of voice before the male left and I was left with the woman. We were silent, as I moved my head to where she was seated before cracking my eyes open. I took in her dark skin, black hair and her piercing stare, which met my weary one.
"What's yer name lass?" she asked quietly, figuring that my hearing was sensitive.
"Jeza-Jezabel Soot." I whispered, feeling how dry my throat was again.
I felt something against my lips and I drank, feeling refreshed with the cool water that rolled down my throat. When I had my fill I closed my mouth and the water was taken away from me. I let out a breath, turning onto my back and stared at the dark ceiling of the room I was in. I closed my eyes once more as my mind began clearing up even more. The woman was quiet, staring at me almost curiously. I turned back to her, raising my eyebrow slightly at her now amused gaze.
"Where am I and may I ask who you are?" I asked curiously, clenching and unclenching my fists, slowly moving my limbs for them to get use to being used again.
"Anamaria and yer on the Black Pearl lass. Now can ye sit up? We need ta change ya outta those wet cloths." She said and I nodded my head a bit.
"I believe so." I murmured, doing my best to sit up with the help of Anamaria, who wrapped an arm around my shoulders, pulling me back against the wall where I leaned against it heavily.
"Alright lass, we be 'bout the same size so ye can wear my clothes till we come ta port." She said and I nodded my head.
"I thank ye Anamaria, it be a lot of help fer ya ta go ta such troubles fer a stranger." I said as I started to slowly unbuttoned my top shirt, then proceeded to take the undershirt I had on off as well.
It was painful, for my skin felt like needles were poking at it continuously. It was annoying, but after not being active as I heard earlier or so long, I wasn't too surprised. After m shirts were taken off, I got a blanket wrapped around my shoulders, which felt much warmer than the clothes I had previously had worn. The next thing to come off was my breeches and boots, which I had needed help to get off. Anamaria helped with that, and I surprisingly wasn't very embarrassed with this. I had checked my right wrist, making sure that my leather cover was still on, which it was.
"I'll be right back lass, jus' stay 'ere till I get back." Anamaria said as she stood up, once I gave her my word that I wouldn't move, she left the cabin I was in, and I wrapped the blanket around my almost bare body with it, letting out a sigh as I leaned back against the wall, staring at the ceiling as I thought what I could be doing till we reached port.
'The Black Pearl eh? Captain Hamilton talked about this ship. He said that she was a deadly beauty.' I thought back, remembering the times I would stay out on watch upon the Saint Queensbury, listening to Captain Hamilton talk about different legends. I felt a tear roll down my face at the thought of my late captain, and quickly brushed it away before more followed. I took my movements slowly, and reflected on what I heard when I first gained consciousness. The young voice said that I had been out for a week.
I heard a door open and raised my head, opening my eyes to see who had entered, hoping that it was Anamaria with some clothes. But it wasn't her; instead it was a male, from what I gathered a few inches taller than me with dark hair, twisted into familiar looking dreadlocks with a goatee twisted into two small braids. Beads were added into the mix of dreadlocks, the top of his head covered by a pinkish bandana and a black tricorne hat. His somewhat tanned skin gave him a dangerous look, while his chocolate coloured eyes were outlined in black kohl made him look dashing, though somewhat curious. He had on a standard black over coat with a blue vest, pink sash, a cream coloured shirt which was a bit open, black breeches and boots. He had all of the regular effects on him, with an addition of a compass.
"How you feeling dearie?" he asked as he walked towards me in a bit of a swagger, his eyes taking in my covered form almost in disappointment.
"Better sir, I thank ye and yer crew fer fishin' me out of the water." I said to him, and bowed my head slightly in thanks, as I tightened the blanket around me.
"Aye, it was luck that we happened to have spotted ye on a raft." He said then sat down in front of me, watching me carefully, as my brow creased, trying to remember when I had gotten myself a raft. "Tell me love, what happened to ye?" he asked causing my whole body to tense.
I lowered my head to my knees, tightening my hands into fists as I stared at the floor. My brows furrowed in thought, remembering the details of that day. As I relayed to him, he being the young voice who told me to keep my eyes open, and whom I figured was the captain of the Black Pearl, I kept one detail short of the entire incident.
"...it was the Kraken whom came after us, and took the lives of Saint Queensbury crew. I only lived for the captain told me to abandon ship, and the debt I owed him was my life, which he called to be repaid that day..." I whispered, finishing the tale.
Near the end, my voice started to crack, but I held it back, trying my best to keep my voice even as I could. I was shaking though, my body wouldn't let me continue without cold seeping into the depts of my bones. I pulled the blanket closer around me as the male sitting next to me went over my story. We were silent, and unmoving. I was reflecting the time I had upon the Saint Queensbury, and the past that came with my head. I only moved when the door opened again, or more so was kicked open, and an angry Anamaria barged in, her dark eyes were lit with fire as she stalked towards the sitting male, who had quickly stood up, and cleared his throat a bit.
"What in blazing 'ell are you doing in here Sparrow? I thought I said no one were to come in and disturb 'er as she rested!" Anamaria yelled, causing the male to hold up his hands in surrender.
"Aye, I know what ye said Ana, but the lass knew what happened to the Saint Queensbury. Remember, it was suppose to meet with us last week." Sparrow reminded Anamaria, who tensed up, but her glare also intensified several fold at the mention of the ship.
"I remember that, but that don't mean she knows anythin' about it!" she snapped, starting to become impatient.
Not wanting to listen to them bicker, I shuffled a bit, before wincing as the pins and needles started to effect my body again. Apparently this action didn't go unnoticed, for both Sparrow and Anamaria paused in their squabble, and turned to me.
"Could you two... not squabble right now? I know what happened to the Saint Queensbury, though I wish it never happened in the first place, so if you wouldn't mind, could I get dressed, and maybe get some porridge or stew to eat?" I said, letting out an irritative sigh, as I gently massaged my temples with my right hand.
I felt eyes watching this action, more so that eyes were looking at my leather bound wrist. I stopped what I was doing and raised an eyebrow at the pair of brown eyes. Sparrow didn't say anything, but watched me intently as I hid my wrist back beneath the blanket that kept me hidden and met the males eyes with my grey blue ones evenly.
"I suggest ye go n' get a wench when ye make port sir. Fer ye will not get anythin' o' that sorts from me." I stated sourly, pulling the blankets closer to me.
For a moment our eyes were locked, then he abruptly stood up and walked towards the door, pausing by Anamaria, and told her something, to which she nodded her head, then left the room, closing the door behind him. Once he was gone felt myself relax agains the wall, and rested the back of my head against it, trying to relax a small bit. Anamaria walked over to me, a smile on her face as she sat down next to me, holding up a hand that held clothes in it, making me sigh out in relief.
"N' 'ere I thought you were just some lass who got caught in a storm." she mused as she helped me get dressed into her breeches and shirt. "Who'da thought ye be a pirate."
I chuckled at her statement, and once I was dry in the warm clothes, I readily accepted the coat Anamaria had, and slipped that on as well, pulling it close to me as I could, for it would take a while until the chill left me completely.
"Aye, been so fer the last fifteen years... How did ya crew find me? I thought I'd be lost under tha sea by now." I said to her quietly while leaning against my knees, trying to regain some more warmth.
"You know then that ye were lucky to find that raft when ye did, and were huddled into a ball ta keep warm." Anamaria said as she placed a blanket over my shoulders again.
"Aye, I am. Though I don't remember finding it, nor getting onto it." I replied quietly.
Before I could continue to Anamaria, the door was once again kicked open and Sparrow, along with a gruff looking older male with dark hair and a white beard walked in. The former carrying a bowl of something warm and a glass of water. I think my eyes lit up at the site of something warm, for Anamaria shook her head a bit, and went to take the bowl away from Sparrow, but he just grinned at her, and held it out of her reach.
"Dearie, this is Gibbs, he had been watching over ye when ye were unconscious." Sparrow said, motioning to the older man.
I looked over at the older man, and bowed my head in thanks with a small smile, while moving back to lean against the wall again, figuring that he would be giving me a check up.
"I thank ye Mister Gibbs, not only fer keeping an eye over me, but also not giving up hope that I wasn't dead." I said, and gained a hesitant nod back.
"Nay, it was no trouble lass, I'm just glad yer awake as it be. Now let's see how badly yer banged up, and what we will need ta do ta make ye better." he said then knelt before me.
He looked at my fingers, eyes, ears, temperature, my reflexes, heartbeat, breathing, and a few other places until he was done the basic check up. When he sat back, he had a look of relief on his face, as I pulled the blanket over my head, for I was shivering more than before.
"She 'as hypothermia Capt'n, jus' as I suspected no less. But she's out of the fire, so ta speak. Till the lass is better, we'll need ta keep her warm. Lotsa warm food n' drink with some added blankets would be best, n' if possible, another source of external warmth while ye sleep." Mister Gibbs told Sparrow and Anamaria.
I was then handed the bowl, which held stew in it. I tried to feed myself, but ended up dropping the spoon in to the bowl. I furrowed my brows at that as I tried again, but the same thing happened. I frowned at this, unaware of amused eyes watching me as I balanced the bowl between my knees and my stomach. Before I could try a third time, the spoon was taken from my hand. Before I could protest, a spoon full of stew was placed in front of my mouth. When I looked up, I saw that it was Sparrow, who was giving me a look that told me not to argue too much. The spoon pressed lightly against my lips, and I reluctantly opened them, begrudgingly letting Sparrow spoon feed me. He seemed to realize this, for he gave me a devilish grin as he did it once more after I chewed and swallowed the first spoonful.
"Until yer better love, I'll be takin' care of ya. I be captain of this ship, and ye happen to be my guest." he said and I opened my mouth to retort, but he stuffed my mouth with another spoonful. "Capt'n's orders." he grinned.
I chewed and begrudgingly swallowed the stew, then shakily wiped my mouth from the excess stew.
"Aye Capt'n." I muttered, just noticing that Anamaria and Gibbs were gone. "Where did Anamaria go?" I asked curiously.