Chapter 4: Anamaria

Half an hour later Amelia found herself standing behind Jack in front of a heavy wooden door. It was the only entrance of a small house built next to a dock on the far side of the harbor from the main piers. She was wearing her hooded cloak and wondering what lay beyond the door when Jack knocked.

"Who's there?" Demanded a woman's voice from inside.

"Jack."

After a pause the voice demanded again, "Jack who?"

"You know which Jack." Sparrow's voice suddenly sounded tired. His shoulders slumped slightly and he leaned on the jam. Presently the door opened a crack and the muzzle of a large calibre pistol was thrust out.

"Go away!" Amelia took half a step back expecting Jack to do the same or perhaps disappear in a blast of flame and smoke.

"Put that bloody thing away, Ana!" The pistol withdrew and the door slammed shut. Jack looked over his shoulder at Amelia. "You have some magic token that lets you walk through walls by chance?"

"Magic token? Of course not."

"Then how'd you get in that stable without my mates seein' you?"

"It's surprising how easy it is to get around this town of yours, Jack, without ever touching the ground. I came across the roof and through that window above the door. Why?"

"I thought it might make things a bit easier that's all." Jack pounded on the door again. "Open the bloody door, Anamaria!"

"I tol' you go away!"

"I'm callin' in my marker!"

"What marker?" The woman's voice was slightly less hostile this time. But only slightly. Amelia felt sure there must be a story here somewhere.

"Did I or did I not get you out of that cage? Did I or did I not also get you off of that ship and out of those chains?" The door opened a crack but instead of a pistol barrel the face of a very pretty young woman with mocha colored skin and deep black eyes appeared. "Did I or did I not also get your boat back to you?"

"It still leaks." Anamaria's voice was quieter now but it held a note of resentment. "What do you want, Jack?"

"I want to introduce you to a friend of mine."

"Jack, I am not that kind of girl!" Before she could get the door closed Jack threw his shoulder into it and managed to keep it open.

"Not that kind of friend!" The struggle at the door eased and Jack relaxed. "Let us in. Hear her out and then we'll go from there." His voice was gentle and reasonable as if he were talking to a child. It seemed to work for the next moment the door opened and the two captains were let into the small dimly lit room. A very old, dark skinned woman sat next to a small stuccoed fireplace built into the far wall. Her eyes were narrowed at Jack.

"It's the Sparrow man I see comin'." The old woman greeted him.

"Mommy Kioni, Jack has a favor to ask." Anamaria said to her with great respect.

"I'm old, child. Not deaf." The old woman's eyes turned on Amelia. They narrowed and a pained expression crossed Mommy Kioni's face. "The one that comes with the Sparrow man has come a long way. Worries she has a plenty. But she has shoulders strong enough I think. Yes I think plenty strong. Anamaria, get the jug and listen to the Sparrow man."

The young woman fretted about under a cabinet for a moment and came up with a large stoneware jug and four mugs. She filled each mug in turn and handed the first to Mommy Kioni and then to the guests. Amelia was eyeing the old woman who had spoken so enigmatically. Could she have guessed what was to be discussed or was she actually seeing what Amelia had to face. Anamaria motioned for them to sit at the table in the middle of the room. Between them a small lamp burned throwing shadows over Amelia's face inside her hood. Anamaria kept casting looks at her as if wanting to see who it was inside the folds.

"Who's she?" Anamaria finally asked.

"This is Captain Amelia," Jack told the girl. "She needs my help and I need yours."

"Why she wear the hood?" Anamaria was getting truculent again.

"Because I don't want to frighten you, girl," Amelia said in a strong, uncompromising voice. "If you are going to ask questions about me perhaps you should direct them to me."

Clearly the girl had not expected this response. She was actually crushed for a moment but being of the nature to attack when frightened she turned on Amelia.

"Are you ugly? Is that why you wear the hood so I shouldn't be frightened?"

Enough was enough. Amelia was not the sort of person to be bullied or bluffed. And she certainly wasn't going to take any more ridiculous behavior from this slip of a girl. She slammed down her mug and stood to her full height. Anamaria was turning as if readying for a slap but what happened next she could not have guessed. Amelia cast off her cloak and leaning across the table, her claws digging into the old wood she bared her teeth right in the girl's face and growled.

"Are you frightened now?"

All of the color left the poor girls face and she fell off the back of her stool making the sign of the cross several times but unable to speak. Her face was a mask of shock. In her seat by the fire Mommy Kioni laughed.

"My Anamaria. She talk strong. Sometime she get more than she ask." The old woman's eyes danced with mirth. Her whole frame shook as she rocked back and drank her rum. In spite of herself Amelia was surprised at the old woman's lack of reaction. "Get up, girl. She no eat you. She a lady. And you mind you be polite. You no to big for me to get a switch and teach you plenty better."

Anamaria seated herself again staying as far back from the table as politeness would allow. Amelia in turn picked up her cloak and sat as before with her mug of rum held lightly before her. She sipped cautiously remembering the last time she had partaken of this drink.

"Now that you have been introduced," Jack began coolly. "Captain Amelia has asked me for help in rescuing her husband." He told Annamaria the whole tale of what had happened to Delbert. At least he tried to. After all Jack had never actually been to outer space and couldn't quite grasp all that Amelia had told him in the time they'd spent on the islands. He explained that while he could teach Amelia about pirating he needed expert advice on the female aspect of being a pirate. By the time Jack finished, Anamaria was leaning on the table trying to grasp the whole meaning of what she'd just been asked to do.

"Into the sky?" Anamaria was incredulous. "You fly like a bird between the stars?"

"Yes. I sail the ether as you do the ocean," Amelia explained.

"And up there. There are pirates?"

"More than I care for." Amelia's voice was again calm and matter of fact

"I won't force you into this, Ana," Jack said. "But it might not work without you. And if you do it, we'll be square."

"Anamaria," Mommy Kioni broke in. "I see a good thing for you in this. I see happiness come from this thing in time. You should do this. Captain Amelia is no spirit. No monster. She a woman. She love her man. She come all this way to get help. Power of love there. Big power. You should do this thing Sparrow man ask."