"Here, now, you can't be here," the red coat claimed as the governor, Will, and I rushed down the stairs.
"I think you'll find they can," Governor Swann told him.
I watched as my mother was thrown in a cell with a woman Elizabeth's age and girl who looked to be only four.
"Release them," I called to the guard as I rushed to their cell. "I've agreed to Beckett's proposal, they're of no further value to him."
"Calm down, fiica, it's to ensure that you return," my stepfather said from the cell over.
"Marko! Domnul meu, ceea ce am facut?" I hung my head as I began to cry.
"Do not cry, my child," Marko murmured as he ran his hand through my hair. "No harm will come of us."
I looked up right as my mother motioned to the two others in her cell. "Esmeralda, Saraphina. Come." The two came forward, a slightly sinister look on their faces. "This is Luna, my daughter. Your sister," she told Esmeralda.
"Any child of yours that gets us imprisoned is no sister of mine," Esmeralda sneered.
I smiled sadly. "I promise you, I will do everything in my power to free you. All of you."
"And what power is that?"
"Esmeralda," my mother warned.
"I am Sati-Sara," I say with as much conviction as I could muster.
"Sati-Sara?" my sister spat. "An old myth."
"If that's what you wish to believe." Frankly, I was on the same side as her.
"Luna!" Will called down to me.
I frowned. "I must go. Keep a weathered eye on the horizon. I will return."
I rushed away, pushing past everyone in my way until I arrived at the ship we were to set sail on.
"I am sorry Luna," Will said that night as we sailed towards Tortuga.
"For what exactly?" I ponder.
"For dragging you into this mess."
I shook my head. "Then you can forget it. Our paths would've crossed eventually, William Turner. Better sooner than later."
He nodded slightly as he went back to his original post.
I weaved through the thick woods that bordered the town of Tortuga, stumbling on a few roots that had grown up through the path. It's been a long time since I came up here to home I once shared with my late husband. I could never sell it; I had too many memories that echoed down the empty hall. But couldn't ever bring myself to visit. The door was a little stuck but I managed to open it.
I figured that it would be raided by pirates by now and be a huge mess inside. But shockingly, it remained untouched. Every little detail was as I remembered it. The large hutch full of the fine china that Nate and I had raided from a merchant ship sailing from London was innately perfect, albeit a bit dusty. My tea kettle still sat on the stove though the water had evaporated, which didn't shock me.
I moved from the kitchen and through the rest of the house. I paused briefly in the door to the nursery. It was only half complete, Nate was supposed to finish it when he returned from his last journey. I choked back a sob as I thought of the miscarriage.
With teary vision, I made my way to the bedroom. It was by far the least grand room in the house. Perhaps it had been raided?
I leaned in the door way and watched as a younger me twirled around in the room. I was so excited to find that Nate had gotten us a house. As much as I loved being at sea, when I found out about the baby I insisted it was raised properly. Er, at least as proper as one can be raised on the most infamous pirate port. It was the first time I truly believe that I had concurred the curse.
Of course, it prove that only a few months later I'd get hurt. Of course not on purpose.
My eyes danced from the large bed to the ajar closet door. With curiosity, crossed fingers and a ton of hope, I opened the door to be greeted by a few old dresses. I pushed the away to find an old ornate chest. I smiled and knelt down to pull it out of the closet.
I lifted the lid, thankfully it was unlocked, and sent cloud of dust in the air. The contents were mostly old letters addressed to me from when Nate was out at sea without me. A few were from when I was much younger and Jack had taken off to work for the EITC. I shuddered at the brief time I was without my only friend.
And then there was a bundle bound with twine that was written by me.
A jewelry box filled with – what else? – jewels from when I lived on the Pearl. There were a few trinkets that I claimed when we raided, a handful from my father, but most came from Jack, from occasions like my birthday to just because it looked pretty on me.
The 'just because' moments always tugged at my heart. Jack had always been really sweet to me, and most women actually. But it never bothered me. It was him. But there would be times when we were alone where he'd let his guard down and be the (not so) innocent boy I first met.
Smiling at the last time he was that boy, at least the last time I remembered, I shifted through the chest and found a stack of blank parchment, an old quill and a well of indigo ink. I stood and brought the items back to the kitchen where I began writing.
I was running, just running. I knew I was running from something, something terrible and evil but what exactly I didn't know, nor did I want to stop and ask questions. I did know, however, that I was scared for my life.
The hard packed earth of the forest floor beneath my bare feet was interspersed with sticks and stones and broken glass. It all cut into my feet and a shadow of bloodied footprints trailed behind me on the shabby path. Branches reached out and pulled at me hair and clothes, slowing me down infinitely.
Disembodied voices called my name and whispered intangible surreptitious phrases. I shivered as the ethereal expressions were joined by the faint, hauntingly-familiar, melodic sound of a jingling wind chime. The noise sent a frisson down my spine, which was worsened when I finally made out what the voices said, or rather sang:
Run, run, run away;
Buy yourself another day.
A cold wind's whispering secrets in your ear
so low only you can hear.
A frigid wind blew and thunder crackled ahead, making my jumpy. The thin fabric of my clothes proving to be no savior from the wind. My head scarf snagged on an outreaching branch and was pulled off, allowing my dark tresses to flutter in front of my face. Part of me wanted to stop and grab the scarf, the blue piece of silk being one of my favorites, but the overwhelming feeling of imminent danger won out and I continued to sprint. Rain whipped at my face, peppering it with little cuts as if it was raining tiny shards of glass.
Run, run, run and hide
somewhere no one else can find.
Tall trees bend their leaves pointing where to go
where you will still be all alone.
With the dusk upon me, the small footpath and surrounding trees seemed to converge into a never ending tunnel, leading me deeper into the misty forest. The footfalls echoing around me caused me to exert myself further. The footsteps I heard could just be mine echoing in the near quiet forest, but I wasn't stop to find out.
Don't you fret, my dear.
It'll all be over soon.
I'll be waiting here for you.
The final rays of the sunset disappeared behind the horizon that was just visible through the thick forest. Thunder grumbles again causing me to stumble and scrape up my palms, knees and the tops of my feet on the glassy ground and my skirt is torn, another one of my favorites. Something behind me causes me to jump back up and continue running as swift as possible. My lungs are nothing but a burning ache in my chest. The heart shaped scar on my stomach stung.
Run fast as you can.
No one has to understand.
Fly high across the sky from here to kingdom come.
Fall back down to where you're from.
My skirt caught on a low bush as I tripped over a fallen tree and tumbled over a cliff into dark, murky water below. I landed in the water on my back which knocked the wind out of me. Before I had a chance to catch my breath a wave crashed over me knocking the remaining breath from my lungs. my entire body feels as if it's on fire, each little cut a flame of its own, itching and irritating.
Don't you fret, my dear.
It'll all be over soon.
I'll be waiting here for you
For you, for you
I struggle to keep my head above water but the rough, angry sea overpowers me easily. I'm stubborn though and manage to keep my head above for just long enough to catch my breath and watch as snow begins to fall. Each little flake has a dance of its own. They flitter down without a care in the world, covering the world in a white fluffy blanket. Something wraps around my arms and legs and pulls me under the water.
Don't you fret, my dear
(Don't you fret, my dear)
It'll all be over soon
(It'll all be over soon)
I'll be waiting here
Whatever has a hold of me is slimey and burns my skin where it touches. It wraps around my stomach and neck and yanks me down deeper. The saltwater burns my eyes and throat as I tried to breathe in. The restricting binds tighten, cutting deep gashes in my near flawless olive skin. As the water is tinged red, the edges of my vision blur and darken till there's nothing but black.
Don't you fret, my dear
It'll be over soon
I'll be waiting here for you
The sounds of the ocean fade into nothingness. Tiny silver lights appear as the binds release me. As soon as I'm liberated, I struggle to stand up. I glances around to figure out where I am. But the view is the same in all directions. It's as if I'm floating in the night sky, cut off from the world. Never before have I seen something so beautiful and threatening at the same time and I had an sense of familiarity, as if i had been here before.
For you, For you
Run, run, run away
The whisper comes from behind me and with a brief glance, I see a cloaked figure as dark as the air around him. For a millisecond, I'm frozen. The figure moves to grab me and I take off.
Run, run, run away
This time the voice is no longer hollow, and ghostly. No, it was real and right in front of me. I want to scream out for help but my voice is lost. The wind chimes ring as the figure reveals a silver dagger and jumps on Me.
"NOOO!"
"Captain Jack Sparrow?" a man repeated after Will had asked him Jack's whereabouts. "Owes me four doubloons. Heard he was dead."
We'd been in Tortuga for a week and had less than what we started with. It was starting to irk me and my midnight trips to my old home were staring to take an emotional toll.
"Well, that was… helpful," I say as we walk away.
Will rushes to the shallows to ask a seemingly random fisherman.
"Singapore," was his answer. "That's what I heard. Drunk, with a smile on his face. Sure as the tide, Jack Sparrow turn up in Singapore."
"Thank you for your help," I say as I drag Will away from the man and over to the Faithful Bride. "Jack has his own room here. 'Sparrow's Nest' it was deemed. Even had a plaque to state it as so. 'Till Jack stole it, of course, so as I wouldn't see it. Not like I hadn't already known. People gossip a lot on this island."
After a bit of searching I found who I was looking for. "Scarlett, Giselle! We're looking for Jack. Might you've seen him?"
"Jack Sparrow?" Giselle asked. She exchanged a glance with her companion.
"I haven't seen him in a month," answered Scarlett.
Giselle stepped forward and smiled at Will. "When you find him, will you give him a message?" She slapped him then.
"Of course I will," I told them. I pulled Will into the tavern and straight to the barmaid. "Angelique!"
"He ain't here, hunie," she called to him. "Not since you left him. Again."
I smiled and shook my head. She always knew what I was up to. "It wasn't like that this time. I had a previous affair to attend."
"That's what you always say." She slid a tankard of rum down our way. "That dress suits you nicely. Finally decided to join the ladies of the night?"
"Not if it means having Giselle and Scarlett on my bad side," I replied. I picked the rum up and brought it to my lips just as an arm was thrown over my shoulders.
"Aw. Lulu, am I really that bad?"
The voice brought a huge smile to my face. "Scarlett not Scarletta, Scar." I turned and looked up at the owner of the arm. Scarletta von Vanity, my first mate. She looked the same as always. Except for the tattoo that now graced her neck. It was an upside-down cross with the words "Believe in yourself" written beneath it.
"So who's the hottie ye've made company with?" she wondered as she glanced to Will.
"Will Turner," I answered, "And he's betrothed."
"To ye, I see," she guestured to my engagement ring. "Don't much matter he's not me type. Too… male."
I chuckled. "We're not together. You know my only love is the sea."
Scarletta chuckled deeply. "That an' Jack Sparra'. Speakin' of. Hear tell says ye've been looking for 'im."
"Aye. Have ya seen him?"
"Can't say 'bout Jack, but there's an island just south of the straits where I…. trade spice for delicious… long pork."
I shook my head. "Trade as in steal?"
"There is a ship there," she continued ignoring my question. "A ship with black sails."
"The Pearl?" Will asked.
"Aye. At dawn we set sail. If yer onboard I'll take ya to it."
I glared and stuck my finger in her face. "My ship better
not leave this rock without me on it."
"Yada yada. All you ever do is talk, Lune."
"Thanks for the rum, Angelique," I said as I placed a few coins on the bar. "Come Will, I believe it's time for you to meet my crew. Oh, and the first thing I do once I return to my ship for good is kick you off. There shall be no cannibals living on my ship. I shan't have it."
A/n: I think this is the longest chapter yet.
Domnul meu, ceea ce am facut? - My lord, what have I done?
I have an edited version of The Civil Wars' Kingdom Come. It helped me invision the nightmare alot easier and also helped me actually have a similar nightmare myself. I'll put it up on YouTube if you guys want to check it out, I'll put a link on my profile.
Anyway... Love you!
Lyra Raine Sparrow