Chapter 4

Marina takes a long drink from a bottle of rum and continues looking at the Blood Crowne's route on a map to El Dorado. The map that Pizzaro made himself is safe, hidden somewhere in her quarters as well as in her mind. She memorized every piece of that map since she acquired it in less than moral ways.

Jack pokes his head in the door of Marina's quarters to look at her as she studied the more accurate map of the New World. He hopes if he looks at her more he'll be able to place her.

"If you intend on taking Pizzaro's map, you're not as clever as your reputation precedes you," Marina says, still looking at the map. She puts her finger on a particular area Pizzaro's map told her that sirens sang.

Jack stands up and walks into her quarters. He observes the treasure around the area—the gold, silver, rubies and other jewels, all lining and scattering her quarters. The fine clothing around the area varied in colors which remind Jack of India, Thailand and various parts of Oceania and the Caribbean.

"What do you want, Sparrow?" she says, not bothering to look up at him as he touches knick-knacks and treasures.

"I want a lot of things," Jack says picking up a decorated rounded piece of wood he couldn't identify. "But a lot of things I want aren't in my reach so I am incapable of wanting. What is this?"

"A boomerang," Marina says. "You throw it and it comes back to you."

Jack's eyes raise and he looks at the wood more closely. Marina looks up at him and leans back in her chair.

"Much like you, Sparrow," she says. He looks at her.

"I've never met you before," he says. "I think."

"We haven't met," she says. Her face feels hot all of a sudden as she remembers what Teague said in Tortuga.

"Then I can't've come back if I've never been," Jack says. He picks up a long fuchsia shawl that was hanging on a globe.

"No, but I've certainly heard stories of your coming back," Marina says. As Jack turns to look at her he wraps the shawl around himself.

"And what stories are they, Capitán?"

Marina presses her hands together. "I know of your debt to Davy Jones and how you settled it," she says. "Your death and your return due to people's need for you rather than their want for you."

Jack smiles and spreads the shawl out like great pink wings. "What can I say? I'm a great man," he says. He drops the shawl on the floor and grabs a very, very large fan with Asian calligraphy on it. "Everyone needs me to fix their mistakes," he says opening up the fan and waving it at Marina. "Like you, Capitán Glory."

"I haven't made any mistakes," Marina says sharply.

"No, but you need my help," he says.

"Ah," Marina says raising a finger up. "A mistake."

Jack smiles and puts the fan down. He then reaches Marina's swords. Botha re in their leather sheaths which have intricate designs. The tangs do not match but are equally perfect made of majority silver and the color of bronze. At the handle on one is written, la Dolce and the other Vita.

"And what of you, Miss Capitán," Jack says a little more quietly than usual as his finger runs up and down the cold steel. "I've heard many a rumors about the infamous Captain Glory. Thought none of the stories told of a young lady."

"Discretion is required in a world of men, sometimes," Marina says.

"I wonder though," Jack says as he picks up a small familiar coin that is misshapen and gold. "Which of those stories are true."

"Ask and I'll tell," she says not realizing that she's not feeling uncomfortable.

"The story of how Captain Glory escaped from the Tower of London, killing every guard in his—which is really her—deadly path," Jack says flipping the coin in the air.

Marina smiles a little and puts her feet on her desk. "Not all of them," she says. "I spared one—Harter."

Jack nods and pokes at a collection of feathers along with a long white bone. He takes the bone and points it at Marina.

"And of Captain Glory stealing a bagful of gold from King Something-Or-Other's castle, fighting off his guard and escapes without dropping a single coin," Jack says brandishing the bone once like a sword then laying it on her desk.

"I might've dropped one or two," she says. "But I wasn't alone, either."

Jack smiles, glad he's making her mortal even a little bit. Then he leans on the desk.

"And of Captain Glory's sailing under Captain Jack Calico," he says. Marina's smile falls a little. "Then Calico betrays Glory in some way or another. Glory is left in the midst of the French navy, left to be arrested and hanged for piracy." Jack turns his head slightly as he observes Marina's expression. Grim memories flash before her eyes.

"It was the British navy, actually," Marina says rather quietly.

Jack smiles and touches a large ring with a blue jewel in the center. "I wonder," Jack says as Marina watches his every move. He looks up at her deep blue eyes that seem familiar. "How did you escape them?"

Marina then smirks again, twining her ringed fingers together. "Sea turtles, mate," she says.

Jack smiles.

"Captain," Harter says as he comes into her quarters. He looks from Jack back to his captain.

"Yes, Harter," she says rising from her chair slowly.

"We've arrived at the Isla de Muerta," he says. Harter continues to look from Marina to Jack who is reaching slowly toward the blue ring. Marina smacks Jack's hand and arranges her effects.

On deck, the men are looking around for what everyone has called Isla de Muerta. No one can see anything but a pointed black rock protruding from the dark sea.

"What are we supposed to be looking at?" Jim asks Gibbs as they are all looking at the rock.

"Well," Gibbs begins but then he trails off. "…Well it used to be a cave."

"It looks like a rock to me," a cabin boy named Kenner says.

Marina and Jack come out of her quarters and look at what used to be the Isla de Muerta. Jack looks at Marina who seems unaffected by the rock.

"What are your ways around such an obstruction?" Jack asks curiously.

"Mr. Scarlet," Marina says with a smirk. She takes off her coat and swords and hands them to Harter. Jim looks at her curiously. "Are you a good swimmer?"

Scarlet nods once. "I'd say so," he says rather proudly. "Why?"

Marina gives a pistol she had pulled out of somewhere no one suspected had a weapon to Harter. "My ways require a good swimmer," she says taking her boots off. Jim catches the hint and begins to take his boots and effects off as well. "The ship will be under Mr. Harter's command until we return."

Jack comes up to Marina who has walked over to the side of the boat and chose a place to stand.

"I'm having a thought here, Capitán," he says without any respect for personal boundaries. "I'm a good swimmer meself—send me with you and I can identify anything you need to in the, er, Isla."

"Thank you for the generosity, Sparrow," Marina says. She steps up on the side of the ship so she towers over everyone. "But I am going without a weapon and I will not be letting you take advantage of that."

Jack holds his hand to his chest. "I'm offended by the insinuation," he says. "And what makes you think the whelp won't be taking advantage of your lack of weapon?"

Marina looks at Jim as he stands a few feet next to her on the side of the boat. She smiles. "I don't think his pride could handle it," she says so only Jack can hear. Then Marina turns to the sea and jumps in a swan dive into the dark ocean.

"No funny business, Scarlet," Harter spits. "I'll not be having you hurt our captain."

Jim nods once, not planning on doing such, and dives in after her.

Scarlet follows Marina as she swims toward the rock, feigning with difficulty against the strong current. They dive into the water and see a large crack that leads to the caves of the Isla de Muerta. Once they go back to the surface, Marina holds onto one of the smaller rocks and catches her breath. Jim follows suit.

"How did you know there would be piece of the caves left?" he breathes.

Marina laughs. "I didn't," she says.

Marina then ducks her head underneath and swims downward toward the deeper caves. As they go deeper and closer toward the main cave, Jim sees a small gold coin floating in front of his face. He reaches to touch it and see Marina waving him over. Against his usual actions, he ignores the coin and swims over to her.

They see the heavier things weighed down on the rocky floor surrounded by fish and a few small sharks. Marina then rises up toward an air pocket with stalactites to hold on to and Jim follows her.

They breathe heavily and Marina shakes her head. "We're lucky it's still here," she says. She's excited. Her face is very close to his and he's very aware of it. "Had it not been, I don't know what we would have done!"

"What's still here?" he asks.

"The chest," she says breathing hard. She grabs his shoulders. "The chest of Cortez, Jim! You can't tell me you've never heard of it."

"Only stories," he admits. "The stories with the Black Pearl and its curse."

"Don't take the gold," Marina warns. "But help me open the chest to see the inscription."

Without waiting to be asked, Marina dips into the water and swims back to the cave. Jim follows Marina to the chest with Aztec markings over it. Marina waves Jim over and they both push the heavy stone cover off. The heavy coins do not float; they stay weighted in the chest. Both pirates can't help but be tempted by the gold that shimmers in their face.

Marina then moves the chest's lid over, making it thud heavily on the rock below. She examines it more closely, but there is no inscription. Jim taps Marina on the shoulder for them to go back to the air pocket, but she still pushes the lid around.

Jim, needing air, swims up to the air pocket for more breath but Marina stays. She finds as her head begins to feel light, the inscription she'd been told about from Pizzaro's map: el dios oro.

As she memorizes the phrase, she begins to try to go back to the air pocket, but she is losing consciousness. Though she is pushing her legs hard against the water, causing fish to scurry around her. Marina's vision begins to blur and black dots go around her eyes.

Jim takes another breath, partly waiting for Marina to come back up. After a moment, he becomes worried and dives down. He sees her floating in the middle of the cave, unconscious.

Meanwhile, Jack manages to sneak into Marina's quarters again. He is just looking, no longer interested in the jeweled ring. He sees out of the corner of his eye a sword's hilt. He could have sworn Marina had taken both her swords with her out of her quarters. He walks over to the sword and touches it. It's familiar. Very familiar.

He picks it up and examines the blade. It's plain, bronze and dirtied. Then he sees something he didn't notice before—a small red piece of lace tied to the hilt. A few spots of darker red are on the lace. Then Jack remembers where the sword came from. He looks up angrily in front of him.

Jim drags Marina out of the cave gasping for air himself. Harter sees them emerge and yells out commands.

Jim grabs the rope they swung down for him and they pull him and Marina up. When they land on the deck, water sprinkling everywhere, Harter grabs Jim's shoulders.

"I warned ye, boy!" Harter cries.

Jim pushes Harter's hand away. "Move!" he says. He moves Marina's hair out of the way and presses his lips on Marina's, blowing air into her lungs—a technique he's seen work when he was a cabin boy on a British ship.

Marina begins to cough water out when Harter grabs Jim off the floor and punches him in the face.

"Don't!" Marina cries, reaching her hand out to stop him.

Harter hesitates and Jim spits out blood on the floor.

"He's saved me, you idiot!" Marina yelled. Harter is forced to let Jim go. He falls to the ground next to her. Her white shirt is attached to her and many of the men are disappointed she wears a corset underneath. But Jim sees slash marks across her back—pink and healed but harsh and brutal looking nonetheless. Marina turns and looks at Jim in the eye. For the first time she feigns strength and shows gratitude in those deep blue eyes of hers.

At first, it seems she's going to thank him, but then she looks up at the crew. "'Weigh anchor," she yells. "Hoist the sails."

"Aye, Captain," the crew replies.

Harter begins to reach his hand to help Marina up but she swipes his hand away. "I've got it, Harter," she snaps. Harter pulls away reluctantly and walks to yell orders.

Marina stands by herself, swaying slightly. Jim looks up at her and smiles, displaying bloody teeth. He wipes the blood dripping off his lips and can't hold in his chuckle.

"What?" she says rather sharply. She feels extreme gratitude though.

"Nothing," he lies. He smiles again though. "It's just incredible, that's all."

Marina frowns as she looks at him. She raises her chin defiantly. "What is?"

Jim shakes his head. He leans on the deck with his hands behind him. "Your stubbornness is faintly familiar," he says.

Marina makes a face and begins to walk away but it stopped by Jack holding a sword to her throat.

Everyone sees then and many of Marina's men draw their swords. She lifts her hand up to stop them as she she's which sword Jack has and the look in his eyes.

He turns it in her face. "Where did you get this?" he says slowly.

Marina glares at him and swallows. "It's mine—"

"No, it's not!" Jack interrupts. "It doesn't belong to you!"

"Yes it does!" Marina yells back. She puts one hand behind her back slowly, giving Harter the cue. "It rightfully belongs to me! I didn't steal it—It's mine."

"You had to have stolen it," Jack growls. "You stole it from a grave—"

"I visited her grave!" Marina yells her hand twisting as she waits for Harter. "You pinned it above her grave. You're the reason she's dead!"

Jack can barely see her blue eyes mist when Harter throws one of Marina's swords in her hand. She spins and begins fighting Jack. The sword's clash and Jim yells for them to stop.

Marina does a strange maneuver Jack didn't recognize and he has to put his sword behind him, twisting with her and breaking a sweat within seconds.

"Harter!" Marina barks. Harter throws her second sword at her and she catches it. The tip narrowly misses Jack's cheek as he bends back.

Marina pushes Jack up down the deck and eventually Jack's hand is cut by Marina's sword. Marina disarms him and points the sword at Jack's throat, breathing heavily and a few tears running down her cheeks. Jack's head is pushed against the ropes and his eyes are surprised and afraid. But Marina's hand begins to shake as she stares at Jack's face. His face.

"You ruined me," Marina says, hating the hot tears running down her cheeks. Jim looks at the scars on Marina's back. "She died for her and you ruined me."

Jack, beyond words, just breathed. Marina slowly, surely, lowers her swords and looks at Harter.

"Lock him in the brig," she whispers.

Harter takes a step over to Jack who is staring at Marina fathomlessly.

"Marina—" Jim begins, taking a step forward.

"Don't!" Marina barks, pointing one of her swords at Jim as well. "Don't or I'll send you there as well," she says in a hushed voice.

Jim backs away and Marina drops her sword to her side.

"And I'll be addressed as Captain, Mr. Scarlet," Marina says suddenly aware of the scars on her back. She turns sharply at a crewman. "Due south, Dawson."

"Aye, Captain."

Jim watches Marina as she grabs the sword Jack was using from the ground and storms to her quarters. After she is well in her quarters he begins to put his clothes and effects back on.

Around him the crew speak of how it was the first time they saw Captain Glory show any weakness.

"I don't want ter sail under the likes a woman so weak," one man says who joined the crew in Tortuga. He nods towards a man who agreed with him. "I say we free Jack Sparrow and have him captain this ship. He'll lead us to El Dorado-just like the stories."

Jim pulls his pistol from his hip and points it at the man. All pull back from Jim's hard stare.

"Ye not be speaking of mutiny on Captain Glory," he says in a rough voice.

Gibbs, who had been among the men, nods and steps forward. "Aye," he says. "All ye saw her sword take Jack's-Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn. Even by the likes of Captain Jack Sparrow."

The men don't say anything for a moment, then slowly disperse all but the man Jim holds his pistol to. Scarlet gives the man a threatening nod and lowers his pistol. As he turns away, he's unaware of Marina looking at him through the window on the door of her quarters.