Chapter Seven
"This is it? It's kind of small," Jack said as the island came into view.
"They weren't intending on an entire pirate crew to come. But you'd be surprised how much is hidden behind those trees," Martha pointed out about the island.
"Captain, we're ready to sent the boats in," James said approaching Jack. James and Martha hadn't spoken much since the day he kissed her, "are you coming as well?"
"Someone's gotta show you boys around the place," Martha said walking past him and toward the boats.
"How would you know your way around the island?" he asked observing her new shirt, pants, and boots that Will had given her. A belt hung on her hips with a sword attached.
"I grew up here," she said as she began to climb down the ladder into the boat. Jack snickered at James' ignorance.
"She's got you there, mate. Don't underestimate the girl… she's like her mother," Jack said following the way Martha went to the boats. One boat held James, Jack, and a few others. Another held Gibbs, Martha, and still more of the crew.
"You said you grew up on the island, miss?" a young man around the age of James asked.
"For the first nine years of my life," Martha confirmed.
"What's it like?" he asked.
"You act as if you've never seen land before," Martha cracked a smile.
"Miss, he's a pirate. He spends his life on the seas," Gibbs reminded her.
"Yes, but even pirates have to make stops sometimes."
"Not much more than Jack's frequent stops at Tortuga. Nothing like this. I signed at the age of thirteen," the man explained.
"Sparrow signed you when you were thirteen?" Martha asked in surprise.
"Blackbeard," he clarified, "when he died I signed on with Jack."
"You were Blackbeard's cabin boy?"
"Even the best pirates started as cabin boys," Gibbs said.
"My-" Martha stopped herself before beginning to talk about Will.
"What's the reason for going to the island?" an older pirate asked. His hair was grey and his beard was grown thick.
"Oh, you know Jack. He never makes his reasons clear," Gibbs tried.
"I heard Will Turner's heart is somewhere on the island and we're looking for it," the old man rumored.
"Where would you hear a thing like that?" Martha asked.
"On of the new ones, James was his name. With Jack you never know, so we figured it was possible," the pirate with the toothless grin said.
"James told you that?" Martha asked for confirmation as the boats pulled up on the shore. Everyone piled out of the boats and gathered around Jack in the center.
"Gentlemen," Jack began, "and lady, I know there are a lot of rumors as to why we're here. None of them are true. Our special guest missed land and wished to stretch her legs, so I obliged. Take this opportunity to do the same, but remain on the beach. I'll be taking a few to explore to island a little so… Gibbs, Martha, James, come with me."
"Oi, what are we supposed to do?" A scrawny man asked.
"Stay here," Jack repeated, "don't you listen?"
Jack, Martha, Gibbs, and James all began into the trees. Jack lead the way at first, but as soon as they were hidden by the trees Martha took the lead. James was close behind her while Jack and Gibbs fell back a little.
"Gibbs," Jack called over, "what do you know about the boy, James?"
"Nothing, Captain. He wouldn't say more than his first name."
"Then why'd we sign him?"
"You did, not me," Gibbs shrugged.
"Keep an eye on him, Gibbs," he ordered, "I don't trust him."
"Why did you spread that rumor?" Martha asked James as Jack and Gibbs continued talking.
"What rumor?" he asked pulling a low hanging branch out of the way so that Martha could continue on the path.
"The rumor that we're here for William Turner's heart," she continued.
"It's true, isn't it?" he asked.
"That's not the point," she insisted. Before she could continue James interrupted her.
"So it is true?" he asked again excitedly, "if the captain can find it he'll control the entire sea."
"He isn't doing this to control the sea, he's helping a friend," she further explained.
"He's a pirate Martha, what makes you think you can trust him?"
"You're a pirate, how do I know I can trust you?" she retorted.
"You trust me?" he asked surprised.
"Not as much as I trust Sparrow," she replied, "now let's keep moving."
"How much farther, do you figure?" Jack asked approaching Martha and James.
"The house was in a clearing. We've got a little ways still to go, " Martha pointed in a direction that appeared to hold no more than trees.
"Then let's keep moving," he suggested. Before James could follow Martha Jack cut him off. "I'm Captain, mate. I'll be following second."
The small group continued on until they reached the clearing. The trees circled around the cottage-like house almost perfectly. On the right side of the house there were remnants of a once blossoming garden. On the left side was a well, covered by a wood board. The grass around the house was a yellow color after the hot sun had baked it. Beyond the house there was a little trail back into the woods that led to a small clean water stream.
"Your mother built this?" Jack asked looking at the building that stood before him.
"My father sent people to build it. He had an old friend visit regularly to be sure everything was going well," Martha explained. Martha was quiet and very observant of her old home. She hadn't visited in a long time.
"Where did you say the box is?" Sparrow asked, "Did she bury it?"
"No," Martha began toward her old house, "my brother and I would have found it."
"Gibbs, you and James stay out here. We'll go look inside," Jack ordered.
Jack and Martha took a few steps into the house being very aware of the chance of someone else being inside. The first room they entered had a fireplace and a table. In one corner there was a large chest similar to the one that had been on board the Black Pearl. Jack approached it but Martha called him back, being positive the chest didn't hold the heart. They continued through the door on the right to find a room with a large bed.
"She kept the box here," Martha said getting on her hands and knees to look under the bed, "Sparrow it's not here."
"Maybe it's in a different room, "Jack suggest sounding more like a question.
"No it wouldn't be. The most important thing to you, your lover's life and safety, you wouldn't let that out of your sight," Martha thought, "The box…"
"Yes, that's what we're looking for."
"No… the box my brother took when he left. I completely forgot," Martha sighed, "It was the locked box from under her bed. He thought it might hold money."
"Where did he go?" Jack asked seeing that they'd have another long trip ahead of them before they would find the heart.
"Tortuga."
"Well then, Tortuga it is."
