A/N: Here's the next chapter. Only two left to go if I estimate correctly. Enjoy!


I whip around to face him, "I beg your pardon?"

Jack argues, "I don't bloody well think so."

Angelica glances over me, "The Swann girl? What makes you think she'll come back?"

"Of course she'll return. They're lovers. Or Sparrow can go and we know he'll return for Gin. Either way, one of them will go. After all, why do you think we kept her hostage all this time? Gin, you're finally fulfilling your purpose," Blackbeard strokes my cheek. I stumble back and away from his touch.

"We cannot trust them, Father. I'll go," Angelica decides as she starts to double-back from the edge for a running start.

Just before she jumps, Blackbeard catches her and pushes her aside, proceeding to ask Jack, "How much farther to the Fountain? I'm running out of time."

Glancing at his compass and then ahead, Jack explains, "About a day's march north following that river, you get to a series of pools, then you're close."

Blackbeard tugs at the compass in Jack's hand before finally snatching it out and commands, "You will go."

Gasping out, I step close to Jack, "No."

The Quartermaster brandishes his sword at Jack, and Jack pushes me away, "I was sure it would come to this."

Jack places his machete into the wooden stump and steps slowly closer to the edge, leaning over slightly, "You know that feeling you get sometimes when you're standing in a high place, sudden urge to jump? I never have it."

Blackbeard gets out his gun, pointing it at Jack's head, "I need those chalices."

"Shoot me, save me the bother of the fall," Jack encourages.

"You will go. And you will return. Or I will kill… her," Blackbeard aims the gun to my head.

"You're not really going to kill Gin," Jack boasts.

"Quartermaster, get me six more pistols, remove the shots from all, but two. But do not tell me which two," Blackbeard commands, handing the gun in his hand to Gunner.


We look down at the guns lined up on the rock and Blackbeard explains, "You get to choose, Mr. Sparrow."

My heart hammers in my chest while Jack decides, "Oh, no… Mm-hmm, no…"

Angelica heaves a sigh next to me and looks impatient. Jack picks up a gun and says, "Yes," while handing it over to Blackbeard.

Blackbeard takes it and asks him, "You're sure?"

"'Course I am."

Blackbeard lifts the gun, aiming it at me, while I nervously see Philip gripping his cross necklace, worried for me. Blackbeard pulls the trigger and it clicks, showing it's empty. I blow out a breath of relief and Jack looks at me, pleased.

"Again," Blackbeard orders calmly.

Jack picks one up while mockingly saying, "Please they're not even loaded," and aims the pistol he selected into the sky and fires a bullet, the sound of the gun resonating in the air while everyone instinctively cowers.

Once we gather ourselves, I stare at Jack in anger and shock, "What if you had let him point that one at me, you bloody git?!"

Blackbeard states, "Again."

"If you're so keen on killing her, why don't you just let her jump?" Jack suggests.

"What?" I tell Jack, and he sheepishly grins at me.

"If you jump and die, then she'll have a chance," Blackbeard explains to Jack and gestures at the pistols, "…Again."

Jack nervously smiles and sidles up next to the Quartermaster, "Oi, if I jump… will I survive?"

Quartermaster looks unamused and extends his hand to Angelica, "The doll."

Fear grapples inside me and I see her handing it over to him. The Quartermaster takes it and chants something while making his way to the edge and tosses the doll over, "Yes, now you will survive."

Angelica rips off her hat and tosses it aside in anger, "This is nonsense! I'm going!"

As she starts to get ready to run, Jack is streaking past us, "AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" and jumps over the edge.

We all rush to see if he survived and he surfaces. The Quartermaster then orders, "We go on, due north to the fountain."


Pushing all worries for Jack aside, I focus on staying alive. We continue on and walk through the jungle, the terrain getting rougher to navigate through. I used the dagger Jack provided me and cut off layers of my dress, simply leaving the bodice and the thin underlayer that stops shortly above my knees, where my boots only cover my ankles. It's revealing, however it's far too humid for me to pay mind to the formality and propriety of my appearance.

The men suddenly trip over a large bamboo branch, the case falling and crashing and with it the mermaid spilling out.

We halt and observe her body and tail transform into legs, and she curls up, naked. Philip swiftly sheds off his tunic and leather vest, rushing over to kneel next to her, covering her modesty.

"We must not stop," Quartermaster presses.

Blackbeard steps toward her, and commands, "You will walk."

Philip helps her up and we wait anxiously to see how she fares with walking. She takes a step forward and finds no balance, thusly falling down, "I cannot."

"Walk or die," Blackbeard commands, with the Quartermaster brandishing his sword to her back.

Philip kneels down, "Put your arms around me."

"I do not ask for help!"

"But you need it."

She slowly wraps her arms around him, allowing Philip to lift her up with ease and he addresses Blackbeard, "We're in a hurry, yes?"

"Do not fall behind."


We arrive at a clearing of grand trees, with their massive roots covering the ground. Angelica orders, "Hold here til I say!"

I lean against the trunk of one of the trees, tilting my head back. I smell like saltwater as does my hair. I roughly plait my softened and damp curls into a wheatail knot, which is was specially taught by my governess when growing up. The knot resembles the fishtail or the grain of wheat when grown, calling the plait pattern a wheatail knot.

Smiling to myself, my thoughts drift to my sister, to Will. To the days before I met Jack. How simple it all used to be… my only concern used to be getting married to a proper and respectable man.

Ever since Elizabeth came home with that stupid medallion, there was a curse put upon us. Or perhaps it was fate lying dormant for years. But that medallion brought me to Jack. Brought me to face Davy Jones. Brought me to face… myself. I used to be a silly little girl, who romanticized pirates and sailing the seas. What a fool I was. I always ask myself… is love worth all this? Do Jack and I even have love between us? Or misguided passion mixed with the need for something else?

I glance over at Angelica and wonder what she had with Jack. She probably got her heart broken by him. I can't be the only one he had any semblance of feelings for, could I?

"You see the Fountain?" Angelica asks her father once he appears back.

"No, but we are close. Bring the creature, cover its head!"

Philip stands up and angrily cries out, "She has a name!"

Angelica and I turn around and face him, with the mermaid sitting nervously behind him. Blackbeard calls out, "Pray tell."

"She is Serena."


It's nightfall by the time we make it to the jungle pools, Blackbeard leading us ahead. He spots something and lowers his torch to see better, revealing a skeleton. He mutters, "Mermaids."

Quartermaster lowers Serena into one of the pools and Blackbeard gives commands, "Careful these pools runs deep. If she escapes, all is lost. Quartermaster!"

The Quartermaster takes off the hood that was covering Serena's head and she hisses out.

Blackbeard shouts, "Look! Look! Staked out to die, to dry in the sun. Only half in the water, not enough to live, but just enough to make the dying slow. Think on it, your people, murdered, harvested for their tears. Serena, won't you cry?"

She keeps a hard face and tosses back, "All die. Even you. Soon, I hear."

Blackbeard ignores her and stalks over to her and grabs her by the hair behind her neck, "Listen, listen… can you not hear your sisters scream? Do you not hear them? We need but one tear."

Serena ignores him and looks coldly ahead. Blackbeard, enraged, strikes her across the face, "Vile creature!"

Philip is held down, next to me as the crew members shout out suggestions: "Chop off her fingers, one by one!" "Choke her!" "Cut out the tears from behind her eyes!"

Philip frees himself from the Quartermaster's hold as he approaches Angelica, demanding, "Where is your voice in this?"

"Maybe she will have a change of heart, when the sun rises," Angelica suggests.

"Aye, she will burn, but I cannot wait for the sun. Perhaps we should build a fire," Blackbeard plans.

Philip argues, "No."

Shoving him away, Blackbeard threatens, "Do not contest me, cleric."

"You will not torture her!"

Angelica pipes up, "We need only one tear."

Blackbeard whips around to face Philip, continuing to threaten, "I will tear every scale from her body one by one if I see fit. If that displeases you, go pray."

"I was wrong, not every soul can be saved. Yours cannot," Philip spat out.

"Behold gentlemen! A man formerly of faith," Blackbeard mocks.

"That vile creature as you call her is worth a hundred of you," Philip exclaims, stepping toward Blackbeard.

"You care for her… You fancy her. At first, I thought it was Gin that you admired," Blackbeard points a finger at Philip while stepping toward him as well, and Philip's face falls, confirming every word, "And you did, but now that a pretty mermaid comes along… my, my. Do not deny what is clear to my eyes! Question is…"

Blackbeard starts to step toward Serena and kneels next to her, leaning in close to her face, "Does she fancy you?"

I glance at Philip, shocked, as he looks over to me with slightly embarrassment and then looks away with worry to Serena.

Serena tries to hide her face, looking away from Blackbeard as he booms out, "By God, she does! We are in luck! Bring forth a tear..."

The Quartermaster suddenly hands Blackbeard a dagger and holds down Philip, pushing him to his knees as Blackbeard threatens, "…Or witness the death of this poor soul."

Immediately I rush over to the Quartermaster, trying to pry his arms off, "No! Please, don't!"

I'm pushed away roughly, falling to the ground and scraping my hands, while Philip desperately says, "Serena! If you could manage a tear, I would be grateful."

She simply stares ahead coldly, not able to cry as Blackbeard continues on, "Sadness yes, but no sorrow… yet."

Blackbeard pushes himself up, heading towards Philip and ready to kill while Angelica steps in, "Not by your hand father!"

Stumbling over to Philip, I position myself in front of him, spreading my arms, "You'll have to kill me to kill him!"

"Time and tides wait for none! Quartermaster!" Blackbeard bellows and shoves me aside as I cry out, "No! No!"

The Quartermaster slices Philip's throat and his body falls. I freeze… choking out a sob, as Angelica holds me back from rushing to his body, "No! How could you!"

Pushing Angelica away, I rush to Blackbeard, launching myself onto him, "You vile, black-hearted MURDERER! I will kill you myself! I promise you won't have to worry about any one-legged men, for it will be me who is your death!"

The Quartermaster and Angelica tear me off of Blackbeard and hold me down as Blackbeard continues on as though nothing happened, "My, mermaids are tough, the lot of them. Tie her up, like the others…" Blackbeard commands and kicks Philip's body, "…Hm, and get rid of this."

The Quartermaster and Angelica leave me on the ground sobbing as the crew men drag Philip's body away and Angelica speaks with her father.

I curl up, sitting and bury my face into my hands. Stop crying, stop crying. Oh God, Philip… stop crying, for God's sake. Taking in a deep and shaky breath, I wipe the tears and stare coldly ahead. If only Serena could have just produced one bloody single tear. I feel her staring at me, almost asking for forgiveness. I don't look at her, for she could burn and rot here as far as I'm concerned.


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