Five days later, Margaret awoke to the sound of gulls outside her open window. It was a sound she'd begun to miss while deep at sea, but now that she was back on solid ground she instantly regretted the feeling. It was just dawn, and the shape of a sleeping Hector was tranquil beside her in the small bed. Careful not to wake him, she slipped out of the sheets and moved to close the window, wearing only her robe that she picked up off the floor. She paused, letting the breeze from the water below brush her skin. This place had once felt like home to her, but now she was jaded and could only think of the business that lay ahead. She had missed the rocky coast, and the way it was hidden from the rest of the world. Smuggler's Cove had once been a sanctuary to her. But she was older now, and it only reminded her of her desperation to survive. Rita, on the other hand, had been giddy about returning, showing Jack every crevice she used to play in. It had been nice to watch her so free. And, of course, it had been nice of the guild to provide lodgings for the night.
They'd arrived the previous afternoon, after a long, arduous trek on the Pearl. After returning fruitless, both crews had met them fairly unceremoniously. Morgan's first mate, who turned out to be one of the pirates present for the escapade, had agreed to part ways with no further quarrel. A small success, but greater misfortunes were kept in mind, and showed in the bleak mood that overtook the Pearl. They still had Margaret and Rita to grant them access to the cove where their guild resided, concealed.
However, it was clear that many had not forgiven their captain for his choices regarding Circe's treasure. Jack had made a number of foolish blunders on the way, but remained too proud to admit to them. Rita and Margaret had overheard Hector confronting him the evening of the ordeal.
"What were ye thinking surrenderin' in the first place without a plan?" He'd chided.
"I had a feeling things would work themselves out. Sometimes a captain must think on his feet," Jack replied.
"Aye, and sometimes he must think about the greater good."
"We're alive, aren't we? Most of us…" Jack had sounded deeply contrite for the first time. "I trust my instincts, and more often than not I get us out of any mess."
"Trust can't come easy for the rest of us when yer instincts make the mess in the first place."
The Captain and his first mate were colder to one another in the days that followed. The spirits of the crew were only lifted when at last they reached the beautiful cove, just off of the island of Devil's Anvil. It was indeed a sight to behold. Imbedded in rock was an abandoned fortress, one that had been built almost to completion by British settlers, who had ultimately decided the terrain was too treacherous for habitation. The smuggler guild of Chlamys had occupied the small half-ring of beach and cliffs for decades, transforming it into a compact community.
A scout had rowed out to meet them before they anchored, to determine whether or not they were to be shot out of the water by the row of battlements that lined the rocks. Margaret did all the talking, and before they knew it the crew was all brought ashore. Immediately, they were given an audience with the commander, a sharp woman names Esperanza, who had been in charge since both Margaret and Rita were first initiated.
"What do you mean by bringing them to me?" She'd spat in lieu of a greeting to Margaret and Rita.
"Upholding our end of a deal," Margaret replied.
"We don't deal with pirates," Esperanza hissed. "You know this. And as if you two are not in enough trouble, already. Killington never received his cargo. We sent two men out looking for you, hear nothing for weeks, and now you stand here with a request on behalf of miscreants?"
"We were attacked en route," Rita piped up. "By the pirate Captain Morgan. She took everything. She would have had away with us, too, but the crew of the Black Pearl rescued us. In exchange, all they wanted was information about an item that came through here."
Margaret did her best to hide her surprise at how easily Rita could bend the truth. Esperanza's anger was beginning to subside, as signified by a slight eye roll, but she did not drop her guard all at once.
"How noble. I suppose I should be grateful you brought my girls back to me in one piece," She said, turning to address the pirates. "Many things come and go from the cove. I can assure you any treasure will have already passed through or been distributed to our vaults. What is it you're expecting to find, exactly?"
"Not treasure, per say, your Smuggler-ness," Jack said, stepping forward with a small bow. "I'd received word that a page from the diary of Hernán Cortés was intercepted by one of your own. It was my understanding that it was brought here, and added to your collection, as it could not be profited from."
"No. We kept it as an historical artifact, but it was one of many things in that haul that could not be instantly sold or bargained for," Esperanza said, looking intrigued. "That is, until now, apparently. What use do you have for a piece of scrap paper?"
"All due respect, Miss, I believe that's my business."
She gave him a cold, appraising look.
"Very well. What do you have to trade for it?"
"I thought you said it was worthless to you?" Jack frowned.
"Yes, but clearly not to you. What are you offering?"
Jack sighed. He'd been prepared for this, but it was always disappointing to be cheated. From his sleeve he pulled out several scrolls and threw them down in front of Esperanza.
"Maps made by the sea witch Circe herself. Collected right from her workshop, and your two friends there can back me up on the tale."
Esperanza gave Margaret and Rita a side glance, to which they both nodded enthusiastically.
"Examined them all meself," Jack continued. "And all of 'em have loads of places otherwise uncharted on most other atlases you'd find. You could use them to expand your business, I reckon."
"They're invaluable, Esperanza," Rita chimed in. She'd been amazed at how willing Jack was to throw away his collection, and it was just then that she realized how much his mission to Isla De Muerta meant.
"Then this page must be truly worth something, too," Esperanza murmured, seeming to think along the same lines. She ran her hands over the maps, eyes glowing with every scrawl she read. "Should I be rethinking this deal?"
It did not sound like a hypothetical question.
"Not that I'm not biased," Margaret answered. "But believe me when I say that you'll be wanting these maps in your collection."
After another moment's hesitation, Esperanza called over a boy who'd been standing in the corner, a loop of keys hanging from his pants. The loop was so full that it looked like his pants might fall with every step.
"Edmund," Esperanza said. "Fetch me Cortez's journal entry from the library. And tell the chefs to start dinner for our guests.
Now, as Margaret watched the sun poke its rays out from behind the horizon, she wished she had relished the night for longer. After the awkward dinner, she had found herself alone in a tiny bedroom, unable to shut her eyes. Without thinking, she had thrust her door open and raced down the hall in her bare feet, not stopping until she appeared in front of Hector's door. She didn't even have to knock, which she was grateful for. He had pulled her in without a word, and there in his arms she remained through the night. But it had gone too fast. Even though she didn't sleep, time seemed to slip away faster in the dark.
Sighing shakily, Margaret looked back longingly at the bed. She crept over, timidly resuming her position next to him. She brushed his cheek lightly with the back of her hand. Though not quite awake, Hector took it and ran his lips along her fingers and up her arm. She couldn't help but suck in a breath that brought him into consciousness. He opened his eyes and continued to kiss every part of her he could reach, on her neck and through to the base of her jaw.
"Stop that," she whispered, trying not to gasp. "It's daylight, now. Someone might hear."
"Ye think I care?" Hector muttered. "I'm too old to be modest."
Margaret laughed quietly, looking into his murky eyes that were not yet clear of sleep.
"You're not going to make this easy, are you?"
This made him stop. He sat upright, cupping her chin in one hand.
"No, that's yer job, isn't it?"
"Traditionally, I suppose."
There was a long pause, filled with a sigh from each of them. Margaret suddenly hopped off the bed and over to the coatrack in the corner of the room.
"Perhaps I just need something to remember you by," She teased. "The hat?"
She took Hector's hat from the rack and placed it on her head. It was much too big for her, and he couldn't help but laugh.
"I'll be needin' the hat, I'm afraid."
"Couldn't you just buy a new one when you find Cortez's treasure?"
A grim look suddenly crossed Hector's face. He had been aloof all night after Jack had acquired the page from the journal. Jack had seemed pleased enough, alerting the men that they were closer than ever to finding their long-awaited prize, but Hector had grown increasingly doubtful of his captain's capabilities. Only he and Jack had seen the page, and while he had told Margaret it was just what they needed, she'd read apprehension in his eyes.
"If the Captain can get us there in one piece," He grumbled, sliding out of bed and into his coat.
"You don't trust him anymore."
"The boy's had us going on little more than his word for ages, and now just a scrap of parchment. I'm not sure there's many of us left who do trust him."
"But you believe you can find it?"
Hector considered this for a moment.
"I do. Always have. Just not sure Jack's the man to lead us to it. He's young. Brash." He looked over at Margaret, still standing in his hat, and his grimace turned into a chuckle. "Though I suppose that's not always a bad thing. You wear it well."
Margaret fell silent, unsure how to respond with anything but a delicate smile. She had come to like Jack, though she shared Hector's view on his devil-may-care behavior. He had proven himself to be wild and fickle, but lucky, qualities she admired overall. What's more is she could tell Hector cared for his captain, though he would never let on. Yet she also knew he'd do whatever it took to see the quest through to the end. She decided to say nothing. It wasn't her place to meddle in the pirates' affairs, and if there was one thing she always knew, it was her place. Even if she rarely stayed within it.
Hector had finished putting on his boots in no time.
"The hat, if ye don't mind," He held out his hand towards Margaret. She remained rooted to the spot.
"I don't think I want you to go."
"I don't think I want ye to stay."
They stared at each other across the room for a wistful moment before Margaret ran at him, leaping into his grasp. He swung her around once, kissed her, and placed her down. She could still feel the points on her cheek where his beard tickled her.
"I actually do have something ye can remember me by," Hector said, struck by a thought. He reached into one of his coat pockets and pulled out the ruby he'd collected from the first night they'd met.
"The little red star," Margaret laughed. "You've kept it on your person all this time?"
"It's a fine gem," He pressed it into her hand. "Take it. Consider it an insurance. I'll come back for it someday,"
Margaret smiled and held it against her heart. It felt warm, and she knew that she'd keep it safe. Below, they heard sounds from the dock getting louder, indicating that the rest of the crew was up and preparing to return to the ship. With a last agonizing look at the room and at each other, they took the slowest route down to the water.
Rita and Jack were already there. Esperanza had even come down to bid farewell, but Margaret suspected she was there to make sure she and Rita didn't board with them at the last second. After the pirates had been fed the night before, she had called the girls in to discuss their actions. She had forgiven them for their transport going south, but made the decision to relocate them to a new territory. Rita had been furious at first, as they had moved their base several times over the last year. Margaret didn't mind, however. She was happy that they weren't being forced to stay and work from the cove, where she'd already spent too much of her childhood.
Hector approached Jack, who gave him a gruff pat on the shoulder as a greeting. As the crew boarded, some nodded their goodbyes to Margaret and Rita, others were friendlier, and some just walked by without a second glance. One boat was already on its way back to the Pearl, who looked majestic against the lustrous morning sky, and the other was almost full. Jack and Hector were the last two to get on. They faced the girls with deep respect swimming in their half-smiles. Jack took off his hat and placed it over his heart.
"Ladies, it's been a genuine pleasure. If our paths are to cross again, I should hope it will be as friends," He said theatrically.
"The Caribbean's not so big," Rita said, smiling. "Nor is the world. We'll meet again."
Margaret looked at Hector and saw the same hope she felt, reflected in his gaze.
"Until then, then," Jack said with a wink as he turned. "When we'll be rich as thieves! Smart thieves, that is. This isn't the last you've heard of Captain Jack Sparrow."
They joined their remaining crew, waiting patiently on the rowboat, and set off. Margaret and Rita watched until their boat became a speck beside the black sails in the distance. Esperanza came up behind them and put a hand on each shoulder.
"Don't even think about becoming pirates, girls," She said gruffly. "You're too good for that."
As they walked back up to the fortress in silence, Margaret caught Rita's eye and grinned. She knew there were more adventures ahead of them, and none that they could ever be too good for.
End of Part I
