A/N: SOOOO sorry about the long delay, I was really busy and I still will be for a while so it's hard to say if updates will be regular. But I will try as much as I can to update as frequently as possible.
Oh and for this chapter, I have to mention I had this mermaid idea before the 4th film came out so don't criticise on that please.
Anyway, enjoy!
"We've got to head back to England and just hope we beat them there." Will declared as he began to make his way back out of the cave.
The Doctor followed closely behind. "There's no way we can beat them back there..." he argued as they reached the sandy beach again. "...Unless I find my ship."
"If we're lucky we should get there quickly, Doctor let's keep moving if there's any hope of stopping them before they kill hundreds of innocent people." Will marched along the sand back to his ship.
The blood moon still hung in the sky, a much fainter red than it was earlier. It illuminated the sea rolling in on the shore of the Isle. The Doctor looked around; it was emptier than it was before they went into the cave. "Will, what happened to the other pirates' weapons?" He assumed someone else was here and had stolen them, possibly an ambush so he remained alert.
Will turned around and scanned the shore. "It must be the mermaids... they take unclaimed items that wash up on the shore of the islands around here, nothing to worry about." He smiled at the Doctor reassuringly then he attached the rope ladder to the hook on the side of the boat and began to climb up.
"Really?" the Doctor asked as an idea formed. "Where do they keep the stuff they find?"
"They keep it in an underwater cavern near this island." Will explained getting off the ladder back onto the sand. "Doctor, we don't have time for this. We need to get going now if we even stand a chance of getting to the Commodore before they do."
"No but don't you see, my ship crashed on a beach and I have no idea where it is now, they could have taken it." The Doctor grinned.
"You can't go out there and get it back, they keep whatever they find." Will frowned. "We have to go now."
"You start making your way to England, I'm gonna try... I'm no ordinary person." The Doctor said as he walked back to the dinghy.
"We'll wait, 5 minutes then we'll lift the anchor and set sail." Will confirmed.
The Doctor nodded his head and made his way through the water into the dinghy. "Thanks Will." He jumped in and began rowing past the cave and the Cliffside. He spotted some movement under the water so he followed, hoping it was a mermaid. The shadow led the Doctor towards a cavern, most of it hidden under the water.
He rowed the dinghy closer to the cavern but came to a stop when he saw the water rippling and bubbling in front of him. Moments later a figure emerged from the water and swam over to the dinghy. It was a mermaid. She looked human with a scaly green fish tail and she had two sea shells on her chest. Her hair was dark brown and wavy, she had pale skin and her smile was friendly.
"Um, hello..." The Doctor smiled at her. "I was wondering if you've seen a blue box around here."
The mermaid nodded as she rested her arms on the side of the dinghy. "Ah, brilliant! Could I have it back?" the Doctor asked.
The mermaid shook her head, still smiling. "Please, I need it to help save my friend and protect England from Long John Silver." He almost begged. At the mention of Long John Silver the mermaid faintly hissed and she gestured the Doctor to follow her. "We do not like Long John Silver and that is why we stole his treasure as well..." she explained as she swam on the surface of the water.
"Wait, you stole his treasure? He's been looking for it and if he doesn't find it then many people back in England will die, including my friend. I need to know where it is."
The mermaid gestured for him to wait and she swam underwater, emerging a few minutes later. "In the cave your box is on land, but you do have to swim quite a way to get there... We will get his treasure to help save your friend. Just tell your crew 'Blood-Bath Bay.'"
"Thank you." The Doctor nodded his head and dived in the water with a big splash.
The water was surprisingly warm in the middle of the night as he dove deeper. Other mermaids swimming about helped guide him towards the cave where the TARDIS should be. He followed their directions heading to the rocky Cliffside where there was an opening cutting deep into the rock. He swam in, there were various objects littering the cave floor, stacked up high almost completely concealing the walls. He swam up and eventually reached the surface. He craned his neck in every direction until a familiar blue box sitting on the rocky land caught his eye.
He lifted himself out of the water with a large grin on his face. "Hello ol' girl." He skipped merrily over to the blue box, heaved open the doors and made his way to the console. He just had to make a few stops to make before heading to Blood-Bath Bay...
The TARDIS materialised back on board Will's ship. He opened the door and poked his head out the door. "Will, good news... I found my ship and I also know where Long John Silver's treasure is. But thing is, he thinks that the Commodore's the only one who knows where it is so he's still heading towards England so if you go there and tell Jack it's at Blood-Bath Bay. Long John Silver will find out and tell Jack to make sure he follows them to the bay. I'll see you there." He very quickly explained before disappearing back inside the TARDIS and dematerialising to make his way to his next stop...
River and Jolly Roger continued rowing their boat towards the English shore. The mist was clearing and the towering structure of the courtyard walls sitting on top of the cliff became more visible.
As River was rowing another dizzy spell flooded through her. She stopped rowing, pulled her oar on the boat and held her aching head in her hands...
"Are you ok River?" Jolly Roger asked as he slowed down his rowing.
"Yeah... just another dizzy spell is all..." River breathed heavily and forced a smile at the pirate opposite her.
She leaned her head over the side of the boat as the burning sensation bubbled in her stomach again; she knew what was coming next. She looked very pale and tired judging by her slightly distorted reflection in the seawater. The burning in her stomach travelled up her throat until she threw up again. She coughed and coughed until it all poured out into the sea.
Jolly Roger had stopped rowing as his concern for River grew stronger as he saw her throw up. He pulls his ore onto the boat and shifted closer to River as she continued coughing but now nothing was coming out.
After a few minutes she stopped coughing then sat back in the boat. She was breathing heavily to recover from her fit of coughing. She looked very pale but continued rowing almost like nothing happened, she had gotten used to it although she really wished she hadn't.
But she didn't get very far before she had to stop again, only this time whilst she was coughing nothing came out. But after a few minutes, a green mist rolled out from between her lips clouding just above her slowly rising in the cool, sea-salt air. The green vapour swirled in the mist and dissolved in a matter of moments. River felt limp afterwards, much like the first time only she didn't pass out.
Jolly Roger looked quite confused and a little scared after seeing that. "...Rive, are you ok?" he asked breaking the momentary silence.
It took a moment for her to respond to him as she was gasping for air after her coughing fit. "..Yeah, I'm fine..." her breathing was shallow.
"What was that?" Jolly Roger was still quite confused.
"I don't know but it's happened before and I know its Long John Silver's doing..." River looked back at the faint outline of the ship on the horizon and glared at it.
The pair continued rowing towards England. They passed the towering stone walls of the castle overlooking the sea to the private pier. It was small and secluded, hidden behind the walls and between the cliffs. The small boat stopped at the end of the wooden platforms and the pirate climbed out, he helped River just in case she was ill again. She nodded in reassurance as they cautiously crept down the dark pier to the entrance to the courtyard.
They arrived at the arch over the stone steps that lead inside the courtyard. So far, no guards were in sight but it wouldn't be long until Long John Silver arrived. River kept looking around for the Black Pearl, in the hopes of finding the Doctor or Jack to help her out of the mess she was in. Her hopes faded when they entered the courtyard, with the view of the whole pier and she couldn't see the Black Pearl anywhere.
They ran through the maze of corridors, fending off the odd guard they unfortunately ran into on the way to the Commodore's quarters. Jolly Roger forcefully pushed the door open and marched up to the Commodore's desk.
He rose from his seat and backed away against the wall in fear, holding his hands up in surrender. Jolly Roger approached him with his sword in hand, he leapt onto the desk, his sword mere inches from the Commodore's throat. River paused in the centre of the room, not sure what to do- was Jolly Roger turning on her and reverting back to being the evil cut-throat pirate he was famed for?
He leaned close to the Commodore and instead of slicing his throat or stabbing his chest he simply whispered to him. "Where's the treasure?"
"What... what treasure?" The Commodore asked.
"The treasure Long John Silver claims..." Jolly Roger explained.
"I don't know anything of the treasure..." The Commodore trembled slightly, but tried to maintain his composure.
"The old Commodore didn't tell you anything of it?" Jolly Roger questioned.
"No, not at all... This is the first I've heard of it" the Commodore answered.
"Jolly Roger, I think he's telling the truth..." River stepped forwards.
Jolly Roger nodded. "Me too..." He turned back to the Commodore. "You're lucky I'm more merciful than the others coming, you need to run as far away as you can."
"Thank you... thank you so much, honourable pirates." The Commodore moved around to the front of his desk but paused when he caught sight of River. "You, you're River Song aren't you?" he asked.
"...Yeah, why?" River looked slightly confused.
"I was told by a Doctor to give you a message..." The Commodore informed.
"Well, what's the message?" River was concerned.
"He said 'Blood Bath Bay'." The Commodore replied, almost like he didn't even understand.
"Is that it? Is that all he said?" River's voice was anxious.
"He also said the Black Pearl is waiting in the harbour." The Commodore added.
River's mood lifted once she heard the very familiar boat name. "Thank you, Commodore."
Jolly Roger looked out of the window and on the horizon; Long John Silver's ship was drawing ever-closer to the land. "You better get going, sir." He suggested. "...You too River."
"Wait, what about you?" River asked.
"You need to go to the Black Pearl and take the Commodore with you so you're safe from Long John Silver and tell the others about Blood Bath Bay." Jolly Roger said.
River nodded. "Right..." she walked to the door. "Come on sir, we need to find the Black Pearl." She stated as she headed out of the door, with the Commodore close behind her.
Jolly Roger looked out of the window, a few minutes passed then he spotted River and the Commodore fleeing from the courtyard. On the horizon, Long John Silver's ship was drawing nearer. He only hoped that he could stop them from invading England and finding the treasure, he knew what secrets it held and what power could be unleashed if it fell into the wrong hands.