Chapter Thirteen

Days just past by, weeks maybe, since Trinity had beceom a prisoner on her own ship. She had been locked in the dark far too long, and had just about enough as she could stomach. Jack would come see her every night at the same time, like clockwork. Jaden did, too, occasionally. While his teenage hormones were raging, and his short temper (not unlike his father's) burst out of control, he accepted that this is what he had to deal with. He did. Sometimes not so well, but he did all the same.

Some clever, yet mildly witty, plan was swirling in her head. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to pull it out. Not yet, anyhow. The ocean was her muse, and she hadn't seen that in so long.

Jack came to visit her one night, like usual, and was staring at her intently. This is how most of their visits went. Jack would stare at her, not moving a muscle, waiting for her genius to poke through. When nothing came, he tried his hand at the matter. Every visit had the same results. This night was different. Trinity was on the verge of a breakthrough.

"Where's the nearest port?" She was looking the direction of her feet, and searching the ground for something to hold her train of thought.

"Couple leagues away. Why?"

"Here's what we do." Jack got up from his seat and knelt down next to her, in case anyone was listening. It wasn't likely, but he wanted to take all precautions. "Dump as much supply and livestock as you can. When you run out of food, dock at port, then go get me a disguise."

"Then what?"

"That's it." She sighed, resting her face in her hands. "For now."

"What about Lily? How to we oust her?" He wanted that goddam sea-witch off his ship as fast as possible.

"We don't we take to the island, send her on wild goose chase, get the treasure, then I kill her. Or did you not remember?"

"I did," Jack smiled his toothy-grin, "I just wanted to make sure you remembered. We're square then?"

"So far..."

"I'll tell Jaden to get to work." Jack got up to leave, but Trinity followed him to the door and blocked his exit.

"You will do no such thing. Tell Cotton, not Jaden. That way, if anyone sees him, he won't be able to tell them what he's doing. Savvy?"

Jack let out a loud "Ha!", then left her to sit in seclusion once more.

- - - - - - - - -

Lily paced (something she had been doing a lot of lately) Jack's cabin. Her heeled boots where leaving a distinct trail in the floor, but she didn't care. It wasn't her ship. Really, she wasn't doing herself any damage, so why should she care.

What she did care about was the parchment in her hands. Ace sat at the desk, shuffling cards with a smug grin on his face, watching her with the utmost of interest. "Wha' migh' tha' be, Cap'em?" he asked, his accent growing with his excitement.

"Nothing for a schoolchild like yourself to worry about." She mocked, placing a finger to her mouth. "I don't believe this absolute moron!" Ace straightened, hoping she would enlighten him if the letter made her made enough. She did. "That idiot Beckett wants us to return to berth. The Damnation, that is. He says that chasing Sparrow isn't something a woman pirate should be doing, and that no doubt Sparrow would out smart a woman. If you were captain, Alice, this note wouldn't be in existence."

"Pity, really." Ace smirked, knowing he probably shouldn't be doing so.

"Indeed." She sneered, her teeth gritted at the tightest points of her mouth. She threw the parchment at him, scaring him.

Jaden silently wrapped on the door, then slowly let himself in. "Miss... Lily?"

Lily pulled him in the rest of the way, grabbing him by the scruff of his neck. "You do not have the honor of speaking my name. Savvy?"

Jaden stayed silent.

"You Sparrow's boy, aren't you? You have his features all over your head. Not to mention his name on your ass. Tsk, tsk. Not only his son, but his whipping boy as well."

Jaden ripped himself from her grasp and took a few steps back. He reached for the sword hanging at his waist to intimidate her, but Lily only raised one hand to him. With the other, she pointed to Ace, who was now on his feet and frowning. "Now, now. You don't want fight him, do you?"Jaden stared at the man for a moment, figuring his odds. "DO YOU?!" She yelled all the louder.

"Please...," he started, standing straight so not to be intimidated himself, "I'll beat him with you."

Lily face grew a bright pink, then moved on to a full red in a matter of moments. She grabbed Jaden by the neck and forced him against the wall, getting as close to his face as possible. "Say it now!" She ordered, breathing heavily from the adrenaline coursing through her veins.

Ace separated them, still holding Jaden to the wall. He stared her in the eye, squinting with malice. "There's no food left. If you don't want to starve, you better dock soon."

Even with Ace's strength crashing down on his chest, Jaden wriggled from his grasp and slipped out the door. Once on deck, he collapsed in a heap on the wooden planks, heaving for air. He thought his windpipe was crushed for a moment, then caught his breath and continued doing the rest of his tasks.

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Ruby