ON TIME! Well, I just wrote two AP Government papers, so I am taking a break before the third... So I decided to upload now! Yay! I hope you enjoy this chapter. I would really appreciate if you would all leave a review for me. I love hearing what you think. I am trying to find time to rewrite that other chapter, I have been way too busy. I will keep trying. I'll keep you guys posted.
For now, read, enjoy, and review.
Chapter Fourteen: Nine pieces of Eight
The little light that was still left in the day was blocked by the large cliffs, leaving everything to be in a midnight tint. The sea looked dark, the reflecting lantern lights among it blurred and distorted by the waves. As the Pearl sailed further into the cove the crew came to the bow, taking everything in as they got closer. Ships were still fighting for places to moor. The docks were busy and loud with people coming and unloading. They all made their way to the safety of the fortress. That was the real amazement, the one thing, that no matter how many times someone saw it, would still take their breath away. Stacked on top of each other, all connected in a miracle of architecture, were ships. The building as a whole was peaking above the cliffs surrounding it. Lights spotted the structure, turning the entire thing into a collection of stars among the dark mass.
The pirates were in awe of it. Eyes wide as they took in every detail and hearts full with the pride of being part of it all. There was a new life pumped into everyone there as they gazed before them. Every one of them thinking the same thing: this is what it means to be a pirate; this was their life-blood. It was everything they stood for. The freedom they fought for, the adventure they lived for, the life they thrived in. This Mecca of piracy was all in front of them and not one person on board could deny the excitement it brought.
"Look at them all," Pintel breathed. Their eyes drifted across the view, each newly noticed detail more impressive than the last.
"There's never been a gathering like this in our lifetime," Barbossa said proudly. He breathed in deeply, a sense of respect and honor for their way of life.
Jack made his way to the front, looking around from ship to ship. He recognized almost every one. He cringed at some of them, making mental notes to avoid their captains.
"And I owe them all money," he said as that little voice in his head told him to turn the ship around. Barbossa gave him a look, which he ignored.
The room was packed. Each Pirate Lord had a group surrounding them, weapons on the ready in case they needed to protect their captains. They sat at a large table, arguing loudly. Barbossa stood at the head of it as he waited for everyone to arrive and settle in. By the uproar of chatter he could safely say that everyone that was coming had arrived.
He banged a cannon ball onto the table a few times, startling Jack. The room fell silent and he looked out at them, leaning back and standing tall.
Jack was standing in the back of the room, ignoring Barbossa. He walked over to the globe with swords sticking out of it. Each sea that was governed by a Pirate Lord there having a sword sticking out of it. Flicking one sword, he pretended to be very memorized as it bounced up and down. His eyes, however, kept flicking to the absence of a sword in the South China Sea.
"As he who issued summons, I convene this, the fourth Brethren Court," Barbossa said and Jack finally looked over to him, "to confirm your lordship and right to be heard." Jack lost his interest, a sadness sweeping over him and he turned away. "Present now your pieces of eight, my fellow cap'ns," he announced to the room before giving a wave to Ragetti. Ragetti offered a bowl to each captain, gathering the pieces. Part of a Bottle, a playing card, a chest pieces, each one completely different from the other.
Pintel watched as they dropped into the wooden bowl, the excitement he had starting to dwindle as each piece was revealed. He looked at the broken bottle piece, utter disappointment sinking in.
"Those aren't pieces of eight," he said as Ragetti moved to another captain. "They're just pieces of junk," he said sounding like a child that was just let down. Gibbs nodded at him.
"Aye, the original plan was to use nine pieces of eight to bind Calypso, but when the first court met, the Brethren were to a one, skint broke," he explained as he too watched. He was excited to see the items reunited once again. In his mind he was already thinking about how he'd spin this into a new story to tell.
"So change the name," Pintel said captiously.
"To what? 'Nine Pieces of Whatever We Happened to Have in Our Pockets at the Time'? Oh yes, that sounds very piratey," Gibbs answered sarcastically with a roll of his eyes. Jack heard his first mate and smirked to himself.
Ragetti finished collecting from the Pirate Lords sitting around the table. He went to Barbossa, holding the bowl for him to see seven pieces. Barbossa smiled at it and looked at Ragetti.
" , if you will," he said to him. Ragetti looked down at the bowl, a reluctance in obeying the order.
"I kept it safe for you, just like you said when you gave it to me," he told him hopefully. He looked around nervously, still not handing anything over. Barbossa nodded at him.
"Aye, ya have, but now I need it back," he said with a grin. He reached forward and slapped the back of Ragetti's head. His wooden eye popped out and into the bowl. Ragetti stared down at it sadly.
"Sparrow!" one of the Lords yelled.
Jack stood still for a moment before fingering his piece of eight. It was a small ancient Burmese coin woven into Moroccan beads. It hung over his bandana, in plain sight. Jack found the safest place to keep things were right in front of people's noses. Barbossa noticed his movement as Jack swaggered forward.
"Might I point out that we are still short one Pirate Lord. And I, for one, am content as a cucumber to wait until Sao Feng joins us," he said with a smile aimed at Barbossa.
"Sao Feng is dead," Ella announced. Everyone turned to see her standing with crew at her sides. She was no longer in the intricately detailed oriental attire she was previously. She had an off the shoulder cream poet shirt with a black leather corset type of armor that accentuated her small waist. Black breaches with same colored leather armor covered her knees, with a stripe of it down the outer side of the legs. Instead of hiding the weapons she carried, the cross body holsters were clearly visible, so was the fact she wore many, and each slot was filled. She looked dangerous. And sexy.
That was irritatingly distracting to Jack.
"He fell to the Flying Dutchman," she announced and the pirates exploded into argument over the news. Ella ignored them, walking to the globe and spotting the South China Sea. She plunged her sword into the globe, claiming her area of rule. She looked back to all of the arguing. Her eyes scanning those in front for Jack.
"And he made you their captain?" Jack asked once he recovered from his gaping. Ella's eyes snapped to him, their gaze holding for a while. He was very proud and everyone could hear it in his voice. Ella smirked before making a bee-line for him. "They're just giving the bloody title away now," he joked. Ella rolled her eyes at him, catching his playful smirk.
Turning to the table, she got to work. Time was running out and she had to warn them. "Listen to me!" she said to them. Nobody did. She tried again but still no answer. "I said listen!" she yelled over the hysteria. Everyone shut up and paid attention. "Thank you," she nodded. "Our location has been betrayed." Everyone started up again but before they could get to full volume she continued loudly. "Jones is under the control of Lord Beckett," she said, spitting his name out, "they are on their way here."
The shouting started up again and Ella let out an irritated huff. Arguing was not going to help them. They needed action. They needed to fight. She watched things get heated, ignoring the way Jack stepped closer and closer, before putting his hand on her back.
"Who is this betrayer?" one of the men in the room demanded.
"Not likely anyone among us," Barbossa assured him and everyone else. Ella suddenly realized she couldn't see Will. Elizabeth was by Gibbs, looking just as annoyed about this fighting as Ella felt, but Will was not by her side. Or anywhere for that matter.
"Where's Will?" she asked. Jack's hand slid down to her hip. And she turned to look at him.
"Not among us," he said.
"And it matters not how they found us, but what will we do now that they have?" Barbossa asked the room. Ella prepared for the yelling.
"We fight," Elizabeth declared suddenly. Ella raised her eyebrows as everyone around her laughed loudly at the idea. She saw Jack laughing lightly with everyone else.
"I can't believe I'm saying it, but I think I agree with Elizabeth," she whispered to him. He stared at her seriously, considering it before nodding.
"You used to do that a lot more," he said lowly. Ella stood up straighter, memories of trust running through her mind.
"Trust is easy to have, but once it is broken, it is nearly impossible to fix," she said firmly.
Jack leaned in to her, mouth beside her ear. "Nearly," he whispered. And Ella was really sick of these 'being a good person' moments he was having lately.