Ragetti's voice came from the crow's nest above.
"Land! Land Captain!"
Nassau, in the northern Bahamas, was in sight on the horizon. The crew below cheered, sea weary and ready to set foot on firm land once again, all except one. Elle stood, mop in hand, at the edge of the ship. She had made her decision, and that night she would go to the Captain with it.
While ale and other drinks were being passed around the galley that night, Elle left quietly so she wouldn't attract any attention. She walked cautiously to her destination, conscious of the last time she had made this same trip.
She stopped in front of the door to Captain Jack Sparrow's quarters. Knocking on the hard wood, she waited for an answer from the other side. A muffled 'come in' came.
Captain Sparrow sat with his hat pulled over his eyes, feet on his desk, and left hand gripping a bottle of what Elle surmised to be rum. Papers and various maps were spread out over his large oaken desk with a few candles burning slightly, giving the room a shadowy look.
"Miss O'Brien," he looked up, frowning at the look on her face. "What is it?"
"C-Captain Sparrow," she breathed deeply, trying to regain control over her voice. "I believe we are to be making port in Nassau tomorrow?"
"Yes, if all goes well." He took a hearty swig from the bottle of rum in his hand.
"I wish to leave this ship." Sparrow promptly choked on said rum, spewing it across the mass of strewn papers on his desk.
"What? Girl, you can't be serious, did someone do something to you? Why do you want to leave my ship?"
"Personal reasons, Captain Sparrow," she said, casting her eyes downward.
"This is about West then, eh?" He immediately regretted saying it.
Tears pricked her eyes at the mention of his name, even if it was his fake one. Furiously swiping her eyes to regain some dignity, Elle tried uselessly to continue.
"I believe I can't let you do that, Miss O'Brien."
She looked up at him in disbelief, her sadness turning quickly to anger.
"And why not? Do I not have any say over my own life?"
"No need to get angry, this crew cares too much for you. You would have no where to go if we let you leave us by yourself. Besides, your work is too valuable to us, losing two crew members hit us hard enough, and three would just weaken us even more."
"But I-"
"No. My decision is final."
Turning around, and silently fuming, she stomped out of his office. Her mind was in a more passionate emotional state then it was before she went in.
Elle considered bolting off once the ship docked, but thought better of it. She would have no food or shelter or money, three vital things that the ship provided. Reluctantly, she stepped off the ship and sat down on a barrel. Familiar noises and smells that accompanied ports swarmed around her.
She looked up as she caught sight of polished shoes and a navy uniform. He was curiously inspecting the ship and looked down at her with disdain. She recognized him immediately as an East India Trading Company officer.
With one last look, he walked away briskly.
A noisy brawl had just broken out on the staircase as Captain Sparrow and Will Turner walked through the doors of the pub. One of the men was hurtled over the side of the railing and fell inches from Jack's feet.
"Sorry, lad," he said quickly, stepping over the stilled body. "Better luck next time."
"Jack," Will began. "Are you sure this is the place to look for new sailors?"
"The last time you questioned me on this, we were in Tortuga, remember?" Jack asked.
"Yes," Will said.
"That standing," he paused to step over another body on the floor. "You see the wonderful benefits we have hence received."
Begrudgingly, Will agreed and they both took a seat at a table. Gibbs and some other pirates sat at a table next to them. Jack suddenly noticed two men, fairly tall, watching them from the other side of the pub.
They stood and approached Jack and Will.
Elle, unnerved by the encounter with the trading officer, moved closer to the Pearl. As much as she hated to admit it, she was incapable of living on her own. Of course, she had survived off the streets for a number of years, but that was the reason she had come to the ship in the first place. She shuddered as she remembered days where she found no food, no source of nourishment and sat starving under some kind of a misshapen shelter.
The warm Caribbean night blew a breeze past her, lifting a single strand of hair to caress her cheek.
Her words were muffled by the sounds of bawdy sailors and their drunken revelry.
"Oh Wes…"
The two men sat down opposite Jack and Will. Will spared a sideways glance at Jack, and he replied with a surprised look of his own.
"Gentlemen," Sparrow began, a hand on his pistol. "Is there something we can help you with?"
"Settle there, we don't mean to make any trouble," one man said, his voice a deep and gentle Irish accent. "We heard from… a source, that you be pirates."
"And what of it?" Sparrow shot back immediately.
"We're looking for work."
Elle looked up from where she had somewhat drifted off and saw the captain returning with Turner and the others. Two new men joined them.
From the distance away that she was, she could see that they were quite tall in comparison to the other pirates. They stood a head taller than Gibbs, but just maybe an inch over Sparrow's and Turner's heads.
She didn't look forward to the idea of having to become acquainted with two new crewmen, especially not knowing their backgrounds or personalities.
As they got closer, Elle knew her sleep deprived state was causing her mind to play with her. She could have sworn at that very moment on her own honor that the two men with Will and Sparrow were Ned and Fin, her cousins on her mother's side. No, they had stayed in Ireland when her own family sailed over, it couldn't possibly be them.
Standing up with a small yawn of tiredness, Elle turned to acknowledge the Captain and the rest of the crew.
As they were returning to the Pearl with the two new members of the crew, Will noticed Elle stand to greet them.
"Glad to know you decided to stay," Sparrow remarked to her as he passed.
"I have no desire to starve," she replied, hoping to sound reasonable.
"Smart girl. Gentlemen," he turned to the two new crewmen standing next to Turner. "I'd like to introduce you to Miss Elle O'Brien, she-"
"Elle? Ellie? Is that you?" One man cut him off, a look of utter shock played across his features.
"Do you two know each other already? If you do that makes my job a lot easier…" Jack trailed off.
"Ned? And Fin?"
Well, here it is, chapter 28, compliments of ElfLuver13! Chapter 29 coming soon!
