Arrival in Lucia

It was high noon and the square was crowded with civilians. She smoothed her hair down, feeling that her appearance was acceptable. For a moment more she watched the populace move to and fro, the ladies chatting delightfully with one another, dressed in their fine garments, as the gents stood bored beside them, smiling at every other passerby.

As usual she would start there, at the marketplace, and make her way down to the dock, hoping to catch a few merchants or sailor's with a nice bag of gold, ripe for the taking.

Muddling her way into the crowd, she "clumsily" bumped into a woman, spilling the contents of her velvet handbag. She carefully helped the woman up, brushing the dust from her dress. After several rounds of apology, she was gone, and with her, the woman's purse.

Patrice St. Clair was no amateur pick-pocket. She was a professional. Every day she combed the streets looking for something to steal - and everyday she managed to find a fair share in the wealthiest of pockets. She loved her job.

Captain Jack Sparrow stood gazing from the bow of the Black Pearl. Silently he took in the life around him, observing the busy port. Lucia had always been a pleasant berth for him, with it's abundance of food, drink, and pleasurable company.

After most of the crew had dispersed onto the island, Jack took his leave, seeing that Gibbs attended to the ship. He strode onto the dock, proudly, grinning at the astonished faces who were more than amazed to see the legendary Black Pearl in Lucia's port.

His first order of business was to find a good tavern, with plenty of rum. And he knew just the place. The Blue Bayou. He could see it's sign waving in the wind, beckoning him to it. It was probably one of the most beautiful sights he had ever seen.

Lucia's cobblestone streets were overly-crowded that day, and to him it seemed there were people at every turn. He remembered then why he enjoyed living on the sea, rather than in the hustle and bustle of the ports. Less crowd and more freedom.

Eagerly he pushed past other civilians, his eyes set on the open door to the Bayou. Perhaps it was fate that he did not notice the young woman hastily making her way forward, coming at him, dead on. It was only after they collided that their eyes met.

"My apologies, miss," Jack explained, helping the young woman to her feet.

She looked at him for a moment and then leaned in, whispering, "You're a...pirate?"

He grinned. "Guilty as charged, love. Captain Jack Sparrow at your service."

"Jack Sparrow!" she exclaimed, placing her hand on his. "The infamous captain of the Black Pearl...who sent Barbossa and his evil crew back to the depths of hell!"

He shrugged, trying his best to remain humble. But she was right. "Go on..."

"The man who sacked Nassau port without even firing a shot!"

"Go on..."

"The sworn enemy of the East India Trading Company - after he vanished right under their eyes, am I right?"

He nodded, his arm coyly sliding around her. "You are, love...I am that man."

"Good to know...," she said, patting his shoulder.

He watched, somewhat bewildered, as she said no more and quickly walked away in the opposite direction.

Later, as Jack downed his forth glass of rum at the Bayou, he noticed something. His ring was missing. Yes, the silver ring with the black stone he always wore...it was absent from his finger. He shook his head, trying to recall where it might have gone, the rum however, was not giving good aid to his memory. The ring never left his finger, so someone must have taken it. But when?

As his bleak mind searched backwards through the day's ventures, he remembered the girl he had bumped into, just earlier before coming to the tavern. He remembered her hand on his. Had she taken it then? She must have!

He jumped up, patting himself to assure that all of his goods were in place. His compass. It too was missing. He couldn't sail without it -- regardless of the fact it didn't point North. "Damn woman...," he cursed under his breath, readying himself to retrieve his effects.

As he was about to exit, Anna Maria entered the tavern and stopped him. "Captain Sparrow, we're ready to depart. We've purchased more supplies and bartered a few items. The crew is waiting on the dock."

He staggered past her. "That damn woman...she's stolen my compass! And my ring! Bloody pirate!"