Pirates of the Caribbean – The Secret of HellWater
**authors note**- I hope things get a little more interesting for you in this chapter, the first isn't the most riveting. I had to set the stage. Please leave me your comments!
Chapter 2- A Shady DealLight streamed through the windows of the Captains Cabin aboard the Black Pearl. Jack lay in a drunken slumber on the disheveled bed, littered about with empty bottles from the night's festivities after he'd left the tavern. A cool breeze blew in and ruffled his hair. All seemed peaceful until he jolted awake by the icy cold blast of a bucketful of water in his face. "I'llmakeyewalktheplank!" He said quickly, then seemed to realize where he was and looked up with a glazed expression at the figure of a woman standing over him with one hand on her hip and the other holding the dripping bucket.
"You look…mighty familiar…" He said blinking back weariness and willing his eyes to focus. His head was splitting and the room around them seemed to whirl about like a wheel, with this girl standing before him as the axis. He sat up reluctantly, wincing as the movement reinforced the pain he felt in his head.
"Take a good look." She said, a hint of amusement in her musical voice.
He did, and her face came slowly into focus, his eyes widened and he jumped up from the bed with a sudden energy he himself was surprised he had.
"You! How'd you sneak on board my ship!" It was the barmaid they'd met last night. The one that had said she wanted to join his crew. She stood there as surefooted as any seaman on the softly rocking boat, rolling back and forth on her feet with the movement of the waves.
She shrugged towards an open window. Sparrow stalked over and peered out and down, expecting to see a dingy of some sort. They were the furthest boat anchored from the harbor, but he saw no boat tied below his window. He straightened and looked at her incredulously. Then pointed at the window with one hand bedecked in silver rings. "Did you swim all this way? In THAT?" He gestured to her layers upon layers of clothing. "You'd sink straight to the bottom."
" I'm a strong swimmer." She replied smugly, then with more heat, she said. "I want you to take me as crew on your ship."
"I have a crew, I have no need for ye." Jack Sparrow gave her a crooked smile. " And I will not take a woman on board the Pearl who has no visible value to Her, or me."
Emma looked lost for words; Jack shrugged and quickly scooped her up in both arms.
"WHA! What are you doing?! Let me go!" She protested with a vain struggle, which was easily overpowered by the roguish pirate, and he carried her squirming towards the open window.
"If you swam all the way out here, I figure you can swim back," He said with a humor filled tone of voice. " I bid ye good day, Miss Emma."
"Wait! I haven't finished talking yet!" She flailed her arms and legs, and managed to wedge one foot in-between her and Jack, firmly against the windowsill to stop him from pushing her over the side. "You said value! I have value! I can cook!"
"We have a cook."
"I can sew! I can mend canvas and clothes!"
"We're a mangy lot, to be sure, but we'll survive just fine with a few holes in our stockings." He grinned, he was enjoying ruffling her feathers. She was a fun one to have around. He'd not been expecting her to go so far as to steal aboard his ship. And she was feisty! He liked feisty women. It almost made him regret having to throw her off… almost…"
"I have money! I can pay you!"
To this, he stopped pushing her and stepped aside, letting her drop onto the wooden floor. Emma scrambled up, smoothing her skirts and trying to not look flustered.
"Money? Now you are speaking my language." He gave her a glittering, crooked smile, punctuated with several gold and silver teeth. The smile seemed to stun her for a second. And she just stared at him wide-eyed.
He gave her a disparaging look; "Cat got your tongue now?"
She snapped out of it instantly, and with a graceful recovery, drew a small pouch from the front of her bodice in one smooth motion. Then, she tossed the coins across the small room to him.
He caught them easily in one hand, and spilled the contents into his open palm. He had half expected them to be mere shillings, he'd been all set to tease her about her poor state, but his eyes widened visibly as gold glittered up at him. And for an instant, he was at a complete loss for words.
"Who's tongue has the cat got now?" She stood straighter and beamed a look of triumph. Jack Sparrow tore his eyes from the gold and regarded her with a look of awe that was unsettling.
"This gold…" his tongue was dry in his throat and his voice suddenly hoarse, he'd seen that specific type of coin only one time before in his life… he knew he would never forget it too. The familiar seal and writing on the smooth, shiny surface of the coin unearthed a sudden deluge of memories.
He saw a ship tossing about amid a tumultuous storm, a man aboard yelled at the top of his voice, there was a great crack of thunder, lightening ripped the sky. Rain pounded down, drenching the crew. A high-pitched scream of something huge and monstrous echoed in his ears and he was suddenly under water, falling further into the depths. He struggled to swim but there was too much pain, he couldn't move. He was paralyzed with the fear, then, he felt arms around him, pulling him upwards…
"HellWater…" He whispered softly. "That's very interesting…" A spark ignited in his mind, the gears started turning, all drowsiness from the nights pastimes were gone and his eyes lit with fervor of excitement. Thoughts ran through his head. "HellWater…So… I'm destined to face you again…I thought I might someday…with some luck…"
Emma watched him with a puzzled expression. A sense of foreboding fell over her when she saw the look on his face as he gazed at the coin. It was not only his greed. All pirates liked the sight of gold… no, there was something far more dangerous in his sparkling, coal lined eyes. She instantly regretted giving him the coin so soon. This was not the way things were supposed to go. She wasn't in control of the situation, and she did not like it one bit
Then, he straightened and he put on a vain and puzzled expression for Emma. "This gold… where did you get it?" He inquired as if he was asking about purchasing apples at market.
"Get it?" She repeated slowly. Jack could see she was thinking fast, trying to find a suitable lie. He could see that she knew its significance. He guessed that she'd made an unwilling compromise. She must not have planned to show him this gold yet. She probably wanted to establish herself aboard his ship first… maybe to gain his trust? What did she know of HellWater?
"Let me cut to the chase, lassie." He said, putting both hands out and swaying slightly, as if the gesture were meant to catch her attention, which it did. " It's obvious enough to me that you know what this gold is. I know it very well. I know where it can be found, and I know that no lady such as yourself would be able to come by it easily. You seem a smart young lady, and you wish to come aboard my ship as a crew member. Well, let me tell you, no pirate can buy his way into the business, savvy? If I was any less of a gentleman, I'd have taken your gold and slit your throat and be done with ye."
Emma swallowed nervously. "But, you're not…less than a gentleman, are you?"
Jack gave her a toothy grin. " I'll let you be the judge of that, love." He sat behind his desk and fingered the pistol that lay atop it. Then looked at her again with that familiar crazy glint in his eyes. " So, do you feel like telling me where you found that gold?"
She was silent for a moment, then squared her jaw and shot him a level look. "How about this instead…" She said softly "I'll give you this…" She drew a folded parchment out of her bodice next. "And in return, you won't ask me questions I'm not inclined to answer."
He eyed the weathered piece of paper. "What is that?"
She turned it over to reveal a seal faded with age and wear. He recognized it instantly. It was a representation of a Sparrow flying amidst clouds and a setting sun with ocean waves. He glanced at his right arm, which was tattooed with that very scene and from which he took his name.
"Very well. I will make that deal." He extended his hand, and she held out hers reluctantly and shook it. Then handed him the parchment with the other hand.
He took it and opened it gingerly on the table. It was a map.
"HellWater! I knew it!" He said half to himself, half to the woman standing in front of him. He rested a finger on a spot with a large red X. "That Godforsaken place." He frowned and muttered under his breath. " Just watch me you scurvy old scoundrel… That treasure will be mine…"
There was an uncomfortable silence. Emma glanced about the cabin, and finally broke the eerie calm. "Well then! When do we set sail?"
"We?" He said questioningly as he put the map into his coat pocket, buttoning it securely closed. "I'm sorry M'lady, but our deal had nothing to do with you joining my crew. I will hold by my promise though, and not ask you any questions which you are not inclined to answer." He said this and at the same time scooped her up into his arms again and securely brought her back over to the open window.
"What! No! You CHEATER!! You still need me! Look at that map! That treasure you want is at the bottom of the ocean! How are you going to get it? You said you'd take me along"
"Implied—not said." Grinned Jack "And what part about the treasure being at the bottom of the ocean implies that I have to take you with me? Have a pleasant day m'lady!"
"You… You…PIRATE! I GOT that treasure from the sunken ship, Donalda! You NEED me to get it for you! No one else can do it! The map is useless without me!"
"Aye! Just the words I was wanting to hear." Jack Sparrow released his grip and let her struggle out of his arms. Emma jumped away from him, and then whirled in an outrage.
"You… TRICKED me! You FIEND!"
Jack flashed her a grin. " You'll be getting your wish love, and be welcome aboard my ship. But you're no crew, you're not a pirate until you can deem yourself worthy as one. You'll be my guest instead for this voyage, savvy?"
"Guest?" She repeated softly, as if having trouble understanding. This was all going too fast for her to handle. And too out of her control.
"Aye, there's just one thing that confuses me though…" Jack said, his tone solemn, he eyed her seriously. " What benefit can you possibly get out of giving me this treasure map, and helping me get the gold?"
"You can only think like a pirate, can't you?" Emma said smugly.
Her tone of voice threw Jack off for a moment, and he remembered his thoughts about her unusual grace from last night.
"Just… who are you?" He asked.
"Captain!" Mr. Gibbs burst through the door without bothering to knock. "I heard voices here… I'm just seeing if everything be all right sir?" He stopped at the site of Emma and gave the Captain a questioning glance.
"Aye… The day brings some unexpected surprises." Jack turned with a swagger, and lurched almost drunkenly towards Gibbs. He stopped a few feet from his first mate, and with a grin, clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Call a meeting of the crew, we've got a some new developments to discuss. We'll be setting course for Tortuga shortly."
"Tortuga?" Emma questioned.
"Aye! Tortuga!"
