Chapter 2
It was dark, damp, and grimy below the polished and perfect upper deck. The door of the darkest cell, the one farthest from the door was opened and both pirates were thrown inside.
There was only room for one of them to lie down at a time, but the sound of scurrying from either insect or vermin discouraged even that. The cell door was closed and locked, then they were left alone in the now pitch black room. Jack untied the handkerchief from around her mouth awkwardly, they hadn't removed the handcuffs from his wrists.
"Why didn't you kill him before?" Annamaria demanded immediately after.
"I did," Jack replied quietly, "he didn't die."
"What do you mean? If you killed him he should be dead. There's no two ways about it."
"I stabbed him through the heart with a dagger." Annamaria thought about that for awhile and watched Jack lean against the opposite side of the cell's wall. He only stood that way when he had something worth thinking over.
"D'ye think they went back to open Cortez's gold?" she asked in a whisper mindful of eavesdroppers and spies.
"No. I remember what it's like to be under that curse. It didn't stop the pain an injury
caused, rather made it double in fact. Turak didn't feel it, nothing phased him in the least."
"What other explanation is there?"
"I don't know." Jack wracked his mind for an answer, "Don't go provoking him anymore. Nothing we can do to him would make any difference and he doesn't have any one left to show off for."
"But what are we to do now, Captain?" Those words pulled Jack into reality better than a
slap in the face would have.
In the weeks that had followed Barbossa's demise, he no longer had insisted that the crew add Captain to the beginning of his name. It had been more like a reminder in the worst of times that he would get his ship back and still be alive to enjoy his victory. Most had made Jack Sparrow out to be invincible, not understanding that this man wanted nothing to do with their heroic banter.
The Black Pearl hadn't been noticed until Barbossa had made her into a thing of fear and terror. Jack had slowly been able to turn that image around but he as well as the Pearl were still quite legendary.
"Wait until the ship docks at Port Royale." Jack concluded, "can't do anything until then,
and maybe Will and Elizabeth'll give us a good welcome."
William and Elizabeth Turner had remained close friends with Jack Sparrow, they received rare and precious trinkets from every place the Pearl visited. Jack kept in touch with them through various ships that were heading that way, as well as stopping in every now and again to see how they were doing. Jack leaned back against the wall, a moment later he punched at something on the wall twice.
"What was that about, Jack?"
"Nothing to worry about, love." He assured her. One of the biggest spiders he'd ever seen had scuttled away despite his two killing blows.
* * *
"Jack Sparrow," the name was called tentatively as the door opened spilling moonlight
across the floor. Quick calculations on Jack's part estimated the time to be about two
hours before the sunrise.
"Captain Jack Sparrow, why do people never remember the Captain?" Jack sighed
standing from where he was resting in the corner.
"I need to ask you something," but the rest of the words were cut off when Annamaria
coughed, the force caused her to double over for breath. She caught Jack's glance and
shook her head for him to ignore it. He was getting worried, it had started about an hour
ago and since then had only gotten worse.
"If it has something to do with letting us free, I'm your rapt audience. Anything else, I see
no profit in it for me, don't waste your time."
"I saw you once," the stranger continued stepping into the moonlight. On closer
inspection it turned out to be Cilfre, the officer who had stood up for Annamaria before.
"Actually, it's been three times now. When I was one and ten you gave me a purse of gold
from a drunk that kept my sister and I fed for a week. The next time was when I helped you in an ambush that night at the tavern. The last was nigh a year ago, I was under the
command of Turak and didn't mention the incident to him."
"Ah, yes. I remember you. I offered you a position on the Pearl. You turned it down. What happened to throw your lot in with Barbossa's heir?"
"Nothing of any importance." Cilfre smiled wryly. "But I want to strike a bargain with
you."
"Is that so? What, you want to take me up on the offer? Become one of the raiders of the sea, pillagers of the many defenseless towns and such?"
"In a matter of speaking, yes." Annamaria suffered another bout of coughing that caused
Jack to stare at her in concern.
"It's nothing, Jack." She tried to say, but her voice betrayed her as hoarse and weak.
"I'll take you on as part of the crew." Jack decided at once, "but to seal our bargain I'm going to need to you to fetch us water or rum."
He would finish negotiating later, the basic terms had been struck and if Cilfre were one of the betrayers Jack would dispose of him. The ocean was vast and good at keeping secrets, once lost a man wasn't easily found.
"Right away. Captain. I'll return as soon as I'm able." Cilfre hastened out of the room as
quiet as any Jack had heard.
"Annamaria? Come sit down, love." He put his vest across her shoulders and lowered her
to a sitting position on the floor.
"I don't know what's wrong with me. I was never sick on the Pearl." She objected.
"Maybe it's the change in weather. Bloody awful storms we've been having." This made
her smile a little in gratitude,
"Weather's been perfect till today and you well know it." Cilfre returned with a tankard of
water and an old tattered blue jacket, he handed them through the bars of the cell.
"It's the most I could get, and the coat will have to do. 'Tis the only thing onboard that
doesn't have the Navy's insignia etched onto it. I'll bring more-"
"Eh! Cilfre!" the door slammed open and a drunken sailor stood at it's opening. "I saw
you come in'ere. Oy, what're you doin' talkin' to the pris'ners? The Cap'n says's forbidd'n."
"I was sent to subdue the woman, Gyvan. Go back to sleep."
"Can't sleep. I want t'see." the man swayed on his feet, then grabbed onto a wall to steady
himself. Cilfre had no choice now but to open the cell door and make true his
explanation. He pulled out the spare cuffs he was required to carry and snapped them
onto Annamaria's wrists. He glanced at Annamaria meaningfully as he finished the task,
she caught on and smacked him lightly across the cheek. It was more for sound than actual pain but the gist of it was made clear. Gyvan laughed as he continued to clutch at the wall for support.
"Got you good, C'fre." He took a long drink from a bottle he held in his other hand.
"Bloody pirate." Cilfre snapped loud enough for him to hear, but as he left the cell he slipped the key into Jack's hand.
"They're gone, Jack. Get these bloody things off me." Annamaria said, a wildness coming
into her eyes. She had always hated manacles or binding of any kind, she couldn't help the
shiver that ran down her spine. Just the thought of the metal around her wrists was
enough to have her loose all train of rational thinking.
"Calm down, love. I have the key right here. No worries, it'll be off faster than…" the
handcuffs dropped to the floor. "…see, what did I tell you."
"Don't let them… anyone else but him…" her arms trembled slightly and Jack pulled her into his embrace.
"Shh. I understand. Settle down, I won't let anyone hurt you. I give you my word as a
pirate." He grinned showing a gold tooth.
"Cilfre-"
"-was a very good lad and brought you a jacket." Jack wrapped it around her shoulders
and then hugged her again to get the warmth circulating through her body.
"Jack, he also brought a small flask of rum."
"He what?" Jack asked, pulling back slightly.
"He gave this to me right before he put the irons on. Said it was to keep the morning chill
away." She pressed the flask into Jack's palm.
"He was just raised a rank onboard." Jack took a short drink and savored the crisp smooth
taste. "You drink the rest, love. It'll do a far better job of warmin' you than I can."
Annamaria drank deeply from the flask before handing it back to him.
"You have the last." She rasped, her voice hoarse from both drink and cold. Jack put the
stopper back in the top and put it into his pocket.
"Might as well save it for later then. No use in wasting it all away now."
"Aye, do you think he will starve us too?"
"More than likely, he would do that just to weaken us'."
'And we can't rely on Cilfre too much. He's already in danger as'tis."
Jack didn't waste time in pondering Cilfre's loyalty. He would either continue to help them or sell them out for glory and a personalized sword. Either way, he accepted the help offered now and stored information away against Cilfre for later.