Here, this is a bit short, thought it's a very important chapter. Yech, had to go back to school today. Damn science… I'll never understand chemistry. Well, not much to say. Here we go…
You know the drill, yadda yadda yadda, review replies are at the end of the chapter.
***
Emmaleanna bolted the whitewashed door of her tavern, taking a moment to be sure everything was clean. Port Peridio was known throughout the Caribbean as the one place where high-society could mingle freely with the underworld. Though most taverns in the port weren't as meticulously clean as hers, she prided herself on running a good business. Her coarse brown hair fluttered in the breeze as she cranked open the casement window that overlooked the cliffs out to the sea.
She cursed the sea. It was the sea that has claimed her parents' life fourteen years ago. It was the sea that had swallowed up her first love- her only love- Liam, while he was on his way to her. It was the sea that took her brother- her only remaining family away from her.
The ocean would call to Jack like the sirens to the Greek heroes, never allowing him to stay in one place for too long. But for Emmaleanna it was a basin of every tear she had ever shed- a constant reminder of her pain.
Behind her, the floorboards creaked. She spun around to face a clean-shaven man in a navy uniform. "I'm sorry sir." She said tiredly. "We're closed for the night. But I do believe The Guilty Redcoat is still open if you'd like to try there." She motioned to the door.
He smiled in a way that made the skin on the back of her neck crawl. "Strong drink is not what I'm after, missy."
She felt hands take hold of her wrists from behind her. Someone slid a piece of cloth into her mouth as the cold metal but of a pistol came in contact with her left temple. She tried to scream but her cries were muffled by the tight constriction of the gag. She could see now that there were more of them than she had initially thought; several men now circled around her, each in the signature red jacket of the English navy, each bearing a bayonet and holding it threateningly at her throat.
Navy officers without a doubt.
She kicked furiously. The man who stood in front of her- apparently the leader- strode towards her slowly. "You've some nice legs there, missy. It'd be a shame if we had to break them. Now ye'll come quietly, wont you?"
She nodded, eyes wide in terror.
The men made short work of bringing her to the harbour and aboard a navy ship.
"Captain," The leader called to a tall man in a tight blue and gold jacket and powder wig. "We have the Lady Sparrow."
The gag was loosened, giving her leave to breathe, then to speak. "What in the hell is going on?" She demanded in her thick Irish drawl, her scraggly brown hair covering her face like a curtain of reeds.
"We are in need of information." The man replied coolly, his back turned so shoe couldn't see his face.
"Concerning?"
"The whereabouts of your brother." He paused as his men released her, leaving her simply at gunpoint in irons. "Good Captain Sparrow has taken something very precious to our Councillor James Land and he wants it back."
"What would that be?" She asked dourly. "Another beautiful ship of yours?"
He smiled vaguely at the compulsiveness of the feisty and headstrong girl who stood before him, squinting at her distorted face through the curtain of hair that shadowed it. "A ship, yes. A nice one, at that. But more importantly, a beautiful young girl- the councillor's daughter, Lady Morgan Land."
She eyed him with interest, though she couldn't see him well through her hair, but she dared not move it. It makes me look more menacing, she assured herself. "Land, eh? I wouldn't really call that a kidnapping then."
"So you have information concerning this, then?" He grilled. "Where are they?"
She smiled mockingly. "Don't dare raise your voice to me, sir. I am a Lady. But as I feel the utmost regret at informing you, I know naught of their whereabouts."
He scowled. "You lie!" She watched as he turned to his men. "Lock her away in a stateroom, lieutenant. Be sure she's treated well. She is a Lady, and I'll have no mistreatment of any woman on my ship."
"Aye, sir."
They took hold of her arms and made to drag her below decks, when he called them back. He brushed her hair out of her eyes, leaned in close to her and whispered threateningly. She would have thought him dangerous, though a small bemused light in his eyes said otherwise. It was almost as if he were studying her, as one would study a familiar face that they just cant put their finger on. "Lady Morgan's father misses her very much, Miss. I want her back safe."
For the first time, she actually looked intently up into his face. Something about his features seemed familiar. His green eyes, high cheekbones and a tuft of coarse brown hair that peeked out from under the powdered wig sent a wave of memory flooding through her consciousness. She narrowed her eyes, trying to figure out where they had met before.
Then it hit her.
"Liam?"
***
Elentari II-
Yeah, you know, me and my spell check. Always been a bad speller, and sometimes words get through. What you gonna do? Yeah, Jack is being an arse now, though this chapter didn't really deal with it much. Poor Morgan. Good judge of character- you are. Morgan is given to drastic action.
rover girl-
I'm glad you like this, but I wont tell. Hehe, I'll never te-ell…
Erin Richards-
Wow, you had caffeine or something… Sorry. I'm sugar low and tired and bubliness just makes me nauseated. Don't we all wish we had Jack to do in the lonely hours of the night…Yeah, the triangle-square-octagon or whatever it is will get weirder. Just wait. A little something called actual historical character inspired by my sixth grade history notes and the POTC DVD will now take centre stage.
Well, almost.
Mayya-
Yay! Join Erin and me in the club of sick minds and pervy Jack fanciers! Whoo-hoo! Yeah, Meryl gets a bit screwed. (hah! In more ways than one!)
phoenix-raine-
I WILL FINISH I ALWAYS DO! Glad you like it.
divinething-
Feel free to use as much language as necessary on my review board! (Just as long as you're not hurting anyone's feelings- other than characters) I love him too. He's mine! *grabs him* MINE! Thanks for reviewing.
FencingBabe7-
Glad you liked the Orlando Bloom quote (such a non-threatening guy he is!) I thought it was very inspirational and just had to put it in here. Morgan has a small part only because she had a whole story devoted to her before so I kind of wanted to focus on the other character more. And by the way, its not self-control, its playing hard-to-get.
Thanks for your advice, and I trust you have dignity and wont flame. You're nice! Now, here's a new male character. (More to come!)
Lizard-
I'M NOT KILLING ANYONE DAMMIT!
