Chapter 3:

A/N: Hi-Hello to ya all! I feel free today, for once I feel as if there is nothing holding me back. That's such a great feeling. But anyway I have decided that this weekend I will update What the Ocean Waves Brought In and will try to work on it every weekend, but that is not a guarantee. This is for those of you who have been pestering me about updating it *shakes fist at audience* But thank you I needed that.

Disclaimer: I do not own POTC, but who ever does (*cough* Disney *cough*) I would like to a bid in!

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So our journey begins, those words have hung loosely in my mind for three days now, and for three days I have basked in the light of the warming sun and the gentle breeze rolling through the sails. Those were the words of my mother when she first stepped on the deck of the H.M.S. Imperium; I remember the way her stray black hairs brushed softly across her face, the way her royal blue dress ruffled as she walked, the sweet smell of lavender perfume on her petticoat, and her rough british accent pronouncing her fulfilling words. She was a lady of status whether by birth or not.

A sharp creek in the floorboards stole me away from my thoughts. I briskly turned around staring down a blurry shadow across the deck. The figure came towards me growing in size with every step; the shadow's strides quickened now matching the pulse of my ever-beating heart. My body froze to the floor and no matter how hard I tried to pull myself away I kept that same position frightened beyond my wildest dreams.

Dark clouds loomed above the masts stowing away the midnight moon, forever hiding this masked being in the dark. I cringed in fear praying to God that he would save me from the devilish creature toddling over to me.

"Alex?" My eyes widened as I gazed out at the being again. The moon poured out from it's hidden loft washing away the shadow in a puff of smoke. In place of it was a man who stepped through the veil of smoke over to me. "Alex it's after midnight, your mother would skin you alive if she knew you were out here."

"Andie, you won't tell her will you?" I questioned the sailor. "Please don't tell her I'd be in deep trouble for sure."

Andie took another step forward leaning against the railing with me. He was an honest sailor, a young one in his early twenties or so. His dream was of becoming a Captain of a naval ship much like this one, he told me that he wanted to win the respect of his father and that by becoming a Captain he would bring honor back to his family name, which would, in turn, earn his father's respect. Sometimes I wish that my father would want me to live that life, make something out of myself and have honor, only later would I find out why they never wanted me to have a career in the navy.

"Nah, I won't tell her. What are you doing up here anyway?" His hazel eyes gleamed down at me as he awaited my response.

"It was too stuffy downstairs and I needed some air. Mum always said that the sea was the best place to think. Of course she had only been on a ship once so I don't know how much experience she would have at that." I complained as I folded my arms resting more of my weight on the railing.

"Your mother is a very smart woman." He sighed starring further out into the crashing waves of the ocean.

"Yeah, and how would you know? We've only been aboard for three days." I asked curiously.

"What I meant is she seems like a very smart woman. I wouldn't put it past her to know what the sea was like." He covered up his misguiding tracks but I could still see the footprints through the newly spread dirt.

"You're disgusting." He stared down at me a guilty look plastered to his face. "She's my Mum and here you are blushing about her. You like her and that's just disgusting." It was enough to make me puke, the thought of a younger guy liking my mum. It's not that she was an old crone or anything; I knew my mother was beautiful but she was my mum all the same.

"Alex, you need to come to bed now. It's well into the night and you need your rest." Mother waltzed forward from the stairwell her bare feet padding their way over to us. Her off white shawl was wrapped around her shoulders covering her nightgown and her long locks waving across her back as she moved. "Thank you Mr. Young for keeping an eye on my Alex, but he really must be in bed at this late hour. Surely you understand." She wrapped her protective arms around me pulling her shawl off to cover my cold flesh.

"Yes Madam, I'm sorry for not sending him off to bed sooner.' He paused for a moment contemplating what to say to her, "if you should need help with anything, anything at all I could fulfill your... needs."

My mother's eyes flashed up meeting Andie's gaze, her razor green eyes slicing through him with vigilance. "Alex would you please leave us," she didn't even turn to look at me. "Now!"

She pushed me along shoving me towards the stairwell. As I walked I could here part of their conversation, "Mr. Young, I understand your feelings for me but I am married and very happily at that. I have two children whom I love dearly and would do anything for, I really have no need for extra love on the side my husband fulfills that need for me. Your offer was sweet and I am flattered but you don't know me."

I got to the stair well and hid in the shadows watching the rest though I could not hear their discussion. Andie stepped towards her resting his hands on her shoulders. What was he thinking?

"I know that you are a lady with a wealth of knowledge whom is just dying to break free from a lifetime of boredom. I bet the highlight of your life so far has been reading Hamlet or tucking your children in at night. Don't you want something more... exotic?"

Mother broke out in laughter confusing Andie with her strange behavior. "Does that line actually work? Oh lord, son I'm twenty-nine years old and I assure you that the most exciting parts of my life you couldn't even grasp. I am not a lady nor have I even read the book Hamlet but I have bested several men in sword fighting and am very skilled at sailing. I also have friends in very high places at Port Royal so keep in mind if you pull a stunt like this again you'll get busted."

She continued laughing as she walked away from Andie, "It's been nice chatting with you Mr. Young!" Mum let out a large sigh as she came towards the steps expecting to see me hiding around the corner but I had already left and ran for my cot in our quarters.

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Three weeks had passed by since that night and we were on the verge of reaching the Caribbean when the warning bell sounded early within the morning light. Father sprung open the door to our room, shaking mother from her slumber. "What is it Sam? What's going on?"

He was about to blurt out the news when he noticed my sister and I staring at him awkwardly. "I think it's best if we keep the children in the room, you need to come see what is going on up on the spar deck." Father motioned her up stairs with his eyes in code.

"Children, be good won't you? Mummy needs to check something out. We'll be back soon." She kissed our foreheads and grabbed and extra pair of Father's knickers and cotton shirts. Within an instant they were gone and the door was shut.

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"Which ship is it? Is it one that we know?" Andie Asked the Captain as our 'disguised' mother stepped on deck her hair pulled out of her way in a ponytail and a worn green-blue hat slopped on her head.

"It's one of ours, the H.M.S. Carte Blanche, though it is not our men." The Captain informed lowering his spyglass.

"Then who are they?" Andie stepped forward squinting in the morning sun.

"Pirates, Mr. Young, pirates. I suggest you rally your men and make ready the cannons."

"Aye sir." With that he made his way from the helm back onto the spar deck where he saw my mum.

"Mrs. Taber? What on earth are you doing in men's breeches? This conduct is not that of a lady." He pointed out as he came towards her.

"You're absolutely right Mr. Young. But if those are indeed pirates aloft over yonder, then they'll be looking for women and children and if the women are dressed as men, well they won't be entertainment this night."

"You believe that they can over throw this ship," he posed pompously.

"Yes," Mum replied boldly, "have you ever encountered pirates before Mr. Young?"

"Well no ma'am, but their just low lives, they don't know how to properly fight."

"Yet their kind has lasted for over fifty years. Now tell me how could they manage that without having some power?" She left him with that thought as she walked lengthwise down the ship to my father.

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"Where are you going Alex?" Lydia screamed running after me as I opened the door.

"I want to see what is going on and why Mother took Father's clothes." I turned away to leave but was pulled back by her cries once more.

"Don't leave me down here, Alex, I want to come too." She jumped out in front of me galloping for the stairs.

"Fine," I grabbed her shirt, "but you must listen to me and try to keep quiet."

She smiled and nodded her head anxiously; we made our way up the steps cautiously. When we reached the top we could not believe our eyes, pirates were screaming and shouting from another ship that had lined up against ours. I thought we were goners for sure.

I caught a glimpse of who I believed was their captain; a dark haired man with a washed out burgundy coat and deeply tanned skin. He shout orders viciously to his men, his voice like thunder. Then they were boarding, they climbed over the sides with ease and our groups quickly merged battling for our lives. What did they want? Money? Revenge? Supplies? Murder?

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"Give them no quarter if they resist! I want my the woman and her family found!" The Captain shouted fiercely, he meant us. Why us?

I turned to go back down the steps when a big burly man came at us forcing my sister and I back up the steps. We ran onto deck dodging the swings from swords and ducking from thrown objects. We were pinned in a corner by the man until another man came up from behind him placing a cutlass to his sun-burned throat, "leave my children alone!"

The burly man resisted shoving the other into the railing whereupon we realized it wasn't a man at all but our mother. She kicked the man in the face with her bare feet pushing him out of the way.

"JUSTINE!" Came a shout from behind her. She turned to see the Pirate Captain starring at her with a faint smile on his face. Mother's face lit up then lost its lustrous color when our Captain appeared behind the man, his pistol to the pirate's head.

"To hell with you, you devilish creature!" He shouted cocking the gun back ready to fire.

"Sanders Stop!" Her scream echoed through the crowd reaching the two captains; she paused almost begging him to drop the gun but he didn't budge. She blinked thinking over her options, sweat draining down her forehead, she had no choice. A pistol went off, the gunpowder smoke traveling away from my mother's face.

"Mother!" My voice leapt from my throat without warning praying to god that she wasn't harmed. Then the sudden realization of it all struck me, it was our captain whom was the victim of this shot, not the pirate. "She killed him," it started in a whisper than escalated to shouts, "you killed him! You killed a man!"

A pair of rough arms wrapped around me holding me in place as I wriggled around screaming at her. She killed a man, she was a murderer and the worst part was that she knew it. "Hush boy, calm down. Uncle Gibbs is here, just relax."

"You're not my uncle," I fought with him constantly until I became exhausted and slouched on the wood in my confusion.

Andie stood by watching the entire thing shocked by Mum's actions. He walked up to her, pistol in hand, waiting for his moment. "Mrs. you are on dangerous ground at the moment. I suggest you drop the weapon and give yourself up to the proper authorities."

There was so much commotion on deck and almost nobody could explain what was going on. Mother dropped her pistol to the ground and turned solemnly away from everyone walking to the railing. She leaned her brow against the moist wood relaxing her nerves somewhat. "Mum!" Lydia sprung up from the little corner she had been hiding in and ran over to Mother, tears filling her little eyes.

"Mum, it's okay. Don't get upset, I love you." Lydia wrapped her scrawny arms around Mum's waist hugging her tightly.

Several brawls continued on in the background, many men fighting simply to end the fight. Mother ignored them as she reached down and scooped Lydia up in her arms now turning to face everyone. The pirate Captain stepped a little closer to Mum, his face was not cruel or vile but nervous and worried. "Just-."

"Don't!" She pointed the tip of her cutlass at him, "I don't want to talk to you just yet," her voice stuttered out the next word as if it was not the one she wanted to use but was forced to speak it anyway, "Jack." He stood his ground their eyes beaming at each other; who was this man and how does she know him?

Father sifted through the mess of pirates walking straight out to mother whispering closely in her ear. She nodded and turned back to 'Jack'. "Get your ship ready, we leave now."

Was Mother crazy? She could get herself killed ordering around a pirate, but to my surprise he followed her orders.

"Wait just a moment! You can't leave, you're staying right here and I'm taking you all to Port Royal where you will be tried for your acts of treason against the crown." I have to admit that it was the worst speech I ever heard Andie say.

"Andie, I'm not one for threats but this pirate crew easily doubles yours. Do you honestly think you could stop us? I mean your more than welcome to try, you could even follow us for all I care but you'll never be able to turn us in." Mother spoke to him halfheartedly, not even caring if it turned out to be a threat or not.

"Why not?" Andie voiced back but mother had already turned away and began to walk across the boarding planks with Lydia in her arms.

"I'm tired Mum," she announced sleepily to Mother's all hearing ears. "And I'm hungry too."

"I'll get you something to eat in a moment and then you can go to bed okay, luv?" She grinned lovingly as Lydia nodded resting her head on Mother's shoulders.

Just after they crossed over to the other ship the pirates followed, leaving the sailors with little to no food, torn sails, a few pence and their lives. I found myself walking reluctantly next to 'Jack' as we crossed the boarding planks. "Your mother's a bit of a talker isn't she?"

His breath was raw with rum and he had several gold teeth that gleamed down at me. "You don't know my mother," I said boldly hoping that my statement might end the conversation.

"Well you certainly inherited her stubbornness, but what of your father? What traits of his do you have?" His presence annoyed me and his stench was almost unbearable, it was as if he had never bathed in his life I nearly died.

"Do you not bathe or is that just how you smell?" I retorted rudely not caring if it hurt at all. I leapt down onto the deck of the pirates' ship walking to the center whereupon I noticed another boy at the helm, not much older than I was. For once I was not alone in this world.

The Captain gave his orders and we were off, to where I did not know. As I glanced back I noticed that most of the sailors were tied to the mast and all of the cannons were missing their fuses, the first real hint that these men were thieves of the sea.

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A/N: I fixed it, hope it sounds better!