You Stole My Boat!

        Piracy is really in me blood.  There hasn't been a day when I didn't eat, drink, sleep about pirates and or piracy.  So when I became one it was no real surprise.  But my father was long gone, left me and my mother long ago.  After all, pirates aren't really known for their honesty and their dependency.  So there was no ship for me to start myself on.  The thought of joining a crew and being accountable to some blasted scallywag who thought he was the sun and moon sounded absolutely awful.

        So I went out lookin' for a ship.  I finally found one that made me regret how poor I was, but I got it.  Soon enough I got a crew and then I was on my way.  Feelin' the wind in my hair and smelling the salt in the ocean.  It was freedom.  Unfortunately it only lasted two days.  My bloody crew told me that they were feelin' sick and wanted to go home.  They weren't even real pirates!  What was I thinking?

        I drowned my sorrows in a mug of rum.  The island of Tortuga was always a good…relaxin' place if yer lucky enough to go through the night without some drunkard hitting on you.  A couple hours after I was there a man came to the bar and slammed his hand on it.  "Woman! Get me a mug of rum!" He yelled.  A woman obeyed him without the slightest of remark.  I was some what taken aback.  If some man said that to me, I would've slugged him.

        "You gotta a lotta nerve." I muttered.

        I could feel him looking at me as I looked straight ahead.  "It's none of ye business if I do or not,"

        I slowly moved my eyes to his.  He was certainly an interesting lookin' fellow.  Tan from obviously being out in the sun, a beard that was braided into two braids, a dirty red bandana was tied across his forehead and little trinkets were braided and strewn in his hair.  There was kohl under his dark brown, dramatic eyes and a tri corn hat that looked badly damaged and worn, was on top of his head. I wonder who this buffoon is… I thought to myself.

        "Didn't yer mother ever tell yuh how to speak to a woman?"

        He put his head down, "My mum died durin' childbirth."

        I snorted, "Yea, sure.  You prolly killed her with yer bad manners."

        He lifted his head and smiled, "You got a name?"

        "Ana Maria.  You?"

        "Captain Jack Sparrow."

        I smiled, "Yer the infamous Jack Sparrow?"

        "Captain.  Captain Jack Sparrow."

        "Ha! That's not what I hear.  Didn't you get stranded on an island by…"

        "Me first mate…dirty ba-"

        "That's right!  Barbotta! No wait…that wasn't it…who was it?…Barboroa, Barbiea…"

        The barmaid put the mug in front of him, "Barbossa."

        I smiled, somewhat amused that his own first mate would strand him on an island. "That's right.  The Black Pearl, wasn't it?  A real beauty- I saw it about two years ago when it was 'ere in Tortuga.  You must've been Captain still.  Might fine ship.  Too bad you lost 'er…"

        "Two years ago actually.  I remember stoppin' in Tortuga.  But I haven't lost 'er for long."

        "Oh?"

        "I plan to get 'er back.  It's my ship.  I paid for her with blood, money and tears.  No way am I gunna have some blasted old man sailin' it around the Caribbean."

        He took a swig of his rum and I asked, "And how do you expect to do that?  You've got nothin'.  I'm surprised you even got off the island…how did you manage that?"

        "By pure luck."

        I waited for him to elaborate, but nothing came.  I took a drink of my own rum and he finally sat down on the stool next to me.

        He looked at me, "You got a crew?"

        I shook my head, "I have a ship- but my crew left.  They got sea sick."

        Now he laughed.  "Yer some kind of hypocrite. Yer laughin' at me because my crew left me and the crew you pick out is sea sick."

        I rolled me eyes. "Well we're even now."

        He shrugged his shoulders, "Where's yer ship?"

        "Well it's more like a boat…"

        "Huh?  Why'd you have a crew?"

        "Well it's not the largest thing…"

        "Where is it?"

        "In the harbor- It's the Grateful Song."

        "Interestin' name…Where'd you get it?"

        "Puerto Rico actually.  The ships there are a bit cheaper.  My father left when I was younger so I didn't really get a lot of money from my parents."

        He nodded.  "I know about not havin' a lot of money…"

        We talked that night about each of our history, surprisingly enough we had both been at Tortuga quiet a few times, and sometimes at the same time- never saw each other.  We talked about everywhere he had been which was really interesting considering I hadn't been anywhere extravagant, and if I was then I had never done anything close to what he had.

        That night I went to bed in at the Faithful Bride.  Jack and I had had a nice talk and he was actually not a bad person.  Somewhat humorous and sarcastic.  The thing that always stuck in my head about him was how he talked.  He expressed himself with his eyes and hands, and it was just so interesting.  People seemed to be drawn to him.  Let alone women. 

        The next morning I woke up, went down to get some breakfast and rum and then went to see if I could get some crew somewhere else.  Where, I wasn't quite sure.  But I need to do something.  Anything.  And to do that, I needed a crew. 

        When I got to the harbor my ship was gone!  I stood there a good ten minutes just lookin' at the spot where it was.  I had paid good money for that bloody ship and someone had gone and taken it!

        What did you expect?  You left it overnight on Tortuga.  Came my inner voice.  Bloody thing- it never shuts up.

          "AUHG!" I yelled.  I marched back to the Faithful Bride and sat down and thought about who could've taken it.  When a thought came to me, "I plan to get 'er back", "Where's yer ship", "Where is it?"

          That bloody pirate.  He stole my boat!  I thought and angrily and got up.  He's going to regret that he took my boat.  Whether I find him in two years or ten- he will regret that.

        Eight years later I found myself back in Tortuga, in the back of my head there was still the thought of Jack Sparrow and what I was going to do to him if I ever found him.  While sitting in the Faithful Bride, I heard the door open and Gibbs ran in, and he rushed to a man sitting behind me.  I leaned back and heard, "Jack Sparrow's lookin' for a crew, what say you?"

        The man agreed and Gibbs went on to the next table.  Jack Sparrow lookin' for a crew?  This could be interesting…if I could somehow get to him…I don't necessarily need to be a part of his ship, but to talk to him and to…

        I had to be there.

        The next morning I was there, at the dock, lined up with a bunch of men.  I had my hat across over my face and hiding my hair, thinking maybe I could just…I don't know.  But to get that blasted man again…ohh that man is going to regret it.

        Gibbs, Jack and a young man who was attractive, and somewhat out of place, stood before us.  I heard Gibbs and them all talking.

"Feast your eyes, Captain. All of them, faithful hands before the mast. Every man worth his salt. And crazy to boot."

"So this is your able-bodied crew?" I heard the young man ask.  I looked up slightly and saw him giving Jack a skeptical look.

"You, sailor!" I heard Jack's familiar voice and gritted my teeth

to keep from saying anything.

"Cotton, sir," Gibbs answered

"Mr. Cotton. Do you have the courage and fortitude to follow orders and stay true in the face of danger and almost certain death? Mr. Cotton! Answer man!"

"He's a mute, sir. Poor devil had his tongue cut out, so he trained the parrot to talk for him. No one's yet figured how..."  I made a face when I heard that and rubbed my tongue against my teeth.

"Mr. Cotton 's... parrot. Same question."

"Wind in the sails! Wind in the sails!"

"Mostly, we figure, that means 'yes.'"  I laughed, What else would it mean?  Wouldn't he do something if it meant no?

"Of course it does.  Satisfied?"  I figured he was talking to the young boy

"Well, you've proved them mad." I smirked.  That's true.  Boy, whoever this kid is, he's got some sarcastic lines just like Jack.

I figured this was the best time to say anything so I mustered up my strength and said, "And what's the benefit for us?"

I heard him walk toward me and then he took off my hat, revealing my hair and my face.  I kept a stern look. "Anamaria."  I slapped him across the face.

"I suppose you didn't deserve that one either." I heard the young boy mutter to Jack, as he faced him.

"No, that one I deserved."

He looked at me, "You stole my boat!"

"Actually,"

I slapped him again harder and I saw the look on his face, I had to fight the urge to smile. "Borrowed," He continued. "Borrowed without permission. But with every intention of bringing it back to you.

"But you didn't!" I yelled

"You'll get another one."

Now this is what I was lookin' for… I paused and pointed at him, "I will."

"A better one." The young one cut in with a smile on his face.  I looked at him.

"A better one!" Jack echoed, with a big, fake smile on his face.

"That one." The young one said, pointing to the ship in the harbor.  It sure was a beauty and it fell far more superior than my other one.  The whole line of men looked at it and then looked at Jack to see his response.

"What one? That one?! Aye! That one. What say you?" I looked at him, wondering it he was telling the truth.

        I thought about it and then finally said, "Aye!" with the rest of the group.  Then I snatched my hat back and put it on my head.  I heard Gibbs muttering about bringin' a woman on board.  But I didn't worry about it.  Jack was scared of me and that's what I wanted.  I just hoped that this ship that I had gotten myself onto didn't bring me trouble.  I had no idea what Jack was intending to do.  But I'd find out sooner or later.